Food Standards are Good– for Middle-class Farmers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Henrik; Trifkovic, Neda

results indicate that large returns can be accrued from food standards, but only for the upper middle-class farmers, i.e., those between the 50% and 85% quantiles of the expenditure distribution. Overall, our result points to an exclusionary impact of standards for the poorest farmers while the richest do......We estimate the causal effect of food standards on Vietnamese pangasius farmers’ wellbeing measured by per capita consumption expenditure. We estimate both the average effects and the local average treatment effects on poorer and richer farmers by instrumental variable quantile regression. Our...

Food Service Refrigerators and Food Service Storage Freezers. Standard No. 7, Revised April 1966.

Science.gov (United States)

National Sanitation Foundation, Ann Arbor, MI.

This standard covers the sanitation and performance requirements for new food service refrigerators and food service storage freezers of the type generally used in the food service industry. It covers cabinets operating in the freezers, above or below freezing temperature, designed for the storage or display of varieties of food products. Topics…

21 CFR 130.20 - Food additives proposed for use in foods for which definitions and standards of identity are...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Food additives proposed for use in foods for which...: GENERAL Food Additives in Standardized Foods § 130.20 Food additives proposed for use in foods for which... the act, which proposes the inclusion of a food additive in such definition and standard of identity...

Nutrition standards for away-from-home foods in the USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, D A; Bhatia, R

2012-07-01

Away-from-home foods are regulated with respect to the prevention of food-borne diseases and potential contaminants, but not for their contribution to dietary-related chronic diseases. Away-from-home foods have more calories, salt, sugar and fat, and include fewer fruits and vegetables than recommended by national nutrition guidelines. Thus, frequent consumption of away-from-home foods contributes to obesity, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. In light of this, many localities are already adopting regulations or sponsoring programs to improve the quality of away-from-home foods. We review the rationale for developing nutritional performance standards for away-from-home foods in light of limited human capacity to regulate intake or physiologically compensate for a poor diet. We offer a set of model performance standards to be considered as a new area of environmental regulation. Models for voluntary implementation of consumer standards exist in the environmental domain and may be useful templates for implementation. Implementing such standards, whether voluntarily or via regulations, will require addressing a number of practical and ideological challenges. Politically, regulatory standards contradict the belief that adults should be able to navigate dietary risks in away-from-home settings unaided. © 2012 The Authors. obesity reviews © 2012 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Product reformulation and nutritional improvements after new competitive food standards in schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Jahn, Jaquelyn L; Cohen, Juliana Fw; Gorski-Findling, Mary T; Hoffman, Jessica A; Rosenfeld, Lindsay; Chaffee, Ruth; Smith, Lauren; Rimm, Eric B

2018-04-01

In 2012, Massachusetts enacted school competitive food and beverage standards similar to national Smart Snacks. These standards aim to improve the nutritional quality of competitive snacks. It was previously demonstrated that a majority of foods and beverages were compliant with the standards, but it was unknown whether food manufacturers reformulated products in response to the standards. The present study assessed whether products were reformulated after standards were implemented; the availability of reformulated products outside schools; and whether compliance with the standards improved the nutrient composition of competitive snacks. An observational cohort study documenting all competitive snacks sold before (2012) and after (2013 and 2014) the standards were implemented. The sample included thirty-six school districts with both a middle and high school. After 2012, energy, saturated fat, Na and sugar decreased and fibre increased among all competitive foods. By 2013, 8 % of foods were reformulated, as were an additional 9 % by 2014. Nearly 15 % of reformulated foods were look-alike products that could not be purchased at supermarkets. Energy and Na in beverages decreased after 2012, in part facilitated by smaller package sizes. Massachusetts' law was effective in improving the nutritional content of snacks and product reformulation helped schools adhere to the law. This suggests fully implementing Smart Snacks standards may similarly improve the foods available in schools nationally. However, only some healthier reformulated foods were available outside schools.

Nutrition Standards for Away-from-home Foods in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Deborah A.; Bhatia, Rajiv

2012-01-01

Away-from-home foods are regulated with respect to the prevention of food-borne diseases and potential contaminants, but not for their contribution to dietary-related chronic diseases. Away-from-home foods have more calories, salt, sugar, and fat and provide fewer fruits and vegetables than recommended by national nutrition guidelines; thus, frequent consumption of away-from-home foods contributes to obesity, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. In light of this, many localities are already adopting regulations or sponsoring programs to improve the quality of away-from-home foods. We review the rationale for developing nutritional performance standards for away-from-home foods in light of limited human capacity to regulate intake or physiologically compensate for a poor diet. We offer a set of model performance standards to be considered as a new area of environmental regulation. Models for voluntary implementation of consumer standards exist in the environmental domain and may be useful templates for implementation. Implementing such standards, whether voluntarily or via regulations, will require addressing a number of practical and ideological challenges. Politically, regulatory standards contradict the belief that adults should be able to navigate dietary risks in away-from-home settings unaided. PMID:22329431

Food Standards are Good – for Middle-Class Farmers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Henrik; Trifkovic, Neda

2014-01-01

We estimate the causal effect of food standards on Vietnamese pangasius farmers’ wellbeing measured by per capita consumption expenditure. We estimate both the average effects and the local average treatment effects on poorer and richer farmers by instrumental variable quantile regression. Our...... results indicate that large returns can be accrued from food standards, but only for the upper middle-class farmers, i.e., those between the 50% and 85% quantiles of the expenditure distribution. Overall, our result points to an exclusionary impact of standards for the poorest farmers while the richest do...

Federal Procurement Standards Applied to School Food Services.

Science.gov (United States)

VanEgmond-Pannell, Dorothy

1984-01-01

Explains standards laid out in Federal Circular A-120 to ensure accountability, uniformity of standards, legal compliance, and efficiency in school food service procurement. Includes bidding and contract award procedures, contract compliance considerations, and cost-cutting methods. (MCG)

The prospect of food irradiation and the contribution of radiation chemistry to enact the hygienic safety standard of irradiated foods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Jilan; Yuan Rongyao

1986-01-01

Now, it is said that we are at the dawn of food irradiation application both nationally and internationally. However, referring to the acceptability of customers the labeling of irradiated foods has been a nightmare to the food processors. On the other hand the recommended international standard has the shortcomings of thinking in absolute terms. In this paper a proposal which puts special emphasis on enacting hygienic safety standard of individual irradiated food is recommended. The hygienic safety standard of the irradiated food may be classified in three classes: 1) its hygienic safety standard is similar to that of common food; 2) the maximum permissible quantities of harmful compounds induced by radiation must be controlled; and 3) the quantity of unique radiolysis products may by dutermined. Radiation chemistry plays an important role in enacting the hygienic safety standard of irradiated foods. For international cooperation in this field some suggestions are made

Food intake in laboratory rats provided standard and fenbendazole-supplemented diets.

Science.gov (United States)

Vento, Peter J; Swartz, Megan E; Martin, Lisa Be; Daniels, Derek

2008-11-01

The benzimidazole anthelmintic fenbendazole (FBZ) is a common and effective treatment for pinworm infestation in laboratory animal colonies. Although many investigators have examined the potential for deleterious biologic effects of FBZ, more subtle aspects of the treatment remain untested. Accordingly, we evaluated differences in food intake when healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were provided a standard nonmedicated laboratory rodent chow or the same chow supplemented with FBZ. We also tested for a preference for either food type when subjects were provided a choice of the 2 diets. Data from these experiments showed no differences in food intake or body weight when rats were maintained on either standard or FBZ-supplemented chow. When the rats were given access to both the standard and FBZ-supplemented diets, they showed a clear preference for the standard diet. The preference for the standard diet indicates that the rats can discriminate between the 2 foods and may avoid the FBZ-supplemented chow when possible. Investigators conducting experiments during treatment with FBZ in which differences in food preference are relevant should be aware of these data and plan their studies accordingly.

Progrès de la cartographie et pratique de la ville: Moscou ou la culture de la désorientation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denis ECKERT

1998-09-01

Full Text Available Un plan de la ville de Moscou publié en 1997 représente un progrès remarquable de la cartographie urbaine en Russie. Cela est d'autant plus vrai qu'il est fort difficile de se repérer dans un quartier, étant donné la structure complexe du bâti et l'absence de panneaux indicateurs. L'apparition de ce plan témoigne de l'ouverture croissante de la société russe, qui tourne graduellement le dos à la culture du secret.

Nutrition Standards for Food Service Guidelines for Foods Served or Sold in Municipal Government Buildings or Worksites, United States, 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Onufrak, Stephen J; Zaganjor, Hatidza; Moore, Latetia V; Carlson, Susan; Kimmons, Joel; Galuska, Deborah

2016-12-22

The Institute of Medicine and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended that government agencies use nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold and provided at their facilities. In this study, we examine written nutrition standards for foods sold or served in local government buildings or worksites among US municipalities. We used data from a 2014 national survey of 1,945 municipal governments serving populations of 1,000 or more to assess the presence of written nutrition standards, the food groups or nutrients addressed by standards, and the populations served by facilities where standards are applied. The prevalence of standards was estimated by municipality population size, rural-urban status, census region, poverty prevalence, education level, and racial/ethnic composition. Overall, 3.2% of US municipalities reported nutrition standards with greater prevalence observed among large municipalities (12.8% of municipalities with ≥50,000 people vs 2.2% of municipalities with <2,500 people, P < .001). Prevalence differed by region, and standards were most common in the West (6.6%) and least common in the Midwest (2.0%, P = .003).The most common nutrition topics addressed in standards were offering low-calorie beverages, fruits and vegetables, and free drinking water. Most standards applied to facilities serving government employees (67%) or the general public (66%), with fewer serving institutionalized populations (23%). Few municipal governments reported having written nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold in their facilities in 2014. Implementing nutrition standards for foods sold or served by local governments is a strategy for increasing access to healthier foods and beverages among municipal employees and local residents.

76 FR 30050 - Food Labeling; Nutrition Labeling of Standard Menu Items in Restaurants and Similar Retail Food...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-24

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration 21 CFR Parts 11 and 101 [Docket No. FDA-2011-F-0172] RIN 0910-AG57 Food Labeling; Nutrition Labeling of Standard Menu Items in Restaurants and Similar Retail Food Establishments; Correction AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS...

76 FR 30051 - Food Labeling; Nutrition Labeling of Standard Menu Items in Restaurants and Similar Retail Food...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-24

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration 21 CFR Parts 11 and 101 [Docket No. FDA-2011-F-0172] RIN 0910-AG57 Food Labeling; Nutrition Labeling of Standard Menu Items in Restaurants and Similar Retail Food Establishments; Extension of Comment Period AGENCY: Food and Drug...

Food allergy - science and policy needs - The UK Food Standards Agency Research Programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buck, Joelle; Hattersley, Sue; Kimber, Ian

2010-01-01

Food allergy is a significant health issue in the UK, affecting between 1 and 2% of adults and 5 and 8% of children. The UK Food Standards Agency seeks to ensure the safety of food allergic consumers by providing them with information and guidance on food choices. Since 1995, with the aim of addressing important policy issues and improving the quality of the support and guidance available for food allergic consumers, the Agency (and before that the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food), has had a programme of research dedicated to investigating the causes and mechanisms of food allergy and delivering benefits for UK consumers. In this paper, we outline some of the major scientific challenges that the programme has sought to address. We reflect on how the findings have been used as a basis for the development of sound, evidence-based policy and advice for UK consumers, and the current direction of research being supported by the programme.

Juvenile food limitation in standard tests: a warning to ecotoxicologists.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zimmer, E.I.; Jager, T.; Ducrot, V.; Kooijman, S.A.L.M.

2012-01-01

Standard ecotoxicological tests are as simple as possible and food sources are mainly chosen for practical reasons. Since some organisms change their food preferences during the life-cycle, they might be food limited at some stage if we do not account for such a switch. As organisms tend to respond

Quality Service Standard of Food and Beverage Service Staff in Hotel

OpenAIRE

Thanasit Suksutdhi

2014-01-01

This survey research aims to study the standard of service quality of food and beverage service staffs in hotel business by studying the service standard of three sample hotels, Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai, and Banyan Tree Phuket. In order to find the international service standard of food and beverage service, triangular research, i.e. quantitative, qualitative, and survey were employed. In this research, questionnaires and in-depth interview were used for ge...

Iron bioavailability: UK Food Standards Agency workshop report.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Mamta; Sanderson, Peter; Hurrell, Richard F; Fairweather-Tait, Susan J; Geissler, Catherine; Prentice, Ann; Beard, John L

2006-11-01

The UK Food Standards Agency convened a group of expert scientists to review current research investigating factors affecting iron status and the bioavailability of dietary iron. Results presented at the workshop show menstrual blood loss to be the major determinant of body iron stores in premenopausal women. In the presence of abundant and varied food supplies, the health consequences of lower iron bioavailability are unclear and require further investigation.

Food labeling; nutrition labeling of standard menu items in restaurants and similar retail food establishments. Final rule.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-12-01

To implement the nutrition labeling provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Affordable Care Act or ACA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is requiring disclosure of certain nutrition information for standard menu items in certain restaurants and retail food establishments. The ACA, in part, amended the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the FD&C Act), among other things, to require restaurants and similar retail food establishments that are part of a chain with 20 or more locations doing business under the same name and offering for sale substantially the same menu items to provide calorie and other nutrition information for standard menu items, including food on display and self-service food. Under provisions of the ACA, restaurants and similar retail food establishments not otherwise covered by the law may elect to become subject to these Federal requirements by registering every other year with FDA. Providing accurate, clear, and consistent nutrition information, including the calorie content of foods, in restaurants and similar retail food establishments will make such nutrition information available to consumers in a direct and accessible manner to enable consumers to make informed and healthful dietary choices.

Progrès de la médecine, progrès technologiques et pratiques cliniques : les soignants se racontent Medical progress, technology and clinical practice: caregivers share their daily challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sylvie Fortin

2012-11-01

Full Text Available À partir d’une étude anthropologique des pratiques cliniques en milieux de soins tertiaires, cet article s’intéresse aux défis posés par les progrès médicaux et technologiques en unités de soins intensifs (aigus et en unités d’oncologie pédiatrique (chroniques. Ces progrès interpellent quotidiennement médecins et personnel infirmier, posant des défis pour lesquels peu de réponses existent. Normes et valeurs s’actualisent en ces lieux où des enjeux entourant la vie, la “qualité” de vie, et la mort sont quotidiens. L’hôpital pédiatrique est certes un endroit où tous les espoirs sont permis. C’est aussi un lieu où la mort est à apprivoiser ; elle devient un choix, s’imposant rarement d’elle-même. Sur la base des témoignages des soignants et de nos propres observations, nous proposons une réflexion sur la ‘fin de vie’, objet d’un choix difficile, en dialogue avec la technologie qui la rend possible. Ces différentes voix témoigneront de rationalités parfois parallèles, convergentes ou divergentes, et des normes et valeurs qui s’affrontent, se rencontrent et se négocient dans l’espace social de la clinique.Stemming from an anthropological study of clinical practices in tertiary health care institutions, our paper focuses on challenges brought by medical and technological progress in paediatric intensive care units (acute and oncology units (chronic. This progress affects clinicians and nurses daily, posing challenges for which there are no ‘easy’ solutions. Norms and values surface in these clinical settings where issues regarding life, quality of life and death are part of everyday practice. A paediatric hospital is certainly a place where all hopes are warranted, but it is also a place where death must be acknowledged. Death is in fact often a question of choice as it almost always avoidable. Through the testimonies of health care professionals and our own field observations, we offer a

[Food Security in Europe: comparison between the "Hygiene Package" and the British Retail Consortium (BRC) & International Food Standard (IFS) protocols].

Science.gov (United States)

Stilo, A; Parisi, S; Delia, S; Anastasi, F; Bruno, G; Laganà, P

2009-01-01

The birth of Hygiene Package and of the Reg. CE no 2073/2005 in the food production field signalled a change in Italy. This process started in Italy in 1997 with the legislative decree no 155 on Self-control but in reality, it was implemented in the UK in 1990 with the promulgation of the Food Safety Act. This legal act was influenced by some basic rules corresponding to the application of HACCP standards. Since 1990 the British chains of distribution (Retailers) have involved all aspects of the food line in this type of responsibility. Due to this growing awareness for a need for greater regulation, a protocol, edited by British Retail Consortium was created in 1998. This protocol acted as a "stamp" of approval for food products and it is now known as the BRC Global Food Standard. In July 2008, this protocol became effective in its fifth version. After the birth of BRC, also French and German Retailers have established a standard practically equivalent and perhaps more pertinent to safety food, that is International Food Standard (IFS). The new approach is specific to the food field and strictly applies criteria which will ensure "safety, quality and legality" of food products, similarly to ISO 22000:2005 (mainly based on BRC & IFS past experiences). New standards aim to create a sort of green list with fully "proper and fit" Suppliers only, because of comprehensible exigencies of Retailers. It is expected, as we have shown, that Auditor authorities who are responsible for ensuring that inspections are now carried out like the Hygiene Package, will find these new standards useful. The advantages of streamlining this system is that it will allow enterprises to diligently enforce food safety practices without fear of upset or legal consequence, to improve the quality (HACCP) of management & traceability system; to restrict wastes, reprocessing and withdrawal of products. However some discordances about the interpretation of certain sub-field norms (e.g., water

Codex general standard for irradiated foods and recommended international code of practice for the operation of radiation facilities used for the treatment of foods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-06-01

The FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission was established to implement the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme. The purpose of this programme is to protect the health of consumers and to ensure fair practices in the food trade. At its 15th session, held in July 1983, the Commission adopted a Codex General Standard for Irradiated Foods and a Recommended International Code of Practice for the Operation of Radiation Facilities used for the Treatment of Foods. This Standard takes into account the recommendations and conclusions of the Joint FAO/IAEA/WHO Expert Committees convened to evaluate all available data concerning the various aspects of food irradiation. This Standard refers only to those aspects which relate to the processing of foods by ionising energy. The Standard recognizes that the process of food irradiation has been established as safe for general application to an overall average level of absorbed dose of 10 KGy. The latter value shold not be regarded as a toxicological upper limit above which irradiated foods become unsafe; it is simply the level at or below which safety has been established. The Standard provides certain mandatory provisions concerning the facilities used and for the control of the process in the irradiation plants. The present Standard requires that shipping documents accompanying irradiated foods moving in trade should indicate the fact of irradiation. The labelling of prepackaged irradiated foods intended for direct sale to the consumer is not covered in this Standard

Codex general standard for irradiated foods and recommended international code of practice for the operation of radiation facilities used for the treatment of foods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

The FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission was established to implement the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme. The purpose of this programme is to protect the health of consumers and to ensure fair practices in the food trade. At its 15th session, held in July 1983, the Commission adopted a Codex General Standard for Irradiated Foods and a Recommended International Code of Practice for the Operation of Radiation Facilities used for the Treatment of Foods. This Standard takes into account the recommendations and conclusions of the Joint FAO/IAEA/WHO Expert Committees convened to evaluate all available data concerning the various aspects of food irradiation. This Standard refers only to those aspects which relate to the processing of foods by ionising energy. The Standard recognizes that the process of food irradiation has been established as safe for general application to an overall average level of absorbed dose of 10 kGy. The latter value should not be regarded as a toxicological upper limit above which irradiated foods become unsafe; it is simply the level at or below which safety has been established. The Standard provides certain mandatory provisions concerning the facilities used and for the control of the process in the irradiation plants. The present Standard requires that shipping documents accompanying irradiated foods moving in trade should indicate the fact of irradiation. The labelling of prepackaged irradiated foods intended for direct sale to the consumer is not covered in this Standard

MANUAL FOOD AND BEVERAGE DISPENSING EQUIPMENT. NATIONAL SANITATION FOUNDATION STANDARD NO. 18.

Science.gov (United States)

National Sanitation Foundation, Ann Arbor, MI.

THIS STANDARD COVERS THE SANITATION REQUIREMENTS FOR EQUIPMENT AND DEVICES WHICH DISPENSE FOOD OR BEVERAGE EITHER IN BULK OR PORTIONS. VENDING MACHINES OR BULK MILK DISPENSING EQUIPMENT ARE NOT COVERED IN THIS STANDARD. ITEMS COVERED INCLUDE THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, FOOD PROTECTION AND FREEDOM FROM HARBORAGES. MINIMUM…

Investigating How to Align Schools' Marketing Environments With Federal Standards for Competitive Foods.

Science.gov (United States)

Polacsek, Michele; O'Brien, Liam M; Pratt, Elizabeth; Whatley-Blum, Janet; Adler, Sabrina

2017-03-01

Limiting food and beverage marketing to children is a promising approach to influence children's nutrition behavior. School-based marketing influences nutrition behavior and studies have consistently found marketing for nonnutritious foods and beverages in schools. No studies have examined the resources necessary to align school marketing environments with federal school nutrition standards. The purpose of this study was to determine how to improve school marketing environments so that they align with new federal competitive food nutrition standards. We assessed food marketing environments in 3 Portland, Maine schools using the Food and Beverage Marketing Survey (FBMS) and provided technical assistance to bring their marketing environments into conformity with the federal competitive food regulations, tracking resources and strategies for marketing removal. Noncompliant marketing was significantly reduced pre- to postintervention. Intervention strategies were facilitated by the School Health Coordinator and school-based wellness teams. Low monetary resources were required to remove marketing not compliant with federal nutrition standards for foods sold in schools. Several key challenges remain to sustain efforts. This study provides timely information for policymakers to support crafting policies that address the realities of school nutrition environments and universal enforcement challenges. © 2017, American School Health Association.

Understanding the complexities of private standards in global agri-food chains as they impact developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Henson, Spencer; Humphrey, John

2010-01-01

The increasing prevalence of private standards governing food safety, food quality and environmental and social impacts of agri-food systems has raised concerns about the effects on developing countries, as well as the governance of agri-food value chains more broadly. It is argued that current debates have been 'clouded' by a failure to recognise the diversity of private standards in terms of their institutional form, who develops and adopts these standards and why. In particular, there is a need to appreciate the close inter-relationships between public regulations and private standards and the continuing ways in which private standards evolve.

Standard Guide for Packaging Materials for Foods to Be Irradiated

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2009-01-01

1.1 This guide provides a format to assist producers and users of food packaging materials in selecting materials that have the desirable characteristics for their intended use and comply with applicable standards or government authorizations. It outlines parameters that should be considered when selecting food-contact packaging materials intended for use during irradiation of prepackaged foods and it examines the criteria for fitness for their use. 1.2 This guide identifies known regulations and regulatory frameworks worldwide pertaining to packaging materials for holding foods during irradiation; but it does not address all regulatory issues associated with the selection and use of packaging materials for foods to be irradiated. It is the responsibility of the user of this guide to determine the pertinent regulatory issues in each country where foods are to be irradiated and where irradiated foods are distributed. 1.3 This guide does not address all of the food safety issues associated with the synergisti...

Processed foods and the consumer: additives, labeling, standards, and nutrition

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Packard, Vernal S

1976-01-01

... supplements; and it brings together under one cover the health-related issues of food additives and nutrition. If I were to point to one objective of this work, it would be to guide student and consumer alike through the maze of food ingredients, regulations, and standards in order to make as clear as present knowledge allows the critical issues co...

Standardized Curriculum for Food Production, Management and Services.

Science.gov (United States)

Mississippi State Dept. of Education, Jackson. Office of Vocational, Technical and Adult Education.

Standardized vocational education course titles and core contents for two courses in Mississippi are provided: food production, management, and services I and II. The first course contains the following units: (1) Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA); (2) sanitation; (3) safety; (4) front of the house operations; (5) beverages; (6) food…

Healthier Standards for School Meals and Snacks: Impact on School Food Revenues and Lunch Participation Rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Juliana F W; Gorski, Mary T; Hoffman, Jessica A; Rosenfeld, Lindsay; Chaffee, Ruth; Smith, Lauren; Catalano, Paul J; Rimm, Eric B

2016-10-01

In 2012, the updated U.S. Department of Agriculture school meals standards and a competitive food law similar to the fully implemented version of the national Smart Snack standards went into effect in Massachusetts. This study evaluated the impact of these updated school meal standards and Massachusetts' comprehensive competitive food standards on school food revenues and school lunch participation. Revenue and participation data from 11 Massachusetts school districts were collected from 2011 to 2014 and analyzed in 2015 using multilevel modeling. The association between the change in compliance with the competitive food standards and revenues/participation was assessed using linear regression. Schools experienced declines in school food revenues of $15.40/student in Year 1 from baseline (p=0.05), due to competitive food revenue losses. In schools with 3 years of data, overall revenues rebounded by the second year post-implementation. Additionally, by Year 2, school lunch participation increased by 15% (p=0.0006) among children eligible for reduced-price meals. Better competitive food compliance was inversely associated with school food revenues in the first year only; an absolute change in compliance by 10% was associated with a $9.78/student decrease in food revenues over the entire school year (p=0.04). No association was seen between the change in compliance and school meal participation. Schools experienced initial revenue losses after implementation of the standards, yet longer-term school food revenues were not impacted and school meal participation increased among children eligible for reduced-price meals. Weakening the school meal or competitive food guidelines based on revenue concerns appears unwarranted. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dosimetry. Standard practice for dosimetry in gamma irradiation facilities for food and non-food processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

This Ghana Standard outlines the installation qualification program for an irradiator and the dosimetry procedures to be followed during operational qualification, performance qualification and routine processing in facilities that process food and non-food with gamma rays. This is to ensure that the product has been treated with predetermined range of absorbed dose. It is not intended for use in X-ray and electron beam facilities and therefore dosimetry systems in such facilities are not covered

Experimental verification for standard analysis procedure of 241Am in food

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Qingfen; Zhu Hongda; Liu Shutian; Pan Jingshun; Yang Dating

2005-01-01

Objective: The briefly experimental verification for 'determination of 241 Am in food' has been described. Methods: The overall recovery, the MDL of method and decontamination experiment has been done by standard analysis procedure. Results: The overall recovery is 76.26 ± 4.1%. The MDL is 3.4 x 10 -5 Bq/g ash, decontamination factor is higher than 10 3 for Po, 10 2 for U, Th, Pu and 60 for 237 Np. Conclusion: The results showed that the overall recovery is quite high and reliable, the MDL of method is able to meet examining 241 Am limited values in foods. the obtained decontamination factors of recommended procedure can meet analysis of 241 Am in food examination. Venifying results of the procedure are satisfied by using 243 Am spike and 241 Am standard reference material. (authors)

Energy content estimation by collegians for portion standardized foods frequently consumed in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jin; Lee, Hee Jung; Lee, Hyun Jung; Lee, Sun Ha; Yun, Jee-Young; Choi, Mi-Kyeong; Kim, Mi-Hyun

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to estimate Korean collegians' knowledge of energy content in the standard portion size of foods frequently consumed in Korea and to investigate the differences in knowledge between gender groups. A total of 600 collegians participated in this study. Participants' knowledge was assessed based on their estimation on the energy content of 30 selected food items with their actual-size photo images. Standard portion size of food was based on 2010 Korean Dietary Reference Intakes, and the percentage of participants who accurately estimated (that is, within 20% of the true value) the energy content of the standard portion size was calculated for each food item. The food for which the most participants provided the accurate estimation was ramyun (instant noodles) (67.7%), followed by cooked rice (57.8%). The proportion of students who overestimated the energy content was highest for vegetables (68.8%) and beverages (68.1%). The proportion of students who underestimated the energy content was highest for grains and starches (42.0%) and fruits (37.1%). Female students were more likely to check energy content of foods that they consumed than male students. From these results, it was concluded that the knowledge on food energy content was poor among collegians, with some gender difference. Therefore, in the future, nutrition education programs should give greater attention to improving knowledge on calorie content and to helping them apply this knowledge in order to develop effective dietary plans.

Technical Capacity, Policymaking and Food Standards: An Overview of Indian Experience

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chowdhury, Nupur; Kumar, Sanjay

2008-01-01

The SPS Agreement in the WTO gives legal validity to the CODEX standards. Since the developed countries have been at the forefront of setting the food standards in the CODEX, the developing countries have been increasingly engaged in the CODEX, and also in the WTO, with an objective to increase

USDA snack food and beverage standards: how big of a stretch for the states?

Science.gov (United States)

Chriqui, Jamie F; Piekarz, Elizabeth; Chaloupka, Frank J

2014-06-01

The USDA snack food and beverage standards take effect in school year (SY) 2014-2015. Although the USDA standards will provide nationwide requirements, concerns exist about compliance. This study examined whether existing state laws are aligned with the USDA standards to determine whether some states may be better positioned to facilitate compliance. Codified state statutory and regulatory laws effective for SY 2012-2013 for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia were identified through Boolean keyword searches using the Westlaw and LexisNexis databases. Laws were analyzed for alignment with 18 snack food and beverage provisions contained within the USDA standards. Thirty-eight states had snack food and beverage standards; 33 states' laws exceeded restrictions on foods of minimal nutritional value. Of the 33 states, no states' laws fully met the USDA's standards, 16 states' laws fully met and 10 states' laws partially met at least one USDA provision, and seven states' laws met no USDA provisions. One state's law met 9 of 18 provisions. On average, states met 4 of 18 provisions. States were more likely to meet individual USDA beverage than snack provisions. Implementation and compliance with the USDA standards may be facilitated in states with laws already containing provisions aligned with the USDA standards and may be more difficult in states with fewer or no provisions in alignment, suggesting possible geographic areas for the USDA to target with technical assistance and training efforts and for advocates to work in to facilitate compliance.

Application of the British Food Standards Agency nutrient profiling system in a French food composition database.

Science.gov (United States)

Julia, Chantal; Kesse-Guyot, Emmanuelle; Touvier, Mathilde; Méjean, Caroline; Fezeu, Léopold; Hercberg, Serge

2014-11-28

Nutrient profiling systems are powerful tools for public health initiatives, as they aim at categorising foods according to their nutritional quality. The British Food Standards Agency (FSA) nutrient profiling system (FSA score) has been validated in a British food database, but the application of the model in other contexts has not yet been evaluated. The objective of the present study was to assess the application of the British FSA score in a French food composition database. Foods from the French NutriNet-Santé study food composition table were categorised according to their FSA score using the Office of Communication (OfCom) cut-off value ('healthier' ≤ 4 for foods and ≤ 1 for beverages; 'less healthy' >4 for foods and >1 for beverages) and distribution cut-offs (quintiles for foods, quartiles for beverages). Foods were also categorised according to the food groups used for the French Programme National Nutrition Santé (PNNS) recommendations. Foods were weighted according to their relative consumption in a sample drawn from the NutriNet-Santé study (n 4225), representative of the French population. Classification of foods according to the OfCom cut-offs was consistent with food groups described in the PNNS: 97·8 % of fruit and vegetables, 90·4 % of cereals and potatoes and only 3·8 % of sugary snacks were considered as 'healthier'. Moreover, variability in the FSA score allowed for a discrimination between subcategories in the same food group, confirming the possibility of using the FSA score as a multiple category system, for example as a basis for front-of-pack nutrition labelling. Application of the FSA score in the French context would adequately complement current public health recommendations.

The Implementation of a Quality Management Standard in a Food SME: A Network Learning Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zam-Zam Abdirahman

2013-02-01

Full Text Available In the modern agrifood economies, the development of quality management standards is crucial, and food small and medium enterprises (SMEs usually face difficulties in implementing them. In this context, the aim of the article is two‐fold. Firstly it is to craft an original analytical framework in line with the literature on innovation networks and related learning effects specifically devoted to the study of quality management standards implementation. Secondly the objective of the article is to apply this framework to a specific food SME case in order to test it and to identify the key network learningeffects that occur during the implementation of a quality management standard, namely the ISO 22000 standard for food safety. From this research, the practical output will be to propose tools to enhance food SMEs’ innovative capacity, through an improvement of their insertion in active formal and/or informal innovation networks. These specific tools will be especially targeted towards the strengthening of learning processes between the SME and the partners involved in the implementation.

Food safety standards in the fresh produce supply chain: advantages and disadvantages

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Uyttendaele, M.; Jacxsens, L.; Boxstael, Van S.; Kirezieva, K.; Luning, P.

2015-01-01

Abstract : Food safety standards in the fresh produce supply chain are discussed in view of the outcomes of a European Union Directorates General (EU DG) Research project FP7 Veg-i-Trade ‘Impact of climate change and international trade on the safety of fresh produce’. Various standards are outlined

Public and Private Food Safety Standards: Facilitating or Frustrating Fresh Produce Growers?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan Mei Soon

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Global private food safety and quality standards have undergone some major overhauls during the past two decades, and these will continue to evolve with the recent emphasis on harmonization. The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI attempts to ensure that harmonize retail standards are commendable and elegant in principle, but in practice, retailers continue to demand their own standard, whilst supporting GFSI’s benchmarking program. It is difficult to see such retailers giving up their own standards and the control they currently exert as chain captains. There is also the risk that too much harmonization will result in these standards losing their individuality and uniqueness. Amidst the struggle for private standard dominance, alternative approaches to risk management (e.g., self-assessment of risk, independent audits and risk ranking may be the way forward, similar to how insurance risks are calculated for businesses. Furthermore, this risk-based approach could also lead to the effective implementation of co-regulation, where both public and private sector compliances are addressed together—a win-win situation. This paper considers the implications and future trends of fresh produce farming, and identifies five interventions (i.e., assurance schemes, which include the do-nothing scenario to underpinning one’s brand or label with an existing scheme.

Comparison of Protein Value of Commercial Baby Food with Homemade Baby Food and Casein Standard in Rats as the Refference point

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Asemi

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Background and ObjectivesEvaluation of protein quality in food is of great importance due to the biological and economical impacts of food proteins. This study has been conducted with the aim of comparing the protein quality of homemade food (mixture of macaroni and soy bean with commercial baby food (Cerelac Wheat using Casein as the refference point.MethodsThis study was conducted on 64 twenty one day old male Wistar rats. The rats were divided into 8 groups, and each group was put on a different diet regiments. The diet regiments were as follow: 2 homemade food+Cerelac test diet, 1 Ccasein+Methionine standard diet, 1 protien-free basal diet, 2 test diet, 1 standard diet and 1 basal diet. The purpose of protien-free diet was to evaluate True Protien Digestability (TPD. Net Protein Ratio (NPR and Protien Efficiency Ratios (PER were investigated by the basal diet. Protein intake and increasing of weight were determined for NPR and PER calculating. Nitrogen intake and fecal Nitrogen were determined to calculate TPD. Comparison of TPD, NPR and PER among the groups were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey methods.ResultsTPD values of Standard, Cerelac and homemade food diets were 92.8±4, 87±8 and 85.4±3.2; NPR values were 4.3±0.4, 4.3±0.9, 3.8±0.6; and PER values were 3±0.2, 2.5±0.4, 1.7±0.1 respectively. The statistical difference between TPD and PER values were significant (p 0.05. ConclusionThese results shows that TPD and PER of homemade foods are lower than Cerelac while their NPR are acceptable.Keywords: Protein; Cerelac; Macaroni; Soybeens.

