Food Safety Legislation Research Articles

The Presence of Some Minor Aspergillus and Penicillium Unregulated Mycotoxins in Main Cereals Cultivated in Albania

(1) Background: Food and feed safety legislation does not concern all the mycotoxins generated by Penicillium and Aspergillus spp. Certain mycotoxins, including mycophenolic acid (MPA), cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), penicillic acid (PA), roquefortine C (ROQ C), and gliotoxin (GLI), are regarded as having lower toxicity levels, and hence are not included in food and feed legislation. It is obvious that xenobiotics, including mycotoxins, exert synergistic harmful health effects on human and animal when exposed through food and feed. (2) Methods: The presence of these substances in maize and wheat grown in Albania across two consecutive harvesting seasons was investigated by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). (3) Results: The findings indicated the presence of these mycotoxins in maize grain but not in wheat grain. In the 2014 season, they exhibited a higher contamination incidence than in the 2015 season. The most commonly detected mycotoxin was MPA, followed by CPA and ROQ C toxin, while PA and GLI were not detected. The MPA revealed a concentration range of 72.9–3447 μg/kg, with a mean value of 1064 μg/kg. Mycophenolic acid was detected in the maize samples collected during the 2015 season. (4) Conclusions: These findings suggest that focusing the investigation only on “controlled” mycotoxins will not produce a proper risk assessment and may not adequately address the possible harmful impacts of mycotoxins on human and animal health due to mycotoxins’ co-occurrence.

The Effects of International Transportation Process on Food Safety and Quality in Export of Agricultural Products: Sample Application in an Export Oriented Organisation

Objectives: The aim of this study is to examine the effects of the international transportation process on food safety and quality, especially in agricultural products. One of the main ideas of the current research is to provide information and improvement areas on the general issues (without the risks of food safety) through international transport of agricultural products.. Theoretical Framework: Today, access to safe food, sustainability and traceability, contain great importance. Particularly, the control points to be carried out in the processes related to loading, transporting, transporting to the points of sale, unloading and storing, when necessary, from the collection of fields, greenhouses and similar production areas of crops covered by crop production should be determined correctly. It is necessary to carry out these controls according to the relevant food safety legislation and standards applied within the scope of food safety and customer demands, and to evaluate the results obtained for prevention and improvement purposes. Method: The methodology of the research is selected as a sample application on a specific case study. The selected company is an import-export company based in Hungary. During the identification and classification of process data, process parameters, process objectives and results, which come from Kropy Fruit Hungary Kft, for all control points in these processes, were evaluated. Results and Discussion: The results of this study are examined by analyzing the common requirements of the management system standards used for food safety purposes. As results, the used data in this study is the analysis results and the application of the relevant food safety standard requirements, the implementation of the legal requirements within the scope of the transportation processes, the identification and elimination of the elements threatening the food safety in the international transportation and storage processes. As an improvement, reduction of the losses at these stages and recommendations for similar organizations for safe food transport were discussed. Research Implications: The practical and theoretical implications of the research are discussed and how the results can be practiced in real life organizations are indicated as recommendations. The risks and non-compliances arising from the employees of the organization were also examined and the effects of human factors on food safety in these processes and recommendations for improvement were developed. Originality/Value: The originality of the research comes from the fact that even though food safety and quality are popular topics in the specific research field; the effects of transportation process specifically in agricultural products and how the related regulations and standards can influence it positively were still questionnable. Therefore, the value of the current research is bringing a new questionnable area and its solution to the academic field, while touching to real life, practical examples and considering new improvement and innovative solutions.

Pre-Harvest Food Safety Challenges in Food-Animal Production in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Food safety remains a significant global public health concern, with the risk of unsafe food varying worldwide. The economies of several low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) heavily rely on livestock, posing a challenge to ensuring the production of safe food. This review discusses our understanding of pre-harvest critical issues related to food safety in LMICs, specifically focusing on animal-derived food. In LMICs, food safety regulations are weak and inadequately enforced, primarily concentrating on the formal market despite a substantial portion of the food sector being dominated by informal markets. Key critical issues at the farm level include animal health, a low level of good agriculture practices, and the misuse of antimicrobials. Effectively addressing foodborne diseases requires a comprehensive One Health framework. Unfortunately, the application of the One Health approach to tackle food safety issues is notably limited in LMICs. In conclusion, considering that most animal-source foods from LMICs are marketed through informal channels, food safety legislation and policies need to account for this context. Interventions aimed at reducing foodborne bacterial pathogens at the farm level should be scalable, and there should be strong advocacy for the proper implementation of pre-harvest interventions through a One Health approach.

