Food Safety and Genetically Engineered Foods

A novel approach based on headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC–ToFMS) was developed for the simultaneous screening of microbial and mite contamination level in cereals and coffee beans. The proposed approach emerges as a powerful tool for the rapid assessment of the microbial contamination level (ca. 70 min versus ca. 72 to 120 h for bacteria and fungi, respectively, using conventional plate counts), and mite contamination (ca. 70 min versus ca. 24 h). A full-factorial design was performed for optimization of the SPME experimental parameters. The methodology was applied to three types of rice (rough, brown, and white rice), oat, wheat, and green and roasted coffee beans. Simultaneously, microbiological analysis of the samples (total aerobic microorganisms, moulds, and yeasts) was performed by conventional plate counts. A set of 54 volatile markers was selected among all the compounds detected by GC×GC–ToFMS. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied in order to establish a relationship between potential volatile markers and the level of microbial contamination. Methylbenzene, 3-octanone, 2-nonanone, 2-methyl-3-pentanol, 1-octen-3-ol, and 2-hexanone were associated to samples with higher microbial contamination level, especially in rough rice. Moreover, oat exhibited a high GC peak area of 2-hydroxy-6-methylbenzaldehyde, a sexual and alarm pheromone for adult mites, which in the other matrices appeared as a trace component. The number of mites detected in oat grains was correlated to the GC peak area of the pheromone. The HS-SPME/GC×GC–ToFMS methodology can be regarded as the basis for the development of a rapid and versatile method that can be applied in industry to the simultaneous assessment the level of microbiological contamination and for detection of mites in cereals grains and coffee beans.

PROTOCOL: Impact of the food environment on diet-related health outcomes in school-age children and adolescents in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review.

The primary objective of this study was to determine quantitatively and qualitatively the predominant types of microbial contamination occurring in conventional and laminar flow clean rooms. One horizontal laminar flow, three conventional industrial clean rooms, and three open factory areas were selected for microbiological tests. The results showed that as the environment and personnel of a clean room were controlled in a more positive manner with respect to the reduction of particulate contamination, the levels of airborne and surface microbial contaminants were reduced accordingly. The chief sources of microbial contamination were associated with the density and activity of clean room personnel. In addition, the majority of microorganisms isolated from the intramural air by air samplers were those indigenous to humans. Studies on the fallout and accumulation of airborne microorganisms on stainless-steel surfaces showed that, although there were no significant differences in the levels of microbial contamination among the conventional clean rooms, the type of microorganism detected on stainless-steel surfaces was consistently and significantly different. In addition, the "plateau phenomenon" occurred in all environments studied. It was concluded that the stainless-steel strip method for detecting microbial accumulation on surfaces is efficient and sensitive in ultra-clean environments and is the most reliable and practical method for monitoring microbial contamination in future class 100 clean rooms to be used for the assembly of spacecraft which will be sterilized.

The primary objective of this study was to determine quantitatively and qualitatively the predominant types of microbial contamination occurring in conventional and laminar flow clean rooms. One horizontal laminar flow, three conventional industrial clean rooms, and three open factory areas were selected for microbiological tests. The results showed that as the environment and personnel of a clean room were controlled in a more positive manner with respect to the reduction of particulate contamination, the levels of airborne and surface microbial contaminants were reduced accordingly. The chief sources of microbial contamination were associated with the density and activity of clean room personnel. In addition, the majority of microorganisms isolated from the intramural air by air samplers were those indigenous to humans. Studies on the fallout and accumulation of airborne microorganisms on stainless-steel surfaces showed that, although there were no significant differences in the levels of microbial contamination among the conventional clean rooms, the type of microorganism detected on stainless-steel surfaces was consistently and significantly different. In addition, the "plateau phenomenon" occurred in all environments studied. It was concluded that the stainless-steel strip method for detecting microbial accumulation on surfaces is efficient and sensitive in ultra-clean environments and is the most reliable and practical method for monitoring microbial contamination in future class 100 clean rooms to be used for the assembly of spacecraft which will be sterilized.

Microbial Food Contamination

Health in the Arctic Circle

The microbiological quality of carcases, meat and environmental surfaces was evaluated in commercial boning rooms processing beef and lamb. There was considerable variation in the level of microbial contamination on both carcases and meat, with counts ranging from less than 20 to 10(8)/cm2 on carcases and to 2 x 10(7)/cm2 on meat. The level of microbial contamination on meat was influenced by the level of carcase contamination at boning and by the boning process itself. Carcase contamination was the major determinant of microbiological quality, as more than 70% of carcase had microbial counts greater than 10(3)/cm2. Cutting boards were a major source for microbial dissemination during boning, particularly when carcase counts were less than 10(3)/cm2. If carcases were heavily contaminated, the contamination of processing surfaces was irrelevant in determining microbial loads on meat. Where carcase contamination was at low to moderate levels, the contribution of the boning process to the contamination on meat assumed increased significance. Under these conditions, improved sanitation of cutting surfaces in the boning room resulted in a significant reduction in microbial contamination on the surface of meat. These results can form the basis for ensuring that improvements made in carcase management before boning, to improve microbiological quality, will be preserved through attention to cutting board hygiene during boning.

