Food Safety Requirements Research Articles

QUALITY AND TECHNOLOGY OF INDIGENOUS TRADITIONAL ‘’BIENO’’ CHEESE IN THE REGION OF MARIOVO, MACEDONIA

“Bieno’’ cheese is an indigenous dairy product in Macedonia with autochthonoustraditional production technology which dates back from the Ottoman Empire. Theresearch includes and presents the results of the chemical composition and safety ofraw milk used for traditional production of ‘’Bieno’’ cheese, technology andphysico-chemical and microbiological quality of ‘’Bieno’’ cheese. The quality ofthe milk samples was determined within the permissible maximum according todata legislation. It is necessary to respect the hygienic-sanitary norms related tocultivation, preservation and care of the milking herds, and with the righttechnology of milking. After 45 days of ripening the researchers recorded theaverage results for the following parameters of the ‘’Bieno’’ cheese: moisture(38.63%), dry matter (61.37%), milk fat (26.89%), milk fat in dry matter (43.83%),proteins (26.53%), ash (9.25%), salt (5.21%) and the average of yield (9.36%). Theresearch specified the microbiological quality of “bieno” cheese after 45 days ofripening in accordance with the special requirements of food safety regarding themicrobiological criteria. Nowadays, there is a growing interest of consumers forcheeses produced with traditional technologies, usually based on handmadeproduction, characterized by piquant, unique and specific aromas, atypical forindustrial cheeses. The technology, physico-chemical and microbiological qualitycould be used in the protection of the origin and geographical labelling based on itsunique technology. The data obtained serve as the basis for creating standardizedproduction procedures, leading to the uniform quality of these products.

A Review on the Rising Prevalence of International Standards: Threats or Opportunities for the Agri-Food Produce Sector in Developing Countries, with a Focus on Examples from the MENA Region.

Food safety standards are a necessity to protect consumers’ health in today’s growing global food trade. A number of studies have suggested safety standards can interrupt trade, bringing financial and technical burdens on small as well as large agri-food producers in developing countries. Other examples have shown that economical extension, key intermediaries, and funded initiatives have substantially enhanced the capacities of growers in some countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to meet the food safety and quality requirements, and improve their access to international markets. These endeavors often compensate for the weak regulatory framework, but do not offer a sustainable solution. There is a big gap in the food safety level and control systems between countries in the MENA region and those in the developed nations. This certainly has implications for the safety of fresh produce and agricultural practices, which hinders any progress in their international food trade. To overcome the barriers of legal and private standards, food safety should be a national priority for sustainable agricultural development in the MENA countries. Local governments have a primary role in adopting the vision for developing and facilitating the implementation of their national Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standards that are consistent with the international requirements and adapted to local policies and environment. Together, the public and private sector’s support are instrumental to deliver the skills and infrastructure needed for leveraging the safety and quality level of the agri-food chain.

Fruit quality survey techniques to optimize crop management in citrus orchards

Producers, retailers, authorities and consumers need to be able to trace back and to authenticate food products to meet the food safety and food quality requirements. This comprises time-consuming destructive analysis on a daily basis and it does not provide the orchard representative sampling of maturation index (MI), fruit quality parameters (QP) and optimal harvest date (OHD). Prediction maps of crop parameters are an important tool for the delineation of within-field management zones. The objective of this research was to develop a novel approach to optimize crop management in precision agriculture based on the development of a geographical information based decision support system for the prediction of OHD. A non-invasive, low-cost, fast and reliable method based on optical spectroscopy provided accurate and extensive records of both MI and other QP, combined to predict specific-site fruit OHD in two edaphoclimatic conditions of Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck 'Newhall' orchards. Overall, we expect to contribute to the state of art in non-invasive technology applied to precision agriculture at non-climacteric fruit by setting up a reliable forecast system for OHD that will optimize crop management, trace back harvested fruit and benefit economically in supply chain. Prediction maps of fruit quality will provide a general pattern of crop distribution and deliver insight into the spatial heterogeneity within a field.

Indonesian Fisheries Policy Reform: Compliance with Stringent Food Safety Requirement Of Importing Countries

The main objective of this research is to discover the idea of innovation of Indonesia's legislation system on food security/seafood which has been heavily influenced by trade relations between Indonesia and the European Union as a group of major importing countries. This is a case study that largely examines and presents trade disputes between Indonesia and some major importing countries, especially with the EU countries as a major group of country importers of fishery products and seafood from Indonesia. The various disputes and complaints found in this case study demonstrate the fact that the marine fisheries sector as one of Indonesia's mainstay sectors has a very potential economic value for the country's foreign exchange earnings. There is a very close relationship between the fisheries sector with the fulfillment of people's living needs as well as the development of the economic sector in general, including food safety aspects. This should be addressed appropriately and efficiently by the government by adjusting and even updating laws and regulations in this sector by the international food standard/food security; given the numerous demands and rejection of most of Indonesia's trading partner countries in this sector. Keyword: Indonesian Fisheries, Policy Reform, Compliance, Food Safety Requirements, Importing Countries.

