Food Safety Initiative Research Articles

Implementing Sustainable Procurement Practices in International Hotel

This research investigates integrating sustainable procurement practices within international hotel chains, particularly examining their effects on food safety, encountered challenges, stakeholder involvement, and eco-friendly initiatives. It analyzes the impact of sustainable procurement on food quality and safety, highlighting measures undertaken to ensure these standards. The study addresses challenges like balancing quality, cost, and sustainability in food procurement and evaluates hotels' eco-friendly strategies, such as using locally sourced products and effective environmental management. Employing a holistic approach through multiple case studies, the research emphasizes the nexus between food safety and sustainable procurement, offering practical insights for the hospitality industry. The primary principle across international hotel chains is to consider environmental impacts comprehensively in procurement processes, serving as a foundational guideline.

Incidence of Pathogens in Fruits and Vegetables in Tropical Bwari Town

Introduction: In numerous tropical regions of developing nations, the prevalence of foodborne illnesses is perceived to be more severe than in developed countries, due to insufficient food safety initiatives or the lack of a structured institutional framework for street food vendors. The study's objectives of examining microorganisms associated with fruits and vegetables, the prevailing temperature and the hygiene practices of various fruit and vegetable sellers were all met. Methods: A self-designed questionnaire completed by twenty vendors were used. Laboratory techniques like serial dilution, biochemical testing, and culture techniques were used. A handheld thermometer was used to determine the prevailing temperature, and descriptive statistics using Microsoft Excel was used to analyze data. Results and Discussion: Statistical analysis revealed that 80% of vendors had washing facilities, 70% worked in a clean environment, 20% washed their hands before handling fruits, 70% dressed correctly, and 70% kept their fruits and vegetables above the WHO temperature standard. A laboratory investigation revealed the bacteria counts of (watermelon being the highest 8.3×105, cucumber 5.4×105, carrot 2.3×105, orange 3.7×105). Microbial species encountered were Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella species, amongst others, which increases health risk. Conclusion: The study concluded that temperatures, handling processes, and inadequate hygiene all had impact on fruits and vegetables sold in tropical Bwari area. It also established a link between temperature and the prevalence of bacteria in fruits and vegetables. As a result, the study suggests monitoring and surveillance of fruit and vegetable sellers, national vendor hygiene policies and public awareness.

Transitioning practices of vegetable small-scale actors in Vietnam: an interplay of food safety, labor demand, and soil environment

AbstractFood safety is a critical and persistent issue that challenges the sustainability of agri-food systems in Vietnam. The government has launched multiple food safety initiatives, but there is limited understanding of their contribution to changing the practices of small-scale producers and distributors. This study explores these changing practices by applying Social Practice Theory (SPT) to analyze the transitions in everyday routines of small-scale vegetable producers while being embedded in socio-institutional contexts of agri-food system transitions. We conducted semi-structured interviews and survey with small-scale food producers and distributors in Hanoi, Vietnam to examine the transitions in production and post-production practices over the last 20 years and the intersection between smallholding practices and cross-level dynamics. The study revealed, contrary to some common perceptions, that smallholder producers are transitioning towards food safety, with the use of more bio-pesticides and eco-friendly pest control methods. The smallholders also reproduce a variety of (sustainable) intensification practices, including crop rotation, organic fertilization, and soil cultivation, to sustain soil fertility and save labor. However, there are no clear patterns of change for post-production practices, although they have been diversifying under the impacts of urbanization. The findings highlight the interplay of food safety, labor, and soil environment in shaping the transitions of smallholder practices. We suggest that success in improving safety in production practices is feasible, but that this requires more thorough interventions in distribution and consumption practices to transform the food systems at large.

