Infant Food Products Research Articles

Assessment of foods for infants and toddlers in Australia against the World Health Organization's Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model for food products for infants and young children.

Global public health agencies have recommended stronger regulation of food marketing to protect children's diets. This study assessed commercial foods for infants and toddlers available in Australian supermarkets for compliance with the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe's Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model: supporting appropriate promotion of food products for infants and young children 6-36 months in the WHO European Region (NPPM). Dietitians assessed a sample of commercial foods for infants and toddlers against the composition, labelling and promotion requirements of the NPPM. Australia. Commercial foods for infants and toddlers (n 45) available in two major Australian supermarkets, purposely sampled across product categories and brands. Fewer than one quarter (23 %) of the assessed products met all nutrient content requirements of the NPPM. No products met all of the labelling or promotional requirements. All products included at least one promotional marketing claim that was not permitted under the NPPM. The NPPM is useful to assess and monitor the nutritional composition and prevalence of marketing claims on commercial foods for infants and toddlers. Findings of noncompliance with the NPPM recommendations indicate an urgent need for stronger government regulation of the composition, labelling and marketing of commercial foods for infants and toddlers in Australia.

Development of a high-throughput UHPLC-MS/MS method for the analysis of Fusarium and Alternaria toxins in cereals and cereal-based food.

A QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe)-based multi-mycotoxin method was developed, analyzing 24 (17 free and 7 modified) Alternaria and Fusarium toxins in cereals via ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). A modified QuEChERS approach was optimized for sample preparation. Quantification was conducted using a combination of stable isotope dilution analysis (SIDA) for nine toxins and matrix-matched calibration for ten toxins. Quantification via a structurally similar internal standard was conducted for four analytes. Alternariol-9-sulfate (AOH-9-S) was measured qualitatively. Limits of detection (LODs) were between 0.004µg/kg for enniatin A1 (ENN A1) and 3.16µg/kg for nivalenol (NIV), while the limits of quantification were between 0.013 and 11.8µg/kg, respectively. The method was successfully applied to analyze 136 cereals and cereal-based foods, including 28 cereal-based infant food products. The analyzed samples were frequently contaminated with Alternaria toxins, proving their ubiquitous occurrence. Interestingly, in many of those samples, some modified Alternaria toxins occurred, mainly alternariol-3-sulfate (AOH-3-S) and alternariol monomethyl ether-3-sulfate (AME-3-S), thus highlighting the importance of including modified mycotoxins in the routine analysis as they may significantly add to the total exposure of their parent toxins. Over 95% of the analyzed samples were contaminated with at least one toxin. Despite the general contamination, no maximum or indicative levels were exceeded.

Advancements in Non-Thermal Processing Technologies for Enhancing Safety and Quality of Infant and Baby Food Products: A Review.

Breast milk is the main source of nutrition during early life, but both infant formulas (Ifs; up to 12 months) and baby foods (BFs; up to 3 years) are also important for providing essential nutrients. The infant food industry rigorously controls for potential physical, biological, and chemical hazards. Although thermal treatments are commonly used to ensure food safety in IFs and BFs, they can negatively affect sensory qualities, reduce thermosensitive nutrients, and lead to chemical contaminant formation. To address these challenges, non-thermal processing technologies such as high-pressure processing, pulsed electric fields, radio frequency, and ultrasound offer efficient pathogen destruction similar to traditional thermal methods, while reducing the production of key process-induced toxicants such as furan and 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (HMF). These alternative thermal processes aim to overcome the drawbacks of traditional methods while retaining their advantages. This review paper highlights the growing global demand for healthy, sustainable foods, driving food manufacturers to adopt innovative and efficient processing techniques for both IFs and BFs. Based on various studies reviewed for this work, the application of these novel technologies appears to reduce thermal processing intensity, resulting in products with enhanced sensory properties, comparable shelf life, and improved visual appeal compared to conventionally processed products.

