Food Safety Considerations Research Articles

Elemental content and safety evaluation of wild-harvested Australian abalone (Haliotis spp.) viscera: Addressing safety concerns in food waste upcycling

Abalone viscera has been shown to be a valuable human nutraceutical, yet the food safety considerations of consuming whole abalone viscera have been largely overlooked. Hence, this research was conducted to investigate and evaluate elemental compositions and safety of it. The elemental data was compared to international food safety regulations and evaluated using the USEPA hazard index (HI) equation and HI-derived estimated upper limit (EDUL) equation, which EDUL allows comparison of novel foods with a large variety of similar existing products. To further demonstrate that food safety of upcycled food could be improved with simple processing, a risk mitigation trial was conducted. The results indicated that whilst heavy metal levels (mg/kg) and HI were shown to reach unsatisfactory food safety levels, this exceedance was likely caused by overestimation in daily consumption. The EDUL results supported this explanation and demonstrated that abalone viscera posed no safety concern even when eaten in quantities similar to common shellfish. The risk mitigation trial was as well successful, demonstrating up to 32 % reduction in HI. The findings identified options to evaluate and improve safety of novel food and can be a case study to evaluate, understand and overcome food safety challenges in other upcycled food.

Cell-Based Seafood Production: Regulatory Framework in the United States and Food Safety Considerations

Cell-Based Seafood Production: Regulatory Framework in the United States and Food Safety Considerations

WITHDRAWN: Elemental content and safety evaluation of wild-harvested Australian abalone (Haliotis spp.) viscera: addressing safety concerns in food waste upcycling.

Abalone viscera has shown to be a valuable human nutraceutical, yet the food safety considerations of consuming whole abalone viscera have been largely overlooked. Hence, this research was conducted to investigate and evaluate elemental compositions and safety of it. The elemental data was compared to international food safety regulations and evaluated using the USEPA hazard index (HI) equation and HI-derived estimated upper limit (EDUL) equation, which EDUL allows comparison of novel foods with a large variety of similar existing products. To further demonstrate that food safety of upcycled food could be improved with simple processing, a risk mitigation trial was conducted. The results indicated that whilst heavy metal levels (mg/kg) and HI were shown to reach unsatisfactory food safety levels, this exceedance was likely caused by overestimation in daily consumption. The EDUL results supported this explanation and demonstrated that abalone viscera posed no safety concern even when eaten in quantities similar to common shellfish. The risk mitigation trial was as well successful, demonstrating up to 32 % reduction in HI. The findings identified options to evaluate and improve safety of novel food and can be a case study to evaluate, understand and overcome food safety challenges in other upcycled food.

Citrus by-products: A dual assessment of antioxidant properties and food contaminants towards circular economy

Orange, lemon, and lime by-products emerge as promising sources of phenolic compounds. This study presents the first comprehensive assessment of the antioxidant capacity and food safety considerations of citrus pomace, aiming for their safe integration into the food industry. Results reveal that lemon and lime by-products are particularly rich in eriocitrin, hesperidin, trans-ferulic acid, and p-coumaric acid, significantly contributing to their antioxidant capacity. Regarding food safety, none of the nine regulated mycotoxins were detected. However, heavy metals were present below the maximum levels. Furthermore, pesticide residues were present, although at low levels in most cases. Contrarily, lime by-product presented high levels of the flutriafol. This study highlights the value of citrus by-products as source of natural antioxidants and emphasizes the necessity of monitoring and mitigating pesticide residues for their safe incorporation into functional food products. These findings support the sustainable utilization of citrus pomace within the circular economy framework, offering opportunities for innovation in the food industry.

Evaluating Validated Diet Quality Indices Used in Pregnant Women in High-Income Countries: A Systematic Review.

Diet quality indices (DQIs) assess the level of adherence to dietary recommendations and a specified dietary pattern in populations; however, there is limited evidence regarding the construct criteria and validation methodology of DQIs used in pregnant women. The objectives of this study were to (i) identify and describe characteristics of DQIs that have been validated for use in pregnant women in high-income countries, and (ii) evaluate criteria used to develop DQIs and validation methodologies employed. CINAHL, Embase, Medline, SCOPUS, and Web of Science were systematically searched for eligible articles published between 1980 and November 2022 that focused on DQIs validated for use in pregnant women from high-income countries. Characteristics, development criteria, and validation methodologies used in the included articles were extracted by one reviewer and checked by a second reviewer. A narrative synthesis and descriptive statistics were used to summarize the review findings. Reporting was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses statement. Six articles with 5 validated DQIs were identified. In total, 3777 participants were included - five articles had pregnant women aged 31-50 years and in their second trimester. Food frequency questionnaires were used as the dietary assessment method in all studies, and 3 DQIs were used to assess dietary intake at 1 time point, using 2 different dietary assessment methods. No indices fulfilled preferred features for the DQI development criteria developed by Burggraf et al (2018). Construct validity was assessed by all DQIs, followed by criterion validity (n = 4) and test-retest reliability (n = 2). Limited high-quality validated DQIs for use in pregnant women in high-income countries were identified. Scoring for DQI components were not specific to nutrient requirements for pregnant women. Findings from this review may inform the development of DQIs that evaluate specific dietary requirements and specific food safety considerations applicable to pregnancy. https://osf.io/u2hrq.