Food safety requirements in case of short food supply chain

It can be stated according to the relevant literature that the health related characteristics of the food products and the ethical values relating to the sustainable development and consumption gains on a growing importance among the preferences of the consumers. The article introduce the different possible types of Short Food Supply Chains, the various food safety requirements relating to them and the opinion of some relevant conventional and organic farmers about the prevailing of rules. The aim of this article is to give a picture of the evolution of the food safety regulations, than a broad review of the different SFSC types, and to find the differences between the farmers’ group. It investigates the most important characteristics of direct sale in the light of the recent food safety requirements among the surveyed farmers. The surveys were made as a preliminary research for a more comprehensive study.

Equipment sanitary design and food safety

Food safety legislation around the world is changing fast, by implementing emerging technologies in order to adapt to an increasing demand of consuming civilization. Also, food scientist and biotechnologists have become more familiar with enhanced detection protocols and as a result we observe increasing rates of outbreaks and recalls. At the same time the regulatory requirements for equipment remains the same and vague, without the proper guidance to engineers. As a result, the equipment manufacturing sector of the food industry create products that may differ from one another in terms of design principles to maintain the design for hygiene food products. At TOMRA food sorting, having been challenged for global compliant equipment, we have been investigating the industrial requirements from the different points of view of the design engineer, the end use and the regulator and have managed to establish a practical approach that creates a standardize framework for equipment deliverables that ensures the best possible compliance scheme and equipment that fit for purpose. But the industry needs further action and probably update the standards for development, providing more straight forward and easily applicable interpretation of the compliance requirements. Within this work we go over the food safety requirements for the food processing equipment in conjunction the regulatory requirements and at the same time we elaborate our understanding and the benefits of clarifying the compliance requirements and applied standards.

Institutional forces on Australian halal meat supply chain (AHMSC) operations

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of institutional forces in shaping the operations of halal meat supply chain in Australia, one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of halal meat. This research examines how the halal meat production requirements are fulfilled and maintained throughout the supply chain in a non-Muslim-majority country.Design/methodology/approachThe research uses a single-case study approach and uses semi-structured interviews as the primary method of data collection. It considers the perspectives of various stakeholder groups in the Australian halal meat supply chain (AHMSC). In all, 31 participants have participated in this research.FindingsThe findings show that institutional forces, especially which come through coercive forces, do affect and shape the overall operations of the AHMSC in particularly the way the stakeholders act within the supply chain, particularly in their role in ensuring the protection of halal status or halal integrity of the meat.Practical implicationsThis paper suggests that the integrity of halal meat supply chain management operations in a non-Muslim-majority environment can be protected with heavy involvement from the relevant authorities, i.e. the federal government agency and the halal certifiers. With the implementation of specific halal meat production policy, i.e. Australian Government Authorised Halal Program, all parties dealing with the halal meat production for export purpose are obliged to fulfil the religious and food safety requirements, thus providing the necessary assurance for halal meat consumers, especially from the Muslim communities.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the first to provide insights of halal meat supply chain operations in a non-Muslim-majority environment. This paper also took in account various stakeholder groups that were involved directly with halal meat supply chain operations in Australia rather than focusing on a single stakeholder group which gives a better understanding of the whole supply chain operations.

Rational and practical aspects of Halal and Tayyib in the context of food safety

BackgroundFood plays a very important role in our daily life and most foods are based on regional, cultural and religious influences. Halal (permissible) food is emerging as one of the most important issue in food industries. Rational understanding of Halal, Tayyib (pure) and Khabith (impure) and their relationship with food safety is essential in determining Halal food status. Scope and approachInitially Halal food was thought to be free from alcohol and pork. Later on Tayyib was strongly introduced into Halal food production and led to include food safety requirements as part of Halal food certificates. However, the practical description of Tayyib and the rational merging with Halal have not been well clarified yet. In this context, we would like to give a practical overview of Halal, Tayyib and Khabith concepts, their values and relationship to food safety. Key findings and conclusionThe rational understanding of Halal, Tayyib and Khabith in the context of food safety is essential. Considering Halal as a subject and Tayyib as a process, facilitates Halal certification procedure. The main objective of Tayyib is to produce clean and pure, food and to create a comfortable feeling as a main goal, which can be achieved if food is produced according to Sharia (Islamic principles). Halal labelled food should reflect the concept of Halal and Tayyib, particularly the identification of all ingredients involved in the production, determination of Halal and toxicity status, and removal of repulsive, Najis (ritually unclean) and toxic ingredients.