THE SUBJECT OF THE PROSECUTOR'S CONTROL OVER THE ENFORCEMENT OF FOOD SAFETY LAWS

This article explores the enhancement of the scientific-theoretical framework for prosecutorial control over food safety legislation, analyzing legal scholars' views and international legislative experiences. The analysis culminates in substantiated proposals to refine the scientific-theoretical framework of prosecutorial control in food safety legislation.

SCIENTIFIC AND THEORETICAL BASIS OF THE OBJECT OF THE PROSECUTOR'S CONTROL OVER THE ENFORCEMENT OF FOOD SAFETY LEGISLATION

This article explores the enhancement of scientific and theoretical underpinnings of prosecutorial control in enforcing food safety legislation, analyzes legal scholars' viewpoints, and considers the legislative experiences of foreign countries. The analysis culminates in substantiated proposals for refining the scientific and theoretical framework of prosecutorial control in the realm of food safety legislation implementation.

Assessment of the Awareness of Public Health Officers on Food Safety Legislation Governing School Feeding Program and Quality of Maize From School Suppliers in Turkana County

Assessment of the Awareness of Public Health Officers on Food Safety Legislation Governing School Feeding Program and Quality of Maize From School Suppliers in Turkana County

Perceptions of food business operators in relation to importance of official food control in food safety: a case of Kirklees Council

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to critically examine the perceptions of food business operators (FBOs) in Kirklees Council in relation to the importance of official food inspection of food premises, performed by the local authority.Design/methodology/approachA semi-structured questionnaire was developed to survey the opinions of FBOs in Kirklees Council in relation to the significance and consistency of official food control. The business types included were retailers, commercial restaurants, schools, care homes, pub, bars and cafes.FindingsBased on the total of 236 respondents, the results show that 45.8% of the respondents opined that official food control has considerably improved their food hygiene practices and that official inspection is their only source of information about the latest food safety legislation. Moreover, another 168(71.2%) believed that the instructions given by the inspectors are clear and easily understandable. However, some respondents, especially the small and medium-sized businesses believed that remedying noncompliance caused them financial burden. In addition, significant positive correlations exist between the bigger FBOs and high frequencies of negotiating noncompliance with the inspectors due to the high cost of capital that will be needed to remedy the spotted noncompliance by an officer during control (Kruskal–Wallis r = 0.034, p < 0.003).Research limitations/implicationsAs with most studies, it is important to borne in mind that the design of the current study is subject to limitations and these limitations could be addressed in future research. The self-reported data collection employed in this study is limited by the fact that it rarely can be independently verified. In other words, the self-reported data used in this study might be subject to (1) selective memory: respondents might remember or not able to remember all the details of the inspections that occurred at some point in the past, however, inspections are often documented, and businesses usually have a copy of every inspection reports. (2) exaggeration: respondents might over or underrepresent outcomes of inspections and (3) attribution: respondents might attribute positive events and outcomes to their own agency but attribute negative events and outcomes to external forces. Nonetheless, the strength of this study lies in its large sample size and high response rate which makes it easier to assess the representativeness of the sample and to generalise the results.Originality/valueThe behaviour of the FBOs towards food control and the opinion of the FBOs about food safety may have an important effect on the organisation of official food control in Kirklees Council, but there is no scientific data to back it up. Furthermore, the perceptions of FBOs and the role of food control in food safety in Kirklees Council have not been investigated, which makes this research a novelty.

Effect of Temperature Range and Kilning Time on the Occurrence of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Malt.

Kilning is an integral part of malt production; it ensures grain and enzyme preservation. Kilning temperatures can range between 80 and 220 °C, depending on the type of malt that is being produced. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are prone to appear at higher temperatures and are generally designated as undesirable in food and beverages. Sixteen PAHs are framed in legislation, but there is a lack of scientific data related to PAHs in malt, malt-related foods (bread, cookies) and beverages (whisky, malted non-alcoholic beverages). The aim of this paper was to assess and quantify the occurrence of different PAHs in malts exposed to different kilning temperatures (50-210°) over a variable time frame. The results indicate that some of the PAHs detected at lower temperatures disappear when malt is exposed to high temperatures (>100 °C). Phenanthrene was no longer detected at 100 °C and indeno [1,2,3-cd] pyrene at 130 °C, while fluorene, anthracene and benzo (a) anthracene were not quantified at 170 °C. The results of this research can be implemented in food safety legislation since foods available to children utilize malted flour (bread, cookies, bakery goods, etc.) due to its enzymatic activity or as a colour additive.

