Food Control最新文献

To gain a comprehensive overview of the risk of pesticide intake exposure posed by vegetables from farms, a joint multi-strategy of pesticide monitoring was conducted on vegetable and edible mushroom samples from planting bases. The strategy integrated traditional methods and non-targeted screening by proposing modified rapid standard pre-treatment methods combined with GC, HPLC-MS and HPLC-HRMS for screening and quantification of known pesticides and unknowns. The results showed that 40 pesticides were detected at different levels in 308 samples by targeted monitoring and 27 pesticides were confirmed by non-targeted screening, of which 8 samples were detected at levels exceeding the defined maximum residue limits. The risk of acute and chronic dietary exposure for the detected pesticides in eleven groups of vegetables was acceptable. Comparative analysis of targeted and multi-strategies revealed that farm-based cultivation can improve the quality and safety of non-certified products, and pesticides with low ADIs confirmed via the multi-joint risk monitoring strategy will significantly increase the risk of cumulative chronic dietary exposure. These results will help to improve the quality and safety of agricultural products at the source and the monitoring and management of pesticides in planting bases.

This study investigated the effects of compound probiotics (CP) as starter cultures to reduce AFB₁ residues and improve safety and quality of chicken jerky. First, Enterococcus faecalis, Candida utilis, Lactobacillus casein, and Bacillus subtilis were subjected to single strain fermentation experiments. Then, a three-factor, three-level response surface methodology design was used to select the CP based on AFB₁ degradation and histamine content. The optimal CP included Candida utilis, Lactobacillus casein and Bacillus subtilis at initial viable counts of 3.0 × 10⁸, 3.0 × 10⁹ and 3.0 × 10⁹ CFU/mL respectively, and then mixed at a volume ratio of 1:1:1. Each AFB₁-contaminated chicken strip was fermented with 0.15 mL CP at 30 °C for 40 h then dried. AFB₁ and histamine contents were reduced by 90.18% and 9.74% in fermented jerky, compared with the unfermented jerky (P < 0.05). Amino acid analysis showed lower serine and histidine contents and higher cysteine content in the fermented jerky. 16S rRNA sequencing unveiled a reduction in the absolute abundance of Staphylococcus saprophyticus. According to metabolomics and proteomics, CP inhibited methionine metabolism and increased lactic acid and alanine accumulation through cysteine and methionine pathways (KEGG map ID: map 00270), thereby maintaining low pH and improving flavor/safety. The results thus confirmed that C. utilis, L. casein, and B. subtilis are potential meat product starters.

Halogenated and oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (XPAHs and OPAHs) have attracted increasing attention due to their considerable or higher toxicity than the corresponding parent PAHs. However, only a few kinds of PAH derivatives were monitored in vegetable oils due to the difficulties in analysis. This study aimed to establish analytical methods for 24 PAHs, 17 XPAHs and 18 OPAHs in soybean oil. The modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) pretreatment followed by GC-MS/MS or UPLC-MS/MS analysis was applied in this study. The results showed that the modified QuEChERS pretreatment could successfully extract 56 PAHs and derivatives in soybean oil, which saved organic solvent to a great extent. Simultaneous determination of EPA16 PAHs, EU15 + 1 PAHs, 17 XPAHs, and 12 OPAHs in soybean oil was achieved by GC-MS/MS analysis, which had recoveries of 61.33–111.61% and relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 1.35–19.89%. UPLC-MS/MS analysis obtained recoveries from 51.61% to 109.45% and RSDs from 1.31% to 15.05% for 14 OPAHs. As a supplement to GC-MS/MS, UPLC-MS/MS exhibited high sensitivity to ortho-OPAHs and benzo[a]pyrene–quinone isomers. Through GC-MS/MS and UPLC-MS/MS analyses, the concentrations of two XPAHs and ten OPAHs in soybean oils were firstly reported. In short, this study offered guidance for comprehensive analyses of PAHs, XPAHs, and OPAHs in vegetable oils.

