Food Monitoring Research Articles

Challenges to Compliance and Adherence to Personal Hygiene and Food Safety Among Foodservice Workers in Hospitals of Mogalakwena Municipality, Limpopo Province

Background: Foodborne illnesses could result from food handlers acquiring bacteria that make them dangerous for humans to consume. Non-adherence to personal hygiene and food safety can impact how well patients' conditions are managed and aggravate illnesses during hospital stay. Therefore, this study seeks to explore factors that may impact adherence to personal hygiene and food safety among hospital food service workers. Methods: Qualitative exploratory study design was used to extract data from food handlers at Mokopane and Voortrekker hospitals in Mogalakwena municipality of Limpopo province, South Africa. Twenty-one participants were purposively sampled, and face-to-face interviews were conducted using voice recorders and field notes for non-verbal cues. Tesch’s eight steps, inductive, descriptive, and open coding techniques were used to analyse data. Results: Factors reportedly affecting personal hygiene and food safety include knowledge of the importance of adherence to personal hygiene and food safety, personal preferences and attitude towards personal hygiene, and lack of uniform and inspection. Non-adherence is affected by cultural norms regarding the wearing of wedding rings and bracelets on the wrist. Conclusion: This study recommends regular internal and external food safety compliance and monitoring. The leadership of the hospital's food service department should be strengthened, and food handlers should get regular in-service training.

Research of saccharides and related biocomplexes: A review with recent techniques and applications.

Saccharides and biocompounds as saccharide (sugar) complexes have various roles and biological functions in living organisms due to modifications via nucleophilic substitution, polymerization, and complex formation reactions. Mostly, mono-, di-, oligo-, and polysaccharides are stabilized to inactive glycosides, which are formed in metabolic pathways. Natural saccharides are important in food and environmental monitoring. Glycosides with various functionalities are significant in clinical and medical research. Saccharides are often studied with the chromatographic methods of hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography and anion exchange chromatograpy, but also with capillary electrophoresis and mass spectrometry with their on-line coupling systems. Sample preparation is important in the identification of saccharide compounds. The cases discussed here focus on bioscience, clinical, and food applications.

BPOM Supervision in Increasing Consumer Protection for Online Sales of "Brilliant Philippines "Brand Skin Care Products"

<em>BPOM stated that Skincaree Brilliant Philippines products are unsafe because they are thought to contain retinoic acid and hydroquinone ingredients that can damage the skin. This is the basis for BPOM withdrawing the permit and prohibiting its distribution. The formulation of the problem in this research first examines how the role and function of BPOM in the distribution of Skincare Brilliant Philippines. Second, what is the legal protection for consumers against the distribution of illegal cosmetics online? The research method used is empirical law with a qualitative descriptive approach, compiling various literary sources, including primary and secondary data. Based on an extended analysis, researchers saw that the Skincare Beerliant Philippines product is not safe from which to experience the benefits. Furthermore, BPOM has played an essential role in the supervision of cosmetics because it has carried out a series of tasks, functions, and functions of BPOM related to the supervision of cosmetics. The results of the research found that BPOM should have strict supervision by Presidential Decree Number 80 of 2017 concerning the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency, Law no. 80 of 2017 concerning BPOM Article (1) paragraph (1) and Republic of Indonesia Health Minister Regulation No. 1175/MEeNKEeS/PEeR/VIII/2010 concerning Cosmetics Production Permits which regulate consumer protection against illegal products and distribution permits so that the public feels protected and don't worry about mass-marketed products.</em>

Prediction of Probable Allergens in Food Items Using Convolutional Neural Networks

Food monitoring and nutritional analysis play a crucial role in addressing allergen-related health issues, and their importancecontinues to grow in our daily lives. In this study, we utilizeda convolutional neural network (CNN) to recognize and analyze food images, assess the nutritional content of dishes, and provide information on potential allergens. Identifying food items from images poses a significant challenge due to the wide variety of foods available. To address this, we leveraged the Logmeal API, which utilizes CNN to identify various types of meals, their ingredients, and potential allergens.