Private standards and labour productivity in the food sector in Viet Nam

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trifkovic, Neda

standards affect labour productivity of small and medium firms from the food sector in Viet Nam. The results based on a 3-year panel show that the application of private standards improves labour productivity. These gains primarily occur to firms operating above a threshold labour-intensity level. Firms......A rising number of firms from developing countries have adopted voluntary private standards in the last decade. This has become an area of active research, especially in terms of the impact of private standards on trade, organizational performance, and employee outcomes. This paper analyses how...

21 CFR 130.10 - Requirements for foods named by use of a nutrient content claim and a standardized term.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... standardized term. (a) Description. The foods prescribed by this general definition and standard of identity... of identity but that do not comply with the standard of identity because of a deviation that is.... Deviations from noningredient provisions of the standard of identity (e.g., moisture content, food solids...

Assessing Agricultural Literacy Elements of Project Food Land and People in K-5 Using the Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, David V.; Agnew, David M.

2011-01-01

Agricultural literacy has been evolving as a discipline for over 25 years. In agriculture, as other disciplines of education, the body of knowledge can be identified and measured by a set of standards. The Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Standards, developed in the 1990s, have been widely accepted as the standards for agricultural literacy. Also…

Implementation of California State School Competitive Food and Beverage Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Samuels, Sarah E.; Hutchinson, Krista S.; Craypo, Lisa; Barry, Jason; Bullock, Sally L.

2010-01-01

Background: Competitive foods and beverages are available on most US school campuses. States and school districts are adopting nutrition standards to regulate these products, but few studies have reported on the extent to which schools are able to adhere to competitive regulations. The purpose of this study was to describe the extent to which…

Standardization of the Food Composition Database Used in the Latin American Nutrition and Health Study (ELANS).

Science.gov (United States)

Kovalskys, Irina; Fisberg, Mauro; Gómez, Georgina; Rigotti, Attilio; Cortés, Lilia Yadira; Yépez, Martha Cecilia; Pareja, Rossina G; Herrera-Cuenca, Marianella; Zimberg, Ioná Z; Tucker, Katherine L; Koletzko, Berthold; Pratt, Michael

2015-09-16

Between-country comparisons of estimated dietary intake are particularly prone to error when different food composition tables are used. The objective of this study was to describe our procedures and rationale for the selection and adaptation of available food composition to a single database to enable cross-country nutritional intake comparisons. Latin American Study of Nutrition and Health (ELANS) is a multicenter cross-sectional study of representative samples from eight Latin American countries. A standard study protocol was designed to investigate dietary intake of 9000 participants enrolled. Two 24-h recalls using the Multiple Pass Method were applied among the individuals of all countries. Data from 24-h dietary recalls were entered into the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDS-R) program after a harmonization process between countries to include local foods and appropriately adapt the NDS-R database. A food matching standardized procedure involving nutritional equivalency of local food reported by the study participants with foods available in the NDS-R database was strictly conducted by each country. Standardization of food and nutrient assessments has the potential to minimize systematic and random errors in nutrient intake estimations in the ELANS project. This study is expected to result in a unique dataset for Latin America, enabling cross-country comparisons of energy, macro- and micro-nutrient intake within this region.

Standardization of the Food Composition Database Used in the Latin American Nutrition and Health Study (ELANS)

Science.gov (United States)

Kovalskys, Irina; Fisberg, Mauro; Gómez, Georgina; Rigotti, Attilio; Cortés, Lilia Yadira; Yépez, Martha Cecilia; Pareja, Rossina G.; Herrera-Cuenca, Marianella; Zimberg, Ioná Z.; Tucker, Katherine L.; Koletzko, Berthold; Pratt, Michael

2015-01-01

Between-country comparisons of estimated dietary intake are particularly prone to error when different food composition tables are used. The objective of this study was to describe our procedures and rationale for the selection and adaptation of available food composition to a single database to enable cross-country nutritional intake comparisons. Latin American Study of Nutrition and Health (ELANS) is a multicenter cross-sectional study of representative samples from eight Latin American countries. A standard study protocol was designed to investigate dietary intake of 9000 participants enrolled. Two 24-h recalls using the Multiple Pass Method were applied among the individuals of all countries. Data from 24-h dietary recalls were entered into the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDS-R) program after a harmonization process between countries to include local foods and appropriately adapt the NDS-R database. A food matching standardized procedure involving nutritional equivalency of local food reported by the study participants with foods available in the NDS-R database was strictly conducted by each country. Standardization of food and nutrient assessments has the potential to minimize systematic and random errors in nutrient intake estimations in the ELANS project. This study is expected to result in a unique dataset for Latin America, enabling cross-country comparisons of energy, macro- and micro-nutrient intake within this region. PMID:26389952

Standardization of the Food Composition Database Used in the Latin American Nutrition and Health Study (ELANS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irina Kovalskys

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Between-country comparisons of estimated dietary intake are particularly prone to error when different food composition tables are used. The objective of this study was to describe our procedures and rationale for the selection and adaptation of available food composition to a single database to enable cross-country nutritional intake comparisons. Latin American Study of Nutrition and Health (ELANS is a multicenter cross-sectional study of representative samples from eight Latin American countries. A standard study protocol was designed to investigate dietary intake of 9000 participants enrolled. Two 24-h recalls using the Multiple Pass Method were applied among the individuals of all countries. Data from 24-h dietary recalls were entered into the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDS-R program after a harmonization process between countries to include local foods and appropriately adapt the NDS-R database. A food matching standardized procedure involving nutritional equivalency of local food reported by the study participants with foods available in the NDS-R database was strictly conducted by each country. Standardization of food and nutrient assessments has the potential to minimize systematic and random errors in nutrient intake estimations in the ELANS project. This study is expected to result in a unique dataset for Latin America, enabling cross-country comparisons of energy, macro- and micro-nutrient intake within this region.

Raising food hygiene standards--could customer power and the new laws hold the key?

Science.gov (United States)

Leach, J C

1996-12-01

In September 1995 new general food hygiene regulations came into force. The new law, quite rightly, requires proprietors of food businesses to focus their thoughts and actions on risks to food safety. Proprietors are required to identify and assess risks and ensure that adequate management procedures are put into place to ensure food safety. This is a welcome move as contributing factors in most cases of food poisoning involve poor food hygiene practices. At the same time there has been a large increase in the amount of advice and guidance to local authority enforcement officers, particularly to assess risks to food safety when considering what action to take in any situation - the lower the risk the less appropriate it is to take legal action. However, there are many conditions found in food premises which present little or no risk to health, such as routine cleanliness in non-high risk areas, but lower standards on these might be viewed by the public as inappropriate for food businesses. With an increasing amount of choice available to customers, proprietors and managers of food businesses need to be more aware than ever of the complex pattern of consumer demands including that of supplying a clean and safe product in its broadest sense. The notion of consumer sovereignty is not a new concept. Combined with the new laws could it hold the key to genuine improved standards in food hygiene? This article reviews the subject and draws attention to a research programme being undertaken at the University of Brighton to identify, compare and contrast factors which the public perceive as important in terms of food hygiene in public eating places with those considered important by professionals with an interest in the subject. The results could bring benefits to the catering industry and customers.

Comparison of Protein Value of Commercial Baby Food with Homemade Baby Food and Casein Standard in Rats as the Refference point

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z Asemi

2012-05-01

Full Text Available

Background and Objectives

Evaluation of protein quality in food is of great importance due to the  biological and economical impacts of food proteins. This study has been conducted with the aim of comparing the protein quality of  homemade food (mixture of macaroni and soy bean with commercial baby food (Cerelac Wheat using Casein as the refference point.

Methods

This study was conducted on 64 twenty one day old male Wistar rats. The rats were divided into 8 groups, and each group was put on a different diet regiments. The diet regiments were as follow: 2 homemade food+Cerelac test diet, 1 Ccasein+Methionine standard diet, 1 protien-free basal diet, 2 test diet, 1 standard diet and 1 basal diet. The purpose of protien-free diet was  to evaluate True Protien Digestability (TPD. Net Protein Ratio (NPR and Protien Efficiency Ratios (PER were investigated by the basal diet. Protein intake and increasing of weight were determined for NPR and PER calculating. Nitrogen intake and fecal Nitrogen were determined to calculate TPD. Comparison of TPD, NPR and PER among the groups were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey methods.

Results

TPD values of Standard, Cerelac and homemade food diets were 92.8±4, 87±8 and 85.4±3.2; NPR values were 4.3±0.4, 4.3±0.9, 3.8±0.6; and PER values were 3±0.2, 2.5±0.4, 1.7±0.1 respectively. The statistical difference between TPD and PER values were significant (p < 0.05, whereas NPR differences were insignificant ( p > 0.05.

Conclusion

The emergence of international food safety standards and guidelines: understanding the current landscape through a historical approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramsingh, Brigit

2014-07-01

Following the Second World War, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) teamed up to construct an International Codex Alimentarius (or 'food code') which emerged in 1963. The Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) was charged with the task of developing microbial hygiene standards, although it found itself embroiled in debate with the WHO over the nature these standards should take. The WHO was increasingly relying upon the input of biometricians and especially the International Commission on Microbial Specifications for Foods (ICMSF) which had developed statistical sampling plans for determining the microbial counts in the final end products. The CCFH, however, was initially more focused on a qualitative approach which looked at the entire food production system and developed codes of practice as well as more descriptive end-product specifications which the WHO argued were 'not scientifically correct'. Drawing upon historical archival material (correspondence and reports) from the WHO and FAO, this article examines this debate over microbial hygiene standards and suggests that there are many lessons from history which could shed light upon current debates and efforts in international food safety management systems and approaches.

Opinions on Fresh Produce Food Safety and Quality Standards by Fresh Produce Supply Chain Experts from the Global South and North.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacxsens, Liesbeth; Van Boxstael, Sigrid; Nanyunja, Jessica; Jordaan, Danie; Luning, Pieternel; Uyttendaele, Mieke

2015-10-01

This study describes the results of an on-line survey of fresh produce supply chain experts who work with producers from the Global North (n = 41, 20 countries) and the Global South (n = 63, 29 countries). They expressed their opinion using 1 to 5 Likert scales on several items related to four types of food safety and quality standards and legislation: Codex Alimentarius standards, European Union legislation, national legislation, and private standards. The results reflect the different circumstances under which the Southern and Northern producers operate in relation to the local organization, regulation, and support of the sector; but they also indicate similar challenges, in particular, the challenge of private standards, which were perceived to demand a higher implementation effort than the other three types of standards. Private standards were also strongly perceived to exclude Southern and Northern small- and medium-scale producers from high-value markets, whereas European Union legislation was perceived to strongly exclude, in particular, small- and medium-scale Southern producers. The results further highlight concerns about costly control measures and third-party certification that are required by downstream buyers but that are mostly paid for by upstream suppliers. Food standards are seen in their dual role as a catalyst for implementation of structured food safety management systems on the one hand and as a nontariff barrier to trade on the other hand. The results of the survey also pointed up the advantages of enforcing food safety and food quality standards in terms of knowledge spillover to noncertified activities, increased revenues, and improved food safety of delivered produce. Survey results highlight the importance of technical assistance and support of producers by governments and producer cooperatives or trade associations in the implementation and certification of food standards, along with increased awareness of and training of individuals in

Development and UFLC-MS/MS Characterization of a Product-Specific Standard for Phenolic Quantification of Maple-Derived Foods.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yongqiang; Ma, Hang; Seeram, Navindra P

2016-05-04

The phenolic contents of plant foods are commonly quantified by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay based on gallic acid equivalents (GAEs). However, this may lead to inaccuracies because gallic acid is not always representative of the structural heterogeneity of plant phenolics. Therefore, product-specific standards have been developed for the phenolic quantification of several foods. Currently, maple-derived foods (syrup, sugar, sap/water, and extracts) are quantified for phenolic contents based on GAEs. Because lignans are the predominant phenolics present in maple, herein, a maple phenolic lignan-enriched standard (MaPLES) was purified (by chromatography) and characterized (by UFLC-MS/MS with lignans previously isolated from maple syrup). Using MaPLES and secoisolariciresinol (a commercially available lignan), the phenolic contents of the maple-derived foods increased 3-fold compared to GAEs. Therefore, lignan-based standards are more appropriate for phenolic quantification of maple-derived foods versus GAEs. Also, MaPLES can be utilized for the authentication and detection of fake label claims on maple products.

Standard versus rapid food reintroduction after exclusive enteral nutritional therapy in paediatric Crohn's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Faiman, Abi; Mutalib, Mohamed; Moylan, Alexander; Morgan, Natalie; Crespi, Daniel; Furman, Mark; Kader, Ajmal

2014-03-01

In paediatric Crohn's disease (PCD), 6-8 weeks of exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) is effective in 60-80% cases. EEN is followed by gradual food reintroduction over variable (1-5 weeks) periods. Currently, there is no recommended duration or method for food reintroduction. The rationale for slow reintroduction is unclear and may be because of concerns about food intolerance or to maintain longer remission. The aims of this study were as follows: to compare relapse rates following standard and rapid reintroduction of food after EEN in PCD and to determine the duration of maintained remission in two groups of PCD patients. Two groups with PCD were compared: group A received standard food reintroduction over 5 weeks and group B received rapid reintroduction over 3 days. Data were collected over two consecutive time periods: group A (2005-2009) and group B (2009-2011). Only patients with a new diagnosis of PCD were included. Those with strictures and those on steroids or biologicals during EEN were excluded. The minimum duration of follow-up was 1 year. Group A included 20 patients and group B included 19 patients. In these groups, EEN led to clinical remission in 80% of the patients in group A and in 76% of the patients in group B. At 6 months, one-third of the patients from each group had developed relapse and a year after EEN, 50% of the patients in group A and 47% of the patients in group B developed relapse. Time to first relapse was 188 days (group A) and 136 days (group B). None of these results were statistically significant. In PCD, rapid food reintroduction following 6-week EEN is safe and equally effective as longer food reintroduction. We propose that a rapid food reintroduction schedule be recommended as the most tolerable approach for food reintroduction. Relapse rate and duration of remission are uninfluenced by the type of food reintroduction.

Fast Foods, Organic Foods, Fad Diets

Science.gov (United States)

There is no standard definition of fast food. Generally, fast food is eaten without cutlery, and fast-food restaurants have no wait staff. Failure to have a standardized definition makes it difficult to compare studies. Foods available outside the home tend to be high in energy and fat compared w...

International cooperative effort to establish ASTM [American Society for Testing and Materials] standards for the measurement of radiation dose for food processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrar, H. IV.

1987-01-01

A task group has been formed within the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) specifically to develop standards for measuring radiation dose for food processing. The task group, which has 78 members, including 16 from Europe, consists of a broad cross section of food industry, government, regulatory, manufacturing, and university interests. The group is working on seven standards; three specifically for food irradiation applications, and four for using specific dosimeter types for all radiation applications, including food processing. Together, this set of standards will specify acceptable methods of accomplishing the required irradiation treatment of food and other products, and will be available for adoption by regulatory agencies in food irradiation protocols. 1 tab

OIE philosophy, policy and procedures for the development of food safety standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Droppers, W F G L

2006-08-01

Food safety was identified as a high priority area in the 2001-2005 World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Strategic Plan. Member Countries of the OIE considered that the organisation should be more active in issues of public health and consumer protection and that this should include more involvement in the area of diseases or pathogens transmissible through food, whether or not animals are affected by such diseases or pathogens. A permanent Working Group on Animal Production Food Safety was established in 2002 to coordinate the OIE's activities in food safety. The Working Group was requested to focus on food safety measures applicable at farm level and to monitor the ongoing cooperation between the OIE and Codex Alimentarius. More emphasis is now placed on the public health aspects of a disease when OIE standards are developed or revised. For example, the revised chapter on bovine tuberculosis in the Terrestrial Animal Health Code includes food safety recommendations for meat and meat products and for milk and milk products. The revised chapter was approved by the OIE International Committee of Member Countries at their 73rd General Session in May 2005. More chapters will follow, beginning with a chapter addressing bovine brucellosis.

78 FR 79567 - National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program: Nutrition Standards for All Foods...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-31

... Program: Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in Schools as Required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids... interim rule entitled National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program: Nutrition Standards for..., 2013 / Rules and Regulations [[Page 79567

An evaluation of the UK Food Standards Agency's salt campaign.

Science.gov (United States)

Shankar, Bhavani; Brambila-Macias, Jose; Traill, Bruce; Mazzocchi, Mario; Capacci, Sara

2013-02-01

Excessive salt intake is linked to cardiovascular disease and several other health problems around the world. The UK Food Standards Agency initiated a campaign at the end of 2004 to reduce salt intake in the population. There is disagreement over whether the campaign was effective in curbing salt intake or not. We provide fresh evidence on the impact of the campaign, by using data on spot urinary sodium readings and socio-demographic variables from the Health Survey for England over 2003-2007 and combining it with food price information from the Expenditure and Food Survey. Aggregating the data into a pseudo-panel, we estimate fixed effects models to examine the trend in salt intake over the period and to deduce the heterogeneous effects of the policy on the intake of socio-demographic groups. Our results are consistent with a previous hypothesis that the campaign reduced salt intakes by approximately 10%. The impact is shown to be stronger among women than among men. Older cohorts of men show a larger response to the salt campaign compared to younger cohorts, while among women, younger cohorts respond more strongly than older cohorts. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Impact of Excluding Food Guarding from a Standardized Behavioral Canine Assessment in Animal Shelters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heather Mohan-Gibbons

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Many shelters euthanize or restrict adoptions for dogs that exhibit food guarding while in the animal shelter. However, previous research showed that only half the dogs exhibiting food guarding during an assessment food guard in the home. So, dogs are often misidentified as future food guarders during shelter assessments. We examined the impact of shelters omitting food guarding assessments. Nine shelters conducted a two-month baseline period of assessing for food guarding followed by a two-month investigative period during which they omitted the food guarding assessment. Dogs that guarded their food during a standardized assessment were less likely to be adopted, had a longer shelter stay, and were more likely to be euthanized. When the shelters stopped assessing for food guarding, there was no significant difference in the rate of returns of food guarding dogs, even though more dogs were adopted because fewer were identified with food guarding behavior. Additionally, the number of injuries to staff, volunteers, and adopters was low (104 incidents from a total of 14,180 dogs and did not change when the food guarding assessment was omitted. These results support a recommendation that shelters discontinue the food guarding assessment.

The Availability of Competitive Foods and Beverages to Middle School Students in Appalachian Virginia Before Implementation of the 2014 Smart Snacks in School Standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, Georgianna; Kraak, Vivica; Serrano, Elena

2015-09-17

The study objective was to examine the nutritional quality of competitive foods and beverages (foods and beverages from vending machines and à la carte foods) available to rural middle school students, before implementation of the US Department of Agriculture's Smart Snacks in School standards in July 2014. In spring 2014, we audited vending machines and à la carte cafeteria foods and beverages in 8 rural Appalachian middle schools in Virginia. Few schools had vending machines. Few à la carte and vending machine foods met Smart Snacks in School standards (36.5%); however, most beverages did (78.2%). The major challenges to meeting standards were fat and sodium content of foods. Most competitive foods (62.2%) did not meet new standards, and rural schools with limited resources will likely require assistance to fully comply.

Dietary standards for school catering in France: serving moderate quantities to improve dietary quality without increasing the food-related cost of meals.

Science.gov (United States)

Vieux, Florent; Dubois, Christophe; Allegre, Laëtitia; Mandon, Lionel; Ciantar, Laurent; Darmon, Nicole

2013-01-01

To assess the impact on food-related cost of meals to fulfill the new compulsory dietary standards for primary schools in France. A descriptive study assessed the relationship between the level of compliance with the standards of observed school meals and their food-related cost. An analytical study assessed the cost of series of meals published in professional journals, and complying or not with new dietary standards. The costs were based on prices actually paid for food used to prepare school meals. Food-related cost of meals. Parametric and nonparametric tests from a total of 42 and 120 series of 20 meals in the analytical and descriptive studies, respectively. The descriptive study indicated that meeting the standards was not related to cost. The analytical study showed that fulfilling the frequency guidelines increased the cost, whereas fulfilling the portion sizes criteria decreased it. Series of meals fully respecting the standards (ie, frequency and portion sizes) cost significantly less (-0.10 €/meal) than series not fulfilling them, because the standards recommend smaller portion sizes. Introducing portion sizes rules in dietary standards for school catering may help increase dietary quality without increasing the food cost of meals. Copyright © 2013 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and determinants of non-standard motorcycle safety helmets amongst food delivery workers in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

Science.gov (United States)

Kulanthayan, S; See, Lai Git; Kaviyarasu, Y; Nor Afiah, M Z

2012-05-01

Almost half of the global traffic crashes involve vulnerable groups such as pedestrian, cyclists and two-wheeler users. The main objective of this study was to determine the factors that influence standard of the safety helmets used amongst food delivery workers by presence of Standard and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM) certification label. A cross sectional study was conducted amongst 150 food delivery workers from fast food outlets in the vicinity of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. During observation, safety helmets were classified as standard safety helmet in the presence of SIRIM label and non-standard in the absence of the label. They were approached for questionnaire participation once consent was obtained and were requested to exchange their safety helmet voluntarily with a new one after the interview. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS. Chi square and logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the significance and odds ratio of the variables studied, respectively (penetration test, age, education level, knowledge, crash history, types of safety helmet, marital status and years of riding experience) against the presence of SIRIM label. The response rate for this study was 85.2%. The prevalence of non-standard helmets use amongst fast food delivery workers was 55.3%. Safety helmets that failed the penetration test had higher odds of being non-standard helmets compared with safety helmets passing the test. Types of safety helmet indicated half-shell safety helmets had higher odds to be non-standard safety helmets compared to full-shell safety helmets. Riders with more years of riding experience were in high odds of wearing non-standard safety helmets compared to riders with less riding experience. Non-standard (non-SIRIM approved) helmets were more likely to be half-shell helmets, were more likely to fail the standards penetration test, and were more likely to be worn by older, more experienced riders. The implications of these

Challenges of Agro-Food Standards Conformity: Lessons from East Africa and Policy Implications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bolwig, Simon; Riisgaard, Lone; Gibbon, Peter

2013-01-01

Standards are used to govern an increasing share of global food trade, and have been interpreted by academics both as market access barriers and opportunities for low-income country producers, exporters and workers. Donors have mostly chosen to treat them as opportunities and today finance...... of a research programme on standards conformity in East Africa. These demonstrate that most interventions underestimate the nature of the challenges faced and that significant impacts are achieved only under rather restricted conditions. The solutions lay not only in more selective support to standard...... development and better-informed interventions, but also to focus more squarely on supply capacity and welfare outcomes in project planning....

Specialized food composition dataset for vitamin D content in foods based on European standards: Application to dietary intake assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Milešević, Jelena; Samaniego, Lourdes; Kiely, Mairead; Glibetić, Maria; Roe, Mark; Finglas, Paul

2018-02-01

A review of national nutrition surveys from 2000 to date, demonstrated high prevalence of vitamin D intakes below the EFSA Adequate Intake (AI) (d vitamin D) in adults across Europe. Dietary assessment and modelling are required to monitor efficacy and safety of ongoing strategic vitamin D fortification. To support these studies, a specialized vitamin D food composition dataset, based on EuroFIR standards, was compiled. The FoodEXplorer™ tool was used to retrieve well documented analytical data for vitamin D and arrange the data into two datasets - European (8 European countries, 981 data values) and US (1836 data values). Data were classified, using the LanguaL™, FoodEX2 and ODIN classification systems and ranked according to quality criteria. Significant differences in the content, quality of data values, missing data on vitamin D 2 and 25(OH)D 3 and documentation of analytical methods were observed. The dataset is available through the EuroFIR platform. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trade, Food Standards and Poverty: The Case of High-Value Vegetable Exports from Senegal

OpenAIRE

Maertens, Miet

2006-01-01

Agricultural supply chains are changing globally with pervasive food standards and increased vertical coordination. The impact of these changes for developing countries and for small farmers in those countries is not yet well understood. We analyze the developments in high-standards FFV supply chains and the effects for small farmers and rural households in Senegal. We use a unique dataset derived from company level interviews and household surveys in the main horticulture zone in Senegal. Su...

Assessing the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard of 2016: Can Americans Access Electronic Disclosure Information?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Craig F. Berning

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The debate as to whether to require mandatory labeling of genetically modified organism (GMO foods was partially settled on 29 July 2016, when President Obama signed the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard into public law. In contrast to precipitating legislation passed by the State of Vermont that required disclosure of GMO ingredients on food shelves or food packages, the superseding National Standard allows firms to disclose bioengineered ingredients to consumers via symbols, electronic or digital links, or phone numbers, and further requires a study assessing the ability of consumers to access disclosure information by these means. This communication analyzes survey responses from 525 adults to investigate whether U.S. consumers are able to obtain information as per the disclosure methods allowed in the Federal legislation. The survey probes deeper to investigate consumer perceptions of genetically modified organisms and whether consumers would use the tools available to access disclosure about bioengineered ingredients. Findings from the survey show that 93.8% of respondents have the ability to access information via the disclosure methods permitted. Those in the lowest income group, and from the oldest age group are least likely to have such access. This provides the United State Department of Agriculture with information relevant to how they can implement the law and highlights particular demographic segments that may require additional attention to ensure the disclosed information is universally accessible.

Mixed deep learning and natural language processing method for fake-food image recognition and standardization to help automated dietary assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Mezgec, Simon; Eftimov, Tome; Bucher, Tamara; Koroušić Seljak, Barbara

2018-04-06

The present study tested the combination of an established and a validated food-choice research method (the 'fake food buffet') with a new food-matching technology to automate the data collection and analysis. The methodology combines fake-food image recognition using deep learning and food matching and standardization based on natural language processing. The former is specific because it uses a single deep learning network to perform both the segmentation and the classification at the pixel level of the image. To assess its performance, measures based on the standard pixel accuracy and Intersection over Union were applied. Food matching firstly describes each of the recognized food items in the image and then matches the food items with their compositional data, considering both their food names and their descriptors. The final accuracy of the deep learning model trained on fake-food images acquired by 124 study participants and providing fifty-five food classes was 92·18 %, while the food matching was performed with a classification accuracy of 93 %. The present findings are a step towards automating dietary assessment and food-choice research. The methodology outperforms other approaches in pixel accuracy, and since it is the first automatic solution for recognizing the images of fake foods, the results could be used as a baseline for possible future studies. As the approach enables a semi-automatic description of recognized food items (e.g. with respect to FoodEx2), these can be linked to any food composition database that applies the same classification and description system.

The Impact of Excluding Food Guarding from a Standardized Behavioral Canine Assessment in Animal Shelters

Science.gov (United States)

Mohan-Gibbons, Heather; Dolan, Emily D.; Reid, Pamela; Slater, Margaret R.; Mulligan, Hugh; Weiss, Emily

2018-01-01

Simple Summary Recent research has called into question the value of the food guarding assessment as a predictive tool for determining the safety of shelter dogs. This study examined the effect of eliminating the food guarding assessment in nine U.S. animal shelters. It was found that when the food guarding assessment was removed, bites or other injuries to staff or adopters did not increase. However, dogs exhibiting food guarding behavior were less likely to be adopted, had a longer shelter stay, and were more likely to be euthanized than dogs in the general population. Based on previous research and this study’s findings, the authors recommend that shelters discontinue the food guarding assessment. Abstract Many shelters euthanize or restrict adoptions for dogs that exhibit food guarding while in the animal shelter. However, previous research showed that only half the dogs exhibiting food guarding during an assessment food guard in the home. So, dogs are often misidentified as future food guarders during shelter assessments. We examined the impact of shelters omitting food guarding assessments. Nine shelters conducted a two-month baseline period of assessing for food guarding followed by a two-month investigative period during which they omitted the food guarding assessment. Dogs that guarded their food during a standardized assessment were less likely to be adopted, had a longer shelter stay, and were more likely to be euthanized. When the shelters stopped assessing for food guarding, there was no significant difference in the rate of returns of food guarding dogs, even though more dogs were adopted because fewer were identified with food guarding behavior. Additionally, the number of injuries to staff, volunteers, and adopters was low (104 incidents from a total of 14,180 dogs) and did not change when the food guarding assessment was omitted. These results support a recommendation that shelters discontinue the food guarding assessment. PMID:29419746

Food Safety: an Integral Part of Food Security

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kilian, Lizette

2012-01-01

In recent years, many countries have developed integrated and harmonized food safety and quality control guidelines in accordance with national legislation and international standards to protect the health of consumers. But food safety standards alone are not enough. Radiation technology can complement and supplement existing technologies to ensure food security, safety and quality.

Implementation of Competitive Food and Beverage Standards in a Sample of Massachusetts Schools: The NOURISH Study (Nutrition Opportunities to Understand Reforms Involving Student Health).

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffman, Jessica A; Rosenfeld, Lindsay; Schmidt, Nicole; Cohen, Juliana F W; Gorski, Mary; Chaffee, Ruth; Smith, Lauren; Rimm, Eric B

2015-08-01

During 2012, Massachusetts adopted comprehensive school competitive food and beverage standards that closely align with Institute of Medicine recommendations and Smart Snacks in School national standards. We examined the extent to which a sample of Massachusetts middle schools and high schools sold foods and beverages that were compliant with the state competitive food and beverage standards after the first year of implementation, and complied with four additional aspects of the regulations. Observational cohort study with data collected before implementation (Spring 2012) and 1 year after implementation (Spring 2013). School districts (N=37) with at least one middle school and one high school participated. Percent of competitive foods and beverages that were compliant with Massachusetts standards and compliance with four additional aspects of the regulations. Data were collected via school site visits and a foodservice director questionnaire. Multilevel models were used to examine change in food and beverage compliance over time. More products were available in high schools than middle schools at both time points. The number of competitive beverages and several categories of competitive food products sold in the sample of Massachusetts schools decreased following the implementation of the standards. Multilevel models demonstrated a 47-percentage-point increase in food and 46-percentage-point increase in beverage compliance in Massachusetts schools from 2012 to 2013. Overall, total compliance was higher for beverages than foods. This study of a group of Massachusetts schools demonstrated the feasibility of schools making substantial changes in response to requirements for healthier competitive foods, even in the first year of implementation. Copyright © 2015 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Food Industry and Self-Regulation: Standards to Promote Success and to Avoid Public Health Failures

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Lisa L.; Teret, Stephen P.

2010-01-01

Threatened by possible government regulation and critical public opinion, industries often undertake self-regulatory actions, issue statements of concern for public welfare, and assert that self-regulation is sufficient to protect the public. The food industry has made highly visible pledges to curtail children's food marketing, sell fewer unhealthy products in schools, and label foods in responsible ways. Ceding regulation to industry carries opportunities but is highly risky. In some industries (e.g., tobacco), self-regulation has been an abject failure, but in others (e.g., forestry and marine fisheries), it has been more successful. We examined food industry self-regulation in the context of other self-regulatory successes and failures and defined 8 standards that should be met if self-regulation is to be effective. PMID:20019306

Food safety challenges associated with traditional foods of Turkey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arzu CAGRI-MEHMETOGLU

Full Text Available Abstract Consumer food safety concerns are continually increasing in Turkey, with consumer demand for safer foods becoming an important challenge for the industry. Most traditional foods in Turkey are produced under different requirements, and food safety risk management and risk assessment are conducted primarily by the government. Based on risk assessment, safety regulations and standards for traditional foods (e.g. Turkish white cheese, doner, helva have been established. In this paper, safety concerns surrounding the commercialization of traditional Turkish foods and related studies to identify and minimize potential hazards are discussed along with pathogen contamination in raw meat balls and aflatoxin in helva and white cheese. Based on this review, additional national risk analysis experts and related databases are urgently needed. In addition, the manufacturing processes for traditional foods need to be standardized and harmonized with international standards, such as CODEX.

Will our food be safe? Food irradiation - an update

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberts, P.B.

2000-01-01

On 2 September 1999, an amendment to the ANZFA Food Standards Code was gazetted. Both countries now have a new Standard A17 to govern the irradiation of food. After over a decade when the policy in both countries was effectively a ban on the use of the process, there is now the possibility for the food industry to contemplate the use of the process or the import and sale of irradiated foods. (author)

Comparison of nutrition standards and other recommended procurement practices for improving institutional food offerings in Los Angeles County, 2010-2012.

Science.gov (United States)

Robles, Brenda; Wood, Michelle; Kimmons, Joel; Kuo, Tony

2013-03-01

National, state, and local institutions that procure, distribute, sell, and/or serve food to employees, students, and the public are increasingly capitalizing on existing operational infrastructures to create healthier food environments. Integration of healthy nutrition standards and other recommended practices [e.g., energy (kilocalories) postings at point-of-purchase, portion size restrictions, product placement guidelines, and signage] into new or renewing food service and vending contracts codifies an institution's commitment to increasing the availability of healthful food options in their food service venues and vending machines. These procurement requirements, in turn, have the potential to positively influence consumers' food-purchasing behaviors. Although these strategies are becoming increasingly popular, much remains unknown about their context, the processes required to implement them effectively, and the factors that facilitate their sustainability, especially in such broad and diverse settings as schools, county government facilities, and cities. To contribute to this gap in information, we reviewed and compared nutrition standards and other best practices implemented recently in a large school district, in a large county government, and across 10 municipalities in Los Angeles County. We report lessons learned from these efforts.

Decoupling from international food safety standards

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mercado, Geovana; Hjortsø, Carsten Nico; Honig, Benson

2018-01-01

rural producers who, grounded in culturally-embedded food safety conceptions, face difficulties in complying. We address this gap here through a multiple case study involving four public school feeding programs that source meals from local rural providers in the Bolivian Altiplan. Institutional logics...... in the market. These include: (1) partial adoption of formal rules; (2) selective adoption of convenient rules; and (3) ceremonial adoption to avoid compliance. Decoupling strategies allow local actors to largely disregard the formal food safety regulations while accommodating traditional cultural practices...

