Food Safety Evaluation Research Articles

Voltammetric analysis of capsaicin on reduced graphene oxide paste electrode in acidic medium

This article presents the application of a reduced graphene oxide paste electrode (rGOPE) for the electrochemical detection and quantification of capsaicin via cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) in an acidic medium. Using 50 mM Britton-Robinson buffer at pH 1.7 as the supporting electrolyte, the rGOPE demonstrated high sensitivity and a broad linear range for capsaicin quantification, with potential sweeps from −0.2 to +1.0 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in CV and +0.3 to +1.0 V in SWV. The paste electrode, prepared by heating to 60 °C to promote paraffin agglomeration, demonstrated reliable electron transfer, with capsaicin undergoing irreversible oxidation to o-benzoquinone, which subsequently undergoes reversible transformation to catechol. SWV analysis at +0.67 V revealed a linear response from 1.43 to 11.35 µM, with a determination coefficient of 0.993 (n = 3), sensitivity of 0.4971 μA L μmol−1, detection limit (LD) of 0.70 µM, and quantification limit (LQ) of 2.32 µM. Stability tests indicated that o-benzoquinone accumulation during successive scans diminished the capsaicin signal. The electrode demonstrated good repeatability (RSD = 13.31 %) and reproducibility (RSD = 19.24 %) across different solutions and days. Selectivity studies confirmed that ascorbic acid while producing a secondary signal, doesn’t interfere after ethanol extraction due to its insolubility. Successful capsaicin recovery in authentic pepper samples further underscores the rGOPE’s applicability. This study emphasizes rGOPE as a viable, efficient, and economical substitute for traditional chromatographic techniques in capsaicinoid detection, with potential applications in food safety and pharmaceutical evaluation.

Dissipation kinetics and risk assessment of chlorantraniliprole residues in brinjal

Chlorantraniliprole is used to manage brinjal and shoot borer; however, residues may remain in crops. Therefore, the analysis of chlorantraniliprole residues with correlated dissipation rate and safety evaluations in Brinjal was undertaken at Varanasi, India. The present investigation was undertaken to study the dissipation pattern and safety evaluation of chlorantraniliprole residues in brinjal fruits. The collected brinjal was extracted using a modified ethyl acetate-based extraction method and analyzed by gas-chromatography micro-electron capture detector (GC-µECD). The food safety evaluation was determined by comparing the dietary exposure against maximum permissible intake (MPI) values. The GC-µECD gave good linearity (R 2 ≥ 0.97). The half-lives of chlorantraniliprole residue in brinjal fruits were 1.94, 2.24, and 2.71 days for RD half, RD, and DD, respectively for the year 2019 and for the year 2020, half-lives were 1.82, 1.40, and 2.78 days for RD half, RD, and DD, respectively. Dietary exposures of the residues were less than the MPI of 24.96 mg/person/day on all the sampling days. Thus, chlorantraniliprole can be recommended for spraying treatments in brinjal as a low-risk insecticide.

Discrimination of wild edible and poisonous fungi with similar appearance (Cantharellus albovenosus vs Omphalotus olearius) based on lipidomics using UHPLC-HR-AM/MS/MS

Mushrooms have long been appreciated as a delicacy as well as used as vital dietary supplements and food. However, poisoning from mushroom consumption remains a worldwide health problem, resulting in morbidity and mortality. In this paper, for the first time an untargeted lipidomics analysis on Omphalotus olearius (O. olearius) and Cantharellus albovenosus (C. albovenosus) was performed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography high-resolution accurate mass-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HR-AM/MS/MS). A total of 350 lipid molecular species from 21 classes were detected in the two mushrooms. Based on multivariate and univariate analyses, 37 differential lipids were selected as metabolic markers for distinguishing the two mushrooms. And only 5 % (w/w) adulteration level was sufficient to identify C. albovenosus mixed with O. olearius. This study indicated that lipidomics approaches can provide high-resolution markers for food safety evaluation, which can be used as an accurate evaluation for distinguishing poisonous mushrooms from edible ones.

