Research Publications (Food Safety)

Cabbage Kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented food, has occasionally been related to acute gastroenteritis caused by human norovirus (HuNoV). The present study examined the inhibitory effects of electron beam (e‐beam) irradiation (1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 kGy) on HuNoV GII.4 in suspension or cabbage Kimchi using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction combined with immunomagnetic separation (IMS/RT‐qPCR).

Currently, there has been a surge of interest in revealing the interactions between plasma and food matrices. In this study, we investigated the impacts of atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) treatment on the structural, physicochemical and allergenic characteristics of soybean protein isolate (SPI). SPI dispersions were subjected to ACP treatments at different frequencies (80 to 100 Hz) and durations (1 to 10 min) to investigate the effects of exposing conditions.

In our study, a food safety management system was developed for a chaga mushroom biotechnology product manufacturer, with the purpose of meeting the quality demands of customers and enhancing the manufacturer's reputation.

Furan, a significant food contaminant, was found in many cooked foods. In most cooked foods, furan has been found to be coexisted with some alkylated derivatives such as 2‐methylfuran. 2‐methylfuran was found to be potent hepatotoxins. Little toxicological data is available for 2‐methylfuran. The objective of this study was to investigate metabolite changes in the liver samples from mice fed with 2‐methylfuran by untargeted metabolomic approach.

The present study envisages the potential application of chitosan‐coated Zingiber zerumbet essential oil nanoemulsion (ZEO‐CsNE) as green antimicrobial preservative against Aspergillus flavus, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), and lipid peroxidation of stored functional foods. GC‐MS analysis of ZEO exhibited the abundance of cis‐geraniol (15.53%) as the major component. ZEO‐CsNE showed biphasic release profile during in vitro release study conducted for 10 days. The ZEO‐CsNE inhibited the growth of A.

The operating environment for food safety interventions in nations such as Saudi Arabia, with limited local agricultural productivity, high reliance on foreign food imports and observance of Islamic laws, is remarkably challenging for the national control and regulatory institutions, since compliance to the mandatory food safety regulations and the local religious Halal standards must be ensured.

Contaminated fresh produce has increasingly been implicated in foodborne disease outbreaks. As microbiological safety surveillance in South Africa is limited, a total of 545 vegetable samples (spinach, tomato, lettuce, cucumber, and green beans) were purchased from retailers, street traders, trolley vendors and farmers’ markets. Escherichia coli, coliforms and Enterobacteriaceae were enumerated and the prevalence of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes determined. E.

The development of natural antimicrobial agents has attracted long‐term attention due to the increasing demand for food preservation. Papaya, a widely cultivated nutritious tropical fruit, has benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) as one of the most important secondary metabolites in its seeds. And the antibacterial activity of BITC toward different strains and the main antibacterial pathway remain unclear.

Vacuum‐packed salmon was treated by electron beam irradiation preservation technology, to study the effects of electron‐beam irradiation on odor active compounds of salmon by two types of methods for extraction: headspace‐solid phase micro extraction (HS‐SPME) and solvent assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE).

As a popular hot‐pot ingredient, Chinese‐style shrimp mud (Xia‐Hua) is usually transported and stored frozen. However, frozen storage leads to decreased quality of Xia‐Hua products caused by the variations in physicochemical and functional properties of myofibrillar proteins (MPs). Κ‐carrageenan and its oligosaccharides are reported as antioxidants and antifreeze and can stabilize proteins in whole shrimp, but their effects on MPs in Xia‐Hua remain poorly understood.

In this work, levels of cyromazine and its metabolite melamine in chicken products and its transfer factors (TFs) and dietary risks assessment for Chinese consumers are presented. Cyromazine was added to chicken feed at doses of 5, 25, and 50 mg/kg for 42 days. Cyromazine residues were found in frequently consumed chicken products (meat, heart, liver, gizzard, and eggs), with liver and eggs displaying the highest concentrations (0.935 and 1.281 mg/kg, respectively).

