Research Publications (Food Safety)

The survival and virulence of Listeria monocytogenes was assessed during storage on three low-moisture foods (LMFs), chocolate liquor, corn flakes and shelled, dry-roasted pistachios (a w 0.18, 0.27, 0.20). The LMFs were inoculated with a 4-strain cocktail of L. monocytogenes at 8 log CFU/g, dried, equilibrated and then stored at 4°C, 25–81% relative humidity (RH) and 23°C, 30–35% RH for at least 336 days. At 4°C, L. monocytogenes remained stable on the LMFs for at least 336 days.

In Japan, strategies for ensuring food safety have been developed without reliable scientific evidence on the relation between foodborne infections and foods. The aim of this research was to provide information on the proportions of foodborne diseases caused by seven major causative pathogens ( Campylobacte r spp., Salmonella spp., EHEC, V. parahaemolyticus , Clostridium perfringens , Staphylococcus aureus , and Norovirus) attributable to foods using analysis of outbreak surveillance data.

Salmonella is an important foodborne pathogen that causes public health problem globally, and chicken meat is considered as an important reservoir of Salmonella dissemination to humans. Furthermore, the increase of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Salmonella has intensified the problem.

As demand for fresh-cut produce increases, minimizing the risk of salmonellosis becomes critical for the produce industry. Sanitizers are routinely used during commercial flume washing of fresh-cut produce to minimize cross-contamination from the wash water .

Author(s): Aniket Satish More, Chaminda Senaka Ranadheera, Zhongxiang Fang, Robyn Warner, Said Ajlouni

Aims: Domestic violence is a major health concern and a largely hidden crime. It is estimated that authorities receive information in only a minority of cases. This study investigated seasonal patterns in seeking help for domestic violence by employing Google data. Methods: We utilised monthly Google search data and police calls made in Finland in 2017 to analyse seasonal variation in seeking help for domestic violence.

Aims: This study aimed to describe the demographic and geographic patterns of campylobacteriosis in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden during 2000–2015. Methods: All Campylobacter infections notified to national authorities in the four countries during the study period were included. Background data for each notification consisted of patient age, sex, geographical location, presumed origin of infection and date of sample taken or date of sample received in the laboratory.

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) includes a time-to-harvest interval following the application of noncompliant water to preharvest produce to allow for microbial die-off. However, additional scientific evidence is needed to support this rule. This study aimed to determine the impact of weather on the die-off rate of Escherichia coli and Salmonella on spinach and lettuce under field conditions.

The uncontrolled use of pesticides on leafy vegetables has been frequently reported in recent years. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of pH, total acidity and various technological processes for the preparation of babenda on pesticide residues contained in leafy vegetable. The "babenda" is a Burkinabè dish consisting mainly of Hibiscus sabdariffa, Amaranthus hybridus and Cleome gynandra coarsely cut from steamed rice.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most commonly found mycotoxins across the world, and it mainly contaminates staple food crops. This study aims to evaluate the dietary exposure of DON and to provide a geographical profile of DON exposure in China.

As a class of mycotoxins with regulatory and public health significance, aflatoxins (e.g., aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2) have attracted unparalleled attention from government, academia and industry due to their chronic and acute toxicity. Aflatoxins are secondary metabolites of various Aspergillus species, which are ubiquitous in the environment and can grow on a variety of crops whereby accumulation is impacted by climate influences.

Push‐pull involves intercropping of cereals with Desmodium as a ‘push’ crop and planting Napier grass/Brachiaria as the ‘pull’ crop at the border. The technology has been reported to effectively control stemborers, striga weed and fall armyworm (FAW), and to improve soil nutrition resulting in increased grain yield.

Patulin (PAT) is a mycotoxin that can contaminate many foods and especially fruits and fruit‐based products. Therefore, accurate and effective testing is necessary to enable producers to comply with regulations and promote food safety. Traditional approaches involving the use of chemical compounds or physical treatments in food have provided practical methods that have been used to date.

Microplastics (MPs) have become a global environmental pollutant because of their unique properties. The extensive MP toxicity reports have focused on the aquatic environment, while the pervasive MP contamination in the soil and air has largely been overlooked. This review summarizes the abundance, sources and transport of MPs in different environments.

In this study, melon (n = 60) and sesame (n = 60) seeds purchased from markets within Benue and Nasarawa states, respectively, in Nigeria, during two seasons (dry and wet), were analysed for fungal and mycotoxin contamination in order to determine the safety of these foods for human consumption.

A gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry method was developed to determine the chemical composition of alcoholic beverages. Extraction was performed with 280 μl of butyl acetate added to 1.7 ml of the sample and placed into 2 ml gas chromatograph auto‐injector vial. One microliter from the upper organic layer was analyzed. Natural constituents (i.e., phenylethyl alcohol, 4‐hydroxybenzoate) found in beers and wines were profiled.

As a global public health problem, food safety has attracted increasing concern. To minimize the risk exposure of food to harmful ingredients, food quality and safety inspection that covers the whole process of “from farm to fork” is much desired. Fluorescent sensing is a promising and powerful screening tool for sensing hazardous substances in food and thus plays a crucial role in promoting food safety assurance.

Due to high toxicity to mammals and hazard to the ecosystem, parathion has been banned or limited for use in many countries. It is essential to ensure food safety by parathion suspecting. On-site testing, as a critical component of the food chain safe system, plays a major role in the protection of food safety and human health.

Background Pyraclostrobin and picoxystrobin are two representative pesticides of strobilurins used to treat cucumber downy mildew, which have raised issues of food safety and human health. A new formulation containing these two compounds is being prepared for marketing in China.

Contamination of agricultural and food products by some fungi species that produce mycotoxins can result in unsafe food and feed. Mycotoxins have been demonstrated to have disease‐causing activities, including carcinogenicity, immune toxicity, teratogenicity, neurotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and hepatotoxicity. Most of mycotoxins are heat stable and cannot be easily destroyed by conventional thermal food processing or domestic cooking methods.

Risks exist anywhere along the food supply chain; however, the vast majority of negative safety outcomes occur during the handling, preparation, storage, retail and vending of food, and disposing of waste. This study examined the food safety standards followed by street-food vendors in two large cities of India, Hyderabad and Delhi in 2017 after the introduction of the Food Safety and Standards Rules.

The aim of this research was to observe the combined usability of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus durans strains, which are resistant to adverse environmental conditions, together with commercial probiotic starters in the production of probiotic fermented milk. Accordingly, eight different probiotic fermented milks were produced; AF:Lactobacillus acidophilus + Enterococcus faecium, BF:Bifidobacterium animalis subsp.

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Cyromazine and acetamiprid are widely applied as pesticides in agriculture, causing increasing concerns about their residues in crops. In this study, cyromazine, acetamiprid and their mixture were applied to cowpea to investigate their degradation dynamics and perform a dietary risk assessment.

BACKGROUND Increased awareness of consumers on food safety promotes the development of rapid and sensitive detection techniques for pesticide residues. In this study, a new type of rapid detection card for organophosphorus (OPs) and carbamates (CMs) pesticide residues was developed by electrospinning.

Innovation in colorimetric sensors to detect early signs of food spoilage is a growing interest in food safety and quality control. Currently available chemical dyes for sensor applications have concern because of their possible migration into food packaging and food in contact. In this study, a colorimetric indicator was developed using natural butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea) anthocyanin with Sago (Metroxylon sagu) as polymeric film.