Exploring the functional properties and utilisation potential of mollusca shell by-products through an interdisciplinary approach

Molluscan shellfish aquaculture contributes to 42.6% of global aquaculture production. With a continued increase in shellfish production, disposal of shell waste during processing is emerging as an environmental and financial concern. Whilst major commercial species such as Crassostrea spp. has been extensively investigated on usage of its shell, with information that are crucial for valorisation, e.g. safety and crystal polymorphs, evaluated. There is currently little understanding of utilisation opportunities of shell in several uprising Australian commercially harvested species including Akoya Oyster (Pinctada fucata), Roe’s Abalone (Haliotis roei) and Greenlip Abalone (Haliotis levigata), making it challenging to identify ideal usages based on evidence-based information. Therefore, in this study, an interdisciplinary approach was employed to characterise the shells, and thereafter suggest some potential utilisation opportunities. This characterisation included crude mineral content, elemental profiling and food safety evaluation. As well, physical, chemical, and thermal stability of the shell products was assessed. TGA result suggests that all shells investigated have high thermal stability, suggesting the possibility of utilisation as a functional filler in engineering applications. Subsequent FTIR, SEM and XRD analyses identified that CaCO3 was the main compositions with up to 77.6% of it found to be aragonite. The spectacular high aragonite content compared to well-investigated Crassostrea spp. suggested an opportunity for the utilisation of refined abalone shell as a source of biomedical engineering due to its potent biocompatibility. Additionally, safety evaluations on whole shell also outlined that all investigated samples were safe when utilised as a crude calcium supplement for populations > 11 years old, which could be another viable options of utilisation. This article could underpin abalone and akoya industries actions to fully utilise existing waste streams to achieve a more sustainable future.

Quantitative Analysis of Deer Bone Hydroethanolic Extract Using Label-Free Proteomics: Investigating Its Safety and Promoting Effect on Mouse Embryonic Osteoblastic Progenitor Cell Proliferation.

Deer bone is rich in proteins and free amino acids, offering high nutritional value and benefits such as strengthening bones and antioxidant properties. However, the development and utilization of deer bone resources are limited, and the safety evaluation of health foods is incomplete. We established a hydrogen ethanol extraction method for deer bone and analyzed the components of the deer bone hydroethanolic extract (DBHE) using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Using Label-free proteomics technology, we identified 69 proteins and 181 peptides. We also quantified 16 amino acids, 22 fatty acids, and 17 inorganic elements. Finally, we evaluated the safety of DBHE both in vitro and in vivo. The results indicated that DBHE did not exhibit any toxic effects at the doses we tested and can promote the proliferation of mouse embryonic osteoblastic progenitor cells (MC3T3-E1), demonstrating potential efficacy against osteoporosis and arthritis. This study provides a theoretical basis for the quality control, processing, and resource development of deer bone.

Development of a Flexible Produce Supply Chain Food Safety Risk Model: Comparing Tradeoffs Between Improved Process Controls and Additional Product Testing for Leafy Greens as a Test Case

The produce industry needs a tool to evaluate food safety interventions and prioritize investments and future research. A model was developed in R for a generic produce supply chain and made accessible via Shiny. Microbial contamination events, increases, reductions, and testing can be modeled. The output for each lot was the risk of one, 300-gram sample testing positive, described by two industry-relevant risk metrics, the overall risk of a positive test (proxy for recall risk) and the number of lots with the highest risk (>1 in 10 chance) of testing positive (proxy for public health risk). A leafy green supply chain contaminated with Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli was modeled with a mean of 1 pathogen cell per pound (µ = 1 CFU/lb or −2.65 Log(CFU/g)) under high (σ = 0.8 Log(CFU/g)) and low (σ = 0.2 Log(CFU/g)) variability. Baseline risk of a positive test in the low-variability scenario (1 in 20,000) was lower than for high-variability (1 in 4,500), showing rare high-level contamination drives risk. To evaluate tradeoffs, we modeled two well-studied, frequently used interventions: additional product testing (8 of 375-gram tests/lot) and improved process controls (additional −0.87 ± 0.32 Log(CFU/g) reduction). Improved process controls better-reduced recall risk (to 1 in 115,000 and 1 in 26,000 for low- and high-variability, respectively), compared to additional product testing (to 1 in 21,000 and 1 in 11,000 for low- and high-variability, respectively). For low variability contamination, no highest-risk lots existed. Under high variability contamination, both interventions removed all highest-risk lots (about 0.05% of total). Yet, additional product testing rejected more lower-risk lots (about 1% of total), suggesting meaningful food waste tradeoffs. This model evaluates tradeoffs between interventions using industry-relevant risk metrics to support decision-making and can be adapted to assess other commodities, process stages, and less-studied interventions.

