Italian Journal of Food Safety最新文献

Wild boar meat is usually available frozen, but the catering industry is also interested in fresh vacuum-chilled meat. This work aims to evaluate the hygienic level of vacuum-packed and refrigerated game meat [Longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle] and to investigate the existence of relationships with other parameters measured at the game handling establishment (GHE). The pH of the LD muscle and carcass surface contamination [aerobic colony count (ACC) and Enterobacteriaceae (EC)] were measured on 12 wild boar regularly processed at a local GHE. Subsequently, 2 cm-thick steaks were taken from the LD muscle at a cutting plant from the same subjects sampled at the GHE and individually vacuum sealed and stored at 2°C for 1, 7, 14, and 21 days. The meat was analyzed for ACC and EC at each storage time and for Escherichia coli β-glucosidase + counts at 21 days. The mean final pH value of the muscle samples was 5.6, and the ACC and EC carcass surface average load was 2.54 and 0.79 Log CFU/cm2, respectively. Meat preparations at 21 days had ACC, EC, and E. coli mean values of 5.80, 3.13, and 2.03 Log CFU/g, respectively. Pearson's analysis showed a significant positive correlation between pH and ACC at day 1 and between EC on carcasses and meat at day 1. The results confirm that if the pH of meat is high, the development of microorganisms is favored, and, therefore, a shorter shelf life is expected. Furthermore, the EC on carcasses seems to be a good index for estimating the hygienic level of the obtained meat.

This study aimed to demonstrate the efficacy of the analytical method proposed for the assessment of the amount of European Union (EU)-regulated perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in broiler chicken livers and to perform preliminary monitoring of hepatic contamination in chickens raised in Italy under different rearing systems. A total of 21 liver samples were analyzed, revealing widespread PFAS contamination, with perfluorooctanoic acid detected in all samples at 0.48-0.66 μg/kg. Perfluorononanoic acid and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid were also found, while perfluorooctanesulfonic acid contamination was observed only in specific samples. The total PFAS amount varied across groups, even though none of the samples exceeded the EU regulatory limits. The PFAS content in livers from rural free-range chickens tended to be higher than that of their indoor counterparts (upper bound: 0.83 vs. 0.67 μg/kg; lower bound: 0.87 vs. 0.71 μg/kg, respectively; p=0.08 and p=0.06), suggesting that access to outdoor environments is a key factor involved in PFAS contamination. Further monitoring across more diverse samples is needed to confirm these preliminary findings and define mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of PFAS contamination.

This research aimed to evaluate the impact of various herbal additions on the quality and sensory attributes of moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam)-based instant beverages. The study was conducted in several laboratories at Tadulako University and the Goods Quality Testing and Certification Unit in Palu. Physicochemical properties (water content, vitamin C, antioxidants, solution pH, and dissolution time) were evaluated using a completely randomized design. At the same time, sensory attributes such as color, aroma, and taste were examined using a randomized block design. The experiment tested six different herbal additions: P0 (no herbs), P1 (red ginger), P2 (lemongrass), P3 (galangal), P4 (white turmeric), and P5 (yellow turmeric), with each treatment repeated three times. Results showed that yellow turmeric yielded the best physicochemical outcomes, with a dissolution time of 83 seconds, a water content of 5.27%, a pH of 6.36, a vitamin C content of 12.44%, and an antioxidant activity of 49.25%. In contrast, red ginger emerged as the most preferred by panelists, scoring highest in terms of color, aroma, and taste, with values of 3.50, 3.97, and 3.60, respectively. The findings indicate that herbal additives can enhance the functional properties and sensory appeal of moringa instant drinks. Yellow turmeric effectively optimized physicochemical traits, making the beverage more suitable for health-conscious consumers. Meanwhile, red ginger improved sensory appeal, increasing the likelihood of consumer acceptance. Future research should optimize the concentrations of yellow turmeric and red ginger to balance their effects on physicochemical and sensory qualities, investigate advanced drying techniques to meet Indonesian National Standard 4320:1996 water content standards, and explore the bioavailability and health impacts of these products.

Sustainable food production systems can be achieved through a circular economy, yet the whole system remains susceptible to various known, emerging, or even unknown/novel food safety hazards and contaminants. These upcycled foods can introduce related risks for human or animal health and ecological balance. These potential risks can be effectively mitigated by adopting integrated smart "safe-by-design" approaches. These multi-effective strategies can cascade far beyond consequences by addressing all potential food safety risks at each stage of the food supply chain, even at the post-consumption stage. Sustainability through circularity without harming food production systems can be achieved by integrating and harmonizing evidence-based risk control strategies, fostered with extensive and objective-oriented research and development, and preemptive ideological relationships with relevant stakeholders. The current review aimed at addressing the possible occurrence and risks associated with potential emerging or unknown hazards/contaminants linked to various production systems, along with relevant mitigation strategies. It also highlights the importance of implementing quality control measures and safety precautions throughout the food supply chain to prevent the occurrence and propagation of hazardous substances. Agricultural production systems can be transformed into sustainable entities by vigilant monitoring of end-product quality through the use of upcycled technologies.

Aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing sectors in global food production, and its expansion has driven the adoption and consolidation of intensive and semi-intensive production methods, which can increase the risk of infectious diseases. The use of various antibacterial compounds for therapeutic purposes has become increasingly common. Monitoring the presence of antimicrobial substances in aquaculture is of the utmost importance to prevent antibiotic resistance and ensure food safety. A multi-residue method was applied to investigate the incidence and the concentration of antibiotic residues in fish flesh collected from Umbria and Marche aquaculture farms over the 4-year period 2020-2023. Due to its rapidity and reliability, this method allowed for the evaluation of 70 antimicrobial molecules in fish flesh and the verification of European Union legislation compliance. Overall, 102 samples were analyzed, and only three antibiotic substances were detected, namely, sulfadiazine, oxytetracycline, and trimethoprim, with a variable presence of positive samples and residue concentration through different seasons, with higher values in winter. The highest value of positive samples was registered in 2021, with 63.2%, followed by 62.2% in 2022 and 51.7% in 2020; 11.1% was registered in 2023. Non-compliant samples were recorded for sulfadiazine (only one at the concentration of 222 μg/kg) and trimethoprim (the concentration ranged from 10 μg/kg to 226 μg/kg). The results indicated that 53.9% of the samples contained residues of authorized substances, with a 6.9% above the respective maximum residue limits.

Food supplements are one of the most widely marketed food categories in the world. In relation to several cases of adverse effects reported due to the plant substances contained in these products, the attention of the scientific communities and public decision-makers should be directed to the physiological effects that can be attributed to these substances and that encourage their increasing sales to consumers. This is the case of the plant Cannabis sativa L. In order to evaluate the scientific validity of the physiological effects attributable to Cannabis sativa, a bibliographic search was carried out on the evidence published. This short manuscript has highlighted how, despite the presence on the market of a large number of plant substances present in food preparations, there is not always clear evidence to support the physiological effects attributed to these products. As a result, it is essential to monitor the market to safeguard the food safety of consumers worldwide.

Thai tea is one of the beverage products that are often ordered by Generation Z through online applications. With the rise of Thai tea drinks in the market, it is suspected that some individuals cheat by adding cyclamate to Thai tea drinks when concocting them to get a good taste and sweetness at a low price. This study aimed to examine the correlation between the level of knowledge and the attitudes of traders regarding the use of cyclamate food additives in Thai tea processed drinks, which are sold through online application-based food delivery services in the Surabaya and Sidoarjo regions. This research was an observational analysis and had a cross-sectional design. The study sample of 46 Thai tea beverage products was taken by simple random sampling. Research shows that there is no link between knowledge (p=0.654), attitudes (p=0.950), and behavior (p=0.849) with the use of cyclamate in Thai tea beverage products. The conclusion of this study is the absence of any connections between knowledge, attitude, behavior, and the use of cyclamates. The results classify Thai tea products, both qualitatively and quantitatively, as safe. Based on questionnaires, respondents had good knowledge, but they also had negative attitudes and behaviors.

This study assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of measures provided for by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 by determining the rate of consignments not complying with European Union legislation placed on the European market despite increased controls through the use of probability theory and Bayes' theorem methods. In addition, it takes into account different provisions for intensified official controls to improve performance. The study revealed that the effectiveness of measures provided, intended as a reduction in the rate of non-compliant consignments placed on the market, appeared limited despite a great effort in terms of performed official controls. This rate was always lower than the rate of the increased controls and closely linked to the test sensitivity and specificity, determined by the combination of sampling procedures with analytical methods. Furthermore, the efficiency, intended as the ratio between the number of analyses carried out and the number of non-compliant consignments found, was just related to the starting prevalence and sensitivity. Instead, the provision for intensified official controls, based on additional checks carried out following each non-compliant result, was able to significantly reduce the rate of non-compliant consignments placed on the market. In conclusion, this study showed that the protection level offered by the measures laid down might not be proportionate to the effort made. To improve effectiveness and efficiency, sampling procedures and analytical methods with high sensitivity and specificity are needed, aided by the availability of reliable information to identify subsets of consignments with a higher prevalence of non-compliance.

Irradiated food acceptance around the world exhibits systematic variabilities across many facets related to citizens' perceived approval ratings of the product. The present research summarizes the empirical evidence on the extent to which people around the world accept irradiated food. A systematic review methodology structured the design and implementation of the present analysis. The authors performed comprehensive searches for studies featuring acceptance rates in two broad databases: Web of Science and Scopus. A total of 27 peer-reviewed articles in the English language covering 24,474 people in 15 different countries provided the survey-based data for the investigation. Results indicated that acceptance of irradiated food increased by a large margin in the past 35 years (33% in 1992 to 67% in 2024). Citizens' refusal to purchase irradiated food decreased from 19% to 16% globally in the same period. One of the emerging trends in the results was the rate of irradiated food familiarity, which remained relatively unchanged at 50% in the same time frame. Globally, acceptance of irradiated food is high and rising. Information campaigns and education about the benefits of irradiated food have led to increases in awareness and familiarity. Despite improving perceptions globally, stark variability still exists in acceptance rates, with developing countries having lower acceptance compared to highly industrialized countries. This is the first comparative analysis of different populations' perceptions of irradiated food worldwide. The paper provides new estimates on global acceptance of irradiated food and highlights variability among countries, offering valuable insights for policymakers interested in investing in it.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between consumers' experience of COVID-19 and changes in their food purchasing decisions during the lockdown as a result of their risk perception. An online questionnaire was created to analyze consumer purchasing behavior and awareness during the pandemic. At the end of the online administration period, the replies collected were downloaded. A descriptive analysis of the data was carried out through the construction of tables of individual variables; for each variable, the patterns, frequencies, and percentages with which they occurred were determined. Subsequently, a multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) was conducted; this is one of the most widely used statistical techniques for the "multiple" analysis of qualitative or mixed data collected through questionnaires. The final extraction of the completed questionnaires returned the replies of 114 individuals. In the MCA, not all the variables of the matrix were considered, as they were not proportional to the number of individuals. We considered 7 active variables and 1 supplementary variable, which contributed to the formation of factors. The most notable pattern was that those people who were most worried about the risk of contagion not only sanitized their purchases but also reduced their online purchases and deliveries, believing that these measures could reduce the risk of contagion.