Utilizing novel Escherichia coli-specific conserved signature proteins for enhanced monitoring of recreational water quality.

Escherichia coli serves as a proxy indicator of fecal contamination in aquatic ecosystems. However, its identification using traditional culturing methods can take up to 24h. The application of DNA markers, such as conserved signature proteins (CSPs) genes (unique to all species/strains of a specific taxon), can form the foundation for novel polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests that unambiguously identify and detect targeted bacterial taxa of interest. This paper reports the identification of three new highly-conserved CSPs (genes), namely YahL, YdjO, and YjfZ, which are exclusive to E. coli/Shigella. Using PCR primers based on highly conserved regions within these CSPs, we have developedquantitative PCR (qPCR) assays for the evaluation of E. coli/Shigella species in water ecosystems. Both in-silico and experimental PCR testing confirmed the absence of sequence match when tested against other bacteria, thereby confirming 100% specificity of the tested CSPs for E. coli/Shigella. The qPCR assays for each of the three CSPs provided reliable quantification for all tested enterohaemorrhagic and environmental E. coli strains, a requirement for water testing. For recreational water samples, CSP-based quantification showed a high correlation (r > 7, p < 0.01) with conventional viable E. coli enumeration. This indicates that novel CSP-based qPCR assays for E. coli can serve as robust tools for monitoring water ecosystems and other critical areas, including food monitoring.

Elemental composition of toxic and essential elements in rice-based baby foods from the United States and other countries: A probabilistic risk analysis

Consumption of rice-based foods provides essential nutrients required for infants and toddlers’ growth. However, they could contain toxic and excess essential elements that may affect human health. The study aims to determine the composition of rice-based baby foods in the USA and outside and conduct a multiple-life stages probabilistic exposure and risk assessment of toxic and essential elements in children. Elemental concentrations were measured using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) in thirty-three rice-based baby foods. This includes 2 infant formulas, 11 rice baby cereals, and 20 rice snacks produced primarily in the United States, China, and other countries. A probabilistic risk assessment was conducted to assess risks of adverse health effects. Results showed that infant formula had higher median concentrations of selenium (Se), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and potassium (K) compared to rice baby cereal and rice snacks. On the contrary, rice snacks had the highest median concentration of Arsenic (As) (127 μg/kg) while rice baby cereals showed the highest median concentration of Cd (7 μg/kg). A higher lifetime estimated daily intake was observed for samples manufactured in the USA compared to those from China and other countries. Hazard quotient (HQ < 1) values were suggestive of minimal adverse health effects. However, lifetime carcinogenic risk analysis based on total As indicated an unacceptable cancer risk (>1E-04). These findings show a need for ongoing monitoring of rice-based foods consumed by infants and toddlers as supplementary and substitutes for breast milk or weaning food options. This can be useful in risk reduction and mitigation of early life exposure to improve health outcomes.

Laser-Induced Graphene Based Flexible Sensing and Heating for Food Monitoring

Laser-Induced Graphene Based Flexible Sensing and Heating for Food Monitoring

Lexible sensors for food monitoring. Part II: Applications

Monitoring and maintaining food quality, safety, and authenticity are the most important concerns in the food industry. The cutting-edge flexible sensors for food monitoring precisely satisfy the needs of acquiring information on multiple parameters in a small space, they provide for the more reasonable layout, get data on the mechanical deformations, and can be conformably attached to arbitrarily curved surfaces. The flexible sensing materials with a large area of specific surface, that ensure high mobility and density of the media, feature dense active sites, outstanding adjustability and high processing capacities, such as two-dimensional carbon nanomaterials, conductive polymers, and nano-hybrid materials; those materials have further improved the sensitivity, stability and selectivity of the flexible sensors’ perception. This article attempts to critically review the present state-of-arts developments in relation to the materials, manufacturing techniques and sensing mechanisms of the devices, as well as the applications of the electrically-transduced flexible sensors. Moreover, this article elaborates on the transduction mechanisms of the several typical transducers, with a focus on the physics behind, including the modulation of the doping level, Schottky barrier, and interfacial layer that typically cause changes in conductivity, functionality and permittivity. We also highlight the benefits and the technical challenges along with the appropriate solutions provided by the presented flexible sensors, and we also consider the potential strategies that allow overcoming limitations in power consumption, quantitatively assess the trade-offs in maintaining the quality and marketability, to optimize wireless communication and explore new sensing patterns.