A Catering Business Model Based on the Combination of Online and Offline Infant and Toddler Meals

The changes of the times have led to serious conflicts in parenting concepts within many Chinese families, and what is truly "scientific parenting" has become an urgent problem to be solved. Through questionnaire surveys, offline interviews, and other forms, the user groups of infant and toddler complementary food products are divided, and the consumption scale of different user groups for infant and toddler complementary food products is given. At the same time, in-depth research is conducted to analyze the factors of concern and unmet needs of various user groups for infant and toddler complementary food products, in order to grasp the current situation and demand trends of various user groups for infant and toddler complementary food products.

Innovative AI methods for monitoring front-of-package information: A case study on infant foods.

Front-of-package (FOP) is one of the most direct communication channels connecting manufacturers and consumers, as it displays crucial information such as certification, nutrition, and health. Traditional methods for obtaining information from FOPs often involved manual collection and analysis. To overcome these labor-intensive characteristics, new methods using two artificial intelligence (AI) approaches were applied for information monitoring of FOPs. In order to provide practical implementations, a case study was conducted on infant food products. First, FOP images were collected from Amazon.com. Then, from the FOP images, 1) the certification usage status of the infant food group was obtained by recognizing the certification marks using object detection. Moreover, 2) the nutrition and health-related texts written on the images were automatically extracted based on optical character recognition (OCR), and the associations between health-related texts were identified by network analysis. The model attained a 94.9% accuracy in identifying certification marks, unveiling prevalent certifications like Kosher. Frequency and network analysis revealed common nutrients and health associations, providing valuable insights into consumer perception. These methods enable fast and efficient monitoring capabilities, which can significantly benefit various food industries. Moreover, the AI-based approaches used in the study are believed to offer insights for related industries regarding the swift transformations in product information status.

Development of a highly sensitive method based on QuEChERS and GC-MS/MS for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in infant foods.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are environmental contaminants that can be found in various food products, including those intended for infants. Due to their potential health risks, it is crucial to develop sensitive analytical methods for the accurate determination of PAHs in infant foods. This study describes the development and validation of a highly sensitive method for the quantification of European PAH markers, namely benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, chrysene, and benzo[b]fluoranthene, using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS), in baby food samples. The first step was the optimization of the sample preparation procedure, performed using different methods based on the QuEChERS approach, also testing different extraction solvents. Several factors such as extraction efficiency, selectivity, and recovery were evaluated to choose the most effective procedure for sample preparation. Furthermore, the GC-MS/MS method was optimized, evaluating parameters such as linearity, sensitivity, accuracy, and robustness using spiked infant food samples. The method demonstrated excellent linearities with a correlation coefficient higher than 0.999 over a wide concentration range, and limits of detection and limits of quantification in the range 0.019-0.036 μg/kg and 0.06-0.11 μg/kg, respectively. Extraction recoveries were between 73.1 and 110.7%, with relative standard deviations always lower than 8%. These findings are compliant with the indications of the European Commission (Reg. 836/2011). To assess the applicability of the method to official control activities, a survey was conducted on commercially available infant food products. Four markers were determined in commercial samples belonging to different food categories for infants and young children. The outcome of this monitoring showed that PAH contamination, in all samples, was below the quantification limits. In conclusion, the developed GC-MS/MS method provides a highly sensitive and reliable approach for the determination of PAHs in baby foods. The optimized sample preparation, instrumental parameters, and validation results ensure accurate quantification of 4 PAHs even at trace levels. This method could contribute to the assessment of PAH exposure in infants and it could support regulatory efforts to ensure the safety and quality of infant food products with regular monitoring.

