Safety Regulations Research Articles

The future of autonomous vehicles and drones in supply chain delivery

The integration of autonomous vehicles and drones into supply chain delivery systems is transforming logistics and redefining last-mile delivery. With advancements in artificial intelligence, robotics, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, these innovations promise significant cost savings, enhanced efficiency, and reduced environmental impact. Autonomous vehicles, including self-driving trucks, are reshaping long-haul transportation by optimizing routes, minimizing fuel consumption, and mitigating driver shortages. Simultaneously, drones are revolutionizing urban and rural delivery by enabling rapid, contactless transportation of goods in challenging terrains and congested areas. Together, these technologies represent a paradigm shift toward a more efficient and sustainable supply chain ecosystem. However, the adoption of autonomous vehicles and drones raises significant challenges. Regulatory hurdles, infrastructure limitations, and safety concerns remain key barriers to widespread implementation. Additionally, issues of cybersecurity, privacy, and public acceptance must be addressed to ensure successful deployment. From an operational perspective, integrating autonomous technologies with existing supply chain systems requires careful coordination and investment in infrastructure and workforce reskilling. This study examines the future trajectory of autonomous vehicles and drones in supply chain delivery, focusing on their transformative potential and the obstacles they face. By analysing case studies and industry trends, the research identifies best practices and strategic frameworks for leveraging these technologies. The findings highlight the importance of collaborative efforts between policymakers, technology developers, and industry stakeholders in creating a regulatory and operational environment conducive to innovation. Ultimately, this research underscores the need for a balanced approach to harness the benefits of autonomy while addressing its associated challenges.

Circularly polarized dual-band resonance in a miniaturized implantable antenna using combined hexagonal and rhombic patches

The design and characterisation of a novel dual-band implantable antenna with compact size is presented in this research. The antenna, which is in size and operates at two critical frequencies—0.954 GHz in the UHF band and 2.4 GHz in the ISM band—was fabricated on an RT6010 substrate. The U-shaped slot and shorting pin on the radiating element have been exploited to achieved dual-band and circular polarization. The antenna is noteworthy for achieving circular polarization with a broad axial ratio bandwidth of 24.6%, which enables strong performance throughout its operating frequencies. The proposed antennas SAR values satisfy IEEE safety standards for implantable medical devices with a gain of − 28.1 dB at 2.4 GHz and − 31.2 dB at 0.954 GHz, despite its small size. The design represents a significant advancement in the field of medical implant technology since it prioritizes effective wireless communication capabilities while upholding strict safety regulations.

Ochrana psychického zdraví zaměstnance při práci v Estonsku, Lotyšsku, Slovensku, Maďarsku a v Polsku (přehled právních předpisů)

The psychical health and mainly its protection get even more important in last decades. There are thousands of employees constantly exposed to stress during their whole workday. There are managers performing high pressure roles. The more stress is on the workplace generated, the higher number of psychological health issues society is facing. Therefore, it is important to set forth rules; employers and employees must know how to handle psychical issues. These paper exams the level of protection guaranteed to the psychical health of employees in laws of Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia. There is a general definition of psychical health set forth in international agreements and other documents. For example, the preamble of Constitution of the World Health Organization describes health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Notwithstanding this definition is not shared in every country in question, all countries protect general health; the psychical health is mostly considered to be an inherent part of it. The level of protection of psychical health is varying throughout the examined countries. Most countries protect employees’ psychical health in occupational safety regulations. The protection is mostly technical without taking account to specific needs of psychical health. The worse regulation can be found in Poland. There are regulations on health protection but these are not considered to be covering psychical health too.

Harmonization of public health, marketing, composition and safety regulations on food supplements in the European Union. The Polish experience

Harmonization of public health, marketing, composition and safety regulations on food supplements in the European Union. The Polish experience

Derivation of human toxicokinetic parameters and internal threshold of toxicological concern for tenuazonic acid through a human intervention trial and hierarchical Bayesian population modeling.