Ensuring sustainable future: The interconnectedness of food safety and environmental health

This article provides a nuanced exploration of the intricate relationship between food safety and environmental sustainability, acknowledging the multifaceted challenges posed by factors such as climate change, water quality, and biodiversity loss. The intersection of these environmental dynamics with food safety issues is carefully examined, emphasizing the need for a holistic understanding of the complex interplay between our food systems and the environment. A focal point of the article is the examination of sustainable agricultural practices as crucial components in mitigating the challenges posed by environmental factors. Precision farming and biotechnology are discussed as key strategies that can contribute to not only enhancing food safety but also promoting environmental stewardship. The article delves into how these innovative approaches can optimize resource use, reduce environmental impact, and bolster the resilience of food production systems. The integration of food safety considerations with sustainable agricultural practices is underscored as a pivotal aspect of addressing the broader challenges at hand. By adopting a comprehensive and integrated approach, the article suggests that it is possible to navigate the intricate balance between ensuring the safety of our food supply and safeguarding the health of the environment. The article advocates for global cooperation, policy integration, and heightened public awareness as critical components in advancing sustainable practices within the realm of food production. It recognizes that achieving true sustainability necessitates a collective effort that extends beyond individual sectors and borders.

2023–2024 Florida Citrus Production Guide: Food Safety Requirements and Considerations for the Florida Citrus Grower

2023–2024 Florida Citrus Production Guide: Food Safety Requirements and Considerations for the Florida Citrus Grower

Food safety considerations in the production of traditional fermented products: Japanese rice koji and miso

AbstractWhile established in Asia, rice koji and miso are fermented foods that are becoming more popular in western countries. They have been shown to contain a variety of microorganisms, consisting of bacteria, yeasts, and fungal species. Many contemporary miso varieties are not pasteurized as consumers are looking for more natural products, and/or have the desire to consume fermented foods containing live microorganisms. While correctly prepared fermented foods are rarely associated with food safety outbreaks, incidences have been recorded. On these occasions, pathogenic, or spoilage microorganisms were introduced into the products from external sources such as the raw material or the processing environment. Consequently, hygiene and fermentation conditions need to be carefully monitored to ensure food safety. Furthermore, many of the production steps during koji and miso manufacture do not fit into contemporary food safety guidelines for foods. Although pH is a required food safety hurdle for fermented foods, this does not apply to nonacidic foods such as koji or miso. This review focuses on control of microbial pathogens and discusses the processes of miso fermentation, and how fermentation of rice koji and miso fits with current food safety hurdles in western countries.

Anisakid nematodes in Trichiurus lepturus and Saurida undosquamis (Teleostea) from the South-West Indian Ocean: Genetic evidence for the existence of sister species within Anisakis typica (s.l.), and food-safety considerations

Nematode parasites of the genus Anisakis (Nematoda, Anisakidae) are considered among the most important biological hazards in seafood products worldwide. In temperate and tropical waters, the most common species appears to be Anisakis typica, generally found around the viscera and sporadically in the flesh of various fish host species. This study investigated the infection sites and genetic diversity of A. typica infecting commercial fishes from the South-West Indian Ocean. Largehead hairtail (N = 20) and brushtooth lizardfish (N = 72) fished off Tanzania were inspected for anisakid nematodes by UV-press. A subsample of 168 nematodes were identified by sequence analyses of the cox2 mtDNA gene and ITS region of rDNA. The species A. typica (s.l.) (N = 166), Pseudoterranova ceticola (N = 1) and Anisakis paggiae (N = 1) were molecularly identified. Phylogenetic analysis of A. typica (s.l.) sequences based on both genes, indicated the existence of two distinct phylogenetic lineages forming two well-supported clades. The first clade comprised 12 A. typica specimens including individuals from its type locality (central Atlantic Ocean). The second clade comprising 154 specimens, clustered with reference sequences retrieved from GenBank including one apparently undescribed taxon, i.e., Anisakis sp. 1, and A. typica var. indonesiensis. The two reciprocally monophyletic clades are closely related and correspond to two distinct sister species within A. typica (s.l.), presently indicated as A. typica sp. A and A. typica sp. B. Two and four fixed alternative nucleotide substitutions (SNPs), i.e., diagnostic positions, between the two taxa, respectively, were found at the mtDNA cox2 and the ITS region of rDNA. The genetic data, as well as their occurrence in sympatry, strengthens the hypothesis that the actual specimens represent two distinct gene pools. The occurrence of both A. typica sp. A and A. typica sp. B in the musculature of freshly examined T. lepturus and S. undosquamis, suggests that both species can migrate intra-vitam into the flesh. Although the zoonotic potential of A. typica s.l. is still unclear, the presence of these parasites in the musculature, edible part of the fish, raises health concerns for consumers.