Práticas irregulares em drogarias na oferta de produtos para crianças menores de três anos

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the compliance with the commercialization of children's products included in the Brazilian Code of Marketing of Infant and Toddlers Food and Childcare-Related Products (NBCAL) in drugstores in Uberlândia/MG. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 143 drugstores that sold infant products: infant formula (IF), follow-up IF, nipples, teats, pacifiers and nipple shields; FI for young children, transition foods and cereal-based foods, fluid or powdered milk, modified/similar milks of plant origin and dairy compounds. The location of drugstores in the five geographic sectors was performed by geoprocessing. The data collected were: types of promotion and types of drugstore administration (drugstore chains/drugstores with independent administration). Irregular commercial promotion was expressed as absolute and relative frequencies. Results: Irregular commercial promotion was found in 11.7% of nipples, pacifiers and bottles, in 10.0% of IF and follow-up formula, in 9.5% of IF for young children, in 11.1% fluid or powdered milk, in 25.0% of transition foods and cereal-based foods and in 59.1% of dairy compounds. In commercial drugstore chains, the presence of promotion for dairy (81.8 vs. 28.6%, respectively) was higher than in drugstores with independent administration. The opposite ocurred for fluid or powdered milk, modified and similar milks of plant origin. The downtown and eastern sectors had the highest percentages of promotions (26%). Conclusions: NBCAL violations still occur in drugstores, mainly in the sale of young children's foods and in the commercial network drugstores.

Citrus/urea nitrogen‐doped carbon quantum dots as nanosensors for vanillin determination in infant formula and food products via factorial experimental design fluorimetry and smartphone

AbstractVanillin is a flavouring agent that is prohibited for use in infant food products with ages lower than 6 months. Excessive vanillin usage could lead to eating disorders, nausea, headache, and vomiting. Therefore, it is essential to control the contents of vanillin in food samples, especially in infant formula. Here, we developed a highly sensitive nanosensor for vanillin based on using green synthesized highly fluorescent (QY = 29.5%) N‐doped carbon quantum dots (N‐CQDs) as a turn‐off fluorescent nanoprobe. The N‐doped CQDs synthesis was adopted using citrus bulb squeeze extract and the commonly used fertilizer, urea, as substrates. After mixing with vanillin, the fluorescence of the N‐CQDs was largely quenched in a vanillin concentration‐dependent manner. The sensing conditions were optimized by quality‐by‐design using a two‐level full factorial design (22 FFD). The N‐doped CQDs could detect vanillin in the range 0.1–12.0 μg/ml with a limit of detection of 0.013 μg/ml. Next, a smartphone imaging‐based assay combined with a UV chamber was adopted and applied for vanillin determination. This simple detection technique showed sensitivity similar to that of the conventional fluorimetric method. Both conventional and smartphone‐based methods were successfully applied for the determination of vanillin in infant milk formula and biscuits and could detect real vanillin concentrations in the analyzed samples with high % recoveries (94.5% to 105.5%). At last, the biocompatibility of the newly synthesized N‐CQDs was tested, and it was found to be an excellent candidate for cancer cell imaging.

Nutritional aspects of commercial infant and toddler food products sold in Turkey.

Background: In recent years, there has been an increase in the variety and consumption of commercial infant and toddler food products. Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the nutritional profiles of commercial infant and toddler food products sold in Turkey. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of the nutritional composition of products available at in-store and online supermarkets in Turkey was derived from the nutritional information panel on the product label or information provided on manufacturer websites in March 2023. The targeted age group, package type, serving size, ingredients list, and nutrition information (energy [kcal], protein [g], total fat [g], carbohydrate [g], dietary fiber [g], total sugar [g], and sodium [mg] per 100 g) were recorded. Results: Of the 189 products identified, more than 90% (n = 47) of the first foods were fruit-based, while 2% (n = 4) contained only vegetables. Almost half of the products (n = 89, 49%) contained added sugar or sweeteners, 41 (22%) had added sugar, and 1 in 3 products (n = 68, 36%) had sugar from fruit-based sources. One in 10 products (n = 18, 9.5%) contained added salt while 40% of the products (n = 76) were above the WHO Europe sodium standards. Almost half of the products (n = 6, 46%) targeting the 12 months older age group were pureed foods using squeeze pouch packaging. Conclusions: The majority of commercial infant and toddler food products did not adhere to nutrition guidelines. There is a need for stronger composition standards for commercial infant and toddler food products by reducing sugar and sodium content, reducing the use of fruits and sweet vegetables, and increasing the variety of products containing different types of vegetables.