Bridging biological and food monitoring: A colorimetric and fluorescent dual-mode sensor based on N-doped carbon dots for detection of pH and histamine

Rapid and sensitive monitoring of pH and histamine is crucial for bridging biological and food systems and identifying corresponding abnormal situations. Herein, N-doped carbon dots (CDs) are fabricated by a hydrothermal method employing dipicolinic acid and o-phenylenediamine as precursors. The CDs exhibit colorimetric and fluorescent dual-mode responses to track pH and histamine variations in living cells and food freshness, respectively. The aggregation-induced emission enhancement and intramolecular charge transfer result in a decrease in absorbance and an increase in fluorescence, which become readily apparent as the pH changes from acidic to neutral. This property enables precise differentiation between normal and cancerous cells. Furthermore, given the intrinsic basicity of histamine, pH-responsive CDs are advantageous for additional colorimetric and fluorescent monitoring of histamine in food freshness, achieving linearities of 25–1000 µM and 30–1000 µM, respectively, which are broader than those of alternative nanoprobes. Interestingly, the smartphone-integrated sensing platform can portably and visually evaluate pH and histamine changes due to sensitive color changes. Therefore, the sensor not only establishes a dynamic connection between pH and histamine for the purposes of biological and food monitoring, but also presents a novel approach for developing a multifunctional biosensor that can accomplish environmental monitoring and biosensing simultaneously.

Characteristics of Clinical Isolates of Listeria monocytogenes in Sichuan, China, in 2022 Based on Whole Genome Sequencing Analysis.

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen. In 2022, we collected 15 strains of L. monocytogenes isolated from patients in some foodborne disease sentinel monitoring hospitals in Sichuan Province. Through whole genome sequencing (WGS), we obtained the virulence genes carried by the strains, multi-locus sequence typing (MLST), core genome MLST (cgMLST), clonal complex (CC), and serum groups and constructed a phylogenetic tree and minimum spanning tree with nonhuman strains. An analysis shows that all 15 strains of L. monocytogenes carry virulence genes LIPI-1 and LIPI-2, whereas the carrying rates of LIPI-3 and LIPI-4 virulence genes are relatively low. The MLST typing results showed a total of 10 sequence types (ST), including 10 CCs, with ST7 being the dominant type. The cgMLST clearly distinguishes strains of different lineages and CC types. The serum group is divided into three types: IIa, IIb, and IVb, with IIa being the dominant serum group. An analysis of antibiotic genes showed that all 15 strains carried FosX, lin, mprF, and norB with high carrying rates. The minimum inhibitory concentration results indicated that all were susceptible to eight antibiotics (ampicillin, penicillin, tetracycline, meropenem, erythromycin, vancomycin, ciprofloxacin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole). The analysis of strains isolated from different sources of Listeria revealed varying degrees of diversity, and the contamination of meat and environment within the province is closely related to clinical cases. L. monocytogenes isolated from clinical cases in Sichuan Province carry multiple virulence and antibiotic genes, with high potential pathogenicity. It is necessary to further strengthen the monitoring and control of food and environment by L. monocytogenes within Sichuan Province.