Studying Effectiveness of the European and Eurasian Economic Union Food Safety Legislation

Introduction Currently, activities have been implemented on harmonization of requirements for food quality and safety in accordance with the recommendations of the Codex Alimentarius (Codex Alimentarius) approved by WHO and FAO (Business Development Committee of KAZCORP, 2012; The concept of the development of management systems in the Republic of Kazakhstan until 2015, 2008; FAO / WHO, 1983; Frank, Mashevskaya, and Ermolina, 2016). State regulation on the safety of food raw materials and food products in the Republic of Kazakhstan is based on the laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan: --Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan On Technical Regulation; --Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan On food safety; --Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan On Protection of Consumers' Rights; --Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan On people's health and the health care system. Materials and methods Quality and safety requieremnts regulated by government and non-government organisations divided into several parts. These state and international requirements. Regulations and State standards are as a material for this article, and methods using for this work are: collecting and analyzing the statistical--bibliografical data. The following requirements are thus currently in place: Requirements for the quality of food, its packaging, labeling, controlling methods (analysis), assessment procedures and verification of food quality and safety in compliance with established regulations, approved by the authorized state institutional bodies. Requirements for energy value, food safety and biologically active additives, (with the exemption of - food raw materials of animal origin), as well as the manufacture, storage, transportation, sale (trade) of food and the provision of catering services established by the state (interstate) standards and sanitary rules and norms. Requirements for quality and safety in the procurement, storage, transportation, processing and sale of raw food of animal origin are established by the state (interstate) standards, and veterinary and sanitary rules. 1 Requirements for the quality and safety of food raw materials of vegetable origin are established by the sanitary rules and phytosanitary regulations (Figure 1). (Guidance: International standards on food JSC National Agency for Export and Investment KAZNEX INVEST, 2011). In 2000, the EU issued a White Paper, which was a major framework document initiate a new legal framework covering the food and feed safety including the risk assessment and control measures (for example, establishment of the European Food Safety Authority or EFSA) (Strategies to ensure food safety, 2013; Federal office of consumer protection and food safety, 2013). The more recent legislative documents discussed below represent the implementation of the principles outlined in the White Paper. European regarding food safety is divided into three main component parts: --legislation on food safety, hygiene of the products, additives, materials, new types of food products, and control, i.e. the system of horizontal directive; --laws, related to labeling; --laws that establish requirements for the quality of food products, i.e. the system including directives Definition of general principles by horizontal legislation in the food sector has guided the formation of the vertical dealing with specific questions Horizontal and vertical policy documents thus from a hierarchial legislative structure. (Kostyleva, Aronov and Kovalchuk 2012; Bashmakov, Popov, Zhedyaevskii, Chikichev and Voyakin, 2015) Horizontal establishes common aspects for all foods (additives, labeling, hygiene, HACCP, etc.) and in many cases governs the basic requirements observed by all participants in the production chain. …

An Analysis of the Factors that Influence the Implementation of the Policy for Monitoring Schoolchildren Meals Monitoring at Batam City

Schoolchildren are assets for the development of the nation. Therefore, healthy meals at schools are very important, because for them, it covers about 25-36% of the daily energy requirements. Unhealthy eating habits or consumption of nutrition deficient meals may cause stunting, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis. In the short term it may also cause dental caries, anemia, overweight children and obesity. Around 40-44% of meals at schools do not satisfy the food safety requirements. To increase the quality of the meals at the schools, the community should be empowered to perform independent monitoring of school meals. This is inscribed in the national action policy for safe, good-quality, and nutritious meals for schoolchildren. The aim of this research was to assess the effectiveness of the implementation of the national action policy for the snacks of schoolchildren and the factors that influences it. This was a qualitative research. The data was gathered from in-depth interviews and documentary studies and then analyzed using the policy implementation analysis of Mazmanian and Sabatier. From this research we discovered that the policy did not perform effectively in Batam City. There were no Procedure Standard Norms NSPK on the roles, tasks, and responsibilities of the implementers, there was no implementation structure, and no support from the Government and the Parliament of Batam City for the monitoring.