Infant food production environments: A potential reservoir for vancomycin-resistant enterococci non-nosocomial infections

Enterococcus has been considered one of the most important nosocomial pathogens for human infections, and the hospital environment is an important reservoir for vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) that leads to antimicrobial therapeutic failure. However, infant foods and their production environments could pose risks for the immature population, while this question remains unaddressed. This study conducted an extensive and thorough Enterococcus isolation, VRE risk assessment of the Chinese infant food production chains and additional online-marketing infant foods, including powdered infant formula (PIF) and infant complementary food (ICF). To investigate the prevalence of Enterococcus along infant food chains and commodities, a total of 482 strains of Enterococcus, including E. faecium (n = 363), E. faecalis (n = 84), E. casseliflavus (n = 13), E. mundtii (n = 12), E. gallinarum (n = 4), E. hirae (n = 4), and E. durans (n = 2) were recovered from 459 samples collected from infant food production chains (71/254) and food commodities (67/205). A decreasing trend for Enterococcus detection rate was found in the PIF production chain (PIF-PC), particularly during the preparation of the PIF base powder (From 100 % in raw milk to 8.70 % in end products), while an increasing trend was observed in the ICF production chain (ICF-PC) mainly during the initial processing of farm crops and the further processing of the product (20 % at farm crops increasing to 76.92 % at end products). The result indicated that the PIF-PC process effectively reduced Enterococcus contamination, while the ICF-PC showed the opposite trend. Importantly, eleven VRE isolates were recovered from the infant food production chain, including seven E. casseliflavus isolates carrying vanC2/C3 and four E. gallinarum isolates carrying vanC1. Ten VRE isolates were from food production environments. Collectively, our study demonstrated that infant food production environments represent potential reservoirs for VRE non-nosocomial infections in vulnerable populations.

Trends of Laboratory-Detected Heavy Metals in Children: Solutions for Heavy Metal Contamination in Infant Food Products

Trends of Laboratory-Detected Heavy Metals in Children: Solutions for Heavy Metal Contamination in Infant Food Products

Community empowerment in creative healthy food entrepreneurship as strengthening the community economy in Tutul Village

By developing the community's capacity for entrepreneurship, one of which is in the food business, one can empower the community economically. Tutul Village is a productive village with entrepreneurship activities centered on handicrafts, but there aren't any yet in food sector, especially creative healthy food. The team carried out in activities to improve entrepreneurship skills throughout the third year of the Partner Village Development Program, particularly creative healthy food products for pregnant women, nursing mothers, infants, toddlers, school-age children, the elderly, and people with chronic diseases. The training participants were 12 prospective entrepreneurs from 4 hamlets in Tutul Village. The five stages of the training were completed with assistance. Assistance in the form of competency improvement, labeling and packaging, assessment of nutritional content, production permits, and marketing. There are 11 healthy food products with creative presentations that are stimulants for prospective entrepreneurs to develop. Prospective entrepreneurs should be highly motivated to launch new food products so that the marketing of creative healthy food products can be easily recognized by the the general public.

Infant exposure to parabens, triclosan, and triclocarban via breastfeeding and formula supplementing in southern China

