...dietary supplements. The FSS questionnaire will focus on perceptions of general food safety risks, food handling practices, perceived personal vulnerability to food safety risks, consumption of risky foods, and awareness of mercury and...

...concern that irradiation will make foods unsafe to eat. Commenters also stated...irradiation can be a cover-up for poor food handling practices and could also mask the effects of spoilage. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)...

... Tobacco Products Vaccines, Blood & Biologics Start at the Store: Prevent Foodborne Illness (video) Search Consumer Updates Get ... Read the Consumer Update By starting at the store with safe food handling practices, consumers can play ...

Foodborne illness caused by Salmonella and Campylobacter is a concern for consumers, and there is evidence that minority racial-ethnic populations experience greater rates of illness because of these pathogens. The limited body of research concerning food safety knowledge and practices among minority consumers has focused more on general food safety knowledge than on culturally specific food handling practices. The purpose of the research reported here was to explore food handling behaviors of minority racial-ethnic consumers through in-depth discussions in focus group settings. In this way, we hoped to identify potential unique, previously unidentified food handling practices among these consumers. Nine focus groups were held in Philadelphia, PA. Three focus groups were conducted with African American consumers, three with Hispanic consumers, and three with Asian consumers. In all, 56 consumers participated. Data were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for unique and potentially unsafe food handling behaviors. Potentially unsafe food handling practices identified among all three groups included extended time to transport food from retail to home and washing of raw poultry. Culturally unique behaviors within groups included (i) using hot water (Asian, Hispanic) or acidic solutions (African American, Hispanic) to clean raw poultry, (ii) purchasing live poultry (Asian, Hispanic), (iii) cooking poultry overnight (African American), and (iv) preparing bite-size pieces of meat prior to cooking (Asian, Hispanic). To have focus groups include a limited number of participants and nonrandom sampling means that these themes and trends cannot be extrapolated to represent food mishandling among these populations in general. Results presented here allow modification of an existing food safety survey to identify the prevalence of these food handling practices among consumers of different demographics. PMID:23127716

...Production, Processing, and Handling of Food AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration...Production, Processing, and Handling of Food--21 CFR Part 179 (OMB Control...production, processing, and handling of food are found in part 179 (21...

The authors determined the food safety knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of undergraduates (n = 1122) on an urban college campus using a previously piloted survey tool. Data obtained found that while students reported high levels of confidence in their ability to engage in safe food handling practices, their knowledge and self-reported behaviors indicated that they were not actually engaging in safe food handling practices. Students were particularly lacking knowledge with respect to proper temperatures for cooking, reheating, and refrigerating foods. The data were further analyzed to determine differences in food safety knowledge and practices between populations of different demographics within the students. Differences were found between male and female students, Caucasian and Asian students, and students who had worked in food service compared with those who had not. A final aspect of this study evaluated the effectiveness of a social marketing campaign to increase awareness of safe food handling practices among college undergraduates. A cross-sectional, quasi-experimental, pre- and posttest design was used. Following the baseline knowledge survey described previously, a social marketing campaign developed for young adults was implemented on the campus over a 4-wk period that included promotional events and incentives. Postcampaign survey results indicated increases in food safety knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, particularly with respect to appropriate temperatures for cooking and refrigeration and found that e-mails and posters may be effective ways to communicate food safety messages to this population. (Contains 3 tables.)

...of use on growing crops) in food-handling establishments at 0.02 ppm...of use on growing crops) in food-handling establishments. Compliance with...application of tralomethrin in food-handling establishments, including...

Since all categories of people from different socio-economic sectors purchase street foods; the street foods should not only be cheap but also hygienic and rich in nutrition. The investigators with their nutrition knowledge had an urge to study the nutrition knowledge of the vendors, whether the foods prepared are nutritionally sound or not?, are they preparing and serving food hygienically?, etc. Disease could be easily spread through food, water and the place of sales, how it is packed. etc.. and these questions made the investigators to take up this study. Hence, the investigators were interested to know the answers for the above said questions. To study the nutritional knowledge and food hygienic practices prevailing among the street food vendors, 200 vendors in Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu, India were selected by using purposely random sampling techniques. The investigators met the vendors and collected the details. Microbial analysis, food adulteration test were done for food samples. The street food vendors were poor in hygienic practices in food preparation, handling, serving and storing. They were also poor in their nutritional knowledge. This study implies the need for the following measures to be adopted for hygienic food preparation by the street vendors: license must be obtained by the street food vendors and the foods should be frequently inspected by the agencies; nutritionists should take charge of disseminating awareness on hygienic practices, nutrition and health so that it will help in the preparation of nutritious foods. (Contains 11 tables and 14 online resources.)

...Production, Processing, and Handling of Food AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration...delegated to the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, 21 CFR part 179 is...THE PRODUCTION, PROCESSING AND HANDLING OF FOOD 1. The authority citation...

...include, among others: animal food manufacturing, grain handling, food manufacturing, wood product...rubber products manufacturing, recycling, wastewater treatment, and...grain or wet corn milling, food (including sugar),...

...include, among others: animal food manufacturing, grain handling, food manufacturing, wood product...rubber products manufacturing, recycling, wastewater treatment, and...grain or wet corn milling, food (including sugar),...

...tolerance as a result of use on growing crops) in food/feed handling establishments where food products are held, processed or prepared at...crevice treatment of dinotefuran in a simulated food handling establishment has been conducted. The...

...Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff; Procedures for Handling Section 522 Postmarket...Availability AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration...SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration...entitled ``Procedures for Handling Section 522...

The Turkish dairy industry has recently implemented HACCP-based food safety management systems according to a new Turkish law. Law 5996, instituted in 2010, establishes food-handling standards for the dairy industry and requires on-farm and plant production HACCP-compliance, to guarantee food safety. The implementation of this law and current food safety standards in Turkish dairy plants were assessed in this study. Researchers developed a survey to characterize overall food safety among dairy businesses in Aydin, Turkey. The survey included a questionnaire, interviews with management and audits of dairy businesses that had production licenses from the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock in 2010. Dairy businesses' current food safety practices, staff comprehension of basic hygiene ...

New Zealand has a much higher rate of reported campylobacteriosis cases than the rest of the developed world. The two main risk factors identified internationally for campylobacteriosis are, consumption of undercooked chicken and cross-contamination during food preparation. One possible reason is that New Zealanders have poorer home hygiene practices during food preparation than the citizens of other developed countries. The objective of this study was to investigate cross-contamination during chicken preparation at home as a possible hypothesis to explain the high reported rate of campylobacteriosis. An extensive search of data bases of publications concerned with consumer food handling practices or self-reported practices, consumers' knowledge or perception about food safety and consumer...

... Features/HandWashing. Accessed May 14, 2010. Basics for handling food safely. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Basics_for_Handling_Food_Safely/index.asp. Accessed May 14, 2010. DS00292 ...

Good manufacturing practice (GMP) consist of an effective manufacturing operation and an effective application of food control. GMP is best supported by the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point system (HACCP) of the preventive quality assurance, which requires that food irradiation as any food processing technology should be used only with foods of an acceptable quality and adequate handling and storage procedures should precede and follow the processing. The paper concentrates on the first element of the HACCP system for an irradiation plant: the incoming product control, i.e. whether GMP of foods to be irradiated can be assessed by establishing microbiological criteria for their previous good manufacturing practice. In this regard, it summarizes considerations and findings of a ''Consultation on Microbiological Criteria for Foods to be Further Processed Including by Irradiation'' held in 1989 by the International Consultative Group on Food irradiation at the Headquarters of the World Health Organization, Geneva. Difficulties in establishing reference values and defining good manufacturing practices will be pointed out. (orig.)

OBJECTIVES: Unsanitary food handling is a major public health hazard. There are over 4,100 mobile food vendors operating in New York City, and of these, approximately forty percent are processing vendors--mobile food units on which potentially hazardous food products are handled, prepared, or proces...

...Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630...Devices and Radiological Health, Food and Drug Administration, 10903...and Research (HFM-17), Food and Drug Administration, 1401...tracking, distribution, and handling; and the procedures for...

...the proposed use of nitric acid in food contact sanitizing pesticide products...antimicrobial pesticides used in food-handling settings. A complete description...dietary exposures resulting from food contact sanitizing solution...

...residues that can be transferred to foods as a result of the proposed use of sodium xylene sulfonates in food contact sanitizing pesticide products...antimicrobial pesticides used in food-handling settings. The Agency believes...

In quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA), the consumer phase model (CPM) describes the part of the food chain between purchase of the food product at retail and exposure. Construction of a CPM is complicated by the large variation in consumer food handling practices and a limited availability of data. Therefore, several subjective (simplifying) assumptions have to be made when a CPM is constructed, but with a single CPM their impact on the QMRA results is unclear. We therefore compared the performance of eight published CPMs for?Campylobacter?in broiler meat in an example of a QMRA, where all the CPMs were analyzed using one single input distribution of concentrations at retail, and the same dose-response relationship. It was found that, between CPMs, there may be a considerable difference in the estimated probability of illness per serving. However, the estimated relative risk reductions are less different for scenarios modeling the implementation of control measures. For control measures affecting the?Campylobacter? prevalence, the relative risk is proportional irrespective of the CPM used. However, for control measures affecting the concentration the CPMs show some difference in the estimated relative risk. This difference is largest for scenarios where the aim is to remove the highly contaminated portion from human exposure. Given these results, we conclude that for many purposes it is not necessary to develop a new detailed CPM for each new QMRA. However, more observational data on consumer food handling practices and their impact on microbial transfer and survival are needed to generalize this conclusion.

... may be considered hazardous waste and require special handling. Read the handling instructions on the label, as some inhalers should ... Fear Act Site Map Transparency Website Policies U.S. Food and Drug Administration 10903 New Hampshire Avenue Silver ...

Shellfish aquaculture has had a long tradition in Asia, Europe, and the western USA, but it is only within the past century that significant cultural and handling practices have been identified, developed, and introduced to improve and enhance shellfish food quality. Shellfish are now being marketed with an emphasis on product quality, product variety, reduced human health risk, and improved ease of preparation. Aquacultured bivalve shellfish products must now have the food quality characteristics of other high-quality seafood products and must meet accepted standards of taste, color, texture, and odor. This review summarizes current efforts within the shellfish industry to improve the food quality of aquacultured bivalve shellfish in the following focus areas: (i) genetic selection and co...

Food borne diseases, in particular gastro-intestinal infections, represent a very large group of pathologies with a strong negative impact on the health of the population because of their widespread nature. Little consideration is given to such conditions due to the fact that their symptoms are often moderate and self-limiting. This has led to a general underestimation of their importance, and consequently to incorrect practices during the preparation and preservation of food, resulting in the frequent occurrence of outbreaks involving groups of varying numbers of consumers. Despite substantial efforts in the avoidance of contamination, an upward trend in the number of outbreaks of food borne illnesses caused by non-spore forming pathogenic bacteria are reported in many countries. Good hygienic practices can reduce the level of contamination but the most important pathogens cannot presently be eliminated from most farms, nor is it possible to eliminate them by primary processing, particularly from those foods which are sold raw. Several decontamination methods exist but the most versatile treatment among them is the ionizing radiation procedure. HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product. For successful implementation of a HACCP plan, management must be strongly committed to the HACCP concept. A firm commitment to HACCP by top management provides company employees with a sense of the importance of producing safe food. At the same time, it has to be always emphasized that, like other intervention strategies, irradiation must be applied as part of a total sanitation program. The benefits of irradiation should never be considered as an excuse for poor quality or for poor handling and storage conditions, i.e.. as a substitute for good manufacturing practices. By adopting an HACCP based approach to food safety management, it can be clearly demonstrated that the application of a technology like food irradiation is essential for ensuring the safety of raw food stuffs. Such an intervention should be considered as a CCP (Critical Control Point) in the food chain. Therefore, the potential benefit of irradiation, which is endorsed by national and international bodies surely merits serious consideration by public health authorities, industry and consumer groups worldwide. For such, a system of HACCP and the irradiation is primordial so that the alimentary .safety is maintained processes if they are applied correctly. (author)

Family decision making still constitutes a niche of consumer research. The preference towards using individualist approaches that characterizes consumer research is even more prevalent in research on environmentally oriented consumer behaviour. However, many "green" consumer choices involve several family members, who may be able to exert significant influences on household subscription to these practices. The present study combined qualitative and quantitative research methods to investigate family members' communication in relation to four topics: organic food, water and energy, waste handling, and transport. Results show that mutual, day-to-day influences in families are a common phenomenon, even when it comes to inconspicuous, every-day consumer behaviour.

The FSIS Food Safety and Security Guidelines for the Transportation and Distribution of Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products are designed to aid those handling food products during transportation and storage. These guidelines provide a list of safety and secur...

...comments regarding the food handling and preservation...packages of local, frozen, bagged vegetables...Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) as an acceptable...retains inclusion of frozen products as acceptable...supporting allowing foods such as ground...

The experience gained in food packaging and in-flight handling led to the ... Dehydrated fruits, beverages, salads, desserts, meats, and soups which ... Certain foods were fortified with calcium lactate to provide a daily calcium intake of 1000 ...