Information regarding microbiological hazards in edible macroalgae and halophytes is scarce, and standard methods for detecting norovirus in vegetables have not yet been validated for these types of food products. Accordingly, the suitability of the NF EN ISO 15216-2 standard method for macroalgae and halophytes was evaluated using 57 samples collected along the Western coast of mainland Portugal. The presence of Salmonella in 46 samples was also tested to confirm potential hazard. The viral extraction process was validated for 72% of the samples, with results showing that the standard method is suitable for green and red macroalgae, as well as for halophytes. For brown macroalgae, a process optimization should be considered. None of the samples revealed the presence of norovirus genomes, neither genogroups I nor II. Salmonella was detected in one of the samples analysed. The present study shows the great potential of Portuguese coastal areas for marine agriculture.

Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) systems reduce complicated analytical operations to a single microprocessor, revolutionizing quality control and safety. Its portability enables easier on-site monitoring and real-time analysis, which is critical for maintaining strict food quality standards. LOC devices raise the bar for product integrity and consumer safety by giving the agriculture and food processing industries a dependable tool for quick identification of impurities and dangerous materials. The range of LOC gadgets combines several analytical procedures on a microchip, guaranteeing accuracy, efficiency, and economy. Because of its portability, on-site testing allows for real-time monitoring across various industries. The strategy entails streamlining intricate laboratory arrangements, automating procedures, and integrating cutting-edge sensors to quickly identify pollutants, and infections, raising standards of quality and safety throughout industries. Crucial discoveries demonstrate the role that LOC techniques play in revolutionizing safety protocols and quality assurance. With their unmatched precision, speed, and cost-effectiveness, these microchip-based breakthroughs simplify analytical procedures. The conclusion highlights the important role that LOC devices play in raising the bar for product integrity and customer safety in a variety of industries, underscoring their considerable influence in redefining industry standards.

Plasma-activated water (PAW) has significant advantages in inactivating a variety of microorganisms, which is increasingly being used in combination with other technologies (ultrasound, mild heat, and antimicrobial agents, etc.) in food decontamination studies, especially for fresh fruits and vegetables. Nevertheless, studies have yet to be on combining PAW with plant protein extracts for fruit preservation. To improve the decontamination effect of PAW, we extracted an antimicrobial protein, the effects of adding 5% Welsh onion leaf protein extract (WOLPE) on microbial growth, physicochemical properties, nutritional composition, antioxidant capacity, microstructure, and sensory quality of cherry tomatoes treated with PAW were investigated. The results of 14 d storage at 4 °C showed that PAW combined with WOLPE (PCW) treatment reduced the microbial counts by 2.11 log CFU/g and 3.99 log CFU/g for bacteria and fungi, respectively, as compared to the control group treated with sterile deionized water. Firmness and relative electric conductivity (REC) results showed that PCW treatment delayed the softening of cherry tomatoes, while PCW treatment had no negative effects on the color and pH of cherry tomatoes and improved antioxidant capacity. The sensory and nutritional qualities of cherry tomatoes were maintained and the shelf life was extended. The results indicated that PCW technology is a promising method for the postharvest preservation of cherry tomatoes.

The emergence and prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in food pose a great threat to public health and have attracted globally attention. Shotgun metagenomics sequencing is widely used to characterize ARGs in the environment. However, the distribution, co-occurrence patterns, and host information of ARGs in raw milk to the cold chain transportation duration with shotgun metagenomics sequencing, are not fully understood in China. In this study, species annotation and ARG annotation were performed on 40 raw milk samples collected from Beijing (BJ), Hebei (HB), Inner Mongolia (NMG), Shanghai (SH), and Guangdong (GD) using shotgun sequencing based on the Illumina platform. A total of 4731 bacterial species were annotated, of which 37 were dominant (relative abundance >1%). And also, 259 ARGs were annotated, corresponding to 69 kinds of antibiotic resistance. The NMG samples, which had the lowest bacterial community richness and bacterial diversity, were annotated with the highest number of ARGs, revealing the potential risk of bacterial resistance in NMG samples. Spearman correlation analysis and network analysis were showed that the probable bacterial hosts of multiple highly abundant ARGs (MacB and VanRC) in samples from provinces except for the BJ samples were Pseudomonas and Serratia, rather than conventionally known foodborne pathogens. It is noteworthy that the relative abundance of Pseudomonas fluorescens conformed to the Allometricl function with the cold chain transportation duration, the finding that could provide a reference for assessing the freshness and the risk assessment of antibiotic resistance genes of raw milk. In addition, the dairy industry should be aware of the risk of ARGs transferring from highly abundant commensal bacteria. Raw milk for transportation by cold chain, higher abundance of Pseudomonas in some samples should be kept in mind, and the roles of ARGs carried by these bacteria should be further investigated.