2022–2023 Florida Citrus Production Guide: Food Safety Requirements and Considerations for the Florida Citrus Grower

2022–2023 Florida Citrus Production Guide: Food Safety Requirements and Considerations for the Florida Citrus Grower

Making a meal out of bugs

Making a meal out of bugs

Food safety considerations using SMART devices in domestic kitchens

Food safety considerations using SMART devices in domestic kitchens

Food safety considerations and research priorities for the cultured meat and seafood industry.

Cell-cultured meat and seafood offer a sustainable opportunity to meet the world's increasing demand for protein in a climate-changed world. A responsible, data-driven approach to assess and demonstrate safety of cell-cultured meat and seafood can support consumer acceptance and help fully realize the potential of these products. As an initial step toward a thorough demonstration of safety, this review identifies hazards that could be introduced during manufacturing, evaluates applicability of existing safety assessment approaches, and highlights research priorities that could support safe commercialization. Input was gathered from members of the cultured meat and seafood industry, researchers, regulators, and food safety experts. A series of workshops were held with 87 industry representatives and researchers to create a modular manufacturing process diagram, which served as a framework to identify potential chemical and biological hazards along the steps of the manufacturing process that could affect the safety of a final food product. Interviews and feedback on draft documents validated the process diagram and supported hazard identification and evaluation of applicable safety methods. Most hazards are not expected to be novel; therefore, safety assessment methods from a range of fields, such as conventional and novel foods, foods produced from biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and so forth, are likely to be applicable. However, additional assessment of novel inputs or products with significant differences from existing foods may be necessary. Further research on the safety of the inputs and associated residues, potential for contamination, and development of standardized safety assessment approaches (particularly animal-free methods) is recommended.

2021–2022 Florida Citrus Production Guide: Food Safety Requirements and Considerations for the Florida Citrus Grower

2021–2022 Florida Citrus Production Guide: Food Safety Requirements and Considerations for the Florida Citrus Grower

RESEARCH ON EXTENDING THE SHELF LIFE UP TO 7 DAYS OF HEAT-TREATED MEAT PRODUCTS, MANUFACTURED ACCORDING TO COMPANY’S STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGICAL INSTRUCTIONS IN FORCE BY THE LOCAL PRODUCER

In contemporary market conditions, quality has become a key element in meeting consumer requirements. Of particular interest is the manufacture of products with high organoleptic characteristics, which have a long sales prospect, with long shelf life, without changing the product quality. In order to achieve safe and qualitatively nutritious products, we need the latest raw materials and technologies. Establishing the validity of these products over a period of time helps to market foodstuffs that are safe for consumption and from the point of view of producers' economic and food safety considerations. The research was performed on assortments of sausages made of heat-treated ingredients, such as: Lebărvurști, c / I - packed in natural membrane; Boiled pork toba - packed in polyamide, Pork Saltison - packed in natural membrane, made for public consumption. The purpose of the research was to determine the quality, physico-chemical and microbiological indices in order to study the possibility of extending the shelf life of meat products up to 7 days, the meat products were manufactured in accordance with the company’s standards and technological instructions in force of the meat processor. Thus, there were obtained very good results, related to the organoleptic characteristics such as: external appearance, consistency, odor, color that correspond to the requirements of the norms stipulated in the normative acts in force for these products; the same can be said for the physical indices, since they have not changed considerably over time, remaining within the normative requirements even at the end of the shelf life, not affecting the quality of the product. And in terms of microbiological indications, it is noteworthy that throughout the shelf life of the product (7 days) they have not been modified and have corresponded to the requirements of the normative documents.