Abstract in spanish Antecedentes. En Colombia existe subregistro de la notificación de casos de enfermedades transmitas por alimentos. de la Salud plantea que la mayoría de las contaminaciones de alimentos que generan enfermedades transmitidas por alimentos ocurren por problemas sanitarios y de manipulación, dentro del hogar y en sitios en donde se elaboran para la venta. Objetivo. Identificar los factores relacionados con la transmisión de enfermedades transmitidas por alimentos en expe (more) ndios de alimentos. Materiales y métodos. En cinco ciudades de Colombia se encuestaron 300 establecimientos y 1.522 manipuladores de alimentos a quienes se les hizo control microbiológico de manos y, a 1.286, examen coprológico y coprocultivo. Resultados. Veinticinco establecimientos (8,3%) no tenían una ubicación adecuada, 113 (37,7%) no contaban con planes de saneamiento y sólo 26 (8,7%) realizaban prácticas apropiadas de almacenamiento. En los manipuladores se halló que 765 (50,3%) ingresaron con examen médico y 924 (60,7%) realizaron curso de manipulación de alimentos. En sus prácticas de trabajo se evidenció manejo simultáneo de dinero y alimentos (17%), uso de joyas (15,2%), uñas largas y con esmalte (8,9%), y 15,2% refirieron no lavarse las manos cuando manipulaban dinero y en los no capacitados se halló 1,3 veces más frecuente este hábito (RR=1,36 IC 95%=1,10 - 1,69). Se encontraron parásitos intestinales en 26,9%; 49 (3,8%) fueron positivos para parásitos patógenos, 6 (0,46%) para enterobacterias patógenas y 8 (0,52%) cultivos de manos, para Staphylococcus aureus. Conclusión. Se evidenció incumplimiento de las buenas prácticas de manufactura, prácticas inadecuadas y malos hábitos higiénicos en manipuladores de alimentos, factores influyentes en la aparición de brotes de enfermedades transmitidas por alimentos. Abstract in english Background: In Colombia, there is an underreporting of cases of foodborne diseases. The World Health Organization suggests that contamination of food occurs mostly in homes and places where food is prepared for sale, by inadequate hygiene and handling. Objective: To identify factors related to the transmission of foodborne diseases in food shops. Materials and methods: In five Colombian cities, 300 establishments and 1,522 food handlers were surveyed; microbiological cult (more) ures from the hands were done in all cases; stool samples were taken from 1,286 food handlers, for ova and parasite examination. Results: 8.3% (25) of the food shops were not located in adequated places, 37.7% (113) had no sanitation plans and only 8.7% (26) realized correct food storage practices. 50.3% (765) of handlers had a medical examination before being admitted to work, and 60.7% (924) carried out a food handling course. Inappropriate working practices such as handling money and food simultaneously (17%), use of jewelry (15.2%), and having long nails with enamel (8.9%) were found. 15.2% (231) manifested not washing their hands when handling money, this habit was 1.3 times greater than in those who received no training (RR=1.36; 95 CI%: 1.10-1.69). 26.9% were positive for intestinal parasites, 49 (3.8%) for pathogenic parasites; 6 (0.46%) for pathogenic entero-bacteria and 8 (0.52%) hand cultures were positive for Staphylococccus aureus. Conclusion: Flaws in compliance of good manufacturing practices and bad hygienic habits of food handlers were found. These factors facilitate the presence of foodborne disease outbreaks.

Safe steps in food handling, cooking, and storage are essential to prevent foodborne illness. You can't see, smell, or taste harmful bacteria that ... and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling food. Don't cross-contaminate. Keep raw meat, poultry, ...

This poster describes the retail and consumer phase of the EFSA Salmonella in Pork QMRA (Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment, funded under an Article 36 grant to support the scientific opinion required by EFS). The food chain is modelled from retail to ingestion by the consumer. Three types of pork are considered: minced meat, pork cuts and dry cured sausages. This particular choice was made because each product represents a clear distinct hazard. Pork cuts are usually cooked well, but there is a chance of cross contamination during cutting and handling of the meat. Minced meat is thoroughly mixed, and Salmonellae may be present in the interior of hamburger patties, undercooking may occur, and Salmonellae may survive. Dry cured sausages, including all variations therein like chorizo, salami, etc., are eaten uncooked. Food preparation habits are highly variable and accurate data on daily life food handling practices are hard to obtain. We performed a literature survey and parametrised the model including the inherent variability in consumer behaviour. The output is the number of Salmonellae ingested per person per day, for each pig meat product. This output will in feed into the final model, where the risk of illness is modelled using a dose-response relation.

Because children under age 5 are susceptible to food-borne illnesses and children in diapers present special sanitation and health problems, food safety and sanitation are emerging as important issues for child care providers. This booklet is designed to give providers and parents a quick and easy reference for food safety and sanitation. The first part of the booklet provides an overview of sanitation, covering handwashing, disinfecting, and safe diapering. The second part presents food safety basics for babies, covering safe handling of bottles, breast milk, and baby food. The third part of the booklet presents food safety basics for children in the areas of safe food handling, cooking, cleaning, cooling and refrigeration, storing leftovers, and safely handling leftovers. This section also includes food safety for field trips. A handwashing poster and refrigerator storage chart are included. The booklet concludes with a list of local and federal resources and related organizations. (HTH)

...OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket...FDA-2012-N-0001] The 15th Annual Food and Drug Administration...Conference in Irvine, CA; ``Sustainable Regulatory Practices'' AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration,...

...or live poultry dealer when food safety or welfare of animals...rule would hurt innovation and food safety and increase costs and...contract or agreement where food safety or animal welfare is...responsibilities related to the raising and handling of the poultry or swine...

... and Inspection Service fact sheet - Safe Food Handling- Molds on Foods: Are They Dangerous? September 2005 A Brief Guide ... exhaust fans whenever cooking, dishwashing, and cleaning in food service areas. Inspect the building for signs of mold, moisture, leaks, or spills Check for moldy odors. ...

Acknowledgement of the fact that corrosion is not only a consequence of chemical and physical conditions, but a dynamic process influenced by the biology in the system, is overall the primary prerequisite for handling of microbial influenced corrosion (MBC). This report describes the procedures and practical precautions which are considered to be best available practice for handling MBC in district heating systems. (BA)

... more information on enabling JavaScript. Campylobacteriosis Skip Content Marketing Share this: Campylobacteriosis is an infectious disease caused by eating or handling contaminated food or drinking contaminated beverages. U.S. healthcare providers report more than 10,000 cases to ...

Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's International Food Safety Council, the purpose of ... After handling animals or animal waste. • When your ... surfaces. The bleach solution needs to sit on the surface for about 10 minutes to be ...

KidsHealth > Teens > Food & Fitness > Sports > Handling Sports Pressure and Competition Print A A A Text Size What's in this ... reviewed: October 2010 Back 1 ? 2 ? 3 For Teens For Kids For Parents MORE ON THIS TOPIC ...

... Guide to Eye Conditions Emotional Support Personal Stories Handling the News Help Others Understand Your Vision Problems ... The anxiety you may be feeling about preparing food is understandable. After all, you're literally playing ...

Hydrogen fuelling technology and infrastructure supplied by Air Products is now onstream and providing hydrogen to fuel cell powered material handling units at WinCo Foods' 800 000 ft^2 (74 000 m^2) grocery distribution center in Modesto, California.

Natural Laminar Flow (SNLF) Wing Concept and Thermal Laminar Flow Control ( TLFC). Technology to a ..... meat, any perishable Poultry meat food product, fresh eggs, and any perishable egg product, wi l l ..... To avoid damage in handl ing ...

Salmonella enteritidis (SE) is a common foodbome pathogen, the transmission of which is primarily associated with the consumption of contaminated Grade A shell eggs. In order to estimate the level of SE present in raw shell eggs, it is necessary to consider the protective effects of the egg albumin, which effectively inhibits SE growth in a time- and temperature-dependent manner. In this study, a SE growth model was produced by combining two mathematical equations that described both the extended lag phase of SE growth (food component) and a SE growth model (pathogen component). This biphasic growth model was then applied to various egg handling scenarios based on the farm-to-table continuum, including in-line and off-line processing facilities with consideration of key events in production, processing, transportation, and storage. Seasonal effects were also studied. Monte Carlo simulation was used to characterize variability in temperature and time parameter values influencing the level of SE to which individuals are exposed. The total level of SE consumed was estimated under best, most likely, and time-temperature abusive handling scenarios. The model estimated that, in most cases, there was no SE growth in contaminated eggs handled under most likely practices, because 10-70% of the yolk membrane remained intact. Under abusive handling scenarios, complete loss of yolk membrane integrity frequently occurred by the time eggs reach the distribution phase, followed by subsequent SE growth, which was often quite rapid. In general, the effect of season and processing method (in-line vs. off-line) was minimal. Further sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the initial SE contamination level significantly influenced the final exposure levels only under no-abuse or mildly abusive conditions. The results of our study suggest that, for maximum reduction of SE exposure level, cooling strategies should not only focus on the on-farm or processing phases, but should emphasize the importance of cooling strategies at the distribution and consumer phases of the farm-to-fork continuum. PMID:11999119

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture are a significant contributor to total Danish emissions. Consequently, much effort is currently given to the exploration of potential strategies to reduce agricultural emissions. This paper presents results from a study estimating agricultural GHG emissions in the form of methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide (including carbon sources and sinks, and the impact of energy consumption/bioenergy production) from Danish agriculture in the years 1990-2010. An analysis of possible measures to reduce the GHG emissions indicated that a 50-70% reduction of agricultural emissions by 2050 relative to 1990 is achievable, including mitigation measures in relation to the handling of manure and fertilisers, optimization of animal feeding, cropping practices, and land use changes with more organic farming, afforestation and energy crops. In addition, the bioenergy production may be increased significantly without reducing the food production, whereby Danish agriculture couldachieve a positive energy balance.

Summary Background To explore how structural constraints such as lack of reliable water supply, sanitation, educational and other socio-economic factors limit the adoption of better hygiene. Methods In preparation for the Kenya National Handwashing Campaign, we conducted a nationwide cross sectional survey in 800 households with two components: (i) direct structured observation of hygiene practices at key junctures (food handling, cleaning a child after defaecation, toilet use), followed by (ii) a structured interview addressing potential socio-economic, water access and behavioural determinants of handwashing. Results We observed a total of 5182 critical opportunities for handwashing, and handwashing with soap at 25% of these. Handwashing with soap was more often practised after faecal co...

Contaminants are undesirable constituents in food. They may be formed during production of a processed food, present as a component in a source material, deliberately added to substitute for the proper substance, or the consequence of poor food-handling practices. Contaminants may be chemicals or pathogens. Chemicals generally degrade over time and become of less concern as a health threat. Pathogens have the ability to multiply, potentially resulting in an increased threat level. Formal structures have been lacking for systematically generating and evaluating hazard and exposure data for bioactive agents when problem situations arise. We need to know what the potential risk may be to determine whether intervention to reduce or eliminate contact with the contaminant is warranted. We need tools to aid us in assembling and assessing all available relevant information in an expeditious and scientifically sound manner. One such tool is the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) Key Events Dose-Response Framework (KEDRF). Developed as an extension of the WHO's International Program on Chemical Safety/ILSI mode of action/human relevance framework, it allows risk assessors to understand not only how a contaminant exerts its toxicity but also the dose response(s) for each key event and the ultimate outcome, including whether a threshold exists. This presentation will illustrate use of the KEDRF with case studies included in its development (chloroform and Listeriaonocytogenes) after its publication in the peer-reviewed scientific literature (chromium VI) and in a work in progress (3-monochloro-1, 2-propanediol). PMID:23077190

Proper food storage and preparation can reduce the risk of food poisoning. For example, avoid touching between cooked and uncooked foods, refrigerate foods promptly after purchase or preparation. Washing hands and cleaning surfaces after handling raw meats, poultry, fish, and eggs before touching with other foods, and heating them thoroughly inside is also useful for reducing the risk. To avoid eating raw or undercooked meat, poultry, bivalvia (for example, oyster) is also important for prevention of food poisoning in children. In addition, it is important for medical staff to prevent secondary infection to those who may contact the patients. PMID:22894083

This Wrox Blox will teach you how to unravel the mysteries of exception handling in ASP.NET.   First, you'll get a thorough introduction to structured exception handling in the .NET Framework, learn about the Exception class, the related C# language constructs, and how exceptions propagate up the call stack. Then, you'll delve into a variety of practical topics such as: when, where, and how to properly throw, catch, and handle exceptions in your code; how to employ "defensive programming" techniques to avoid triggering the most common CLR exceptions; adopting exception handling "best practices

The authors discuss a number of unconventional or faddist foods and eating practices and their health implications. Among the topics included are vegetarianism, Zen macrobiotic diets, fast foods, junk foods, megavitamins and their toxicity, health foods, fad diets in infancy, and elimination diets. PMID:3887307

The IgE-mediated allergic reactions to food are caused, generally, by ingestion. However, they can be rarely induced by exposure to airborne food particles through the handling or the cooking. Vicia faba is a vegetable which belongs to Legumes or Fabaceae family, Fabales order. Allergic reactions af...

An investigation into an outbreak of food poisoning caused by Clostridium perfringens showed evidence of poor food handling by catering staff. The reasons behind this were explored by interviewing catering staff, analysing shifts and rotas, and looking at staff vacancies. Morale was low because of s...

A retrospective survey was carried out for isolations of salmonellas from humans, foods and sewer swabs from food-handling premises for the period 1976-80. The predominant serotypes isolated from humans were S. typhimurium, S. hadar, S. virchow and S. agona. Salmonellas were found in less than 1% of...

Eggs are one of nature's most nutritious and economical foods, but you must take special care when handling and preparing fresh eggs and egg products to avoid food poisoning.  Created: 8/19/2010 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases (NCEZID/DFWED).   Date Released: 8/19/2010.

... become more environmentally conscious, earth-friendly practices like composting are gaining popularity in homes and community settings. That poses an interesting question: Is composting food waste safe for people with food allergies? ...

Abstract in portuguese Foi conduzido monitoramento microbiológico das mãos de manipuladores de alimentos como parte de um estudo para implantação do Sistema de Análise de Perigos e Pontos Críticos de Controle em um restaurante institucional, através da contagem padrão de aeróbios mesófilos e anaeróbios facultativos, S. aureus, C. perfringens e presença de Salmonella spp. Foram observadas contagens de microrganismos aerobios mesófilos e anaeróbios facultativos em níveis de até 10 (more) (7) UFC/mão, contaminações por S. aureus e C. perfringens e oportunidades de contaminação cruzada por essas mãos principalmente no fatiamento da carne assada. Salmonella spp. não foram isoladas. Foram adotadas medidas corretivas para este ponto crítico de controle, constatando de lavagem das mãos dos manipuladores com água corrente e sabonete líquido neutro seguida de antissepsia com iodóforo. Foram observadas reduções da contagem de aeróbios mesófilos em até 2,6 ciclos log e, apesar desta redução não ser a ideal, ela demonstra a contribuição que esta prática pode trazer aos serviços de alimentação, além do que não foram mais detectados microrganismos patogênicos como S. aureus e C. perfringens. Abstract in english Microbiological analyses of workers' hands were made for the common indicators, including aerobic mesophilic plate counts (APC), as well as the common food pathogens. Opportunities were observed for cross-contamination of roast beef by workers' hands during slicing operations. Workers' hands showed APC counts of up to 10(7)CFU/hand and the presence of S. aureus and C. perfringens. Salmonella spp were not isolated from hands. These results show that handling of these foods (more) by such workers would be a risk in transmitting pathogenic microrganisms to the foods and is apparent that it is necessary for these workers to take care of personal hygiene. Decimal reductions obtained in the microbiological counts after washing and antisepis of workers' hands were at 2,6 logs cycles and still demonstrated the importance of this practice in food services by the fact that pathogens such as S. aureus and C. perfringens were inhibited or killed.