A six‐strain mixture of E. coli O157:H7 was exposed to 0 to 9 min of six treatments: (i) hydrostatic pressure (400 MPa) at 4 °C; (ii) hydrostatic pressure and thymol at 4 °C; (iii) thymol at 4 °C; (iv) heat at 40 °C; (v) hydrostatic pressure at 40 °C; and (vi) hydrostatic pressure and thymol at 40 °C.

This study aims to optimize the ultrasound‐irradiation combined pretreatment conditions to enhance the liquid egg white (LEW) foamability and investigate the changing mechanism about the physical and structural properties of LEW during the processing. Results indicated that the foamability of the LEW was increased by ultrasound‐irradiation combined pretreatment to the highest value of 92.6% (irradiation dose = 33 kGy, ultrasound time = 6 min, and ultrasound power = 300 W).

3‐Monochloropropane‐1,2‐diol (3‐MCPD) as a main source of food contamination has always been known as a carcinogenic agent. Kidney, liver, testis, and heart seem to be the main target organs for 3‐MCPD.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in rice grain is common worldwide. This study investigated the effect of degree of milling (DM) on the reduction of Cd in cooked rice grain and porridge (rice‐to‐water ratios 1:1.6 and 1:10, respectively) and Cd in vitro bioaccessibility. Cd‐contaminated rice grains with DMs of 20%, 15%, and 0% were cooked and then subjected to successive digestion in a gastrointestinal environment model.

The present study aims to produce arrowroot flour fermented by kefir grains, in addition to assessing the physicochemical, nutritional, and microbiological characteristics. Fermented arrowroot flour was produced at room temperature (approximately 25 to 28 °C). Fermentation was conducted in batch (6 kg of the substrate and 10% of kefir grains were added with homogenization every 3 hr).

Distributed ledgers are becoming commonly used technologies to trace agrifood supply chains in view of their safety, immutability, transparency, and scalability. In the present review, we discuss the most relevant case studies of agrifood supply chain traceability using blockchain (BC) and other distributed ledgers technologies.

A dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) atmospheric cold plasma was evaluated as a tool to increase the extraction rate of total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity from green tea leaves. The effects of nitrogen DBD cold plasma on changes of color and surface morphology were investigated. Optimum conditions of cold plasma treatment (treatment time and generation power) were obtained by response surface methodology.

Rapid and sensitive detection of live/infectious foodborne pathogens is urgently needed in order to prevent outbreaks and food recalls.

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of gamma irradiation (0, 2.5, and 5 kGy) on physico‐mechanical and structural characteristics of films based on Farsi gum‐carboxymethyl cellulose supplemented with Ziziphora clinopodioides essential oil (ZEO; 0%, 1%, and 2%) and lignocellulose nanofibers (LCNF; 0%, 1%, and 2%), and their application on fresh minced beef meat's shelf‐life during refrigerated temperature (4 ± 1 °C) for 16 days.

Seven candidates for starter cultures for cucumber fermentations belonging to the Lactobacillus pentosus and Lactobacillus plantarum species were characterized based on physiological features desired for pickling. The isolates presented variable carbohydrate utilization profile on API® 50CHL test strips. The L. pentosus strains were unable to utilize d‐xylose in MRS broth or the M medium.

The research aimed to generate an early warning system highlighting in real‐time bacterial contamination of meat matrices and providing information which could support companies in accepting or rejecting batches. Current microorganisms’ detection methods rely on techniques (plate counting), which provide retrospective values for microbial contamination.

Walnut kernels contain high amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids that determine a limited shelf life on these nuts. The application of walnut phenolics as antioxidants through a walnut protein‐based coating, obtained from walnut oil cake residue, can help to increase the shelf life of walnuts. The objective was to evaluate the preservative effect of walnut polyphenols included in a walnut‐proteic edible coating on walnut kernels.

Shrimps cause a significant part of crustacea‐related allergies. It is used in processed foods, including fermented Korean foods, such as kimchi. Even low amounts of shrimp allergens can provoke reactions in consumers allergic to shrimp. Accurate food labeling is the most effective means of preventing the consumption of allergenic ingredients.

A method based on vapor‐phase advanced oxidation process (AOP) for decontaminating red or green grapes was validated for inactivating Listeria monocytogenes and spoilage molds.