Journal of Consumer Protection and Food Safety最新文献

The German debate about genetically engineered crops for human consumption (GE) has been polarized for nearly three decades. Efforts to overcome this polarization generally involve distributing information, but research indicates that information has little to no impact on GE attitudes, especially among those with extreme positions. Recent studies suggest that moral value concerns drive GE opposition. However, the specific moral values underlying both support and opposition for GE are unknown, as is whether these values differ between GE supporters and opponents. The present research addresses these questions through latent content analysis. Findings show that most arguments in the debate address moral value concerns related to loyalty, often focusing on trust issues. Trust issues are more prevalent than moral concerns about preventing harm and risks. Furthermore, moral value conflicts are likely since GE supporters emphasize concerns related to authority, fairness, and liberty, while GE opponents focus more on values related to care and purity. This paper discusses these findings and recommends steps for improved science communication.

A simple and effective heuristic approach was developed and validated to predict the concentration of non-relevant metabolites (nrM) of pesticides in groundwater and drinking water resources based on the simulated concentrations in leachate as used in product authorizations. The evaluation of extensive monitoring data for 50 nrM has demonstrated that the heuristic has a high predictive performance, i.e., concentrations of < 10 µg/l in shallow leachate in the unsaturated zone of the soil in 1 m depth are protective of 1 µg/l in groundwater and raw water in 98 % of cases (49/50 nrM). The reason for the excellent predictive power of the heuristic approach is the large concentration attenuation from leachate to groundwater and to raw water, which was determined to be, on average, 25- and 45-fold, respectively.

The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration has implemented a three-tier quality control system to enhance food safety. This system includes self-management of food businesses, external certification, and government inspection. Ten categories of food businesses are required to comply with this system. By the end of 2023, over 90% of the food businesses successfully completed the second-tier certification. Statistical analysis revealed no significant correlation between non-conformity counts and factors such as capital amount, food industry type, or times of certifications. Non-conformity issues mainly arose from violations of good hygiene practices and discrepancies between the actual execution and the established hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system in food businesses. These issues, potentially due to a lack of hygiene and safety awareness among employees, will not cause an immediate hazard for the time being but allow for early identification of potential risks, thereby improving overall food safety.

Toxicological thresholds such as Acceptable Daily Intake, Acute Reference Dose, and Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level are used to assess food safety, considering potential risks from short and long-term exposure to certain ingredients and contaminants. This article explains the significance and application of these toxicological thresholds in expert opinions and their current assessment in case law, which must balance the tension between consumer interests and protection, as well as the legitimate economic interests of food companies.