Abstract in spanish Los niños y adultos mayores representan los consumidores más vulnerables a adquirir enfermedades transmitidas por alimentos, ETA, por lo que se hace más estricto disminuir los factores de riesgo que se generan en la elaboración de alimentos dirigidos para este grupo de población. En este reporte, con el fin de disminuir los factores de riesgo de ETA a una población de niños y adultos mayores, se diseñó y se implementó un plan de saneamiento, siguiendo los lineam (more) ientos de decreto 3075 de 1997 del Ministerio de Protección Social de Colombia, y se realizó un plan de capacitación dirigido al personal manipulador implicado en los procesos de recepción, almacenamiento, empaque y distribución de materias primas en una distribuidora de alimentos. El plan de saneamiento y la capacitación permitieron incrementar los porcentajes de cumplimiento en buenas prácticas de manufactura, BPM, del 40 al 70 %, estos resultados son una base sólida para garantizar la inocuidad de los alimentos y la disminución del riesgo de adquirir ETA en la población objeto de estudio. Abstract in english The responsibility for providing healthy food involves all members of the production chain from input supplier to the distributor and consumer of food. Children and older adults represent the most vulnerable consumers for acquiring food-borne illness (FBI), meaning that the risk factors produced in food-processing targeted for this population group must be reduced. A clean-up plan was thus designed and implemented following the guideline laid down in decree 3075/1997 to r (more) educe FBI risk factors in a population of children and older adults. A training plan was also conducted for handling staff involved in receiving, storing, packaging and distributing raw materials in a food distributor. The clean-up plan and training led to a 40 % to 70 % increase in compliance with best manufacturing practices (BPM). These results represent a solid basis for ensuring food safety and reducing the risk of acquiring FBI in the study population. This article also provides an outline for easily acquiring the necessary methodology for implementing a clean-up plan in a food industry.

A survey on food safety knowledge and practices of streetfood vendors from a representative urban university campus in Quezon City, Philippines was done. A face-to-face interview was conducted using a standardized survey tool containing 70 questions, which included queries on demographics and food safety knowledge and practices of streetfood vendors. Topics on food safety assessment in both practices and knowledge included: health and personal hygiene, good manufacturing procedures, food contamination, waste management, and food legislation. The study found that among the 54 streetfood vendors surveyed, knowledge on food safety concepts was established particularly on topics that dealt with health and personal hygiene, food contamination and good manufacturing procedures. However, vendors were shown to be not too knowledgeable in terms of food legislation and waste management. A significant gap between knowledge and practice on these topics was established and it was primarily attributed to the tendencies of street food vendors to compromise food safety for financial issues. Confusion in food legislation was established in this test microcosm because the purveyor of food safety regulations was not the local government health unit but the business concession office of the campus administration. The provision of continuous food safety education, some financial assistance through social services affiliations, and basic water and waste management utilities were recommended to diminish the gap between knowledge and practices of safe streetfood vending in school campuses. PMID:11027035

Food fermentation is a widely practiced and ancient technology in China. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are involved in many fermentation processes of Chinese traditional foods, demonstrating their profound effects on improving food quality and food safety. This review article outlines the main types of LAB fermentation as well as their typical fermented foods such as koumiss, suan-tsai, stinky tofu and Chinese sausage. The roles of LAB and the reasons for their common presence are also discussed.

1.1 This guide covers procedures for irradiation of dried spices, herbs, and vegetable seasonings for microbiological control. Generally, these items have moisture content of 4.5 to 12 % and are available in whole, ground, chopped, or other finely divided forms, or as blends. The blends may contain sodium chloride and minor amounts of dry food materials ordinarily used in such blends. 1.2 This guide covers absorbed doses ranging from 3 to 30 kiloGray (kGy). Note 1—U.S. regulations permit a maximum dose of 30 kGy. (See 21CFR 179.26 Irradiation in the Production, Processing and Handling of Food.) 1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard. 1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

A large outbreak of gastroenteritis occurred in Catalonia in June 2002 with 1435 cases and 117 hospitalizations. Consumption of a hard pastry with vanilla cream was strongly associated with illness. Stool samples from cases and food-handlers were analysed. The premises of the food manufacturer were inspected and food samples were taken for microbiological analysis. Salmonella serotype Enteriditis was isolated from 154 cases, three food-handlers and nine food samples. Outbreak-associated strains showed a coincident phage type, antibiotype and pulse-field gel electrophoresis pattern. Inadequate handling of foods containing eggs occurred because the establishment exceeded its safe food production capacity to meet demand for the pastry, which was consumed on the day of a traditional festival. Excessive production of foods for holidays or special events represents a potential public health threat. PMID:16181500

The revised Food Recycling Law urges food businesses to recycle their food residue for compost and other purposes. However, the recycling ratios differ in different business categories. In fact, the ratio for food retailers is still lower than in other categories. This study focuses on food recycling by a large food retailer and reveals the challenges faced by food retailers in building the “recycling loop,” which is a system of composting the food residues, using the compost in agricultural production, and selling the agricultural products back to the retailer. It was found that success was guaranteed when (1) agricultural cooperatives ensure the quality of compost and (2) the retailer buys the products at higher prices. Moreover, for improved recycling, it is important to establish techniques for the proper handling of compost from various residues and to improve the marketing methods of agricultural products.   

Executive summary This report shows how companies handle uncertainties in early innovation phases using cost management tools and gives recommendations regarding the implementation of several practices. Seven international companies' methods were benchmarked and analyzed. Overview The report proc...

...reasonable regulations and practices relating to or connected with receiving, handling, and delivering property; and (7) knowingly and willfully accepting cargo for the account of an ocean transportation intermediary that does not have a...

robustness in handling hypersonic blunt body flow calculations makes the proposed approach a very competitive CFD framework for 3D Navier-Stokes simulations. ... a practice that has been the central notion of many finite-volume [9 -11], ...

Recommendations to improve NASA cryogenic and oxygen handling practices ..... had an s-shaped curve with a maximum near 185 K and a minimum .... and surface finishing, and ..... this area, a low density aerated concrete was substituted ...

This paper summarizes some recent advances in mathematical modeling of relevance in advanced quality monitoring in the food production chain. Using chemometrics-multivariate data analysis - it is illustrated how to tackle problems in food science more efficiently and, moreover, solve problems that could not otherwise be handled before. The different mathematical models are all exemplified by food related subjects to underline the generic use of the models within the food chain. Applications will be given from meat, storage, vegetable characterization, fish quality monitoring and industrial food processing, and will cover areas such as analysis of variance, monitoring and handling of sampling variation, calibration, exploration/data mining and hard modeling. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of neonatal handling and the absence of ovarian hormones on the olfactory memory related to a palatable food in adulthood were investigated. Oxidative stress parameters and Na+/K+-ATPase activity in the hippocampus and olfactory bulb of adult pre-puberty ovariectomized female rats handled or not in the neonatal period were also evaluated. Litters were non-handled or handled (10?min/day, days 1?10 after birth). Females from each litter were divided into: OVX (subjected to ovariectomy), sham, and intact. When adults, olfactory memory related to a palatable food (chocolate) was evaluate using the hole-board olfactory task. Additionally, oxidative stress parameters and Na+/K+-ATPase activity were measured in the hippocampus and olfactory bulb. No difference between groups was obser...

Abstract in spanish OBJETIVO: Se evaluaron la calidad microbiana de los alimentos vendidos en las calles de Accra y los factores que favorecían su contaminación. MÉTODOS: Se usaron cuestionarios estructurados para reunir datos de 117 vendedores callejeros respecto a sus estadísticas vitales, higiene personal, higiene alimentaria y conocimiento de las enfermedades transmitidas por los alimentos. La enumeración, el aislamiento y la identificación de las bacterias se llevaron a cabo emple (more) ando métodos estándar. RESULTADOS: La mayoría de los vendedores poseían estudios y mostraban un buen comportamiento higiénico. En total 110 vendedores (94,0%) definieron la diarrea como la evacuación de > o = 3 heces al día, pero ninguno asoció la diarrea a la presencia de heces sanguinolentas; sólo 21 (17,9%) asociaban la diarrea a la presencia de gérmenes. Los alrededores de los sitios de venta estaban limpios, pero cuatro de los sitios (3,4%) fueron clasificados como muy sucios. La cocción de los alimentos mucho antes de su consumo, su exposición a las moscas y el hecho de manipularlos a nivel del suelo y con las manos eran factores de riesgo frecuentes de contaminación. Se examinaron 511 artículos, clasificados como desayuno/aperitivo, platos principales, sopas y salsas, y platos fríos. Se detectaron bacterias mesofílicas en 356 alimentos (69,7%): 28 (5,5%) contenían Bacillus cereus, 163 (31,9%) Staphylococcus aureus , y 172 (33,7%) enterobacterias. La calidad microbiana de la mayoría de los alimentos entraba dentro de lo aceptable, pero diversas muestras de ensaladas, macarrones, fufu, omo tuo y pimentón picante presentaban niveles inadmisibles de contaminantes. Se aislaron Shigella sonnei y Escherichia coli enteroagregativa a partir de macarrones, arroz y guiso de tomate, y Salmonella arizonae a partir de muestras de sopa ligera. CONCLUSIÓN: Los alimentos de venta callejera pueden ser fuente de enteropatógenos, de ahí la necesidad de enseñar a los vendedores nociones de higiene alimentaria. Se debe prestar especial atención a las causas de diarrea, la transmisión de patógenos diarreicos, el manejo del equipo y los alimentos cocinados, las prácticas de lavado de manos y la higiene del medio. Abstract in english OBJECTIVE: To investigate the microbial quality of foods sold on streets of Accra and factors predisposing to their contamination. METHODS: Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 117 street vendors on their vital statistics, personal hygiene, food hygiene and knowledge of foodborne illness. Standard methods were used for the enumeration, isolation, and identification of bacteria. FINDINGS: Most vendors were educated and exhibited good hygiene behaviour. (more) Diarrhoea was defined as the passage of > or = 3 stools per day) by 110 vendors (94.0%), but none associated diarrhoea with bloody stools; only 21 (17.9%) associated diarrhoea with germs. The surroundings of the vending sites were clean, but four sites (3.4%) were classified as very dirty. The cooking of food well in advance of consumption, exposure of food to flies, and working with food at ground level and by hand were likely risk factors for contamination. Examinations were made of 511 menu items, classified as breakfast/snack foods, main dishes, soups and sauces, and cold dishes. Mesophilic bacteria were detected in 356 foods (69.7%): 28 contained Bacillus cereus (5.5%), 163 contained Staphylococcus aureus (31.9%) and 172 contained Enterobacteriaceae (33.7%). The microbial quality of most of the foods was within the acceptable limits but samples of salads, macaroni, fufu, omo tuo and red pepper had unacceptable levels of contamination. Shigella sonnei and enteroaggregative Escherichia coli were isolated from macaroni, rice, and tomato stew, and Salmonella arizonae from light soup. CONCLUSION: Street foods can be sources of enteropathogens. Vendors should therefore receive education in food hygiene. Special attention should be given to the causes of diarrhoea, the transmission of diarrhoeal pathogens, the handling of equipment and cooked food, hand-washing practices and environmental hygiene.

Food quality and safety is a scientific discipline describing handling, preparation and storage of food in ways that prevent food borne illness. Food serves as a growth medium for microorganisms that can be pathogenic or cause food spoilage. Therefore, it is imperative to have stringent laws and standards for the preparation, packaging and transportation of food. The conventional methods for detection of food contamination based on culturing, colony counting, chromatography and immunoassay are tedious and time consuming while biosensors have overcome some of these disadvantages. There is growing interest in biosensors due to high specificity, convenience and quick response. Optical biosensors show greater potential for the detection of pathogens, pesticide and drug residues, hygiene monito...

In developing and implementing appropriate food risk management strategies, it is important to understand how consumers evaluate the quality of food risk management practices. The aim of this study is to model the underlying psychological factors influencing consumer evaluations of food risk managem...

Microbial food-borne illnesses pose a significant health problem in Japan. In 1996 the world's largest outbreak of Escherichia coli food illness occurred in Japan. Since then, new regulatory measures were established, including strict hygiene practices in meat and food processi...

Early life experiences have profound influences on behavior and neurochemical parameters in adult life. The aim of this study is to verify neonatal handling-induced sex specific differences on learning and reversal learning as well as oxidative stress parameters in the prefrontal cortex and striatum of adult rats. Litters of rats were non-handled or handled (10min/day, days 1-10 after birth). In adulthood, learning and reversal learning were evaluated using a Y maze associated with palatable food in male and female rats. Morris water maze reversal learning was verified in males. Oxidative stress parameters were evaluated in both genders. Male neonatal handled animals had a worse performance in the Y maze reversal learning compared to non-handled ones and no difference was observed in the w...

