Food Control Research Articles

DNA Metabarcoding Approach as a Potential Tool for Supporting Official Food Control Programs: A Case Study.

Food authentication significantly impacts consumer health and the credibility of Food Business Operators (FBOs). As European regulations mandate the verification of food authenticity and supply chain integrity, competent authorities require access to innovative analytical methods to identify and prevent food fraud. This study utilizes the DNA metabarcoding approach on meat preparations, sampled during an official control activity. It assesses animal and plant composition by amplifying DNA fragments of the 12S rRNA and trnL (UAA) genes, respectively. The results not only confirmed the declared species but also revealed undeclared and unexpected taxa in products labelled as containing a single animal species and various unspecified plant species. Notable findings such as the presence of Murinae, Sus scrofa, Ovis aries, and Pisum sativum could raise public health concerns, compromise consumer choices made for ethical or religious reasons, and reflect the hygienic conditions of the processing plant. This study demonstrates that the DNA metabarcoding approach looks to be a promising support tool for official control authorities to ensure food authenticity and safety, and to develop risk profiles along the supply chain.

Characterization of the floral traits, pollen micromorphology and DNA barcoding of the edible flowers from three basil taxa (Lamiaceae)

AbstractThe edible flowers sector is expanding due to the popularity and uses in culinary recipes of different species. In particular, flowers of Ocimum basilicum L. and related taxa are increasingly used for their aromas and nutritional value. However, there is limited information regarding their morphological characteristics and molecular profiles, which are both important to perform a quality control of food, and to avoid contaminations. Hence, our aim was the study of three basil taxa (O. basilicum ‘Cinnamon’, O. basilicum ‘Blue Spice’, and the hybrid O. × africanum Lour.) to obtain data useful for taxa identification and to understand which traits could be linked to their chemodiversity. The plants were grown in a greenhouse starting from seeds. Flowers were collected at anthesis; the morphology of calyxes, corolla and pollen grains was characterized; DNA barcoding analyses were performed. All taxa were identified only as O. basilicum by molecular analyses, but two haplotypes were distinguishable. All taxa were identifiable due to the presence/absence of specific glandular trichomes, and by pollen size and number of colpi. ‘Cinnamon’ and O. × africanum showed more morphological affinities to each other, but histochemical analyses suggested the separation of the three taxa. Pollen grains from ‘Cinnamon’ had the smallest diameter in polar view and were hexacolpate, while ‘Blue Spice’ pollen showed the highest diameter with grains being hexacolpate/octacolpate, similarly to O. × africanum. Our interdisciplinary study provides the first information for authenticating these basil cultivars in packaged products for human consumption.

APPLICATION OF NANOSENSOR BASED SCREEN PRINTED ELECTRODE FOR ANALYSIS OF ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER FOR PHARMACISTS AND ANALYST IN PONTIANAK

The development of nanotechnology in the world is very rapid, and the applications of nanotechnology can be felt in various fields in everyday life. For instance, to control food, nanotechnology plays a role in creating early detection tools for food additives, which are known to be dangerous if consumed by humans in excess, such as the presence of colorants that are not permitted or food additives that exceed tolerance limits. Nanosensors based on screen print electrodes (SPE) are devices that can be used for detection with various notable properties such as fast, sensitive and portable. Seeing the importance of developing and down streaming nanotechnology to society, education regarding the role of nanotechnology needs to be carried out. In this activity, nanotechnology applied in the manufacture of nanosensor devices was introduced, especially to analysts at the drug and food control center and the health service. Apart from that, through this activity, sustainable collaboration can be established between the community service team who are researchers in the field of nanosensors and users in the field who are drug and food regulatory bodies, to develop nanosensor technology according to needs in the field. This activity will be carried out in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, specifically aimed at pharmacists and analysts in the drug and food control center, health service, and industry and trade service (Disperindag). This activity will include education about nanotechnology applications in various fields as well as a demonstration on the use of SPE-based naosensor devices. From this event, in future the analyst may do the analysis in field without waiting long time analysis in laboratory. From this community service activities, scientific articles and publications can be produced in print/electronic media, as well as videos of community service activities, in accordance with the main performance indicators determined nationally.

Disordered eating attitude and associated factors among late adolescent girls in Gondar city, northwest Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study.