Tenuazonic acid (TeA), a mycotoxin produced by Alternaria alternata, contaminates various food commodities and is known to cause acute and chronic health effects. However, the lack of human toxicokinetic (TK) data and the reliance on external exposure estimates have stalled a comprehensive risk assessment for TeA. To bridge this gap, a human TK trial and population-based TK (PopTK) modeling were applied to determine human TK parameters of TeA, and the results were applied for risk screening using population biomonitoring data and threshold of toxicological concern (TTC)-based approaches. Ten healthy volunteers participated in the TK trial during which the volunteers ingested a bolus dose of TeA at the (external) TTC (1500 ng/kg bw). Blood, urine, and fecal samples were collected over 48 h and analyzed using UPLC-MS/MS. Concentration-time profiles were fit with a multi-compartmental PopTK model using a hierarchical Bayesian population structure. Utilizing a probabilistic framework, fitted TK parameters were used to derive internal TTC (iTTC) values for comparison to blood and urine biomonitoring data. Risk screening with data from five diverse biomonitoring cohorts was performed using Hazard Quotient (HQ) and probabilistic individual margin of exposure (IMOE) approaches. TeA was estimated to have a population median half-life of 1.9 [90% CI: 1.4-2.7] hours and volume of distribution of 4.4 [3.1-6.1] L/kg, with inter-individual variability geometric standard deviations of 2.4- and 1.7-fold, respectively. Probabilistic lower confidence bound iTTCs were derived of 0.5 nmol/L in blood and 2.53 nmol/kg-d urinary excretion. Risk screening HQs were mostly >1 for the three blood biomonitoring cohorts and < 1 for the two urinary biomonitoring cohorts; results from probabilistic IMOE calculations were qualitatively consistent. A comprehensive human TK study was performed for TeA for the first time, demonstrating the importance of integrating TK and population variability for a more comprehensive risk evaluation, particularly for interpreting biomonitoring data. The results for TeA point to the critical need for toxicity data to move beyond TTC-based risk screening. A critical gap in food safety research was addressed studying the toxicokinetics of tenuazonic acid (TeA) in humans and using these data to derive an internal threshold of toxicological concern (iTTC) for comparison to human biomonitoring data. The innovative approach-combining a human intervention trial with population-based toxicokinetic modeling-accounts for inter-individual variability and provides a more comprehensive understanding of population exposure to TeA. The resulting probabilistic iTTC and risk screening methodologies offer improved tools for interpretation of biomonitoring data. These findings have significant implications for food safety regulations and public health protection, potentially influencing future mycotoxin risk assessment strategies.

Assessment of Food Safety Regulation and Assurance System in Bangladesh's Milk Value Chain: Addressing Discrepancies and Strategies for Improvement

This study assesses the food safety regulation and assurance systems in Bangladesh's milk value chain, identifying discrepancies and proposing strategies for improvement. Conducted in three phases, it begins with a comprehensive review of secondary sources and consultations with experts, leading to the development and validation of checklists based on international food safety standards such as the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP), Good Hygiene Practices (GHP), and the Global GAP system. These standards were harmonized with national regulations, and data were collected using actor-specific checklists via a mobile application. The final phase involved field observations, stakeholder workshops, and expert panel discussions, using triangulation and Delphi techniques to validate findings and develop improvement strategies. The study reveals distinct challenges in both the formal and informal milk marketing sectors, with the informal sector often bypassing essential safety measures. Even within the formal sector, small and medium-scale operations struggle with maintaining adequate safety protocols. Specific concerns included the lack of registration and licensing, especially for cattle and buffalo farms, and the absence of certification for milk collectors. While chilling centers and sweetmeat shops showed moderate compliance with regulatory standards, significant gaps remain in biosecurity measures, waste management, animal housing, and record-keeping. Challenges in animal health management, such as improper disposal of veterinary waste and inadequate isolation of sick animals, were prevalent. Concerns about poor hygienic practices during milking, insufficient cool chain facilities, and inconsistent use of quality control measures were also noted. Only a small proportion of chilling plants and sweetmeat shops followed proper labeling and traceability protocols, posing risks to consumer safety. To address these issues, the study recommends strengthening the regulatory framework, improving laboratory testing, and ensuring comprehensive record-keeping. A theory of change approach is proposed, focusing on capacity building, harmonizing regulations with international standards, and engaging stakeholders to improve food safety outcomes. The findings underscore the urgent need to address critical gaps in the food safety system in Bangladesh’s dairy sector to safeguard public health and promote the sustainability of the industry. SAARC J. Agric., 22(2): 257-273 (2024)

Protective Effect of Conditioned Medium of Immortalized Human Stem Cells from Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth Against Hair Graying Caused by X-Ray Irradiation via Its Antioxidative Activity.