This paper aimed to develop a reliable measurement tool to evaluate the meanings of food that could be used in both practice and research and to examine possible gender differences. A new meaning of food questionnaire (MOF) was refined across two studies (study 1, n = 451 and study 2, n = 170). The final questionnaire consisted of 25 items and 8 reliable subscales: food and sex, emotional regulation, treat, guilt, social interaction, control over life, control over food, family. The new Meaning of Food (MOF) questionnaire could be used in both research and clinical practice to profile patients and explore predictors of eating behaviour. PMID:21793109

No previous studies about the management of medical waste have been published in Yemen. This research in 5 government and 12 private hospitals in Sana'a aimed to evaluate waste-workers' and hospital administrators' knowledge and practices regarding medical waste handling. Interviews and observations showedadministrators' knowledge and practices regarding medical waste handling. Interviews and observations showed that the waste-workers were collecting medical and nonmedical wastes together manually in all hospitals without receiving adequate training and without using proper protection equipment. There was poor awareness about medical waste risks and safe handling procedures among hospital administrators, and most hospitals did not differentiate between domestic and medical waste disposal. Budgets were not allocated for waste management purposes, which led to shortages in waste handling equipment and an absence of training programmes for staff. Poor knowledge and practices and a high rate of injuries among waste-workers were noted, together with a risk of exposure of staff and visitors to hazardous waste. PMID:22256405

This study presents a first attempt to estimate the service terms of food contact articles made of melamine/formaldehyde and urea/formaldehyde plastics. This was achieved by following the continuous release of formaldehyde into food simulants throughout the use phase until the levels of formaldehyde migration exceeded the specific migration limit (SML), or samples were damaged and not suitable for further tests. Two test conditions were established to follow customary practices as much as possible: scenario 1, successive washing; and scenario 2, alternate courses of exposure and washing. Real melamine tableware showed conformity to the SML of formaldehyde over the course of 1500 successive washings; the estimated service term was 750 days, or about 2 years. Moreover, this service term agreed well with that found in real practice. When washing urea/formaldehyde tableware with sponges, the levels of formaldehyde migration remained below the SML, but samples eventually fractured. In the case of scrubbing pads, the levels of formaldehyde migration constantly increased and ultimately exceeded the SML. Scenario 2 resulted in accelerated migration of formaldehyde, and the SML was exceeded more rapidly than in scenario 1. Because surface roughening occurred during customary use and also during washing with scrubbing pads, it was necessary to adopt reduction factors to take into account the effects of handling when calculating service terms of articles. The results showed reduction factors ranging from 1 to 3, depending on test conditions (scenario 1 or 2) and anticipated use conditions (hot fill or use at ambient temperature). Thus, the estimated service terms of urea formaldehyde products were 117 and 175 days under hot fill and ambient conditions, respectively. These results corresponded with service terms observed in real practice, which were reported to be in the ranges of 3-4 and 6-7 months, respectively. Taking into account the time and expenses consumed during experiments, scenario 1 (successive washing with scrubbing pads) would be recommended as an appropriate method for following the migration of formaldehyde over repeated use phases and for estimating the service terms of amino-resin-based articles for food contact use. PMID:22909170

Food preparation practices have changed dramatically in the past fifty years. This study was designed to quantify food preparation knowledge and practices of college women, to assess the reasons why they do not prepare certain foods, and to determine the frequency of eating outside the home. Distinct food preparation ability emerged (high, medium, and low) from a comprehensive list of food. The two dominant reasons for being unable to prepare basic foods were they had never been taught (knowledge barrier) and they had no interest in learning (attitude barrier). Most of the college women ate food prepared outside the home 1-3 times per week. Even though each generation does less cooking than the previous one, food choice still makes a significant contribution to health status. (Contains 1 figure and 4 tables.)

Marketing activities have attracted increased attention from scholars interested in racial disparities in obesity prevalence, as well as the prevalence of other preventable conditions. Although reducing the marketing of nutritionally poor foods to racial/ethnic communities would represent a significant step forward in eliminating racial disparities in health, we focus instead on a critical-related question. What is the relationship between marketing activities, food culture, and health disparities? This commentary posits that food culture shapes the demand for food and the meaning attached to particular foods, preparation styles, and eating practices, while marketing activities shape the overall environment in which food choices are made. We build on prior research that explores the socio-...

Abstract in portuguese A qualidade do alimento oferecido à população sempre foi uma preocupação do governo federal, observada com a publicação, em 27 de fevereiro de 1967, do Decreto Lei 209 que institui o Código Brasileiro de Alimentos. A Portaria 1.428 de 26 de novembro de 1993/ANVISA inova na relação dos fatores contribuintes para a contaminação alimentar, apresentando, nas diretrizes para o estabelecimento de boas práticas de produção e de prestação de serviços na área de (more) alimentos, a desinfestação que compreende o plano de sanitização utilizado pelo estabelecimento. A partir deste momento cria-se uma nova visão dos fatores determinantes de contaminação alimentar, o controle de ratos e insetos. Este procedimento passa a integrar todos os documentos legais que foram sendo gerados pelo Ministério da Saúde e da Agricultura no que se refere ao controle de alimentos. Até a publicação da RDC 275/2002-ANVISA, o controle de pragas urbanas poderia ser feito por equipes treinadas dos estabelecimentos que realizassem: produção/industrialização, fracionamento, armazenamento e transportes de alimentos industrializados, manipulação, preparação, fracionamento, armazenamento, distribuição, transporte, exposição à venda e entrega de alimentos preparados ao consumo, tais como cantinas, bufês, confeitarias, cozinhas industriais, cozinhas institucionais, delicatéssens, lanchonetes, padarias, pastelarias, restaurantes, e congêneres. A partir de sua publicação, o controle químico passa a ser realizado apenas pelas desinsetizadoras que estejam em conformidade com a RDC 18/2000-ANVISA. Entretanto isto não tira a responsabilidade legal da empresa de alimentos que deverá ter em seu POP (Procedimento Operacional Padronizado) a inclusão do controle de pragas, seja físico e/ou químico. Abstract in english The quality of food offered to the population has always been a concern for the Federal Government observed by a publication on 27 February, 1967 from the Ordinance Law 209 that establishes the Brazilian Code of Foods. The Brazilian Governmental Decree 1428 of 26 November, 1993 from the Brazilian Ministry of Health (MS) innovates the relationship of the contributory factors for food contamination presenting in the guidelines the establishment of good manufacturing practic (more) es and services rendered in the area of foods, the de-infestation that includes the sanitization plan used by an establishment. A new vision of the decisive factors of food contamination has been created, which is the control of mice and insects. This procedure integrates all the legal documents that were produced by the MS and Brazilian Ministry for Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA) concerning the control of food. Even the publication of the Brazilian Governmental Decree 275/2002-MS, the control of urban plagues could be done by trained teams of establishments that carried out: production / industrialization, division, storage and transporting of industrialized food, handling, preparation, storage, distribution, transport, sale display and the delivery of food prepared for consumption, such as restaurants, buffets, sweet shops, industrial kitchens, institutional kitchens, delicatessens, snack bars, bakeries, pastry shops, restaurants, among others. Regarding its publication, the chemical control is only carried out by the PCO in accordance with the Brazilian Governmental Decree 18/2000-MS. However, this does not mean the legal responsibility of food companies has been taken away that should include in the SOP (Standardized Operational Procedure) the control of pests, whether it be physical and/or chemical.

In part one of this series, best practices were described for acquiring and handling data at study sites and importing them into an image repository or database. Here, we present a similar treatment on data management practices for imaging-based studies.

A large number of applications using manufactured nanoparticles of less than 100 nm are currently being introduced into industrial processes. There is an urgent need to evaluate the risks of these novel particles to ensure their safe production, handling, use, and disposal. However, today we lack even rudimentary knowledge about type and quantity of industrially used manufactured nanoparticles and the level of exposure in Swiss industry. The goal of this study was to evaluate the use of nanoparticles, the currently implemented safety measures, and the number of potentially exposed workers in all types of industry. To evaluate this, a targeted telephone survey was conducted among health and safety representatives from 197 Swiss companies. The survey showed that nanoparticles are already used in many industrial sectors; not only in companies in the new field of nanotechnology, but also in more traditional sectors, such as paints. Forty-three companies declared to use or produce nanoparticles, and 11 imported and traded with prepackaged goods that contain nanoparticles. The following nanoparticles were found to be used in considerable quantities (> 1000 kg/year per company): Ag, Al-Ox, Fe-Ox, SiO2, TiO2, and ZnO. The median reported quantity of handled nanoparticles was 100 kg/year. The production of cosmetics, food, paints, powders, and the treatment of surfaces used the largest quantities of these nanoparticles. Generally, the safety measures were found to be higher in powder-based than in liquid-based applications. However, the respondents had many open questions about best practices, which points to the need for rapid development of guidelines and protection strategies. PMID:18504950

With the increased consumption of processed food, quality control techniques are inevitably required in the food industry for its mass production and distribution. Recently, there has been a growing interest in the use of irradiation for solving the infrastructural problems in the food industry by developing viable alternatives to conventional technology and by improving the quality of processed foods. Even though food irradiation technology has been commercialized in 25 countries, and 18 items of irradiated foods have been approved for human consumption domestically, infrastructural studies are needed for the practical application of this technology. In order to enlarge the utilization of irradiation technology in solving the infrastructural problems of the food industry, this project was designed to investigate the efficacy of gamma irradiation for improving the process and physical properties of dried foods (corn and soybean), for preserving the reserved foods for emergency (red pepper) and for producing natural products (red polyketied pigment) using microbial immobilization with radiation-induced polymer.

Executive summary 1. This report contains the main results of a survey of food-related lifestyle in Spain, based on a representative sample of 1000 Spanish households. 2. Generally speaking, Spanish food consumers are very interested in shopping for food and cooking. Compared with other European food consumers, however, they are also very conservative, both in their choice and use of food. 3. Spanish food consumers can be divided into five segments, which differ both in the way they use food and in the importance it has for their attainment of central life values. The segments can only to a small extent be described by means of demographic characteristics. 4. The adventurous food consumers constitute 20% of the population. These are involved food consumers who like both shopping for food and cooking, and who are constantly on the lookout for new products and recipes. They attach a lot of importance to the social role of food. 5. The conservative food consumers constitute 26% of the population. Security is an important purchasing motive for these food consumers, which is reflected in the fact that they only buy familiar products, and cook and eat food traditionally. Apart from this, they are not particularly interested in either shopping cooking. 6. The uninvolved food consumers constitute 16% of the population. These food consumers are neither interested in shopping, cooking, nor the quality of the food they eat, and food is not an important element in their lives. The most important purchasing criterion for these food consumers is that food should be easy to cook. 7. The rational food consumers constitute 26% of the population. These are highly involved food consumers who are both price conscious and check product information when they go shopping, and who generally attach a lot of importance to food quality. They have a practical-rational attitude to cooking and eating, while at the same time stressing the social importance of food. 8. The enthusiastic food consumers constitute 12% of the population. These foodconsumers have the strongest purchasing motives of all the segments. They put a lot of energy into shopping and cooking, both of which are highly planned. These food consumers go after high quality natural product keep a watchful eye on prices. 9. The enthusiastic food consumers, followed by the rational food consumers, care most about ecology, animal welfare and genetic engineering in connection with food. Including political considerations in purchasing decisions is most widespread among the uninvolved food consumers, however.

Proper cooling of foods is known to reduce spoilage and help prevent food-borne illnesses. Nonetheless, little is known about consumers' awareness of guidelines regarding appropriate refrigeration of food or their actual refrigeration practices. Focus groups of consumers of common ethnic backgrounds were designed to evaluate food safety knowledge and home refrigeration practices. Differences were found among ethnic and age groups regarding knowledge of proper refrigeration practices and general food safety, as well as common refrigeration practices. Most participants did not know proper refrigerator temperatures, and none used refrigerator thermometers. The most common sources of food safety information were relatives and extension educators. Eight focus groups of common ethnicity were conducted involving a total of 53 persons. Ethnic groupings included Hispanic, African American, and Caucasian. Comparisons of responses from the eight groups provided insights into consumer practices by ethnic group, whereas the opinions of minority individuals might be overshadowed in focus groups of mixed ethnicity. Although misconceptions were apparent, participants offered many suggestions for avoiding food-borne illnesses (Table 1). They were less certain when the questions focused on refrigeration and cooling practices. Few participants knew the correct refrigerator temperature, and none had a refrigerator thermometer. Most judged the refrigerator temperature from everyday experience (e.g., "I feel the milk to see if it is cold"). It was commonly thought that the dial setting needed to be changed in the summer for food to stay cold.

Detection and enumeration of microorganisms are an important part of providing to consumers, safe foods of high quality. Determining the presence and/or numbers of certain bacteria and fungi may be directly or indirectly related to facility sanitation, hygiene of handling and processing, quality an...

An overview is given of performance throughout the Antwerp-Le Havre ports during 1999 and 2000 and developments in terminal facilities for handling coal, grains, ores, fertilisers, foods, etc. mentioned. Ports included are: Antwerp, Ghent, Dunkirk, Le Havre, and Rouen. 3 photos.

All managing teams know that they have to deal with the company's strategy in handling the market. But how do they do it and on the basis of which beleifs and interpretations? A nearly completed PhD project has examined the way in which three small and medium-sized food companies define their market...

Papers were presented on various aspects of the bulk handling and transport of materials. Topics include: smokestack industries; the food economy; cement; value-added shipping; building a total system; state-of-the-art terminal operations, new terminal facilities; ship loading/unloading equipment developments; stockpile and storage innovations; conveying equipment and operations; forecasts to 2000. Relevant papers have been abstracted separately.

Introductions are given to the following representative types of control equipment for particulate handling systems: 1) programable controllers, 2) microprocessors, 3) data transmission units, 4) minicomputers. Accounts are then given of three examples of computerized control of particulates: 1) milling processes, 2) food silos, 3) coal yards. For discrete systems such as solid flows, distributed processing systems are presently the most common.

Food borne Campylobacter spp. gastroenteritis remains a public health concern and, CDC suggests that improperly handled poultry is the most important source for human disease. Campylobacter spp. does not multiply outside of the chicken gut and, thus, levels on the processed carcass represent human ...

Labeling of food consumption is related to food safety, food quality, environmental, safety, and social concerns. Future politics of food will be based on a redefinition of commodity food consumption as an expression of citizenship. ?Citizen-consumers? realize that they could use their buying power in order to develop a new terrain of social agency and political action. It takes for granted kinds of moral selfhood in which human responsibility is bound into human agency based on knowledge and recognition. This requires new kinds of food labeling practices. Existing research on consumer?s preferences often fails to recognize the full complexity of the motivations and intentions through which the identity of the moral self is built up in relation to food consumption practices. For citizens, ...

From April 1990 through January 1991, the feasibility of recycling Navy shipboard-generated plastic wastes was explored. Normally, plastic wastes are source separated aboard Navy ships and retained for shoreside disposal in accordance with new fleet requirements implementing MARPOL Annex V that prohibits the discharge of plastics at sea. Over 23,000 pounds of shipboard plastic wastes from USS Lexington (AVT 16) and ships from the Norfolk Naval Base were recycled into park benches, picnic tables and carstops that have been distributed back to the Navy bases for use. Navy shipboard plastics must undergo sorting prior to recycling because Navy plastic waste contains large quantities of composite plastic items (e.g., plastic/paper) that are not easily recyclable. Recycling food-contaminated plastics is not practical due to sanitation problems encountered during handling. However, certain items have good resale value if separated by resin type and color (e.g., sonobuoy casings, hard plastic containers, packaging films). Education, feedback, and command support for shipboard recycling programs are required to ensure maximum participation and to minimize contamination with non-plastic items. Specially marked plastics only containers increase convenience and effectiveness of the recycling program.

Abstract:- The use of edible coatings on fresh and processed food products as a means of extending shelf life by preventing or delaying spoilage, providing a partial barrier to moisture, oxygen, and carbon dioxide, improving the mechanical handling properties, and even as carriers of many functional ingredients, is rapidly growing. Edible coatings can be applied by different methods such as panning, fluidized bed, dipping, and spraying. This review presents and discusses some aspects of the application of edible coatings on food products using spraying, which is the most commonly used technique for applying food coatings and to obtain uniform layers.