Disordered eating attitudes are characterized by abnormal beliefs, thoughts, and feelings regarding food and weight control. Dieting, intentional weight loss, and weight control affect 41-62% of girls worldwide. However, there is limited information related to disordered eating attitudes and associated factors among late adolescent girls in Ethiopia, including in the study area. Thus, the study aimed to assess disordered eating attitudes and associated factors among late adolescent girls in Gondar city, northwest Ethiopia. For this community-based cross-sectional study, which was conducted from 26 June to 26 July 2022, in Gondar city, Ethiopia, 1,188 adolescent girls were included. Multistage stratified sampling followed by a systematic random sampling technique was applied to recruit participants for the study. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire containing the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26). Anthropometric measurements were also taken. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions were employed to identify factors associated with disordered eating attitudes. In the final model, variables with a p-value of < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. A total of 1,158 late adolescent girls (a response rate of 97.5%) participated in the study. The prevalence of disordered eating attitudes among late adolescent girls was 9.7% [95% confidence interval (CI): 7.96, 11.4%]. Having a mother who was unable to read and write [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 3.88 (95% CI: 1.07, 14.11)], having a mother who could read and write [AOR: 4.31: (95% CI: 1.14, 16.24)], having a father who only attended primary school [AOR: 3.78 (95% CI: 1.33, 10.78)], having severe anxiety [AOR: 3.26 (95% CI: 1.42, 7.49)], and severe usage of social media [AOR: 2.80 (95% CI: 1.22, 6.46)] were factors significantly associated with disordered eating attitudes among late adolescent girls. This study revealed that disordered eating attitudes among late adolescent girls were relatively high. The educational status of parents, anxiety, and severe usage of social media were positively associated with disordered eating attitudes. Therefore, nutritional education for parents of adolescents who are vulnerable to unhealthy behavior is imperative. The finding also implied the importance of an inclusive strategy to mitigate the emerging problem of targeting vulnerable groups.

Rapid Detection of Aflatoxins in Ground Maize Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy.

Aflatoxins are carcinogenic mycotoxins that may contaminate many crops and more especially maize. To protect consumers from these contaminants, many countries set up low regulatory thresholds of few µg/kg. The control of food requires time-consuming analysis for which sampling is a key step. It would therefore of key sanitary and economic relevance to develop rapid, sensitive and accurate methods that could even be applied on line at harvest, to identify batches to be excluded as soon as possible. In this study, we analyzed more than 500 maize samples taken at harvest during 3 years for their aflatoxin contamination using HPLC-MS. Among them, only 7% were contaminated but sometimes at levels largely exceeding European regulations. We demonstrate that Near InfraRed Spectroscopy (NIRS) could be of great help to classify cereal samples according to their level of aflatoxin contamination (below or higher than E.U. regulation). To build the model, all AF contaminated samples as well as an equivalent number of AF free samples were used. NIRS performance was not sufficient to quantify the toxins with adequate precision. However, its ability to discriminate naturally contaminated maize samples according to their level of contamination with aflatoxins in relation to European regulations using a quadratic PCA-DA model was excellent. Accuracy of the model was 97.4% for aflatoxin B1 and 100% for total aflatoxins.

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.

Impact of the culturally adapted kids in control of food (KICk OFF) educational program on glycemic control and BMI in adolescents with type 1 diabetes in Kuwait: A retrospective study

AimsTo examine the effectiveness of the culturally adapted Kids in Control Of Food (KICk OFF) structured educational program on glycemic control and BMI z-scores (BMIz) in adolescents with type 1 diabetes in Kuwait. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of 161 adolescents aged 11–16 years with type 1 diabetes who participated in the culturally adapted KICk OFF program at Dasman Diabetes Institute from 2019 to 2023. Changes in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and BMIz were assessed from baseline to six months post-program using paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, respectively. ResultsAfter six months post-program, there was a significant reduction in HbA1c levels (mean ± standard deviation) from 9.3 ± 1.8 % (78 ± 20 mmol/mol) to 8.9 ± 1.7 % (74 ± 19 mmol/mol), P <0.0001. The greatest improvements observed in participants with baseline HbA1c >9.5 % (reduction of 0.70 % [8 mmol/mol]) and those with HbA1c 7.5–9.5 % (reduction of 0.32 % [4 mmol/mol]). There was a slight increase in median BMIz by 0.08 (interquartile range –0.04–0.22). ConclusionsThe culturally adapted KICk OFF program shows a potential in improving glycemic control among adolescents with type 1 diabetes, particularly in those with initially suboptimal control. Future research through randomized controlled trials and over longer periods is recommended to validate these results.

