Food Hygiene

BACKGROUND: Food safety is a serious challenge in the face of increasing population and diminishing resources. Staphylococcus aureus is a critical foodborne pathogen characterized by its capability to secret a diverse range of heat-resistant enterotoxins. Antibiotic usage in dairy herds resulted in the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns among bacterial species, which were consequently transmitted to humans via dairy products. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) produce bacteriocins, which provide an excellent source of natural antimicrobials with the further advantage of being environmentally friendly and safe...

AIM: To evaluate the microbiological safety, potential multidrug resistant bacterial presence and genetic relatedness (DNA fingerprints) of Escherichia coli isolated from the water-soil-plant nexus on highly diverse fresh produce smallholder farms. METHODS AND RESULTS: Irrigation water (n = 44), soil (n = 85), and fresh produce (n = 95) samples, from six smallholder farms with different production systems, were analysed for hygiene indicator bacterial counts and the presence of shigatoxigenic E...

Phthalates and the substitute plasticizer DINCH belong to the first group of priority substances investigated by the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU) to answer policy-relevant questions and safeguard an efficient science-to-policy transfer of results. Human internal exposure levels were assessed using two data sets from all European regions and Israel. The first collated existing human biomonitoring (HBM) data (2005-2019). The second consisted of new data generated in the harmonized "HBM4EU Aligned Studies" (2014-2021) on children and teenagers for the ten most relevant phthalates and DINCH, accompanied by a quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program for 17 urinary exposure biomarkers...

COVID-19 caused profound societal changes to cope rapidly with the new circumstances. The food market changed its quantity, quality, form, and frequency dynamics. Consequently, food-eating habits and lifestyles like physical exercise likely experienced changes. An online-based survey was conducted between June 2020 and January 2021 in the metropolitan regions of Rhine Ruhr Metropolis (RRM), Greater São Paulo (GSP), other metropolitan regions in São Paulo state (oMRSP), other Brazilian metropolitan regions (oBRMR), and the remaining urban areas in both countries (oUA), representing different contexts of Brazil and Germany...

Hepatitis E infection is typically caused by contaminated water or food. In July and August 2022, an outbreak of hepatitis E was reported in a nursing home in Zhejiang Province, China. Local authorities and workers took immediate actions to confirm the outbreak, investigated the sources of infection and routes of transmission, took measures to terminate the outbreak, and summarized the lessons learned. An epidemiological investigation was conducted on all individuals in the nursing home, including demographic information, clinical symptoms, history of dietary, water intake and contact...

AIM: To systematically review the evidence from published literature about the impact of war on oral health among children and adults. METHODOLOGY: The electronic search was carried out in the following databases Pubmed, Cochrane, Scopus, Embase, Google Scholar. In vitro studies, cross-sectional, case control studies, and randomized controlled trials conducted during the war time were included. Cross-sectional and case control studies were assessed based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, whereas randomized controlled trials were assessed based on the ROBINS-I tool...

The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped every aspect of life, including food safety. Understanding food safety behaviour at home is necessary for developing effective strategies to mitigate foodborne disease during and after this pandemic. This study administered a cross-sectional survey among 503 domestic food handlers to examine the food handlers' food safety concerns during the pandemic and pandemic-related knowledge and hygiene behaviour (PRKHB) in Bangladesh. The results found that only 35.8% of respondents in this study were more concerned about food safety because of the COVID-19 pandemic...

Infections pose a significant threat to morbidity and mortality during treatments for pediatric cancer patients. Efforts to minimize the risk of infection necessitate preventive measures encompassing both environmental and host-focused strategies. While a substantial number of infections in oncologic patients originate from microorganisms within their native microbiological environment, such as the oral cavity, intestines, and skin, the concrete risk of bloodstream infections linked to the consumption of contaminated food and beverages in the community cannot be overlooked...

The aim of the study was to explore the concept of quality food in the opinion of key informants of the food system. This qualitative research included 208 key informants related to the food supply for Brazilian public food services. The participants were grouped into three groups according to their participation in the food system: 1. Food production; 2. Management and marketing; 3. Meal's production process. Key informants answered the following question: "In your opinion, what is quality food?". The answers were analysed through qualitative content analysis...

The aim was to determine the association between plaque and gingival inflammation reported by dietary interventions. Data of four clinical studies dealing with changed nutrition and gingival examination were reanalyzed with regard to gingival inflammation (GI), plaque (PI), and bleeding on probing (BOP). Dietary changes basically involved avoiding sugar, white flour and sweetened drinks and focusing on whole foods for 4 weeks. The control groups were to maintain their usual diet. All participants had to reduce their oral hygiene efforts...