Aerobic-liquor treatment improves the quality and deep-frying performance of refined palm oil

Deep-frying is a popular method for food preparation because it improves the taste and sensory of food. Among the vegetable oils, palm oil is one of the commonly used oils for deep-frying application. During deep-frying, some of the oil would be absorbed by the food and subsequently be consumed together with the food. Hence, the quality and stability of the oil used for deep-frying are of critical food safety considerations. To address this issue, we produced refined palm oil from crude palm oil which has been treated with an aerobic liquor (AL) generated from a palm oil mill. The result shows that the refined palm oil produced from AL-treated CPO (aRPO) has improved quality, in particular the 3-monochloropropane-1,2 diol ester (3-MCPDE) and the glycidyl ester (GE) reduced by 58% and 46%, respectively. After 30 cycles of deep-frying, the used aRPO contained 68% lower FFA content, 13% lower polar content, and 43% lower 3-MCPDE content compared to the conventionally produced refined palm oil (RPO). Furthermore, the aRPO has a higher smoke-point and a higher resistance to darkening compared to the RPO. As a result, the fries prepared using aRPO have lower 3-MCPDE content and they have a better appearance and were less greasy when compared to the fries prepared using RPO. Overall, AL-treatment of CPO is a feasible method to improve the quality and deep-frying performance of refined palm oil and it could readily be adopted by the industry because it is simple and sustainable.

Food safety considerations of urban agroforestry systems grown in contaminated environments

AbstractThe interest in and establishment of urban gardens and food forests has been growing in recent years. Food production in urban environments has its challenges, however, particularly regarding the safety of edible crops grown in environments that contain potential contaminants. While some studies exist on urban agriculture food safety for annual crops, the literature is limited on relative risks in urban food forests that include fruit‐ and nut‐producing trees and shrubs. This review provides an overview of the potential capacity of woody species (trees and shrubs) to accumulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metals (HMs), and metalloids considering the safety of food production in the urban environment. The general trends found in a review of existing literature indicate (a) a lower risk for woody species to accumulate HMs and PAHs compared with vegetables, and (b) less accumulation in the fruit of woody species compared with other plant parts in those same species. However, these trends are not always consistent, and the accumulation of contaminants depends on variety of factors such as the concentration of a given element in the environment, type of contaminant, type of species, and species variety. This study highlights the critical need for more research on the safety of growing edible fruits and nuts on trees and shrubs in urban environments that may contain contaminants.

Food Safety Considerations Related to the Consumption and Handling of Game Meat in North America.

Emerging foodborne pathogens present a threat to public health. It is now recognized that several foodborne pathogens originate from wildlife as demonstrated by recent global disease outbreaks. Zoonotic spillover events are closely related to the ubiquity of parasitic, bacterial, and viral pathogens present within human and animal populations and their surrounding environment. Foodborne diseases have economic and international trade impacts, incentivizing effective wildlife disease management. In North America, there are no food safety standards for handling and consumption of free-ranging game meat. Game meat consumption continues to rise in North America; however, this growing practice could place recreational hunters and game meat consumers at increased risk of foodborne diseases. Recreational hunters should follow effective game meat food hygiene practices from harvest to storage and consumption. Here, we provide a synthesis review that evaluates the ecological and epidemiological drivers of foodborne disease risk in North American hunter populations that are associated with the harvest and consumption of terrestrial mammal game meat. We anticipate this work could serve as a foundation of preventive measures that mitigate foodborne disease transmission between free-ranging mammalian and human populations.

The transcriptional response of Arcobacter butzleri to cold shock.

Arcobacter (A.) butzleri is an emerging zoonotic pathogen associated with gastrointestinal diseases, such as abdominal cramps and diarrhea, and is widely detected in animals, showing a high prevalence in poultry and seafood. The survival and adaptation of A. butzleri to cold temperatures remains poorly studied, although it might be of interest for food safety considerations. To address this, growth patterns of eight A. butzleri isolates were determined at 8 °C for 28 days. A. butzleri isolates showed strain-dependent behavior: six isolates were unculturable after day 18, one exhibited declining but detectable cell counts until day 28 and one grew to the stationary phase level. Out of 13 A. butzleri cold shock-related genes homologous to Escherichia coli, 10 were up-regulated in response to a temperature downshift to 8 °C, as demonstrated by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Additionally, we compared these data with the cold-shock response in E. coli. Overall, we provide a deeper insight into the environmental adaptation capacities of A. butzleri, which we find shares similarities with the E. coli cold-shock response.

2020–2021 Florida Citrus Production Guide: Food Safety Requirements and Considerations for the Florida Citrus Grower

2020–2021 Florida Citrus Production Guide: Food Safety Requirements and Considerations for the Florida Citrus Grower