Mercury bioaccessibility in fish and seafood: Effect of method, cooking and trophic level on consumption risk assessment

The bioaccessible Hg fraction in fish and seafood commonly present in the Mediterranean diet was assessed through three distinct in vitro extraction schemes. Each extraction method provided different results, highlighting the lack of a universal methodology to estimate mercury (Hg) bioaccessibility in those matrices. Bioaccessible Hg fractions ranged from 10 to nearly 90% of total mercury (T-Hg) and increased in predator species (Swordfish - Xiphias gladius, Blue Shark - Prionace glauca and Tuna - Thunnus sp.). Among the three extractions tested, the Unified Bioaccessibility Method (UBM) provided the highest estimation of Hg bioaccessibility for consumers. The tested cooking procedures (frying, grilling and steaming) considerably reduced the bioaccessible fraction. Results indicate that bioaccessible Hg found in ingested fish and seafood is far below the levels set by the current safety risk assessment legislation. These findings highlight the importance of integrating bioaccessibility measurements in food safety legislation.

Factors affecting effectiveness of food control inspections in food production establishments in Finland

Inspections are an important tool for food control. However, there is a lack of knowledge about how inspection history, interval between inspections, and pre-announcement of the inspection affect compliance with food safety legislation in food production establishments. We used register-based meat, fish, and dairy establishment food control inspection data (5550 inspections from 757 establishments) from Finland in 2016–2019 to study compliance in relation to these factors. Hypothesis was that there is an association between inspection grades and (1) inspection history, (2) interval, and (3) pre-announcement. Results indicate that minor non-compliances that do not impair food safety often precede future more severe non-compliances (5.3% non-compliance rate if full compliance at previous inspection compared to 16.8% non-compliance rate if minor non-compliances at previous inspection [Fisher’s exact test, p < 0.0001]), and that longer inspection intervals are associated with a decrease in inspection grades (5.9% difference in inspection intervals for inspection with full compliance compared to inspections with severe non-compliances [Generalized estimating equations, p = 0.02]). In addition, pre-announcement of the inspection affects the inspection grades, severe non-compliances were 2.4 times more common at unannounced inspections compared to pre-announced inspections. To conclude, there is an association between inspection grades and inspection history, inspection interval, and inspection announcement.

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) approach applied to species identification in mixed processed seafood products

Multi-species fish products are a growing market segment driven by several inputs, including urbanization, modern lifestyles and the availability of new technologies. These products are characterized by the absence of species-related morphological traits, as well as by the use of discards or fish waste as ingredients, that cannot be traced using a classical molecular approach. This historic inability to identify ingredients, coupled with a rather lean list of mandatory information required by current legislation, make these products the perfect target for substitution fraud. New molecular tools are now available to overcome this gap, such as the metabarcoding approach which can be used to trace species from complex food matrices. In this study, we used such an approach to sequence a fragment of 16S rRNA mitochondrial gene from 20 multispecies processed seafood products, sold on the Italian market and including breaded, burger and surimi, in order to evaluate mislabelling rates and formulate hypotheses regarding the potential drivers of fraudulent activities. Our results highlighted the presence of 120 marine taxa with an overall mislabelling rate of 45%, including some low-abundance taxa not included in the current Italian legislation, found mainly in the surimi samples. The presence of Tetraodontidae and swine DNA raise concerns regarding consumer safety and protection with regard to ethical or religious issues, as well the inclusion of undeclared molluscs potentially causing allergies. The high number of low-frequency taxa confirms the inclusion of discards and fish waste, doubtless positive for sustainable fisheries, but also boosting profits for the fish industry. Such practice, however, without an adequate labelling and traceability system, is a source of risk for consumers and marine ecosystems. In this context, a revision of national and international food safety legislation is needed; indeed, metabarcoding assessments can provide useful information to stakeholders and act as the future operational tool for inspective monitoring.