Factors associated with caregivers’ food safety knowledge, behavior, perception of food safety control, and the nutrition status of under-5 children in Nigeria

BackgroundHousehold-level food safety practices may have a long-term outcome on the nutrition and health status of under-five children. This study explores the relationships between caregivers’ self-reported food safety knowledge, behavior, perception of food safety control, and their young child’s (< 5 years) nutrition status.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study design, 664 caregivers from five Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Ibadan, Nigeria were surveyed using an interviewer-administered questionnaire on their food safety knowledge, behavior and perceived food safety control. Anthropometric measurements of the household’s index child (aged 6–59 months) were also taken. Variables for food safety knowledge and behavior score were selected using principal component analyses. The nutritional status of the children (Z-scores for weight-for-height (WAZ), height-for-age (HAZ), and weight-for-age (WHZ)) were calculated. Description statistics were run on all variables and logistic regression models examined associations between the three food safety constructs and the children’s nutritional status. Covariates such as LGAs, caregiver’s age, household size, wealth index, child’s gender, and age were adjusted.ResultsHigh-level of food safety knowledge, behavior and lots of perceived control on food safety issues were reported by 77.7%, 76.7%, and 81.1% of the caregivers. Using WAZ, HAZ and WHZ that are ≤ -2, acute malnutrition (6.0%), chronic malnutrition (42.5%), and underweight (22.0%), respectively were prevalent among the children. Perceived food safety control was the only food safety construct associated with acute malnutrition. Wealth index, caregivers’ age, number of under 5 at home, child age, and gender were associated with acute malnutrition. Caregiver’s age, child’s age, and gender were associated with chronic malnutrition. Furthermore, caregiver’s age, education and child’s age were associated with a child being underweight. The significance level was at P < 0.05.ConclusionFactors associated with food safety and children’s nutritional outcomes are multi-faceted in nature. Future studies should explore access to resources and other intermediate factors that may explain the linkage between childhood malnutrition and caregivers’ food safety awareness, knowledge, and behavior. Public health and food safety initiatives to bridge the gap between perceived food safety control and actual food safety behavior/practices.

Blockchain and smart contracts for supply chain transparency and vendor management

Blockchain technology and smart contracts are emerging as transformative tools for enhancing transparency and efficiency in supply chain management and vendor relations. Traditional supply chains often face challenges such as inefficiencies, lack of transparency, and susceptibility to fraud (Kouhizadeh &amp; Sarkis, 2018). Blockchain, a decentralized ledger technology, coupled with smart contracts, which are self-executing contracts with the terms directly written into code, offers promising solutions to these challenges (Wang, Han, &amp; Beynon-Davies, 2019). This paper explores the application of blockchain and smart contracts in these domains, examining their potential to provide immutable records, streamline processes, and mitigate risks (Casado-Vara et al., 2018). Through a comprehensive analysis of current literature and case studies, we identify key benefits including improved transparency, enhanced efficiency, and better risk management (Christidis &amp; Devetsikiotis, 2016; Tian, 2016). Our findings suggest that blockchain and smart contracts can significantly improve supply chain transparency and vendor management, though their implementation requires careful consideration of technical, regulatory, and organizational factors (Saberi et al., 2019). Notable case studies, such as Walmart’s blockchain pilot for food safety and De Beers' diamond tracking initiative, illustrate the practical benefits and challenges of adopting these technologies in real-world scenarios (Casino, Dasaklis, &amp; Patsakis, 2019; Kshetri, 2018). Despite the promising outlook, further research is needed to address scalability, interoperability, and regulatory compliance issues to fully realize the potential of blockchain and smart contracts in supply chain management (Hughes et al., 2019).

Data quality and timeliness analysis for post-vaccination adverse event cases reported through healthcare data exchange to FDA BEST pilot platform.

This study is part of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s Biologics Effectiveness and Safety (BEST) initiative, which aims to improve the FDA's postmarket surveillance capabilities by using real-world data (RWD). In the United States, using RWD for postmarket surveillance has been hindered by the inability to exchange clinical data between healthcare providers and public health organizations in an interoperable format. However, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) has recently enacted regulation requiring all healthcare providers to support seamless access, exchange, and use of electronic health information through the interoperable HL7 Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) standard. To leverage the recent ONC changes, BEST designed a pilot platform to query and receive the clinical information necessary to analyze suspected AEs. This study assessed the feasibility of using the RWD received through the data exchange of FHIR resources to study post-vaccination AE cases by evaluating the data volume, query response time, and data quality. The study used RWD from 283 post-vaccination AE cases, which were received through the platform. We used descriptive statistics to report results and apply 322 data quality tests based on a data quality framework for EHR. The volume analysis indicated the average clinical resources for a post-vaccination AE case was 983.9 for the median partner. The query response time analysis indicated that cases could be received by the platform at a median of 3 min and 30 s. The quality analysis indicated that most of the data elements and conformance requirements useful for postmarket surveillance were met. This study describes the platform's data volume, data query response time, and data quality results from the queried postvaccination adverse event cases and identified updates to current standards to close data quality gaps.