Research on fresh image recognition algorithms based on machine learning

The identification of fresh images tackles issues related to accurate classification, speed and flexibility enhancement, and perhaps superior food safety evaluation. In this work, the type and freshness identification (TFI) system is based on ML (machine learning). The research suggests ML techniques for identifying various meats (pork, chicken, beef, etc) flaws and differentiating between fresh and decomposing meats to decrease labour expenses, manufacturing time, and worker effort. An efficient TFI system is suggested in this work using machine learning (ML) techniques. We gather various meat samples to effectively identify the type and freshness of the meat. Pre-processing of raw images is conducted to standardize the raw data samples. In the feature extraction process, features from the normalized data are extracted to confirm the quality of the data. The retrieved data is divided into categories for fresh meat and non-fresh meat. The suggested approach is used to evaluate TFI efficiency using a Python program. In conclusion, it was discovered that this study outperformed in improving the TFI performance

Generic Food Safety Assessment: A Framework to Evaluate Food Safety Hazards Emerging from Change(s) in the Primary Production System – A Case Study Involving Intercropping

Food safety is a shared responsibility of all actors along the food supply chain. Changes in the primary production system can affect food safety hazards along the supply chain. This highlights the need for a framework that enables primary producers (i.e., farmers) to assess the potential food safety hazards and, if needed, to apply control measures. This paper presents a generic food safety assessment (GFSA) framework that has been developed based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP). The proposed framework was applied to a case study, i.e., the transition from sole cropping of oats to intercropping of oats with lupins. The application of the GFSA framework enabled the evaluation of potential changes in food safety hazards from this transition and the establishment of appropriate control measures. In addition, GFSA users can employ the results to support decision-making process. Our case study showed that implementing GFSA can be challenging for smallholder or individual farmers and may need coordinated action. Finally, effective and transparent communication is critical for managing food safety along the food supply chain, including when changes are implemented in primary production.

A study on safety evaluation system of cultured foods among alternative proteins

AbstractFood produced by cell culture has been approved in Singapore and the United States. Food safety evaluation systems of Singapore, the United States, Europe, and Korea were reviewed for producing cultured foods with new technologies. In Singapore, Europe, and Korea, safety evaluation of cultured meat is conducted by applying for such evaluation in the Novel Food system. In contrast, in the case of the United States, safety evaluation for cultured meat is conducted by the FDA and the USDA, considering it as an altered product of production methods, not a novel food. Required safety assessment data vary depending on whether the cultured meat is a novel food or a different food with a different production method. Accordingly, the current study presents differences between required documents according to the two distinct perspectives.

Preparation of CeO2QDs-g-C3N4/C composites and electrochemical determination of aflatoxin B1

The presence of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in food represents a significant threat to human health, leading to the development of cancer. The key factor for effective trace detection technology lies in the utilization of sensor materials that exhibit excellent selectivity and high sensitivity properties. In this study, a successfully synthesis of g-C3N4/C with a high specific surface area uses melamine and houttuynia cordata stem as starting materials. A CeO2QDs-g-C3N4/C composite was prepared by hydrothermally anchoring cerium oxide quantum dots (CeO2QDs) onto the surface of g-C3N4/C, the high redox efficiency of CeO2QDs and the small size limitation effect significantly improve the sensing performance. The composite was characterized by XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, and N2 adsorption-desorption. The results revealed that, the CeO2QDs-g-C3N4/C composite sensor material exhibited significant advantages with a large specific surface area, a well-defined micropore structure, and abundant reactive sites. In addition, electrochemical activity tests are conducted using EIS, CV, and DPV for the purpose of electrochemical investigations. The CeO2QDs-g-C3N4/C/GCE exhibits exceptional electrocatalytic activity against AFB1, with a wide linear response range of 100–1300 pg ml-1, an impressively low detection limit (LOD) of 6.61 fg ml-1 (S/N = 3), and a sensitivity of 0.985 pg μM ml-1μA-1. Furthermore, the stability, repeatability, and interference experimental response errors all remain below 5 %. It is also noteworthy that, the sensor material demonstrates excellent practicality in AFB1 assays conducted on real samples, which serves to illustrate its immense potential for applications in food safety evaluation.