Food safety vs health and safety

Food safety vs health and safety

Principle-based recommendations for big data and machine learning in food safety: the P-SAFETY model

Big data and Machine learning Techniques are reshaping the way in which food safety risk assessment is conducted. The ongoing ‘datafication’ of food safety risk assessment activities and the progressive deployment of probabilistic models in their practices requires a discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of these advances. In particular, the low level of trust in EU food safety risk assessment framework highlighted in 2019 by an EU-funded survey could be exacerbated by novel methods of analysis. The variety of processed data raises unique questions regarding the interplay of multiple regulatory systems alongside food safety legislation. Provisions aiming to preserve the confidentiality of data and protect personal information are juxtaposed to norms prescribing the public disclosure of scientific information. This research is intended to provide guidance for data governance and data ownership issues that unfold from the ongoing transformation of the technical and legal domains of food safety risk assessment. Following the reconstruction of technological advances in data collection and analysis and the description of recent amendments to food safety legislation, emerging concerns are discussed in light of the individual, collective and social implications of the deployment of cutting-edge Big Data collection and analysis techniques. Then, a set of principle-based recommendations is proposed by adapting high-level principles enshrined in institutional documents about Artificial Intelligence to the realm of food safety risk assessment. The proposed set of recommendations adopts Safety, Accountability, Fairness, Explainability, Transparency as core principles (SAFETY), whereas Privacy and data protection are used as a meta-principle.

Food Service Inspection Capacity: Needs Assessment in a Philippine Local Government Unit

Applying scientific evidence through risk analysis is an important orientation for the international frameworks that have informed the Philippines’ current food-safety legislation. When implementing this legislation, local government units (LGUs) in the Philippines deal with manifold critical responsibilities using various product-based inspection procedures. This qualitative study was conducted at the end of 2017 with a focus on exploring one LGU’s food service inspection practices. The twofold aim was to find needs in the current food inspection capacity, and to illuminate how risk-based legislation is enacted among LGUs in the Philippines. Taking a discursive approach to help explain and describe the LGU’s practices and needs, the methods included an analysis of administrative documents, focus-group discussions, and observational research. This study explains the LGU’s role in carrying out food agencies’ national responsibilities; it also describes how, if adequate resources were available, new roles could exist for food safety officers and food inspectors. In conclusion, fulfilling the LGU’s needs with respect to national and regional standards would require implementation of a risk-based approach for food inspection.

Genetic techniques for plant breeding

Genetic techniques for plant breeding

Valorized Food Processing By-Products in the EU: Finding the Balance between Safety, Nutrition, and Sustainability

Food businesses in the European Union are preparing for a carbon-neutral future by gradually transitioning to a circular way of operating. Building upon results from the EU REFRESH project, we consider the most valuable food processing by-streams in Europe and discuss potential food safety risks that must be considered while valorizing them for human consumption. These risks are weighed against the nutritional benefits offered by these products and their potential applications in food supply chains. Broadly, we examine whether it is possible for spent grains, cheese whey, fruit and vegetable scraps, meat processing waste, and oilseed cakes and meals to be safe, sustainable, and nutritionally valuable at the same time. The discussion highlights that valorizing by-products obtained from food processing operations is feasible on a large scale only if consumers deem it to be a safe and acceptable practice. Extracting valuable compounds from by-products and using them in the preparation of functional foods could be a way to gain consumer acceptance. Furthermore, we find that current EU food safety legislation does not sufficiently accommodate food processing by-products. A way to bridge this regulatory gap could be through the adoption of private food safety standards that have shown proclivity for sustainability-related issues in food supply chains. Finally, by proposing a decision tree, we show that it is indeed feasible for some food processing by-products to be valorized while ensuring sustainability, food safety, and nutritional relevance.

Optimization of Cultivation Conditions for the Lactobacillus reuteri LR1 Strain to Improve the Biosynthesis of Bacteriocin-Like Substances