Hair graying is one of the common visible signs of human aging, resulting from decreased or abolished melanogenesis due to the depletion of melanocyte stem cells through excess accumulation of oxidative stress. Cell-free therapy using a conditioned medium (CM) of mesenchymal stem cells has been highlighted in the field of regenerative medicine owing to its potent therapeutic effects with lower regulatory hurdles and safety risk. Recently, we demonstrated that a CM of an immortalized stem cell line from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) has protective effects against a mouse model of ulcer formation via antioxidative and angiogenic activities mediated by HGF and VEGF. However, to date, no effective treatments for hair graying have been developed, and the effect of SHED-CM on hair graying remains unknown. In this study, we have investigated the effect of SHED-CM on a hair graying mouse model caused by X-ray irradiation. Repetitive subcutaneous administrations of SHED-CM greatly suppressed the development of hair graying, when compared to control medium, resulting in reduced cutaneous expression of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, the major product of DNA damage induced by reactive oxygen species. Consistent with these in vivo results, SHED-CM significantly inhibited the cell death caused by X-ray irradiation in melanoma cell line B16F10 cells. Immunodepletion of HGF or VEGF in the SHED-CM revealed that this inhibition was due to suppression of the generation of reactive oxygen species, which was mainly mediated by HGF and probably VEGF. These results suggest that SHED-CM has protective effects against hair graying via its antioxidative activity.

Leveraging social media data in knowledge management to identify noncompliance: insights from the foodservice industry

Purpose Social media data contains a wealth of content related to customers’ reactions to, and comments on, firms’ performance. Through the lens of signaling theory, this paper aims to investigate the use of social media data as a knowledge resource in communicating firms’ noncompliance risk to regulatory agencies. Design/methodology/approach This paper proposes a two-step social media analytics framework to detect noncompliant firms. First, it creates a context-specific dictionary that contains keywords relevant to firms’ noncompliant behaviors. Next, it extracts those keywords from customer reviews, customer sentiment and emotions to predict firm noncompliance. It tests these ideas in the context of food safety regulations. Findings It identified over 100 words that are related to restaurants’ hygiene deficiencies. Using the occurrence of these words in customer reviews, as well as sentiments and emotions expressed within them, the author’s best-performing model can identify nearly 90% of the restaurants that severely violated regulations. Practical implications After being processed by appropriate machine learning algorithms, customer reviews serve as valuable knowledge resources, enabling regulatory agencies to identify noncompliant firms. Regulatory agencies can use this model to complement the current compliance monitoring scheme. Originality/value This research contributes a novel methodology for creating a context-specific dictionary that keeps only the relevant words customers use when discussing firms’ noncompliant acts. In the absence of such an approach, numerous irrelevant signals would be included in the modeling process, thereby increasing the cost of social media analytics.

Assessing the efficiency of ethyl acetate for lipid extraction as an alternative to the Folch method in selected marine low‐trophic species

AbstractThe recognized health benefits associated with marine omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have increased their demands and prices, prompting the search for new marine materials as lipid sources. Considering stricter health, safety, and environmental regulations, it is crucial to advocate the transition from chlorinated solvents like chloroform and dichloromethane to sustainable alternatives. This study aimed to assess the lipid extraction efficiency of the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) method compared to the Folch method across four marine resources. The tested species were Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar Linnaeus, 1758) and three low‐trophic species: the zooplankton Calanus finmarchicus (Gunnerus, 1770), the microalgae Porosira glacialis (Grunow) Jörgensen, 1905, and the macroalgae Saccharina latissima (Linnaeus). Our results indicated that the EtOAc method is as efficient as the Folch method in extracting lipids from Atlantic salmon fillets and freeze‐dried C. finmarchicus (p &gt; 0.05). However, the relative lipid yields from frozen and freeze‐dried P. glacialis and S. latissima were 49.5% and 27.3%, respectively, when substituting the Folch method with the EtOAc method. Therefore, we recommend the adoption of EtOAc as a sustainable alternative for materials high in neutral lipids to avoid the underestimation of polar and complex lipids. However, the proportion of PUFAs in the extracted lipids was determined not only by the choice of solvent but also by the biological composition of the materials. We encourage future efforts to choose a suitable lipid extraction method considering the characteristics of the raw materials and their composing lipids, in addition to the trade‐offs between extraction efficiency and sustainability.