Parabens, triclosan (TCS), and triclocarban (TCC) are antimicrobial additives that are widely used in personal care products (PCPs) and may dysregulate infant gut microbiota and induce a series of chronic diseases. Dietary intake may be an underestimated exposure route of such antimicrobial additives in infants, but relevant data remain scarce. Therefore, this study determined five common preservatives, including methyl- (MeP), ethyl- (EtP), propyl- (PrP), butyl- (BuP), and benzyl-paraben (BeP), and two antimicrobials TCS and TCC, in major infant food sources (breastmilk, milk-based infant formula [MIF], and cereal-based complementary food [CCF]) in southern China. The health risks associated with dietary exposure among infants across different months of age were also evaluated. The results demonstrated a high incidence of MeP, EtP, PrP, and BeP in processed infant food products, while TCS and TCC were mainly detected in maternal breastmilk. Notably, MeP and EtP were found in all of the MIFs tested, while MeP, EtP, and BeP were detected in 85.6 %–100 % of the CCFs. By incorporating the human equivalent dose and an additional 10-fold margin of safety for infants into the health risk assessment, the 95th percentile hazard quotient of PrP via the ingestion of breastmilk among neonates exceeded 1. For the first time, the results showed that exposure to PrP via breastmilk intake may pose a considerable health risk to urban neonates in southern China. The health risks caused by antimicrobial exposure via ingesting MIF and CCF among infants were negligible. Thus, we recommend breastfeeding women reduce their consumption of PCPs and processed food, especially during the first month after delivery.

Harassment of health professionals by the infant food industry at scientific events.

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVETo analyze the receipt of sponsorships from breast-milk substitute companies by health professionals in scientific events.METHODSMulticenter study (Multi-NBCAL) performed from November 2018 to November 2019 in six cities in different Brazilian regions. In 26 public and private hospitals, pediatricians, nutritionists, speech therapists, and a hospital manager were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive analyses were carried out regarding the health professionals’ knowledge about the Norma Brasileira de Comercialização de Alimentos para Lactentes e Crianças de Primeira Infância, Bicos, Chupetas e Mamadeiras (NBCAL – Brazilian Code of Marketing of Infant and Toddlers Food and Childcare-related Products), companies sponsoring scientific events, and material or financial sponsorships received, according to profession.RESULTSWe interviewed 217 health professionals, mainly pediatricians (48.8%). Slightly more than half of the professionals (54.4%) knew NBCAL, most from Baby-friendly Hospitals. Most health professionals (85.7%) attended scientific events in the last two years, more than half of them (54.3%) sponsored by breast-milk substitute companies, especially Nestlé (85.1%) and Danone (65.3%). These professionals received sponsorships in the events, such as office supplies (49.5%), meals or invitations to parties (29.9%), promotional gifts (21.6%), payment of the conference registration fee (6.2%) or ticket to the conference (2.1%).CONCLUSIONThe infant food industries violate NBCAL by harassing health professionals in scientific conferences, offering diverse material and financial sponsorships.

Probabilistic Risk Assessment of Combined Exposure to Deoxynivalenol and Emerging Alternaria Toxins in Cereal-Based Food Products for Infants and Young Children in China.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) and emerging Alternaria toxins often co-occur in cereal-based products, but the current risk assessment is commonly conducted for only one type of mycotoxin at a time. Compared to adults, infants and young children are more susceptible to mycotoxins through food consumption, especially with cereal-based food products which are the main source of exposure. This study aimed to perform a probabilistic risk assessment of combined exposure to DON and three major Alternaria toxins, namely including alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), alternariol (AOH), and tenuazonic acid (TeA) through consumption of cereal-based foods for Chinese infants and young children. A total of 872 cereal-based food products were randomly collected and tested for the occurrence of DON and three major Alternaria toxins. The results on mycotoxin occurrence showed the DON, TeA, AOH, and AME was detected in 56.4%, 47.5%, 7.5%, and 5.7% of the samples, respectively. Co-contamination of various mycotoxins was observed in 39.9% of the analyzed samples. A preliminary cumulative risk assessment using the models of hazard index (HI) and combined margin of exposure (MoET) was performed on DON and Alternaria toxins that were present in cereal-based food products for infants and young children in China for the first time. The results showed that only 0.2% and 1.5%, respectively, of individuals exceeded the corresponding reference value for DON and TeA, indicating a low health risk. However, in the case of AME and AOH, the proportion of individuals exceeding the reference value was 24.1% and 33.5%, respectively, indicating the potential health risks. In the cumulative risk assessment of AME and AOH, both HI and MoET values indicated a more serious risk than that related to individual exposure. Further research is necessary to reduce the uncertainties that are associated with the toxicities of the Alternaria toxins and cumulative risk assessment methods.