The article presents the results of optimization of the culturing conditions to increase the production of bacteriocin-like compounds (presumably including reuterin) by the Lactobacillus reuteri strain LR1. The strain Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, an opportunistic microorganism, the content of which is standardized in foods by the Food Safety Legislation, was selected as an indicator strain of antimicrobial activity. The nutrient medium for L. reuteri LR1 cultivation was optimized to increase the production of bacteriocin-like compounds, and the parameters of two-stage growth of the producer were established: (1) cultivation on the initial medium for biomass accumulation and (2) growth on a water–glycerol medium to convert glycerol to antimicrobial compounds, presumably reuterin. The first stage was carried out as follows: the L. reuteri LR1 culture (5%) was inoculated into a medium with the following composition: hydrolyzed milk—250 mL/L; yeast extract—10 g/L; peptone—5 g/L; glucose—20 g/L; sodium acetate—5.0 g/L; monosubstituted potassium phosphate—2.0 g/L; magnesium sulfate—0.2 g/L, and manganese sulfate—0.5 g/L, pH 6.4–6.6. The cultivation was carried out for 18 h at (37 ± 1)°С. The second stage included the incubation of the obtained biomass in 200 mM of glycerol-containing aqueous solution, pH 6.6, for 2 h at 37°С. The zone of E. coli inhibition caused by the produced bacteriocin-like compounds was 25 mm.

On-site and one-year monitoring of food service business risks associated with poor hygiene quality in the catering establishments for consumer protection

ABSTRACT Hygiene is essential in foodservices to prevent food safety and public health issues. Implementation of food safety legislation represents a sine qua non obligation of the foodservice business. In this study, we aimed to monitor the foodservice business risks associated with poor hygiene quality in the catering establishments for consumer protection. To do this, a total of 504 samples (144 from food handlers’ hands, 144 from tools and surfaces, 144 from prepared foods, and 72 from the water) was collected. Contamination frequencies between the sampling groups were statistically analyzed (p < .01). Microbiological results showed that 62.5% in food handlers’ hands, 44% in tools and surfaces, 27% in foods, and 7% in the water were contaminated with mesophilic aerobic bacteria (64.6%), coliforms (47.2%), Staphylococcus aureus (34.7%), Escherichia coli (25.7%), Citrobacter freundii (1.4%), and Listeria monocytogenes (0.7%), whereas no Salmonella was detected. All the test prior powers among the sampling groups were strong (=1.000), the differences and effects’ sizes were large enough, and statistically significant (p <.01). Overall, awareness about hygiene in the food services needs to be improved, and the uncertainties linked to poor hygiene quality should be identified for competitiveness and efficiency of the sector.

Personalised Nutrition: The EU’s Fragmented Legal Landscape and the Overlooked Implications of EU Food Law

Personalised nutrition, the tailoring of nutrition products, services or advice to individual characteristics such as genetics, phenotype, nutritional intake and/or exercise routine, is increasingly attracting the interest of industry, consumers and researchers. This article provides an overview of the current European Union (EU) regulatory framework as applying to personalised nutrition and draws attention to the important role of EU food law in the regulation of this innovative approach to nutrition. It is argued that personalised nutrition challenges the regulatory borderline between health and lifestyle products or services and, furthermore, also pushes the boundaries of current food safety and health claims legislation.

Pesticide residue monitoring in marketed fresh vegetables and fruits in central Taiwan (1999-2004) and an introduction to the HACCP system

The objectives of this study are: (1) to collect and analyze the data of pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits in central Taiwan; (2) to compare the statistics of pesticide residues data in vegetables and fruits in 4 regions of Taiwan; and (3) to introduce the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system to industries and growers of vegetables and fruits for improving the safety of agricultural products. The 1999 samples of vegetables and fruits were collected from supermarkets and traditional markets by 6 local bureau of health in central Taiwan (1999-2004) and analyzed for the presence of 70∼79 pesticide residues using multiresidue analysis methods (MRMs). The detection limits of these methods ranged from 0.03 to 0.4 ppm. For central Taiwan (1999-2004), pesticide residues were either absent or compliant with the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) in 99.8% of the samples. Only 4 samples contained a pesticide residue that exceeded the MRL (0.2%, 4 of 1999). In whole Taiwan (1997-2003), pesticide residues were detected in 13.9% of the 9955 samples and 1.2% were violative. To decrease the health risk to human and environment from exposure to pesticides, the government samples and analyzes agricultural products for pesticide residues to enforce the limits set by Department of Health every year. Risk assessment and HACCP have some overlapping components; both HACCP and risk assessment are encompassed in risk analysis. HACCP is a preventative system and will provide a high level of food safety assurance. However, effective HACCP requires the consideration of all hazards, i.e. chemical (food additives, heavy metal contamination, pesticide residues, and animal drug residues), microbiological and physical hazards. HACCP principles have been incorporated into food safety legislation in Taiwan and worldwide.