Patients who have had an orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) experience impaired immune function resulting from the disease process and the therapeutic use of immunosuppressive and antibacterial drugs. Immunoimpairment increases the risk of foodborne illness from bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. This article describes the organisms known to cause clinically important infections and their food sources, the distinctive clinical consequences of the infection in patients who have had an OLT, and methods of preventing foodborne illness in these patients and others. Dietitians are the health care providers typically responsible for teaching OLT patients and their caregivers about safe food handling and appropriate food choices. PMID:7930318

The purpose of this study was to find out if food parenting practices show promise for positively influencing child dietary intake. However, it is unclear what factors motivate parents to engage in vegetable parenting practices. We developed a Model of Goal Directed Vegetable Parenting Practices (MG...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal illnesses (GI) continue to pose a substantial burden in terms of morbidity and economic impact in Canada. We describe the epidemiology of reportable GI in Ontario by characterizing the incidence of each reportable GI, as well as associated demographics, clinical outcomes, seasonality, risk settings, and likely sources of infection. METHODS: Reports on laboratory confirmed cases of amebiasis, botulism, campylobacteriosis, cryptosporidiosis, cyclosporiasis, giardiasis, hepatitis A, listeriosis, paratyphoid fever, salmonellosis, shigellosis, typhoid fever, illness due to verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC-illness), and yersiniosis, from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2009 were obtained from Ontario's passive reportable disease surveillance system. Cases were classified by history of relevant travel, association with outbreaks, and likely source of infection, obtained through follow-up of reported cases by local health authorities. RESULTS: There were 29,897 GI reported by health authorities in Ontario from 2007 to 2009. The most frequently reported diseases were campylobacteriosis (10,916 cases or 36.5% of all GI illnesses) and salmonellosis (7,514 cases, 25.1%). Overall, 26.9% of GI cases reported travel outside of Ontario during the relevant incubation period. Children four years of age and younger had the highest incidence rate for most GI, and significantly more (54.8%, pfood (54.2%), animals (19.8%), and contact with ill persons (16.9%). Private homes (45.5%) and food premises (29.7%) were the most commonly reported exposure settings. Domestic cases of campylobacteriosis, cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis, salmonellosis, and VTEC-illness showed seasonal patterns with incidence peaking in the summer months. CONCLUSIONS: Reportable GI continues to be a burden in Ontario. Since more than one in four GI cases experienced in Ontario were acquired outside of the province, international travel is an important risk factor for most GI. Because private homes are the most commonly reported risk settings and the main suspect sources of infection are food, animal contact and ill persons, these findings support the continued need for public health food safety programs, public education on safe handling of food and animals, and proper hand hygiene practices. PMID:23145487

New soil protection policies directed at soil use that is compatible with the principles of sustainability are discussed with regard to surface mining. Soil handling practices have resulted in some degradation of topsoil that varies with soil type, previous land use, and soil handling procedures. These affect rates of recovery. The above factors, loss of stable aggregation, reduction in earthworm populations, and C-N cycles are discussed. 19 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs.

Vigilance allows individuals to escape from predators, but it also reduces time for other activities which determine fitness, in particular resource acquisition. The principles determining how prey trade time between the detection of predators and food acquisition are not fully understood, particularly in herbivores because of many potential confounding factors (such as group size), and the ability of these animals to be vigilant while handling food. We designed a fertilization experiment to manipulate the quality of resources, and compared awareness (distinguishing apprehensive foraging and vigilance) of wild impalas (Aepyceros melampus) foraging on patches of different grass height and quality in a wilderness area with a full community of predators. While handling food, these animals can...

Eating patterns among school-aged children continue to be highly reliant on frequent consumption of food items that are perceived to have low or poor nutritional value. This has become a serious public health concern. In this New Zealand-based study, primary school children's food consumption behaviour was investigated via two sources: a cross-sectional survey of school foods from 927 lunch-boxes, and the content analysis of unconsumed foods deposited in provided food waste disposal bins. The results indicated that most lunch-boxes contained an over-representation of the food groups high in fat, sodium and sugar, and an under-representation of fruit and vegetables. In this study, the measured high proportions of unconsumed healthy foods (mainly fruit and vegetables), in comparison to unhealthy foods, being thrown away by school-children were of concern. The results indicate that schools and parents should pursue initiatives that support healthy diets for children as best practice. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)

Food irradiation is to contribute to the stable security of foodstuffs which is the fundamental condition of human survival by improving the preservation of foodstuffs and food sanitation utilizing the biological effect due to irradiation. The research and development have been carried out internationally since 1950s, but after the safety declaration of irradiated foods in 1980 by the international organ concerned, the permission and practical use for foods in various foreign countries, the technology transfer to developing countries and so on have been advanced. At present, food irradiation is permitted in 38 countries, and the practical irradiation is carried out in 24 countries. In Japan, the irradiation of potatoes to prevent germination was permitted in 1972, and the practical irradiation on potatoes of yearly 15,000 t is carried out. In the near future, irradiated foods will appear in international foodstuff market, and Japan which imports foodstuffs must cope with them. Foodstuffs and the safety, food irradiation, the soundness of irradiated foods, food irradiation in various foreign countries and Japan, the trend of international organs and the criticism of food irradiation are reported. (K.I.).

There is growing evidence that exposure to food marketing influences dietary preferences among youth. Few studies exploring this association, however, have focused on the retail food store environment where families negotiate the influence of food and beverage marketing on purchasing practices. Consequently, we sought to examine: (i) the extent to which foods marketed on the internet and television to youth are also available and marketed in retail food stores, and (ii) whether differences exist in the marketing practices across store types and by neighborhood racial composition. In 2008, a cross-sectional survey of 118 food stores was conducted in four Midwestern cities in the United States. Results showed that 82% of stores assessed carried items commonly marketed to youth via television...

Background There is a desperate need to address diet-related chronic diseases in Mexican-origin women, particularly for those in border region colonias (Mexican settlements) and other new destination communities in rural and non-rural areas of the U.S. Understanding the food choices of mothers, who lead food and health activities in their families, provides one way to improve health outcomes in Mexican-origin women and their children. This study used a visual method, participant-driven photo-elicitation, and grounded theory in a contextual study of food choices from the perspectives of Mexican-origin mothers. Methods Teams of trained promotoras (female community health workers from the area) collected all data in Spanish. Ten Mexican-origin mothers living in colonias in Hidalgo County, TX completed a creative photography assignment and an in-depth interview using their photographs as visual prompts and examples. English transcripts were coded inductively by hand, and initial observations emphasized the salience of mothers' food practices in their routine care-giving. This was explored further by coding transcripts in the qualitative data analysis software Atlas.ti. Results An inductive conceptual framework was created to provide context for understanding mothers' daily practices and their food practices in particular. Three themes emerged from the data: 1) a mother's primary orientation was toward her children; 2) leveraging resources to provide the best for her children; and 3) a mother's daily food practices kept her children happy, healthy, and well-fed. Results offer insight into the intricate meanings embedded in Mexican-origin mothers' routine food choices. Conclusions This paper provides a new perspective for understanding food choice through the eyes of mothers living in the colonias of South Texas -- one that emphasizes the importance of children in their routine food practices and the resilience of the mothers themselves. Additional research is needed to better understand mothers' perspectives and food practices with larger samples of women and among other socioeconomic groups. PMID:20071471

... care practices that are useful for easing TMJ disorders symptoms include rest, heat and ice treatment, and antiinflammatory medications. Jaw rest can help heal TMJ joints. Patients should avoid chewing gum, eating hard, chewy foods, and opening their mouth very ...

...feeding practices and diet quality, food allergy...other health and development outcomes in young...other health and development outcomes. The results...over the child's eating patterns; the child's...attention deficit disorder, developmental...child's social development; the...

May 21, 2012 ... Technology spin-off from research aboard the International Space Station is opening up a new way to keep hospital patients safe from infections. ... "It has many practical applications, from hand hygiene to food hygiene, ...

The irradiation of foods is accepted by international agencies (FAO, OMS) like a healthy and effective technology at the moment the irradiated foods are marketed easily in many countries, however in other countries exist several factors that affect the practical application of this process. In this work is planned about an educational campaign about the irradiation process directed to the consumers. (Author)

In this study, 342 grade 4-6 elementary school students in Gyeonggi-do were recruited to determine their readiness to change food safety behavior and to compare their food safety knowledge and practices by the stages of change. The subjects were divided into three stages of change; the percentage of...

In conducting the assessment of the pollution sources and control measures utilized by the food processing industries (those industries listed under SIC 20), the water pollution control, air pollution control and solid waste management practices of 19 specific food processing ind...

The importance of foodborne viral infections is increasingly recognized. Food handlers can transmit infection during preparation or serving; fruit and vegetables may be contaminated by fecally contaminated water used for growing or washing. And modern practices of the food industry mean that a conta...

Manual handling of nanoparticles is a fundamental task of most nanomaterial research; such handling may expose workers to ultrafine or nanoparticles. Recent studies confirm that exposures to ultrafine or nanoparticles produce adverse inflammatory responses in rodent lungs and such particles may translocate to other areas of the body, including the brain. An important method for protecting workers handling nanoparticles from exposure to airborne nanoparticles is the laboratory fume hood. Such hoods rely on the proper face velocity for optimum performance. In addition, several other hood design and operating factors can affect worker exposure. Handling experiments were performed to measure airborne particle concentration while handling nanoparticles in three fume hoods located in different buildings under a range of operating conditions. Nanoalumina and nanosilver were selected to perform handling experiments in the fume hoods. Air samples were also collected on polycarbonate membrane filters and particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Handling tasks included transferring particles from beaker to beaker by spatula and by pouring. Measurement locations were the room background, the researcher's breathing zone and upstream and downstream from the handling location. Variable factors studied included hood design, transfer method, face velocity/sash location and material types. Airborne particle concentrations measured at breathing zone locations were analyzed to characterize exposure level. Statistics were used to test the correlation between data. The test results found that the handling of dry powders consisting of nano-sized particles inside laboratory fume hoods can result in a significant release of airborne nanoparticles from the fume hood into the laboratory environment and the researcher's breathing zone. Many variables were found to affect the extent of particle release including hood design, hood operation (sash height, face velocity), work practices, type and quantity of the material being handled, room conditions, and the adequacy of the room exhaust.

Human noroviruses (HuNoV) are the leading cause of foodborne disease, and poor personal hygiene practices of infected workers are the most common mode of contamination. The purpose of this study was to characterize the persistence and transferability of representative noroviruses Norwalk virus (NV), Snow Mountain virus (SMV), and murine norovirus 1 (MNV-1) on and between solid surfaces and foods. Changes in virus concentration on artificially inoculated solid surfaces (stainless steel, ceramic, and Formica) or lettuce were monitored over a period of 14 to 42 days. Virus transfer was evaluated from donor (solid surface) to recipient (food, e.g., lettuce and sliced turkey deli meat) for up to 2 h postinoculation. Viruses were recovered by elution and titered with reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and/or infectivity assay, as appropriate. Based on RTqPCR, the concentration of NV and SMV on surfaces dropped gradually over time, with an average reduction of 1.5 to 2.0 and 1.8 to 2.3 log, respectively, after 42 days, with no statistically significant differences by surface. When inoculated onto lettuce stored for 2 weeks at 4°C and room temperature, the titers of NV and SMV dropped by approximately 1.0 and 1.2 to 1.8 log, respectively. Comparatively, the RT-qPCR signal associated with purified HuNoV RNA placed on the same surfaces was more rapidly lost to degradation. Transfer efficiency ranged from 0 to 26 % for lettuce and from 55 to 95 % for sliced turkey deli meat, with statistically significant differences (P ? 0.05) in transferability as a function of contact pressure (100 and 1,000 g/9 cm(2)) and inoculum drying time. When similar experiments were done with MNV-1, infectious virus failed to be detected on solid surfaces after storage day 21, although the virus did persist on lettuce. This study provides much needed quantitative data for use in risk assessment efforts intended to characterize the transmission of HuNoV during food preparation and handling. PMID:22564943

Several initiatives, including research and development, increasing stakeholders' awareness and application of legislation and recommendation, have been carried out in Latin America to promote animal welfare and meat quality. Most activities focused on the impact of pre-slaughter conditions (facilities, equipment and handling procedures) on animal welfare and meat quality. The results are encouraging; data from Brazil, Chile and Uruguay showed that the application of the improved pre-slaughter handling practices reduced aggressive handling and the incidence of bruised carcasses at slaughter in cattle and pigs. These outcomes stimulated some to apply animal welfare concepts in livestock handling within the meat production chain as shown by the increasing demand for personnel training on the...

A number of methods have been developed to assist subjects in providing an estimate of portion size but their application in improving portion size estimation by children has not been investigated systematically. The aim was to develop portion size assessment tools for use with children and to assess the accuracy of children's estimates of portion size using the tools. The tools were food photographs, food models and an interactive portion size assessment system (IPSAS). Children (n 201), aged 4-16 years, were supplied with known quantities of food to eat, in school. Food leftovers were weighed. Children estimated the amount of each food using each tool, 24 h after consuming the food. The age-specific portion sizes represented were based on portion sizes consumed by children in a national survey. Significant differences were found between the accuracy of estimates using the three tools. Children of all ages performed well using the IPSAS and food photographs. The accuracy and precision of estimates made using the food models were poor. For all tools, estimates of the amount of food served were more accurate than estimates of the amount consumed. Issues relating to reporting of foods left over which impact on estimates of the amounts of foods actually consumed require further study. The IPSAS has shown potential for assessment of dietary intake with children. Before practical application in assessment of dietary intake of children the tool would need to be expanded to cover a wider range of foods and to be validated in a 'real-life' situation. PMID:17697426

Confidence is an important issue for biology students in handling computational concepts. This paper describes a practical in which honours-level bioscience students simulate complex animal behaviour using StarLogo TNG, a freely-available graphical programming environment. The practical consists of two sessions, the first of which guides students through building their own computer simulation using StarLogo TNG's graphical programming blocks. The second practical requires them to modify the simulation and carry out a simulation-based experiment. Results from pre- and post-surveys show that, after completing the practical, students have increased their confidence in answering questions requiring understanding of computer code. (Contains 5 figures.)