<scp>IFST</scp> vision for a <scp>UK</scp>‐wide national food strategy

From the Chief Executive and <scp>IFST</scp> News

Microbial and heavy metal contamination in commonly consumed traditional Chinese herbal medicines

The purpose of this study was to investigate incidence rates and levels of microbial contamination in open-but-unused portions of wound dressings stored in home settings. Portions of wound dressings were collected at up to four home visits for 104 clients undertaking wound management within their home. A control sample and stored sample was collected on each home visit and sent for pathology testing to identify levels of microbial contamination. The stored open-but-unused wound dressings were managed according to a written protocol. Of the tested samples (n = 776), 6% of control samples and 7% of test samples had microbial contamination. From regression analysis, the stored samples were more likely to have microbial contamination than control samples, but results were not statistically significant. In comparing occasions of storage and handling across four home visits, after adjusting for sample group and dressing type, none of the home visit occasion regressions were statistically significant. In conclusion, storage of open-but-unused portions of wound dressings kept in home settings does not appear to increase the rate of microbial contamination compared to newly opened wound dressings.

BackgroundConsumption of unsafe foods increases morbidity and mortality and is currently an issue, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Policy actions to ensure food safety are dominated by mitigation of biological and chemical hazards through supply-side risk management, lessening the degree to which consumer perspectives of food safety are considered. ObjectivesThis study aimed to provide an in-depth understanding, from vendor and consumer perspectives, of how food-safety concerns of consumers translate into their subsequent food-choice behaviors in 6 diverse low- and middle-income countries. MethodsSix Drivers of Food Choice projects (2016–2022) provided transcripts from 17 focus group discussions and 343 interviews conducted in Ghana, Guinea, India, Kenya, Tanzania, and Vietnam. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to identify emerging themes important to food safety. ResultsThe analysis suggests that consumers constructed meaning about food safety through personal lived experience and social influences. Community and family members contributed knowledge about food safety. Concerns about food safety were influenced by reputations of and relationships with food vendors. Consumers’ mistrust of food vendors was amplified by purposeful adulteration or unsafe selling practices and new methods used to produce food. Moreover, consumers were reassured of food safety by positive relationships with vendors; meals cooked at home; implementation of policies and following regulations; vendor adherence to environmental sanitation and food-hygiene practices; cleanliness of vendors’ appearance; and vendors’ or producers’ agency to use risk mitigation strategies in production, processing, and distribution of food. ConclusionsConsumers integrated their meanings, knowledge, and concerns about food safety to achieve assurance about the safety of their foods when making food-choice decisions. The success of food-safety policies hinges on consideration of consumers’ food-safety concerns in their design and implementation, alongside actions to reduce risk in food supply.

Microbial contamination in surgical instruments: A comment

Thermal stability is essential for the survival and well-being of preterm neonates. This is achieved in neonatal incubators by raising the ambient temperature and humidity to sufficiently high levels. However, potentially pathogenic microorganisms also can thrive in such warm and humid environments. We therefore investigated whether the level of microbial contamination (i.e., the bacterial load) inside neonatal incubators can be predicted on the basis of their average temperature and relative humidity settings, paying special attention to local temperature differences. Swab samples were taken from the warmest and coldest spots found within Caleo incubators, and these were plated to determine the number of microbial CFU per location. In incubators with high average temperature (≥ 34°C) and relative humidity (≥ 60%) values, the level of microbial contamination was significantly higher at cold spots than at hot spots. This relates to the fact that the local equilibrium relative humidity at cold spots is sufficiently high to sustain microbial growth. The abundance of staphylococci, which are the main causative agents of late-onset sepsis in preterm neonates, was found to be elevated significantly in cold areas. These findings can be used to improve basic incubator hygiene.

Background : Consuming the medicinal herbs has become the habitual legacy in Indonesian community. Powder packed medicinal herbs are enjoyed and commonly used. Some research result and the quality control activity of herbal medicine by legal institution proved that the powder herbs produks are not save from biological hazard yet, as some tixic fungsi are available in the market. Methods : This research used an observation study with the cross-sectional approach to observe the microbial contamination's risk factoring processing the herbal medicine. The samples of researches all the kind of herbal medicine, 13 product in from of powder produced by the herbal company in south Kalimantan in April and May 2002, by the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) model Approach, this research determined 6 critical procedure, sorting procedure, washing procedure, drying procedure, pre-packaging product storage and primary packaging procedure whereas the microbial contamination level was measured to 3 parameter of microbial number from the end product, which were ALT (total bacteria), MPN Coliform and Kapang-Khamir. Results : Chi-square test’s result in the limited sample (fisher’s Exact Test) and also Rank Spearman correlation coefficient indicated a significant relationship between the implementation level of simplisia drying procedure and primary packaging procedure with the total bacteria contamination level (p < 0,05). Moreover, with the Rang Spearman correlation coefficient test the research found the significant relationship between the implementation level of pre – packaging product storage producer and kapang khamir contamination level (P<0,05). There were no significant relationship between variable in the production process with the Coliform contamination level (MPN Coliform). The result of logistic regression analysis showed the effect between the simplisia storage procedure, sorting and the drying procedure to the total bacteria contamination level (ALT) in the end product. Recommendation : Therefore, to improve the quality of microbiological herbal powder product, especially in minimizing the total bacteria and Kapang-Khamir contamination, it is suggested to conduct some improvement in the implementation of simplisia storage procedure, sorting, drying, pre-packaging product storage and primary packaging. Keywords = medicinal herb, microbial contamination. HACCP