Capillary electrochromatography applied to the separation of enantiomers utilizing packed capillary columns with silica-vancomycin. A tutorial

The separation and analysis of chiral compounds is an important topic in various fields such as research, pharmaceutical industry, food control, agrochemistry, biochemistry, forensics and toxicology, etc. The interest in the mentioned fields is mainly due to the fact that enantiomers could react with the chiral environment. Therefore, their separation and analysis are a challenging issue because the use of these compounds can be related to humans and animals’ lives as well as to the environment (e.g., soil and water). Their separation can be performed with different analytical techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, supercritical fluid chromatography, and microfluidic technique (capillary electrophoresis and capillary electrochromatography-CEC). Usually the direct resolution method is applied making use of a chiral stationary phase (CSP). This tutorial is aimed at illustrating the main features of CEC using a packed capillary, e.g., employing a silica-vancomycin CSP. The synthesis of the CSP, the instrumentation of CEC coupled with UV and mass spectrometry detectors, method optimization, and two selected applications are presented and discussed.

Qualitative and Quantitative Determination of Hydroquinone Content in Skin Whitening Cosmetics Sold in Lafia-Nigeria

Hydroquinone (HQ) is a whitening or therapeutic constituent in many cosmetic products, but only allowable at a very low concentration. The abuse of HQ via frequent and prolonged usage can lead to health issues such as damage to skin and the sensitive area on the face. In Nigeria, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on its cosmetic products prohibition of bleaching agents regulations 2019, stated that no cosmetic products should contain more than 2 % of HQ alone or 1 % in combination with other lightening ingredients. This study aimed at qualitative and quantitative determination of HQ content in selected skin whitening cosmetics sold in Lafia. A total of twenty-four (24) various skin bleaching cosmetics were sampled from Lafia modern market. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and uv/visible spectrophotometry were used for qualitative (identification) and quantitative (quantitation) determination of their HQ concentration, respectively. Ethanol (96 %) was used to extract HQ, and then TLC analysis at two different laboratories. At the two laboratories,nine samples (same) out of 24 were found to contain hydroquinone. The uv/visible spectrophotometric analysis indicated that the concentration of hydroquinone ranged from 0.99 % to 1.47 % in the cosmetic products studied.This study revealed that some of the products were labelled free from HQ or not labelled, and yet contained HQ, unknown to the consumers. In general, percentage hydroquinone in all the samples was less than 2 % maximum permissible limit recommended by US FDA and NAFDAC.

Determining the Geographical Authenticity of Sri Lankan Regional Teas with Their Chemical Profile Using Artificial Neural Networks

Characterization of authenticity is a timely requirement in food control and safety. The geographically authenticated food products always realize high market prices and sustainable market share. The present study was conducted to investigate the potential of chemical profile in authenticating geographical differences of Sri Lankan regional black teas using artificial neural networks. Thirteen different geographical origins under eight different basses were evaluated and tea samples were chemically analyzed in monthly intervals for a period of one year. Training of feed-forward back propagation multilayer perceptrons resulted in accuracy rates ranging from 46% - 82%. Out of eleven chemical parameters considered for the study, Thea Rubigin and Total Colour are the most important discriminators of geographical origins. Other than that, Gereniol, Thea Flavin, Trans – 2 – Hexanol, Total Polyphenol and Amino Acids are also potential discriminators. The study concluded that the differentiation and classification of Geographical Origins (GOs) of Sri Lankan regional black teas is possible using the profile of chemical attributes and applying artificial neural networks. Finally, the data obtained demonstrates that it is possible to assign unknown samples according to their region of origin. Further development of this work could lead to a simple interface that could be used by brokers or exporters to identify the geographical origin of an unknown tea sample.