Enhancing Sensitivity and Selectivity in Pesticide Detection: A Review of Cutting-Edge Techniques.

The primary goal of our review was to systematically explore and compare the state-of-the-art methodologies employed in the detection of pesticides, a critical component of global food safety initiatives. New approach methods in the fields of luminescent nanosensors, chromatography, terahertz spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy are discussed as precise, rapid, and versatile strategies for pesticide detection in food items and agroecological samples. Luminescent nanosensors emerge as powerful tools, noted for their portability and unparalleled sensitivity and real-time monitoring capabilities. Liquid and gas chromatography coupled to spectroscopic detectors, stalwarts in the analytical chemistry field, are lauded for their precision, wide applicability, and validation in diverse regulatory environments. Terahertz spectroscopy offers unique advantages such as noninvasive testing, profound penetration depth, and bulk sample handling. Meanwhile, Raman spectroscopy stands out with its nondestructive nature, its ability to detect even trace amounts of pesticides, and its minimal requirement for sample preparation. While acknowledging the maturity and robustness of these techniques, our review underscores the importance of persistent innovation. These methodologies' significance extends beyond their present functions, highlighting their adaptability to meet ever-evolving challenges. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1468-1484. © 2024 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

Enhancing global food safety standards through international collaboration and policy harmonization

In an increasingly interconnected world, ensuring the safety of the global food supply has emerged as a paramount concern. With foodborne illnesses affecting millions annually and international trade in food products reaching unprecedented levels, the need for robust food safety standards has never been more pressing. This abstract explores the vital role of international collaboration and policy harmonization in enhancing global food safety standards, with a focus on the mechanisms, challenges, and potential solutions involved. At the heart of global food safety efforts lie collaborative endeavors among nations facilitated by international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Codex Alimentarius Commission. These entities serve as platforms for harmonizing food safety regulations by developing science-based standards, guidelines, and codes of practice. Through regular consultations, expert committees, and consensus-building processes, these organizations foster agreement on key principles and practices governing food safety across diverse national contexts. However, achieving harmonization in food safety policies poses significant challenges. Divergent regulatory frameworks, varying levels of institutional capacity, and disparities in resources among countries can impede efforts to establish uniform standards. Moreover, geopolitical tensions and trade disputes may hinder cooperation, leading to fragmentation in global food safety governance. Addressing these challenges requires concerted efforts to build trust, enhance communication, and promote transparency among stakeholders. Technological innovations offer promising avenues for overcoming barriers to international collaboration and policy harmonization in food safety. Blockchain technology, for instance, enables transparent and tamper-proof recording of food supply chain data, enhancing traceability and accountability. Internet of Things (IoT) devices provide real-time monitoring of food storage and transportation conditions, helping to prevent contamination and spoilage. Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms analyze vast datasets to identify emerging food safety risks and inform regulatory decision-making. By leveraging these technologies, countries can strengthen their capacity to implement harmonized food safety standards and improve compliance with international regulations. Furthermore, public-private partnerships play a crucial role in advancing global food safety initiatives. Collaboration between governments, industry stakeholders, academia, and civil society organizations facilitates knowledge sharing, capacity building, and resource mobilization. By pooling expertise and resources, these partnerships enable more effective surveillance, response, and mitigation of food safety risks on a global scale. Moreover, they promote information exchange and best practice dissemination, fostering a culture of continuous improvement in food safety management. Policy harmonization efforts must also embrace risk-based approaches to prioritize interventions and allocate resources effectively. By identifying and assessing food safety hazards based on their likelihood and severity, countries can tailor their regulatory measures to address the most significant risks. Moreover, regular monitoring, evaluation, and review of food safety policies are essential to ensure their relevance, effectiveness, and adaptability in the face of evolving threats and challenges. Enhancing global food safety standards requires sustained international collaboration and policy harmonization. By fostering consensus, leveraging technology, and fostering partnerships, the international community can strengthen the resilience of the global food system, protect public health, and promote equitable access to safe and nutritious food for all.