Гигиенические аспекты безопасности пищевых продуктов для питания детей первого года жизни

Objective. To conduct a hygienic assessment of chemical contamination of food products for infant nutrition. Materials and methods. Analysis of databases on the content of toxic elements (lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic) in food products for infant nutrition and the infant morbidity rate according to the materials of social and hygienic monitoring in the Russian Federation was performed. The structure of nutrition for infants was studied. Based on the results of generated databases, the hazard quotient was calculated at the level of the median content of toxic elements in food products. Results. The primary chemical pollutants in food products for infants were found to be toxic elements (61.4% of samples), of which lead prevails. When analyzing the infant morbidity rate, an increase in gastrointestinal pathologies (by 15.7%) was observed, and in several cases – anemia and endocrine system diseases. It was revealed that only 37.3% of infants receive breastfeeding, and there is a violation of the timing of complementary food introduction (25.3%). Analysis of non-carcinogenic health risks showed that for formula-fed infants, the risk of alimentary-dependent diseases increases with age by months, which was confirmed by calculations of the hazard quotient (HQmedPb = 1.1; HQmedCd = 1.37; HQmedAs = 1.39). Conclusion. To prevent the morbidity rate in infants due to chemical contamination of food products, it is necessary to support breastfeeding, strict compliance with the terms of introduction and volume of complementary foods, and training in health education for medical students in accordance with the requirements of professional standards. Key words: infants, food products, toxic elements

Heterogeneity and diversified distribution of αS2 casein variants in Indian goats

There is growing interest in goat milk and its derivatives, whose quality is essential in light of contemporary dietary trends favouring healthy eating. Goat milk is used in nutraceutical and infant food products for various reasons, including its hypoallergenic properties. Casein gene variation influences milk content and the chemical, physical, and technical aspects of goat milk. In Capra hircus, there are twelve variants of αs2 casein protein reported to date. The present study aimed to identify the polymorphism of alpha s2 casein and their transcript variants in six Indian goat breeds. Along with three reported alleles (A, B, and C), seven new alleles (L, M, N, O, P, Q, and R) were found in the six native Indian breeds. Transcript variants due to the exon skipping phenomenon were found. The novel alleles: N, P, Q, and R also represented the deletion of exon 3, 13, 6 and 6, respectively. The largest exon (exon 16) of the CSN1S2 gene was screened in 140 goats, and only one new allele, ‘S’, was found. Altogether, eight novel alleles were found in Indian goats along with two types of transcript variants.

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF EFFECT OF SPROUTING ON AMINO ACID IN WHITE SORGHUM BICOLOR AND PENNISETUM GLAUCUM

Purpose: Comparative study of effect of sprouting on amino acid in white Sorghum Bicolor and Pennisetum Glaucum Methodology:The utilization of plant-derived foods as functional ingredients in food system continues to be of research interest as a purpose of achieving good health and well-being, target 3 of sustainable development goals (SDGs). Standard methods involving combined classical protein hydrolysis and derivatization with fast separation by Ultra High Performance Liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and detection by a single quadrupole (QDa) mass spectrometer were used to analyze Sorghum bicolor and Pennisetum glaucum for amino acid profile before and after sprouting. Results: The data showed that eighteen amino acids were determined in all, which includes the essential for the growth of the infants, semi-essential amino acids and the nonessential amino acids (Harper, 1989). The levels in the sample were ranged as follows; unsprouted raw white sorghum bicolor seed flour (1.86±0.07-17.6±0.15), sprouted white Sorghum bicolor seed flour (1.93±0.06-17.7±0.08) unsprouted Pennisetum glaucum (1.86±0.07-17.7±0.09) sprouted Pennisetum glaucum (2.07±0.02-17.8±0.07) .The CV% for the values ranged between 0.26-74.2%. The cereals are very rich in ceucine and deficient in methionine and Tryptophan. TAA, TEAA with his, TEA without his, TNEAA, TArAA, TAAA, TBAA, TNAA, TSAA, %TEAA with his in the amino acid profile for white Sorghum bicolordecreased in level after sprouting while TNEAA increased after sprouting. All the quality parameters level increased in Pennisetum glaucum after sprouting. The result of the research showed that Sorghum bicolor and Pennisetum glaucum seeds flours, especially the sprouted ones contains appreciable amount of essential amino acid which made them to be a good source of quality parameter of amino acid. This could be relied upon as a good cheap for supplement of essential amino acid in food in order to solve the problems of protein energy malnutrition which could be very useful in infant food production and also for the production of cookies for diabetic patients. Unique Contribution to Theory and Practice: From the current research work, Sorghum bicolor and Pennisetum glaucum seeds flours are good source of quality parameter of amino acid especially the sprouted ones which could be relied upon as a good cheap for supplement of essential amino acid in food in order to solve the problems of protein energy malnutrition

