Food Quality Issues Research Articles

An Analysis of Guest Relation Officer Responses to Complaints at Zeus Restaurant, Apsara Beach Front Resort and Villa, Thailand

This study examines the role of Guest relations officers (GROs) in handling complaints at Zeus Restaurant, Apsara Beach Front Resort and Villa, Thailand, focusing on the effectiveness of various complaint management strategies and their impact on guest satisfaction. Utilizing a qualitative research approach, the study involved semi-structured interviews with 10 GROs to explore common types of complaints, the strategies employed for resolution, and the outcomes of these strategies. Findings revealed that complaints primarily concern services, food quality issues, and staff behaviour. GROs effectively managed these complaints through immediate acknowledgement, empathetic communication, and prompt problem resolution. The study highlighted the significance of follow-up actions, such as checking in with guests and offering compensatory gestures, in enhancing guest satisfaction and loyalty. Thematic analysis of the interview data indicated that well-handled complaints could transform negative experiences into positive ones, thereby improving overall guest perceptions and service quality. The research underscores the importance of training GROs in emotional intelligence and problem-solving skills and suggests that advanced technologies and structured complaint management processes are crucial for maintaining a high standard of service. This study contributes to the understanding of effective complaint-handling practices in luxury hospitality settings and provides insights into enhancing guest relations and operational excellence.

Occurrence of ‘soft flesh’ condition induced by Kudoa thyrsites parasite in the Iberian European sardine stock

European sardine Sardina pilchardus is a commercially valuable coastal pelagic fish species. Spain is one of the largest sardine suppliers in Europe and the Iberian stock is of particular significance. Kudoa parasites are known to infect sardines causing the so-called ‘soft flesh’ condition; however, data on the occurrence of ‘soft flesh’ in this sardine stock are limited. This study investigates the occurrence of Kudoa-induced ‘soft flesh’ in the Iberian sardine stock caught in 2023 off the northern Spanish Atlantic coast (Division 8.c). Five hundred specimens were examined for ‘soft flesh’ by manual texture testing and visual inspection 48 h post-catch using standardized procedures. ‘Soft flesh’ was detected in 5.4% (27/500) of the sardines. Microscopic examination of muscle samples revealed the presence of Kudoa thyrsites–like myxospores in all ‘soft flesh’–affected fish, which based on SSU rDNA gene sequence analysis was identified as K. thyrsites. The unsightly appearance of infected fillets represents a substantial food quality issue for the Iberian sardine stock that could reduce marketability and consumer confidence in both local and international markets. This is particularly relevant since larger Iberian sardines, which are highly appreciated by consumers, appear to be the most affected.

Pulsed Electric Field Treatment in Extracting Proteins from Legumes: A Review

A healthy diet rich in plant proteins can help in preventing chronic degenerative diseases. Plant-based protein consists of derivatives from algae, fungi (like mushrooms) and other plant products including stems, leaves, fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, legumes and nuts. These sources are not only rich in protein, but also contain a high percentage of iron, calcium, folates, fiber, carbohydrates, fats etc. Hence, it is essential to explore plant-based protein sources and their other nutritional components to address existing food insecurity issues. Nowadays, the impact of food processing has produced promising results in extracting valuable bio-compounds including proteins from the plant matrix. In this view, PEF technology has secured an exceptional place in solving food quality issues through minimized thermal effects in the samples, improved extraction capabilities at a shorter time, higher extraction levels, high nutritional content of extracted samples, greater shelf-life extension and increased microbial killing efficiency. It is an energy efficient process which is used as a pre-treatment to increase selective extraction of intracellular compounds through electroporation technique. Here, the processing parameters play a significant role in obtaining enhanced extraction levels. These parameters have also considerably influenced the protein digestibility and amino acid modification. So far, PEF has been producing remarkable results in plant protein extraction research. Among various plant sources mentioned above, there is a limited literature available on the use of PEF-assisted protein extraction from legumes. In this review, the authors have discussed essential legumes and their nutritional components and have highlighted how PEF can be beneficial in extracting the protein levels from these sources. Further research should focus on PEF-assisted protein extraction from legumes, specifically analyzing the properties of protein quality and quantity.

