Prevent Foodborne Illness Research Articles

Assessment of Microbial Contamination and Bacterial Characterization in Ready-to-Eat Fruits from Port Harcourt Markets, Nigeria

Food safety is critical in preventing foodborne illnesses, particularly in regions where regulatory oversight may be inconsistent. This study aimed to assess the microbial contamination and characterize bacteria found in whole and sliced ready-to-eat (RTE) fruits sold in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The study area of this research was in Port Harcourt, the capital and largest city in Rivers State, Nigeria. The study employed a simple random sampling technique, and the methodology involved collecting 30 samples of apples, cucumbers, oranges, pawpaws, and watermelons from six markets: Fruit Garden Market, Mile 1 Market, Mile 3 Market, Oil Mill Market, Rumuokoro Market, and Town Market. Samples were analyzed using standard microbiological techniques, including total heterotrophic bacterial count (THBC) and total coliform count (TCC). Serial dilutions and culturing were performed, and the isolates were identified through morphological and biochemical tests. Results indicated that coliforms such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp and Enterobacter spp were isolated, and the THBC varied significantly among the markets, with the highest contamination observed in Mile 3 Market (9.50 × 10⁴ CFU/ml) and the lowest in Town Market (7.27 × 10⁴ CFU/ml). TCC results showed the highest coliform contamination in Rumuokoro Market (5.16 × 10³ CFU/ml), likely influenced by proximity to unsanitary water sources. Watermelon had the highest contamination levels for both THBC and TCC, while cucumber showed the lowest. Variations in contamination levels were attributed to environmental factors, inadequate handling practices, and hygiene standards. The study concluded that RTE fruits sold in Port Harcourt pose significant health risks due to microbial contamination levels exceeding recommended safety thresholds. It emphasized the importance of stringent hygiene practices among vendors and better regulatory measures to prevent outbreaks. Recommendations include improved food safety training for vendors, stricter sanitation practices during handling and transportation, and regular monitoring by health authorities to ensure compliance with safety standards. Therefore, the study highlights health risks in consuming ready-to-eat fruits, supporting food safety improvements to reduce foodborne illnesses in Port Harcourt.

Pregnancy and nutrition: a comprehensive review

Nutrition plays a critical role in ensuring a healthy pregnancy and optimizing outcomes for both the mother and the foetus. This review explores key aspects of pregnancy nutrition, including the importance of essential nutrients such as folic acid, iron, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids. It examines the impact of maternal dietary patterns on fetal development and highlights the role of specific dietary interventions in managing conditions like gestational diabetes. The review also addresses the importance of nutritional supplements and food safety practices to prevent foodborne illnesses. Additionally, cultural and socioeconomic factors influencing prenatal nutrition are discussed, along with the significance of hydration and the effects of maternal weight on pregnancy outcomes. By integrating current research and guidelines, this review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how nutrition affects pregnancy and offers insights for improving prenatal care and health outcomes.

Harnessing the Link between Climate Change and Traditional Food Preservation Methods: Implications for Global Food Security and Public Health

Climate change is a global issue, which impacts the different geographical zones in different levels. It is also linked to numerous human health issues, which are a concern to human health. The impact of climate change on traditional methods of food preservation in Nigeria and the consequences for food security and health are examined in this research. Information from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) show that average temperatures are increasing and rainfall is decreasing, which are effects of climate change that affect agriculture, water resources, and traditional food preservation methods that are detrimental to public health.Traditional food preservation methods are critical for understanding the link between climate change and food security.This paper uses a case study of Nigeria to examine the effects of climate change on traditional food preservation practices and public health. The research focuses on the shifts in the conventional preservation techniques, the impact of these shifts on nutrition, and policy interventions for enhancing sustainable preservation of food. Climate change indicators such as temperature and rainfall were used as surrogates for climate change, food insecurity such as undernourishment rates were used for food security and nutritional health outcomes such as child stunting and micronutrient malnutrition. The study shows that climate change has a negative effect on food security since it reduces crop yields and enhances post-harvest losses. Sun-drying and smoking are the common preservation techniques that are now less efficient because of high humidity and unpredictable weather. As such, people are experiencing increased incidences of food wastage, nutritional imbalance, and food borne diseases especially with those people in rural regions. Furthermore, the study confirms the relationship between climate change and food insecurity, which has a negative impact on the health of pregnant women and children, especially under five years, and high under-five mortality despite a decrease in child mortality in the last decade.The results provide important regional information relevant to the entire Sub-Saharan Africa and useful to the international community in matters of climate change, food security and health. This study calls for the use of innovation that combines the conventional and contemporary methods of food preservation in order to mitigate the impacts of climate change on food security systems. Furthermore, it underlines the need for the policy interventions that may prevent food borne illness and other diseases. These insights are in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs) 2, 3, and 13, namely; Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-being, and Climate Action, respectively.This research addresses a significant gap in the literature by linking climate change effects with food preservation practices and offering recommendations for improving food system vulnerability to climate change. It provides a clear picture of the prospects and constraints of mitigating climate change impacts on food insecurity and enhancing food security and health in the world.