New ambient IoT food safety initiative

Wiliot, a pioneer in ambient Internet of Things (IoT) technology, has launched a major food safety initiative aimed at revolutionising supply chain transparency and traceability. The initiative is designed to help the food industry meet the upcoming FSMA 204 compliance requirements through the implementation of ambient IoT technology.

Encompassing potential preventive controls using GFSI, USDA National Organic Program, FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Food and FSMA Intentional Adulteration in ready-to-eat organic leafy green salad: A case study from Thailand

This qualitative research work continues from the previous research of Surareungchai S. et al. (2021 and 2022) Simplify product safety and quality risk analysis of raw materials for conventional, soilless culture and organic salads. The previous work focused on raw materials risk assessment and risk management for conventional, soilless culture and organic salads. This current work focuses on the complete processing of ready-to-eat organic leafy green salad from receiving until delivery, to develop practical guidance of product safety, product fraud and product quality issue risk analysis and produce preventive control plans by covering overall product integrity (product safety, product quality and product authenticity (non-fraudulent product or product fraud avoidance) together with product legality) as Global Food Safety Initiative (e.g. BRCGS Food Safety, International Featured Standard for Food, Safe Quality Food and Food Safety System Certification), USDA National Organic Program, FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Food and FSMA Intentional Adulteration Final Rule. The case study run in this research was a Thai volunteer ready-to-eat organic leafy green fresh cut multi-standard implementing small enterprise production scale validation and verification phase using the previous practical fruit and vegetable 4 × 4 risk matrix model, 4 × 4 fraud risk matrix model and 4 × 4 quality issue risk matrix model. The result showed that the previous risk matrix models can be used for fruit and vegetable raw materials. Some severity scores can be applied to other input materials apart from the fruit and vegetable group. Occurrence scores from the previous models were changed to be useable with other input materials and during in-processing steps, corresponding to lower score ranking scales from the risk matrix models. And preventive control plans were represented as critical control point, critical quality point, critical organic point and actionable process step by considering process, allergen, sanitation, supply chain and other controls e.g., organic product fraud or food defense preventive measures. The results show that the single format of risk assessment and preventive control plan from this work, can be helpful to entrepreneurs for multi-standard implementing for overall product integrity (product safety, product quality, and product authenticity (non-fraudulent product or product fraud avoidance) control.

Evaluation of Hygienic Practices and Microbiological Quality of Street Vended Fruit Salads in Morogoro, Tanzania

Street vended foods have gained popularity due to economic benefits. However, they have been recognized as a potential hazard to public health as a result of poor hygienic practices. The study was conducted to assess the hygienic practices and microbiological quality of street vended fruit salads vended in Morogoro Municipal, Tanzania. A total of 30 respondents were involved in the study to assess of quality of fruit salad vended by town street vendors (TSV), University cafeterias (UCV), and town restaurants vendors (TRV). The findings revealed that most vendors (86.3%) were unaware of food safety, 73.3% were unaware of food safety standards and laws, and every seller evaluated was unaware of food safety initiatives such as Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Hygienic Practices (GHP) and had never implemented any of them. All vendors saw the doctor only when they were ill. Nevertheless, none of vendor had a quality registration certificate or had undergone training in food safety and hygiene. Most of the salad preparation settings (46.7%) did not adhere to the fundamental requirements of a food preparation facility, and the vending facilities were in disrepair. Piles of dirty were observed in the food salad preparation and vending premises and 80% of the vendors used uncovered waste bins that were observed to encourage pests such as flies and cockroaches in the premises. The total aerobic count (TAC) ranged from 3.92±0.31 to 4.29±0.21 log CFU/g. All fruit salad samples were contaminated with coliforms and the level of coliform count exceeded 1.4×104 MPN/g in fruit salad samples indicating poor hygiene and fecal contamination. Possible sources of contamination were found to be water quality, cross-contamination, food handling and preparation equipment, and environmental factors such as dust, pests, and air quality. According to the study's findings, the majority of fruit salad sellers in the study area did not adhere to hygienic practices, and the made fruit salads were of poor microbiological quality, putting consumers at risk for food safety.