An all-in-one smartphone-assisted ratiometric fluorescent device for visual and quantitative detection of glutathione

The daily consumption of foods abundant in Glutathione (GSH) can be supplemented to maintain the homeostasis of GSH in human health and alleviate pathologies resulting from abnormal GSH levels. The fluorescence-based visual determination of GSH has gradually attracted the attention of researchers due to its robust performance and versatile implementation. However, the current GSH visual strategy primarily relies on variations in fluorescence intensity at a single emission wavelength, which poses challenges for naked-eye and portable readout, as well as distorted signals caused by complex matrix effects in real samples. Herein, a ratiometric fluorescence sensor based on carbon dots (CDs) combined with an all-in-one 3D-printed smartphone-based device was successfully developed for low-cost, visual and rapid detection of GSH without the need for an external excitation light source. The ratiometric fluorescent materials were synthesized by conjugating blue carbon dots (B-CDs) with yellow carbon dots (Y-CDs) through the utilization of selected Cu2+ ions. The resulting mechanism demonstrated that the coordination interaction between Cu2+ and residual aromatic amino groups in Y-CDs (Y-CDs-Cu2+) contributed to a newly emitted peak at 580 nm, thereby inducing fluorescence resonance energy transfer from B-CDs to Y-CDs-Cu2+. A linear correlation was found between GSH concentrations and R/B values in the range of 10–100 μM, with a limit of detection observed at 4.8 μM. By utilizing this portable device in combination with RGB analysis, the quantitative detection of GSH can be achieved even in complex food matrices such as tomatoes and grapes. The universality of this all-in-one device was further validated by pre-spraying CDs onto a paper strip for visual measurement of GSH. This work offers a portable, visual, and accessible approach to evaluating food safety and nutrition, thereby demonstrating significant economic value and holding profound implications for human health.

Design and construction of in vitro digestive simulation model

SummaryThe utilisation of in vitro digestive simulation models holds significant importance in the development, quality control, and safety evaluation of functional foods. This review presents an overview of the classification, design, and construction methods of in vitro digestive models while summarising the emerging trends towards miniaturisation and intelligence. Miniaturisation technology enhances the ability of these models to simulate physiological processes within the human digestive system more accurately, thereby improving experiment repeatability and controllability. Intelligent technology further facilitates optimal design, data collection, and analysis for in vitro digestive models.

Construction of a Food Safety Evaluation System Based on the Factor Analysis of Mixed Data Method.

Food safety evaluation, which aims to reflect food safety status, is an important part of food safety management. Traditional food evaluation methods often consider limited data, and the evaluation process is subjective, time-consuming, and difficult to popularize. We developed a new food safety evaluation system that incorporates simple qualification degrees, food consumption, project hazard degrees, sales channels, food production regions, and other information obtained from food safety sampling and inspection to reflect the food safety situation accurately, objectively, and comprehensively. This evaluation model combined the statistical method and the machine learning method. The optimal distance method was used to calculate the basic qualification degree, and then expert elicitation via a questionnaire and the factor analysis of mixed data method (FADM) was applied to modify the basic qualification degree so as to obtain the food safety index, which indicates food safety status. Then, the effectiveness of this new method was verified by calculating and analyzing of the food safety index in region X. The results show that this model can clearly distinguish food safety levels in different cities and food categories and identify food safety trends in different years. Thus, this food safety evaluation system based on the FADM quantifies the real food safety level, screens out cities and food categories with high food safety risks, and, finally, helps to optimize the allocation of regulatory resources and provide technical and theoretical support for government decision-making.