Joint FAO/WHO food standards programme coordinating committee for Europe 16. session Vienna, Austria, 27 June - 1 July 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-02-01

A brief paper is presented containing data on the use of irradiation processes in foodstuffs in European countries and summarizing the status of applications of food irradiation. Problem of consumer acceptance are highlighted, and the requirement for standardization of regulations to encourage international trade in irradiated food is discussed. 1 fig., 1 tab

Standardized food images : A photographing protocol and image database

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Charbonnier, Lisette; van Meer, Floor; van der Laan, Laura N.; Viergever, Max A.; Smeets, Paul A M

2015-01-01

The regulation of food intake has gained much research interest because of the current obesity epidemic. For research purposes, food images are a good and convenient alternative for real food because many dietary decisions are made based on the sight of foods. Food pictures are assumed to elicit

Standardized food images: A photographing protocol and image database

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Charbonnier, L.; Meer, van der F.; Laan, van der L.N.; Viergever, M.A.; Smeets, P.A.M.

2016-01-01

The regulation of food intake has gained much research interest because of the current obesity epidemic. For research purposes, food images are a good and convenient alternative for real food because many dietary decisions are made based on the sight of foods. Food pictures are assumed to elicit

Dose implications of adopting the CAC [Codex Alimentarius Commission] standard for the control of food in Hong Kong

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poon, C.B.; Au, S.M.

1997-01-01

Based on several assumptions on food consumption and contamination, the dose implication in using the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) standard for the control of food in Hong Kong following a nuclear accident has been studied. Calculations are performed on six likely contaminated food types and on three radionuclide groups. Results show that the maximum individual doses arisig from the ingestion pathway are most probably below 0.2 mSv. This dose is so low that it would not cause any serious health problem to the people of Hong Kong. (author)

School lunches v. packed lunches: a comparison of secondary schools in England following the introduction of compulsory school food standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Lesley; Nicholas, Jo; Wood, Lesley; Nelson, Michael

2013-06-01

To compare food choices and nutrient intakes of pupils taking a school lunch or a packed lunch in eighty secondary schools in England, following the introduction of the food-based and nutrient-based standards for school food. Cross-sectional data collected between October 2010 and April 2011. Pupils' lunchtime food choices were recorded over five consecutive days. Secondary schools, England. A random selection of 5925 pupils having school lunches and 1805 pupils having a packed lunch in a nationally representative sample of eighty secondary schools in England. The differences in the specific types of food and drink consumed by the two groups of pupils are typical of differences between a hot and cold meal. On average, school lunches as eaten contained significantly more energy, carbohydrate, protein, fibre, vitamin A, folate, Fe and Zn than packed lunches, and 8 % less Na. Although neither school lunches nor packed lunches provided the balance of nutrients required to meet the nutrient-based standards (based on about one-third of daily energy and nutrient requirements), school lunches generally had a healthier nutrient profile, with lower Na and percentage of energy from fat, and higher fibre and micronutrient content. These differences were greater than those reported prior to the introduction of compulsory standards for school lunches. In order to ensure more pupils have a healthy lunch, schools could introduce and enforce a packed lunch policy or make school meals the only option at lunchtime.

Food Technology. Specification for Irradiated Food

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

This Ghana Standard specifies the requirements and methods of sampling and testing for foods processed by irradiation for sprout inhibition, insect disinfestation, microbial decontamination, delaying ripening, shelf-life extension and general phytosanitary treatment. The absorbed dose range covered by this guide is between 0.2kGy and 10kGy. The practical minimum or maximum dose of a treatment may be lower or higher than this range, depending on the purpose of irradiation and the radiation tolerance of the particular type of food. This standard does not apply to foods exposed to radiation imparted by measuring instruments used for inspection purposes

Standardized inspections of food premises during the 2004 Athens Olympic Games: descriptive analysis and risk factors for unsatisfactory results.

Science.gov (United States)

Hadjichristodoulou, Christos; Mouchtouri, Varvara; Varzakas, Theodoros; Arvanitoyannis, Ioannis; Kremastinou, Jenny

2008-08-01

Standardized inspections of food premises are part of environmental health systems implemented worldwide. The food safety strategy for the 2004 Olympic Games included standardized inspections to ensure uniformity and consistency of procedures and effective electronic management of data. Inspections were carried out by 196 inspectors in the five Olympic cities: Athens, Thessalonica, Volos, Iraklio, and Patra. From January 2003 to September 2004, a total of 1,249 food premises were inspected. An unsatisfactory inspection result (C grade) was received by 347 (27.8%) food premises, a relatively satisfactory result (B grade) was received by 332 (26.6%), and a satisfactory result (A grade) was received by 570 (45.6%). About 16% of inspected premises did not hold a valid permit. Unsatisfactory inspection results were more frequent for premises located in the two largest Greek cities in comparison with the other smaller cities (relative risk = 1.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.36 to 2.80). Based on logistic regression analysis, unsatisfactory inspection results were positively associated with food premises that were not located on a ground floor (odds ratio [OR] = 2.56, 95% CI = 1.39 to 4.73) and negatively associated with application of hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) principles (OR = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.10 to 0.71). Food hygiene education through formal training programs should be encouraged to improve compliance of food premises. Food premises located on hotel floors and serving buffet meals are at higher risk for unsatisfactory conditions. Businesses that implemented a HACCP system within their operations to ensure food safety operated under more hygienic conditions. Future inspections by Public Health Authorities should involve elements of audit after the legislation for the application of HACCP principles.

Profits, Commercial Food Supplier Involvement, and School Vending Machine Snack Food Availability: Implications for Implementing the New Competitive Foods Rule

Science.gov (United States)

Terry-McElrath, Yvonne M.; Hood, Nancy E.; Colabianchi, Natalie; O'Malley, Patrick M.; Johnston, Lloyd D.

2014-01-01

Background: The 2013-2014 school year involved preparation for implementing the new US Department of Agriculture (USDA) competitive foods nutrition standards. An awareness of associations between commercial supplier involvement, food vending practices, and food vending item availability may assist schools in preparing for the new standards.…

Standard metabolic rate predicts growth trajectory of juvenile Chinese crucian carp (Carassius auratus under changing food availability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ling-Qing Zeng

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Phenotypic traits vary greatly within populations and can have a significant influence on aspects of performance. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of individual variation in standard metabolic rate (SMR on growth rate and tolerance to food deprivation in juvenile Chinese crucian carp (Carassius auratus under varying levels of food availability. To address this issue, 19 high and 16 low SMR individuals were randomly assigned to a satiation diet for 3 weeks, whereas another 20 high and 16 low SMR individuals were assigned to a restricted diet (approximately 50% of satiation for the same period. Then, all fish were completely food-deprived for another 3 weeks. High SMR individuals showed a higher growth rate when fed to satiation, but this advantage of SMR did not exist in food-restricted fish. This result was related to improved feeding efficiency with decreased food intake in low SMR individuals, due to their low food processing capacity and maintenance costs. High SMR individuals experienced more mass loss during food deprivation as compared to low SMR individuals. Our results here illustrate context-dependent costs and benefits of intraspecific variation in SMR whereby high SMR individuals show increased growth performance under high food availability but had a cost under stressful environments (i.e. food shortage.

Performance evaluation of the European Committee Standardization Method EN1785 for the detection of irradiated processed food

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsutsumi, Tomoaki; Adachi, Rika; Takatsuki, Satoshi; Matsuda, Rieko; Teshima, Reiko; Nei, Daisuke; Kameya, Hiromi; Todoriki, Setsuko; Kikuchi, Masahiro; Kobayashi, Yasuhiko

2014-01-01

2-dodecylcyclobutanone (DCB) and 2-tetradecylcyclobutanone (TCB) are specific radiolytic products in irradiated lipid-containing food and can be used to detect irradiated foods. We previously reported a performance evaluation test in a single laboratory for qualitative detection methods using DCB and TCB as markers for irradiated foods. EN1785, a European Committee Standardization Method, has been widely used for qualitative detection of DCB and TCB in irradiated foods. Here, we evaluated the applicability of EN1785 to camembert cheese, liquid whole egg, sausage and eel grilled without seasoning by using our evaluation test. In this test, extracted lipids from the food were used as negative samples. The lipids spiked with DCB and TCB were used as positive samples. For each food type, 4 negative and 16 positive samples were analyzed by EN1785. All of the negative samples were judged negative and all of the positive samples were judged positive. Thus, EN1785 should be able to detect irradiation in the tested food. Additionally, to confirm the ability of the validated method to detect irradiated food, the same type of food examined above, both unirradiated and irradiated at doses of 0.5-4 kGy, were analyzed by the method. All of the unirradiated samples were judged negative and all of the irradiated samples were judged positive. (author)

Do European Standard Disinfectant tests truly simulate in-use microbial and organic soiling conditions on food preparation surfaces?

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, B; Morin, V N; Rödger, H-J; Holah, J; Bird, C

2010-04-01

The results from European standard disinfectant tests are used as one basis to approve the use of disinfectants in Europe. The design of these laboratory-based tests should thus simulate as closely as possible the practical conditions and challenges that the disinfectants would encounter in use. No evidence is available that the organic and microbial loading in these tests simulates actual levels in the food service sector. Total organic carbon (TOC) and total viable count (TVC) were determined on 17 visibly clean and 45 visibly dirty surfaces in two restaurants and the food preparation surfaces of a large retail store. These values were compared to reference values recovered from surfaces soiled with the organic and microbial loading, following the standard conditions of the European Surface Test for bactericidal efficacy, EN 13697. The TOC reference values for clean and dirty conditions were higher than the data from practice, but cannot be regarded as statistical outliers. This was considered as a conservative assessment; however, as additional nine TOC samples from visibly dirty surfaces were discarded from the analysis, as their loading made them impossible to process. Similarly, the recovery of test organisms from surfaces contaminated according to EN 13697 was higher than the TVC from visibly dirty surfaces in practice; though they could not be regarded as statistical outliers of the whole data field. No correlation was found between TVC and TOC in the sampled data, which re-emphasizes the potential presence of micro-organisms on visibly clean surfaces and thus the need for the same degree of disinfection as visibly dirty surfaces. The organic soil and the microbial burden used in EN disinfectant standards represent a realistic worst-case scenario for disinfectants used in the food service and food-processing areas.

Standard Male Body Image and its Influence on Food Values, Attitudes and Behavior in Food University

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pâmela de Souza Dias

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Body image corresponds to the way the individual sees his body. The beauty standards body are established from references in which illusory short fall. The great changes in recent years in markets as food and fitness show mainly focused on developing new habits for health concerns and aesthetics. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between body image values, attitudes and dietary behavior in college men. We used a range of silhouettes adapted model Stunkard, Sorenson e Schlusinger (1983 as cited in Kety, Rowland, Sidman & Matthysse, 1983 and Lima, Orlando, Teixeira, Castro e Damasceno (2008,

Taiwanese consumer survey data for investigating the role of information on equivalence of organic standards in directing food choice.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Ching-Hua; Hartmann, Monika; Hirsch, Stefan

2018-06-01

The presentation of credence attributes such as the product's origin or the production method has a significant influence on consumers' food purchase decisions. The dataset includes survey responses from a discrete choice experiment with 1309 food shoppers in Taiwan using the example of sweet pepper. The survey was carried out in 2014 in the three largest Taiwanese cities. It evaluates the impact of providing information on the equality of organic standards on consumers' preferences at the example of sweet pepper. Equality of organic standards implies that regardless of products' country-of-origin (COO) organic certifications are based on the same production regulation and managerial processes. Respondents were randomly allocated to the information treatment and the control group. The dataset contains the product choices of participants in both groups, as well as their sociodemographic information.

Food irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gruenewald, T

1985-01-01

Food irradiation has become a matter of topical interest also in the Federal Republic of Germany following applications for exemptions concerning irradiation tests of spices. After risks to human health by irradiation doses up to a level sufficient for product pasteurization were excluded, irradiation now offers a method suitable primarily for the disinfestation of fruit and decontamination of frozen and dried food. Codex Alimentarius standards which refer also to supervision and dosimetry have been established; they should be adopted as national law. However, in the majority of cases where individual countries including EC member-countries so far permitted food irradiation, these standards were not yet used. Approved irradiation technique for industrial use is available. Several industrial food irradiation plants, partly working also on a contractual basis, are already in operation in various countries. Consumer response still is largely unknown; since irradiated food is labelled, consumption of irradiated food will be decided upon by consumers.

Food irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Migdal, W.

1995-01-01

A worldwide standard on food irradiation was adopted in 1983 by codex Alimentarius Commission of the Joint Food Standard Programme of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and The World Health Organization (WHO). As a result, 41 countries have approved the use of irradiation for treating one or more food items and the number is increasing. Generally, irradiation is used to: food loses, food spoilage, disinfestation, safety and hygiene. The number of countries which use irradiation for processing food for commercial purposes has been increasing steadily from 19 in 1987 to 33 today. In the frames of the national programme on the application of irradiation for food preservation and hygienization an experimental plant for electron beam processing has been established in Inst. of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology. The plant is equipped with a small research accelerator Pilot (19 MeV, 1 kW) and industrial unit Electronika (10 MeV, 10 kW). On the basis of the research there were performed at different scientific institutions in Poland, health authorities have issued permissions for irradiation for; spices, garlic, onions, mushrooms, potatoes, dry mushrooms and vegetables. (author)

Standardization of Thermal Processes for Local Foods with Emphasis on Low-Acid Foods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Estrella Alabastro

1980-01-01

Full Text Available The minimum process for selected low acid foods was established based on the thermal death time (TDT of P.A. 3679 in the food and the heat penetration characteristics of the food products. The products studied were: (a vegetable products - green papaya, langka, sitao, mushroom, waterchestnut and baby corn; (b meat products - lechon, paksiw, dinuguan, longaniza and caldereta; and (c seafood products - squid adobo. The integrated lethality approach was adopted for process calculations recommended by Stumbo (1973.The minimum thermal process was tested by a pilot scale production followed by microbiological, physico-chemical and sensory evaluation tests to check the soundness of the product.Preliminary research on the effect of the minimum process established on the retention of nutrients, particularly thiamine, was also carried out for lechon paksiw and sitao.

Taiwanese consumer survey data for investigating the role of information on equivalence of organic standards in directing food choice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ching-Hua Yeh

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The presentation of credence attributes such as the product's origin or the production method has a significant influence on consumers' food purchase decisions. The dataset includes survey responses from a discrete choice experiment with 1309 food shoppers in Taiwan using the example of sweet pepper. The survey was carried out in 2014 in the three largest Taiwanese cities. It evaluates the impact of providing information on the equality of organic standards on consumers' preferences at the example of sweet pepper. Equality of organic standards implies that regardless of products’ country-of-origin (COO organic certifications are based on the same production regulation and managerial processes. Respondents were randomly allocated to the information treatment and the control group. The dataset contains the product choices of participants in both groups, as well as their sociodemographic information.

Understanding school food service characteristics associated with higher competitive food revenues can help focus efforts to improve school food environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Guthrie, Joanne F; Newman, Constance; Ralston, Katherine; Prell, Mark; Ollinger, Michael

2012-08-01

Many school food services sell extra foods and beverages, popularly referred to as “competitive foods,” in addition to USDA school meals. On the basis of national survey data, most competitive foods and beverages selected by students are of low nutritional value. Recent federal legislation will allow schools that participate in USDA school meal programs to sell competitive foods only if the food items they sell meet nutrition standards based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Concerns have been raised about the potential effects of limiting competitive foods on local school food service finances. However, national data indicate that only in a subset of schools do food services receive large amounts of revenues from competitive foods. These food services are typically located in secondary schools in more affluent districts, serving higher proportions of students who do not receive free or reduced price meals. Compared to other food services, these food services couple higher competitive food revenues with lower school meal participation. Increasing school meal participation could increase meal revenues to offset any loss of competitive food revenues. Replacing less-healthful competitive items with healthier options could also help maintain school food service revenues while improving the school food environment. Nationally consistent nutrition standards for competitive foods may encourage development and marketing of healthful products.

Iodine in different food articles and standard reference materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dermelj, M.; Slejkovec, Z.; Byrne, A.R.; Stegnar, P.; Stibilj, V.; Rossbach, M.

1990-01-01

The greater part of essential iodine enters living organisms via the food chain. Nevertheless, quantitative data on its concentration in diets, food articles and also in available SRMs are very poor and scarce. This and WHO recommendations on daily allowances of iodine for man via food articles caused an added demand for accurate and reliable determination of iodine in these samples. From this point of view the purpose of the present was to analyse and to establish the concentration levels of total iodine in some food articles, diets, SRMs and candidate reference materials by the use of rapid radiochemical separation, developed in our laboratory. The results were checked by the analysis of SRMs with available certified values for iodine and good agreement is evident. (orig.)

ThyPROgr

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mintziori, Gesthimani; Watt, Torquil; Veneti, Stavroula

2018-01-01

The thyroid-related patient-reported outcome measure ThyPRO is currently the most reliable and valid instrument for the measurement of thyroid-related quality of life. The objective of the current study was to translate the original (85 items) and short (39 items) versions of ThyPRO into the Gree...

[Regional features of food standards and health risks associated with chemical contamination of food].

Science.gov (United States)

Klepikov, O V; Khatuaev, R O; Istomin, A V; Rumyantseva, L A

In the article there are presented results of a study of the balance of food consumption by the population of the Voronezh region, the assessment of the level of contamination of food products and both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic and public health risk caused by this contamination. There was evaluated the level of nutrition-dependent diseases. A special feature of this study is a comparative analysis of data obtained during the two five-year periods of 1995-1999 and 2010-2014, that permitted to reveal changes in food consumption, the dynamics of morbidity rate associated with the nutritional factor.

Food Production and Processing Considerations of Allergenic Food Ingredients: A Review

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarez, Pedro A.; Boye, Joyce I.

2012-01-01

Although most consumers show no adverse symptoms to food allergens, health consequences for sensitized individuals can be very serious. As a result, the Codex General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods has specified a series of allergenic ingredients/substances requiring mandatory declaration when present in processed prepackaged food products. Countries adhering to international standards are required to observe this minimum of eight substances, but additional priority allergens are included in the list in some countries. Enforcement agencies have traditionally focused their effort on surveillance of prepackaged goods, but there is a growing need to apply a bottom-up approach to allergen risk management in food manufacturing starting from primary food processing operations in order to minimize the possibility of allergen contamination in finished products. The present paper aims to review food production considerations that impact allergen risk management, and it is directed mainly to food manufacturers and policy makers. Furthermore, a series of food ingredients and the allergenic fractions identified from them, as well as the current methodology used for detection of these allergenic foods, is provided. PMID:22187573

78 FR 10107 - Food and Drug Administration Food Safety Modernization Act: Proposed Rules To Establish Standards...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-13

... AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notification of public meeting. SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is providing public meeting registration information for two FSMA related... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration 21 CFR Parts 1, 16, 106, 110...

Food processor and retailer non-GMO standards in the US and EU and the driving role of regulations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Castellari, Elena; Soregaroli, Claudio; Venus, Thomas J.; Wesseler, Justus

2018-01-01

In the last two decades, voluntary standards have played an increasing role in reshaping the non-GMO labeling schemes in the EU and the US. This work compares the mandatory and voluntary labeling schemes for food produced from or with GMO in these two markets. After reviewing the EU and US

Beyond the vertical? Using value chains and governance as a framework to analyse private standards initiatives in agri-food chains

OpenAIRE

2009-01-01

Abstract The significance of private standards and associated local level initiatives in agri-food value chains are increasingly recognised. However whilst issues related to compliance and impact at the smallholder or worker level have frequently been analysed, the governance implications in terms of how private standards affect national level institutions, public, private and non-governmental, have had less attention. This article applies an extended value chain framework for crit...

A Review on the Rising Prevalence of International Standards: Threats or Opportunities for the Agri-Food Produce Sector in Developing Countries, with a Focus on Examples from the MENA Region

Science.gov (United States)

Faour-Klingbeil, Dima

2018-01-01

Food safety standards are a necessity to protect consumers’ health in today’s growing global food trade. A number of studies have suggested safety standards can interrupt trade, bringing financial and technical burdens on small as well as large agri-food producers in developing countries. Other examples have shown that economical extension, key intermediaries, and funded initiatives have substantially enhanced the capacities of growers in some countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to meet the food safety and quality requirements, and improve their access to international markets. These endeavors often compensate for the weak regulatory framework, but do not offer a sustainable solution. There is a big gap in the food safety level and control systems between countries in the MENA region and those in the developed nations. This certainly has implications for the safety of fresh produce and agricultural practices, which hinders any progress in their international food trade. To overcome the barriers of legal and private standards, food safety should be a national priority for sustainable agricultural development in the MENA countries. Local governments have a primary role in adopting the vision for developing and facilitating the implementation of their national Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standards that are consistent with the international requirements and adapted to local policies and environment. Together, the public and private sector’s support are instrumental to deliver the skills and infrastructure needed for leveraging the safety and quality level of the agri-food chain. PMID:29510498

A Review on the Rising Prevalence of International Standards: Threats or Opportunities for the Agri-Food Produce Sector in Developing Countries, with a Focus on Examples from the MENA Region.

Science.gov (United States)

Faour-Klingbeil, Dima; Todd, Ewen C D

2018-03-03

Food safety standards are a necessity to protect consumers' health in today's growing global food trade. A number of studies have suggested safety standards can interrupt trade, bringing financial and technical burdens on small as well as large agri-food producers in developing countries. Other examples have shown that economical extension, key intermediaries, and funded initiatives have substantially enhanced the capacities of growers in some countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to meet the food safety and quality requirements, and improve their access to international markets. These endeavors often compensate for the weak regulatory framework, but do not offer a sustainable solution. There is a big gap in the food safety level and control systems between countries in the MENA region and those in the developed nations. This certainly has implications for the safety of fresh produce and agricultural practices, which hinders any progress in their international food trade. To overcome the barriers of legal and private standards, food safety should be a national priority for sustainable agricultural development in the MENA countries. Local governments have a primary role in adopting the vision for developing and facilitating the implementation of their national Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standards that are consistent with the international requirements and adapted to local policies and environment. Together, the public and private sector's support are instrumental to deliver the skills and infrastructure needed for leveraging the safety and quality level of the agri-food chain.

Revision of the recommended international general standard for irradiated foods and of the recommended international code of practice for the operation of radiation facilities used for the treatment of foods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-11-01

In view of the findings and statements of the Joint FAO/IAEA/WHO Expert Committee on the Wholesomeness of Irradiated Food, convened in Geneva from 27 October to 3 November 1980, a Consultation Group, convened in Geneva from 1 to 3 July 1981 suggested the revision of the Recommended International General Standard for Irradiated Foods and of the Recommended International Code of Practice for the Operation of Radiation Facilities. The proposed changes are given and justified and the revised wording of the documents presented

Use of Nutrition Standards to Improve Nutritional Quality of Hospital Patient Meals: Findings from New York City's Healthy Hospital Food Initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Alyssa; Lederer, Ashley; Johnson Curtis, Christine

2015-11-01

Most hospital patient meals are considered regular-diet meals; these meals are not required to meet comprehensive nutrition standards for a healthy diet. Although programs exist to improve nutrition in hospital food, the focus is on retail settings such as vending machines and cafeterias vs patient meals. New York City's Healthy Hospital Food Initiative (HHFI) provides nutrition standards for regular-diet meals that hospitals can adopt, in addition to retail standards. This study was undertaken to describe regular-diet patient menus before and after implementation of the HHFI nutrition standards. The study involved pre- and post- menu change analyses of hospitals participating in the HHFI between 2010 and 2014. Eight New York City hospitals, selected based on voluntary participation in the HHFI, were included in the analyses. Nutritional content of regular-diet menus were compared with the HHFI nutrition standards. Nutrient analysis and exact Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used for the analysis of the data. At baseline, no regular-diet menu met all HHFI standards, and most exceeded the daily limits for percentage of calories from fat (n=5), percentage of calories from saturated fat (n=5), and milligrams of sodium (n=6), and they did not meet the minimum grams of fiber (n=7). Hospitals met all key nutrient standards after implementation, increasing fiber (25%, Pfood service operations, indicating feasibility of this framework in a range of hospital settings. Copyright © 2015 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Standardized toxicity testing may underestimate ecotoxicity: Environmentally relevant food rations increase the toxicity of silver nanoparticles to Daphnia.

Science.gov (United States)

Stevenson, Louise M; Krattenmaker, Katherine E; Johnson, Erica; Bowers, Alexandra J; Adeleye, Adeyemi S; McCauley, Edward; Nisbet, Roger M

2017-11-01

Daphnia in the natural environment experience fluctuations in algal food supply, with periods when algal populations bloom and seasons when Daphnia have very little algal food. Standardized chronic toxicity tests, used for ecological risk assessment, dictate that Daphnia must be fed up to 400 times more food than they would experience in the natural environment (outside of algal blooms) for a toxicity test to be valid. This disconnect can lead to underestimating the toxicity of a contaminant. We followed the growth, reproduction, and survival of Daphnia exposed to 75 and 200 µg/L silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) at 4 food rations for up to 99 d and found that AgNP exposure at low, environmentally relevant food rations increased the toxicity of AgNPs. Exposure to AgNP at low food rations decreased the survival and/or reproduction of individuals, with potential consequences for Daphnia populations (based on calculated specific population growth rates). We also found tentative evidence that a sublethal concentration of AgNPs (75 µg/L) caused Daphnia to alter energy allocation away from reproduction and toward survival and growth. The present findings emphasize the need to consider resource availability, and not just exposure, in the environment when estimating the effect of a toxicant. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3008-3018. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

Fairtrade, Food Security and Globalization: Building Alternative Food Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Calisto Friant

2016-05-01

Full Text Available This article examines the politics and practices of Fairtrade certification in order to assess whether this alternative trading system could contribute to innovative solutions for global food security. The analysis begins by assessing the main challenges and problems characterizing the contemporary global food system. It then explores the history, vision and certification standards of the Fairtrade label. In the third section, the results of the impact studies of Fairtrade certification on producer livelihoods are discussed, analyzing the various strengths and weaknesses. Finally the article analyzes whether, and how, the Fairtrade system could positively contribute to improving global food security. To conclude this paper argues that the greatest strength of Fairtrate is not the certification mechanism itself but rather the social and environmental principles it represents. Fairtrade standards could serve to inform broader international policies, which could lead to a sustainable transformation of the global food system.

Nigerian Food Journal: Editorial Policies

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Nigerian Food Journal (NIFOJ) is a journal of international standard ... of special attributes and advantages of food products and materials, technical ... the various disciplines among members who are employed in food research, the food ...

Supplement: Why Colour Foods? Colouring Food Products with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Today, the food industry is the kitchen of the world. It has revolutionised nutrition. Never before have standards of purity, stability, and physiological harmlessness been as high as they are today. New raw materials and new methods of refining and preserving, however, often alter the natural appearance of fresh foods.

Nigerian Food Journal

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Nigerian Food Journal (NIFOJ) is a journal of international standard established ... of interdisciplinary knowledge on all aspects of food science and technology. ... Optimization of Some Physico-Chemical Properties of Predigested Soymilk ...

Food Product Dating

Science.gov (United States)

... Standard Forms FSIS United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service About FSIS District Offices ... Web Content Viewer (JSR 286) Actions ${title} Loading... Food Product Dating "Best if Used By" is a ...

FOOD SAFETY CONTROL SYSTEM IN CHINA

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Liu Wei-jun; Wei Yi-min; Han Jun; Luo Dan; Pan Jia-rong

2007-01-01

Most countries have expended much effort to develop food safety control systems to ensure safe food supplies within their borders. China, as one of the world's largest food producers and consumers,pays a lot of attention to food safety issues. In recent years, China has taken actions and implemented a series of plans in respect to food safety. Food safety control systems including regulatory, supervisory,and science and technology systems, have begun to be established in China. Using, as a base, an analysis of the current Chinese food safety control system as measured against international standards, this paper discusses the need for China to standardize its food safety control system. We then suggest some policies and measures to improve the Chinese food safety control system.

Food irradiation: the facts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webb, Tony; Lang, Tim

1987-01-01

The London Food Commission summarizes its concerns about the use of food irradiation in the U.K. resulting from its working group surveys of general public opinion, trading standard officers and the food industry in the U.K., and from experience in countries already permitting irradiation to a variety of foods. (U.K.)

Diagnosis of Food Allergy Based on Oral Food Challenge Test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Komei Ito

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Diagnosis of food allergy should be based on the observation of allergic symptoms after intake of the suspected food. The oral food challenge test (OFC is the most reliable clinical procedure for diagnosing food allergy. The OFC is also applied for the diagnosis of tolerance of food allergy. The Japanese Society of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology issued the 'Japanese Pediatric Guideline for Oral Food Challenge Test in Food Allergy 2009' in April 2009, to provide information on a safe and standardized method for administering the OFC. This review focuses on the clinical applications and procedure for the OFC, based on the Japanese OFC guideline.

Developing a Standard Definition of Whole-Grain Foods for Dietary Recommendations: Summary Report of a Multidisciplinary Expert Roundtable Discussion12

Science.gov (United States)

Ferruzzi, Mario G.; Jonnalagadda, Satya S.; Liu, Simin; Marquart, Len; McKeown, Nicola; Reicks, Marla; Riccardi, Gabriele; Seal, Chris; Slavin, Joanne; Thielecke, Frank; van der Kamp, Jan-Willem; Webb, Densie

2014-01-01

Although the term “whole grain” is well defined, there has been no universal standard of what constitutes a “whole-grain food,” creating challenges for researchers, the food industry, regulatory authorities, and consumers around the world. As part of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Technical Advisory Committee issued a call to action to develop definitions for whole-grain foods that could be universally accepted and applied to dietary recommendations and planning. The Committee’s call to action, and the lack of a global whole-grain food definition, was the impetus for the Whole Grain Roundtable held 3–5 December 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. The objective was to develop a whole-grain food definition that is consistent with the quartet of needs of science, food product formulation, consumer behavior, and label education. The roundtable’s expert panel represented a broad range of expertise from the United States and Europe, including epidemiology and dietary intervention researchers, consumer educators, government policy makers, and food and nutrition scientists from academia and the grain food industry. Taking into account the totality, quality, and consistency of available scientific evidence, the expert panel recommended that 8 g of whole grain/30 g serving (27 g/100 g), without a fiber requirement, be considered a minimum content of whole grains that is nutritionally meaningful and that a food providing at least 8 g of whole grains/30-g serving be defined as a whole-grain food. Having an established whole-grain food definition will encourage manufacturers to produce foods with meaningful amounts of whole grain, allow consistent product labeling and messaging, and empower consumers to readily identify whole-grain foods and achieve whole-grain dietary recommendations. PMID:24618757

Addressing Food Allergies

Science.gov (United States)

DeVoe, Jeanne Jackson

2008-01-01

Since 1960, the incidence of food allergies in children has grown fivefold, from 1 in 100 children to 1 in 20 children, according to the Food Allergy Initiative. Food allergies cause anaphylactic shock, the most severe type of allergic reaction, which can lead to death within minutes if left untreated. While there are no standard guidelines from…

International Cooperation to Establish Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Quarantine Management of Irradiated Foods in International Trade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, J. W.; Byun, M. W.; Kim, J. H.; Choi, J. I.; Song, B. S.; Yoon, Y. H.; Kim, D. H.; Kim, W. G.; Kim, K. P.

2010-02-01

· Development of SOPs through various research activities such as building international cooperation, and analysing current status of food irradiation in domestic and international markets, export and import, international market size, and of R and D - Analysis of examples for quarantine management in agricultural product exporting countries and use of irradiation technology for agricultural product quarantine, and changes in international quarantine management - Analysis of SOPs for food irradiation quarantine in international organization (CODEX, IPPC, WHO). U.S, EU, China, India, and Australia. - Collaborative researches of India/Korea and China/Korea entered into an agreement for market trials · Publishment of irradiation quarantine management SOPs agreed to CODEX standards - Collaborative researches for quarantine management, avoiding Technical Barrier to Trade (TBT), and Sanitary Phytosanitary Measures were conducted, and advanced SOPs agreed with WTO/FTA system were published

Radiation treatment of food

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wills, P.A.

1986-01-01

The techniques involved in the treatment of food by ionising radiation are explained. Radiation plant design, nutrition, microbiology and standards for irradiated foods are discussed. The potential applications for food irradiation in Australia are in the fields of quarantine control to disinfest fruit from fruit fly or mangoes from seed weevil, and decontamination of dried foods such as spices

The World Trade Organization and organic food trade

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Daugbjerg, Carsten

2012-01-01

disagreement on whether the WTO's Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (addresses food labelling) covers production standards based on ethical values such as those defining organic food standards. Another problem is that two sets of international standards for organic food exist—the Codex Alimentarius...... guidelines and the standards of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements. Finally, many certification bodies are private organisations certifying on the basis of government standards. This blurs the distinction between private and public and questions whether WTO rules apply...

Contribution of Food Crops to Household Food Security Among ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study also showed that farmers in the study area are relatively food secure. Inputs such as fertilizer, processing and storage facilities, improved seedlings, tractor, access to credit loan etc. should be made available to encourage farmers to improve household food security and raise their living standard. In addition ...

Food frequency questionnaires.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez Rodrigo, Carmen; Aranceta, Javier; Salvador, Gemma; Varela-Moreiras, Gregorio

2015-02-26

Food Frequency Questionnaires are dietary assessment tools widely used in epidemiological studies investigating the relationship between dietary intake and disease or risk factors since the early '90s. The three main components of these questionnaires are the list of foods, frequency of consumption and the portion size consumed. The food list should reflect the food habits of the study population at the time the data is collected. The frequency of consumption may be asked by open ended questions or by presenting frequency categories. Qualitative Food Frequency Questionnaires do not ask about the consumed portions; semi-quantitative include standard portions and quantitative questionnaires ask respondents to estimate the portion size consumed either in household measures or grams. The latter implies a greater participant burden. Some versions include only close-ended questions in a standardized format, while others add an open section with questions about some specific food habits and practices and admit additions to the food list for foods and beverages consumed which are not included. The method can be self-administered, on paper or web-based, or interview administered either face-to-face or by telephone. Due to the standard format, especially closed-ended versions, and method of administration, FFQs are highly cost-effective thus encouraging its widespread use in large scale epidemiological cohort studies and also in other study designs. Coding and processing data collected is also less costly and requires less nutrition expertise compared to other dietary intake assessment methods. However, the main limitations are systematic errors and biases in estimates. Important efforts are being developed to improve the quality of the information. It has been recommended the use of FFQs with other methods thus enabling the adjustments required. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2015. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Cooperation and competence in global food chains : perspectives on food quality and safety

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vellema, S.; Boselie, D.M.