Introduction Recently a 7-year-old British boy died after drinking pineapple & coconut juice drink. The boy was allergic to milk. The juice drink contained milk, which was declared in the ingredient list as required in the labelling law. The mother to the boy did not read the ingredient list, as she did not expect to find milk in a juice drink. The juice drink had pictures of pineapple and coconut but none of milk despite that it contained greater amounts of milk than coconut. At the moment the British authorities investigate if the company behind the juice drink has broken the law. How can food companies avoid being a part of such a tragic story? The EuroPrevall project has developed a new website on the management of food allergens, www.foodallergens.info, which is aimed at the food industry. Content on the new website about food allergy: • Basal knowledge about food allergy such as how big the problem is, possible causes, prevention, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. • The European law. The labelling law is the only law specifically mentioning food allergy. But both the general food law and the hygiene law require food companies to provide safe foods. • Guidance to the food industry on how to handle food allergens in the food production including how to minimise the risk of unintentional presence of allergens in a product. • Access to the InformAll database that contains detailed information about almost 100 foods, which may cause allergy. The database covers both the commonly eaten foods such as milk, egg and hazelnut as well as the more exotic foods such as frogs. You may for example use the database to get an idea about how common a specific food allergy is. • Access to the Food Allergy Portal, which is a collection of links to more than 100 websites about food allergy in 10 different European languages. Conclusion: If the company behind the pineapple & coconut fruit juice had asked an allergy expert for advice or had thought about allergic people themselves during the development of their product, the tragic story probably could have been avoided. An expert in allergy would ask if the milk really was necessary in the product. If the company insisted the expert would advice the company to warn allergic people about the content of milk by including it in the name or in the picture on the front of the carton.

Folklorama in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is a 14-day temporary food service event that explores the many different cultural realms of food, food preparation, and entertainment. In 2010, the Russian pavilion at Folklorama was implicated in a foodborne outbreak of Escherichia coli O157 that caused 37 illnesses and 18 hospitalizations. The ethnic nature and diversity of foods prepared within each pavilion presents a unique problem for food inspectors, as each culture prepares food in their own very unique way. The Manitoba Department of Health and Folklorama Board of Directors realized a need to implement a food safety information delivery program that would be more effective than a 2-h food safety course delivered via PowerPoint slides. The food operators and event coordinators of five randomly chosen pavilions selling potentially hazardous food were trained on-site, in their work environment, focusing on critical control points specific to their menu. A control group (five pavilions) did not receive on-site food safety training and were assessed concurrently. Public health inspections for all 10 pavilions were performed by Certified Public Health Inspectors employed with Manitoba Health. Critical infractions were assessed by means of standardized food protection inspection reports. The results suggest no statistically significant difference in food inspection scores between the trained and control groups. However, it was found that inspection report results increased for both the control and trained groups from the first inspection to the second, implying that public health inspections are necessary in correcting unsafe food safety practices. The results further show that in this case, the 2-h food safety course delivered via slides was sufficient to pass public health inspections. Further evaluations of alternative food safety training approaches are warranted. PMID:23043832

The production of biodegradable and edible films with desired mechanical characteristics and gas barrier properties represents one of the most advanced challenges in the field of food wrapping and coating. New edible films can serve not only to provide food with physical protection but also to reduce loss of their moisture, to restrict absorption of oxygen, to lessen migration of lipids, to improve their mechanical handling features, and as materials, to apply in direct contact with internal food to realize a multilayer food packaging. Polymers derived from natural products, like carbohydrates and proteins, offer the greatest opportunities as component of edible films since their biodegradability and environmental compatibility are assured and they can also supplement the nutritional value...

The fate of minerals can be conveniently studied through intrinsic labeling techniques. The mineral of interest is biologically incorporated into the food in a form that can be distinguished analytically from the natural form of the element. Radiolabels have traditionally been used to study such problems as the uptake of minerals by plants, the gross and subcellular mineral distribution in plant tissues, the form and associations of the deposited mineral, and the bioavailability of minerals to animals and humans. The use of stable (nonradioactive) isotopes as a label offers the potential of safely studying bioavailability of minerals from individual foods in human population groups of all ages using foods processed in normal food handling and processing facilities. 114 references.

As the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) begins to look towards longer duration space flights, the importance of fresh foods and varied menu choices increases. Long duration space missions require development of both a Transit Food System and a Lunar or Planetary Food System. These two systems are intrinsically different since the first one will be utilized in the transit vehicle in microgravity conditions while the second will be used in conditions of partial gravity (hypogravity). The Transit Food System will consist of prepackaged food of extended shelf life. Microgravity imposes significant limitations on the ability of the crew to handle food and allows only for minimal processing. Salad crops will be available for the planetary mission. Supplementing the transit food system with salad crops is also being considered. These crops will include carrots, tomatoes, lettuce, radish, spinach, chard, cabbage, and onion. The crops will be incorporated in the menu along with the prepackaged food. The fresh tasting salad crops will provide variety, texture, and color in the menu. This variety should provide increased psychological benefit. Preliminary studies on spinach, tomatoes, and bok choy have been completed. Sensory and analytical tests, including color and moisture were conducted on the chamber grown crops and compared to store bought spinach, tomatoes, and bok choy. Preliminary studies of the appropriate serving sizes and number of servings per week have also been conducted.

This paper provides an overview of the recycling and re-refining of used oil. Recommended best management practices to encourage the safe management, collection, recovery and purchasing of this resource are identified. Management practices address handling, separating, and specifications. Other topics outlined include collection methods, market research, state studies and programs, environmental and economic factors of recycling, re-refining, and oil filters. References, studies, regulations, and other sources of information are noted in the bibliography.

This Standard applies to the receipt, processing, storage, and shipment of fissionable material in the 300 Area and in any other facility under the control of the Reactor Materials Project Management Team (PMT). The objective is to establish practices and process conditions for the storage and handling of fissionable material that prevent the accidental assembly of a critical mass and that comply with DOE Orders as well as accepted industry practice.

To make more practical the total chemical synthesis of proteins by the ligation of unprotected peptide building blocks, we have developed a method to facilitate the isolation and handling of intermediate products. The synthetic technique makes use of a His6 tag at the C terminus of the target polype...

This paper reports the results of an extensive investigation on the waste management in Hong Kong abattoirs with the following objectives: (i) to identify the existing waste management practices in relation to sources and quantity of wastes generated, methods of storage and handling of wastes, any i...

One of the most common and practical ways of representing a real function on machines is by using a polynomial approximation. It is then important to properly handle the error introduced by such an approximation. The purpose of this work is to offer guaranteed error bounds for a specific kind of rig...

The practical scenarios discussed in a chemistry or chemical engineering course that use solid or liquid reactants are presented. Important ideas to be considered when handling pressurized fluids are provided and three typical examples are described to enable students develop secondary skills such as the selective search of data, identification of freedom degrees, and the setting-up of viability criteria.

Our purpose here is to describe an algorithm, based on two classical Noerlund resummations of time series, which can be helpful in practical cases. This algorithm, very fast and simple to handle by the computer, may be conveniently coupled with any extrapolation method.

Although many authors emphasise the differences and potential conflicts between product design and marketing, there appears to be a disagreement in how to handle such differences and conflicts within organisations. This paper presents a novel and general model that focuses on how different practices...

In the absence of a curative treatment, patients with food allergy continue to live with the risk of accidental exposure to food allergens and the possibility of severe allergic reactions. Over the last 5 years, research in the area of immunotherapy for food allergy has intensified. Although this novel therapeutic option has not reached routine clinical practice, results from immunotherapy studies have yielded encouraging results. In this review article, we will discuss the immunological mechanisms involved in tolerance induction and the clinical efficacy and safety of oral and sublingual immunotherapy for food allergy.

This study investigates relationships among food safety knowledge, attitudes and hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) practices in restaurant employees in Taiwan. The authors administered a baseline questionnaire to 542 restaurant employees to assess their food safety knowledge, attitude and HACCP practices. A total of 421 valid questionnaires were returned and used in analysis. Mean scores for each survey item were calculated and used in a structural equation model (SEM) designed to assess interrelationships between the three. Participants scored an average 84.7% correct in food safety knowledge, with highest and lowest correct scores in, respectively, the food poisoning and good hygienic practices (GHP) constructs. The highest score in the attitude section was ''concern for foo...

Allergies to certain foods such as soybeans and eggs contraindicate the use of propofol, a short-acting hypnotic medication used by many anesthesia care providers. Understanding the safe use and handling of propofol and communicating known patient allergies to all surgical team members is crucial to providing safe perioperative care. The perioperative nurses preoperative assessment supports and improves the plan of care for the patient by identifying the patients risk factors. Obtaining a correct and precise history of allergies, not only to medication but to food, and concise hand-off reporting are essential for patient safety.

In many developing countries, hundreds of thousands of tonnes of old pesticides and toxic waste are out of control. Pollution of air, water and food is a common cause of early death in many developing countries. According to The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), 500 000 tonnes of obsolete, useless and prohibited pesticides exists on a global scale. Putting this matter straight is an international priority. The present article briefly reviews some Norwegian engagement in training Vietnamese professionals in mapping, handling and destruction of pesticides. Such efforts are especially important in an essentially agricultural society in which half of the population is living below the poverty level.

Abstract in portuguese OBJETIVO: Apresentar uma revisão sobre as evidências que embasam as recomendações atuais da alimentação complementar de crianças em aleitamento materno. FONTES DE DADOS: Foi realizada extensa revisão bibliográfica sobre o tópico, tendo sido consultados artigos selecionados a partir de pesquisa das bases de dados MEDLINE e Lilacs, publicações de organismos nacionais e internacionais, dissertações e teses. Alguns artigos-chave foram selecionados a partir de ci (more) tações em outros artigos. SÍNTESE DOS DADOS: Novos conhecimentos sobre alimentação infantil adquiridos nos últimos 20 anos resultaram em mudanças significativas nas atuais recomendações alimentares de crianças amamentadas em relação às recomendações anteriores. As atuais necessidades nutricionais recomendadas são menores que as anteriores, os alimentos complementares são introduzidos em uma idade mais precisa, em torno dos 6 meses, e são recomendados novos métodos de promoção da alimentação saudável da criança. As novas recomendações enfatizam as práticas alimentares saudáveis, as quais englobam tanto a quantidade quanto a qualidade adequadas dos alimentos, inclusive o cuidado com o manuseio, preparo, administração e armazenamento dos alimentos e o respeito e adequação às características culturais de cada povo. CONCLUSÕES: A alimentação complementar adequada da criança em aleitamento materno é crítica para o ótimo crescimento e desenvolvimento da criança. Portanto, é um fator essencial para a segurança alimentar e para o desenvolvimento das populações e seus países. Cabe aos profissionais de saúde repassar efetivamente às mães/cuidadores as novas recomendações para a promoção da alimentação complementar saudável da criança amamentada. Cabe aos governos propiciar as condições adequadas para essa promoção. Abstract in english OBJECTIVE: To present a review on the evidences that support the current recommendations for breastfed children feeding. SOURCES OF DATA: An extensive bibliographic review of the topic was carried out. Articles selected in the MEDLINE and Lilacs databases, publications from national and international organizations, theses and dissertations were reviewed. Some key articles were also selected from the citations referred in other papers. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS: New knowledg (more) e acquired about child feeding over the last 20 years have led to a significant change in the current feeding recommendations for breastfed children in relation to the prior recommendations. The current recommended nutritional needs are lower than the old recommendations, complementary food is introduced in a more precise age, around 6 months, and new methods are recommended for promoting the child's healthy eating. The new recommendations emphasize the health feeding practices which comprise both the adequate food quantity and quality, including care with food handling and preparation, feeding and storage practices, and the respect and adequacy to the cultural characteristics of each people. CONCLUSIONS: The adequate complementary feeding of the breastfed child is critical for the optimal child growth and development. Therefore, it is an essential factor for both the populations' food security and the development of nations. The health professionals are ought to effectively pass on to mothers/care takers the new recommendations for promoting the healthy complementary feeding of the breastfed child. It is up to the governments to provide the adequate conditions for supporting such a promotion.

To secure national food resources, development of energy-saving food processing and preservation technologies, establishment of method on improvement of national health and safety by development of alternative techniques of chemicals and foundation of the production of hygienic food and public health related products by irradiation technology were studied. Results at current stage are following: As the first cooperative venture business technically invested by National Atomic Research Development Project, institute/company's [technology-invested technology foundation No. 1] cooperative venture, Sun-BioTech Ltd., was founded and stated its business. This suggested new model for commercialization and industrialization of the research product by nation-found institute. From the notice of newly approved product list about irradiated food, radiation health related legal approval on 7 food items was achieved from the Ministry of health and wellfare, the Korea Food and Drug Administration, and this contributed the foundation of enlargement of practical use of irradiated food. As one of the foundation project for activation of radiation application technology for the sanitation and secure preservation of special food, such as military meal service, food service for patient, and food for sports, and instant food, such as ready-to-eat/ready-to-cook food, the proposal for radiation application to the major military commander at the Ministry of National Defence and the Joint Chiefs of Staff was accepted for the direction of military supply development in mid-termed plan for the development of war supply. Especially, through the preliminary research and the development of foundation technology for the development of the Korean style space food and functional space food, space Kimch with very long shelf life was finally developed. The development of new item/products for food and life science by combining RT/BT, the development of technology for the elimination/reduction of harmful compound in food using RT/BT, the estimation of safety on the irradiated special food, the of public understanding, development, and the evaluation of characteristics in the processing and cooking of irradiated food were also performed. Results from this research project, through the development of technology for food hygiene, will expect the improvement of public hygiene and national health by prevention of food borne disease in the field of food service in school, military and fast food restaurant, and enhancement of national economy and industry by increase of direct/indirect productivity.

A microbiological surveillance program of cafeterias and snack bars was conducted to supplement the inspections by NASA Medical Center personnel and to gather information for cafeteria management to pinpoint areas of possible contamination. The work conducted under the program from its inception in January, 1972, to its termination on September 15, 1972 is summarized. Ten food handling facilities were included in the surveillance at NASA-MSFC.

Abstract Background:- Full-day-care pre-schools contribute significantly to the nutritional intake and acquisition of dietary habits of the pre-school child. The present study investigated nutritional practices in full-day-care pre-schools in Dublin, Ireland, aiming to determine the nutritional support that pre-school managers deem necessary, thereby facilitating the amelioration of existing pre-school nutritional training and practices. Methods:- A telephone questionnaire completed by pre-school managers (n-=-54) examined pre-school dietary practices, food provision and the association between these and pre-school size, nutritional training attendance, possession of the Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Pre-school Services and having a healthy eating policy. Nutritional training needs wer...