Analysis of the food crisis in the new era

Under the new development model of "dual circulation," it is essential to ensure absolute food security and to nip potential risks in the bud regarding food production and supply issues. In the face of extreme natural environments and a complex international situation, timely emergency measures should be taken and appropriate preparations should be made. To this end, this paper proposes the following suggestions on how to ensure China's food security: First, focus on agricultural production to enhance the overall production capacity and ensure a sustainable food supply. Second, break through key technologies such as "bottleneck" grain breeding and selection, and agricultural machinery equipment, using technological innovation and information exchange as means to achieve large-scale development of grain production. Third, from the perspectives of agricultural and industrial production, pay attention to the issue of food quality and safety. Fourth, in terms of grain import and grain reserve settings, consider both unblocking the grain path and hiding grain among the people.

Identification and quantification of adulteration in collagen powder by terahertz spectroscopy − the effect of spectral characteristics on performance is considered

Terahertz spectroscopy is an emerging rapid detection method that can be used to detect and analyze food quality issues. However, models developed based on various spectral characteristics of terahertz have shown different performances in food identification. Therefore, we preliminarily analyzed the effect of terahertz spectral characteristics on the identification and quantification of collagen powder adulterated with food powders (plant protein powder, corn starch, wheat flour) with the use of random forest (RF), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and partial least squares regression (PLSR), and determined the spectral characteristics suitable for identification and quantitative analysis. Then, the selected spectral characteristics data were preprocessed using baseline correction (BC), gaussian filter (GF), moving average (MA), and savitzky-golay (SG). Feature variables were extracted from preprocessed spectral characteristics data using genetic algorithm (GA), random forest (RF), and least angle regression (LAR). The study indicated that the BC-GA-LDA classification model based on the absorption coefficient spectra achieved an accuracy of 96.96% in identifying adulterated collagen powder. Additionally, the GA-PLSR model developed based on the power spectra demonstrated excellent performance in predicting adulteration levels, with the coefficient of determination (Rp2) values ranging from 0.93 to 0.99. The results showed that the rational selection of terahertz spectral characteristics is highly feasible for the accurate detection of collagen powder adulteration.

Factors influencing Italian consumers’ willingness to buy and pay for insect-fed poultry products

Abstract The use of insects as a protein source in feed production can significantly improve the sustainability of livestock production. Despite several environmental and animal welfare benefits, the economic sustainability of such an approach depends on the level of consumer acceptance and willingness to pay for insect-fed poultry diets. Using the results of an online survey of more than 850 Italian consumers, we first examine the main differences between two groups of consumers: those who are willing to buy insect-fed poultry meat and eggs and those who are not. The t-test is used to search for statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of their stated preferences for key food attributes that influence purchase decisions, as well as their view on food safety, quality and environmental issues. We then use ordered logit regression to estimate the determinants of consumers’ willingness to pay a price premium for insect-fed poultry compared to conventional poultry products. Particular attention is paid to the possible role of trust in the ability of the food system to provide safe food in influencing consumers’ preferences. The results show that consumers who are willing to buy insect-fed meat and eggs are more environmentally aware, have a stronger belief in the crucial role that changes in current food consumption patterns can play for the environment and social well-being, and have a higher level of trust in the system that guarantees food safety. The willingness to pay a price premium for insect-fed poultry food is mainly influenced by respondents’ beliefs about insect-fed poultry food, especially in terms of its expected quality characteristics and animal welfare. Findings from this analysis could provide insights into investments to ensure the economic sustainability of a more circular supply chain.

Eco-Friendly and Self-Sanitizing Microporous Cellulose Sponge (MCS)-Based Cooling Media for Mitigating Microbial Cross-Contamination in the Food Cold Chain.

Maintaining precise temperature control is vital for cold chain food transport, as temperature fluctuations can cause significant food safety and quality issues. During transport, ice that melts can promote the growth of microbes and their spread, resulting in microbial cross-contamination. This study developed sustainable, non-melting, self-sanitizing "ice cubes" using food grade compositions including microporous cellulose sponges (MCS) and photosensitizers, aimed at enhancing temperature regulation and minimizing microbial contamination in the cold chain. Upon absorbing water, the MCS matched traditional ice in cooling efficiency and heat absorption and exhibit remarkable mechanical and thermal durability, withstanding multiple freeze-thaw cycles and compressive stresses. The cationic MCS combined with erythrosine B demonstrated strong self-sanitizing capabilities, effectively reducing microbial cross-contamination in food models. Additionally, the release rates of photosensitizers from the MCS can be modulated by altering environmental ionic strength. This research offers viable solutions to address microbial cross-contamination challenges in current cold chain systems.