2003-01-01

Supermarket chains, retailers and wholesalers have made food safety and food quality an integral element of their business strategies. What does this mean for producers in the South, who have to comply with international standards for good agricultural practices as well as with strict food safety

Description of the food safety system in hotels and how it compares with HACCP standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Fletcher, Stephanie M; Maharaj, Satnarine R; James, Kenneth

2009-01-01

Tourism is an important earner of foreign exchange in Jamaica; hence, the protection of the visitors' health is very important. A study of travelers to Jamaica in 1996 to 1997 found that travelers' diarrhea (TD) affected almost 25% of visitors. The Ministry of Health (Jamaica) initiated a program for the prevention and control of TD aimed at reducing attack rates from 25.0% to 12.0% over a 5-year period through environmental health and food safety standards of hotels. This article examines the food safety systems in Jamaican hotels located in a popular resort area to find out how comparable they are with the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) strategy. A cross-sectional study was done of hotels in St. Mary and St. Ann. Quantitative data were obtained from food and beverage/sanitation staff and qualitative data through in-depth interviews with hotel managers. Observation of the food safety operations was also done. The majority (75%) of larger hotels used a combination of HACCP and Ministry of Health food safety strategies (p = 0.02) and offered all-inclusive services (r =-0.705, p = 0.001). Larger hotels were more likely to have a better quality team approach, HACCP plan, and monitoring of critical control points (CCPs) and more likely to receive higher scores (p hotel staff were knowledgeable of HACCP. Significantly smaller hotels (87.5%) received less than 70% in overall score (r = 0.75, p = 0.01). Identification of CCPs and monitoring of CCPs explained 96.6% of the change in the overall HACCP scores (p = 0.001). Hotel managers felt that some hotels' systems were comparable with HACCP and that larger properties were ready for mandatory implementation. Conclusions. While some components of the HACCP system were observed in larger hotels, there were serious shortcomings in its comparison. Mandatory implementation of HACCP would require that sector-specific policies be developed for smaller hotels and implemented on a phased basis.

International Cooperation to Establish Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Quarantine Management of Irradiated Foods in International Trade

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, J. W.; Byun, M. W.; Kim, J. H.; Choi, J. I.; Song, B. S.; Yoon, Y. H.; Kim, D. H.; Kim, W. G.; Kim, K. P.

2010-02-15

{center_dot} Development of SOPs through various research activities such as building international cooperation, and analysing current status of food irradiation in domestic and international markets, export and import, international market size, and of R and D - Analysis of examples for quarantine management in agricultural product exporting countries and use of irradiation technology for agricultural product quarantine, and changes in international quarantine management - Analysis of SOPs for food irradiation quarantine in international organization (CODEX, IPPC, WHO). U.S, EU, China, India, and Australia. - Collaborative researches of India/Korea and China/Korea entered into an agreement for market trials {center_dot} Publishment of irradiation quarantine management SOPs agreed to CODEX standards - Collaborative researches for quarantine management, avoiding Technical Barrier to Trade (TBT), and Sanitary Phytosanitary Measures were conducted, and advanced SOPs agreed with WTO/FTA system were published

A novel strategy with standardized reference extract qualification and single compound quantitative evaluation for quality control of Panax notoginseng used as a functional food.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, S P; Qiao, C F; Chen, Y W; Zhao, J; Cui, X M; Zhang, Q W; Liu, X M; Hu, D J

2013-10-25

Root of Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F.H. Chen (Sanqi in Chinese) is one of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) based functional food. Saponins are the major bioactive components. The shortage of reference compounds or chemical standards is one of the main bottlenecks for quality control of TCMs. A novel strategy, i.e. standardized reference extract based qualification and single calibrated components directly quantitative estimation of multiple analytes, was proposed to easily and effectively control the quality of natural functional foods such as Sanqi. The feasibility and credibility of this methodology were also assessed with a developed fast HPLC method. Five saponins, including ginsenoside Rg1, Re, Rb1, Rd and notoginsenoside R1 were rapidly separated using a conventional HPLC in 20 min. The quantification method was also compared with individual calibration curve method. The strategy is feasible and credible, which is easily and effectively adapted for improving the quality control of natural functional foods such as Sanqi. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Review of Heterogeneous Catalysts for Catalytically Upgrading Vegetable Oils into Hydrocarbon Biofuels

OpenAIRE

Xianhui Zhao; Lin Wei; Shouyun Cheng; James Julson

2017-01-01

To address the issues of greenhouse gas emissions associated with fossil fuels, vegetable oilseeds, especially non-food oilseeds, are used as an alternative fuel resource. Vegetable oil derived from these oilseeds can be upgraded into hydrocarbon biofuel. Catalytic cracking and hydroprocessing are two of the most promising pathways for converting vegetable oil to hydrocarbon biofuel. Heterogeneous catalysts play a critical role in those processes. The present review summarizes current progres...

Risk of iron overload in carriers of genetic mutations associated with hereditary haemochromatosis: UK Food Standards Agency workshop.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Mamta; Ashwell, Margaret; Sanderson, Peter; Cade, Janet; Moreton, Jennifer; Fairweather-Tait, Susan; Roe, Mark; Marx, Joannes J M; Worwood, Mark; Cook, James D

2006-10-01

The UK Food Standards Agency convened a group of expert scientists to review current research investigating diet and carriers of genetic mutations associated with hereditary haemochromatosis. The workshop concluded that individuals who are heterozygous for the C282Y mutation of the HFE gene do not appear to respond abnormally to dietary Fe and therefore do not need to change their diet to prevent accumulation of body Fe.

Food for tourists

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjalager, Anne-Mette; Corigliano, Magda Antolioli

Eating is a physical necessity, but catering services and food image are also very important ingredients of cultural tourism. Food and tourism are increasingly being combined, e.g. in agri-tourism, wine tours and the sale of food products as souvenirs. However, as this paper illustrates......, the development and standards of food for tourists are determined not by tourism policies, but by national economic, agricultural and food policies. A comparison between Denmark and Italy illustrates core elements in food cultures. Particularly in Denmark, food production is a major economic activity......, and the power of the agricultural and food processing industries has in many cases severely compromised the quality image. In Italy, on the other hand, food policies and traditions, which give a high priority to freshness, allow consumers to stay in control of food quality to a much larger extent than...

Healthier Traditional Food

OpenAIRE

Edward F. Millen

2017-01-01

The study of traditional food and healthy eating habits has been one of the fast growing areas. All humans, both men and women, require food for their survival. However, both men and women indulge in food as if it were their sole purpose of existence. Hence, eating disorders are common among men and women. Then media has played an effective role not only in establishing faulty standards for traditional healthy food but also it has highlighted the importance of healthy eating. It has brought t...

International status of food irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberts, P.B.

1982-09-01

Recent international moves that are likely to result in an increasing acceptance of irradiated foods are reviewed. Particular attention is given to the activities of the FAO, WHO, Codex Alimentarius and to attitudes in the United States and the Asian-Pacific region. In 1979, the Codex Alimentarius Commission adopted a Recommended General Standard for Irradiated Food. A resume is given of a revised version of the standard that is presently under consideration. However, remaining barriers to trade in irradiated food are briefly discussed, such as legal and regulatory problems, labelling, public acceptance and economic viability

Food waste reduction practices in German food retail.

Science.gov (United States)

Hermsdorf, David; Rombach, Meike; Bitsch, Vera

2017-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to investigate food retailers food waste reduction practices in Germany. The focus is on selling and redistributing agricultural produce with visual impairments and other surplus food items. In addition, drivers and barriers regarding the implementation of both waste reduction practices are explored. In total, 12 in-depth interviews with managerial actors in the food retail sector and a food bank spokesperson were recorded, transcribed and analyzed through a qualitative content analysis. In contrast to organic retailers, conventional retailers were reluctant to include agricultural produce with visual impairments in their product assortments, due to fears of negative consumer reactions. Another obstacle was EU marketing standards for specific produce. All retailers interviewed engaged in redistribution of surplus food. Logistics and the regulatory framework were the main barriers to food redistribution. The present study adds to the existing body of literature on food waste reduction practices as it explores selling produce with visual impairments and elaborates on the legal background of food redistribution in German retail. The results are the foundation for providing recommendations to policy makers and charitable food organizations.

Progrès de la connaissance du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi de 1993 à 2008

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henri Nicolaï

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Cette chronique, la vingt et unième d’une série qui a commencé avec l’année 1949, couvre la période 1993-2008 et a pour objectif de faire le point sur les progrès réalisés sur la connaissance du Congo (République démocratique du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi, dans le domaine de la géographie mais aussi dans les domaines des sciences naturelles et des sciences humaines qui peuvent fournir des données utiles ou indispensables aux géographes. Chaque référence bibliographique, livre ou article, est accompagnée d’un bref commentaire qui en retient les éléments principaux et surtout les faits ou les idées qui intéressent particulièrement les géographes. L’article comporte onze chapitres dont les plus importants concernent le milieu naturel, la géographie de la santé, la démographie, l’histoire (y compris l’histoire récente, la vie sociale et économique des campagnes traditionnelles et modernes, le secteur informel, les aspects de la vie urbaine. Les événements dramatiques qui se sont produits dans ces territoires africains au cours des quinze dernières années ont rendu la recherche sur le terrain particulièrement difficile tant pour les chercheurs nationaux que pour les chercheurs étrangers, ce qui se traduit notamment par une part de plus en plus importante des recherches menées en milieu urbain.This paper, the 21st issue of an edition of books and paper reviews on the knowledge of three countries of former Belgian Africa (DR Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi, covers the period 1993-2008. A short text for each reference points out the facts or ideas that are useful for geographers. The paper is composed of eleven sections. The most important are coping with the natural environment, health geography, population geography, history (including recent events, social and economic life in traditional and modern rural areas, informal economy, and urban geography. During the last sixteen years, conditions for field

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy introduced into the International Standard Organization (ISO) regulations as an alternative method for detection and identification of pathogens in the food industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Witkowska, Evelin; Korsak, Dorota; Kowalska, Aneta; Księżopolska-Gocalska, Monika; Niedziółka-Jönsson, Joanna; Roźniecka, Ewa; Michałowicz, Weronika; Albrycht, Paweł; Podrażka, Marta; Hołyst, Robert; Waluk, Jacek; Kamińska, Agnieszka

2017-02-01

We show that surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) coupled with principal component analysis (PCA) can serve as a fast, reliable, and easy method for detection and identification of food-borne bacteria, namely Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Cronobacter spp., in different types of food matrices (salmon, eggs, powdered infant formula milk, mixed herbs, respectively). The main aim of this work was to introduce the SERS technique into three ISO (6579:2002; 11290-1:1996/A1:2004; 22964:2006) standard procedures required for detection of these bacteria in food. Our study demonstrates that the SERS technique is effective in distinguishing very closely related bacteria within a genus grown on solid and liquid media. The advantages of the proposed ISO-SERS method for bacteria identification include simplicity and reduced time of analysis, from almost 144 h required by standard methods to 48 h for the SERS-based approach. Additionally, PCA allows one to perform statistical classification of studied bacteria and to identify the spectrum of an unknown sample. Calculated first and second principal components (PC-1, PC-2) account for 96, 98, and 90% of total variance in the spectra and enable one to identify the Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes, and Cronobacter spp., respectively. Moreover, the presented study demonstrates the excellent possibility for simultaneous detection of analyzed food-borne bacteria in one sample test (98% of PC-1 and PC-2) with a goal of splitting the data set into three separated clusters corresponding to the three studied bacteria species. The studies described in this paper suggest that SERS represents an alternative to standard microorganism diagnostic procedures. Graphical Abstract New approach of the SERS strategy for detection and identification of food-borne bacteria, namely S. enterica, L. monocytogenes, and C. sakazakii in selected food matrices.

Trends in food safety standards and regulation implications for developing countries

OpenAIRE

Caswell, Julie A.

2003-01-01

"Food safety is affected by the decisions of producers, processors, distributors, food service operators, and consumers, as well as by government regulations. In developed countries, the demand for higher levels of food safety has led to the implementation of regulatory programs that address more types of safety-related attributes (such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), microbial pathogens, environmental contaminants, and animal drug and pesticide residues) and impose stricter standa...

Food certification based on isotopic analysis, according to the European standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costinel, Diana; Ionete, Roxana Elena; Vremera, Raluca; Stanciu, Vasile; Iordache, Andreea

2007-01-01

Full text: Under current EU research projects, several public research institutions, universities and private companies are collaborating to develop new methods of evidencing food adulteration and consequently assessing food safety. The use of mass spectrometry (MS) to determine the ratio of stable isotopes in bio-molecules now provides the means to prove the natural origin of a wide variety of foodstuffs - and therefore, to identify the fraud and consequently to reject the improper products or certify the food quality. Isotope analysis has been officially adopted by the EU as a means of controlling adulteration of some food stuffs. A network of research organizations developed the use of isotopic analysis to support training and technology transfer to encourage uptake of the technique. There were also developed proficiency-testing schemes to ensure the correct use of isotopic techniques in national testing laboratories. In addition, ensuring the food quality and safety is a requirement, which must be fulfilled for the integration in EU. The present paper emphasizes the isotopic analysis for D/H, 18 O/ 16 O, 13 C/ 12 C from food (honey, juice, wines) using a new generation Isotope Ratio MS, Finnigan Delta V Plus, coupled to a three flexible continuous flow preparation device (GasBench II, TC Elemental Analyser and GC-C/TC). (authors)

Evaluating the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule Standard for Microbial Quality of Agricultural Water for Growing Produce

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Havelaar, Arie H; Vazquez, Kathleen M; Topalcengiz, Zeynal; Muñoz-Carpena, Rafael; Danyluk, Michelle D

2017-01-01

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has defined standards for the microbial quality of agricultural surface water used for irrigation. According to the FDA produce safety rule (PSR), a microbial water quality profile requires analysis of a minimum of 20 samples for Escherichia coli over 2 to

Diagnosis of food allergies: the impact of oral food challenge testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Komei

2013-01-01

A diagnosis of food allergies should be made based on the observation of allergic symptoms following the intake of suspected foods and the presence of allergen-specific IgE antibodies. The oral food challenge (OFC) test is the most reliable clinical procedure for diagnosing food allergies. Specific IgE testing of allergen components as well as classical crude allergen extracts helps to make a more specific diagnosis of food allergies. The Japanese Society of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology issued the 'Japanese Pediatric Guideline for Food Allergy 2012' to provide information regarding the standardized diagnosis and management of food allergies. This review summarizes recent progress in the diagnosis of food allergies, focusing on the use of specific IgE tests and the OFC procedure in accordance with the Japanese guidelines.

"When Does It Stop Being Peanut Butter?": FDA Food Standards of Identity, Ruth Desmond, and the Shifting Politics of Consumer Activism, 1960s-1970s.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyce, Angie M

This article uses a historical controversy over the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's standard of identity for peanut butter as a site for investigating three topics of high importance for historians of technology, consumption, and food activism: how new industrial food-processing technologies have become regulatory problems; how government, industry, and consumer actors negotiate standards development; and how laypeople try to shape technological artifacts in spaces dominated by experts. It examines the trajectory of consumer activist Ruth Desmond, co-founder of the organization the Federation of Homemakers. By following Desmond's evolving strategies, the article shows how the broader currents of the 1960s-70s consumer movement played out in a particular case. Initially Desmond used a traditional style that heavily emphasized her gendered identity, working within a grassroots organization to promote legislative and regulatory reforms. Later, she moved to a more modern advocacy approach, using adversarial legal methods to fight for consumer protections.

Affective Pictures and the Open Library of Affective Foods (OLAF): Tools to Investigate Emotions toward Food in Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Miccoli, Laura; Delgado, Rafael; Guerra, Pedro; Versace, Francesco; Rodríguez-Ruiz, Sonia; Fernández-Santaella, M Carmen

2016-01-01

Recently, several sets of standardized food pictures have been created, supplying both food images and their subjective evaluations. However, to date only the OLAF (Open Library of Affective Foods), a set of food images and ratings we developed in adolescents, has the specific purpose of studying emotions toward food. Moreover, some researchers have argued that food evaluations are not valid across individuals and groups, unless feelings toward food cues are compared with feelings toward intense experiences unrelated to food, that serve as benchmarks. Therefore the OLAF presented here, comprising a set of original food images and a group of standardized highly emotional pictures, is intended to provide valid between-group judgments in adults. Emotional images (erotica, mutilations, and neutrals from the International Affective Picture System/IAPS) additionally ensure that the affective ratings are consistent with emotion research. The OLAF depicts high-calorie sweet and savory foods and low-calorie fruits and vegetables, portraying foods within natural scenes matching the IAPS features. An adult sample evaluated both food and affective pictures in terms of pleasure, arousal, dominance, and food craving, following standardized affective rating procedures. The affective ratings for the emotional pictures corroborated previous findings, thus confirming the reliability of evaluations for the food images. Among the OLAF images, high-calorie sweet and savory foods elicited the greatest pleasure, although they elicited, as expected, less arousal than erotica. The observed patterns were consistent with research on emotions and confirmed the reliability of OLAF evaluations. The OLAF and affective pictures constitute a sound methodology to investigate emotions toward food within a wider motivational framework. The OLAF is freely accessible at digibug.ugr.es.

Measuring food intake with digital photography

Science.gov (United States)

The Digital Photography of Foods Method accurately estimates the food intake of adults and children in cafeterias. With this method, images of food selection and leftovers are quickly captured in the cafeteria. These images are later compared with images of 'standard' portions of food using computer...

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Standards of professional performance for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (Competent, Proficient, and Expert) in Sustainable, Resilient, and Healthy Food and Water Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Tagtow, Angie; Robien, Kim; Bergquist, Erin; Bruening, Meg; Dierks, Lisa; Hartman, Barbara E; Robinson-O'Brien, Ramona; Steinitz, Tamara; Tahsin, Bettina; Underwood, Teri; Wilkins, Jennifer

2014-03-01

Sustainability is the ability of a system to be maintained over the long term. Resilience is the ability of a system to withstand disturbances and continue to function in a sustainable manner. Issues of sustainability and resilience apply to all aspects of nutrition and dietetics practice, can be practiced at both the program and systems level, and are broader than any one specific practice setting or individual intervention. Given an increasing need to apply principles of sustainability and resilience to nutrition and dietetics practice, as well as growing interest among the public and by Registered Dietitian Nutritionists of health issues related to food and water systems, the Hunger and Environmental Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, with guidance from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Management Committee, has developed the Standards of Professional Performance as a tool for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists working in sustainable, resilient, and healthy food and water systems to assess their current skill levels and to identify areas for further professional development in this emerging practice area. This Standards of Professional Performance document covers six standards of professional performance: quality in practice, competence and accountability, provision of services, application of research, communication and application of knowledge, and utilization and management of resources. Within each standard, specific indicators provide measurable action statements that illustrate how sustainable, resilient, and healthy food and water systems principles can be applied to practice. The indicators describe three skill levels (competent, proficient, and expert) for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists working in sustainable, resilient, and healthy food and water systems. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

VERIFICATION OF THE FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN DEEP FROZEN FOOD PRODUCTION PLANT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Zajác

2010-07-01

Full Text Available In work is presented verification of food safety management system of deep frozen food. Main emphasis is on creating set of verification questions within articles of standard STN EN ISO 22000:2006 and on searching of effectiveness in food safety management system. Information were acquired from scientific literature sources and they pointed out importance of implementation and upkeep of effective food safety management system. doi:10.5219/28

Regulatory aspects of food irradiation in the Asia-Pacific region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberts, Peter B.

2000-01-01

The latest information on the countries in the Asia/Pacific region with approvals for food to be irradiated is provided. Differences in the type of regulations used are contrasted. However, progress has been made towards greater uniformity in regulations based around the Codex General Standard for Irradiated Food. Australia and New Zealand instituted, respectively, a moratorium and a ban on food irradiation in 1988. Australia has proposed a new draft Standard for food irradiation and this is the subject of public discussion under the Australia New Zealand Food Authority. The draft Standard is a prohibition with the possibility of exemptions being given on a case-by-case basis. Some details of the draft Standard are provided. (author)

Comparison of accelerated solvent extraction and standard shaking extraction for determination of dioxins in foods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hori, T.; Tobiishi, K.; Ashizuka, Y.; Nakagawa, R.; Iida, T. [Fukuoka Institute of Health and Environmental Sciences, Fukuoka (Japan); Tsutsumi, T.; Sasaki, K. [National Institute of Health Sciences, Tokyo (Japan)

2004-09-15

We previously developed a highly sensitive method for determining dioxin content in food using a solvent cut large volume (SCLV) injection system coupled to a cyanopropyl phase capillary column. The SCLV injection system coupled to a 40m-length Rtx-2330 column showed sufficient separation of 2,3,7,8-chlorine substituted isomers, and had at least five-times higher sensitivity than the conventional injection technique. In the current method, a large volume of sample (generally 100g) must be treated collectively in order to attain the desirable limit of detection (LODs) at low ppt levels, namely 0.01pg/g for tetra-CDD and -CDF. The present method allowed the reduction of sample volume from 100g to 20g when such usual LODs are demanded. The SCLV injection technique is expected to improve the efficiency of laboratory performance, especially when it is coupled to an automated extraction method, such as accelerated solvent extraction (ASE). In order to examine the applicability of ASE for the determination of dioxins in food samples, it is important to verify its extraction efficacy against that of the conventional technique. In the present study we examine the applicability of an ASE for the determination of dioxins in food samples, and the method's performance was compared with that of standard conventional shaking extraction (separatory funnel extraction) regarding recovery rates and quantitative determination. It is considered that homogeneous tissue, such as dried seaweed powder or dried milk powder, is suitable for the method's quantitative validation.

Comparison of accelerated solvent extraction and standard shaking extraction for determination of dioxins in foods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hori, T; Tobiishi, K; Ashizuka, Y; Nakagawa, R; Iida, T [Fukuoka Institute of Health and Environmental Sciences, Fukuoka (Japan); Tsutsumi, T; Sasaki, K [National Institute of Health Sciences, Tokyo (Japan)

2004-09-15

We previously developed a highly sensitive method for determining dioxin content in food using a solvent cut large volume (SCLV) injection system coupled to a cyanopropyl phase capillary column. The SCLV injection system coupled to a 40m-length Rtx-2330 column showed sufficient separation of 2,3,7,8-chlorine substituted isomers, and had at least five-times higher sensitivity than the conventional injection technique. In the current method, a large volume of sample (generally 100g) must be treated collectively in order to attain the desirable limit of detection (LODs) at low ppt levels, namely 0.01pg/g for tetra-CDD and -CDF. The present method allowed the reduction of sample volume from 100g to 20g when such usual LODs are demanded. The SCLV injection technique is expected to improve the efficiency of laboratory performance, especially when it is coupled to an automated extraction method, such as accelerated solvent extraction (ASE). In order to examine the applicability of ASE for the determination of dioxins in food samples, it is important to verify its extraction efficacy against that of the conventional technique. In the present study we examine the applicability of an ASE for the determination of dioxins in food samples, and the method's performance was compared with that of standard conventional shaking extraction (separatory funnel extraction) regarding recovery rates and quantitative determination. It is considered that homogeneous tissue, such as dried seaweed powder or dried milk powder, is suitable for the method's quantitative validation.

Food legislation and its harmonization in Russia.

Science.gov (United States)

Shamtsyan, Mark

2014-08-01

Bringing Russian legislation into compliance with international norms and standards is necessary after its accession to the World Trade Organization. Harmonization of food legislation and of sanitary and phytosanitary measures are among the problems that had to be solved first. Many Russian food and trade regulations had been changed or are still in the process of being reformed, largely owing to a policy of integration pursued by the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. However, as a member of the Eurasian Economic Community, Russia is also engaged not only in harmonization throughout the Customs Union but also Kirgizstan and Tajikistan, and Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine as observer countries. Russia also continues to coordinate policy reforms closely with the European Union, its primary trade partner, ultimately bringing Russian food and sanitary norms closer to international standards (e.g. Codex). Today, all participants in the Russian food production chain, processing and sale of foods have to deal with growing numbers of security standards. Many organizations are certified under several schemes, which leads to unnecessary costs. Harmonization of standards has helped promote solutions in the domestic market as well as import-export of foods and raw materials for production. Priorities have included food safety for human health, consumer protection, removal of hazardous and/or adulterated products and increased competition within the domestic food market as well as mutual recognition of certification in bilateral and multilateral (inter)national agreements. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Risk Assessment Approaches for Carcinogenic Food Contaminants

OpenAIRE

Gillespie, Zoe; Pulido, Olga; Vavasour, Elizabeth

2011-01-01

Health Canada has identified the need for a standardized department-wide approach for the risk assessment of carcinogens in foods (e.g., pesticides, food chemical contaminants, veterinary therapeutics). A standardized approach would better facilitate and inform risk management strategies for the control of human exposure to food sources of carcinogens. Within the post- market regulatory context, directly DNA-reactive carcinogens are of most concern because any exposure is theoretically assume...

Food additives, food and the concept of 'food addiction': Is stimulation of the brain reward circuit by food sufficient to trigger addiction?

Science.gov (United States)

Onaolapo, A Y; Onaolapo, O J

2018-04-12

In the last few years, the concept of 'food addiction' has continued to gain popularity, with human and animal studies demonstrating the differential effects of foods that are high in fat, sugar or protein on appetite, satiety, eating behaviour and the development of food addiction. However, a number of studies have disputed the occurrence of food addiction in humans. Questions have also arisen regarding the possible impacts that food additives may have on the development of food addiction or eating disorders. Also, it is known that alterations in food composition and the presence of food additives (flavour enhancers, sugars, sugar substitutes, and non-nutritive sweeteners) are factors that generally influence the sensory perception of food. Our understanding of the potential roles of central neurotransmitters (such as dopamine) and certain neuropeptides in the evolution of food addiction is also evolving; but presently, there isn't sufficient scientific evidence to consider any food ingredient, micronutrient or standard food-additive as addictive. In this review, the relevant literatures dealing with the concept of 'food addiction' are examined, and the factors which may predispose to food addiction are discussed. The possible influences that flavour-enhancers, sugars, sugar substitutes and non-nutritive sweeteners may exert on central neurotransmission, neurotransmitter/receptor interactions, appetite, satiety, conditioned- preferences and the brain reward system are also highlighted. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Private food law : governing food chains through contracts law, self-regulation, private standards, audits and certification schemes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meulen, van der B.M.J.

2011-01-01

Since the turn of the Millennium, world-wide initiatives from the private sector have turned the regulatory environment for food businesses upside down. For the first time in legal literature this book analyses private law initiatives relating to the food chain, often referred to as private

Food consumption data needs for food and agricultural policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Myers, L H

1994-09-01

Food and agricultural policy strives to provide stable, safe, nutritional, and affordable food supplies with policies on farm income, low-income food security, food safety (including nutritional risk), and nutrition education. For each policy area, comparisons are made between food consumption data needs and information currently collected with four human nutrition monitoring system components administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Identified data gaps become the basis for recommendations for future data needs. Food consumption data are essential to management of programs. However, many food safety and nutritional well-being issues require specific food product consumption data for high risk groups. Sampling procedures are often too aggregate to meet these needs. Food consumed away-from-home is not well measured, yet this market segment now accounts for about half of all consumer food expenditures. Surveys should be designed to provide complementary and additive data. A premium should be placed on standardizing household description variables to enable "splicing" together data from different surveys. Survey continuity across time is essential. Data collection should be planned with funding limitations and respondent burden in mind so that a balance is achieved between survey objectives and the practical constraints of obtaining accurate data.

Nuclear methods for food analysis at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, D.L.; Cunningham, W.C.; Capar, S.G.; Baratta, E.J.; Mackill, P.

2001-01-01

An overview radioanalytical techniques used in support of research, monitoring programs, and field assignments directed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) is presented. The Winchester Engineering and Analytical Center annually determines radionuclide concentrations in 260 Total Diet Study foods, approximately 80 imported foods, and a selection of domestic foods collected near U.S. nuclear power plants. Radioanalytical techniques used at CFSAN's neutron analysis laboratory at the National Institute of Standards and Technology are discussed along with applications for research, quality control, and special projects. (author)

International trade standards for commodities and products derived from animals: the need for a system that integrates food safety and animal disease risk management.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomson, G R; Penrith, M-L; Atkinson, M W; Thalwitzer, S; Mancuso, A; Atkinson, S J; Osofsky, S A

2013-12-01

A case is made for greater emphasis to be placed on value chain management as an alternative to geographically based disease risk mitigation for trade in commodities and products derived from animals. The geographic approach is dependent upon achievement of freedom in countries or zones from infectious agents that cause so-called transboundary animal diseases, while value chain-based risk management depends upon mitigation of animal disease hazards potentially associated with specific commodities or products irrespective of the locality of production. This commodity-specific approach is founded on the same principles upon which international food safety standards are based, viz. hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP). Broader acceptance of a value chain approach enables animal disease risk management to be combined with food safety management by the integration of commodity-based trade and HACCP methodologies and thereby facilitates 'farm to fork' quality assurance. The latter is increasingly recognized as indispensable to food safety assurance and is therefore a pre-condition to safe trade. The biological principles upon which HACCP and commodity-based trade are based are essentially identical, potentially simplifying sanitary control in contrast to current separate international sanitary standards for food safety and animal disease risks that are difficult to reconcile. A value chain approach would not only enable more effective integration of food safety and animal disease risk management of foodstuffs derived from animals but would also ameliorate adverse environmental and associated socio-economic consequences of current sanitary standards based on the geographic distribution of animal infections. This is especially the case where vast veterinary cordon fencing systems are relied upon to separate livestock and wildlife as is the case in much of southern Africa. A value chain approach would thus be particularly beneficial to under-developed regions of

Present and future of food irradiation in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Hao; Cai Jiming; Pan Pingchuan; Liu Ge

2006-01-01

The treatment of foods and agricultural products by irradiation technology in China has become an increasingly accepted practice and has been recognized as a public health intervention measure for controling pathogenic microbes and pests on foods since early 1980s. This paper gives an outline on the history and the current status of food irradiation in China, including the research interest, commercial application, public acceptance, regulations and hygienic standards of irradiated foods, and the irradiation facilities for food irradiation. The newly finished or scheduled irradiation facilities in China up to 2007 are introduced. And problems with the food irradiation studies, especially in analysis of food quality during irradiation, the implementation of GMP and HACCP in the food irradiation production and harmonization of food irradiation regulations with international standards, are also discussed. (authors)

Trans fatty acid content in Malaysian supermarket foods: a field-to-laboratory approach in assessing food risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Karupaiah, Tilakavati; Tan, Hui Kuen; Ong, Wei Wen; Tan, Choon Heen; Sundram, Kalyana

2014-01-01

The extent of industrial trans fatty acids (TFA) in the food supply is unknown in Malaysia, whilst TFA disclosure on food labels is not mandatory by Malaysian food standards. Supermarket foods such as dairy products, fats and oils, meat products, snack foods, soups, and confectionery are commonly cited to be major contributors of TFA in the diet. A consumer survey (n = 622) was used to develop a food listing of these 'high risk' foods. TFA content of high-risk foods were analysed by gas chromatography. Food samples (n = 158) were analysed and their total TFA content were compared with Malaysian Food Standards. A wide variation in TFA content within food categories was indicated. Of the foods containing TFA, many food labels did not cite TFA content or the use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (PHVO) as an ingredient. Hypothesised estimates of TFA intake from these supermarket foods in a sample day's menu providing 2000 kcal projected a minimum intake of 0.5 g and a maximum intake of 5.2 g TFA. This study found there was no voluntary disclosure of TFA content on food labels or identifying PHVO as an ingredient. It appears that health education targeting consumers to minimise TFA consumption is required supported by mandatory PHVO disclosure on the food label.

Emerging 'Standard Complex' and Corporate Social Responsibility of Agro-food Businesses: A Case Study of Dole Food Company

OpenAIRE

Sekine, Kae; Boutonnet, Jean-Pierre; Hisano, Shuji

2008-01-01

Recently as a reaction to the social movement of fair trade and the like, multinational agro-food businesses are getting remodelled to suit a growing public awareness of the spread of 'corporate social responsibility', which is now adopted as a new strategy by major corporations across sectors. This phenomenon raises questions about the nature of fair trade as an alternative movement against the globalisation and industrialisation of the agro-food system. Dole Food Company is one of these agr...

Common methodologies in the evaluation of food allergy: pitfalls and prospects of food allergy prevalence studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Shu, Shang-an; Chang, Christopher; Leung, Patrick S C

2014-06-01

Global and regional studies on the prevalence of food allergies are plagued by inconsistent methodologies, variations in interpretation of results, and non-standardized study design. Hence, it becomes difficult to compare the prevalence of food allergies in different communities. This information would be useful in providing critical data that will enhance research to elucidate the nature of food allergies, and the role of gene-environment interactions in the sensitization of children and adults to foods. Testing methodologies range from questionnaires to objective in vitro and in vivo testing, to the gold standard, double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC). Although considered the most accurate and reliable method in detecting the prevalence of food allergy, DBPCFC is not always practical in epidemiological studies of food allergy. On the other hand, multiple logistic regression studies have been done to determine predictability of the outcome of food challenges, and it appears that skin prick testing and in vitro-specific serum IgE are the best predictors. Future studies directed towards confirming the validity of these methods as well as developing algorithms to predict the food challenge outcomes are required, as they may someday become accessory tools to complement DBPCFC.

Development and validation of an individual dietary index based on the British Food Standard Agency nutrient profiling system in a French context.