The Nigerian economy had remarkable industrial growth between 1970 and 1980 and industrialization and urbanization have been sustained albeit at a slower rate. Nevertheless, waste management remains grossly underdeveloped. Environmental concern is only a recent phenomenon, resulting thus far in the launching of a monthly clean-up campaign in 1984 and the establishment of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) in 1988. The level of public awareness has not been encouraging. The indiscriminate discharge of largely untreated factory and urban effluents has continued. Streets and home surroundings become littered soon after clean-up exercises. Inadequate facilities contribute to the unwholesome situation. Refuse collecting centers are mostly without any holding containers, and solid wastes, the focus of the monthly clean-up, are left on the bare ground. Heavy automobile traffic and high lead content of the local automobile fuels have not helped matters. Heavy metals in the human environment are of global concern. In developed countries, limits of concentrations in fish and other foods have been set to safeguard public health, but Nigeria has yet to set any standards because of lack of baseline data. Within the last decade, scientists have been reporting on heavy metal levels in fish from the aquatic environment of Nigeria. Among the metals, lead was the most prominent, with a mean value comparable to the set limits in Great Britain and New Zealand. The present study was aimed at further establishing the levels of contamination in fish by lead and other metals in the Nigerian aquatic systems. Smoke-dried fish, being the most consumed by the local population, was chosen for the survey on the levels of cadmium, cobalt, copper, chromium, iron, manganese, lead and zinc. Possible surface contamination arising from observed poor handling practices was also investigated. 18 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs.

Freezing is a key food processing and preservation technique widely used in the food industry. Application of best freezing and storage practices extends the shelf-life of foods for several months, while retaining much of the original quality of the fresh food. During freezing, as well as its counterpart process, thawing, a number of critical physiochemical processes take place, including freeze concentration and freezing-point depression. As a start to understanding the complexities associated with frozen foods, Food Science students should be able to describe and explain what occurs during the freezing and thawing of an aqueous solution. A modern cooking technique, gelatin-filtered consomme, illustrates all of the phenomena associated with the freezing and thawing processes in a memorable, edible, hands-on fashion. (Contains 4 figures and 7 footnotes.)

Many eating disorders are observed in food allergy practice. It is common to see patients avoiding many foods because they have been poorly informed of cross-reactions that are not clinically relevant. For children, parental anxiety may multiply irrational avoidance. The diagnosis of Munchausen syndrome by proxy should be envisaged, although it is rare. Abnormal eating behavior in children can be related to a Pavlovian reaction of disgust, to anxiety or depression, a perturbed relationship with the mother or simply due to an aversion to new foods. In adults, food avoidance is linked to poor interpretation of positive laboratory tests indicating cross-reactions that are clinically irrelevant. Irritable bowel syndrome results in food avoidance even where food allergy is poorly documented. Fi...

Thioredoxin (TRX) catalyzes the reduction of disulfide bonds in proteins via the NADPH-dependent thioredoxin reductase system. Reducing the disulfide bonds of allergenic proteins in food by TRX lowers the allergenicity. We established in this study a method to prepare TRX-enriched extracts from the edible yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, on a large and practical scale, with the objective of developing TRX-containing functional foods to mitigate food allergy. Treating with the yeast TRX-enriched extracts together with NADPH and yeast thioredoxin reductase enhanced the pepsin cleavage of ?-lactoglobulin and ovomucoid (OM). We also examined whether yeast TRX can mitigate the allergenicity of OM by conducting immediate allergy tests on guinea pigs. The treatment with TRX reduced the anaphylactic symptoms induced by OM in these tests. These results indicate that yeast TRX was beneficial against food allergy, raising the possibility that yeast TRX-enriched extracts can be applied to food materials for mitigating food allergy.   

When students pack up for college, they take along the basics-- TV, laptop, MP3 player, and cell phone. Many students will arrive at school with a microwave oven, tabletop grill, mini fridge, and toaster oven in tow. Most students, however, don't know there are food safety considerations when cooking with these appliances. The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline receives many calls from parents or students with questions about the handling and storage of food for college kids. This bulletin answers many questions about how to safely cook and prepare foods while away at school. USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline, advises all consumers to keep these four basic tips in mind when cooking and preparing foods: (1) Wash hands and surfaces often; (2) Separate raw meat, poultry and egg products from cooked foods to avoid cross-contamination; (3) Raw meat, poultry and egg products need to be cooked thoroughly. Use a food thermometer to ensure foods have reached a high enough temperature to kill any harmful bacteria that might be present; and (4) Refrigerate promptly. It also lists the 24 hour phone numbers, and web sites for the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline.

Hot cells are the facilities for handling the high radioactive materials and various R and D activities are performed using hot cells. Therefore the control of air flow in hot cell area is very important technology and it is started with the variable speed motor(VSM) controlling the air handling system in that area. This report describes various technical aspects of VS motors and will be useful for understanding the practical technologies of VS motors and also for optimization of the negative pressure controls in hot cell area.

Abstract in portuguese A produção de frutos e hortaliças minimamente processados mostrou crescimento relevante nos últimos anos, em razão de acentuadas mudanças no estilo de vida do consumidor, como redução das famílias, busca de conveniência e conscientização da necessidade de uma dieta alimentar saudável e que atenda às exigências de segurança alimentar. Objetivou-se, neste trabalho, caracterizar a qualidade química, físico-química e microbiológica dos produtos minimamente (more) processados, coletados em gôndolas de supermercados em Lavras - MG, Brasília - DF e São Paulo - SP para orientar seus fornecedores e consumidores quanto à necessidade de maior controle de qualidade, devido aos riscos de contaminação de matérias-primas por microrganismos patogênicos e deteriorantes. 144 amostras foram coletadas e submetidas às determinações de pH, acidez titulável e sólidos solúveis e avaliações microbiológicas (coliformes a 45ºC, Escherichia coli e Salmonella sp.). Os resultados mostraram variações significativas nos valores de pH e foi observada diminuição de acidez e sólidos solúveis, durante o armazenamento. Foi detectada contaminação por coliformes a 45ºC sendo que, em 50% dessa presença, houve isolamentos de Escherichia coli, evidenciando contaminação oriunda de matéria-prima inadequadamente higienizada ou por sua presença nos manipuladores. Contudo, não foi detectada contaminação por Salmonella sp.. Os resultados obtidos indicaram a necessidade de implementação de Boas Práticas de Fabricação (BPF), no controle de qualidade desses produtos. Abstract in english The production of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables has shown an outstanding growth in the latest years, due to the remarkable changes in the consumers' life style, such as family reduction, search for convenience and increased awareness of a wholesome food diet which meets the requirements of food safety. The aim of this work was to characterize the physicochemical and microbiological quality of fresh-cut produce collected from shelves of supermarkets in Lavras, Brasília (more) and São Paulo as so to guide their suppliers and consumers for the need for an increased quality control due to the risks of contamination of raw material by pathogenic and decay-causing microorganisms. 144 samples were submitted to pH, titratable acidity, soluble solid analyses and microbiological analyses (coliforms at 45ºC, Salmonella sp. and Escherichia coli). The results showed significant alterations in pH values. A decrease in acidity and soluble solids during storage was found. Contamination by coliforms at 45ºC during manufacture was verified in 50% of the presence verified. We have isolated Escherichia coli, which evidences contamination coming from inadequately cleaned raw material or by their presence on the handlers. However, no contamination by Salmonella sp. was detected. Our results indicate the need of the implementation of the Good Handling Practices for the quality control of these produce.

This work is a bibliographic review about the contributions of the food irradiation technology on nutritional and alimentary safety. Subjected to research and development for more than 60 years, these technology was approved by a jointly FAO/WHO/IAEA Expert Committees in 1980 with the conclusion that the irradiation of food up to an overall average dose of 10 kGy present no toxicological hazard and introduce no special nutritional or microbiological problems. Following these conclusions general standards and practices for food irradiation were adopted by the Codex Alimentarium Commission in 1983, opening the possibilities for internal applications and international commerce of irradiated food in many countries. Radiation from radioisotopes sources, electron accelerators or X-ray generators can be applied to food in order to reduce the microbial load, insect disinfestation, improving the shelf life extension of the products. Absorbed doses up to 10 kGy level do not introduce significant alterations in the macro or micro nutrients contents or in the sensorial characteristic of irradiated food. Although food safety can be related with many other important topics, irradiation technology improving food quality, reducing food spoilage during preservation and preventing problems related with food borne disease present a good potential to contribute with the foment and guaranty of the nutritional and alimentary safety. (author)

Widespread poor vitamin D status in all age and gender groups in the United States (USA) and Canada increases the need for new food sources. Currently ?60% of the intake of vitamin D from foods is from fortified foods in these countries. Those groups in greatest need are consuming significantly lower amounts of commonly fortified foods such as milk. Both countries allow voluntary vitamin D fortification of some other foods, although in Canada this practice is only done on a case-by-case basis. Novel approaches to vitamin D fortification of food in both countries now include "bio-addition" in which food staples are fortified through the addition of another vitamin D-rich food to animal feed during production, or manipulation of food post-harvest or pre-processing. These bio-addition approaches provide a wider range of foods containing vitamin D, and thus appeal to differing preferences, cultures and possibly economic status. An example is the post-harvest exposure of edible mushrooms to ultraviolet light. However, further research into safety and efficacy of bio-addition needs to be established in different target populations. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Vitamin D Workshop'. PMID:23104118

The bioavailability of cadmium (Cd) from food is an important determinant of the potential risk of this toxic element. This review summarizes the effects of marginal deficiencies of the essential nutrients zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and calcium (Ca) on the enhancement of absorption and organ accumulation and retention of dietary Cd in laboratory animals. These marginal deficiencies enhanced Cd absorption as much as ten-fold from diets containing low Cd concentrations similar to that consumed by some human populations, indicating that people who are nutritionally marginal with respect to Zn, Fe, and Ca are at higher risk of Cd disease than those who are nutritionally adequate. Results from these studies also suggest that the bioavailability of Cd is different for different food sources. This has implications for the design of food safety rules for Cd in that if the dietary source plays such a significant role in the risk of Cd, then different foods would require different Cd limits. Lastly, the importance of food-level exposures of Cd and other potentially toxic elements in the study of risk assessment are emphasized. Most foods contain low concentrations of Cd that are poorly absorbed, and it is neither relevant nor practical to use toxic doses of Cd in experimental diets to study food Cd risks. A more comprehensive understanding of the biochemistry involved in the bioavailability of Cd from foods would help resolve food safety questions and provide the support for a badly needed advance in international policies regarding Cd in crops and foods.

Food quality is of paramount consideration for all consumers, and its importance is perhaps only second to food safety. By some definition, food safety is also incorporated into the broad categorization of food quality. Hence, the need for careful and accurate evaluation of food quality is at the forefront of research and development both in the academia and industry. Among the many available methods for food quality evaluation, computer vision has proven to be the most powerful, especially for nondestructively extracting and quantifying many features that have direct relevance to food quality assessment and control. Furthermore, computer vision systems serve to rapidly evaluate the most readily observable foods quality attributes - the external characteristics such as color, shape, size, surface texture etc. In addition, it is now possible, using advanced computer vision technologies, to “see” inside a food product and/or package to examine important quality attributes ordinarily unavailable to human evaluators. With rapid advances in electronic hardware and other associated imaging technologies, the cost-effectiveness and speed of computer vision systems have greatly improved and many practical systems are already in place in the food industry.

Abstract in portuguese O cultivo de pessegueiros é uma atividade de grande importância econômica no Sul do Brasil, onde se destaca o Estado do Rio Grande do Sul como maior produtor brasileiro. Um dos aspectos mais importantes na produção de alimentos da atualidade é a redução no uso de agroquímicos, com menor contaminação do ambiente e riscos reduzidos de resíduos. Este trabalho visou a comparar os sistemas de Produção Convencional (PC) e Integrada (PI) de pêssegos e foi realizad (more) o no ano de 2001, no município de São Jerônimo - RS, latitude 30°05'52" S, longitude 51°39'08" W e altitude de 46 metros. Áreas de um pomar comercial da cv. Marli foram avaliadas em relação às principais práticas de manejo da planta e do solo, controle fitossanitário, aspectos econômicos, bem como à qualidade da fruta. Na área conduzida sob PI, foram utilizadas as práticas de manejo preconizadas pelas Normas de Produção Integrada de Pêssegos (NPIP) e, na área conduzida no sistema de PC, as plantas foram manejadas de acordo com as práticas comumente utilizadas pelo produtor. A produção de pêssegos, em ambos os sistemas, não foi afetada. Na área de PI, houve menor número de pêssegos por planta; entretanto, as frutas apresentaram maior peso médio. A maioria dos pêssegos da PI foram classificados como CAT I (diâmetro superior a 57 mm). As frutas produzidas na PC são, na maioria, de CAT II (de 48 a 57 mm). A qualidade pós-colheita não apresentou diferenças em relação à acidez, firmeza e cor. Com base nestes resultados, podemos concluir que é possível produzir pêssegos de qualidade com produtividade no sistema de PI. Abstract in english The peach-trees cultivation is a very economic important activity in South of Brazil, where highlights the State of Rio Grande do Sul as the largest Brazilian producer. One of the most important aspects in actuality is the food prodution with reduction of agrochemicals components, reducing the risks of environment contamination. This work aimed to compare the Conventional Production systems (PC) and Integrated systems (PI) of peaches cultivation and took place in the year (more) of 2001, in the county of São Jerônimo - RS, latitude 30°05'52" S, longitude 51°39'08" W and altitude of 46 meters. Commercial orchand areas of cv. Marli was evaluated regarding the mains handling practice of plant and soil, phytosanitary control, economic aspects, as well as fruit production and quality. In the area under PI, were used the handling practices praised by the Norms of Production Integrated of Peach (NPIP) and in the area conducted the PC system, the plants were managed according to the practices usually used by the producer. The peaches production, in both systems, was not affected. The area of PI, occured smaller number of peaches per plant, however the fruit was larger middleweight. Most peaches of PI were classified like CAT I (diameter up to 57 mm). The fruits produced in the PC were of the CAT II (48 to 57 mm). Regarding to titratable acidity, flesh firmness and epidermal color there was no difference between peaches from either system.With these results, we can conclude that is possible to produce quality peaches with productivity in PI's system.