VIGILÂNCIA SANITÁRIA DAS BOAS PRÁTICAS DE FABRICAÇÃO NAS INDÚSTRIAS ALIMENTÍCIAS PERTENCENTES A GERÊNCIA REGIONAL DE SAÚDE DE SÃO JOÃO DEL REI

Health Surveillance, defined as a set of actions capable of eliminating, reducing, or preventing health risks, carries out health control through inspections, which enable the detection of this risk. In this sense, Food Industries are evaluated through verification of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to ensure the sanitary control of food consumed by the population. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the Good Manufacturing Practices of five (5) Food Industries inspected by VISA/GRS/SJDR. To this end, the research method used was the analysis of the checklist of Good Manufacturing Practices in Food Producer/Industrializing Establishments contained in Annex II of Resolution RDC 275/2002 ANVISA. The results found demonstrated that in the period of 5 years (2010 to 2014) in relation to compliance with Good Practice items there was an improvement, even though the majority classified themselves as group 2 (medium risk) at the end of the period. When the list is stratified, it is clear that “Industry and Commerce I.O.” highlighted the isolated attention to sub-items. Finally, it was concluded that continuous monitoring of food producing industries is necessary for constant improvement of sanitary control actions in the food area with a view to protecting the health of the population.

Psychosocial risks in food processing establishments related to burnout syndrome

Examine psychosocial risks in the food sector of Cartagena, Colombia, focused on the processing, transformation and quality control of food, with the purpose of proposing preventive strategies to mitigate burnout syndrome. A mixed methodology will be used, integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches through the application of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Variables such as job demands, the degree of control over work and the manifestation of burnout symptoms will be explored. The results obtained will allow the predominant risk factors to be identified and will facilitate the design of specific interventions adapted to the particularities of the sector. The mental health and well-being of workers in the food processing, transformation and quality control sector in the city of Cartagena will be improved by these measures, while providing valuable information for future research in the field of safety and health at work. In summary, this study aims to provide a comprehensive view of the psychosocial risks present in the food sector, underlining the importance of addressing these challenges to foster a healthier, more productive and sustainable work environment in the long term.

The Development and Validation of a Disordered Eating Screening Tool for Current and Former Athletes: The Athletic Disordered Eating (ADE) Screening Tool.

Current and former athletes are one of the most at-risk population groups for disordered eating (DE), impacting their dietary practices, body composition, performance and health during and following their athletic careers. Few comprehensive DE screening tools exist for this group. To help address this, the current study utilised a mixed-methods approach of Classic Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT) to develop and validate a DE screening tool suitable for current and former athletes. Novel scale development methodologies were used to develop and assess the validity (content, face, cross-cultural, construct), test-retest reliability, internal consistency reliability, factor analysis and Rasch analysis of a new DE scale. A new validated Athletic Disordered Eating (ADE) screening tool was created, with 17 items and four subscales (food control, bingeing, body control, body discontent), with an internal consistency reliability of 0.91, excellent content and construct validity, an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient of 0.97 and excellent Rasch model fit. The ADE screening tool has been dually developed for research purposes and as a clinically applicable screening tool to detect DE in current and former athletes and is suitable for a global use across sporting categories, diverse genders and levels of competition.

Intravenous ferric carboxymaltose versus oral ferrous sulphate for the treatment of moderate to severe postpartum anaemia in Nigerian women (IVON-PP): protocol for an open-label randomised controlled type 1 hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial

IntroductionPostpartum anaemia is often caused by iron deficiency with onset during the antepartum period and can be exacerbated by excessive blood loss at birth. Its prevalence is estimated as 50–80%...

Analysis of heavy metals and minerals in edible vegetable oils produced and marketed in Gondar City, Northwest Ethiopia