Comprehensive fluorescence profiles of contamination-prone foods applied to the design of microcontact-printed in situ functional oligonucleotide sensors

With both foodborne illness and food spoilage detrimentally impacting human health and the economy, there is growing interest in the development of in situ sensors that offer real-time monitoring of food quality within enclosed food packages. While oligonucleotide-based fluorescent sensors have illustrated significant promise, the development of such on-food sensors requires consideration towards sensing-relevant fluorescence properties of target food products—information that has not yet been reported. To address this need, comprehensive fluorescence profiles for various contamination-prone food products are established in this study across several wavelengths and timepoints. The intensity of these food backgrounds is further contextualized to biomolecule-mediated sensing using overlaid fluorescent oligonucleotide arrays, which offer perspective towards the viability of distinct wavelengths and fluorophores for in situ food monitoring. Results show that biosensing in the Cyanine3 range is optimal for all tested foods, with the Cyanine5 range offering comparable performance with meat products specifically. Moreover, recognizing that mass fabrication of on-food sensors requires rapid and simple deposition of sensing agents onto packaging substrates, RNA-cleaving fluorescent nucleic acid probes are successfully deposited via microcontact printing for the first time. Direct incorporation onto food packaging yields cost-effective sensors with performance comparable to ones produced using conventional deposition strategies.

Cold and ultra-cold chain integrity monitoring via embedded resonant sensor indicators

An increasing number of products require transport at cold and ultra-cold temperatures, < 5 and −60°C respectively. Time-temperature indicators (TTIs) are used to monitor the integrity of the cold chain, however, they are frequently based on colorimetric changes that can be inaccurate for quantification and not possible to read through closed shipment materials. Here, TTIs were prototyped using microfluidic channels containing fluids (oils) that are tuned to melt above target temperatures. By coupling these TTIs to resonant sensors, the time-temperature information can be transmitted wirelessly and quantitatively by observing shifts in resonant frequency. Multiplexed TTIs containing fluids that melt at 9, 13.5, and 19.5°C are demonstrated. When coupled to the resonant sensor, the fluid flows as the temperature increases incrementally and generates a frequency shift of 3.5, 4.5, and 6 MHz at each threshold. TTI for ultra-cold environments were also designed using microfluidic channels with melt responsive fluids (ethanol). The resonant sensor coupled TTI was placed in a Styrofoam container containing dry ice, and over 1 MHz frequency shift is observed when read external to the container as the dry ice evaporates and the temperature exceeds −35°C. This augurs potential uses in inexpensive monitoring of food and pharmaceutical shipments that must remain cold for adequate quality.

Wireless charging flexible in-situ optical sensing for food monitoring

Food safety is an important public health issue, real-time monitoring and identification of food freshness is essential to ensure food quality and consumer health. This study presents a wireless charging flexible in-situ optical sensing system (FIOS). FIOS integrates visible (VIS)/near-infrared (NIR) spectral sensors, electronic components, and microcontrollers into flexible circuits by flexible electronic technology, and obtains energy through wireless charging to solve the problem of battery replacement and frequent charging of electronic systems. FIOS exhibits excellent flexibility and bendability which can be attached well to the surface of the food for efficient, accurate, non-destructive, and in-situ monitoring. A prediction model between food quality and spectral data was established by chemometrics to achieve accurate prediction of food quality. It can obtain the spectral information of the food in real-time and transmit the data wirelessly to a cloud platform, which enables the visualization of food quality and facilitates quality traceability. FIOS is characterized by simple craft, low cost, and real-time monitoring, and can be widely deployed as an Internet of Things (IoT) node in food transportation, storage, and sales to improve the transparency of food at all stages and ensure the quality and safety of food. The FIOS has the advantages of portable and non-destructive monitoring, which improves the accuracy of food quality monitoring and provides a new technological program in the field of food quality monitoring. It is expected to promote the development of food quality and safety monitoring in the future and provide consumers with a more reliable guarantee of food quality.

Optimization of cotton SERS substrates based on different weave structures for surface trace detection