AISI 304L stainless steel is widely used in the processing equipment and food and beverage handling industries due to its corrosion resistance, hygienic properties, and cost-effectiveness. However, it is prone to pitting and crevice corrosion phenomena, the development of which can be influenced by factors such as chloride concentration, temperature, humidity, and bacterial presence. Surface treatments, including roughness levels and residual tensile stress, can significantly affect the corrosion behavior and resistance of the material...

Listeriosis is a globally rare foodborne disease that causes fetal-placental infection, leading to adverse pregnancy outcome, while limited research among pregnant women is available in China. This study was therefore aimed at analyzing the incidence, clinical manifestations, and clinical outcome of listeriosis among pregnant women and its associated dietary behavior risk factors in prevention. A hospital-based case-control study had been conducted from January 2017 to December 2021. Clinical data, laboratory information, and questionnaires including dietary behaviors and personal hygiene were collected within 2 days after case diagnosis...

PURPOSE: Adolescents and adults with Down syndrome are noted to display symptoms and behaviors consistent with a diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. While evidenced-based interventions, including psychopharmacology and therapeutic interventions including exposure and response prevention, exist and effectively treat obsessive-compulsive symptoms in neurotypical populations, less is known about effective treatments for similar presentations in persons with Down syndrome. METHODS: A scoping rapid review was conducted in April 2023 to determine what treatments are being used to target obsessive-compulsive symptoms and related behaviors in adolescents and adults with Down syndrome, the quality of those treatments, and their alignment with current evidenced-based interventions...

This work describes a novel analytical method using capillary electrophoresis (CE) with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (C4 D) for simultaneous, simple, and rapid determination of three inorganic phosphates (orthophosphate, pyrophosphate, and tripolyphosphate) widely used as food additives and in pharmaceutical formulations. A background electrolyte composed of 0.5 mol L-1 acetic acid provided fast separation (around 3.0 min) and good separation efficiency and peak resolution...

OBJECTIVE: To establishe an analysis and identification method for 2-methylisoborneol(2-MIB) and geosmin(GSM) in water using purge and trap-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. METHODS: The samples were enriched and analyzed using a purge and trap system, followed by the separation on a DB-624(30 m×0.25 mm, 1.4 μm) chromatographic column. Quantification was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with the selected ion monitoring and internal standard calibration...

OBJECTIVE: To establish a method for twelve halobenzoquinones(HBQs) in drinking water by solid phase extraction-ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray-tandem mass spectrometry(SPE-UPLC-MS/MS). METHODS: The drinking water was acidified with formic acid and concentrated by Bond Elut Plexa solid phase extraction column. The sample solution was separated using Waters ACQUITY HSS T3 column(100 mm×2.1 mm, 1.8 μm) with gradient elution using methanol-water containing 0...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects and possible mechanisms of negative air ions(NAIs) on blood pressure, oxidative stress, and inflammatory status in spontaneous hypertension rats(SHR). METHODS: A total of 60 SHR(half male and half female) were randomly divided into one-month and three-month groups, 30 rats per groups, based on the duration of the intervention. Each group was further randomized into three groups based on the daily intervention time: SHR control group, 2 h NAIs-SHR group, and 6 h NAIs-SHR group, 10 rats per groups...

OBJECTIVE: To establish an analytical method for determining the migration of 24 elements in Yixing clay pottery in 4% acetic acid simulated solution by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. METHODS: Four types of Yixing clay pottery, including Yixing clay teapot, Yixing clay kettle, Yixing clay pot, and Yixing clay electric stew pot, were immersed in 4% acetic acid as a food simulant for testing. The migration amount of 24 elements in the migration solution was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry...

OBJECTIVE: To establish a method for the simultaneous determination of 6 benzodiazepine sedatives residue in aquatic products by high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. METHODS: The samples were extracted with acetonitrile and purified by C_(18 )solid phase extraction column. The sample solution was separated by Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C_(18 )column(2.1 mm×50 mm, 1.7 μm) using 0.1% formic acid and methanol as mobile phase for gradient elution, determined in multiple reaction monitoring mode and quantified by internal standard method...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the changes in protein requirements of the elderly during the past five years. METHODS: Based on the previous study of protein requirements of 14 elderly in 2017, 4 of these elderly(70-80 y) were included as study participants and protein requirements were re-evaluated using the indicator amino acid oxidation method. There were seven protein levels: 0.1, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.2, 1.5 and 1.8 g/(kg·d). Maintenance diets were given for the first two days of each protein level...