Assessment of Citrinin in Spices and Infant Cereals Using Immunoaffinity Column Clean-Up with HPLC-Fluorescence Detection.

Historically, the analysis of citrinin has mainly been performed on cereals such as red yeast rice; however, in recent years, more complex and abnormal commodities such as spices and infant foods are becoming more widely assessed. The aim of this study was to develop and validate clean-up methods for spices and cereal-based infant foods using a citrinin immunoaffinity column before HPLC analysis with fluorescence detection. Each method developed was validated with a representative matrix, spiked at various citrinin concentrations, based around European Union (EU) regulations set for ochratoxin A (OTA), with recoveries >80% and % RSD < 9% in all cases. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were established at 1 and 3 µg/kg for spices and 0.1 and 0.25 µg/kg for infant cereals, respectively. These methods were then tested across a variety of spices and infant food products to establish efficacy with high recoveries >75% and % RSD < 5% across all matrices assessed. Therefore, these methods proved suitable for providing effective clean-up of spices and infant cereals, enabling reliable quantification of citrinin detected. Samples such as nutmeg and infant multigrain porridge had higher levels of citrinin contamination than anticipated, indicating that citrinin could be a concern for public health. This highlighted the need for close monitoring of citrinin contamination in these commodities, which may become regulated in the future.

Development of food industry metrological assurance complex

The paper considers the contribution of experts from the Laboratory of Metrology of Moisture Measurement and Reference Materials to the improvement of the food industry metrological assurance system. The information on the results of the development of forty types of reference materials (RM) for the composition of various nutrition, food staples and nutritional supplement in the period 2008-2020 is generalized. The development of each new RM type included preparation of the material, research for its stability and homogeneity, and determination of certified value with the appliance of State primary (GET 173) and secondary (GVET 176-1) standards, as well as primary reference measurement procedures and conducting the interlaboratory experiment for checking the applicability of the RM. The creation in 2008 of GET 173 was accompanied by the development of RMs for the composition of grains and dry milk product. The approval in 2010 of GVET 176-1 allowed to add in the RM the certified value for the mass fraction of nitrogen (protein). As a result of successful participation in comparisons, UNIIM got 6 items of calibration and measurement capabilities on measurements of mass fraction of nitrogen in glycine, milk powder, grain, egg powder, cereal and feed-stuff in the BIPM database. 35 types of RM for the composition of dairy and meat products, egg powder, infant food, oil and starch products together with the development of primary reference measurement procedures for measurement of fat, crude fat, ash and carbohydrates mass fraction were created between 2016 and 2019. Moreover, the RM for the composition of nutritional supplement (glycine, melamine, cystine) and dairy products for metrological assurance of IR-analysers as well as RM for the composition of reconstituted milk were developed for the control of measurement results by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Developed RM were systemized on fields of the appliance of Technical regulations of Customs Union and the sectors of the international food triangle model. These RMs allow providing the measurement uniformity of the identification indicators and the nutritional value of food products and food staples.