Science.gov (United States)

Julia, Chantal; Touvier, Mathilde; Méjean, Caroline; Ducrot, Pauline; Péneau, Sandrine; Hercberg, Serge; Kesse-Guyot, Emmanuelle

2014-12-01

Nutrient profiling systems could be useful public health tools as a basis for front-of-package nutrition labeling, advertising regulations, or food taxes. However, their ability beyond characterization of foods to adequately characterize individual diets necessitates further investigation. The objectives of this study were 1) to calculate a score at the individual level based on the British Food Standard Agency (FSA) food-level nutrient profiling system of each food consumed, and 2) to evaluate the validity of the resulting diet-quality score against food group consumption, nutrient intake, and sociodemographic and lifestyle variables. A representative sample of the French population was selected from the NutriNet-Santé Study (n = 4225). Dietary data were collected through repeated 24-h dietary records. Sociodemographic and lifestyle data were self-reported. All foods consumed were characterized by their FSA nutrient profile, and the energy intake from each food consumed was used to compute FSA-derived aggregated scores at the individual level. A score of adherence to French nutritional recommendations [Programme National Nutrition Santé guideline score (PNNS-GS)] was computed as a comparison diet-quality score. Associations between food consumption, nutritional indicators, lifestyle and sociodemographic variables, and quartiles of aggregated scores were investigated using ANOVAs and linear regression models. Participants with more favorable scores consumed higher amounts of fruits [difference Δ = 156 g/d between quartile 1 (less favorable) and quartile 4 (most favorable), P foods (Δ = -72 g/d, P French context. The NutriNet-Santé Study was registered in the European Clinical Trials Database (EudraCT) as 2013-000929-31. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

Development and Establishment of Detection Method of Irradiated Foods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byun, Myung Woo; Lee, Ju Woon; Kim, Dong Ho; Jo, Cheo Run; Kim, Jang Ho; Kim, Kyong Su

2004-12-01

The present project was related to the development and establishment of the detection techniques for the safety management of gamma-irradiated food and particularly conducted for the establishment of standard detection method for gamma-irradiated dried spices and raw materials, dried meat and fish powder for processed foods, bean paste powder, red pepper paste powder, soy sauce powder, and starch for flavoring ingredients described in 3, 6, 7 section of Korean Food Standard. Since the approvement of gamma-irradiated food items will be enlarged due to the international tendency for gamma-irradiated food, it was concluded that the establishment of detailed detection methods for each food group is not efficient for the enactment and enforcement of related regulations. For this reason, in order to establish the standard detection method, a detection system for gamma-irradiated food suitable for domestic operation was studied using comparative analysis of domestic and foreign research data classified by items and methods and European Standard as a reference. According to the comparative analyses of domestic and foreign research data and regulations of detection for gamma-irradiated food, it was concluded to be desirable that the optimal detection method should be decided after principal detection tests such as physical, chemical, and biological detection methods are established as standard methods and that the specific descriptions such as pre-treatment of raw materials, test methods, and the evaluation of results should be separately prescribed

Development and Establishment of Detection Method of Irradiated Foods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Byun, Myung Woo; Lee, Ju Woon; Kim, Dong Ho; Jo, Cheo Run; Kim, Jang Ho; Kim, Kyong Su

2004-12-15

The present project was related to the development and establishment of the detection techniques for the safety management of gamma-irradiated food and particularly conducted for the establishment of standard detection method for gamma-irradiated dried spices and raw materials, dried meat and fish powder for processed foods, bean paste powder, red pepper paste powder, soy sauce powder, and starch for flavoring ingredients described in 3, 6, 7 section of Korean Food Standard. Since the approvement of gamma-irradiated food items will be enlarged due to the international tendency for gamma-irradiated food, it was concluded that the establishment of detailed detection methods for each food group is not efficient for the enactment and enforcement of related regulations. For this reason, in order to establish the standard detection method, a detection system for gamma-irradiated food suitable for domestic operation was studied using comparative analysis of domestic and foreign research data classified by items and methods and European Standard as a reference. According to the comparative analyses of domestic and foreign research data and regulations of detection for gamma-irradiated food, it was concluded to be desirable that the optimal detection method should be decided after principal detection tests such as physical, chemical, and biological detection methods are established as standard methods and that the specific descriptions such as pre-treatment of raw materials, test methods, and the evaluation of results should be separately prescribed.

Food irradiation, will it bring more preventive consumer protection or rather threaten compliance with hygiene standards in food production?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schalch, B.; Stolle, A.; Eisgruber, H.

1999-01-01

The paper discusses consumer acceptance of irradiated food in Germany, where acceptance is particularly low compared to other countries, and examines the reasons for this attitude. One reason ascertained is the poor information of the consumers about the advantages and risks of food irradiation. Problems involved and available, proven irradiation techniques for enhanced safety of food are discussed. (orig./CB) [de

Clinical Management of Food Allergy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Benjamin L; Walkner, Madeline; Vickery, Brian P; Gupta, Ruchi S

2015-12-01

Food allergies have become a growing public health concern. At present the standard of care focuses on avoidance of trigger foods, education, and treatment of symptoms following accidental ingestions. This article provides a framework for primary care physicians and allergists for the diagnosis, management, and treatment of pediatric food allergy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Food and beverage advertising on children's web sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Ustjanauskas, A E; Harris, J L; Schwartz, M B

2014-10-01

Food marketing contributes to childhood obesity. Food companies commonly place display advertising on children's web sites, but few studies have investigated this form of advertising. Document the number of food and beverage display advertisements viewed on popular children's web sites, nutritional quality of advertised brands and proportion of advertising approved by food companies as healthier dietary choices for child-directed advertising. Syndicated Internet exposure data identified popular children's web sites and food advertisements viewed on these web sites from July 2009 through June 2010. Advertisements were classified according to food category and companies' participation in food industry self-regulation. The percent of advertisements meeting government-proposed nutrition standards was calculated. 3.4 billion food advertisements appeared on popular children's web sites; 83% on just four web sites. Breakfast cereals and fast food were advertised most often (64% of ads). Most ads (74%) promoted brands approved by companies for child-directed advertising, but 84% advertised products that were high in fat, sugar and/or sodium. Ads for foods designated by companies as healthier dietary choices appropriate for child-directed advertising were least likely to meet independent nutrition standards. Most foods advertised on popular children's web sites do not meet independent nutrition standards. Further improvements to industry self-regulation are required. © 2013 The Authors. Pediatric Obesity © 2013 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

FoodCASE: A system to manage food composition, consumption and TDS data.

Science.gov (United States)

Presser, Karl; Weber, David; Norrie, Moira

2018-01-01

Food and nutrition scientists, nowadays, need to manage an increasing amount of data regarding food composition, food consumption and Total Diet Studies (TDS). The corresponding datasets can contain information about several thousand different foods, in different versions from different studies. FoodCASE is a system that has been developed to manage these different datasets. It also support flexible means of linking between datasets and generally provide support for the different processes involved in the acquisition, management and processing of data. In this paper, the most important concepts to implement existing guidelines and standards for proper food data management are presented, as well as different use cases of data import and proofs of concepts demonstrating the ability to manage data in FoodCASE. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

U.S. Food System Working Conditions as an Issue of Food Safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Clayton, Megan L; Smith, Katherine C; Pollack, Keshia M; Neff, Roni A; Rutkow, Lainie

2017-02-01

Food workers' health and hygiene are common pathways to foodborne disease outbreaks. Improving food system jobs is important to food safety because working conditions impact workers' health, hygiene, and safe food handling. Stakeholders from key industries have advanced working conditions as an issue of public safety in the United States. Yet, for the food industry, stakeholder engagement with this topic is seemingly limited. To understand this lack of action, we interviewed key informants from organizations recognized for their agenda-setting role on food-worker issues. Findings suggest that participants recognize the work standards/food safety connection, yet perceived barriers limit adoption of a food safety frame, including more pressing priorities (e.g., occupational safety); poor fit with organizational strategies and mission; and questionable utility, including potential negative consequences. Using these findings, we consider how public health advocates may connect food working conditions to food and public safety and elevate it to the public policy agenda.

Code of practice for food handler activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, T A; Kanas, R P; McCoubrey, I A; Belton, M E

2005-08-01

The food industry regulates various aspects of food handler activities, according to legislation and customer expectations. The purpose of this paper is to provide a code of practice which delineates a set of working standards for food handler hygiene, handwashing, use of protective equipment, wearing of jewellery and body piercing. The code was developed by a working group of occupational physicians with expertise in both food manufacturing and retail, using a risk assessment approach. Views were also obtained from other occupational physicians working within the food industry and the relevant regulatory bodies. The final version of the code (available in full as Supplementary data in Occupational Medicine Online) therefore represents a broad consensus of opinion. The code of practice represents a set of minimum standards for food handler suitability and activities, based on a practical assessment of risk, for application in food businesses. It aims to provide useful working advice to food businesses of all sizes.

Needs of food irradiation and its commercialization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Welt, M A

1984-01-01

On July 5, 1983, the United States Food and Drug Administration filed a notice in the Federal Register approving the use of cobalt 60 or cesium 137 gamma radiation to reduce or control microbial contamination in spices, onion powder and garlic powder. The approval was the first in nineteen years issued by the FDA and appears to set the stage for increased regulatory approvals in the area of radiation preservation of foods. On July 8, 1983, the Codex Alimentarius Commission approved an international standard for irradiated foods. The standard had previously been introduced by experts in the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization. The ability of properly applied ionizing energy to inhibit sprouting, to eliminate the need for toxic chemical fumigants for insect disinfestation purposes, to extend refrigerated shelf life of many food products, to eliminate parasites and pathogens from our food chain and to preserve precooked packaged food products for indefinite storage without freezing or refrigeration, dictates the timeliness of food irradiation technology.

Food Safety Program in Asian Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamaguchi, Ryuji; Hwang, Lucy Sun

2015-01-01

By using the ILSI network in Asia, we are holding a session focused on food safety programs in several Asian areas. In view of the external environment, it is expected to impact the global food system in the near future, including the rapid increase in food demand and in public health services due to population growth, as well as the threats to biosecurity and food safety due to the rapid globalization of the food trade. Facilitating effective information sharing holds promise for the activation of the food industry. At this session, Prof. Hwang shares the current situation of Food Safety and Sanitation Regulations in Taiwan. Dr. Liu provides a talk on the role of risk assessment in food regulatory control focused on aluminum-containing food additives in China. After the JECFA evaluation of aluminum-containing food additives in 2011, each country has carried out risk assessment based on dietary intake surveys. Ms. Chan reports on the activities of a working group on Food Standards Harmonization in ASEAN. She also explains that the ILSI Southeast Asia Region has actively supported the various ASEAN Working Groups in utilizing science to harmonize food standards. Prof. Park provides current research activities in Korea focused on the effect of climate change on food safety. Climate change is generally seen as having a negative impact on food security, particularly in developing countries. We use these four presentations as a springboard to vigorous discussion on issues related to Food Safety in Asia.

Design of a Distributed Food Traceability Platform and Its Application in Food Traceability at Guangdong Province

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luo Haibiao

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Food traceability is an important measure to secure food safety. This paper designed a food traceability platform based on distribution framework and implemented it in Guangdong province. The platform can provide traceability service, production and management service for food enterprise, provide forward and backward traceability of the whole cycle of food production and circulation, and provide various methods of food traceability for public. One characteristic of the platform is that it opens up the data flow among production, circulation and supervising departments, and builds a unified commodity circulation data pool. Based on the flow data pool, not only the production and circulation information of the food product can be traced, but also its inspection and quarantine information. Another characteristic of the platform is that its database and data interface were developed based on the fool electronic traceability standards formulated by the National Food and Drug Administration. Its interface standardization and compatibility with other food traceability platforms can thus be guaranteed. The platform is running at Guangdong province for key supervising products of Infant formula foods (including milk powder, rice flour, farina, etc, editable oil and liquor. The public can use the Guangdong food traceability portal, mobile APP, Wechat or the self-service terminals in the supermarkets to trace food products by scanning or input its traceability code or its product code and verify its authenticity. It will help to promote consumer confidence in food safety.

[Food photography atlas: its suitability for quantifying food and nutrient consumption in nutritional epidemiological research in Córdoba, Argentina].

Science.gov (United States)

Navarro, A; Cristaldo, P E; Díaz, M P; Eynard, A R

2000-01-01

Food pictures are suitable visual tools for quantize food and nutrient consumption avoiding bias due to self-assessments. To determine the perception of food portion size and to establish the efficacy of food pictures for dietaries assessments. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) including 118 food items of daily consumption was applied to 30 adults representative of Córdoba, Argentina, population. Among several food models (paper maché, plastics) and pictures, those which more accurately filled the purpose were selected. 3 small, median and large standard portion size were determined. Data were evaluated with descriptive statistics tools and Chi square adherence test. The assessment of 51 percent of the food was assayed in concordance with the reference size. In general, the remainder was overestimated. The 90 percent of volunteers concluded that the pictures were the best visual resource. The photographic atlas of food is an useful material for quantize the dietary consumption, suitable for many types of dietaries assessments. In conclusion, comparison among pictures of three portions previously standardized for each food is highly recommendable.

Food and Environmental Protection Newsletter, Vol. 18, No. 2, July 2015

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2015-07-01

The Food and Environmental Protection Subprogramme’s overall objective is to assist Member States to improve food safety and food control systems and to enhance international food trade through the use of nuclear and related techniques. The core work areas are: (i) food irradiation; (ii) food traceability and contaminant control; and; (iii) nuclear standards and emergency preparation and response. Food irradiation encompasses the full range of post-harvest applications including phytosanitary, sanitary and food quality. The area of ‘traceability and contaminants’ is one of the subprogrammes largest and spans food forensics, authenticity and food contaminant control, both to improve laboratory capabilities, practices and methodologies, and also to encourage stakeholder involvement and good agricultural practice. The area of ‘nuclear standards, emergency preparation and response’ is largely normative; it aims to enhance inter-agency and external cooperation and collaboration for nuclear emergencies that could affect food and agricultural production but also includes other radiation standards and guidelines.

Evaluation of knowledge about irradiated foods by Food Banks in Brazil: Dissemination of irradiation in foods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sagretti, Juliana M.A.; Sabato, Susy F.

2017-01-01

Despite the poverty in the world, part of all food produced in the world is wasted. The contrast of high food production in the world with hunger, food insecurity and food waste points to the need for combined action and the use of technologies as a solution to combat and eradicate hunger and food waste. Food banks have sprung up worldwide receiving food surpluses and passing on to the needy. These have been encouraged by the ONU - United Nations Organization, however, the lack of quality assurance of these foods already in the food bank has restricted the desired shipment. In this sense, ionizing radiation applied in food brought many positive results, such as increased validity and control insect infestation. So, the aim of this study was to initiate a partnership between irradiation and the food bank through the development of a questionnaire to evaluate the knowledge and acceptance of individuals in the food bank in Brazil. In addition, this study aimed to standardize a basis questionnaire for future research assessment of irradiated foods and disseminate irradiated food. For the construction of the questionnaire as a measuring instrument, a comprehensive and rigorous literature review was made. The questionnaire as a measurement instrument was submitted to the research ethics committee and approved. As a result, the questionnaire has three parts, personal issues, assertive issues and questions of multiple choices and finally an informative question with video. The questionnaire was applied in Ceagesp food bank in the biggest center of food in Brazil. (author)

Evaluation of knowledge about irradiated foods by Food Banks in Brazil: Dissemination of irradiation in foods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sagretti, Juliana M.A.; Sabato, Susy F.

2017-07-01

Despite the poverty in the world, part of all food produced in the world is wasted. The contrast of high food production in the world with hunger, food insecurity and food waste points to the need for combined action and the use of technologies as a solution to combat and eradicate hunger and food waste. Food banks have sprung up worldwide receiving food surpluses and passing on to the needy. These have been encouraged by the ONU - United Nations Organization, however, the lack of quality assurance of these foods already in the food bank has restricted the desired shipment. In this sense, ionizing radiation applied in food brought many positive results, such as increased validity and control insect infestation. So, the aim of this study was to initiate a partnership between irradiation and the food bank through the development of a questionnaire to evaluate the knowledge and acceptance of individuals in the food bank in Brazil. In addition, this study aimed to standardize a basis questionnaire for future research assessment of irradiated foods and disseminate irradiated food. For the construction of the questionnaire as a measuring instrument, a comprehensive and rigorous literature review was made. The questionnaire as a measurement instrument was submitted to the research ethics committee and approved. As a result, the questionnaire has three parts, personal issues, assertive issues and questions of multiple choices and finally an informative question with video. The questionnaire was applied in Ceagesp food bank in the biggest center of food in Brazil. (author)

Pushing the boundaries of the social: private agri-food standards and the governance of Fair Trade in European public procurement

OpenAIRE

Fisher, Eleanor; Sheppard, Hannah

2013-01-01

The article explores how fair trade and associated private agri-food standards are incorporated into public procurement in Europe. Procurement law is underpinned by principles of equity, non-discrimination and transparency; one consequence is that legal obstacles exist to fair trade being privileged within procurement practice. These obstacles have pragmatic dimensions, concerning whether and how procurement can be used to fulfil wider social policy objectives or to incorporate private standa...

Column preconcentration and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometric determination of rhodium in some food and standard samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Taher, Mohammad Ali; Pourmohammad, Fatemeh; Fazelirad, Hamid

2015-12-01

In the present work, an electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometric method has been developed for the determination of ultra-trace amounts of rhodium after adsorption of its 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol/tetraphenylborate ion associated complex at the surface of alumina. Several factors affecting the extraction efficiency such as the pH, type of eluent, sample and eluent flow rates, sorption capacity of alumina and sample volume were investigated and optimized. The relative standard deviation for eight measurements of 0.1 ng/mL of rhodium was ±6.3%. In this method, the detection limit was 0.003 ng/mL in the original solution. The sorption capacity of alumina and the linear range for Rh(III) were evaluated as 0.8 mg/g and 0.015-0.45 ng/mL in the original solution, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied for the extraction and determination of rhodium content in some food and standard samples with high recovery values. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Food-System Botany

Science.gov (United States)

Rop, Charles J.

2011-01-01

This set of inquiry lessons is adaptable for middle school through high school life science or biology classrooms and will help meet the NSTA scientific inquiry position statement (2004) and the AAAS benchmarks (1993) and NRC standards (1996; 2000) related to health and food literacy. The standards require adolescents to examine their own diet and…

21 CFR 133.147 - Grated American cheese food.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Grated American cheese food. 133.147 Section 133.147 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION CHEESES AND RELATED CHEESE PRODUCTS Requirements for Specific Standardized...

Consumer preferences for food allergen labeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Marra, Carlo A; Harvard, Stephanie; Grubisic, Maja; Galo, Jessica; Clarke, Ann; Elliott, Susan; Lynd, Larry D

2017-01-01

Food allergen labeling is an important tool to reduce risk of exposure and prevent anaphylaxis for individuals with food allergies. Health Canada released a Canadian food allergen labeling regulation (2008) and subsequent update (2012) suggesting that research is needed to guide further iterations of the regulation to improve food allergen labeling and reduce risk of exposure. The primary objective of this study was to examine consumer preferences in food labeling for allergy avoidance and anaphylaxis prevention. A secondary objective was to identify whether different subgroups within the consumer population emerged. A discrete choice experiment using a fractional factorial design divided into ten different versions with 18 choice-sets per version was developed to examine consumer preferences for different attributes of food labeling. Three distinct subgroups of Canadian consumers with different allergen considerations and food allergen labeling needs were identified. Overall, preferences for standardized precautionary and safety symbols at little or no increased cost emerged. While three distinct groups with different preferences were identified, in general the results revealed that the current Canadian food allergen labeling regulation can be improved by enforcing the use of standardized precautionary and safety symbols and educating the public on the use of these symbols.

Toward a healthier city: nutrition standards for New York City government.

Science.gov (United States)

Lederer, Ashley; Curtis, Christine J; Silver, Lynn D; Angell, Sonia Y

2014-04-01

Poor diet is a leading cause of disability, death, and rising health care costs. Government agencies can have a large impact on population nutrition by adopting healthy food purchasing policies. In 2007, New York City (NYC) began developing a nutrition policy for all foods purchased, served, or contracted for by City agencies. A Food Procurement Workgroup was created with representatives from all City agencies that engaged in food purchasing or service, and the NYC Health Department served as technical advisor. The NYC Standards for Meals/Snacks Purchased and Served (Standards) became a citywide policy in 2008. The first of its kind, the Standards apply to more than 3,000 programs run by 12 City agencies. This paper describes the development process and initial implementation of the Standards. With more than 260 million meals and snacks per year covered, the Standards increase demand for healthier products, model healthy eating, and may also affect clients' food choices beyond the institutional environment. Our experience suggests that implementation of nutrition standards across a wide range of diverse agencies is feasible, especially when high-level support is established and technical assistance is available. Healthy procurement policies can ensure that food purchased by a jurisdiction supports its public health efforts. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A General Model for Food Purchasing in Captive Food Service Institutions.

Science.gov (United States)

1979-08-28

pounds Turnip greens Canned Asparagus 904 38 cases* Chicken Canadian Bacon 1670 1670 pounds Turkey breast Veal 3580 358 pounds Hamburger Rump roast 9648...65 11. RAW TURNIP PRICES .. .. ....... ............. 66 12. PROCESSED CHICKEN PRICES...planning, edited by Birchflield (10), emphasizes the Importance of standard recipes in determining quantities of food required for menu items. Standard

Evaluating North Carolina Food Pantry Food Safety-Related Operating Procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaifetz, Ashley; Chapman, Benjamin

2015-11-01

Almost one in seven American households were food insecure in 2012, experiencing difficulty in providing enough food for all family members due to a lack of resources. Food pantries assist a food-insecure population through emergency food provision, but there is a paucity of information on the food safety-related operating procedures used in the pantries. Food pantries operate in a variable regulatory landscape; in some jurisdictions, they are treated equivalent to restaurants, while in others, they operate outside of inspection regimes. By using a mixed methods approach to catalog the standard operating procedures related to food in 105 food pantries from 12 North Carolina counties, we evaluated their potential impact on food safety. Data collected through interviews with pantry managers were supplemented with observed food safety practices scored against a modified version of the North Carolina Food Establishment Inspection Report. Pantries partnered with organized food bank networks were compared with those that operated independently. In this exploratory research, additional comparisons were examined for pantries in metropolitan areas versus nonmetropolitan areas and pantries with managers who had received food safety training versus managers who had not. The results provide a snapshot of how North Carolina food pantries operate and document risk mitigation strategies for foodborne illness for the vulnerable populations they serve. Data analysis reveals gaps in food safety knowledge and practice, indicating that pantries would benefit from more effective food safety training, especially focusing on formalizing risk management strategies. In addition, new tools, procedures, or policy interventions might improve information actualization by food pantry personnel.

Use of Foodomics for Control of Food Processing and Assessing of Food Safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Josić, D; Peršurić, Ž; Rešetar, D; Martinović, T; Saftić, L; Kraljević Pavelić, S

Food chain, food safety, and food-processing sectors face new challenges due to globalization of food chain and changes in the modern consumer preferences. In addition, gradually increasing microbial resistance, changes in climate, and human errors in food handling remain a pending barrier for the efficient global food safety management. Consequently, a need for development, validation, and implementation of rapid, sensitive, and accurate methods for assessment of food safety often termed as foodomics methods is required. Even though, the growing role of these high-throughput foodomic methods based on genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic techniques has yet to be completely acknowledged by the regulatory agencies and bodies. The sensitivity and accuracy of these methods are superior to previously used standard analytical procedures and new methods are suitable to address a number of novel requirements posed by the food production sector and global food market. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Developing sustainable food supply chains.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, B Gail

2008-02-27

This paper reviews the opportunities available for food businesses to encourage consumers to eat healthier and more nutritious diets, to invest in more sustainable manufacturing and distribution systems and to develop procurement systems based on more sustainable forms of agriculture. The important factors in developing more sustainable supply chains are identified as the type of supply chain involved and the individual business attitude to extending responsibility for product quality into social and environmental performance within their own supply chains. Interpersonal trust and working to standards are both important to build more sustainable local and many conserved food supply chains, but inadequate to transform mainstream agriculture and raw material supplies to the manufactured and commodity food markets. Cooperation among food manufacturers, retailers, NGOs, governmental and farmers' organizations is vital in order to raise standards for some supply chains and to enable farmers to adopt more sustainable agricultural practices.

Researches and commercialization of food irradiation technology in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Meixu; Ha Yiming; Chen Hao; Liu Chunquan; Chen Xiulan

2007-01-01

The status of food irradiation on research, standard and commercialization is described in the paper. The main research fields now include degradation of chloramphenicol residue by irradiation, promoting safety of meat products, frozen seafood and ready-to-eat products by irradiation, lower activity of allergic protein by irradiation, identification of irradiated food and irradiation as a phytosanitary treatment. The existed standards need to be revised, and new standard need to be established. The commercialization stages of food irradiation and quality assurance system of irradiation company are also analyzed. (authors)

Promoting Food Safety and Food Security in Rural Tourism Destination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sikhiram N.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted at two villages, Ban Mae Kampong, Mae On, Chiang Mai and Ban Pa Miang, Muang, Lampang, Northern Thailand. This community is supported by Thai government tourism ministry to develop their skills in order to create and offer rural tourism. The study focus on community member groups who are involved with rural tourism activities; Homestay members, food preparation management members, tour guides, community leader groups, in order to assess the acceptance, collaboration and preparation of safety indigenous food menu and food security management where will support rural tourism community objectives. This study was carried out as in a participatory stage which included various seminars and workshops of rural tourism management concluded from homestay services, Thai herbs medication beneficiary, basic and applied nutrition concepts, indigenous healthy food productivity with standardized recipes, food safety handling and food security management for preparing food for themselves as well as suitable for tourism consumption. In addition of this useful vegetarian calendar information, which is highly appropriate serving as a tool for their daily meal management.

[New aspects of safety assessment and food contamination with antibiotics of tetracycline group in the light of harmonization of hygienic standards in Russia and Customs Union with the international standards].

Science.gov (United States)

Onishchenko, G G; Sheveleva, S A; Khotimchenko, S A

2012-01-01

To address the issue of harmonization of Russian MRLs for tetracycline in food and on the basis of the tasks of preserving the value of hygienic standard for the more restrictive level than similar standards of the Codex Alimentarius Commission in this survey we analyzed the evidences of the negative effects of subingibitory amounts of these antibiotics (lying below the MIC for clinically relevant microorganisms). The inadequacy of the microbiological JECFA ADI and the necessity of using of methodology of analyzing the effects of biological active substances in small doses for assessing the risk of food contamination of tetracycline subingibitory concentrations were demonstrated. Current scientific information on the functions of antibiotics as signaling molecules in the microbial world and the role of tetracycline as a leading factor in the regulation of transcription in microorganisms and activation of the horizontal transfer of resistance genes transferred to the family of conjugative transposons Tn916-Tn1545 also was reviewed in paper. Evidence-based data regarding the basic contribution of subingibitory concentrations of tetracycline in the spread of worst transmissible type of antibiotic resistance and the formation of new pathogens, associated with it, are represented. To reduce the risk of direct adverse effects on microbial ecosystem in the human body and its habitat, and to minimize the indirect risk of new infections, the necessity of saving the current Russian level residues of tetracycline (< or = 0.01 mg/kg of product), which is low by contrast to the Codex MRLs (< or = 0.1-1.2 mg/kg), was proved. Tetracycline concentrations in food, regulated in Russian Federation, below 0.1 MIC for clinically significant microorganisms which aren't capable to initiation of the above described negative changes.

21 CFR 130.8 - Conformity to definitions and standards of identity.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... identity. 130.8 Section 130.8 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... Conformity to definitions and standards of identity. In the following conditions, among others, a food does not conform to the definition and standard of identity therefor: (a) If it contains an ingredient for...

Needs of food irradiation and its commercialization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Welt, M.A.

1984-01-01

On July 5, 1983, the United States Food and Drug Administration filed a notice in the Federal Register approving the use of Cobalt 60 or Cesium 137 gamma radiation to reduce or control microbial contamination in spices, onion powder and garlic powder. The approval was the first in nineteen years issued by the FDA and appears to set the stage for increased regulatory approvals in the area of radiation preservation of foods. On July 8, 1983, the Codex Alimentarius Commission approved an international standard for irradiated foods. The standard had previously been introduced by experts in the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization. The ability of properly applied ionizing energy to inhibit sprouting, to eliminate the need for toxic chemical fumigants for insect disinfestation purposes, to extend refrigerated shelf life of many food products, to eliminate parasites and pathogens from our food chain and to preserve precooked packaged food products for indefinite storage without freezing or refrigeration, dictates the timeliness of food irradiation technology. (author)

Determination and validation of soil thresholds for cadmium based on food quality standard and health risk assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Changfeng; Ma, Yibing; Li, Xiaogang; Zhang, Taolin; Wang, Xingxiang

2018-04-01

Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental toxicant with high rates of soil-plant transfer. It is essential to establish an accurate soil threshold for the implementation of soil management practices. This study takes root vegetable as an example to derive soil thresholds for Cd based on the food quality standard as well as health risk assessment using species sensitivity distribution (SSD). A soil type-specific bioconcentration factor (BCF, ratio of Cd concentration in plant to that in soil) generated from soil with a proper Cd concentration gradient was calculated and applied in the derivation of soil thresholds instead of a generic BCF value to minimize the uncertainty. The sensitivity variations of twelve root vegetable cultivars for accumulating soil Cd and the empirical soil-plant transfer model were investigated and developed in greenhouse experiments. After normalization, the hazardous concentrations from the fifth percentile of the distribution based on added Cd (HC5 add ) were calculated from the SSD curves fitted by Burr Type III distribution. The derived soil thresholds were presented as continuous or scenario criteria depending on the combination of soil pH and organic carbon content. The soil thresholds based on food quality standard were on average 0.7-fold of those based on health risk assessment, and were further validated to be reliable using independent data from field survey and published articles. The results suggested that deriving soil thresholds for Cd using SSD method is robust and also applicable to other crops as well as other trace elements that have the potential to cause health risk issues. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Are self-reported unhealthy food choices associated with an increased risk of breast cancer? Prospective cohort study using the British Food Standards Agency nutrient profiling system.

Science.gov (United States)

Deschasaux, Mélanie; Julia, Chantal; Kesse-Guyot, Emmanuelle; Lécuyer, Lucie; Adriouch, Solia; Méjean, Caroline; Ducrot, Pauline; Péneau, Sandrine; Latino-Martel, Paule; Fezeu, Léopold K; Fassier, Philippine; Hercberg, Serge; Touvier, Mathilde

2017-06-08

French authorities are considering the implementation of a simplified nutrition labelling system on food products to help consumers make healthier food choices. One of the most documented candidates (Five-Colour Nutrition Label/Nutri-score) is based on the British Food Standards Agency Nutrient Profiling System (FSA-NPS), a score calculated for each food/beverage using the 100 g amount of energy, sugar, saturated fatty acid, sodium, fibres, proteins, and fruits and vegetables. To assess its potential public health relevance, studies were conducted on the association between the nutritional quality of the diet, measured at the individual level by an energy-weighted mean of all FSA-NPS scores of foods usually consumed (FSA-NPS dietary index (FSA-NPS DI)), and the risk of chronic diseases. The present study aimed at investigating the relationship between the FSA-NPS DI and breast cancer risk. Prospective study. Population based, NutriNet-Santé cohort, France. 46 864 women aged ≥35 years who completed ≥3 24-hour dietary records during their first 2 year of follow-up. Associations between FSA-NPS DI and breast cancer risk (555 incident breast cancers diagnosed between 2009 and 2015) were characterised by multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazard models. A higher FSA-NPS DI (lower nutritional quality of the diet) was associated with an increased breast cancer risk (HR 1-point increment =1.06 (1.02-1.11), p=0.005; HR Q5vs.Q1 =1.52 (1.11-2.08), p trend=0.002). Similar trends were observed in premenopausal and postmenopausal women (HR 1-point increment =1.09 (1.01-1.18) and 1.05 (1.00-1.11), respectively).This study was based on an observational cohort using self-reported dietary data, thus residual confounding cannot be entirely ruled out. Finally, this holistic approach does not allow investigating which factors in the diet most specifically influence breast cancer risk. These results suggested that unhealthy food choices, as characterised by the FSA-NPS, may

From humanitarianism to human rights

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wilson, Fiona

2006-01-01

The chapter is a critical enquiry into 'aid models' as currently used by donor agencies and the implications for local aid workers and beneficiaries when the aid model, together with concepts and buzz words, are changed by 'top' management. The chapter examines the particular case of an aid progr...... programme in Ethiopia that incorporates seven NGOs, is funded by the Danish bilateral agency (Danida), and has moved from a focus on food security to livelihoods and then to human rights....

Deprivation selectively modulates brain potentials to food pictures.

Science.gov (United States)

Stockburger, Jessica; Weike, Almut I; Hamm, Alfons O; Schupp, Harald T

2008-08-01

Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were used to examine whether the processing of food pictures is selectively modulated by changes in the motivational state of the observer. Sixteen healthy male volunteers were tested twice 1 week apart, either after 24 hr of food deprivation or after normal food intake. ERPs were measured while participants viewed appetitive food pictures as well as standard emotional and neutral control pictures. Results show that the ERPs to food pictures in a hungry, rather than satiated, state were associated with enlarged positive potentials over posterior sensor sites in a time window of 170-310 ms poststimulus. Minimum-norm analysis suggests the enhanced processing of food cues primarily in occipito-temporo-parietal regions. In contrast, processing of standard emotional and neutral pictures was not modulated by food deprivation. Considered from the perspective of motivated attention, the selective change of food cue processing may reflect a state-dependent change in stimulus salience.

Food Safety Challenges towards Safe, Healthy, and Nutritious Street Foods in Bangladesh

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Md. Khairuzzaman

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The street foods play an important socioeconomic role in meeting food and nutritional requirements of city consumers at affordable prices to the lower and middle income people. The number of food poisoning notifications rose steadily worldwide since the inception of E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in the 1980s to date. This may be partly attributed to improved surveillance, increased global trade and travel, changes in modern food production, the impact of modern lifestyles, changes in food consumption, and the emergence of new pathogens. Consumer’s knowledge and attitude may influence food safety behavior and practice. For the sake of public health, it is important to understand the epidemiology of foodborne illnesses that help in prevention and control efforts, appropriately allocating resources to control foodborne illness, monitoring and evaluation of food safety measures, development of new food safety standards, and assessment of the cost-effectiveness of interventions. This review paper described the sociodemographic characteristics, common hazards, and occupational hazards of street food vendors, microbial risk associated with street food, food safety interventions and control measures, regulatory aspects and legal requirements, financial constraints, and attitudes.

Food Security and Human Rights in Indonesia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hadiprayitno, I.