Implementation of Quality of Design for the Development of Bilayer Tablet

Different drug release properties for different drugs contained in each layer of a bilayer tablet are rarely achievable with regular tablets. Additionally, these tablets help avoid physicochemical incompatibilities between medications and excipients. The successful production of such more complicated dosage forms depends on screening the material qualities of APIs and excipients and optimizing the processing parameters of each unit operations of the manufacturing process. In order to meet safety and efficacy regulations, these operations need to be properly monitored and managed to produce a drug product with acceptable quality and performance. Blending, granulation, pre-compression, and main compression are critical stages when formulation qualities and production processes should be tuned to avoid problems like weight variation, segregation, and delamination of particular components. Bilayer tablets, as opposed to ordinary tablets, offer distinct drug release properties for certain medications that are housed in each layer. These tablets also help to avoid physicochemical incompatibilities between drugs and excipients. The successful manufacturing of such more complex dosage forms depends on screening the material attributes of API and excipients and optimizing the processing parameters of individual unit operations of the manufacturing process in order to achieve safon of layers, which is frequently encountered during the production of bilayer tablets. For the quality and performance of the medication product to be acceptable, these processes need to be properly watched over and managed. The main objective of this review is to establish the foundation for implementing the Quality by Design (QbD).

Full-Scale Fire Testing to Assess the Risk of Battery Electric Vehicle Fires in Underground Car Parks

Abstract Battery-only electric vehicle (BEV) fires have recently emerged as a significant safety concern in modern society, particularly when they occur in car parking spaces, where the consequences can be severe. While relatively few fatalities and injuries are reported, the associated economic losses are substantial. Car park structures present several challenges from a fire safety perspective, including high energy content, confined geometry, and difficulties in detecting and accessing to the fire’s origin due to smoke accumulation in spaces with limited ventilation and exits. This study investigates this fire hazard by conducting a full-scale fire test on a modern BEV in an instrumented test rig that simulates a segment of an underground car park. The data obtained were compared with standard fire curves to assess the hazard’s characteristics and with the data from a companion study to identify differences between BEV fires in underground and surface car parks. The primary difference observed was deflagration venting, which occurred shortly after the initial ignition of combustible gases accumulated beneath the ceiling, lasting until 13 min and 5 s. This phenomenon led to a rapid initial growth of the BEV fire, which burned more intensely for a shorter duration in the semi-enclosed configuration comparted to the open configuration. The enclosed fire recorded an average ceiling-jet temperature of approximately 1100°C and a peak incident heat flux exceeding 225 kW/m2. Additionally, thermal runaway within the lithium-ion battery cells was analysed to understand the adverse effects of the enclosed environment on thermal runaway propagation. This fire testing provides critical insights for developing firefighting strategies including the proper preparation of equipment and the design of fire protection systems. The principal findings could inform tactics for mitigating unforeseen fire risks and contribute to revisions of fire safety regulations.

Analisis Risiko dan Strategi Peningkatan Keselamatan Kerja di Sektor Industri Manufaktur: Tinjauan Literatur

Workplace safety in the manufacturing sector is a critical issue, given the high incidence of workplace accidents that may hurt the company and the workers. This study was conducted to analyze occupational safety risks and strategies for improvement, with a focus on the challenges faced in implementing safety policies that are often suboptimal. This research is a literature review employing a descriptive approach, where data from various secondary sources such as academic journals, reports, and official publications are systematically analyzed. The findings of the study indicate four main categories of occupational safety risks in the industrial sector: physical, chemical, ergonomic, and psychosocial risks. The application of technologies, such as automation and monitoring sensors based on the Internet of Things (IoT), has proven effective in reducing workplace accidents, but access to these technologies remains limited. Additional challenges include cost limitations, low worker awareness, weak safety culture implementation, and suboptimal enforcement of safety regulations. This study recommends the importance of collaboration between governments, companies, and workers to strengthen safety culture through investment in technology, ongoing training, and more rigorous regulation enforcement. With these measures, workplace safety in the industrial sector is expected to improve significantly and sustainably. Keywords: industrial risk, occupational safety, regulation, safety strategy

Method Validation for Estimation of Imidacloprid and its Metabolites in Maize and Soil by LCMS-MS.

