Food Safety and Health最新文献

This study aimed to evaluate the lipid-lowering potential of Dioscorea bulbifera (Dana) flours subjected to culinary treatments. Two varieties of Dana were boiled and braised and then processed into flours and incorporated at 25% and 50% into the standard diet of rats. Obesity and hyperlipidemia were induced by feeding the animals with a high-calorie diet. Ninety rats were followed for 4 weeks, and lipid and enzyme parameters were assessed. Braising and boiling supplemented in the diet resulted in a reduction in body weight and an increase in food consumption. Supplementation with Dana flours significantly (p < 0.05) reduced lipid parameters compared to the control group. The reduction was more pronounced in female than male rats, where values were 76.29 and 70.37 for total cholesterol, 137.15 and 122.18 for triglycerides, and 24.85 and 18.65 mg/dL for LDL-C, respectively, in male and female rats fed with white braised Dana (WBrD) at 25%. However, the increase was observed with HDL-C (32.99 mg/dL male rats fed WBrD 50%) comparatively to the positive control group (17.31 mg/dL male rats). No significant adverse effects on renal or hepatic biomarkers were observed. In conclusion, culinary processing enhances the lipid-lowering potential of Dana, particularly when braised and supplemented at 25%.

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder affecting approximately 10% of adults. This study aimed to evaluate the sedative effects of vanillin (VAN) and its combination with diazepam (DZP) in thiopental sodium (TS)-induced sleeping mice. Mice received VAN (25 and 50 mg/kg, i.p.) or DZP (2 mg/kg, i.p.), followed by TS (20 mg/kg, i.p.) after 30 min to assess sleep latency and duration over 3 h. Additionally, we also used molecular docking and visualization to assess the VAN and DZP's GABA_A receptor binding affinities and interactions. VAN significantly reduced sleep latency and prolonged sleep duration in a dose-dependent manner. At 50 mg/kg, VAN decreased latency to 7.40 ± 1.44 min and increased sleep duration to 134.80 ± 6.82 min. When combined with DZP, VAN further enhanced sedative effects, reducing latency to 3.00 ± 0.83 min and extending sleep to 154.40 ± 7.4 min. Molecular docking showed that VAN binds to α1 and β2 subunits of the GABA_A receptor with a −5.5 kcal/mol affinity and can cross the blood–brain barrier. These findings suggest that VAN has mild sedative effects and enhances the activity of DZP via GABAergic pathways, highlighting its potential as a complementary agent in sleep disorder management.

Street food enterprises are integral to the economies of low- and middle-income countries, providing vital income and employment opportunities due to their low entry barriers and minimal capital investment requirements. Despite their economic significance, concerns have emerged regarding the quality and safety of street-vended foods, primarily because of knowledge deficits and poor food-handling practices. This study aimed to assess the food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of street food vendors while also examining the microbial load present in popular street food items in Jashore. A cross-sectional analysis involving 129 randomly selected vendors revealed that over 70% possessed adequate basic knowledge of food safety. However, the translation of this knowledge into effective food-handling practices was found to be limited, significantly influenced by factors such as gender, educational background, and vending experience. The deficiencies in proper food handling practices correlated with elevated microbial hazards in seven common street food items, including the presence of antibiotic-resistant strains, which pose serious public health risks. These findings underscore the pressing need for comprehensive educational programs and training initiatives that aim to enhance food safety practices among street food vendors, thereby ensuring the provision of safe and high-quality street foods and safeguarding public health.

Biopolymer-based films are attracting attention as an environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to plastic in food packaging due to their reduced ecological impact. In this context, this study investigates the effect of storage time on the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and functional characteristics of pectin-based films enriched with Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary essential oil, REO) and Syzygium aromaticum (clove essential oil, CLEO) essential oils (EOs). The films were created using the solution casting technique, and their properties were monitored over 4 weeks at room temperature. Both formulations demonstrated remarkable inhibition zones ranging from 11 to 22 mm against bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus (B1), Listeria monocytogenes (B397), Escherichia coli (STCC 434), and Salmonella typhimurium (STCC 4594). Incorporating EOs improved the films' elongation at break (EB) and reduced their tensile strength (TS), whereas their moisture content and thickness were reduced. The CLEO-enriched film exhibited stronger antioxidant capacity compared to the REO-based film. Over time, both films' antibacterial and antioxidant properties decreased, whereas the moisture content increased. Additionally, a small reduction in mechanical strength was observed after 4 weeks of storage.

Biopolymer-based films are attracting attention as an environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to plastic in food packaging due to their reduced ecological impact. In this context, this study investigates the effect of storage time on the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and functional characteristics of pectin-based films enriched with Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary essential oil, REO) and Syzygium aromaticum (clove essential oil, CLEO) essential oils (EOs). The films were created using the solution casting technique, and their properties were monitored over 4 weeks at room temperature. Both formulations demonstrated remarkable inhibition zones ranging from 11 to 22 mm against bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus (B1), Listeria monocytogenes (B397), Escherichia coli (STCC 434), and Salmonella typhimurium (STCC 4594). Incorporating EOs improved the films' elongation at break (EB) and reduced their tensile strength (TS), whereas their moisture content and thickness were reduced. The CLEO-enriched film exhibited stronger antioxidant capacity compared to the REO-based film. Over time, both films' antibacterial and antioxidant properties decreased, whereas the moisture content increased. Additionally, a small reduction in mechanical strength was observed after 4 weeks of storage.