Influential factors and interventions for repeated production violations in food enterprises - Empirical evidence from China

The increasing burden of government spending on food safety regulation has been acknowledged as a common challenge faced by regulatory agencies in a multitude of countries. The Chinese government has significantly invested in food safety regulations in recent years. However, the food safety situation has not been effectively optimized, and a high proportion of food enterprises continue to have repeated food quality issues. Achieving sustainable food safety governance necessitates the attainment of dual goals: enhancing regulatory efficiency and reducing regulatory burdens. These issues have not been thoroughly investigated in the academic literature. This study aims to identify the key factors that contribute to the repeated production violations by food enterprises amid stricter regulations and to explore methods to address this issue. The study employs a Logit model to examine the pivotal factors influencing repeated production violations of food enterprises and utilizes a DID model to assess the impact of food safety regulatory information interventions on the recurrence of these violations. The study has found that: (1) The cognitive bias of food enterprises regarding the stringency of food safety inspections is a significant factor in the repeated production violation of food enterprises. Additionally, government punishment positively moderates the relationship between this cognitive bias and the occurrence of violations. (2) Interventions involving the dissemination of food safety regulatory information can effectively mitigate the recurrence of violation behaviors in food production. For each additional target of information intervention, the rate of repeated production violations by food enterprises decreases by 11.9 percentage points. The study provides theoretical substantiation and practical insights to support the Chinese government's twin objectives of improving the efficiency of food safety regulation and reducing the associated regulatory burdens.

Development of acid-free chitosan films in food coating applications: Provolone cheese as a case study

Chitosan has been extensively explored in food coatings. Still, its practical application is largely hampered by its conventional wet processing in acetic acid, whose residuals negatively impact food quality and safety. Here, we propose a new method to formulate chitosan coatings for food applications by avoiding organic acid processing and validate them on a cheese model. The procedure entails modifying a previously reported process based on HCl chitosan treatment and neutralising the resulting gel. The obtained chitosan is solubilised in water using carbonic acid that forms in situ by dissolving carbon dioxide gas. The reversibility of water carbonation allows for easy removal of carbonic acid residues, resulting in acid-free chitosan films and coatings. The performance of the coating was tested against state-of-the-art chitosan-based and polymeric coatings. We preliminarily characterised the films' properties (water stability, barrier, and optical properties). Then, we assessed the performance of the coating on Provolone cheese as a food model (mass transfer and texture profiles over 14 days). The work demonstrated the advantage of the proposed approach in solving some main issues of food quality and safety, paving the way for an effective application of chitosan in future food contact applications.

Japan’s agricultural policy towards food security improvement. Key strategies, initiatives and outcomes

Food security in Japan has been under observation of analytics in both Japan and abroad as it is one of the key national security issues. Leading academic researchers of this issue in Japan include Suzuki N., Takeya T., Yamamoto R. and Oguchi H. However, the main focus of their analysis is the social aspect. The English language literature provides more materials on food security problem, but the situation is changing faster than information flows across the border. It means that the most up-to-date resources for analysis of the topic are the documents of the Japanese official institutions. Based on the Global Food Security Index (which takes into account the issues of food affordability, availability, quality and natural resources resilience), Japan is considered to be 6th most self-sufficient country in the world. However, the Japanese government still sees the national food security issue as problematic for the country’s stability due to heavy dependency on agricultural import. To overcome the trend, Japan utilizes multiple mechanisms to eventually improve agricultural self-sufficiency. The main focus is kept on the following 4 critical levers – i) productivity improvement, ii) agricultural employment improvement, iii) demand shift towards traditional dietary and new markets opening and iv) SDG agenda. The research also provides a case study of technologies implemented in the agricultural field in Japan in order to improve the self-sufficiency level. Moreover, emphasis is made on the government policies to develop the local market and to build the new markets abroad for the domestic farmers’ production expansion.