The mission of Foods and Nutrition Education is to prepare students for family life, community life and careers in the foods and nutrition fields by creating opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors needed to: (1) Analyze career paths within the foods and nutrition industry; (2) Examine factors that influence food choices; (3) Evaluate the nutritional needs of individuals and families in relation to health and wellness; (4) Integrate knowledge, skills and practices in sanitation and safety; (5) Employ kitchen resource management; (6) Apply knowledge, skills and practices of food preparation techniques; (7) Employ principles of meal management; (8) Make informed consumer choices; and (9) Achieve competence in workplace readiness, career development and lifelong learning. The Foods and Nutrition Standards were developed with state involvement from local education agencies. The standards apply to all students, regardless of age, gender, cultural or ethnic background, disabilities, aspirations, interests or motivations. The Foods and Nutrition Standards format consists of three levels: the content standard, the performance standard, and performance indicators. The Foods and Nutrition Standards include competency-based, conceptual and process perspectives. The content standard provides a broad description to assist individuals in understanding the content of the area. This standard is designed to provide a general description and overall direction.

Introduction Mexican-origin women in the U.S. living in colonias (new-destination Mexican-immigrant communities) along the Texas-Mexico border suffer from a high incidence of food insecurity and diet-related chronic disease. Understanding environmental factors that influence food-related behaviors among this population will be important to improving the well-being of colonia households. This article focuses on cultural repertoires that enable food choice and the everyday uses of technology in food-related practice by Mexican-immigrant women in colonia households under conditions of material hardship. Findings are presented within a conceptual framework informed by concepts drawn from sociological accounts of technology, food choice, culture, and material hardship. Methods Field notes were provided by teams of promotora-researchers (indigenous community health workers) and public-health professionals trained as participant observers. They conducted observations on three separate occasions (two half-days during the week and one weekend day) within eight family residences located in colonias near the towns of Alton and San Carlos, Texas. English observations were coded inductively and early observations stressed the importance of technology and material hardship in food-related behavior. These observations were further explored and coded using the qualitative data package Atlas.ti. Results Technology included kitchen implements used in standard and adapted configurations and household infrastructure. Residents employed tools across a range of food-related activities identified as forms of food acquisition, storage, preparation, serving, feeding and eating, cleaning, and waste processing. Material hardships included the quality, quantity, acceptability, and uncertainty dimensions of food insecurity, and insufficient consumption of housing, clothing and medical care. Cultural repertoires for coping with material hardship included reliance on inexpensive staple foods and dishes, and conventional and innovative technological practices. These repertoires expressed the creative agency of women colonia residents. Food-related practices were constrained by climate, animal and insect pests, women’s gender roles, limitations in neighborhood and household infrastructure, and economic and material resources. Conclusions This research points to the importance of socioeconomic and structural factors such as gender roles, economic poverty and material hardship as constraints on food choice and food-related behavior. In turn, it emphasizes the innovative practices employed by women residents of colonias to prepare meals under these constraints. PMID:20837530

This critical review presents challenges and strategies in the detection of viral contaminants in food products. Adenovirus, caliciviruses, enteroviruses, and hepatitis A are emerging contaminant viruses. These viruses contaminate a variety of food products, including fruits, vegetables, shellfish, and ready-to-eat processed foods. The diversity of targets and sample matrices presents unique challenges to virus monitoring that have been addressed by a wide array of processing and detection methods. This review covers sample acquisition and handling, virus recovery/concentration, and the determination of targets using molecular biology and mass-spectrometric approaches. The concentration methods discussed include precipitation, antibody-based concentration, and filtration; the detection methods discussed include microscopy, polymerase chain reaction, nucleic acid sequence-based amplification, and mass spectrometry. PMID:22526652

Bacterial food poisoning is an ever-present threat that can be prevented with proper care and handling of food products. A disposable electrochemical immunosensor for the simultaneous measurements of common food pathogenic bacteria namely Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli), campylobacter and salmonella were developed. The immunosensor was fabricated by immobilizing the mixture of anti-E. coli, anti-campylobacter and anti-salmonella antibodies with a ratio of 1:1:1 on the surface of the multiwall carbon nanotube-polyallylamine modified screen printed electrode (MWCNT-PAH/SPE). Bacteria suspension became attached to the immobilized antibodies when the immunosensor was incubated in liquid samples. The sandwich immunoassay was performed with three antibodies conjugated with specific nanocrysta...

Health education in colleges and universities offers an opportunity to reach a captive audience of young people in order to promote a lifetime of healthy behavior. University health education typically focuses on topics such as alcohol and substance abuse, sexual behavior, and nutrition. Environmental health issues are not a prominent component of university health education, even though an understanding of a healthy environment is critical to promoting overall health. Food safety is an environmental health issue of particular concern in universities since many young adults prepare their own meals for the first time there. Food safety questions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey were used to assess the behaviors of 354 upper-level undergraduate students. Findings from the survey indicate that students are engaging in risky food consumption and handling behaviors and that the educational techniques mandated by the federal government are ineffective in reaching college students. PMID:12645419

To achieve further reductions in foodborne illness levels in humans, effective pre-harvest interventions are needed. The health status of food animals that are destined to enter the human food supply chain may be an important, although often overlooked, factor in predicting the risk of human foodborne infections. The health status of food animals can potentially influence foodborne pathogen levels in three ways. First, diseased animals may shed higher levels of foodborne pathogens. Second, animals that require further handling in the processing plant to remove affected parts may lead to increased microbial contamination and cross-contamination. Finally, certain animal illnesses may lead to a higher probability of mistakes in the processing plant, such as gastrointestinal ruptures, which wo...

Treatment of food with ionizing radiation is increasingly being recognized as a means of reducing food-borne illnesses and associated medical and other costs. In addition, the process may contribute to food security by preventing post-harvest losses, thereby making more food available to more people, eventually at lower cost. An ever increasing number of countries has approved the irradiation of a long and growing list of different food items, groups of classes, ranging from spices to grains to fruit and vegetables to meats and poultry and seafood. However, perception by consumers has been controversial and concerns have been expressed, particularly related to the safety of irradiated food. Therefore, the toxicological aspects of irradiated food are addressed in this dossier. It should be recognized that food irradiation is perhaps the most thoroughly investigated food processing technology. According to the World Health Organization 'irradiated food produced in accordance with established Good Manufacturing Practice can be considered safe and nutritionally adequate'. A recent evaluation by a WHO/FAO/IAEA study group (Geneva, Sept. 1997) even came to the conclusion, 'that as long as sensory qualities of food are retained and harmful microorganisms are destroyed, the actual amount of ionizing radiation applied is of secondary consideration'. Thus, also treatment of food with doses greater than the currently recommended upper level of 10 kGy by the Codex Alimentarius Commission will not lead to changes in the composition of the food that, from a toxicological point of view, would have an adverse effect on human health. (author)

A Nuclear Safety Evaluation was performed by an independent assessor at the request of the regulatory authority CNCAN (Comisia Nationala pentru Controlul Activitatilor Nucleare. National Committee for Nuclear Activities Control in Romania) to provide an independent overview of all the nuclear safety aspects of Cernavoda Unit 2 under construction and an expert opinion whether the completed Cernavoda Unit-2 Nuclear Power Plant would satisfy current Western European nuclear safety objectives and practices. A report was produced (Cernavoda 2 Nuclear Safety Expert Project, 'Task 10 . Safety Evaluation Report', A.F.Parsons, NNC Limited, December 2001) and contains recommendations either mandatory or advisory. The FMEA study, one of the mandatory recommendations, is performing now for fuel handling system and radioactive waste handling system for Cernavoda unit 2 in Romania sponsored by KHNP. In this paper, only the FMEA study for fuel handling system is presented.

In Brazil, although it is qualified as a major world producers, however, the production losses are high. Nevertheless, these losses can be reduced by processing the fruit 'unsuitable' for consumption into products based on green banana (pulp, rind and flour). The green banana flour shows enhanced nutrition value, with higher contents of mineral, dietary fiber, resistant starch, and total phenolics, for use in Brazilian irradiated ready - to eat foods, such as bread, macaroni, among others. Food irradiation has been identified as safe technology to reduce risk of foodborne illness as part of high-quality food production, processing, handling and preparation. Food irradiation utilizes a source of ionizing energy that passes through food to destroy harmful bacteria and other organisms. Often referred to as 'cold pasteurization', food irradiation offers negligible loss of nutrients or sensory qualities in food as it does not substantially raise the temperature of the food during processing. The object of this work was to determine the effect of gamma irradiation on microbiological analyses of the: the number of mesophiles, total coliforms at 35 deg C, coliforms at 45 deg C, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp of the green banana flour, commercially found in the Brazilian market. The microbiological analyses were carried out in conformity with the methodologies described at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, according to the current legislation. Irradiation was performed in a {sup 60}Co Gammacell 220 (AECL) source, with dose of 3kGy at IPEN/CNEN-SP. In samples of Brazilian green banana flour, irradiated at 3 kGy, the growth of all microorganisms (mesophiles, total coliforms at 35 deg C, coliform at 45 deg C and Staphylococcus coagulase positive) were reduced. As a result, the application of the irradiation technique may be recommended to enhance the food safety. (author)

A study to assess the potential for waste heat recovery in the food industry and to evaluate prospective waste heat recovery system concepts employing thermal energy storage was conducted. The study found that the recovery of waste heat in canning facilities can be performed in significant quantities using systems involving thermal energy storage that are both practical and economical. A demonstration project is proposed to determine actual waste heat recovery costs and benefits and to encourage system implementation by the food industry.

Background and aimsTo describe growth patterns of young children in Latin America and the Caribbean, the types of nationally representative data available on complementary feeding practices and complementary feeding practices. Methods and resultsData on growth, timing of introduction of liquids and foods, and complementary feeding practices were abstracted from nationally representative surveys. The high prevalence of stunting relative to the low prevalence of underweight is striking, with the "average" child in the region, with the exception of the Haitian child, short and chubby. The focus of the demographic and health surveys continues to be on undernutrition with only one question, intake of sugary foods, related foods that may have consequences for adult health. The United States has ...

The world population is expected to reach anywhere between 6.8 and 9.1 billion by 2050, creating a growing demand for food. Thus, Thailand exports food products throughout the world and we are just as concern as many other people are around the world about “Food Quality and Safety”. By investigating agricultural products, Thai's government has requested that farmers and exporters understand the procedures of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), the processes for food in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to minimize contaminated food products. Thailand is a world leader in growing safe food products and this gives Thailand the best opportunity to become the “Kitchen to the World” and support the Thai's National Strategy for food production “From Farm to Table” principles. Kasetsart University and other associated universities throughout Asia have implemented programs for dissemination of technological information and exchange of ideas to help develop the versatility of agriculture for solving agricultural problems in Thailand and Asia. These programs also provided procedural information and opportunities for farmers in the Central Plains of Thailand as case studies for producing safe vegetables for both international and domestic markets. Thailand, as many other countries has challenges with food security and safe production including but not limited to: 1) failure of leaders to attract a new generation of farmers; 2) combating food contamination; 3) low quality food nutrition; 4) adaptation of pests in agriculture production to combat agriculture pest problems; 5) changes in market shares between food and non-food production (bio-fuel); 6) training of farmers and scientists; 7) education of farmers and scientists; and last but not least, 8) eradication of poor agricultural practices. These are the essential tools for constructing, maintaining and improving food safety and secure production in Thailand. In short, we all as educators, scientists, government officials, corporations and their representatives, down to the individual farmers need to do our part to ensure food safety and security for our countries and for the rest of the world. As I have stated, Thailand is striving to become the “Kitchen to the World” and that is our continuing goal.   

In this paper the status of food packaging disinfection decontamination using electron beam at Mediscan GmbH is presented. The first section of the paper describes the activities at the service center, where food packaging materials, e.g. yoghurt cups are decontaminated in their final shipment containers. As important step in the hazard analysis and critical control point of food processing, microbiological uncontaminated food packaging material is of public interest and attracts a lot of attention from packaging material producers and food processors. The dose ranges for different sterility assurance levels are discussed and results from microbiological test are presented. Studies at Mediscan have demonstrated, that an electron beam treatment at a dose of 5-7 kGy is most effective against yeast and mold, which are mainly responsible for spoilage and short shelf-life of a variety of products. The second section is devoted to the field of inline decontamination of food packaging and sterilization of pharmaceutical packaging material and the research currently conducted at Mediscan. The requirements for industrial inline electron beam systems are summarized and design concepts discussed in terms of beam energy, beam current, irradiation topology, product handling and shielding.

This study discusses and presents various strategies employed by novice programmers concerning exception handling. The main contributions of this paper are as follows: we provide an analysis tool to measure the level of assimilation of exception handling mechanism; we present and analyse strategies to handle exceptions; we present and analyse solutions provided by novice programmers; we classify and analyse the participants' reflections concerning their solutions. Modern programming languages, such as Java, provide the programmer an elaborated object oriented exception mechanism; enable him to handle exceptions in a more convenient way. The aim of this study was to discover the strategies novice programmers are using to handle exceptions and whether they utilise the advantage of the modern exception handling mechanism. For that matter the participants (college students) had to provide a written solution to a given problem with a special focus on exception handling. In addition each of them was interviewed. The analysis of the solutions provided was carried out according to a set of software quality criteria (clarity, modularity and extensibility) adapted to exception handling characteristics. These criteria were used to explain the advantages and disadvantages of the solutions from a software engineering perspective. The solutions provided were also analysed according to a classification of levels of assimilation concerning the structure of exceptions, based on the SOLO taxonomy. The first level of assimilation refers to solutions in which no exception mechanism was used, and the errors were handled in the old fashion way (local handling or return of an error code). The fifth and last level refers to solutions that used adequate hierarchy of exception classes allowing easy extension according to future requirements and enabling the handling of multiple exception altogether or handle each separately. In between these levels there are strategies that used exception mechanisms without the exhausting of its advantages. The results obtained reveal that only few participants (7 out of 56) provided a solution that was classified to one of the two highest assimilation levels, while many (23 out of 56) did not use exception mechanism at all. The rest of the students (25 out of 56) used the exception mechanism poorly (i.e., used only Exception class or did not use hierarchy of exceptions). The participants had difficulties in utilising the advanced exception handling mechanisms and in exhibiting a high level of abstraction with regard to the proper design of a hierarchy of exceptions. The students' statements collected during the interviews were classified into the following categories: misconceptions concerning code quality; misconceptions concerning exception handling; difficulties in understanding the exception handling mechanism; the perceived importance of exception handling; and a lack of programming experience. During the interviews the students provided explanations concerning the reasons they were not fully utilized the exception mechanism. Among them are: lack of practice, too few demonstrated examples, focussing merely on providing a working solution without considering quality issues. Finally we recommend on some modifications to the curriculum, among them: to expose the students earlier to the exception mechanism; to throw built-in Java exception to address validation errors; and to put more attention to quality issues. (Contains 5 tables and 3 figures.)