Food safety knowledge and practices of food handlers at a public Sudanese university

The study was conducted to evaluate food safety knowledge and practices of food handlers in twenty-four food premises at nine campuses of Sudan University of Science and Technology (SUST), Khartoum State, Sudan. A structured questionnaire about demographic characteristics, food safety knowledge and practices of one hundred and five respondents was used. Data showed that 95.2% of respondents were Sudanese; 99% were males, the majority were singles, 43.8% were university graduates, 64.8% were in the age group 20-30 years, 100% had good knowledge regarding the importance of maintaining a clean environment in food premises, preparing food in a safe way, danger of food poisoning and 95.4% agreed that it is their responsibility to prevent food poisoning. Food handlers had in general satisfactory practices of personal hygiene; however, 64.8 to 69.5% had some poor practices, particularly not wearing clean aprons, masks, gloves and hair nets. Among the respondents 68.6% received basic training in food safety. The study suggests that mandatory food safety education and training should be organized to strengthen food handlers' knowledge, attitudes and practices in food safety areas which are either weak or lacking. The HACCP system should be implemented in food premises at the university campuses.

Rapid and on-site detection of bisulfite via a NIR fluorescent probe: A case study on the emission wavelength of probes with different quinolinium as electron-withdrawing groups

The emission of venenous sulfur dioxide (SO2) and its derivatives from industrial applications such as coking, transportation and food processing has caused great concern about public health and environmental quality. Probes that enable sensitivity and specificity to detect SO2 derivatives play a crucial role in its regulations and finally mitigating its environmental and health impacts, but fluorescent probes that can accurately, rapidly and on-site detect SO2 derivatives in foodstuffs and environmental systems rarely reported. Herein, a near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probe (ZTX) for the ratiometric response of bisulfite (HSO3−) was designed and synthesized by regulating the structure of high-performance HSO3− fluorescent probe SL previously reported by us based on structural analyses, theoretical calculations and related literature reports. The Michael addition reaction between the electronic-deficient C=C bond and HSO3− destroys ZTX's π-conjugation system and blocks its intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) process, resulting in a significant fading of the fuchsia solution and the bluish-purple fluorescence turned light blue fluorescence. Fluorescent imaging of HSO3− in live animals utilizing ZTX has been demonstrated. The quantitative analysis of HSO3− in food samples using ZTXvia a smartphone has been also successfully implemented. Simultaneously, the ZTX-based test strips were utilized to quantificationally determine HSO3− in environmental water samples by a smartphone. Consequently, probe ZTX could provide a new method to understand the physiopathological roles of HSO3−, evaluate food safety and monitor environment, and is promising for broad applications.

Harvesting insect pests for animal feed: potential to capture an unexploited resource.

The demand for animal protein grows as the human population increases. Technological and genetic advances in traditional animal agriculture will not produce enough protein to meet future needs without significant innovations such as the use of insects as protein sources. Insect farming is growing insects, whereas insect harvesting is collecting insects from their natural habitats to produce high-quality protein for animal feed or human food. Intensive agricultural environments produce tremendous quantities of pestiferous insects and with the right harvest technologies these insects can be used as a protein supplement in traditional animal daily rations. An avenue to exploit these insects is to use traps such as the United States Department of Agriculture-Biomass Harvest Trap (USDA-BHT) to efficiently attract, harvest, and store insects from naturally abundant agricultural settings. The modular design allows for a low cost, easy to build and fix device that is user friendly and has customizable attractants to target various pest species. Although insect harvesting faces substantial challenges, including insect biomass quantity, seasonal abundance and preservation, food safety, and economic and nutritional evaluation, the potential for utilizing these pests for protein shows tremendous promise. In this forum, insect harvesting is discussed, including its potential, limitations, challenges, and research needs. In addition, the use of a mass trapping device is discussed as a tool to increase the biomass of insects collected from the environment.