Cotton fabrics have been used to fabricate Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates due to their excellent properties such as flexibility, hygroscopicity, and large-scale production. The morphology of the SERS substrate has a great influence on the deposition of noble metal nanoparticles and affects the Raman-enhanced signal. Although numerous research reports have been conducted on SERS substrates made from cotton, there has been limited exploration on the impact of the weave structure of cotton fabric on SERS performance. Herein, the cotton SERS substrates were prepared by depositing silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) on cotton fabrics with different weave structures by a simple vacuum-thermal evaporation method. The influence of substrate morphology on the deposition arrangement of Ag NPs and the enhancement of SERS performance was explored. The analysis findings demonstrate that the cotton SERS substrate displays exceptional Raman signal enhancement performance. Thereinto, the satin SERS substrate exhibited a stronger Raman signal due to its smoother surface favoring the deposition of Ag NPs. The limit of detection for p-aminothiophenol (PATP) was established at a low of 10−8 M, with an RSD value of 9.96%. Moreover, the satin SERS substrate demonstrated an enhancement factor of 5.18 × 105. In addition, it has excellent mechanical flexibility and good hygroscopicity, and thiram on the apple surface can be detected by simple wiping. Cotton SERS substrates show great potential in food safety analysis and monitoring. More importantly, this study provides assistance for the selection of SERS substrates for traditional cotton fabrics, and further promotes the broadening of the application fields of smart cotton fabrics.

Nanozyme sensor array based on Fe, Se co-doped carbon material for the discrimination of Sulfur-containing compounds

Developing methods for the accurate identification and analysis of sulfur-containing compounds (SCCs) is of great significance because of their essential roles in living organisms and the diagnosis of diseases. Herein, Se-doping improved oxidase-like activity of iron-based carbon material (Fe-Se/NC) was prepared and applied to construct a four-channel colorimetric sensor array for the detection and identification of SCCs (including biothiols and sulfur-containing metal salts). Fe-Se/NC can realize the chromogenic oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) by activating O2 without relying on H2O2, which can be inhibited by different SCCs to diverse degrees to produce different colorimetric response changes as “fingerprints” on the sensor array. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) revealed that nine kinds of SCCs could be well discriminated. The sensor array was also applied for the detection of SCCs with a linear range of 1–50 μM and a limit of detection of 0.07–0.2 μM. Moreover, colorimetric sensor array inspired by the different levels of SCCs in real samples were used to discriminate cancer cells and food samples, demonstrating its potential application in the field of disease diagnosis and food monitoring. Environmental ImplicationsIn this work, a four-channel colorimetric sensor array for accurate SCCs identification and detection was successfully constructed. The colorimetric sensor array inspired by the different levels of SCCs in real samples were also used to discriminate cancer cells and food samples. Therefore, this Fe-Se/NC based sensor array is expected to be applied in the field of environmental monitoring and environment related disease diagnosis.

Novel cost-effective Hibiscus flower based colorimetric paper sensor containing anthocyanins to monitoring the quality and freshness of raw fish

This article described the low-cost hibiscus flower based colorimetric paper sensor to monitor the quality and freshness of raw fish. The extract of hibiscus flower was used to develop pH sensing paper strips for qualitative analysis. The sensitivity of paper sensor was checked by colorimetric detection of ammonia gas and then it was implemented to monitor the freshness of fish visually. The extract of hibiscus flower containing anthocyanin molecules are the key molecule for visual detection of spoiled food. The above molecule was spectroscopically analyzed with change in pH of the solution before and after the interaction of food products. We also studied the variation of both color and shade of paper sensor with change in pH at natural and artificial light conditions. The color information extracted from images and their relationship with pH was explored in red, green, blue (RGB) and hue, saturation, and value (HSV) color spaces by the image-J software for qualitative monitoring of food. Anthocyanin based paper sensor is used as a convenient and real time smart food sensor in packaging application.

Halochromy incorporated with inner filter effect-based fluorescence quenching: A dual-response strategy for spoilage sensing of proteinous foods with rapid and irreversible readout