Empirical Study of Natural Adsorbents Efficiency in Animal Husbandry under Anthropogenic Heavy Metal Pollution

Increasing the quality of food products through the prudent use of natural adsorbents is becoming a topical problem in agriculture in conditions of anthropogenic heavy metal contamination. The purpose of the study is to work out a method for detoxifying heavy metals by using natural adsorbents such as local zeolite and vitamin C as an example of the implementation of standards and requirements for environmental food safety in animal husbandry in the territories with high anthropogenic pollution. Using the analogue method three groups of cows were formed with account of origin, age, body weight and lactation performance. To determine the heavy metal concentration, the spectrophotometric method was applied. It was experimentally established that in order to enhance the quality of dairy products in the territory with the man-made contamination, it is advisable to supplement the diets of lactating cows with zeolite and vitamin C (the recommended doses are 3% and 0.04% of the dry matter norm respectively). Due to the combined use of these natural adsorbents, zinc concentration in the cows’ blood decreased 2.04 times, lead – 2.53 times and cadmium – 3.65 times. The cow milk increased in mass fraction of fat by 0.22% and protein – by 0.20%; at the same time zinc concentration lowered 3.47 times, lead – 2.76 times and cadmium – 3.09 times. At that, the content of these toxicants in dairy products was lower than the maximum allowable concentration (MAC).

Penerapan Good Logistic Practices Sebagai Penunjang Ekspor Buah Tropis

One strategy that can be taken to develop the economic potential of fruits is the logistical support that takes into account the effectiveness and efficiency commercially and pay attention to quality and food safety requirements. Practically, logistics support can be done with the application of good logistics practices (GLP). Packaging, storage, and handling during transportation become key activities with temperature and time handling during processing as two critical factors in fruits logistics management that will determine the final quality of fruits commodity. Each commodity of tropical fruits require special treatment which should be tailored to its nature and morphology. Understanding and the ability of farmers and agro-industry entrepreneurs in dealing with fruits especially in providing cold chain in the logistics process becomes a major capital to compete with imported fruits entrepreneurs.

Isolation and Identification of Bacteria in Flower Bee Pollen

The main food safety requirements include accurately formulated criteria for the presence of specific microorganisms. The inconsistent literature data about the microbial species diversity in bee pollen during its collection, processing, and storage necessitate integral microbiological examinations. The purpose of this research work was to prove the algorithm for isolation and species level differentiation of bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Staphylococcaceae, Bacillaceae, and Micrococcaceae families on fresh and dried flower bee pollen from Bulgaria.

RETRACTED: Estimates of illegal and unreported seafood imports to Japan

Abstract An investigation of illegal and unreported fishing in source countries indicates that 24–36% of 2.15 million tonnes of wild-seafood imports to Japan in 2015 were of illegal and unreported origin, valued at $1.6 to $2.4 billion, out of a total import of US$ 13 billion. A supply chain case study of crab imported from Russia illustrates the intricacies of trade in illegal seafood products in this region. Weakly framed import regulations and outdated fisheries policies appear to be driving an inadvertent trade of illegal and unreported seafood products into the Japanese market. A multilateral approach could extend the strict requirements for food safety to the country of origin and provide more complete supply chain traceability for all commercial seafood species imported by Japan.

Documentation of 50% water conservation in a single process at a beef abattoir

Beef slaughter is water intensive due to stringent food safety requirements. We conducted a study at a commercial beef processor to demonstrate water conservation by modifying the mechanical head wash. We documented the initial nozzle configuration (112 nozzles), water pressure (275kPa), and flowrate (152L/head washed), then developed a 3-D CAD model to identify regions of water use redundancy. The mechanical head wash was modified by reducing nozzle count (72), decreasing pressure (138kPa) and flowrate (78.4L/head). To objectively document visual cleansing, heads were photographed at three locations post decapitation: 1) prior to manual wash, 2) prior to entering, and 3) upon exit of the mechanical head wash. Changes in red saturation between stations 1 and 3 provided an objective measure of relative cleanliness. Prior to altering operating parameters, the post-wash red saturation was 5%; after modification this increased slightly to 7.5%. Water use was reduced by 48.4% without altering head cleanliness acceptance.