Validation of Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) method was performed for estimation of imidacloprid (IM) and its metabolites in maize leaves, immature kernels, mature kernels, stalk, and soil using liquid chromatograph tandem mass spectrometry, coupled with electrospray ionization. The extraction in different matrices of maize and soil was performed using acetonitrile +0.1% formic acid followed by clean-up with primary secondary amine sorbent and anhydrous magnesium sulfate. The method was validated in terms of selectivity, linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, matrix effect, ion ratios, quality control, robustness, accuracy, and precision. The validation of all parameters was done in accordance with European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) guidelines. A linear relationship with high correlation coefficients R2 > 0.99 was obtained for solvents and different matrices viz., maize leaves, immature kernels, mature kernels, stalk, and soil. The recovery and relative standard deviations were ˃78% and ˂5.4%, respectively. This method permits a simple, sensitive, accurate, cost-effective, precise, and rapid extraction of IM and its metabolites from maize leaves, immature kernels, mature kernels, stalks, and soil. This can help the residue analysts to address effective residue estimation, regular monitoring of residues and can also aid in the regulatory and food safety concerns about the usage of IM in maize.

RELEVÂNCIA SOCIOCULTURAL E ECONÔMICA DA PRODUÇÃO DE QUEIJOS ARTESANAIS NO BRASIL: IMPORTÂNCIA E HISTÓRICO

The production of artisanal cheeses in Brazil is a deep-rooted cultural and historical practice that preserves regional traditions. In addition to strengthening the geographic identity and producing territories, the activity increases in the value to dairy products and promotes the appreciation of local production systems.Thus, this study aimed to carry out a literature review on the importance of artisanal cheeses, addressing the challenges related to microbiological safety, standardization and sustainable production in Brazil. The artisanal production of each variety of cheese, such as Minas Artesanal and Canastra, presents differences in physical-chemical composition and production method, resulting in specific sensory characteristics, influenced by regional factors such as milk composition and environmental conditions. Despite its importance, the artisanal cheese show significant challenges, especially, in the microbiological safety and political regulation of the activity. The raw milk use and the lack of adequate hygiene and sanitation practices increase the risk of contamination by microorganisms such as Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus and coliforms, reducing the quality of the final product. Food safety has become a challenge due to the use of raw milk in the production of artisanal cheeses, and the adoption of good manufacturing practices, associated political regulations and initiatives such as the Selo Arte, are essential to promote the quality and commercial viability of these products.

Qualitative Research of the Multimodal In-Vehicle Interaction Systems Latency Perception

As the automotive industry evolves towards greater technological intelligence, multimodal in-vehicle interaction systems introduce new challenges, particularly in managing system latency-the delay between user input and system response. This study aims to explore how various factors influence latency perception in in-vehicle multimodal interactions, offering a comprehensive framework to guide future design improvements. Our research, conducted in three phases, began with mapping key input and output modalities through literature reviews and expert evaluations. We then examined real-world user experiences to identify specific latency-related issues in common interaction scenarios. Finally, focus groups refined a framework that categorizes tasks based on interaction complexity, sensitivity, and tolerance to latency. The framework highlights how different modalities impact user sensitivity to delays and their tolerance levels, providing valuable insights for designers. It emphasizes that tasks requiring higher cognitive engagement and quicker responses demand more attention to latency. Although focused on intelligent vehicles, the framework is applicable to traditional vehicles with similar systems and aligns with upcoming safety regulations. This research contributes to creating safer, more intuitive in-vehicle systems that enhance user experience and meet regulatory standards.

Firearms Industry Immunity From Safety Regulation—A Call to Action

Firearms Industry Immunity From Safety Regulation—A Call to Action

Pharmacovigilance systems for safety monitoring of herbal medicines: assessment of the national regulatory authority, manufacturers and marketing authorisation holders in Tanzania.

The increase in the consumption of herbal medicines and their documented adverse reactions (ARs) necessitate countries to have good pharmacovigilance (PV) systems at all levels. PV systems should be frequently assessed in a systematic manner with available harmonised tools to monitor the implementation of efforts, strengthen the systems and identify areas for improvement. This study aimed to assess the performance of pharmacovigilance and its quality systems for monitoring herbal medicine safety at the National PV Centre at the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA), manufacturers and herbal medicine marketing authorisation holders (MAHs) to identify gaps, challenges and opportunities for improvement. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using structured interviews with key informants, questionnaires administered by the researchers and document analysis. A retrospective study of suspected ARs to herbal medicines received via the TMDA was also performed. Policies and a legal framework for regulatory control and safety monitoring of herbal medicines were in place with a well-established and functional PV system at the TMDA. However, some gaps and challenges in the safety monitoring of herbal medicines, such as underreporting, lack of training, and dissemination of PV information, have been identified. A total of 18 reports containing 40 suspected herbal medicine ARs were received at the TMDA. Among the MAHs, only 64% had PV systems, with only 29% having mechanisms for the collection of ARs from their products. Only a few MAHs (39%) had a qualified person in the PV. The majority of the MAHs (64%) had established a quality system for PV; however, the systems were inadequate. Deliberate efforts need to be made to strengthen herbal medicine safety monitoring at the regulatory level. MAHs need to develop efficient PV systems and recruit qualified persons to identify safety issues related to herbal medicines.