Post-mortem ‘soft flesh’ in three commercial fish species from off Atlantic Morocco associated with the myxosporean parasites Kudoa thyrsites and K. encrasicoli (Myxozoa)

Small pelagic fishes represent one of the most important food resources off the Northwest coast of Africa. Despite their economic significance, little is known about the infections with flesh invading myxosporean parasites of genus Kudoa (Cnidaria, Myxozoa). Heavy infections in the flesh may be associated with post-mortem myoliquefaction, commonly known as ‘soft flesh’. This condition may reduce the quality and marketability of the fish fillet, resulting in both economic losses to the fishing industry and loss of consumer confidence. In this study, we investigated Kudoa-induced ‘soft flesh’ occurrence in European anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus, European pilchard Sardina pilchardus, and Atlantic chub mackerel Scomber colias caught in 2019 off the Moroccan Atlantic coast. Five hundred specimens of each fish species were examined for ‘soft flesh’ by texture testing and visual inspection 48 h post-catch. ‘Soft flesh’ occurred in 0.2 % of the European anchovies, 1.4 % of the European pilchard, and in 4.4 % of the Atlantic chub mackerel. Microscopic examination of muscle samples revealed that ‘soft flesh’-affected fish were infected with myxospores of K. thyrsites-like morphotype. Analysis of the kudoid SSU rDNA sequence obtained from European pilchard and the Atlantic chub mackerel identified these as K. thyrsites (100 % identity), whereas analysis of the sequence from European anchovy identified the presence of K. encrasicoli (100 % identity). Even if there are no known human health consequences associated with the ingestion of these Kudoa species, the unsightly appearance of some infected fillets is a food quality issue, that can eventually lead to reduced marketability and value.

Combining Feature Selection Techniques and Neurofuzzy Systems for the Prediction of Total Viable Counts in Beef Fillets Using Multispectral Imaging

In the food industry, quality and safety issues are associated with consumers’ health condition. There is a growing interest in applying various noninvasive sensorial techniques to obtain quickly quality attributes. One of them, hyperspectral/multispectral imaging technique has been extensively used for inspection of various food products. In this paper, a stacking-based ensemble prediction system has been developed for the prediction of total viable counts of microorganisms in beef fillet samples, an essential cause to meat spoilage, utilizing multispectral imaging information. As the selection of important wavelengths from the multispectral imaging system is considered as an essential stage to the prediction scheme, a features fusion approach has been also explored, by combining wavelengths extracted from various feature selection techniques. Ensemble sub-components include two advanced clustering-based neuro-fuzzy network prediction models, one utilizing information from average reflectance values, while the other one from the standard deviation of the pixels’ intensity per wavelength. The performances of neurofuzzy models were compared against established regression algorithms such as multilayer perceptron, support vector machines and partial least squares. Obtained results confirmed the validity of the proposed hypothesis to utilize a combination of feature selection methods with neurofuzzy models in order to assess the microbiological quality of meat products.

Discrimination of powdered herbal teas by Vis/NIR spectral reflectance and chemometrics

Abstract The herbal tea market is projected to grow at an annual rate of 4.8 %, with the discrimination of these products appearing as an issue of food quality and safety. In this study the Vis/NIR spectroscopy combined with chemometrics was applied for discriminating five popular herbal teas (chamomile, boldo, lemon grass, carqueja, fennel) by using powdered samples. Dynamic sampling was applied for measuring the spectral signatures and different spectral pre-treatments were evaluated aiming at improving the discrimination accuracy. The Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) achieved high prediction accuracies (77.8–100 %), specificities (89.4–100 %) and sensitivities (66.1–100 %), with detrending and object-wise standardization pre-treatments correctly discriminating 100 % of the samples during the external validation. The Vis/NIR spectroscopy combined with chemometric analysis has great potential to discriminate powdered herbal teas, providing a non-destructive, fast, safe and chemical-free solution for automated quality control procedures in industries of tea processing.

Traceability in the Indian dairy industry: Concept and practice

The rise in milk adulteration and contamination, fraud incidents and improper handling necessitates effective traceability systems in the Indian dairy industry. Thus, this review investigates current trends, associated challenges, traceability and its fundamental applications to address food safety and quality issues. The paper covers the evolution of milk adulteration and contamination detection techniques from conventional to emerging. Such information and analytical technologies can improve transparency and safety in the dairy industry by implementing effective traceability systems. This review will explore the challenges and future opportunities associated with the current situation in the Indian dairy industry.