2010-01-01

Food is crucial to an adequate standard of living. The acknowledgement of the right to food in government policies is fundamental to the protection of human dignity, particularly in relation to food insecurity. It allows the right-holder to seek redress and hold government accountable for

Results with Complementary Food Using Local Food Ingredients.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Tahmeed; Islam, Munirul; Choudhury, Nuzhat; Hossain, Iqbal; Huq, Sayeeda; Mahfuz, Mustafa; Sarker, Shafiqul Alam

2017-01-01

Appropriate complementary food is a must for optimum growth of infants and children. The food should be diverse and be given in sufficient quantities 2-4 times a day depending upon age. Poverty, food insecurity, and lack of awareness regarding the choice of nutritious food ingredients are deterrents to optimum complementary feeding. In Bangladesh, 77% of children do not receive appropriate complementary food and, hence, the high prevalence of childhood malnutrition. We developed ready-to-use complementary foods (RUCFs) using locally available food ingredients, rice/lentil and chickpea, which conform to standard specifications. These foods were found to be acceptable by children and their mothers compared to the Pushti packet, the cereal-based supplement used in the erstwhile National Nutrition Program of Bangladesh. In a cluster-randomized community-based trial in rural Bangladesh among more than 5,000 children, the efficacy of rice/lentil- and chickpea-based RUCFs was compared with another commonly used supplementary food called wheat-soy blend++ (WSB++) and a commercial product called Plumpy'doz. Deceleration in length for age was significantly lower (by 0.02-0.04/month) in the rice/lentil, Plumpy'doz, and chickpea groups compared to the control group at 18 months of age. Weight-for-length z-score decline was lower only in Plumpy'doz and chickpea groups. WSB++ was not different from the control group. In children who received chickpea RUCF or Plumpy'doz, the prevalence of stunting was 5-6% lower at 18 months. These foods can be used to prevent or treat malnutrition among children, particularly those from food-insecure households. © 2017 Nestec Ltd., Vevey/S. Karger AG, Basel.

Evaluating Food Safety Knowledge and Practices of Food Processors and Sellers Working in Food Facilities in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Bach Xuan; DO, Hoa Thi; Nguyen, Luong Thanh; Boggiano, Victoria; LE, Huong Thi; LE, Xuan Thanh Thi; Trinh, Ngoc Bao; DO, Khanh Nam; Nguyen, Cuong Tat; Nguyen, Thanh Trung; Dang, Anh Kim; Mai, Hue Thi; Nguyen, Long Hoang; Than, Selena; Latkin, Carl A

2018-04-01

Consumption of fast food and street food is increasingly common among Vietnamese, particularly in large cities. The high daily demand for these convenient food services, together with a poor management system, has raised concerns about food hygiene and safety (FHS). This study aimed to examine the FHS knowledge and practices of food processors and sellers in food facilities in Hanoi, Vietnam, and to identify their associated factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,760 food processors and sellers in restaurants, fast food stores, food stalls, and street vendors in Hanoi in 2015. We assessed each participant's FHS knowledge using a self-report questionnaire and their FHS practices using a checklist. Tobit regression was used to determine potential factors associated with FHS knowledge and practices, including demographics, training experience, and frequency of health examination. Overall, we observed a lack of FHS knowledge among respondents across three domains, including standard requirements for food facilities (18%), food processing procedures (29%), and food poisoning prevention (11%). Only 25.9 and 38.1% of participants used caps and masks, respectively, and 12.8% of food processors reported direct hand contact with food. After adjusting for socioeconomic characteristics, these factors significantly predicted increased FHS knowledge and practice scores: (i) working at restaurants and food stalls, (ii) having FHS training, (iii) having had a physical examination, and (iv) having taken a stool test within the last year. These findings highlight the need of continuous training to improve FHS knowledge and practices among food processors and food sellers. Moreover, regular monitoring of food facilities, combined with medical examination of their staff, should be performed to ensure food safety.

Application of food irradiation technology in development of future special purposed foods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Byun, Myung Woo; Shin, Myung Gon [Woosong University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Ju Woon [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup (Korea, Republic of)

2010-06-15

Advanced food technologies fused with radiation technology could be applied to the development of various special-purpose foods such space foods, combat rations, emergency foods, and sterile patient meals. In U.S.A, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the U.S. Army Natick Soldier RD and E Center co-developed the hazard analysis of critical control point, which is a essential hygienic control system in food industry. Moreover, strict manufacturing standards to produce shelf-stable foods using radiation (ionizing energy) technology were established. In Korea, the advanced food technologies to sterilize various foods using irradiation technology were expected to be applied as a hygiene process on group meals and ready-to-eat/ready-to cook foods, and to produce foods for patients with high hygienic, nutritional, and organoleptic qualities through the combination treatments with irradiation technology. And, it was considered that the advanced technology would improve the related industries and national economy by introducing the food irradiation technology to the Korean traditional fermented foods to improve their functionality. In conclusion, the advanced food technologies which are preoccupied by some developed countries like U.S.A. and Russia will make a contribution to the development of national science and technology, and competitiveness promotion of industry.

Application of food irradiation technology in development of future special purposed foods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byun, Myung Woo; Shin, Myung Gon; Lee, Ju Woon

2010-01-01

Advanced food technologies fused with radiation technology could be applied to the development of various special-purpose foods such space foods, combat rations, emergency foods, and sterile patient meals. In U.S.A, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the U.S. Army Natick Soldier RD and E Center co-developed the hazard analysis of critical control point, which is a essential hygienic control system in food industry. Moreover, strict manufacturing standards to produce shelf-stable foods using radiation (ionizing energy) technology were established. In Korea, the advanced food technologies to sterilize various foods using irradiation technology were expected to be applied as a hygiene process on group meals and ready-to-eat/ready-to cook foods, and to produce foods for patients with high hygienic, nutritional, and organoleptic qualities through the combination treatments with irradiation technology. And, it was considered that the advanced technology would improve the related industries and national economy by introducing the food irradiation technology to the Korean traditional fermented foods to improve their functionality. In conclusion, the advanced food technologies which are preoccupied by some developed countries like U.S.A. and Russia will make a contribution to the development of national science and technology, and competitiveness promotion of industry

Towards harmonized data interchange in food consumption data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pakkala, H.; Christensen, Tue; Presser, K.

2014-01-01

Food consumption data are collected and used in several fields of science. The data are often combined from various sources and interchanged between different systems. There is, however, no harmonized and widely used data interchange format. In addition, food consumption data are often combined w...... interchange format for food consumption based on work and experiences related to food composition.The aim is that the data interchange format will provide a basis for wider harmonization in the future.......Food consumption data are collected and used in several fields of science. The data are often combined from various sources and interchanged between different systems. There is, however, no harmonized and widely used data interchange format. In addition, food consumption data are often combined...... with other data such as food composition data. In the field of food composition, successful harmonization has recently been achieved by the European Food Information Resource Network, which is now the basis of a standard draft by the European Committee for Standardization. We present an XML-based data...

Certified standards and vertical coordination in aquaculture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trifkovic, Neda

2014-01-01

This paper explores the interaction between food standards and vertical coordination in the Vietnamese pangasius sector. For farmers and processors alike, the adoption of standards is motivated by a desire to improve market access by ensuring high quality supply. Instead of encouraging the applic......This paper explores the interaction between food standards and vertical coordination in the Vietnamese pangasius sector. For farmers and processors alike, the adoption of standards is motivated by a desire to improve market access by ensuring high quality supply. Instead of encouraging...... the application of standards and contract farming, processing companies prefer to vertically integrate primary production largely due to concerns over the stable supply of pangasius with satisfactory quality and safety attributes. These tendencies increase the market dominance of industrial farming and worsen...

The success of the citizen suit: protecting consumers from inaccurate food labeling by amending the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

Science.gov (United States)

Springer, James

2013-01-01

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ("FDCA"), amended in 1990 by the Nutrition Education and Labeling Act ("NLEA"), established a national framework for the administration and promulgation of uniform food labeling standards. Specifically, the NLEA created affirmative obligations for the food--requiring detailed disclosure of food content and strict adherence to regulations governing the use of health and nutritional claims on food packaging. To accomplish these goals, Congress tasked the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") with the sole responsibility of the enforcement of these new requirements. Under the statutory framework of the FDCA, the United States Supreme Court ("Court") has held that there is no private right of action, of which extended to the enforcement of NLEA standards. This interpretation has left individuals with no federal outlet for relief in the enforcement of federal food labeling standards. Adherence to this interpretation is especially concerning when the FDA currently faces exponential growth in administrative responsibilities while simultaneously experiencing employment reduction, a $206 million "Sequester," and a recent government-wide shutdown. As a result, the American people are left to depend on an Agency that is struggling with drastic resource reduction while being accountable for ever increasing enforcement responsibilities. To ensure consumer protection, this Article argues that Congress should amend the FDCA to include a citizen suit provision in order to provide individuals with a right of private action for the enforcement of NLEA standards. Borrowing from the successes realized under similar citizen suit provisions found in environmental legislation, this Article argues that a citizen suit provision is amendable to the FDCA and would relieve fiscal pressures, strengthen the current enforcement framework of the FDCA, encourage more robust enforcement by the FDA and states, and ensure uniform interpretation of NLEA

Healthy food procurement and nutrition standards in public facilities: evidence synthesis and consensus policy recommendations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim D. Raine

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Unhealthy foods are widely available in public settings across Canada, contributing to diet-related chronic diseases, such as obesity. This is a concern given that public facilities often provide a significant amount of food for consumption by vulnerable groups, including children and seniors. Healthy food procurement policies, which support procuring, distributing, selling, and/or serving healthier foods, have recently emerged as a promising strategy to counter this public health issue by increasing access to healthier foods. Although numerous Canadian health and scientific organizations have recommended such policies, they have not yet been broadly implemented in Canada. Methods: To inform further policy action on healthy food procurement in a Canadian context, we: (1 conducted an evidence synthesis to assess the impact of healthy food procurement policies on health outcomes and sales, intake, and availability of healthier food, and (2 hosted a consensus conference in September 2014. The consensus conference invited experts with public health/nutrition policy research expertise, as well as health services and food services practitioner experience, to review evidence, share experiences, and develop a consensus statement/recommendations on healthy food procurement in Canada. Results: Findings from the evidence synthesis and consensus recommendations for healthy food procurement in Canada are described. Specifically, we outline recommendations for governments, publicly funded institutions, decision-makers and professionals, citizens, and researchers. Conclusion: Implementation of healthy food procurement policies can increase Canadians’ access to healthier foods as part of a broader vision for food policy in Canada.

Healthy food procurement and nutrition standards in public facilities: evidence synthesis and consensus policy recommendations

Science.gov (United States)

Kim D., Raine; Kayla, Atkey; Dana Lee, Dana Lee; Alexa R., Ferdinands; Dominique, Beaulieu; Susan, Buhler; Norm, Campbell; Brian, Cook; Mary, L’Abbé; Ashley, Lederer; David, Mowat; Joshna, Maharaj; Candace, Nykiforuk; Jacob, Shelley; Jacqueline, Street

2018-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Unhealthy foods are widely available in public settings across Canada, contributing to diet-related chronic diseases, such as obesity. This is a concern given that public facilities often provide a significant amount of food for consumption by vulnerable groups, including children and seniors. Healthy food procurement policies, which support procuring, distributing, selling, and/or serving healthier foods, have recently emerged as a promising strategy to counter this public health issue by increasing access to healthier foods. Although numerous Canadian health and scientific organizations have recommended such policies, they have not yet been broadly implemented in Canada. Methods: To inform further policy action on healthy food procurement in a Canadian context, we: (1) conducted an evidence synthesis to assess the impact of healthy food procurement policies on health outcomes and sales, intake, and availability of healthier food, and (2) hosted a consensus conference in September 2014. The consensus conference invited experts with public health/nutrition policy research expertise, as well as health services and food services practitioner experience, to review evidence, share experiences, and develop a consensus statement/recommendations on healthy food procurement in Canada. Results: Findings from the evidence synthesis and consensus recommendations for healthy food procurement in Canada are described. Specifically, we outline recommendations for governments, publicly funded institutions, decision-makers and professionals, citizens, and researchers. Conclusion: Implementation of healthy food procurement policies can increase Canadians’ access to healthier foods as part of a broader vision for food policy in Canada. PMID:29323862

International cooperative effort to establish dosimetry standardization for radiation processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrar, Harry IV

1990-01-01

Radiation processing is a rapidly developing technology with numerous applications in food treatment, sterilization, and polymer modification. The effectiveness of the process depends, however, on the proper application of dose and its measurement. These aspects are being considered by a wide group of experts from around the world who have joined together to write a comprehensive set of standards for dosimetry for radiation processing. Originally formed in 1984 to develop standards for food processing dosimetry, the group has now expanded into a full subcommittee of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), with 97 members from 19 countries. The scope of the standards now includes dosimetry for all forms and applications of radiation processing. To date, the group has completed and published four standards, and is working on an additional seven. Three are specifically for food applications and the others are for all radiation applications, including food processing. Together, this set of standards will specify acceptable guidelines and methods for accomplishing the required irradiation treatment. This set will be available for adoption by national regulatory agencies or other standards-setting organizations for their procedures and protocols. (author)

Automated identification of drug and food allergies entered using non-standard terminology.

Science.gov (United States)

Epstein, Richard H; St Jacques, Paul; Stockin, Michael; Rothman, Brian; Ehrenfeld, Jesse M; Denny, Joshua C

2013-01-01

An accurate computable representation of food and drug allergy is essential for safe healthcare. Our goal was to develop a high-performance, easily maintained algorithm to identify medication and food allergies and sensitivities from unstructured allergy entries in electronic health record (EHR) systems. An algorithm was developed in Transact-SQL to identify ingredients to which patients had allergies in a perioperative information management system. The algorithm used RxNorm and natural language processing techniques developed on a training set of 24 599 entries from 9445 records. Accuracy, specificity, precision, recall, and F-measure were determined for the training dataset and repeated for the testing dataset (24 857 entries from 9430 records). Accuracy, precision, recall, and F-measure for medication allergy matches were all above 98% in the training dataset and above 97% in the testing dataset for all allergy entries. Corresponding values for food allergy matches were above 97% and above 93%, respectively. Specificities of the algorithm were 90.3% and 85.0% for drug matches and 100% and 88.9% for food matches in the training and testing datasets, respectively. The algorithm had high performance for identification of medication and food allergies. Maintenance is practical, as updates are managed through upload of new RxNorm versions and additions to companion database tables. However, direct entry of codified allergy information by providers (through autocompleters or drop lists) is still preferred to post-hoc encoding of the data. Data tables used in the algorithm are available for download. A high performing, easily maintained algorithm can successfully identify medication and food allergies from free text entries in EHR systems.

International cooperative effort to establish dosimetry standardization for radiation processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrar, H. IV.

1989-01-01

Radiation processing is a rapidly developing technology with numerous applications in food treatment, sterilization, and polymer modification. The effectiveness of the process depends, however, on the proper application of dose and its measurement. These aspects are being considered by a wide group of experts from around the world who have joined together to write a comprehensive set of standards for dosimetry for radiation processing. Originally formed in 1984 to develop standards for food processing dosimetry, the group has now expanded into a full subcommittee of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), with 97 members from 19 countries. The scope of the standards now includes dosimetry for all forms of radiation processing. The group has now completed and published four standards, and is working on an additional seven. Three are specifically for food applications and the others are for all radiation applications, including food processing. Together, this set of standards will specify acceptable guidelines and methods for accomplishing the required irradiation treatment, and will be available for adoption by national regulatory agencies in their procedures and protocols. 1 tab

Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service

Science.gov (United States)

... Standard Forms FSIS United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service About FSIS District Offices Careers Contact Us Ask ... Reports Fact Sheets Food Defense and Emergency Response Food Safety Education FSIS ... Assistance Contact Centers Cooperative Agreements Email Subscription ...

Children's Eating Behavior: The Importance of Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Bevans, Katherine B.; Sanchez, Betty; Teneralli, Rachel; Forrest, Christopher B.

2011-01-01

Background: To enhance the impact of school nutrition programs on children's health, more information is needed on the associations between healthy and unhealthy food offerings during school lunch periods and children's eating behavior. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the contributions of food offerings and participation in school lunch…

Home Food Preservation Training for Extension Educators

Science.gov (United States)

Goard, Linnette Mizer; Hill, Melinda; Shumaker, Katharine; Warrix, Marisa

2013-01-01

During times of economic downturn, there has been an increased interest in home food preservation. As the primary resource for current research-based recommendations, a team of Extension Family and Consumer Sciences educators with specialization in food safety and food preservation responded to this demand by developing a standardized food…

Intake of energy and nutrients; harmonization of Food Composition Databases.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez-Victoria, Emilio; Martinez de Victoria, Ignacio; Martinez-Burgos, M Alba

2015-02-26

Food composition databases (FCDBs) provide detailed information about the nutritional composition of foods. The conversion of food consumption into nutrient intake need a Food composition database (FCDB) which lists the mean nutritional values for a given food portion. The limitations of FCDBs are sometimes little known by the users. Multicentre studies have raised several methodology challenges which allow to standardize nutritional assessments in different populations and geographical areas for food composition and nutrient intake. Differences between FCDBs include those attributed to technical matters, such as description of foods, calculation of energy and definition of nutrients, analytical methods, and principles for recipe calculation. Such differences need to be identified and eliminated before comparing data from different studies, especially when dietary data is related to a health outcome. There are ongoing efforts since 1984 to standardize FCDBs over the world (INFOODS, EPIC, EuroFIR, etc.). Food composition data can be gathered from different sources like private company analysis, universities, government laboratories and food industry. They can also be borrowed from scientific literature or even from the food labelling. There are different proposals to evaluate the quality of food composition data. For the development of a FCDB it is fundamental document in the most detailed way, each of the data values of the different components and nutrients of a food. The objective of AECOSAN (Agencia Española de Consumo Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición) and BEDCA (Base de Datos Española de Composición de Alimentos) association was the development and support of a reference FCDB in Spain according to the standards to be defined in Europe. BEDCA is currently the only FCDB developed in Spain with compiled and documented data following EuroFIR standards. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2015. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Dilution of rice with other gluten free grains to lower inorganic arsenic in foods for young children in response to European Union regulations provides impetus to setting stricter standards

Science.gov (United States)

Donaldson, Emily; Signes-Pastor, Antonio J.

2018-01-01

There has been an increasing realisation that young infants are exposed to elevated concentrations of the carcinogen inorganic arsenic, relative to adults. This is because many infant food products are rice based, and rice is ~10-fold elevated in inorganic arsenic compared to most other foods. The European Commission (EC) has acted on this concern setting stricter standards for infants, 100 μg of inorganic arsenic per kg of food (100 μg/kg), as compared to adults (200 μg/kg), for rice based foods, a law that was brought into place in 1st January 2016. Here we investigate how this law has impacted on inorganic arsenic in baby food products in the UK market, and compare the findings to previous baby food surveys taken before and just after the law came into place. We find that for a wide range of UK infant products that the new regulations are being adhered to, with all samples surveyed, being under 100 μg/kg inorganic arsenic. The prevalence of pure rice products had decreased in the UK, and there appears to be careful sourcing of the rice used in these products to ensure conformity with regulations. There has been an increased presence of mixed cereal products, with rice and maize as the main ingredient, appearing on the UK market, with varying rice contents for infant porridges, cakes and mueslis, with the latter being a relatively innovative product for infant foods. There was a highly significant correlation (P<0.0001) between rice content and inorganic arsenic concentration across all infant foods. When UK infant rice cakes, breakfast cereals and porridges were compare to their general, i.e. not labelled specifically for being for infant consumption, equivalent it was found that the adult foods generally exceeded the 100 μg/kg inorganic arsenic standard for infant foods. Thus, infants should not be given rice products not specifically labelled as being for them if a lower inorganic arsenic diet is to be maintained. PMID:29547635

Food and beverage environment analysis and monitoring system: a reliability study in the school food and beverage environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Bullock, Sally Lawrence; Craypo, Lisa; Clark, Sarah E; Barry, Jason; Samuels, Sarah E

2010-07-01

States and school districts around the country are developing policies that set nutrition standards for competitive foods and beverages sold outside of the US Department of Agriculture's reimbursable school lunch program. However, few tools exist for monitoring the implementation of these new policies. The objective of this research was to develop a computerized assessment tool, the Food and Beverage Environment Analysis and Monitoring System (FoodBEAMS), to collect data on the competitive school food environment and to test the inter-rater reliability of the tool among research and nonresearch professionals. FoodBEAMS was used to collect data in spring 2007 on the competitive foods and beverages sold in 21 California high schools. Adherence of the foods and beverages to California's competitive food and beverage nutrition policies for schools (Senate Bills 12 and 965) was determined using the data collected by both research and nonresearch professionals. The inter-rater reliability between the data collectors was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Researcher vs researcher and researcher vs nonresearcher inter-rater reliability was high for both foods and beverages, with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from .972 to .987. Results of this study provide evidence that FoodBEAMS is a promising tool for assessing and monitoring adherence to nutrition standards for competitive foods sold on school campuses and can be used reliably by both research and nonresearch professionals. Copyright 2010 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Toddler foods, children's foods: assessing sodium in packaged supermarket foods targeted at children.

Science.gov (United States)

Elliott, Charlene D; Conlon, Martin J

2011-03-01

To critically examine child-oriented packaged food products sold in Canada for their sodium content, and to assess them light of intake recommendations, the current policy context and suggested targets. Baby/toddler foods (n 186) and child-oriented packaged foods (n 354) were coded for various attributes (including sodium). Summary statistics were created for sodium, then the children's food products were compared with the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) 'targets' for sodium in packaged foods. Also assessed were the products' per-serving sodium levels were assessed in light of the US Institute of Medicine's dietary reference intakes and Canada's Food Guide. Calgary, Alberta, Canada. None. Twenty per cent of products could be classified as having high sodium levels. Certain sub-categories of food (i.e. toddler entrées, children's packaged lunches, soups and canned pastas) were problematic. Significantly, when scaled in according to Schedule M or viewed in light of the serving sizes on the Nutrition Facts table, the sodium level in various dry goods products generally fell within, and below, the Adequate Intake (AI)/Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) band for sodium. When scaled in accordance with the UK FSA targets, however, none of the (same) products met the targets. In light of AI/UL thresholds based on age and per-serving cut-offs, packaged foodstuffs for youngsters fare relatively well, with the exception of some problematic areas. 'Stealth sodium' and 'subtle sodium' are important considerations; so is use of the FSA's scaling method to evaluate sodium content, because it is highly sensitive to the difference between the reference amount and the actual real-world serving size for the product being considered.

Global multiplicity of dietary standards for trace elements.

Science.gov (United States)

Freeland-Graves, Jeanne H; Lee, Jane J

2012-06-01

Consistent guidelines across the world for dietary standards of trace elements remain elusive. Harmonization of dietary standards has been suggested by international agencies to facilitate consistency in food and nutrition policies and international trade. Yet significant barriers exist to standardize recommendations on a global basis, such as vast differences in geography, food availability and transport; cultural, social and economic constraints, and biological diversity. Simple commonality is precluded further by the variety of terminologies among countries and regions related to diet. Certain unions have created numerous nutritional descriptive categories for standards, while other large countries are limited to only a few. This paper will explore the global multiplicity of dietary standards and efforts for harmonization. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Microbiological Food Safety Surveillance in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoyan Pei

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Microbiological food safety surveillance is a system that collects data regarding food contamination by foodborne pathogens, parasites, viruses, and other harmful microbiological factors. It helps to understand the spectrum of food safety, timely detect food safety hazards, and provide relevant data for food safety supervision, risk assessment, and standards-setting. The study discusses the microbiological surveillance of food safety in China, and introduces the policies and history of the national microbiological surveillance system. In addition, the function and duties of different organizations and institutions are provided in this work, as well as the generation and content of the surveillance plan, quality control, database, and achievement of the microbiological surveillance of food safety in China.

Companies' opinions and acceptance of global food safety initiative benchmarks after implementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Crandall, Phil; Van Loo, Ellen J; O'Bryan, Corliss A; Mauromoustakos, Andy; Yiannas, Frank; Dyenson, Natalie; Berdnik, Irina

2012-09-01

International attention has been focused on minimizing costs that may unnecessarily raise food prices. One important aspect to consider is the redundant and overlapping costs of food safety audits. The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) has devised benchmarked schemes based on existing international food safety standards for use as a unifying standard accepted by many retailers. The present study was conducted to evaluate the impact of the decision made by Walmart Stores (Bentonville, AR) to require their suppliers to become GFSI compliant. An online survey of 174 retail suppliers was conducted to assess food suppliers' opinions of this requirement and the benefits suppliers realized when they transitioned from their previous food safety systems. The most common reason for becoming GFSI compliant was to meet customers' requirements; thus, supplier implementation of the GFSI standards was not entirely voluntary. Other reasons given for compliance were enhancing food safety and remaining competitive. About 54 % of food processing plants using GFSI benchmarked schemes followed the guidelines of Safe Quality Food 2000 and 37 % followed those of the British Retail Consortium. At the supplier level, 58 % followed Safe Quality Food 2000 and 31 % followed the British Retail Consortium. Respondents reported that the certification process took about 10 months. The most common reason for selecting a certain GFSI benchmarked scheme was because it was widely accepted by customers (retailers). Four other common reasons were (i) the standard has a good reputation in the industry, (ii) the standard was recommended by others, (iii) the standard is most often used in the industry, and (iv) the standard was required by one of their customers. Most suppliers agreed that increased safety of their products was required to comply with GFSI benchmarked schemes. They also agreed that the GFSI required a more carefully documented food safety management system, which often required

Review on applied foods and analyzed methods in identification testing of irradiated foods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kwang Hoon; Lee, Hoo Chul; Park, Sung Hyun; Kim, Soo Jin; Kim, Kwan Soo; Jeong, Il Yun; Lee, Ju Woon; Yook, Hong Sun

2010-01-01

Identification methods of irradiated foods have been adopted as official test by EU and Codex. PSL, TL, ESR and GC/MS methods were registered in Korea food code on 2009 and put in force as control system of verification for labelling of food irradiation. But most generally applicable PSL and TL methods are specified applicable foods according to domestic approved items. Unlike these specifications, foods unpermitted in Korea are included in applicable items of ESR and GC/MS methods. According to recent research data, numerous food groups are possible to effective legal control by identification and these items are demanded to permit regulations for irradiation additionally. Especially, the prohibition of irradiation for meats or seafoods is not harmonized with international standards and interacts as trade friction or industrial restrictions due to unprepared domestic regulation. Hence, extension of domestic legal permission for food irradiation can contrive to related industrial development and also can reduce trade friction and enhance international competitiveness

Actual situation of radiation analysis of food

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nomura, Takakazu

2011-01-01

The measurement methods of radioactivity of food and quality control are described. 'Manual for Measuring Radioactivity of Foods in Case of Emergency' was published by Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Japan, on March 17, 2011. It explained the analytical methods such as radioactive iodine by NaI (Tl) scintillation survey meter, radionuclide by gamma-ray spectrometry using germanium semiconductor detector, uranium and plutonium rapid analytical method for emergency, and radioactive strontium analytical method. This report gave a detailed explanation of the measurement method of radioactive iodine by NaI (Tl) scintillation survey meter and radionuclide by γ-ray spectrometry using germanium semiconductor detector. Indices for Food and Beverage Intake Restriction, germanium semiconductor detector and lead shield, activity standard gamma volume sources and the calibration certificate, Eu-152 radioactivity standard gamma ray sources and energy calibration curve, Food Safety Risk Assessment on Radioactive Nuclides in Food, measurement results of food by germanium semiconductor detector, and the measurement results of vegetables before and after the nuclear accident are illustrated. (S.Y.)

The dynamics of the transnational food chain regulatory governance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chatzopoulou, Sevasti

2015-01-01

dynamics of the interactions among public and private actors operate within the transnational food standards setting process. The study identifies the groups of interdependent actors (public and private) that interact within the transnational food chain regulatory process and develop public...... in detail how these interactions operate empirically on specific regulations. Practical implications – The paper offers an integrative thorough understanding of the food chain regulatory standard setting process, relevant for academics, policy makers, the industry, and society. Originality/value – The paper...

Application of Proteomics in Food Technology and Food Biotechnology: Process Development, Quality Control and Product Safety

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dajana Gašo-Sokač

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Human food is a very complex biological mixture and food processing and safety are very important and essential disciplines. Proteomics technology using different high-performance separation techniques such as two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, one-dimensional and multidimensional chromatography, combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry has the power to monitor the protein composition of foods and their changes during the production process. The use of proteomics in food technology is presented, especially for characterization and standardization of raw materials, process development, detection of batch-to-batch variations and quality control of the final product. Further attention is paid to the aspects of food safety, especially regarding biological and microbial safety and the use of genetically modified foods.

Regulations on health/functional foods in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Ji Yeon; Kim, Dai Byung; Lee, Hyong Joo

2006-01-01

The term 'health/functional food' (HFF) refers to food supplements containing nutrients or other substances (in a concentrated form) that have a nutritional or physiological effect whose purpose is to supplement the normal diet. The Korean Health/Functional Food Act that came into effect in 2004 requires these products to be marketed in measured doses, such as in pills, tablets, capsules, and liquids. HFFs are of two types: generic and product-specific. There are 37 ingredients listed in the act for generic HFFs, and if an HFF contains a new active ingredient that is not included in the generic 37 products, it is considered a product-specific HFF. The standardization, safety, and efficacy of a new active ingredient are reviewed by the Korean Food and Drug Administration in order to receive approval as a product-specific HFF. Conforming with international standards and protecting public health requires constant upgrading of the Health/Functional Food Act

Toxicological studies on irradiated food and food constituents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schubert, J.

1978-01-01

Selected aspects of the genotoxicology and chemistry of irradiated foods and food components are critically examined and compared with other food processing operations such as cooking, and intentional use of food additives. For example, it is estimated that if 10% of an average daily diet contained irradiated (<1.0Mrad) foods, the daily consumption of radiolytic products would be 2-20mg/d compared with a total of approximately 4000mg/d of intentional food additives and approximately 80mg/d of toxic inorganic and organic environmentally derived contaminants. Several recommendations for the genotoxicological testing of irradiated foods are given, including: (1) that feeding tests include a control diet consisting of food processed by one of the standard methods such as thermalization; (2) that more use be made of positive controls so as to have a 'built-in' measure of sensitivity and responsiveness; (3) that a battery of in vitro and in vivo short-term mutagenicity tests be performed prior to the carrying out of the long-term feeding tests; and (4) that an irradiated food be tested after it is cooked in the manner normally consumed, which may, of course, include the raw or uncooked state as well. An outline of current genetic-toxicological testing schemes is provided and examined. Emphasis is given to a modification in the protocols for the Ames mutagenicity tests leading to a reduction in the evidence of false positives and false negatives. Also described is a procedure for systematically studying combined or interactive effects, acute or chronic, which requires no more effort than that needed for testing a single agent and which yields complete dose-response curves. It is concluded that food irradiation, as a physical process, appears more advantageous from the genotoxicological, chemical, and pollution aspects than well-accepted, but actually rarely tested, physical processes such as canning. (author)

Establish Central Kitchen under HACCP Control in Food and Beverage Industry to Ensure Food Safety and Hygiene

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cuihua Qi

2014-04-01

Full Text Available In recent years, food safety and hygiene have been a social problem. So, it is worth studying in-depth that how to control the safety and hygiene of food and beverage. This paper proposes to establish central kitchens under HACCP control to ensure food safety and hygiene in the food and beverage industry. Considering the practical difficulties in the application of HACCP, this paper introduces the establishment of dishes HACCP system with some examples to give the reference of the food and beverage industry. Central kitchens have many advantages while HACCP is the golden standard to ensure food safety and hygiene, hence, it will ensure food safety and hygiene if both can be combined with in the use of food and beverage industry.

Evaluative conditioning of food technologies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Loebnitz, Natascha; Grunert, Klaus G

2015-01-01

Consumer attitudes play an important role in the acceptance of new technologies. The success of food innovations depends on understanding how consumers form and change attitudes toward food technologies. Earlier post hoc explanations suggest that evaluative conditioning can change consumer...... attitudes toward food technologies. The present study tests how evaluative conditioning can affect consumer acceptance of new food technologies. Furthermore, authors investigate whether evaluative conditioning is resistant to extinction after a two-month period and whether the evaluative conditioning effect...... prevails in a product-related context. Within an evaluative conditioning paradigm including between-subjects control groups in addition to standard within-subjects control conditions, participants were presented with three food technologies (conventional, enzyme, and genetic technology) paired...

To what extent have high schools in California been able to implement state-mandated nutrition standards?

Science.gov (United States)

Samuels, Sarah E; Bullock, Sally Lawrence; Woodward-Lopez, Gail; Clark, Sarah E; Kao, Janice; Craypo, Lisa; Barry, Jay; Crawford, Patricia B

2009-09-01

To determine extent and factors associated with implementation of California's school nutrition standards 1 year after standards became active. Information on competitive foods and beverages available in schools was collected from a representative sample of 56 public high schools in California. Adherence to nutrition standards was calculated for each item and summarized for each school by venue. The association between schools' sociodemographic characteristics and adherence to standards was determined by multivariate analysis. The majority of schools were adhering to the required beverage standards. None of the schools selling competitive foods were 100% adherent to the food standards. Adherence to both standards tended to be highest in food service venues. In univariate analyses, percent nonwhite enrollment, population density, percent free/reduced-price (FRP) meal eligibility, and school size were significantly correlated with the beverage adherence rate. Percent nonwhite enrollment and population density remained significant in the multivariate regression model. Percent nonwhite enrollment and percent FRP meal eligibility were significantly correlated with the food adherence rate in univariate analysis, but neither remained significant in the multiple regression model. California high schools are making progress toward implementation of the state nutrition standards. Beverage standards appear easier to achieve than nutrient-based food standards. Additional support is needed to provide schools with resources to implement and monitor these policies. Simpler standards and/or a reduction in the foods and beverages sold could better enable schools to achieve and monitor adherence.

An Intervention to Increase Availability of Healthy Foods and Beverages in New York City Hospitals: The Healthy Hospital Food Initiative, 2010-2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Alyssa; Krepp, Erica M; Johnson Curtis, Christine; Lederer, Ashley

2016-06-09

Hospitals serve millions of meals and snacks each year; however, hospital food is often unhealthy. Hospitals are ideal settings for modeling healthy eating, but few programs have sought to improve nutrition in all venues where food is served. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene created the Healthy Hospital Food Initiative (HHFI) to improve the healthfulness of food served in hospitals. The HHFI built on prior work implementing mandatory nutrition standards for patient meals and vending in public hospitals. Public hospitals joined the HHFI by voluntarily adopting standards for cafeterias and cafés. Private hospitals joined by implementing nutrition standards for patient meals, food and beverage vending machines, and cafeterias and cafés. Hospitals were recruited from 2010 through 2014 and provided technical assistance from health department staff. Implementation in each of the 4 areas was monitored through on-site assessments and menu review. Twenty-eight hospital cafeterias and cafés were evaluated at baseline and at the end of the HHFI to assess changes. Sixteen public hospitals and 24 private hospitals joined the HHFI. Most (n = 18) private hospitals implemented standards in at least 2 areas. In cafeterias, most hospitals introduced a healthy value meal (n = 19), removed unhealthy items from the entrance and checkout (n = 18), increased whole grains to at least half of all grains served (n = 17), and reduced calories in pastries and desserts (n = 15). Most New York City hospitals joined the HHFI and voluntarily adopted rigorous nutrition standards. Partnerships between hospitals and local government are feasible and can lead to significant improvements in hospital food environments.