Framework for evaluation of food safety in the circular food system

In order to minimise food waste, side streams from feed and food production are increasingly being (re-) used in food supply chains. Such reuse contributes to the desire to implement circularity in food and agricultural systems. However, the reuse of side products in circular food systems may impact food safety, for instance, contaminant residues present at low levels in biomass may accumulate when reusing streams. In order to assess potential food safety issues related to circular food systems, a framework has been developed in this study. Based on this framework, appropriate actions can be taken to prevent from human health risks. The framework consists of three steps: 1. Describing the changes in the food supply chain as a result of the circularity transition; 2. Identifying potential food safety hazards related to the change; and 3. Prioritising food safety hazards related to the circularity transition. For the prioritisation, both the presence of the hazards in final foods and the effects of the hazards on human health need to be assessed. Persistence of the hazard in the environment and potential transfer from the environment to the final food product are relevant elements to include. The framework was tested in three case studies, showing that it allows for a prioritisation between hazards. Based on the case study results, circularity not so much influences the health effects of the hazards, but rather their presence depending on the persistence and transfer of food safety hazards in a circular system.

Development and validation of a food safety survey for older adults

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to create and validate a food safety survey for older adults.Design/methodology/approachThe survey was designed to measure food handling and consumption behaviors related to high-risk foods. Survey questions were also designed to capture behavioral constructs from the health belief model (HBM). The first administration of the survey was completed by 349 participants, 55 years of age and older. Exploratory factor analysis was used to assess construct validity, and Cronbach’s alpha was used to assess the internal consistency of the subscales generated through factor analysis. Two weeks after the first administration, the survey was completed a second time by 149 participants from the original sample. The intraclass correlation coefficient was used to evaluate test-retest reliability.FindingsExploratory factor analysis yielded four factors related to the HBM (perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived barriers and cues to action) and three factors related to food handling practices (handling of processed meats, food thermometer use with poultry and washing or rinsing poultry). Inclusion in a factor meant that the related questions measured the same underlying construct. Cronbach’s alpha for these factors ranged from 0.63 to 0.77. Modification of the survey following validation resulted in the development of a 44-question instrument that can be used with older adults.Practical implicationsThis survey will next be administered to a representative sample of older adults to assess relationships between HBM constructs and food handling behaviors and is available for use by other researchers.Originality/valueThere are few validated tools that can be used with older adults to evaluate food safety risks.

Assessing reliability and validity of food safety culture assessment tools

Since its recognition as a plausible direction to assure food safety, food safety culture research has evolved with several commercial and scientific assessment tools developed to evaluate the food safety culture in food businesses. However, existing research does not specify the validity and reliability checks required to demonstrate rigor in the tool development process and there is no unified methodology to confirm robustness of the tools to ensure trustworthiness and usefulness of findings and inferences generated. The purpose of the study was to develop a method to evaluate food safety culture assessment tools and to assess the reliability and validity of existing food safety culture assessment tools using the developed method. Eleven elements were found to be key in validating food safety culture assessment tools. Of the eight tools assessed, only one tool (CT2) was validated on each of the elements. The depth of validation strategies differed for each tool. Three out of the five commercial tools published peer reviewed publications that demonstrated the validation checks that were done. Face validation, and pilot testing were evident and appeared to be done the most. Whilst content, ecological, and cultural validity were the least validated for scientific tools, factor analysis and reliability checks were the least evaluated for commercial tools. None of the tools were assessed for postdictive validity, concurrent validity and the correlation coefficient relating to construct validity. Having an established science-based approach is key as it provides a way to determine the trustworthiness of established assessment tools against accepted methods.

Development and validation of rapid screening of 192 veterinary drug residues in aquatic products using HPLC-HRMS coupled with QuEChERS

The presence of veterinary drug residues in aquatic products represents a significant challenge to food safety. The current detection methods, limited in both scope and sensitivity, underscore the urgent need for more advanced techniques. This research introduces a swift and potent screening technique using high-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS) and a refined QuEChERS protocol, allowing simultaneous qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of 192 residues. A comprehensive database, employing full scan mode and data-dependent secondary mass spectroscopy, enhances screening accuracy. The method involves efficient extraction using 90% acetonitrile, dehydration with Na2SO4, and acetic acid, followed by cleanup using dispersive solid-phase extract sorbent primary secondary amine. It is suitable for samples with varying fat content, offering detection limits ranging from 0.5 to 10 μg/kg, high recovery rates (60–120%), and low relative standard deviations (<20%). Practical application has validated its effectiveness for multi-residue screening, marking a significant advancement in food safety evaluation.