Enhancing immunity against carcinogens through probiotics: A literature review

This literature review explores various aspects of using probiotics as a dietary practice to mitigate the effects of toxic compounds. The discussion highlights the importance of considering factors such as timing and composition of probiotic consumption for maximum benefits. Studies have demonstrated the potential of probiotics to inhibit Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) damage and reduce the occurrence of aberrant crypts in animal models when administered before exposure to toxicants. Furthermore, probiotics have been found to metabolize genotoxic compounds into inactive forms, indicating their potential role in detoxification processes. The binding activity of probiotics against toxicants has been widely studied, but there is a need for further research on the metabolites produced during these interactions. Additionally, the presence of other compounds in the food matrix and their competitive effects on probiotic binding should be investigated to understand the full picture. The strain-dependent nature of the probiotic activity and the variability of their antimutagenic properties for different mutagens further highlight the complexity of their functionality. Considering these findings, it is recommended to conduct a careful risk assessment to evaluate the safety of probiotics and their metabolites, taking into account the potential risks and benefits associated with their use. This will help ensure the responsible application of probiotics in food safety and human health initiatives.

Environmental Monitoring Program in Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. Italica) Packing Plant Guanajuato, Mexico

The state of Guanajuato in Mexico is known for its large production of vegetables not only for the local and national market, but also for the international market, especially the North American market, to which it exports mainly species such as broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. Italica), among other products. In this sense, one of the organizations located in the municipality of Dolores Hidalgo, C. I. N., in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, has a safety management system in accordance with the PrimusGFS system guidelines, which is recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and is therefore recognized worldwide (GFSI, 2022). Within this food safety scheme, a microbiological environmental monitoring program is required as a preventive control to avoid contamination of pathogenic microorganisms to the product from surfaces in direct contact as well as those that are not in direct contact but are part of the production environment. In environmental microbiological assessment, the zone concept is widely used and represents the basis for assessments accepted by international public health and food microbiology bodies such as the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods, ICMSF.

Development and Validation of an Algorithm for Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) at Unusual Sites.

Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) has been reported following receipt of adenoviral vector-based COVID-19 vaccines. However, no validation studies evaluating the accuracy of International Classification of Diseases-10-Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM)-based algorithm for unusual site TTS are available in the published literature. The purpose of this study was to assess the performance of clinical coding to 1) leverage literature review and clinical input to develop an ICD-10-CM-based algorithm to identify unusual site TTS as a composite outcome and 2) validate the algorithm against the Brighton Collaboration's interim case definition using laboratory, pathology, and imaging reports in an academic health network electronic health record (EHR) within the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Biologics Effectiveness and Safety (BEST) Initiative. Validation of up to 50 cases per thrombosis site was conducted, with positive predictive values (PPV) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) calculated using pathology or imaging results as the gold standard. The algorithm identified 278 unusual site TTS cases, of which 117 (42.1%) were selected for validation. In both the algorithm-identified and validation cohorts, over 60% of patients were 56 years or older. The positive predictive value (PPV) for unusual site TTS was 76.1% (95% CI 67.2-83.2%) and at least 80% for all but one individual thrombosis diagnosis code. PPV for thrombocytopenia was 98.3% (95% CI 92.1-99.5%). This study represents the first report of a validated ICD-10-CM-based algorithm for unusual site TTS. A validation effort found that the algorithm performed at an intermediate-to-high PPV, suggesting that the algorithm can be used in observational studies including active surveillance of COVID-19 vaccines and other medical products.