Food Safety Awareness and Proper Hygiene among Food Vendors

Proper hygiene practices among food vendors are crucial in ensuring food safety and preventing foodborne illnesses. Although food vendors play a critical role in the food supply chain, foodborne illnesses and food contamination can result from inadequate hygiene practices. This study aimed to assess the food safety awareness and hygiene practices of street vendors in Digos City. Eventually, data was collected from 150 randomly selected food vendors, and answered the adopted questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale. The study used a descriptive-comparative research design to determine the awareness level of food vendors on food safety and proper hygiene. Based on the findings, the level of awareness on food safety is high. It indicates that food safety standards are consistently upheld across food vendors. While, the level of food hygiene among food vendors was described as high, thus, this indicates that the food hygiene among food vendors is well practiced and relatively evident. Findings also revealed that there was a significant difference between food safety awareness and proper hygiene practices among vendors when analyzed by profile. Hence, the study suggests that improving food safety and hygiene standards in Digos City can lead to a reduction in foodborne diseases and overall public health by implementing food safety training for vendors and must undergo regular inspections of city health office.

Investigating cold plasma jet effectiveness for eggshell surface decontamination

Ensuring the safety of eggs, a valuable source of high-quality protein and essential vitamins, is critical to prevent foodborne illness. Cold plasma, an emerging green technology, generates various reactive species that effectively inactivate microorganisms, attracting global attention for its potential in food safety. This study aims to explore the application of cold plasma as a chemical-free, non-thermal approach for decontaminating egg surfaces and to assess its potential as an alternative to conventional egg-washing methods. Various operation conditions of a cold plasma jet device, including power levels (300–400 W), exposure times (20–60 s), distances between the nozzle and eggshell (1–3 cm), airflow rates (30–35 L/min), and feed gases (nitrogen, air (20 %–65 % relative humidity), helium and air mixtures), were examined to decontaminate hen eggshells inoculated with Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica bacteria. The results showed a maximum log reduction and deactivation efficiency of 1.94 and 98.74 % for E. coli, and 1.11 and 92.20 % for Salmonella, after a 60 s treatment of egg surface using a cold plasma device set at 1 cm distance, 400 W power, and 35 L/min airflow with 65 % relative humidity. Moreover, our findings indicated no significant differences in egg quality, eggshell cuticle chemical composition, and cuticle coverage between untreated eggs and those treated with cold plasma. This suggests the potential of this non-chemical, non-thermal emerging technique to be commercialized as a substitute for conventional washing methods.

Investigation of Salmonella enteritidis Growth under Varying Temperature Conditions in Liquid Whole Egg: Proposals for Smart Management Technology for Safe Refrigerated Storage

This study investigates the growth characteristics of Salmonella enteritidis (S. enteritidis) in liquid whole egg under both isothermal and non-isothermal storage conditions to understand the risks associated with inadequate temperature management in the egg industry. Using controlled laboratory simulations, liquid whole egg samples inoculated with S. enteritidis were stored under various isothermal (5, 15, 25, 35, and 45 °C) and non-isothermal conditions (5–10, 15–20, 25–30, 35–40, and 45–50 °C). The growth behavior of the S. enteritidis was analyzed using a two-step predictive modeling approach. First, growth kinetic parameters were estimated using a primary model, and then the effects of temperature on the estimated specific growth rate and lag time were described using a secondary model. Independent growth data under both isothermal and non-isothermal conditions were used to evaluate the models. The results showed that S. enteritidis exhibits different growth characteristics depending on temperature conditions, emphasizing the need for strict temperature control to prevent foodborne illnesses. To address this, a predictive growth model tailored for non-isothermal conditions was developed and validated using experimental data, demonstrating its reliability in predicting S. enteritidis behavior under dynamic temperature scenarios. Additionally, temperature management technologies were proposed and tested to improve food safety during refrigerated storage. This study provides a scientific basis for improving food safety protocols in the egg industry, thereby protecting public health and maintaining consumer confidence amid temperature fluctuations.