IntroductionNowadays, food safety is regarded as one of the most critical global public health issues. Edible oil, a key ingredient in food processing, is widely used and consumed in every Ethiopian household. However, its safety is often overlooked. Currently, edible oil is produced in Ethiopia from small-scale operations to large industrial levels, as well as imported from other countries.ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine the levels of heavy metals and essential minerals in edible vegetable oils produced and marketed in Gondar City, Northwest Ethiopia.MethodsA laboratory-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May to July 2021 in Gondar City. Seventeen edible oil samples were collected using simple random sampling techniques. Heavy metal content was determined using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer with the standard procedures and techniques after microwave digestion. The efficiency and validity of the method used were evaluated by determining the limit of detection (LOD), the limit of quantification (LOQ), accuracy, and precision. The collected data were entered into Microsoft Excel and transported to Stata for analysis.ResultA total of seventeen vegetable oil samples were analyzed. The accuracy of the method was evaluated by recovery studies, which ranged from 81 to 115%, and the relative standard deviations were found to be below 15%. The concentrations of Zn, Cu, Fe, Cd, and Pb were in the range of 0.07 to 0.8 mg/l, 0.002 to 0.06 mg/l, 0.01 to 0.8 mg/l, 0.08 to 0.18 mg/l, and 0.003 to 0.27 mg/l, respectively. In general, the lead and cadmium content was higher than other metals in some of the investigated edible vegetable oils. Most values fell within the permissible quality limits for edibility as prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). However, the levels of Pb and Cd exceeded the reference levels in some locally produced vegetable oils.ConclusionTo address the exceeded levels of heavy metals, it is imperative to implement more careful handling, processing of raw materials, and filtering practices. Producers and marketers should take the necessary precautions to prevent contamination. Strict regulatory control from responsible bodies and stakeholders is recommended to ensure the safety and metal contents of vegetable oils originating from the study area.

A bibliometric analysis of quality and food safety management in the food development industry

Quality and food safety management (QFSM) presents significant concerns for developing countries worldwide. Researchers have not yet reached a consensus on the most complicated QFSM practices in the food industry. Our study aims to fill the research gap by visualising and analysing 537 articles on QFSM using Biblioshiny. Relevant publications from Dimensions, Scopus, and the Web of Science databases expose the current research status from 1982 to January 2024, without bias. We classified publications about Food Safety Management (FSM) and Food Quality Management (FQM) into four stages: the appearance stage (1982–1995), the stage towards increase (1996–2005), a rapid rise phase (2006–2014), and stable, rapid growth between 2015 and 2024. The review of QFSM recorded 5714 paper references and 1677 authors from 57 countries or regions. The most popular keywords are food quality, food industry, quality, and food safety management. China became the first in the group with 84 publications, while Belgium had the highest citations, with 738 total citations and 49.20 average article citations. The most productive institution is “Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates,” while Food Control is the most locally cited source. This study is the first to analyse QFSM resilience using biblioshiny. It is necessary to continue studying the strength of the food industry supply chain related to QFSM. The report identifies critical areas for improvement and future research to assist governments and businesses in developing adaptable food supply networks.

Crucial effect of ovomucin on alkali-induced egg white gel formation: Properties, structure and facilitation mechanism

Alkali-induced preserved egg gel formation is a dynamic process that involves complex protein changes. Ovomucin (OVM) is closely associated with the gel properties of egg white. In this study, the effect of OVM in alkali-induced egg white gel (AEWG) formation was investigated. The results suggested that OVM reduced the gel formation time by 15 %. The mechanical properties of the fully formed gel were also improved by OVM. Specifically, OVM increased the storage modulus (G′) of the gel by 1.5-fold, while the hardness significantly increased from 78.90 ± 4.24 g to 99.80 ± 9.23 g. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) demonstrated that OVM significantly shortened T23 relaxation time and reduced the water mobility, thus increasing the water holding capacity (WHC). Meanwhile, the presence of OVM resulted in a more homogeneous and denser microscopic morphology of the gel. Selective solubility experiments revealed that disulfide bonds are the primary force in gel formation. OVM promoted the formation of more disulfide bonds, which increased the strength and stability of the gel network. Overall, this research proved OVM plays a critical role in the performance improvement of AEWG, which provides a new insight into the quality control of preserved egg and protein gel foods.

Abstract Mo043: Advanced waveform analysis of the electrocardiogram signals using complementary signal processing techniques to investigate the response to a QTc prolonging drug vs control including food effect.