Detection of Atlantic salmon residues based on computer vision

Atlantic salmon is an important aquaculture product. The mixture residue problem in salmon may affect food safety and quality issues. Traditional residue detection methods require the use of large or specific instruments, so a quick, low-cost, and real-time detection of residue is needed. To solve this problem, we proposed a YOLOv5n-se model, introducing SE attention mechanism into YOLOv5n. We also trained other object detection models, YOLOv5n, YOLOv5s, YOLOv5m, YOLOv5l, YOLOv8n, and Faster RCNN as the comparison algorithms. The results show that the improved model YOLOv5n-se has the best F1 score of 0.842 and the highest mean average precision (mAP50) of 0.865 which solves the problem of identifying reflections as scales and avoids mis-detect fat as bone, performs well in both quantitative and qualitative. The weight size of trained YOLOv5n-se mode only 3.75 MB, can realize salmon residue detection in a quick and low-cost way.

CURRENT ISSUES OF FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY: STATUS AND PROSPECTS OF DETERMINATION

The prerequisite for the recovery of Ukraine's economy is the use of the existing sea potential and the capabilities of the domestic maritime industry along with the land one. The current state of determining the quality and safety of food products is characterized. Changes in the most heat-labile vitamin – ascorbic acid, as a criterion for assessing the preservation of the biological value of food products, were determined. Losses of the vitamin were established based on the results of measuring the effect of temperature on the concentration of ascorbic acid and showed the possibility of its destruction up to 66% in a food sample and up to 80% in its model solution during sea transportation along the route of the Bosphorus Express line in the absence of air conditioning. The results of own research on the integral determination of product safety by biotesting are presented. Modeling of the influence of negative factors on the degree of survival of selected test cultures was carried out on model mono- and polytoxicants and product samples for representatives of the main dominant groups of toxic compounds – pesticides of various chemical nature, mycotoxins, heavy metals. A comparative assessment of the monitoring of test cultures for biotesting on models and product samples showed an increased indication for Stylonichia mytilus compared to Daphnia magna Straus. This makes it possible to use Stylonichia mytilus for the accelerated indication of a wide list of known, emerging, and even unknown as dangerous toxic substances of different chemical nature. A method of biotesting to determine the safety of food products at various stages of its life cycle has been developed and implemented, which is one-stage, prioritized thanks to the developed automated system of express analysis of the safety of food products. The developed method is approved and approved for use in the food industry by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine as the Rules of Established Practice (RuEP).

Composition and fate of heat-resistant anaerobic spore-formers in the milk powder production line

Anaerobic spore-forming bacteria are a continuous threat to the dairy industry due to their ability to withstand processing conditions, such as those during heat treatment. These ubiquitous microorganisms have ample opportunity for multiple entry points into the milk chain, creating food quality and safety issues. Certain spore-formers, namely bacilli and clostridia, are more problematic due to their ability to spoil dairy products and pathogenicity. In this study, we investigated how milk treatment and milk powder production influenced the composition and survival of anaerobic spore-formers. Samples were obtained on three different days (replicate blocks) during the production of dairy powders and examined in a culture-dependent manner using the most probable number method coupled with 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and metagenomic analysis of the enriched samples. Results revealed that the milk separation greatly affected the spore-former presence and composition which were detected along the entire production line from raw material to milk powders. Throughout the various points of the production line, the occurrence of species belonging to the Bacillus cereus sensu lato was higher than that of clostridia. Sequence variants (SVs) belonging to the anaerobic spore-forming genus Clostridium were taxonomically assigned to two SVs groups and were detected in all three replicate blocks. A total of 19 metagenome-assembled genomes were recovered from nine enrichments. Four near-complete and two medium-quality genomes were found in raw milk/milk powder samples and further assigned as Clostridium tyrobutyricum and Clostridium diolis, which may constitute a problem in the finished dairy product. In conclusion, our findings highlight spore-formers' importance on dairy quality and may aid in their intervention and control in the dairy production line.

The Role of Blockchain Technology in Promoting Traceability Systems in Agri-Food Production and Supply Chains.