Occurrence of Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase Escherichia coli in slaughterhouses before and after cleaning and disinfection

To prevent foodborne illness, adequate cleaning and disinfection (C&D) is essential to remove pathogenic bacteria from the slaughter environment. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of Campylobacter spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL E. coli) before and after C&D in slaughterhouses.Samples from food- and non-food contact surfaces taken before and after C&D in one red meat and one poultry slaughterhouse were analyzed for the target bacteria. Whole-genome sequencing and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed.In total, 484 samples were analyzed. Campylobacter spp. were isolated from 13.0% to 15.5% of samples before C&D in the red meat and poultry slaughterhouse, respectively. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated before C&D in 12.5% and 5.2% of samples in the red meat and poultry slaughterhouse, respectively. It was noted that C. jejuni was detected on multiple surfaces and that L. monocytogenes showed potential persistence in one slaughterhouse. After C&D, L. monocytogenes was found in one sample. ESBL E. coli was not detected either before or after C&D.These findings show the possibility to remove pathogenic bacteria from slaughter and meat processing facilities, but also indicate that deficiencies in slaughter hygiene pose a risk of cross-contamination of meat.

Integrating lateral flow device with controllable gold in situ growth for sensitive detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin A in milk

Gold nanoparticle-based lateral flow immunoassays (AuNP-LFIA) are widely used for pathogen monitoring to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks. However, conventional AuNP-LFIA exhibits poor sensitivity and limited quantitative capacity due to the low colorimetric signal intensity of AuNPs. Herein, we introduced a low-background gold in situ growth (GISG) strategy by lowering the pH of the growth solution to weaken the reducibility of hydroxylamine, thereby enhancing the sensitivity of AuNP-LFIA. Additionally, we developed a universal and manufacturable lateral flow device to streamline the GISG process. We applied this device to detect staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA), an exotoxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus. Under optimal conditions, the proposed device demonstrated superior practicality and excellent sensitivity for SEA detection, achieving a detection limit of 0.061 ng/mL with the total detection time of 37 min, showing 311 times more sensitive than the unamplified AuNP-LFIA. Furthermore, SEA detection in milk samples showed a strong correlation (R2 = 0.8845) with results obtained from a conventional ELISA kit. Therefore, this promising LFIA device offers a novel strategy with high sensitivity and practicality for in-field detection of Staphylococcus aureus and can be easily adapted for screening other foodborne pathogens.

Food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of street vendors: a cross-sectional study in Jordan

PurposeThis study examined the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding food safety and hygiene among street food vendors (SFVs) in Jordan, along with associated factors.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilized a cross-sectional design and targeted a sample of 405 SFVs in Jordan's two most densely populated cities. Data were collected through in-person interviews using a validated and reliable structured questionnaire. Descriptive analysis and linear regression were conducted using SPSS v.25 software to examine associations and predict outcomes.FindingsThe findings reveal that SFVs possess a moderate level of knowledge but exhibit negative attitudes and inadequate practices regarding food safety. Significant associations were identified between age, education level, work experience, marital status, gender and the vendors' KAP. Older SFVs tend to exhibit lower knowledge and attitudes, whereas those with more experience and higher education levels demonstrate better KAP. Marital status and gender also influence knowledge and attitudes.Originality/valueThis study fills a critical gap in the research landscape by comprehensively examining the knowledge, attitudes and practices of street food vendors regarding food safety, with a focus on Jordan. Its findings shed light on the challenges facing the street food vending industry and offer actionable recommendations for enhancing food safety practices. As such, the study's originality and significance lie in its potential to drive positive change within this vital culinary tradition, safeguarding public health and economic livelihoods.Highlights -The study's novelty lies in its exploration of street food vendors' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to food safety, a facet critical to understanding and addressing the challenges facing this industry. It offers an in-depth examination of factors such as education, experience, age, and marital status that influence vendors' adherence to food safety measures. By focusing on the two most populous cities in Jordan, the study not only provides a comprehensive picture of the situation but also sets the groundwork for policy recommendations and interventions.-The research highlights a series of concerning findings. Street food vendors exhibit a moderate level of knowledge regarding food safety, with substantial gaps in understanding specific pathogens and transmission routes. Negative attitudes towards food safety are prevalent, translating into suboptimal hygiene practices. The study's results underscore the urgent need for tailored interventions to address these challenges and improve overall food safety practices within the street food vending sector.-The findings offer actionable insights for policymakers, public health authorities, and local governments. They suggest targeted educational initiatives to enhance vendors' understanding of food safety principles and their significance in preventing foodborne illnesses. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the need for improved infrastructure, access to clean water, and proper sanitation facilities to support vendors in implementing safer practices. By highlighting the associations between socio-demographic factors and food safety KAP, the study offers a blueprint for crafting interventions that address the unique needs of different subgroups of street food vendors.