The lack of handy and reliable sensing strategy for non-contact freshness assessment is a problem faced by food industries. This work presented an innovative solution for freshness monitoring of proteinous foods: halochromy- and fluorescence-based dual-response sensors with rapid and irreversible readout. Sensors were prepared by the polycondensation of CdTe quantum dots (QDs)-doped silane coupling agents onto filter papers and then anchoring of pH-sensitive halochromic compounds like blueberry anthocyanin (BA) by electrostatic interaction. The as-designed sensors showed rapid (within 1 min) responsiveness on both appearance and fluorescence toward total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) through pH-sensitive structural variations of BA and inner filter effect (IFE)-induced fluorescence quenching of QDs, giving a LOD as low as 0.01 ppm (ammonia) within working range of 0.001–50 ppm, and such a dual-signal response could be sustained at least for 7 days after removal of TVB-N. As a proof-of-concept, dual-response spoilage sensing of proteinous foods was experimentally proved to be highly feasible and reliable using pork, shrimps and shelled eggs as representatives of real food samples. Smartphone-based digital color information of paper sensors before and after sensing was furtherly applied to reconstruct digitized binary response, reinforcing the credibility of this strategy.

Metal-organic framework-based ratiometric point-of-care testing for quantitative visual detection of nitrite

Nitrite (NO2−) is categorized as a carcinogenic substance and is subjected to severe limitations in water and food. To safeguard the public’s health, developing fast and convenient methods for determination of NO2− is of significance. Point-of-care testing (POCT) affords demotic measurement of NO2− and shows huge potential in future technology beyond those possible with traditional methods. Here, a novel ratiometric fluorescent nanoprobe (Ru@MOF-NH2) is developed by integrating UiO-66-NH2 with tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) ([Ru(bpy)3]2+) through a one-pot approach. The special diazo-reaction between the amino group of UiO-66-NH2 and NO2− is responsible for the report signal (blue emission) with high selectivity and the red emission from [Ru(bpy)3]2+ offers the reference signal. The proposed probe shows obviously distinguishable color change from blue to red towards NO2− via naked-eye. Moreover, using a smartphone as the detection device to read color hue, ultra-sensitive quantitative detection of NO2− is achieved with a low limit of detection at 0.6 μΜ. The accuracy and repeatability determined in spiked samples through quantitative visualization is in the range of 105 to 117% with a coefficient of variation below 4.3%. This POCT sensing platform presents a promising strategy for detecting NO2− and expands the potential applications for on-site monitoring in food and environment safety assessment.

The construction of COFs functionalized CRISPR electrochemical sensor for ultrasensitive detection of bacteria by hyper-branched rolling circle amplification

Rapid, sensitive, and low-cost foodborne pathogens detection is crucial for dealing with foodborne diseases caused by bacteria. In this work, we designed a new CRISPR/Cas9-mediated electrochemical biosensor for ultrasensitive detection of Escherichia coli (E. coli) based on multifunctional covalent organic framework-based nanocomposite (GOx-AuNPs-COF-H2) and hyperbranched rolling circle amplification (HB-RCA) reaction. When specific DNA targets were present in the system, the targets could be recognized and cleaved by CRISPR-Cas9 system, which triggered strand displacement reaction (SDR) and HB-RCA reaction. By introducing GOx-AuNPs-COF-H2 nanocomposite, H2 probe could hybridize with RCA products to bind to the electrode surface. After added glucose solution, GOx could catalyze it in the detection system and thus offered significant current signals for bacteria detection. This approach showed high analytical performance for assay of E. coli with the detection limit (LOD) of 10 CFU/mL. Furthermore, real samples were detected by this approach, demonstrating its promising potential for foodborne pathogens detection in food monitoring and clinical diagnosis.

A hemicyanine-based fluorescent probe for detection of pH and its applications in live cells imaging and food monitoring

pH as an important parameter is closely related to many pathological processes and food freshness. In this paper, a new pH-sensitive fluorescent probe 1 based on hemicyanine dye was synthesized and used for the detection of pH in live cells and food spoilage. Under neutral and alkaline conditions, the phenolic hydroxyl group of the probe deprotonates, forming a closed spirocyclic structure and resulting in fluorescence quenching. Under acidic conditions, the probe maintains an open-loop structure and has intense fluorescence. The probe possessing good selectivity and stability can target lysosomes and visualize the exogenous pH in live cells. Furthermore, by using this probe, we successfully achieved the monitoring of pH in metamorphic process of shrimp and pork. This probe is expected to provide a good imaging tool for real-time detection of pH in live cells and food monitoring.