Background: Thorough QT studies using Electrocardiogram data, are a well-established method for testing the pro-arrhythmic propensity of drugs performed during drug development. ECG analysis is currently reduced to simplified biomarkers, such as rate, intervals and amplitudes. However, ECG waveforms are complex and generally sampled with high fidelity 125-1000 Hz. Our novel mathematical method, Symmetric Projection Attractor Reconstruction analyses the morphology and variability of such waveforms, using every data point to generate a new, faithful 2D waveform representation termed an attractor. Moxifloxacin know QT prolonging medicine and has been shown to cause a mean increase of the QTc interval of 10–14 mS after a single dose of 400 mg. Separately, studies have shown that meals can alter QT interval as well as altering the pharmacokinetic profile of moxifloxacin itself with gender and ethnicity impacting individual responses. In-depth knowledge of these physiological factors could support safer medicines development and clinical use. Purpose: This project investigated the feasibility of SPAR analysis of ECG signals to detect drug induced changes which a higher degree of sensitivity, to support safety evaluation during medicines development Methods: High resolution triplicate 12 lead ECG time-series data from a Phase one study of healthy human volunteers cross over of placebo, moxifloxacin or moxifloxacin + food was retrospectively analysed using SPAR at 0,1 and 6 hours. MATLAB bespoke software tool was used to perform SPAR analyses to transform ECG time-series into corresponding attractors. Corresponding single point measurements were previously obtained as part of the original Phase one study. Results: Initial evaluation of attractors revealed high inter-individual variation, consistent with previous SPAR ECG analysis. Nevertheless, we identified changes in subjects receiving Moxifloxacin +/- food vs placebo control. These changes were not as evident in previously obtained QT intervals. Conclusion: This pilot study illustrates that SPAR is highlighting changes on the ECG in fasted and fed states that are less obvious from QT data alone. Further evaluation of the whole dataset to identify generalisable SPAR features, and their comparison with existing markers is now necessary. The individualised nature of ECGs and corresponding attractors indicates the method may have highest utility in personalised medicine.

Competency and recognition of the halal supervisor in Brunei Darussalam

Inefficient and inadequate qualification assessment for the requirements of halal supervisors has attracted more attention in the halal industry field, which led to the withdrawal of the halal certificate following the discovery that the restaurant violated halal certification requirements. Furthermore, there is a lack of research discussing the halal supervisor's credibility procedure in Brunei Darussalam. This research aims to identify the efficiency and adequacy of the current qualification assessment for the requirements for halal supervisors by Syariah principles and laws in Brunei. This research adopted a qualitative method, using a semi-structured interview and library research method. The finding reveals that a halal supervisor is qualified by passing a written and oral test prepared by the Halal Food Control Division (HFCD), with supplementary talks or briefings given. However, no specific halal training is offered to halal supervisors. This finding indicated the need to improve the qualification system. It can aid in suggesting the necessary ecosystem for the credibility of the competency and recognition of the qualification of a halal food supervisor. This study can benefit future research and industrial players and improve the qualification procedure for halal supervisor.

Physico-chemical and bacteriological quality assessment of some selected sachet water brands produced in Gwale local government Area, Kano Nigeria

The proliferation of sachet water products has been fuelled by the rising demand for clean, safe drinking water in areas where access to potable water sources remains a challenge. Unfortunately, some of the sachet water producers fail to adhere to the standards set by regulatory agencies, resulting in potential health risk for the unsuspecting consumers. Therefore, critical investigation of the various parameters of these water products is needed to determine whether they meet the safety standards established by regulatory agencies. Thirty (30) different brands of sachet water (15 NAFDAC registered and 15 non-NAFDAC registered) were randomly collected (n=3) from producers in Gwale Local Government Area, Kano Nigeria to assess their physico-chemical and bacteriological quality. The parameters were determined using standard methods. The mean results of the temperature, pH, turbidity, conductivity, chloride and total hardness of the NAFDAC registered samples were found to be in the range of 25.9-29.7 oC, 6.8-7.2, 0.1-1.2 NTU, 11.0-41.8µs/cm,15.0-25.1 mg/L and 2.0-17.6 mg/L respectively, while for the non-NAFDAC registered samples, the mean range were found to be 25.8-30.8 oC, 6.6-8.7, 0.5-2.2 NTU, 13.6-46.8 µs/cm, 17.0 23.0mg/L and 15.8-25.3 mg/L for the same parameters respectively. These results are in compliance with the standards set by the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS) and World Health Organization (WHO) except pH values of 8.7 found in some non-NAFDAC registered samples which were a bit higher than the recommended limits. Some non- NAFDAC registered samples were found to contain aerobic mesophilic bacteria, though below the limit set by the aforementioned regulatory agencies. Statistically, there is significant difference (p&gt;2.326) between the NAFDAC registered and the non-NAFDAC registered samples in aerobic mesophilic bacterial count but there is no significant difference in terms of coliform count between the two groups (p&lt; 2.326). This finding highlights the need for regular microbiological monitoring so as to ensure public health safety.