Standardization of diagnostic PCR for the detection of foodborne pathogens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Malorny, B.; Tassios, P.T.; Radstrom, P.

2003-01-01

In vitro amplification of nucleic acids using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has become, since its discovery in the 1980s, a powerful diagnostic tool for the analysis of microbial infections as well as for the analysis of microorganisms in food samples. However, despite its potential, PCR has...... neither gained wide acceptance in routine diagnostics nor been widely incorporated in standardized methods. Lack of validation and standard protocols, as well as variable quality of reagents and equipment, influence the efficient dissemination of PCR methodology from expert research laboratories to end......-user laboratories. Moreover, the food industry understandably requires and expects officially approved standards. Recognizing this, in 1999, the European Commission approved the research project, FOOD-PCR (http://www.PCR.dk), which aims to validate and standardize the use of diagnostic PCR for the detection...

Risk management for food and beverage industry using Australia/New Zealand 4360 Standard

Science.gov (United States)

Kristina, S.; Wijaya, B. M.

2017-12-01

This research aims to identifying, measuring and establishing risk in food and beverage industry. The risk management is implemented by referring to Australia/New Zealand 4360 Standard which has four phases such as problem formulation, risk analysis, risk characterization, and risk management. The implementation of risk management is done by case study at Back Alley Café. Based on the risk identification result, there are 59 risks were found in Back Alley Café. The risk identification is conducted based on observation and interview with the café manager who understand the condition of Back Alley Café properly. Based on the assessment of impact and probability, the risk mapping produced four risks at extreme level, 16 risks at high level, 24 risks at medium level, and 18 risks at low level. The strategy was designed as the risk mitigation after the risk mapping for the extreme and high level. The strategy which is given as the prevention or treatment of risk in Back Alley Café is divided into three. There are reducing the risk, sharing the risk and accepting the risk. The strategy is then implemented for each relevant activities.

International document on food irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-06-01

This international document highlights the major issues related to the acceptance of irradiated food by consumers, governmental and intergovernmental activities, the control of the process, and trade. The conference recognized that: Food irradiation has the potential to reduce the incidence of foodborne diseases. It can reduce post-harvest food losses and make available a larger quantity and a wider variety of foodstuffs for consumers. Regulatory control by competent authorities is a necessary prerequisite for introduction of the process. International trade in irradiated foods would be facilitated by harmonization of national procedures based on internationally recognized standards for the control of food irradiation. Acceptance of irradiated food by the consumer is a vital factor in the successful commercialization of the irradiation process, and information dissemination can contribute to this acceptance

International status of food irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diehl, J.F.

1983-01-01

Radiation processing of foods has been studied for over 30 years. To a considerable extent this research was carried out in the framework of various international projects. After optimistic beginnings in the 1950s and long delays, caused by uncertainty about the health safety of foods so treated, food irradiation has now reached the stage of practical application in several countries. In order to prepare the way for world-wide accceptance of the new process, the Codex Alimentarius Commission has accepted an 'International General Standard for Irradiated Foods' and an 'International Code of Practice for the Operation of Irradiation Facilities Used for the Treatment of Foods'. Psychological barriers to a process associated with the word 'radiation' are still formidable; it appears, however, that acceptance by authorities, food industry and consumers continues to grow

Regulations in the field of food irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-02-01

The material available for this review, as well as the Guidelines for Preparing Regulations for the Control of Food Irradiation Facilities adopted by ICGFI, the international Conference Document on the Acceptance, Control of and Trade in Irradiated Food, the draft European Economic Community Directive and the Codex General Standard and Code of Practice on food irradiation suggest that the following aspects may be subject to regulation: Food irradiation licensing, radiation safety, food hygiene, package labelling, inspection, certification for commercial purposes. The purpose of this review is to provide Member States with the information necessary for and special to the control of food processing by irradiation, so as to enable them to ensure that they have or they can adopt effective regulations governing all aspects of trade in irradiated food. Three countries have introduced in their food laws special provisions to regulate the processing of food by radiation. Twenty-three countries have issued such special regulations under the existing statutory authority of one of the executive branches: Seven countries either by reference or by incorporation in whole or in part in their regulations, gave recognition to the Codex Standard and Code of Practice. The absence of such specific recognition should not be interpreted, however, to mean that those countries have not accepted the Codex recommendations. Many provisions seem to have taken the Codex recommendations as a guide. 16 refs

Trends in radiopreservation of foods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lohajova, L.; Stanicova, J.

2004-01-01

Radiopreservation of food is a technological process which is ensuring quality and durability of food. Food materials are irradiated by ionising radiation to reduce biological activity in foodstuffs. From this point of view, application of food irradiation is equivalent process to the other technological procedures ensuring good quality of food such as sterilisation by low or high temperature and chemicals factors. Although the sterilisation by ionising radiation has been limited by controversial effects in general, irradiated technologies of more than 40 products were accepted in several countries. Radiopreservation of food is spread mainly in the U.S.A. where ionizing radiation is even using for enhancement of several visual factors of food for instance the color. The countries of European Union accepted similar standards for radiopreservation of food and ingredients. They determined the kind of food materials, the convenient doses of irradiation and other conditions at ionizing radiation using for food preservation. Number of food is limited by toxicological aspects and unknown behaviour of radiation within food material (e.g. secondary radiation). For this reason, it is necessary to study the effects of food irradiation and find out its mediate influence on human organism. (authors)

The validation of a method for determining the migration of trace elements from food packaging materials into food

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, D.; Parry, S.J.; Benzing, R.

1997-01-01

A new radiotracer method has been developed to measure the migration of trace elements from food contact packaging into four standard food simulants; acetic acid, ethanol, olive oil, deionised water. A sample of material is irradiated in a thermal neutron flux of 10 16 n x m -2 x s -1 to activate the trace elements and produce a range of radionuclides. The samples is then placed in the food simulant and the migration of the radionuclides is monitored by performing γ-ray spectrometry on a sample of the simulant. Any radionuclides measured must be due entirely to the migration of the elements present in the plastic, since the simulant itself is not radioactive. Preliminary studies have shown that detection limits of around 0.2 μg x dm -2 (0.002 mg/kg) can be achieved for antimony in a sample of polyethylene terephthalate. This method can now been extended to measure migration into real foods. This will highlight any differences between the standard simulants currently used and real foods. Since the method only involves irradiation of the packaging material any food matrix can be studied. (author)

Nutrient composition of premixed and packaged complementary foods for sale in low- and middle-income countries: Lack of standards threatens infant growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Masters, William A; Nene, Marc D; Bell, Winnie

2017-10-01

Premixed flours for infant porridge are increasingly produced and sold in developing countries to complement continued breastfeeding. Such complementary food (CF) products have known efficacy against malnutrition in children from 6 to 24 months of age, but ingredient ratios and production processes may vary. This study provides the first systematic measurement of their actual nutrient composition. We purchased samples of 108 premixed CF products in 22 low- and middle-income countries, and commissioned blind laboratory measurement of each product's macronutrients and micronutrients. We compared measured contents to nutrient claims on their packaging and to CF standards from the Codex Alimentarius, the Super Cereal Plus product used in nutrition assistance programs, and the Lutter and Dewey (2003) recommendations, as well as our own modeled nutrient requirements for a healthy breastfed child. Actual densities are significantly different from nutrient claims for protein (p = .013) and fat (p = .000). Only 15% of samples met two of the three benchmarks for fat, 32% met the most stringent protein standard, while only 22% met them for iron, and 21% for zinc. The median healthy child consuming breast milk plus enough of these solid foods to meet energy needs would experience deficits of zinc at 6 months, iron at 6 and 9 months, and dietary fat from 12 months of age. In summary, premixed CF products can provide adequate nutrient density but usually do not, revealing the need and opportunity for independent monitoring and quality assurance to help grain millers making premixed foods maintain uniform ingredient ratios and production practices. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Household food insecurity and food expenditure in Bolivia, Burkina Faso, And the Philippines.

Science.gov (United States)

Melgar-Quinonez, Hugo R; Zubieta, Ana C; MkNelly, Barbara; Nteziyaremye, Anastase; Gerardo, Maria Filipinas D; Dunford, Christopher

2006-05-01

This study examined the association between food insecurity, determined by a modified version of the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module (US HFSSM), and total daily per capita (DPC) consumption (measured as household expenditures) in Bolivia, Burkina Faso, and the Philippines. Household food insecurity was determined by an adapted 9-item US HFSSM version. A short version of the World Bank's Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) consumption module measured household expenditures. Focus groups were used to adapt the survey instrument to each local context. The sample (n approximately 330 per country) includes residents of urban and rural areas. A 12-month food expenditure aggregate was generated as part of the total household expenditures calculation. DPC food expenditure, which represented over 60% of the total household consumption, as well as expenditures on specific food groups correlated with food insecurity both as a continuous Food Insecurity Score (FinSS) and a tricategorical food insecurity status variable. ANOVA and regression analysis were executed adjusting for social and demographic covariates. Food-secure households have significantly higher (P insecure households. The results offer evidence that the US HFSSM is able to discriminate between households at different levels of food insecurity status in diverse developing world settings.

[Physiological and biochemical effects of intermittent fasting combined with hunger-resistant food on mice].

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Xiao-Dong; Hua, Wei-Guo; Chu, Wei-Zhong; Xu, Feng; Wang, Yu-Ying; Chen, Hui-Ju

2006-11-01

To observe the physiological and biochemical effects of intermittent fasting combined with hunger-resistant food on mice, and to evaluate the safety and beneficial effects of this regimen. One hundred and forty-four adult ICR mice were divided into 4 groups: standard feed AL group (ad libitum intake of standard feed), hunger-resistant food AL group (ad libitum intake of hunger-resistant food), standard feed IF group (feeding standard feed and fasting on alternate days), and hunger-resistant food IF group (feeding hunger-resistant food and fasting on alternate days). The experiment lasted for 4-8 weeks and all mice drank water freely. The quality of life, body weight, fasting blood glucose, serum lipid, blood routine test, liver and kidney functions as well as the viscera indexes were examined. Compared to the standard feed AL group, the caloric taking and the increment of body-weight were reduced (Pfasting blood glucose were reduced in standard feed IF group and hunger-resistant food IF group (Pintermittent fasting combined with hunger-resistant food is safe and beneficial to metabolic regulation, such as controlling body-weight and adjusting blood glucose and serum lipid. It is expected that development of this regimen will be helpful to the control of obesity and diabetes, etc.

Perception in Chinese VS Reason in British food culture

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

何姗; 张佳佳

2013-01-01

In some condition, food culture is considered as the most important way to improve their living standard. Because food is the fundamental of every human activity, food has been carved into the culture area. The study of food culture is a per-fect key to open the door of cross cultural understanding.

Food glowing with freshness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Desautels, L.

1984-01-01

Irradiation is gaining ground as a food preservation technique in Canada. Some fears remain among members of the public about the safety of irradiated foods, but government standards are being met. Two radiation sources can be used in food irradiation: gamma radiation from a cobalt 60 source, or electrons from an accelerator. The radiation affects the DNA of cells within food such as potatoes, preventing sprouting. It also causes changes within lipids, producing an undesirable rancid flavour. As a result, radiation processing is used primarily on fruits, vegetables, cereals and lean meats. The dose required for preservation is around 0.3 kGy, but higher doses are required for sterilization: 1 to 10 kGy, or even as high as 50 kGy for complete sterilization

Testing the Capacity of a Multi-Nutrient Profiling System to Guide Food and Beverage Reformulation: Results from Five National Food Composition Databases.

Science.gov (United States)

Combet, Emilie; Vlassopoulos, Antonis; Mölenberg, Famke; Gressier, Mathilde; Privet, Lisa; Wratten, Craig; Sharif, Sahar; Vieux, Florent; Lehmann, Undine; Masset, Gabriel

2017-04-21

Nutrient profiling ranks foods based on their nutrient composition, with applications in multiple aspects of food policy. We tested the capacity of a category-specific model developed for product reformulation to improve the average nutrient content of foods, using five national food composition datasets (UK, US, China, Brazil, France). Products ( n = 7183) were split into 35 categories based on the Nestlé Nutritional Profiling Systems (NNPS) and were then classified as NNPS 'Pass' if all nutrient targets were met (energy (E), total fat (TF), saturated fat (SFA), sodium (Na), added sugars (AS), protein, calcium). In a modelling scenario, all NNPS Fail products were 'reformulated' to meet NNPS standards. Overall, a third (36%) of all products achieved the NNPS standard/pass (inter-country and inter-category range: 32%-40%; 5%-72%, respectively), with most products requiring reformulation in two or more nutrients. The most common nutrients to require reformulation were SFA (22%-44%) and TF (23%-42%). Modelled compliance with NNPS standards could reduce the average content of SFA, Na and AS (10%, 8% and 6%, respectively) at the food supply level. Despite the good potential to stimulate reformulation across the five countries, the study highlights the need for better data quality and granularity of food composition databases.

STATE-MANDATED FOOD SAFETY CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR RESTAURANTS: A 2002 REVIEW OF STATES

OpenAIRE

Schilling, Brian J.; O'Connor, Jack; Hendrickson, Veronica

2003-01-01

The Food and Drug Administration publishes a Standard Food Code which individual states either ratify, or amend and ratify, as the State Food Code. New Jersey has not adopted any revisions to the FDA Standard Food Code since 1993. Currently, the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services is considering the implementation of a mandatory food safety certification program for all of the state's foodservice establishments beginning in April 2003. Foodservice businesses serving "high risk...

The FDA Food Safety and Modernization Act and the Exemption for Small Firms

OpenAIRE

Pouliot, Sebastien

2011-01-01

The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010 is new legislation that mandates, among other things, new food safety standards. The act includes a clause that exempts small firms from new regulatory requirements. This paper investigates the effects of a small firm exemption from more stringent food safety standards. The model compares food safety, total output and the number of market participants for different food safety regulation with and without an exemption for small firms. The numerical...

An Intervention to Increase Availability of Healthy Foods and Beverages in New York City Hospitals: The Healthy Hospital Food Initiative, 2010–2014

Science.gov (United States)

Krepp, Erica M.; Johnson Curtis, Christine; Lederer, Ashley

2016-01-01

Background Hospitals serve millions of meals and snacks each year; however, hospital food is often unhealthy. Hospitals are ideal settings for modeling healthy eating, but few programs have sought to improve nutrition in all venues where food is served. Community Context The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene created the Healthy Hospital Food Initiative (HHFI) to improve the healthfulness of food served in hospitals. The HHFI built on prior work implementing mandatory nutrition standards for patient meals and vending in public hospitals. Public hospitals joined the HHFI by voluntarily adopting standards for cafeterias and cafés. Private hospitals joined by implementing nutrition standards for patient meals, food and beverage vending machines, and cafeterias and cafés. Methods Hospitals were recruited from 2010 through 2014 and provided technical assistance from health department staff. Implementation in each of the 4 areas was monitored through on-site assessments and menu review. Twenty-eight hospital cafeterias and cafés were evaluated at baseline and at the end of the HHFI to assess changes. Outcome Sixteen public hospitals and 24 private hospitals joined the HHFI. Most (n = 18) private hospitals implemented standards in at least 2 areas. In cafeterias, most hospitals introduced a healthy value meal (n = 19), removed unhealthy items from the entrance and checkout (n = 18), increased whole grains to at least half of all grains served (n = 17), and reduced calories in pastries and desserts (n = 15). Interpretation Most New York City hospitals joined the HHFI and voluntarily adopted rigorous nutrition standards. Partnerships between hospitals and local government are feasible and can lead to significant improvements in hospital food environments. PMID:27281392

Context Is Everything: Harmonization of Critical Food Microbiology Descriptors and Metadata for Improved Food Safety and Surveillance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emma Griffiths

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Globalization of food networks increases opportunities for the spread of foodborne pathogens beyond borders and jurisdictions. High resolution whole-genome sequencing (WGS subtyping of pathogens promises to vastly improve our ability to track and control foodborne disease, but to do so it must be combined with epidemiological, clinical, laboratory and other health care data (called “contextual data” to be meaningfully interpreted for regulatory and health interventions, outbreak investigation, and risk assessment. However, current multi-jurisdictional pathogen surveillance and investigation efforts are complicated by time-consuming data re-entry, curation and integration of contextual information owing to a lack of interoperable standards and inconsistent reporting. A solution to these challenges is the use of ‘ontologies’ - hierarchies of well-defined and standardized vocabularies interconnected by logical relationships. Terms are specified by universal IDs enabling integration into highly regulated areas and multi-sector sharing (e.g., food and water microbiology with the veterinary sector. Institution-specific terms can be mapped to a given standard at different levels of granularity, maximizing comparability of contextual information according to jurisdictional policies. Fit-for-purpose ontologies provide contextual information with the auditability required for food safety laboratory accreditation. Our research efforts include the development of a Genomic Epidemiology Ontology (GenEpiO, and Food Ontology (FoodOn that harmonize important laboratory, clinical and epidemiological data fields, as well as existing food resources. These efforts are supported by a global consortium of researchers and stakeholders worldwide. Since foodborne diseases do not respect international borders, uptake of such vocabularies will be crucial for multi-jurisdictional interpretation of WGS results and data sharing.

[Analysis of heavy metals monitoring results in food in Shaoxing in 2014].

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Wei; Wang, Jing; Wu, Hongmiao; Lian, Lingjun; Du, Sai; Chen, Li

2015-11-01

To investigate heavy metals contamination level in food in Shaoxing, and to provide basis evidence for supervising heavy metals pollution in food and environmental pollution control in Shaoxing. Food samples in 2014 were detected for lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, nickel, copper and chromium by national standard methods, and the results were evaluated by GB 2762-2012 Pollutants limits in food. 1384 samples from 10 food categories were collected and tested for lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic, the over standard rates were 2.0%, 3.0%, 1.5% and 0.22%, respectively, the median were 0.019, 0.0085, 0.0024 and 0.015 mg/kg, respectively; 273 samples were collected and tested for nickel, the detection rate was 48.4%, the median was 0.010 mg/kg; 255 samples were collected and tested for chromium, the detection rate was 14.9%, the median was 0.0050 mg/kg; 486 samples were collected and tested for copper, the detection rate was 94.0%, the median was 1.34 mg/kg. The heavy metals over standard rate of aquatic products, animal internal organs and grain were relatively high, 16.9%, 7.9% and 7.3% cadmium in swimming crabs exceeded standard seriously, the over standard rate was 38.9%. The overall pollution of heavy metals in food are not high in Shaoxing in 2014, but some food (aquatic products, animal internal organs and grain) pollution are relatively outstanding, and have the over standard problems of lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic.

[Research progress on food sources and food web structure of wetlands based on stable isotopes].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhan Yan; Wu, Hai Tao; Wang, Yun Biao; Lyu, Xian Guo

2017-07-18

The trophic dynamics of wetland organisms is the basis of assessing wetland structure and function. Stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen have been widely applied to identify trophic relationships in food source, food composition and food web transport in wetland ecosystem studies. This paper provided an overall review about the current methodology of isotope mixing model and trophic level in wetland ecosystems, and discussed the standards of trophic fractionation and baseline. Moreover, we characterized the typical food sources and isotopic compositions of wetland ecosystems, summarized the food sources in different trophic levels of herbivores, omnivores and carnivores based on stable isotopic analyses. We also discussed the limitations of stable isotopes in tra-cing food sources and in constructing food webs. Based on the current results, development trends and upcoming requirements, future studies should focus on sample treatment, conservation and trophic enrichment measurement in the wetland food web, as well as on combing a variety of methodologies including traditional stomach stuffing, molecular markers, and multiple isotopes.

Methodology for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's radionuclides in foods program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baratta, E.J.

1998-01-01

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for the wholesomeness of the nation's food supply. The FDA modified its food monitoring program in January, 1973, to include radioactive isotopes. The methodology used to perform analyses on these food products are taken from the standard setting societies such as the AOAC International, American Society for Testing Materials and American Public Health Association Standard Methods. In addition, methods not tested by these societies are taken from the literature or from Department of Energy manuals such as the Health and Safety Laboratory and also from Environmental Protection Agency, Public Health Service, and Food and Agricultural Organization manuals. These include the methods for long-lived radionuclides such as tritium, strontium-90, cesium-137 and plutonium. Also, the short-lived radionuclides such as iodine-131, radiocesium, radiocerium and radioruthenium. In addition, they include the natural occurring radionuclides such as radium and uranium isotopes. The activity concentrations of gamma-emitters such as radiocesium, iodine-131 and radioruthenium are determined by gamma-ray spectrometry. This is done using intrinsic germanium detectors with the appropriate hardware and software. The alpha and 'pure' beta-emitters are determined by various radiochemical methods and techniques. The radiochemical methodology and equipment used in analyzing these radionuclides are described and discussed. Also, the methodology and equipment for the gamma-emitters are described in more detail in this paper. In addition, the limits of detection for the methods used will be discussed. (author)

Deprivation selectively modulates brain potentials to food pictures

OpenAIRE

Stockburger, Jessica; Weike, Almut I.; Hamm, Alfons O.; Schupp, Harald Thomas

2008-01-01

Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were used to examine whether the processing of food pictures is selectively modulated by changes in the motivational state of the observer. Sixteen healthy male volunteers were tested twice 1 week apart, either after 24 hr of food deprivation or after normal food intake. ERPs were measured while participants viewed appetitive food pictures as well as standard emotional and neutral control pictures. Results show that the ERPs to food pictures in a hungry, ...

Investigating How to Align Schools' Marketing Environments with Federal Standards for Competitive Foods

Science.gov (United States)

Polacsek, Michele; O'Brien, Liam M.; Pratt, Elizabeth; Whatley-Blum, Janet; Adler, Sabrina

2017-01-01

Background: Limiting food and beverage marketing to children is a promising approach to influence children's nutrition behavior. School-based marketing influences nutrition behavior and studies have consistently found marketing for nonnutritious foods and beverages in schools. No studies have examined the resources necessary to align school…

A monitor for consumer confidence in the safety of food

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jonge, de J.

2008-01-01

Despite the fact that in the developed countries food safety standards are higher than ever, food safety incidents continue to occur frequently. The accumulation of food safety incidents might affect general consumer confidence in the safety of food. Therefore, in this thesis, the concept of general

Criteria for Radionuclide Activity Concentrations for Food and Drinking Water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-04-01

Requirements for the protection of people from the harmful consequences of exposure to ionizing radiation, for the safety of radiation sources and for the protection of the environment are established in IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 3, Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards. GSR Part 3 requires that the regulatory body or other relevant authority establish specific reference levels for exposure due to radionuclides in commodities, including food and drinking water. The reference level is based on an annual effective dose to the representative person that generally does not exceed a value of about 1 mSv. International standards have been developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) Codex Alimentarius Commission for levels of radionuclides contained in food traded internationally that contains, or could potentially contain, radioactive substances as a consequence of a nuclear or radiological emergency. International standards have also been developed by the WHO for radionuclides contained in drinking water, other than in a nuclear or radiological emergency. These international standards provide guidance and criteria in terms of levels of individual radiation dose, levels of activity concentration of specific radionuclides, or both. The criteria derived in terms of levels of activity concentration in the various international standards differ owing to a number of factors and assumptions underlying the common objective of protecting public health in different circumstances. This publication considers the various international standards to be applied at the national level for the assessment of levels of radionuclides in food and in drinking water in different circumstances for the purposes of control, other than in a nuclear or radiological emergency. It collates and provides an overview of the different criteria used in assessing and

Food irradiation receives international acceptance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beddoes, J M [Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Ottawa, Ontario. Commercial Products

1982-04-01

Irradiation has advantages as a method of preserving food, especially in the Third World. The author tabulates some examples of actual use of food irradiation with dates and tonnages, and tells the story of the gradual acceptance of food irradiation by the World Health Organization, other international bodies, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA). At present, the joint IAEA/FAO/WHO standard permits an energy level of up to 5 MeV for gamma rays, well above the 1.3 MeV energy level of /sup 60/Co. The USFDA permits irradiation of any food up to 10 krad, and minor constituents of a diet may be irradiated up to 5 Mrad. The final hurdle to be cleared, that of economic acceptance, depends on convincing the food processing industry that the process is technically and economically efficient.

Food irradiation receives international acceptance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beddoes, J.M.

1982-01-01

Irradition has advantages as a method of preserving food, especially in the Third World. The author tabulates some examples of actual use of food irradiation with dates and tonnages, and tells the story of the gradual acceptance of food irradiation by the World Health Organization, other international bodies, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA). At present, the joint IAEA/FAO/WHO standard permits an energy level of up to 5 MeV for gamma rays, well above the 1.3 MeV energy level of 60 Co. The USFDA permits irradiation of any food up to 10 krad, and minor constituents of a diet may be irradiated up to 5 Mrad. The final hurdle to be cleared, that of economic acceptance, depends on convincing the food processing industry that the process is technically and economically efficient

21 CFR 120.6 - Sanitation standard operating procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Sanitation standard operating procedures. 120.6... Provisions § 120.6 Sanitation standard operating procedures. (a) Sanitation controls. Each processor shall have and implement a sanitation standard operating procedure (SSOP) that addresses sanitation...

Benchmarking Global Food Safety Performances: The Era of Risk Intelligence.

Science.gov (United States)

Valleé, Jean-Charles Le; Charlebois, Sylvain

2015-10-01

Food safety data segmentation and limitations hamper the world's ability to select, build up, monitor, and evaluate food safety performance. Currently, there is no metric that captures the entire food safety system, and performance data are not collected strategically on a global scale. Therefore, food safety benchmarking is essential not only to help monitor ongoing performance but also to inform continued food safety system design, adoption, and implementation toward more efficient and effective food safety preparedness, responsiveness, and accountability. This comparative study identifies and evaluates common elements among global food safety systems. It provides an overall world ranking of food safety performance for 17 Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) countries, illustrated by 10 indicators organized across three food safety risk governance domains: risk assessment (chemical risks, microbial risks, and national reporting on food consumption), risk management (national food safety capacities, food recalls, food traceability, and radionuclides standards), and risk communication (allergenic risks, labeling, and public trust). Results show all countries have very high food safety standards, but Canada and Ireland, followed by France, earned excellent grades relative to their peers. However, any subsequent global ranking study should consider the development of survey instruments to gather adequate and comparable national evidence on food safety.

Perceived and geographic food access and food security status among households with children.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Xiaoguang; Liese, Angela D; Bell, Bethany A; Martini, Lauren; Hibbert, James; Draper, Carrie; Burke, Michael P; Jones, Sonya J

2016-10-01

To examine the association of both perceived and geographic neighbourhood food access with food security status among households with children. This was a cross-sectional study in which participants' perceptions of neighbourhood food access were assessed by a standard survey instrument, and geographic food access was evaluated by distance to the nearest supermarket. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine the associations. The Midlands Family Study included 544 households with children in eight counties in South Carolina, USA. Food security status among participants was classified into three categories: food secure (FS), food insecure (FI) and very low food security among children (VLFS-C). Compared with FS households, VLFS-C households had lower odds of reporting easy access to adequate food shopping. VLFS-C households also had lower odds of reporting neighbourhood access to affordable fruits and vegetables compared with FS households and reported worse selection of fruits and vegetables, quality of fruits and vegetables, and selection of low-fat products. FI households had lower odds of reporting fewer opportunities to purchase fast food. None of the geographic access measures was significantly associated with food security status. Caregivers with children who experienced hunger perceived that they had less access to healthy affordable food in their community, even though grocery stores were present. Approaches to improve perceived access to healthy affordable food should be considered as part of the overall approach to improving food security and eliminating child hunger.

Perceived and Geographic Food Access and Food Security Status among Households with Children

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Xiaoguang; Liese, Angela D.; Bell, Bethany; Martini, Lauren; Hibbert, James; Draper, Carrie; Jones, Sonya J.

2017-01-01

Objective To examine the association of both perceived and geographic neighborhood food access with food security status among households with children. Design This was a cross-sectional study in which participants’ perceptions of neighborhood food access were assessed by a standard survey instrument, and geographic food access was evaluated by distance to the nearest supermarket. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine the associations. Subjects The Midlands Family Study included 544 households with children in eight counties in South Carolina. Food security status among participants was classified into three categories: food secure (FS), food insecure (FI) and very low food security among children (VLFS-C). Results Compared to FS households, VLFS-C households had lower odds of reporting easy access to adequate food shopping. VLFS-C households also had lower odds of reporting neighborhood access to affordable fruits and vegetables compared to FS households and reported worse selection of fruits and vegetables, quality of fruits and vegetables and selection of low-fat products. FI households had lower odds of reporting fewer opportunities to purchase fast food. None of the geographic access measures was significantly associated with food security status. Conclusions Caregivers with children that experienced hunger perceived that they had less access to healthy affordably food in their community, even though grocery stores were present. Approaches to improve perceived access to healthy affordable food should be considered as part of the overall approach to improving food security and eliminating child hunger. PMID:27133939

What’s in Children’s Backpacks: Foods Brought from Home

Science.gov (United States)

Must, Aviva; Eliasziw, Misha; Folta, Sara C.; Goldberg, Jeanne

2014-01-01

Forty-one percent of elementary schoolchildren bring lunch to school on any given day. Fortyfive percent bring snacks. Surprisingly, little is known about the foods and beverages they bring. The present cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the GREEN Project Lunch Box Study sought to: (1) characterize foods and beverages brought from home to school by elementary schoolchildren, and (2) compare the quality of packed lunches to National School Lunch Program (NSLP) standards and packed snacks to Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) requirements. Lunches and snacks from 626 elementary schoolchildren were assessed and evaluated using digital photography and a supplemental food checklist. Food and beverage types most likely to be provided for lunch were sandwiches (59%), snackfoods (42%), fruit (34%), desserts (28%), water (28%) and sugar-sweetened beverages (24%). Twenty-seven percent of lunches met at least three of five NSLP standards. At snack, snackfoods (62%), desserts (35%) and sugar-sweetened beverages (35%) were more common than fruits (30%), dairy foods (10%), and vegetables (3%). Only 4% of snacks met two of four CACFP standards. Future research is needed to understand the multiple determinants of food packing behavior, including constraints faced by families. School wellness policies should consider initiatives that work collaboratively with parents to improve the quality of foods brought from home. PMID:25037557

Economics of food safety in chains: a review of general principles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Valeeva, N.I.; Meuwissen, M.P.M.; Huirne, R.B.M.

2004-01-01

The increased demand for safer food has resulted in the development and introduction of new food safety standards and regulations to reach a higher level of food safety. An integrated approach of controlling food safety throughout the entire food chain (`farm to table`) has become an important issue

Food hygiene on the wards.

Science.gov (United States)

Steuer, Walter

2007-09-13

A PROBLEM THAT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED OR SIMPLY NOT GIVEN ENOUGH ATTENTION: the food served to patients from the kitchen is not sterile. If food is allowed to stand at room temperature for a long time, both in the case of food cooked for lunch and of food intended for supper which has been previously chilled, there is the possibility of massive spore germination or of dangerous toxin formation. Therefore regulations on how to handle food and beverages (e.g. tea) must be set out in the infection control policy, and checks carried out to monitor compliance with the rules relating to temperature checks, duration and type of storage, need for reheating, etc. Making staff aware of the issues involved is of paramount importance. These include monitoring hygiene standards in the ward kitchen, formulation of a cleaning policy, periodic bacteriological checks (not only of workstations but also of the dishwasher results), whenever possible the use of disposable cloths for working surfaces and equipment, changing cleaning cloths at least once daily and hygienic hand disinfection before and after handing out food. Foodstuffs brought in by visitors represent a special hygienic and organizational problem because in many cases they already have a high baseline microbial count. Visitors must be made aware that, for example, slices of cake left in the patient's room and often eaten only hours later can pose a risk of infection.In summary, the following principles of food hygiene must be observed on the wards:Maintenance of the cold-hot chainNot only reheat food, but ensure it is well heated throughout Avoid situations giving rise to spore germination in foodstuffs brought in by visitorsCleanliness and minimal contamination of kitchen worktopsCleanliness of crockery and kitchen towels Do not allow food to stand at room temperature for a long time, in particular desserts and confectionery A standard policy must be enforced to define the hygienic status and organization for food

Food parenting and child snacking: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Blaine, Rachel E; Kachurak, Alexandria; Davison, Kirsten K; Klabunde, Rachel; Fisher, Jennifer Orlet

2017-11-03

While the role of parenting in children's eating behaviors has been studied extensively, less attention has been given to its potential association with children's snacking habits. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review to describe associations between food parenting and child snacking, or consuming energy dense foods/foods in between meals. Six electronic databases were searched using standardized language to identify quantitative studies describing associations of general and feeding-specific parenting styles as well as food parenting practices with snacking behaviors of children aged 2-18 years. Eligible peer-reviewed journal articles published between 1980 and 2017 were included. Data were extracted using a standard protocol by three coders; all items were double coded to ensure consistency. Forty-seven studies met inclusion criteria. Few studies focused on general feeding (n = 3) or parenting styles (n = 10). Most studies focused on controlling food parenting practices (n = 39) that were not specific to snacking. Parental restriction of food was positively associated with child snack intake in 13/23 studies, while pressure to eat and monitoring yielded inconsistent results. Home availability of unhealthy foods was positively associated with snack intake in 10/11 studies. Findings related to positive parent behaviors (e.g. role modeling) were limited and yielded mixed results (n = 9). Snacking was often assessed using food frequency items and defined post-hoc based on nutritional characteristics (e.g. energy-dense, sugary foods, unhealthy, etc.). Timing was rarely included in the definition of a snack (i.e. chips eaten between meals vs. with lunch). Restrictive feeding and home access to unhealthy foods were most consistently associated with snacking among young children. Research is needed to identify positive parenting behaviors around child snacking that may be used as targets for health promotion. Detailed definitions of snacking

Health foods and foods with health claims in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohama, Hirobumi; Ikeda, Hideko; Moriyama, Hiroyoshi

2006-01-01

The terms 'nutraceuticals' and 'dietary or food supplements' are not very popular in Japan as compared to most of other countries. However, the concept of 'functional foods', which benefits the structure and function of the human body, is known as a result of research studies initiated on the health benefits of foods in 1984. The Ministry of Education organized a national research and development project to evaluate the functionalities of various foods. Researchers from diverse scientific fields succeeded to define new functions of food, successfully incorporating the previously recognized functions of nutrition, sensory/satisfaction and physiological effects of ingredients in foods. Some of the food manufacturers and distributors unfortunately capitalized on such food functionalities to promote 'health foods' by claiming drug-like effects and violating laws. In 1991, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MHW) now as the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) introduced a 'foods for specified health uses' (FOSHU) system, for the control of such exaggerated and misleading claims. The other reason for such enforcement is due to an increase in the population of elderly people and lifestyle-related diseases that include obesity, diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, cerebro- and cardiovascular diseases and cancer. In 2001, a new regulatory system, 'foods with health claims' (FHC) with a 'foods with nutrient function claims' (FNFC) system and newly established FOSHU was introduced. In addition, MHLW has changed the existing FOSHU, FNFC and other systems in 2005. Such changes include the new subsystems of FOSHU such as (1) standardized FOSHU (2) qualified FOSHU and (3) disease risk reduction claims for FOSHU. In the present chapter, two guidelines that require good manufacturing practice (GMP) and self-investigative systems for ensuring the safety of raw materials used for products in the dosage forms such as capsules, tablets, etc. have been discussed. Furthermore

Food Habits Database (FHDBS)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NEFSC Food Habits Database has two major sources of data. The first, and most extensive, is the standard NEFSC Bottom Trawl Surveys Program. During these...