Background rates of adverse events of special interest for COVID-19 vaccine safety monitoring in the United States, 2019-2020.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Biologics Effectiveness and Safety (BEST) Initiative conducts active surveillance of adverse events of special interest (AESI) after COVID-19 vaccination. Historical incidence rates (IRs) of AESI are comparators to evaluate safety. We estimated IRs of 17 AESI in six administrative claims databases from January 1, 2019, to December 11, 2020: Medicare claims for adults ≥ 65 years and commercial claims (Blue Health Intelligence®, CVS Health, HealthCore Integrated Research Database, IBM® MarketScan® Commercial Database, Optum pre-adjudicated claims) for adults < 65 years. IRs were estimated by sex, age, race/ethnicity (Medicare), and nursing home residency (Medicare) in 2019 and for specific periods in 2020. The study included >100 million enrollees annually. In 2019, rates of most AESI increased with age. However, compared with commercially insured adults, Medicare enrollees had lower IRs of anaphylaxis (11 vs 12-19 per 100,000 person-years), appendicitis (80 vs 117-155), and narcolepsy (38 vs 41-53). Rates were higher in males than females for most AESI across databases and varied by race/ethnicity and nursing home status (Medicare). Acute myocardial infarction (Medicare) and anaphylaxis (all databases) IRs varied by season. IRs of most AESI were lower during March-May 2020 compared with March-May 2019 but returned to pre-pandemic levels after May 2020. However, rates of Bell's palsy, Guillain-Barré syndrome, narcolepsy, and hemorrhagic/non-hemorrhagic stroke remained lower in multiple databases after May 2020, whereas some AESI (e.g., disseminated intravascular coagulation) exhibited higher rates after May 2020 compared with 2019. AESI background rates varied by database and demographics and fluctuated in March-December 2020, but most returned to pre-pandemic levels after May 2020. It is critical to standardize demographics and consider seasonal and other trends when comparing historical rates with post-vaccination AESI rates in the same database to evaluate COVID-19 vaccine safety.

The benefits of integrating of halal requirements with quality management and food safety systems in the food industry

Quality management and ensuring of food safety systems are crucial in today's world. High levels of quality are demanded by consumers and are essential for a company's success. The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) aims to improve food safety by integrating supported and recognized standards throughout the supply chain. To meet these goals, the MiP Ljubače company, engaged in flour, bakery, pastry, and animal feed production, is enhancing its existing management system. The company already holds ISO 9001, HACCP, and NON GMO certificates and is now integrating HALAL BAS 1049:2010 requirements to meet the demands of key customers, related parties, and target consumer groups. The integration of halal requirements allows the company to validate its list of approved suppliers/producers and final halal products. This integration creates opportunities to expand the consumer base, increase market share in the domestic and EU markets, and enhance the safety system in production processes. By producing Halal certified products, the company contributes to regional self-sufficiency, reduces dependency on other markets, and promotes halal standards in the region. These improvements will elevate the company's position, attract more consumers, and bolster its presence in the market.

Assessing the Food Safety and Quality Assurance System during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study aims to develop and test a methodological approach to assess the system of food quality and safety in the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve the study objectives, a multi-country research project was implemented with 425 enterprises from Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, and Belarus. The application of the developed methodological approach resulted in comparable assessments of the various criteria of the food safety and quality assurance system in supply chains. This makes it possible to implement continuous monitoring of the state of the food safety and quality assurance system in the enterprises. In addition, the study identified critical weaknesses in the safety system, including a very low level of assessment by enterprises of the impact of WHO advisory protocols. This greatly increases the risks associated with food safety in the COVID-19 pandemic. Urgent action is required to increase the confidence of food supply chain actors in WHO recommendations and national food safety and quality protocols. The conducted assessments showed that a significant proportion of enterprises did not implement a food safety system. One out of five of the respondents claimed to have implemented safety systems at an enterprise in accordance with the standards recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative. Only 2% declared the introduction of HACCP at an enterprise, which is logical given the high mistrust of WHO recommendations. The proposed approach can be used in the real sector of the economy to monitor the food safety and quality assurance system in the supply chain at the regional, sectoral and national levels.

Identifying food fraud vulnerability factors in food fraud incidents – a review of global incidents 2000–2018

PurposeGlobal food fraud incidents are regularly reported and are on the rise due to the ineffectiveness of traditional food safety intervention strategies. The increase in food fraud opportunity is prevalent in the state of the COVID-19 pandemic as well. Food fraud vulnerability assessment (FFVA) is acknowledged as a critical requirement by the Global Food Safety Initiatives (GFSIs) and the World Health Organisation for an effective food fraud mitigation plan. However, there is no clear direction or ways to identify and analyse food fraud vulnerability factors based on real-data.Design/methodology/approachCombining the barrier analysis technique and the routine activity theory to review the 580 cases of food fraud recorded in the Decernis database, this paper identified new food fraud vulnerability dimensions and insights pinpointed to three categories of opportunity, motivation and countermeasures.FindingsNew dimensions of food fraud vulnerability factors are identified in this paper over the period 2000–2018. Where possible, new insights related to each food fraud vulnerability factor and dimension were identified, and literature evidence was used to confirm their contribution.Originality/valueThere is a gap observed in the first step of FFVA in the literature. This paper is the first study to undertake a FFVA based on evidence recorded in a global food fraud database. This paper offers critical insights into global food fraud regulations by exploring the new emerging root causes of food fraud and analysing them, supporting developing effective food fraud prevention plans (FFPPs).