Due to recurring food quality and safety issues, growing segments of consumers, especially in developed markets, and regulators in agri-food supply chains (AFSCs) require a fast and trustworthy system to retrieve necessary information on their food products. With the existing centralized traceability systems used in AFSCs, it is difficult to acquire full traceability information, and there are risks of information loss and data tampering. To address these challenges, research on the application of blockchain technology (BCT) for traceability systems in the agri-food sector is increasing, and startup companies have emerged in recent years. However, there have been only a limited number of reviews on the application of BCT in the agriculture sector, especially those that focus on the BCT-based traceability of agricultural goods. To bridge this knowledge gap, we reviewed 78 studies that integrated BCT into traceability systems in AFSCs and additional relevant papers, mapping out the main types of food traceability information. The findings indicated that the existing BCT-based traceability systems focus more on fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy, and milk. A BCT-based traceability system enables one to develop and implement a decentralized, immutable, transparent, and reliable system in which process automation facilitates the monitoring of real-time data and decision-making activities. We also mapped out the main traceability information, key information providers, and challenges and benefits of the BCT-based traceability systems in AFSCs. These helped to design, develop, and implement BCT-based traceability systems, which, in turn, will contribute to the transition to smart AFSC systems. This study comprehensively illustrated that implementing BCT-based traceability systems also has important, positive implications for improving AFSC management, e.g., reductions in food loss and food recall incidents and the achievement of the United Nations SDGs (1, 3, 5, 9, 12). This will contribute to existing knowledge and be useful for academicians, managers, and practitioners in AFSCs, as well as policymakers.

Observing the effect of pressure and temperature on the seal integrity of critical seal regions of various flexible bag designs

Folding geometry and the design of a flexible package cause pressure differences along sealing region during heat sealing. These differences might be one of the main reasons behind microchannels and leak formation at the seal area making it difficult to create hermetic packaging. In this article, the influence of changing pressure at different critical sealing regions such as folded corners, layer jumps, and seal intersections was examined via seal characterization methods and image analysis of the cross-section. According to the results, at the 2 layers folded corners pressure and temperature combinations above 2 bar and 130ºC do not cause insufficient sealing. However, at the layer jump points of 3 layers (lap seal) regions and 4 layers (gusset) regions, gaps inside the seal interphase persists at low temperature and low-pressure combinations below 140ºC and 4 bar. Additionally, when the temperature and pressure combination exceeds 160ºC and 4 bars some seal damages and squeeze-out problem is clearly observed in this seal regions. The optimum levels of temperature and pressure to minimize the interphase gap are different at each critical seal region for BOPP/metBOPET/CPP based multilayer packaging. Pressure increase positively influences the integrity of the seal for mentioned critical regions. However, it is discovered that above 150ºC, high-pressure levels (4–5 bars and higher) create a transition in the sealing characteristic from peel seal to lock seal. Additionally, squeeze out of the sealant polymer starts to occur at 3 bars for 150ºC sealing temperature. Squeeze-out problems can increase due to changing pressure distribution along the layer jumps and cause wrinkles as confirmed via visual observation of the sample packages from the industry. To sum up, it has been shown that pressure optimization based on the package design can improve seal integrity and help to prevent seal defects that lead to food quality and safety issues.

Gender perspective as the consumer behavior of buying organic rice: A case study in China and Thailand

Organic farming is being rapidly growing in developing countries such Thailand and China as well. Food safety and quality issues have sparked consumers’ awareness and make them to be doubtful towards conventional food products as consequence citizens of developed countries have shown a significant interest towards organic products. Data for the study were collected in Bangkok Thailand and Beijing China from 100 consumers. The sampling was carried using a multi-stage method. The results of t-tests revealed that those unaware of organic food group topped the six-point scale statement, for females 2.0909, and for the males 2.0000 which implies that majority of the males were comparatively unaware of organic foods or the benefit of organic food. Furthermore, the group of don’t trust the label/ don’t think it is really a certified organic food fell into the second category from the results of the t- test in which males 0.7407, and for the females 2.1096 were significant. The findings indicated that consumer’s willingness to pay for organic food is influenced by some characteristics such as nutritive value, taste, freshness, appearance, colour and other sensory characteristics.