Penyuluhan Keamanan Pangan pada Ibu Rumah Tangga di RT 05 RW 06 Kelurahan Bandar Kidul Kota Kediri

Two important factors in preventing foodborne illness are food hygiene and sanitation. These efforts can reduce the risk of bacterial contamination of food. Some examples of hazardous materials in food are plastics, metals, borax, formalin, insecticides, and banned food additives such as benzoic acid, ascorbic acid, lactic acid, and citric acid. The objective of this outreach is to increase knowledge about food safety and how to manage it. The method of counseling to the general public includes coordination with the head of the RT, providing materials, giving pre- and post-tests, and evaluating activities carried out at the RT head's house on June 1, 2024 at 16.00-17.30. The results of this activity were an increase in pre and post-test scores on questions regarding storage temperature and the main purpose of food storage, from 50 to 70 and 95 to 100. The conclusion of this counseling is that there is an increase in housewives' knowledge about food safety on a household scale. Suggestions for further counseling are to increase the number of targets so that more housewives understand the importance of household-scale food safety.

Rapid safety assessment of reconstituted infant formula using electrical impedance analysis

A rapid method to assess freshness is crucial for the safe handling of reconstituted infant formula (RIF) and prevention of food-borne illnesses in infants. This study explored the use of electrical impedance measurement (EIM) at a constant frequency for real-time freshness evaluation of RIF. Initial electrical impedance of 89.16 ± 0.47 Ω decreased to 74.29 ± 0.23 Ω within 48 h at room temperature (20 °C) storage. Under temperature abuse conditions (30 °C), the electrical impedance rapidly dropped from 75.48 ± 0.52 Ω to 60.15 ± 4.76 Ω within 18 h, indicating more rapid spoilage. Notable changes in the electrical impedance were observed during temperature abuse. Empirical model analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between electrical impedance and conventional freshness parameters such as pH, protein, and microbial growth. This study demonstrates the potential of EIM for the rapid detection of freshness changes in RIF, offering valuable insights into the prevention of food-borne illnesses in infants.

Assessment of Food Safety Practices and Associated Factors Among Health Extension Model and Non-Model Households in Asella Town, South West Ethiopia, 2023

Background: Food safety is essential for preventing foodborne illnesses and ensuring the health of consumers. Unsafe food can lead to diseases that result in significant morbidity and mortality. Objective: This study aimed to assess food safety practices and associated factors among health extension model and non-model households in Asella Town, South West Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 660 model and non-model households. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and logistic regression analyses. Results: The overall prevalence of good food safety practices was 49.1%, with significantly higher prevalence among model households (75.4%) compared to non-model households (22.4%). Factors associated with good food safety practices included being a model household, availability of solid and liquid waste disposal sites, good knowledge towards food safety, and a positive attitude towards food safety. Conclusions and Recommendations: The study findings indicate a low level of good food safety practices among households. Interventions are needed to improve household food safety practices, knowledge, and attitudes towards food safety.

High catalytic nickel−platinum nanozyme enhancing colorimetric detection of Salmonella Typhimurium in milk

Colorimetric qualitative and sensitive quantitative detection of Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) holds significant importance for ensuring food safety and preventing foodborne illnesses. In the study, an ultra-high catalytic activity and biocompatible nickel-platinum nanoparticle (NiPt NP) nanozyme is successful synthesized to prepare a NLISA strategy for the detection of S. Typhimurium. The synthesized NiPt NPs exhibit high oxidase-like catalytic efficiency, with a Michaelis constant (Km) of 0.493 mM, similar to that of natural horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The maximal reaction velocity (Vmax) was determined to be 1.97 × 10-7 M·s-1 exhibiting a 1.97-fold higher than that of the HRP (1.0 × 10-7 M·s-1). Meanwhile, the antibody employed in this NiPt NPs-based NLISA exhibits exceptional capture efficacy, generating a stable immune complex with S. Typhimurium. The NiPt NPs-based NLISA demonstrates sensitivity, specificity, convenience, and cost-efficiency for the detection of S. Typhimurium. Under optimal conditions, this NiPt NPs-based NLISA demonstrates a quantitative range of 103∼106 cfu/mL with a detection limit as low as 103 cfu/mL. A single-blind experimental testing detects different concentrations of S. Typhimurium spiked skim milk, indicating the application potential of the proposed NLISA in real samples. In all, this research provides novel insights into the synthesis of nanozymes with excellent catalytic activity and their applications in S. Typhimurium biosensing.