The Food and Drug Administration Biologics Effectiveness and Safety Initiative Facilitates Detection of Vaccine Administrations From Unstructured Data in Medical Records Through Natural Language Processing.

Introduction: The Food and Drug Administration Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research conducts post-market surveillance of biologic products to ensure their safety and effectiveness. Studies have found that common vaccine exposures may be missing from structured data elements of electronic health records (EHRs), instead being captured in clinical notes. This impacts monitoring of adverse events following immunizations (AEFIs). For example, COVID-19 vaccines have been regularly administered outside of traditional medical settings. We developed a natural language processing (NLP) algorithm to mine unstructured clinical notes for vaccinations not captured in structured EHR data.Methods: A random sample of 1,000 influenza vaccine administrations, representing 995 unique patients, was extracted from a large U.S. EHR database. NLP techniques were used to detect administrations from the clinical notes in the training dataset [80% (N = 797) of patients]. The algorithm was applied to the validation dataset [20% (N = 198) of patients] to assess performance. Full medical charts for 28 randomly selected administration events in the validation dataset were reviewed by clinicians. The NLP algorithm was then applied across the entire dataset (N = 995) to quantify the number of additional events identified.Results: A total of 3,199 administrations were identified in the structured data and clinical notes combined. Of these, 2,740 (85.7%) were identified in the structured data, while the NLP algorithm identified 1,183 (37.0%) administrations in clinical notes; 459 were not also captured in the structured data. This represents a 16.8% increase in the identification of vaccine administrations compared to using structured data alone. The validation of 28 vaccine administrations confirmed 27 (96.4%) as “definite” vaccine administrations; 18 (64.3%) had evidence of a vaccination event in the structured data, while 10 (35.7%) were found solely in the unstructured notes.Discussion: We demonstrated the utility of an NLP algorithm to identify vaccine administrations not captured in structured EHR data. NLP techniques have the potential to improve detection of vaccine administrations not otherwise reported without increasing the analysis burden on physicians or practitioners. Future applications could include refining estimates of vaccine coverage and detecting other exposures, population characteristics, and outcomes not reliably captured in structured EHR data.

Risk Factors for Salmonella Contamination of Whole Chicken Carcasses following Changes in U.S. Regulatory Oversight

Salmonella is a common cause of foodborne illness in the United States and often is linked to chicken products. Salmonella contamination has been associated with meat processing facility characteristics, such as the number of employees (i.e., hazard analysis critical control point [HACCP]-based definition of size). The risk factors for Salmonella contamination in U.S. poultry have not been evaluated since implementation of the New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS) in 2014. The goal of this study was to determine whether risk factors for Salmonella contamination changed after implementation of the NPIS. Presence or absence of Salmonella in whole chicken carcasses was modeled using microbiological testing data collected from 203 poultry processing establishments by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service between May 2015 and December 2019. A model was fit using generalized estimating equations for weekly presence or absence of Salmonella, and production volume, geographic location, and season were included as potential covariates among other establishment demographics. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated from the marginal model. Of the 40,497 analyzable samples, 1,725 (4.26%) were positive for Salmonella. Odds of contamination was lower among establishments slaughtering ≥10,000,000 birds per year (OR = 0.466; 95% CI, [0.307, 0.710]) and establishments producing ready-to-eat finished products (OR = 0.498; 95% CI, [0.298, 0.833]) and higher among establishments historically (previous 84 days) noncompliant with HACCP regulations (OR = 1.249; 95% CI, [1.071, 1.456]). Contamination also significantly varied by season and geographic region, with higher odds of contamination during summer and outside the MidEast Central region. These results support continuation of targeted food safety policies and initiatives promoting pathogen reduction by establishments with smaller volumes and those noncompliant with HACCP regulations.