Identification of non-intentionally added substances in food packaging nano films by gas and liquid chromatography coupled to orbitrap mass spectrometry

The control of chemical migration from new functionalized food contact materials (FCMs) is a challenge for meeting food safety requirements. The non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) constitute a group of chemicals that are not applied, but may be introduced or formed during the production process of FCMs. This study describes a multi-analytical approach for the evaluation of unknown substances that migrate from FCMs. A case study is presented using a developed polymer consisting of a monolayer film with polylactic acid (PLA), polylimonene (PL) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs). This approach incorporates the platforms of ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry), to determine whether there is transference of ZnO NPs used as antimicrobial agent and, the systems GC-MS and LC-MS (gas / liquid chromatography coupled to a quadrupole orbitrap mass spectrometer) for the characterization of the chemical structure of NIAS using the molecular mass and specific features of mass fragmentation. The screening of unknown compounds comprised retrospective analysis and data processing using both, a mass spectral library and databases, for GC and LC data, respectively. This approach has provided the tentative identification and quantification of seven NIAS, 3 by GC (Tripropylene glycol diacrylate, 10-Heneicosene and α-Tocopherol acetate) and 4 by LC (N,N-Diethyldodecanamide, N-[(9Z)-9-Octadecen-1-yl]acetamide, 1-Palmitoylglycerol and Glycerol stearate). This migration study was carried out according to the standard protocols established by EU regulation for FCMs.

FOOD QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY

Food safety system mainly focuses on identifying and preventing hazards that may lead product to deteriorate. The main important of manufacturing practice is a system that ensures that products meet food safety, quality and legal requirements. The hazard analysis and critical control point system, applies to food safety management, uses the approach of controlling critical points in food handling to prevent food safety problems. Besides enhancing food safety, other benefits of applying HACCP include effective use of resources and timely response to food safety problems. In addition HACCP can be part of GMP and is a systematic program to assure food safety. It is important to know to what extent the systems contribute to the total quality of the product and to balance the tools used for achieving the quality and safety objectives.

Development the Food Safety and Sanitation Competences Indicators for Foodservice Employees

This study investigates the competence indicators for managers and kitchen staff of food safety and hygiene from anew perspective in order to establish competence indicators in further compliance with the existing requirements forfood safety and hygiene. After a three-round Delphi method questionnaire, this study integrated the opinions of 20experts and established the indicators of food safety and sanitation competences for foodservice employees. Theresults show that, for managers, management competence is more important than professional or core competences,while professional competence is the most important for kitchen staff. For managers, the most important corecompetence is professional ethics, the most important management competence is leadership; and the most importantprofessional competence is knowledge of food safety and hygiene. In terms of kitchen staff, the most important corecompetence is professional ethics. Professional competence ensures hand washing and disinfection.

Effect of post-slaughter handling during distribution on microbiological quality and safety of meat in the formal and informal sectors of South Africa: A review

Global reports on illnesses and deaths related to food consumption continue to raise concern in most countries. This has led to diligent efforts to improve the manner in which food is handled. Hygienic handling of carcasses after slaughter is critical in preventing contamination and ensuring meat safety in both formal and informal meat trading sectors. However, in the informal sector, regulations as prescribed in the Meat Safety Act No. 40 of 2000, which have been set to protect consumer health, are not always adhered to. Although these regulations are put into practice in the formal sector, meat safety challenges associated with meat handling during distribution continue to raise concern. The distribution stage is the most critical period, during which the quality of meat can easily be compromised. Furthermore, meat inspection at the abattoir covers only visual assessment, without considering microbiological tests. Meeting food safety requirements set by government regulations remains a challenge to almost all food processors. This paper reviews the impact of post-slaughter handling on carcass quality and its implications for meat safety during the distribution stage in the formal and informal sectors in South Africa. It also details how meat handling in the informal meat trade exposes consumers to high health risks and recommends that governments create legislation that would be applicable to carcasses produced in the informal sector to align this sector with the regulations governing food production. Keywords: Bacterial contamination, informal meat trade, legal requirements, meat handling, meat safety

Legislative control of quinoa in the United Kingdom and European Union

In this chapter food safety control in relation to quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) as food and food ingredient was discussed and evaluated through a critical examination of the current statutory provisions at United Kingdom (UK) and European Union (EU) Levels. The risk if any, posed by quinoa seeds from production to consumption were identified and suggestions for compliance were made. Quinoa though novel in the UK and marketed loosely as superfood apparently does not warrant any specific (vertical) food safety control requirements and thus is not restricted by the Novel Food Regulation (EC) No. 258/97. This assertion is supported through the composition; the constituents are non-toxic, consumption of quinoa in South America dates to back to several centuries and there is no reported adverse food safety incident. However quinoa, like all foods must meet food safety requirements as stated in the Food Safety Act 1990 as amended and Regulation (EC) 178 /2002 on general food law.