Inadequate food safety knowledge and hygiene practices among street food vendors in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Food safety remains a critical issue with outbreaks of foodborne illness. The knowledge gap of food safety and improper hygienic practices of food handlers are the key factors for the transmission of foodborne diseases. This study was conducted to investigate the level of food safety knowledge and practices among street food vendors in Dhaka City, Bangladesh, and its implications on consumers’ health. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 350 respondents in seven areas of Dhaka City. Trained data collectors gather data by interviewing street vendors using a pretested questionnaire. Most of the vendors (98%) were male, with 48% having secondary education and 85% having no food safety training. Although about 89% of the vendors were found to practice hand washing, only a small proportion of them practised using hand gloves while handling raw products (5.6%), cleaning tables (2.2%), preparing foods (1.3%) or handling garbage (0.9%). The education level of the vendors and their work experience were significantly correlated with their hand washing practice, wearing hand gloves and their knowledge about food-borne illnesses. The study demonstrated that formal education played a significant role in vendors’ knowledge and practice of health safety measures for food handlers to prevent foodborne illness. Effective food safety training and monitoring are needed to increase vendors' knowledge and practices, and in reducing foodborne diseases.

Food Safety & Security in India: Prospectous and Challenges

Food safety and food security are critical aspects of ensuring the health and well-being of populations worldwide. While they are interconnected, they address different aspects of the food supply chain. Food safety refers to handling, preparing and storing food in ways that prevent foodborne illness and contamination. This encompasses a wide range of practices aimed at ensuring that food remains safe at all stages of production, processing, distribution and consumption. Ensuring food safety is a fundamental component of food security. Unsafe food can lead to health issues that compromise an individual's ability to utilize food effectively. This paper is an attempt to throw light on food standard crises often and food safety issues.

Critical Analysis of the practices of shop food handlers regarding safety and hygiene: Case study in Paranaque City

This study aims to analyze the knowledge, attitude, and practices of food handlers in milk tea shops inParanaque, Philippines, and identify areas for enhancing food safety and hygiene practices. A mixed-method approach was employed, with data gathered through a survey questionnaire and interviews with 100 milk tea shop food handlers. The study revealed that most food handlers (70%) were aged between 21 and 25 years old, with 92.9% female and 91.4% holding a college degree. Additionally, 85% of the respondents had prior experience in the food and beverage industry. However, only 57 outof the 100 respondents had registered their businesses. The food handlers demonstrated goodknowledge about food safety and sanitation, but some needed knowledge about proper food holding practices. Most food handlers had a positive attitude towards customers and food handling, but they needed to be more enthusiastic about securing business requirements due to perceived difficulties andexpenses. While 30% of the respondents emphasized the importance of avoiding cross-contaminationand 24% highlighted customer safety, only 44% had received formal training in proper food handling.The reasons for training included improving knowledge in food safety and hygiene practices (36%) and preventing foodborne illnesses and cross-contamination (18%).In terms of practices, the respondents needed better practices in storing, cooking, and cooling tapioca pearls, and often (4.05)mixed raw materials thoroughly using a shaker before serving due to limited staff and high pressure from customers to be served immediately. The study identified several challenges milk tea shop ownersface, including limited staff, space, cleanliness maintenance, and regulatory compliance complexities.These findings underscore the need for targeted training, operational support, and regulatory assistance to enhance food safety and operational efficiency in the milk tea industry.

Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube-Modified Gold Leaf Immunosensor for Escherichia coli Detection.

The requirement to prevent foodborne illnesses underscores the need for reliable detection tools, stimulating biosensor technology with practical solutions for in-field applications. This study introduces a low-cost immunosensor based on a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)-modified gold leaf electrode (GLE) for the sensitive detection of Escherichia coli. The immunosensor is realized with a layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly technique, creating an electrostatic bond between positively charged polyethylenimine (PEI) and negatively charged carboxyl-functionalized SWCNTs on the GLE. The structural and functional characterization of the PEI-SWCNT film was performed with Raman spectroscopy, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), and electrical measurements. The PEI-SWCNT film was used as a substrate for antibody immobilization, and the electrochemical sensing potential was validated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results showed a wide dynamic range of E. coli detection, 101-108 cfu/mL, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.6 cfu/mL in buffer and 15 cfu/mL in the aqueous solution used for cleansing fresh lettuce leaves, affirming its efficiency as a practical and affordable tool in enhancing food safety.