Antimicrobial filtration materials based on essential oil components (EOCs) immobilized onto silicon oxide particles have been found effective for nonthermal stabilization of liquid foods (i.e., beer, juice, wine, and etc.). However, their antimicrobial efficiency depends on the food matrix. The present work aimed to assess the effect of the major constituents of liquid food matrices on the antimicrobial activity of vanillin immobilized onto silica microparticles. Silicon oxide particles were functionalized with vanillin and characterized. The maximum tolerated concentrations of different food major constituents (i.e., proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, organic acids, alcohols and minerals) were determined against Escherichia coli K12. The results showed that organic acid and alcohol had synergetic effects on vanillin-functionalized particles, and the addition of proteins, lipids or some carbohydrates inhibited their antimicrobial activity. No effects on microbial counts were found for mineral salts. The dual combinations between the synergistic and nonsynergistic food constituents showed improved antimicrobial activity compared to single compounds. The data confirmed previous in vitro experiments and could be used to predict the antimicrobial activity of the filtration system when treating real liquid food matrices.

The combined effects of two non-thermal technologies, namely pulsed electric field (PEF) and ultraviolet-C (UV–C) irradiation, on microbial load reduction and composition of crude hemeprotein extract (CHPE) from Asian seabass gills were investigated. PEF at two intensities (15 kV and 17.5 kV) for different times (0, 1, 2.5, 5 and 10 min) was employed to treat CHPE solution. Subsequently freeze-dried PEF treated powders were exposed to UV-C for varying durations (0, 15 and 30 min). Microbial community in gill and selected CHPE powders was also determined using next generation sequencing (NGS). PEF treatment effectively reduced the initial microbial load (8.0 log₁₀ CFU/g) when high PEF intensity (17.5 kV) for longer treatment time (5 min) was employed, leading to microbial load reduction to 5.5 log₁₀ CFU/g. However, prolonged PEF treatment adversely affected CHPE properties, as witnessed by the decreased heme iron content and alterations in protein patterns. Subsequent UV-C irradiation of freeze-dried PEF-treated CHPE powder for 15 min demonstrated a synergistic effect on further reduction of microbial counts to 3.0 log₁₀ CFU/g. NGS analysis showed the dominance of Flavobacteriaceae families in the microbial community composition in gill, untreated CHPE powder and PEF-UV-C treated CHPE powder. Nevertheless, no Vibrio parahaemolyticus and other Vibrio spp. were detected in all samples. The study revealed the potential of combined non-thermal hurdle technologies, under appropriate conditions, in ensuring microbiological safety and maintaining quality of CHPE. CHPE powder could therefore be used for fortification in food products as an iron supplement to alleviate iron-deficient anemia.

Wheat, a strategic global agricultural product, is prone to contamination by hazardous fungi and toxins, with aflatoxin being particularly prevalent and perilous. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of cold plasma in deactivating Aspergillus flavus (A.f.) and Aspergillus parasiticus (A.p.), as well as aflatoxins in wheat grains, offering an alternative to conventional chemical and thermal treatments. Wheat grains inoculated with fungi were subjected to humid air cold plasma at four power levels (5.39, 6.88, 8.98, and 10.88 W) and three plasma exposure periods (2, 6, and 12 min). Post-plasma treatment, Aflatoxin concentrations were analyzed using HPLC, while modified Gompertz and Baranyi and Roberts’ mathematical models were employed to study the growth kinetics of A.f. and A.p. species. Findings revealed that samples treated with 10.88 W power for 12 min exhibited a substantial reduction of 64%, 41%, 59%, 40%, and 61% in B1, B2, G1, G2 aflatoxins, and total aflatoxin, respectively. Additionally, plasma led to a 78.74% and 68.57% reduction in the growth of A.f. and A.p. fungi, respectively. Notably, plasma induced a fungal inhibitory effect by prolonging the lag time and decreasing the growth rate. These results underscore the significant potential of cold plasma as a capable technique for fungal inactivation and the emerging disinfection of contaminated wheat grains.