Cadmium poisoning is a serious threat to human health and environmental safety. Remediation of this metal from water is crucial to ensure the availability of clean and safe water. In this study, the seeds and leaves of Moringa oleifera were employed as biosorbents for the removal of Cd from water. Various parameters such as pH, temperature, particle size, biomass dose, initial metal concentration, and metal exposure time were investigated. Statistical tools were used to examine the statistical significance of each parameter's effect investigated. The parameter such as pH affects ionization and surface binding, biomass dose controls the availability of active sites, and temperature impacts adsorption thermodynamics. SEM and EDS data indicate that the morphological and elemental analyses of the biomaterials post adsorption are clear evidence of Cd binding on biomaterial surfaces. The results of this study revealed that seeds and leaves were effective in removing Cd from water. The seeds showed an average adsorption efficiency of 91.16% for the cadmium metal ion, whereas leaves exhibited an average adsorption efficiency of 86.69%, comparatively less but noteworthy. These results clearly underscore the effectiveness of M. oleifera as a low-cost biomaterial for the removal of Cd from water, adding to its glory as a potential medicinal plant.

Triazole fungicides (TFs) are widely used but pose health risks. Among them, cyproconazole, paclobutrazol, tebuconazole, metconazole, and diniconazole have high exceedance rates and exhibit hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, necessitating simple and sensitive detection methods. Therefore, this study employed magnetic cotton stalk biochar (Fe₃O₄/CSBC) prepared via a one-step impregnation–pyrolysis process for rapid magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) of TFs in juice samples. Key extraction parameters were optimized using liquid chromatography–ultraviolet detection (LC–UV): 5 mg of adsorbent, 2 mL of sample, and 5 min of adsorption time were sufficient for complete extraction, followed by elution with 100 μL of acetonitrile for 5 min. Quantitative analysis was performed using LC–MS/MS, and isotope-labeled internal standards effectively corrected for matrix effects. The linear R² value was > 0.995, recovery rates ranged from 85.76% to 119.68%, and the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.012–0.052 ng·mL⁻¹. This method does not require centrifugation, has low solvent consumption, promotes the resource utilization of agricultural waste, and supports sustainable analytical practices. Therefore, future investigations may explore its application for detecting a broader range of pesticides, additives, and contaminants.

Triazole fungicides (TFs) are widely used but pose health risks. Among them, cyproconazole, paclobutrazol, tebuconazole, metconazole, and diniconazole have high exceedance rates and exhibit hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, necessitating simple and sensitive detection methods. Therefore, this study employed magnetic cotton stalk biochar (Fe₃O₄/CSBC) prepared via a one-step impregnation–pyrolysis process for rapid magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) of TFs in juice samples. Key extraction parameters were optimized using liquid chromatography–ultraviolet detection (LC–UV): 5 mg of adsorbent, 2 mL of sample, and 5 min of adsorption time were sufficient for complete extraction, followed by elution with 100 μL of acetonitrile for 5 min. Quantitative analysis was performed using LC–MS/MS, and isotope-labeled internal standards effectively corrected for matrix effects. The linear R² value was > 0.995, recovery rates ranged from 85.76% to 119.68%, and the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.012–0.052 ng·mL⁻¹. This method does not require centrifugation, has low solvent consumption, promotes the resource utilization of agricultural waste, and supports sustainable analytical practices. Therefore, future investigations may explore its application for detecting a broader range of pesticides, additives, and contaminants.

This review paper provides a comprehensive overview of how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming food safety, particularly in detection and surveillance technologies. It highlights AI approaches such as machine learning (ML), deep learning (DL), natural language processing (NLP), and computer vision, emphasizing their role in detecting physical, chemical, and microbial contaminants, ensuring quality control, and predicting outbreaks. This paper also examines real-world applications and recent case studies while addressing challenges such as data privacy, technical barriers, and regulatory acceptance. Furthermore, it proposes future research directions, including AI–IoT integration, blockchain-enabled traceability, and quantum computing applications. By synthesizing recent developments (2021–2024), this review aims to guide researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders toward leveraging AI for a safer and more resilient food supply chain.

The extensive application of carbendazim in agricultural practices has resulted in detectable residues across food commodities, necessitating the development of a rapid, sensitive, and field-deployable analytical platform for multiscenario monitoring. In this work, the multimode immunochromatography assay based on portable instruments has been constructed for sensitive and rapid detection of carbendazim. Under optimized working parameters, the visual detection mode (Mode 1) has achieved a visual detection limit of 1.0 ng/mL for carbendazim. The immunochromatography assay (Mode 2) based on a portable reader has realized the detection of carbendazim in the range from 1.0 to 500.0 ng/mL with an LOD as low as 0.32 ng/mL. The PC platform (Mode 3) developed in PyCharm software based on RGB values on the T line was conducted for carbendazim, achieving a detection range of 1.0–500.0 ng/mL and an LOD as low as 0.033 ng/mL. The accuracy and effectiveness of the developed multimode immunochromatography assay were successfully verified by HPLC and ELISA for the determination of carbendazim in tomato, cucumber, and tea samples. The proposed multimode immunochromatography assay provides a new mutual verification strategy for the rapid, sensitive detection of carbendazim and other pesticides in fruits and vegetables.