Assessing Aflatoxin Exposure in the United Arab Emirates (UAE): Biomonitoring AFM1 levels in Urine Samples and their Association with Dietary Habits.

Aflatoxins, known for their carcinoginc properties and produced by Aspergillus fungi, pose a substantial threat to public health, particularly in regions with hot and humid climates, where individuals are exposed to these toxins through contaminated food. The primary objective of this study was to assess the extent of aflatoxin exposure in the Emirate of Sharjah employing Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) as a biomarker in urine samples from adult participants. Furthermore, this study aimed to explore the relationship between dietary habits and AFM1 levels in order to establish a potential link. In a cross-sectional study design, a total of 144 adults (73 females and 71 males) were recruited for participation. The urine samples obtained from participants were subjected to analysis for AFM1 concentrations utilizing the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Additionally, structured questionnaires were administered to collect information on the dietary and lifestyle habits of the participants. To explore the relationship between dietary factors and AFM1 levels, various statistical analyses, including linear regression and the Mann-Whitney U test, were performed. AFM1 was detected in 69% of the samples under invstigation, wherein males exhibited a higher mean level (0.912ng/mg creatinine) in comparison to females (0.676ng/mg creatinine). The overall mean concentration of AFM1 was determined to be 0.792ng/mg creatinine. It is worth noting that there was a significant correlation between rice consumption and heightened AFM1 exposure among males, while no such correlation was observed among females. This study conducted in the UAE provides novel perspectives on aflatoxin exposure, shedding light on the gender-specific correlation between rice consumption and aflatoxin levels among males. These findings hold significant implications for guiding public health interventions and underscore the pivotal role of ongoing surveillance and stringent food safety regulations in mitigating the hazards associated with aflatoxin contamination.

Seaworthiness of autonomous vessels and remote operation center in the context of marine insurance

Abstract Seaworthiness has been an important issue in marine insurance since 18th century in English law. The IMO is currently preparing the MASS code under which remote operation centers are considered as an extension of a ship as the persons which form the crew of an autonomous vessel are onshore navigating the vessel from distance. This changes the existing legal picture completely in relation to the previous case law in which the English law is based on. However, the Nordic Marine Insurance Plan has not applied the concept of seaworthiness since 2013 and only operates with the concept of safety regulations. This article compares these two approaches which are dominating the marine insurance markets of today. The reactions of the underwriters are very different under these two legal regimes in relation to autonomous shipping, which will be a reality in international traffic since 2025 when the non-mandatory MASS code enters into force under the SOLAS.

Evaluating and Managing Potential Risks Associated with Top-Iced Produce

Top icing of produce is a practice used to preserve freshness and extend shelf life during transport and storage for some fresh produce items. However, there are concerns about possible food safety risks associated with this practice, especially regarding managing ice water and the potential for cross-contamination in distribution centers and warehouses. Food safety regulations such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Preventive Controls for Human Food rule require distribution centers and warehouses to evaluate hazards and identify those that need a preventive control as defined in the rule. Here, we outline how to evaluate and manage risks associated with top icing. Each operation should assess potential hazards associated with the commodity, facility, and management practices to determine if they are adequately managed as Good Manufacturing Practices or require the implementation of preventive controls within a food safety plan. Facilities should assess risks of receiving, handling, and storing top-iced produce, including supplier programs, potential cross-contamination points, pallet stacking, and slotting procedures, among others. Risk-based measures can be implemented to reduce food safety concerns associated with top-iced produce. These measures include transitioning to iceless produce, maintaining cold temperatures, single stacking produce pallets, establishing dedicated wet rooms, implementing drainage systems, shrouding or adding liners under pallets, and implementing appropriate cleaning and sanitizing schedules.