IJCM_291A: Hygiene Practices Among Food Handlers in a Hospital Setting: A Case Study from District Hospital Parbhani

Background: The role of food handlers in maintaining food safety, especially in healthcare settings, cannot be overstated. Poor hygiene practices can lead to foodborne illnesses, which are particularly dangerous in a hospital environment where patients may have compromised immune systems. Ensuring high standards of personal hygiene among food handlers is crucial in healthcare settings to prevent foodborne illnesses. This study focuses on the hygiene practices of food handlers in a hospital environment. Objective: To assess the personal hygiene practices of food handlers in District Hospital Parbhani. The study aims to identify the adherence level to hygiene standards and pinpoint areas for potential improvement in food safety practices. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was employed, targeting food handlers in District Hospital Parbhani. The survey utilized a structured questionnaire to collect data on various aspects of personal hygiene, including hand hygiene, personal cleanliness, and safe food handling methods. The participants were also interviewed to understand their knowledge and attitudes towards food safety. The data collected was then systematically an analysed to identify patterns, strengths, and areas needing improvement in the hygiene practices of the food handlers. Results: In our study at District Hospital Parbhani, among the 126 food handlers, a notable 45.24% were below 30 years of age. When assessing hygiene practices, 74% of the handlers had clean nails, and approximately 50% practiced hand washing with soap and water after using the toilet. The cleanliness of kitchen areas was maintained by 73% of the establishments, with 62% using soap and detergents for cleaning purposes. Conclusion: The study highlights the critical role of rigorous personal hygiene practices among food handlers in healthcare settings. It recommends ongoing training and periodic evaluations at District Hospital Parbhani to sustain and enhance these hygiene standards, thereby ensuring the health and safety of patients and staff.

The Influence of Technological Shifts in the Food Chain on the Emergence of Foodborne Pathogens: An Overview

The transformation of the food chain due to technological advances has had significant implications in regard to food safety. A noteworthy trend in this evolution relates to the emergence of new or previously unseen pathogens within products, thereby altering the landscape of foodborne illness epidemiology. The escalating frequency of these events underscores the need for a comprehensive re-evaluation of preventive strategies. The occurrence of novel species of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and unusual biotoxins from unexpected sources has challenged the previous limits that had been set to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks. The repercussions, ranging from detrimental effects on public health to economic burden, are influenced by a myriad of factors affecting the evolution of foodborne pathogens and emerging ailments. Among these factors are shifts in population demographics and behaviors, especially dietary patterns, as well as climate extremes, advances in more precise pathogen detection, microbial adaptation, evolving agricultural practices, and transformative changes within the food industry. This review critically examines the impact of technological metamorphosis along the food chain, encompassing production, processing, handling, packaging, storage, transportation, and industry demographics on the dynamics influencing the emergence of foodborne pathogens. Additionally, potential solutions to mitigate and manage this escalating issue are proposed.

Epidemiological investigation of Cryptosporidium in children with diarrhea in middle Inner Mongolia, China

Cryptosporidia (Cryptosporidium) is a protozoan that is widely parasitic in the intestinal cells of humans and animals, and it is also an important zoonotic parasite. However, there is no epidemiological investigation on Cryptosporidium spp. infection in infants with diarrhea of Inner Mongolia, the largest livestock region in China. To investigate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium, 2435 fresh fecal samples were collected from children with diarrhea in Inner Mongolia Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital. Molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium was carried out based on its 18S rRNA and gp60 gene sequences. The overall prevalence was 12.85% (313/2435), and in Hohhot (12.15%), it was lower than that in the surrounding city (14.87%) (P < 0.05). Moreover, Cryptosporidium was detected in different seasons and sexes. Concerning the age of children with diarrhea, the prevalence of those age groups between 0 and 1 was obviously lower than others, and there were significant differences in the prevalence at different ages (P < 0.001). Analysis of the 18S rRNA gene sequence revealed that all the positive samples were Cryptosporidium parvum, and there were 5 subtypes (IIdA23G3, IIdA24G3, IIdA24G4, IIdA25G3, and IIdA25G4). To the best of our knowledge, the above subtypes have not been reported. Our results provide a relevant basis for control and education on food safety and foodborne illness prevention.