Hydrolyzable tannin analysis in food.

Science.gov (United States)

Arapitsas, Panagiotis

2012-12-01

The discovery of plant polyphenols in food is perhaps one of the biggest breakthroughs in modern food science. Plant polyphenols are known for their role in food quality and safety, since they contribute significantly to taste, flavour, colour, stability etc., while they are increasingly recognised as important factors in long-term health, contributing towards reducing the risk of chronic disease. Almost 200years ago, hydrolyzable tannins (HTs) were the first group of plant polyphenols subjected to analytical chemical research. Despite the lack of commercially available standards, food analysis research offers a wealth of papers dealing with extraction optimisation, identification and quantification of HTs. The object of this review is to summarise analytical chemistry applications and the tools currently used for the analysis of HTs in food. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Food-poisoning and commercial air travel.

Science.gov (United States)

McMullan, R; Edwards, P J; Kelly, M J; Millar, B C; Rooney, P J; Moore, J E

2007-09-01

With the introduction of budget airlines and greater competitiveness amongst all airlines, air travel has now become an extremely popular form of travel, presenting its own unique set of risks from food poisoning. Foodborne illness associated with air travel is quite uncommon in the modern era. However, when it occurs, it may have serious implications for passengers and when crew are affected, has the potential to threaten safety. Quality, safe, in-flight catering relies on high standards of food preparation and storage; this applies at the airport kitchens (or at subcontractors' facilities), on the aircraft and in the transportation vehicles which carry the food from the ground source to the aircraft. This is especially challenging in certain countries. Several foodborne outbreaks have been recorded by the airline industry as a result of a number of different failures of these systems. These have provided an opportunity to learn from past mistakes and current practice has, therefore, reached such a standard so as to minimise risk of failures of this kind. This review examines: (i) the origin of food safety in modern commercial aviation; (ii) outbreaks which have occurred previously relating to aviation travel; (iii) the microbiological quality of food and water on board commercial aircraft; and (iv) how Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points may be employed to maintain food safety in aviation travel.

Food retailer practices, attitudes and beliefs about the supply of healthy foods.

Science.gov (United States)

Andreyeva, Tatiana; Middleton, Ann E; Long, Michael W; Luedicke, Joerg; Schwartz, Marlene B

2011-06-01

Non-supermarket food retailers can be a promising channel for increasing the availability of healthy foods in underserved communities. The present paper reports on retailer practices, attitudes and beliefs about the supply of healthy foods before and after the introduction of new subsidies for healthy foods by the US Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in October 2009. We designed and conducted in-person standardized interviews with store owners and managers to assess perceptions of demand and profits for different foods, supply networks, barriers to stocking healthy foods and their changes following implementation of the new WIC packages. Non-supermarket retailers in five towns of Connecticut, USA (n 68 in 2009 and n 58 in 2010). Owners and managers of WIC-authorized and non-WIC convenience stores and non-chain grocery stores. Retailers identified customer demand as the primary factor in stocking decisions. They reported observing a significantly weaker demand for healthy foods compared with unhealthy foods, although it improved for certain foods with the new WIC subsidies. Less healthy foods were also perceived as more profitable. Supplier networks varied by product from convenient manufacturer delivery for salty snacks to self-supply for produce. WIC retailers were able to quickly adapt and supply healthy foods required under the new WIC programme guidelines. Retailers other than supermarkets currently perceive little demand for healthy foods, but new WIC subsidies have the power to change these perceptions. Supply barriers seem secondary in the limited offerings of healthy foods by stores and could be overcome when policy changes generate new demand for healthy foods.

NUTIRTION LABELLING OF FOOD AND ALLERGEN IN FOOD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jozef Golian

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The new regulation introduced mandatory nutrition labelling and ordering food manufacturers provide information on energy and six nutrients: fat, saturated fatty acids, carbohydrates, sugars, protein and salt - in that order, and per 100 g or 100 ml. This information should be included in the nutritional table in one visual field (usually on the back cover, moreover, can also be expressed on per serving. It is important to realize that this regulation requires manufacturers indicate the nutritional value in one field of vision, usually on the "back cover" designation in the principal field (e.g. "on the front cover" remains voluntary. Food allergy is a significant public health issue worldwide. Regulatory risk management strategies for allergic consumers have focused on providing information about the presence of food allergens through label declarations. A number of countries and regulatory bodies have recognized the importance of providing this information by enacting laws, regulations or standards for food allergen labelling of ‘‘priority allergens. Increasing volume of the international food trade suggests that there would be value in supporting sensitive consumers by harmonizing (to the extent possible these regulatory frameworks. As a first step toward this goal, an inventory of allergen labelling regulations was assembled and analyzed to identify commonalities, differences, and future needs.doi:10.5219/230

Testing the Capacity of a Multi-Nutrient Profiling System to Guide Food and Beverage Reformulation: Results from Five National Food Composition Databases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emilie Combet

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Nutrient profiling ranks foods based on their nutrient composition, with applications in multiple aspects of food policy. We tested the capacity of a category-specific model developed for product reformulation to improve the average nutrient content of foods, using five national food composition datasets (UK, US, China, Brazil, France. Products (n = 7183 were split into 35 categories based on the Nestlé Nutritional Profiling Systems (NNPS and were then classified as NNPS ‘Pass’ if all nutrient targets were met (energy (E, total fat (TF, saturated fat (SFA, sodium (Na, added sugars (AS, protein, calcium. In a modelling scenario, all NNPS Fail products were ‘reformulated’ to meet NNPS standards. Overall, a third (36% of all products achieved the NNPS standard/pass (inter-country and inter-category range: 32%–40%; 5%–72%, respectively, with most products requiring reformulation in two or more nutrients. The most common nutrients to require reformulation were SFA (22%–44% and TF (23%–42%. Modelled compliance with NNPS standards could reduce the average content of SFA, Na and AS (10%, 8% and 6%, respectively at the food supply level. Despite the good potential to stimulate reformulation across the five countries, the study highlights the need for better data quality and granularity of food composition databases.

Dosimetry standards for radiation processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrar, H. IV

1999-01-01

For irradiation treatments to be reproducible in the laboratory and then in the commercial environment, and for products to have certified absorbed doses, standardized dosimetry techniques are needed. This need is being satisfied by standards being developed by experts from around the world under the auspices of Subcommittee E10.01 of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). In the time period since it was formed in 1984, the subcommittee has grown to 150 members from 43 countries, representing a broad cross-section of industry, government and university interests. With cooperation from other international organizations, it has taken the combined part-time effort of all these people more than 13 years to complete 24 dosimetry standards. Four are specifically for food irradiation or agricultural applications, but the majority apply to all forms of gamma, x-ray, Bremsstrahlung and electron beam radiation processing, including dosimetry for sterilization of health care products and the radiation processing of fruits, vegetables, meats, spices, processed foods, plastics, inks, medical wastes and paper. An additional 6 standards are under development. Most of the standards provide exact procedures for using individual dosimetry systems or for characterizing various types of irradiation facilities, but one covers the selection and calibration of dosimetry systems, and another covers the treatment of uncertainties. Together, this set of standards covers essentially all aspects of dosimetry for radiation processing. The first 20 of these standards have been adopted in their present form by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO), and will be published by ISO in 1999. (author)

Can we define a tolerable level of risk in food allergy? Report from a EuroPrevall/UK Food Standards Agency workshop.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Madsen, C.B.; Hattersley, S.; Allen, K.J.; Beyer, K.; Chan, C.H.; Godefroy, S.B.; Hodgson, R.; Mills, E.N.; Munoz-Furlong, A.; Schnadt, S.; Ward, R.; Wickman, M.; Crevel, R. van

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND: There is an emerging consensus that, as with other risks in society, zero risk for food-allergic people is not a realistic or attainable option. Food allergy challenge data and new risk assessment methods offer the opportunity to develop quantitative limits for unintended allergenic

A feasibility analysis of replacing the standard ammonia refrigeration device with the cascade NH3/CO2 refrigeration device in the food industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jankovich Dennis

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The thermodynamic analysis demonstrates the feasibility of replacing the standard ammonia refrigeration device with the cascade NH3/CO2 refrigeration device in the food industry. The main reason for replacement is to reduce the total amount of ammonia in spaces like deep-freezing chambers, daily chambers, working rooms and technical passageways. An ammonia-contaminated area is hazardous to human health and the safety of food products. Therefore the preferred reduced amount of ammonia is accumulated in the Central Refrigeration Engine Room, where the cascade NH3/CO2 device is installed as well. Furthermore, the analysis discusses and compares two left Carnot¢s refrigeration cycles, one for the standard ammonia device and the other for the cascade NH3/CO2 device. Both cycles are processes with two-stage compression and two-stage throttling. The thermodynamic analysis demonstrates that the selected refrigeration cycle is the most cost-effective process because it provides the best numerical values for the total refrigeration factor with respect to the observed refrigeration cycle. The chief analyzed influential parameters of the cascade device are: total refrigeration load, total reactive power, mean temperature of the heat exchanger, evaporating and condensing temperature of the low-temperature part.

[Current issues regarding organic food].

Science.gov (United States)

Petrariu, F D; Gavăt, Viorica; Cozma, A G T

2005-01-01

Destruction and pollution of soil and ground water resources is probably the most important ecological problem facing the next generation. Checkable standards which certify healthy food products are required by the regulation on organic farming of the EU and should also be applied for conventional food production. Ecological food contains at least 95% of ingredients from an organic farming environment, without interference from pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or other chemicals and it is totally different from dietary, functional, enriched, fortified, probiotic food. Ecological food is tastier and contains more essential amino-acids, vitamin C, and micro-nutriments than usual food. Two major effects generated by choosing ecological food are the environmental protection and human' health improvement. Buying an ecological product represents the effect of a certain attitude. Children's nutrition starts with the most genuine ecological product: breast milk. Every parent should give to his child healthy and tasty food, for proper development. Decreasing artificial chemicals in the diet and the environment represents the first step to a healthier life.

Food Waste to Energy: An Overview of Sustainable Approaches for Food Waste Management and Nutrient Recycling.

Science.gov (United States)

Paritosh, Kunwar; Kushwaha, Sandeep K; Yadav, Monika; Pareek, Nidhi; Chawade, Aakash; Vivekanand, Vivekanand

2017-01-01

Food wastage and its accumulation are becoming a critical problem around the globe due to continuous increase of the world population. The exponential growth in food waste is imposing serious threats to our society like environmental pollution, health risk, and scarcity of dumping land. There is an urgent need to take appropriate measures to reduce food waste burden by adopting standard management practices. Currently, various kinds of approaches are investigated in waste food processing and management for societal benefits and applications. Anaerobic digestion approach has appeared as one of the most ecofriendly and promising solutions for food wastes management, energy, and nutrient production, which can contribute to world's ever-increasing energy requirements. Here, we have briefly described and explored the different aspects of anaerobic biodegrading approaches for food waste, effects of cosubstrates, effect of environmental factors, contribution of microbial population, and available computational resources for food waste management researches.

Advancements in internationally accepted standards for radiation processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrar, H. IV; Derr, D.D.; Vehar, D.W.

1993-01-01

Subcommittees of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) are developing standards on various aspects of radiation processing. Nine standards on how to select and calibrate dosimeters, where to put them, how many to use, and how to use individual types of dosimeter systems have been published. The group is also developing standards on how to use gamma, electron beam, and X-ray facilities for radiation processing, and a standard on how to treat dose uncertainties. Efforts are underway to promote inclusion of these standards into procedures now being developed by government agencies and by international groups such as the United Nations' International Consultative Group on Food Irradiation (ICGFI) in order to harmonize regulations and help avoid trade barriers. Standards on good irradiation practices for meat and poultry and for fresh fruits, and for the irradiation of seafood and spices have been developed. These food-related standards are based on practices previously published by ICGFI. Standards for determining doses for radiation hardness testing of electronics have been developed. Standards on the Fricke and TLD dosimetry systems are equally useful in other radiation processing applications. (Author)

Successes and Challenges in School Meal Reform: Qualitative Insights from Food Service Directors

Science.gov (United States)

Asada, Yuka; Ziemann, Margaret; Zatz, Lara; Chriqui, Jamie

2017-01-01

Background: The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA) directed the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to revise school meal standards to increase healthy food offerings. A critical stakeholder in the implementation of standards is Food Service Directors (FSDs). We sought to examine FSDs' perspectives on revised school meal standards to…

Regulation on trading of irradiated food in Latin America

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mastro, N.L. Del [IPEN-CNEN/ SP, Travessa R. No. 400, Cidade Universitaria 05508-900 SP, Caixa Postal 11049, Cep 05422-970, Sao Paulo (Brazil)

1997-12-31

The International Consultative Group on food Irradiation (ICGFI) was established in 1984 under the aegis of FAO, IAEA and WHO, following the adoption by the Codex Alimentarius Commission of the Codex General Standard for Irradiated foods and the Recommended International Code of Practice for the Operation of radiation Facilities for the treatment of food. Today, several countries from South America and the Caribbean have regular representatives in the ICGFI. Some of the countries also have regulations about food irradiation: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay. After a meeting in Peru in April 1997, Latin American countries agreed to attempt a harmonization of national laws according to an approved regional model regulation on irradiated food. The model legislation is based on the principles of the Codex General Standard for Irradiated Foods and Recommended Code of Practice for the Operation of Radiation Facilities Used for the Treatment of Foods, as well as on the relevant recommendations of the ICGFI. The model regulation establishes the authority, objectives, scope, definitions, general requirements, facilities, control procedures, documentation inspection, labeling and also provides and advisory technological dose limit by classes of food. (Author)

Regulation on trading of irradiated food in Latin America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mastro, N.L. Del

1997-01-01

The International Consultative Group on food Irradiation (ICGFI) was established in 1984 under the aegis of FAO, IAEA and WHO, following the adoption by the Codex Alimentarius Commission of the Codex General Standard for Irradiated foods and the Recommended International Code of Practice for the Operation of radiation Facilities for the treatment of food. Today, several countries from South America and the Caribbean have regular representatives in the ICGFI. Some of the countries also have regulations about food irradiation: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay. After a meeting in Peru in April 1997, Latin American countries agreed to attempt a harmonization of national laws according to an approved regional model regulation on irradiated food. The model legislation is based on the principles of the Codex General Standard for Irradiated Foods and Recommended Code of Practice for the Operation of Radiation Facilities Used for the Treatment of Foods, as well as on the relevant recommendations of the ICGFI. The model regulation establishes the authority, objectives, scope, definitions, general requirements, facilities, control procedures, documentation inspection, labeling and also provides and advisory technological dose limit by classes of food. (Author)

The impact of junk food marketing regulations on food sales: an ecological study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kovic, Y; Noel, J K; Ungemack, J A; Burleson, J A

2018-06-01

To evaluate the impact of junk food broadcast marketing policies on nationwide junk food sales and identify policy characteristics effective in reducing sales. Country policy data (n = 79) were categorized in a thorough literature review and analysed using a repeated measures design against data on food sales per capita. Study conducted in United States, 2017. Countries with junk food broadcast marketing policies saw a decrease in junk food sales per capita after implementation, while those without said policies saw an increase (p = 0.013). Countries with statutory policies saw a decrease in sales per capita, while those with only self-regulation saw an increase (p = 0.004). Audience restrictions (p = 0.024) and standardized nutrition criteria (p = 0.008) were policy characteristics significantly associated with a decrease in sales per capita. Utilizing a novel approach to evaluate junk food broadcast marketing policies, the study demonstrated that countries with statutory policies saw a significant decrease in junk food sales per capita not seen in countries with no or only self-regulatory policies. To effectively reduce exposure to child-targeted junk food marketing, governments should establish strong, comprehensive statutory regulations. Additionally, countries that implement junk food marketing policies can use food sales data to track policy effectiveness. © 2018 World Obesity Federation.

Food Irradiation. Standing legislation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verdejo S, M.

1997-01-01

The standing legislation in Mexico on food irradiation matter has its basis on the Constitutional Policy of the Mexican United States on the 4 Th. article by its refers to Secretary of Health, 27 Th. article to the Secretary of Energy and 123 Th. of the Secretary of Work and Social Security. The laws and regulations emanated of the proper Constitution establishing the general features which gives the normative frame to this activity. The general regulations of Radiological Safety expedited by the National Commission for Nuclear Safety and Safeguards to state the specifications which must be fulfill the industrial installations which utilizing ionizing radiations, between this line is founded, just as the requirements for the responsible of the radiological protection and the operation of these establishments. The project of Regulation of the General Health Law in matter of Sanitary Control of Benefits and Services, that in short time will be officialized, include a specific chapter on food irradiation which considers the International Organizations Recommendations and the pertaining harmonization stated for Latin America, which elaboration was in charge of specialized group where Mexico was participant. Additionally, the Secretary of Health has a Mexican Official Standard NOM-033-SSA1-1993 named 'Food irradiation; permissible doses in foods, raw materials and support additives' standing from the year 1995, where is established the associated requirements to the control registers, service constancies and dose limits for different groups of foods, moreover of the specific guidelines for its process. This standard will be adequate considering the updating Regulation of Benefits and Services and the limits established the Regulation for Latin America. The associated laws that cover in general terms it would be the requirements for food irradiation although such term is not manageable. (Author)

Non-Cooperative Air Target Identification Using Radar (l’Identification radar des cibles aeriennes non cooperatives)

Science.gov (United States)

1998-11-01

des techniques tr~s prometteuse pour la detection longue port~e. Les progr~s escompt ~s dans le domaine des techniques radar devraient amener des...cibles fixes, des cibles mobiles ou du fouillis de sol. Sa vocation Le moyen de mesures comprend un radar premiere est d’enrichir les banques de donn6es

News about ionized food identification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raffi, J.

1995-01-01

The ionizing radiations are used to clean food and increase their preservation life. If a lot of countries permits ionized products commercialization, others are opposed to it. To control the commercial exchanges, check the applied treatment aim and give to the consumers a better information, several ionized food identification methods were perfected and several are about to be recognized as european standards. 4 refs. 3 figs, 1 tab

Drug-food interaction counseling programs in teaching hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Wix, A R; Doering, P L; Hatton, R C

1992-04-01

The results of a survey to characterize drug-food interaction counseling programs in teaching hospitals and solicit opinions on these programs from pharmacists and dietitians are reported. A questionnaire was mailed to the pharmacy director and the director of dietary services at teaching hospitals nationwide. The questionnaire contained 33 questions relating to hospital characteristics, drug-food interaction counseling programs, and the standard calling for such programs issued by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Of 792 questionnaires mailed, 425 were returned (response rate, 53.7). A majority of the pharmacists and dietitians (51.2%) did not consider their drug-food interaction counseling program to be formal; some had no program. The pharmacy department was involved more in program development than in the daily operation of such programs. The most frequent methods of identifying patients for counseling were using lists of patients' drugs and using physicians' orders. A mean of only five drugs were targeted per program. Slightly over half the respondents rated the Joint Commission standard less effective than other standards in its ability to improve patient care. A majority of teaching hospitals did not have formal drug-food interaction counseling programs. Pharmacists and dietitians did not view these programs as greatly beneficial and did not believe that the Joint Commission has clearly delineated the requirements for meeting its standard.

Technology assessment and the Food and Drug Administration

Science.gov (United States)

Kaplan, A. H.; Becker, R. H.

1972-01-01

The statutory standards underlying the activities of the FDA, and the problems the Agency faces in decision making are discussed from a legal point of view. The premarketing clearance of new drugs and of food additives, the two most publicized and criticized areas of FDA activity, are used as illustrations. The importance of statutory standards in technology assessment in a regulatory setting is developed. The difficulties inherent in the formulation of meaningful standards are recognized. For foods, the words of the statute are inadequate, and for drugs, a statutory recognition of the various other objectives would be useful to the regulator and the regulated.

Lojalumo programų vertinimas vartotojų požiūriu trijų Lietuvos prekybos tinklų atvejis

OpenAIRE

Bagdonienė, Liudmila; Jakštaitė, Rasa

2007-01-01

Long-term relationships between organization and customers and their loyalty become the most significant assumption of nowadays business success. To achieve customer loyalty and enhance it loyalty programmes are created and implemented. It gains special importance in those fields of activities where competition is strong and supply is standard. But loyalty programme by itself does not guarantee success. Whether it reaches organization's aims first of all depends on the main thing if the progr...

The availability and cost of healthier food alternatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Jetter, Karen M; Cassady, Diana L

2006-01-01

Many people, especially low-income consumers, do not successfully follow dietary recommendations to eat more whole grains and less fat and added sugar. The food environment may have a significant impact on the choice by low-income consumers to eat healthier foods, as both the availability and price of healthier food items may limit their ability to eat a healthier diet. We investigated the cost and availability of a standard market basket of foods, and a healthier basket that included low-fat meat and dairy and whole grain products. Market-basket surveys were conducted in 25 stores in Los Angeles and Sacramento. Stores were selected from neighborhoods that were varied by income and surveyed three times from September 2003 to June 2004. The average cost of a standard market basket (based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Thrifty Food Plan [TFP]) and a healthier market basket was calculated from these prices and compared using a standard t-test to determine if they were significantly different from each other. The analysis was conducted in 2005. In neighborhoods served by smaller grocery stores, access to whole-grain products, low-fat cheeses, and ground meat with cost was $194, and the healthier market-basket cost was $230. The average cost of the healthier market basket was more expensive by $36 due to higher costs of whole grains, lean ground beef, and skinless poultry. The higher cost of the healthier basket is equal to about 35% to 40% of low-income consumers' food budgets of $2410 a year. The lack of availability in small grocery stores located in low-income neighborhoods, and the higher cost of the healthier market basket may be a deterrent to eating healthier among very low-income consumers. Public policies should take the food environment into account in order to develop successful strategies to encourage the consumption of healthier foods.

Food entries in a large allergy data repository.

Science.gov (United States)

Plasek, Joseph M; Goss, Foster R; Lai, Kenneth H; Lau, Jason J; Seger, Diane L; Blumenthal, Kimberly G; Wickner, Paige G; Slight, Sarah P; Chang, Frank Y; Topaz, Maxim; Bates, David W; Zhou, Li

2016-04-01

Accurate food adverse sensitivity documentation in electronic health records (EHRs) is crucial to patient safety. This study examined, encoded, and grouped foods that caused any adverse sensitivity in a large allergy repository using natural language processing and standard terminologies. Using the Medical Text Extraction, Reasoning, and Mapping System (MTERMS), we processed both structured and free-text entries stored in an enterprise-wide allergy repository (Partners' Enterprise-wide Allergy Repository), normalized diverse food allergen terms into concepts, and encoded these concepts using the Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine - Clinical Terms (SNOMED-CT) and Unique Ingredient Identifiers (UNII) terminologies. Concept coverage also was assessed for these two terminologies. We further categorized allergen concepts into groups and calculated the frequencies of these concepts by group. Finally, we conducted an external validation of MTERMS's performance when identifying food allergen terms, using a randomized sample from a different institution. We identified 158 552 food allergen records (2140 unique terms) in the Partners repository, corresponding to 672 food allergen concepts. High-frequency groups included shellfish (19.3%), fruits or vegetables (18.4%), dairy (9.0%), peanuts (8.5%), tree nuts (8.5%), eggs (6.0%), grains (5.1%), and additives (4.7%). Ambiguous, generic concepts such as "nuts" and "seafood" accounted for 8.8% of the records. SNOMED-CT covered more concepts than UNII in terms of exact (81.7% vs 68.0%) and partial (14.3% vs 9.7%) matches. Adverse sensitivities to food are diverse, and existing standard terminologies have gaps in their coverage of the breadth of allergy concepts. New strategies are needed to represent and standardize food adverse sensitivity concepts, to improve documentation in EHRs. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For

How can food risks be prevented after a nuclear accident?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barillon, A.

2008-01-01

In exercises, risk prevention measures relating to contaminated foods generally involve areas where the consumption and sale of foods are prohibited if exceed the European Council food intervention levels (CFILs) defined following the Chernobyl accident. However, CFILs do not offer systematic protection for population living in the immediate vicinity of an accident, because this standards only consider those living farther and are only likely to be contaminated by eating contaminated foods, which may arrive in limited quantities from the contaminated area byway of international trade. The CODIRPA 'Life in contaminated rural areas' working group has therefore put forward some proposed guidelines to delimit two separate areas: i) a 'food prohibition area', where a comprehensive and systematic ban would be temporarily placed on the consumption and marketing of locally produced foods; ii) a larger 'monitoring area', where, following a temporary ban, foodstuffs would be marketed in accordance with European or international standards. Consumption of locally produced foods would be authorised there, subject to 'good food hygiene' recommendations. Decision criteria and areas delimitation are here submitted for the new zoning system. (author)

Introduction of a pet food safety law in Japan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katsuaki Sugiura

2009-06-01

Full Text Available In response to a growing concern among Japanese people over the safety of pet food marketed in Japan, a Pet Food Safety Law was approved by the Diet in June 2008 and will be enforced in June 2009. The law obliges manufacturers and importers of pet food to observe the standards for production methods and labelling and compositional specifications set by the Ministry of the Environment (MoE and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF. The law also obliges manufacturers, importers and distributors (excluding retailers of pet food to keep records of the name and quantity of pet food manufactured, imported and distributed. Within the compositional specifications, maximum residue limits have been established for aflatoxin B1 and certain organophosphorus pesticides and chemical preservatives. The establishment of standards for other mycotoxins, heavy metals, organochloride pesticides and other additives is scheduled for the near future.

Research on the Food Security Condition and Food Supply Capacity of Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jian Deng

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Food security is chronically guaranteed in Egypt because of the food subsidy policy of the country. However, the increasing Egyptian population is straining the food supply. To study changes in Egyptian food security and future food supply capacity, we analysed the historical grain production, yield per unit, grain-cultivated area, and per capita grain possession of Egypt. The GM (1,1 model of the grey system was used to predict the future population. Thereafter, the result was combined with scenario analysis to forecast the grain possession and population carrying capacity of Egypt under different scenarios. Results show that the increasing population and limitations in cultivated land will strain Egyptian food security. Only in high cultivated areas and high grain yield scenarios before 2020, or in high cultivated areas and mid grain yield scenarios before 2015, can food supply be basically satisfied (assurance rate ≥ 80% under a standard of 400 kg per capita. Population carrying capacity in 2030 is between 51.45 and 89.35 million. Thus, we propose the use of advanced technologies in agriculture and the adjustment of plant structure and cropping systems to improve land utilization efficiency. Furthermore, urbanization and other uses of cultivated land should be strictly controlled to ensure the planting of grains.

Research on the food security condition and food supply capacity of Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Jian; Xiang, Youzhen; Hao, Wenhui; Feng, Yongzhong; Yang, Gaihe; Ren, Guangxin; Han, Xinhui

2014-01-01

Food security is chronically guaranteed in Egypt because of the food subsidy policy of the country. However, the increasing Egyptian population is straining the food supply. To study changes in Egyptian food security and future food supply capacity, we analysed the historical grain production, yield per unit, grain-cultivated area, and per capita grain possession of Egypt. The GM (1,1) model of the grey system was used to predict the future population. Thereafter, the result was combined with scenario analysis to forecast the grain possession and population carrying capacity of Egypt under different scenarios. Results show that the increasing population and limitations in cultivated land will strain Egyptian food security. Only in high cultivated areas and high grain yield scenarios before 2020, or in high cultivated areas and mid grain yield scenarios before 2015, can food supply be basically satisfied (assurance rate ≥ 80%) under a standard of 400 kg per capita. Population carrying capacity in 2030 is between 51.45 and 89.35 million. Thus, we propose the use of advanced technologies in agriculture and the adjustment of plant structure and cropping systems to improve land utilization efficiency. Furthermore, urbanization and other uses of cultivated land should be strictly controlled to ensure the planting of grains.

Natural biopolimers in organic food packaging

Science.gov (United States)

Wieczynska, Justyna; Cavoski, Ivana; Chami, Ziad Al; Mondelli, Donato; Di Donato, Paola; Di Terlizzi, Biagio

2014-05-01

Concerns on environmental and waste problems caused by use of non-biodegradable and non-renewable based plastic packaging have caused an increase interest in developing biodegradable packaging using renewable natural biopolymers. Recently, different types of biopolymers like starch, cellulose, chitosan, casein, whey protein, collagen, egg white, soybean protein, corn zein, gelatin and wheat gluten have attracted considerable attention as potential food packaging materials. Recyclable or biodegradable packaging material in organic processing standards is preferable where possible but specific principles of packaging are not precisely defined and standards have to be assessed. There is evidence that consumers of organic products have specific expectations not only with respect to quality characteristics of processed food but also in social and environmental aspects of food production. Growing consumer sophistication is leading to a proliferation in food eco-label like carbon footprint. Biopolymers based packaging for organic products can help to create a green industry. Moreover, biopolymers can be appropriate materials for the development of an active surfaces designed to deliver incorporated natural antimicrobials into environment surrounding packaged food. Active packaging is an innovative mode of packaging in which the product and the environment interact to prolong shelf life or enhance safety or sensory properties, while maintaining the quality of the product. The work will discuss the various techniques that have been used for development of an active antimicrobial biodegradable packaging materials focusing on a recent findings in research studies. With the current focus on exploring a new generation of biopolymer-based food packaging materials with possible applications in organic food packaging. Keywords: organic food, active packaging, biopolymers , green technology

CUSTOMER'S PERCEPTION TOWARDS FOOD TRUCK PRODUCTS IN INDIA

OpenAIRE

Dr. Ramakrishna Bandaru*, Prof. H. Venkateshwarlu

2017-01-01

Food Truck business is a very famous and a growing business in today’s time. Over the decade, every country in the world has been following the trend of the mobile food business. The silent feature of the food truck business is ‘customer reach and satisfaction’. Along with the increase in people living standards, ‘food on wheel’ business made a popular. According to IBIS World report, the food truck industry in the world has grown an average of 9.3% per year over the last five years. Slowly,...

Research on Green Food Marketing Strategy of China

OpenAIRE

Qu Yan

2015-01-01

With the improvement of people's living standards, people's growing demand for green food is becoming bigger and bigger, but there are some problems in traditional marketing and at the same time, the rapid development of web marketing has impacted greatly on traditional marketing channels of the green food. The study attempts to analyze the development and the problems of green food in our country in traditional marketing, discussed the necessity and feasibility of the traditional green food ...

The Remote Food Photography Method Accurately Estimates Dry Powdered Foods-The Source of Calories for Many Infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Duhé, Abby F; Gilmore, L Anne; Burton, Jeffrey H; Martin, Corby K; Redman, Leanne M

2016-07-01

Infant formula is a major source of nutrition for infants, with more than half of all infants in the United States consuming infant formula exclusively or in combination with breast milk. The energy in infant powdered formula is derived from the powder and not the water, making it necessary to develop methods that can accurately estimate the amount of powder used before reconstitution. Our aim was to assess the use of the Remote Food Photography Method to accurately estimate the weight of infant powdered formula before reconstitution among the standard serving sizes. For each serving size (1 scoop, 2 scoops, 3 scoops, and 4 scoops), a set of seven test bottles and photographs were prepared as follow: recommended gram weight of powdered formula of the respective serving size by the manufacturer; three bottles and photographs containing 15%, 10%, and 5% less powdered formula than recommended; and three bottles and photographs containing 5%, 10%, and 15% more powdered formula than recommended (n=28). Ratio estimates of the test photographs as compared to standard photographs were obtained using standard Remote Food Photography Method analysis procedures. The ratio estimates and the US Department of Agriculture data tables were used to generate food and nutrient information to provide the Remote Food Photography Method estimates. Equivalence testing using the two one-sided t tests approach was used to determine equivalence between the actual gram weights and the Remote Food Photography Method estimated weights for all samples, within each serving size, and within underprepared and overprepared bottles. For all bottles, the gram weights estimated by the Remote Food Photography Method were within 5% equivalence bounds with a slight underestimation of 0.05 g (90% CI -0.49 to 0.40; P<0.001) and mean percent error ranging between 0.32% and 1.58% among the four serving sizes. The maximum observed mean error was an overestimation of 1.58% of powdered formula by the Remote

Aluminium content of some processed foods, raw materials and food additives in China by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Gui-Fang; Li, Ke; Ma, Jing; Liu, Fen; Dai, Jing-Jing; Li, Hua-Bin

2011-01-01

The level of aluminium in 178 processed food samples from Shenzhen city in China was evaluated using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Some processed foods contained a concentration of up to 1226 mg/kg, which is about 12 times the Chinese food standard. To establish the main source in these foods, Al levels in the raw materials were determined. However, aluminium concentrations in raw materials were low (0.10-451.5 mg/kg). Therefore, aluminium levels in food additives used in these foods was determined and it was found that some food additives contained a high concentration of aluminium (0.005-57.4 g/kg). The results suggested that, in the interest of public health, food additives containing high concentrations of aluminium should be replaced by those containing less. This study has provided new information on aluminium levels in Chinese processed foods, raw materials and a selection of food additives.

Food contamination : lessons of Chernobyl

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haque, F.

1987-01-01

This brief survey of radioactive contamination of food suggests at least four areas in which action needs to be taken so that we might be better prepared to respond to any possible future nuclear accident. More research is needed on the way that radiation enters the food chain, and the measures that can be taken to counter the health hazards posed by fallout. A second clear need is for a global radioactivity monitoring system. Third, international standards need to be established for methods of sampling, analysis and reporting of the radioactive levels in foods. Finally, an effort must be made to inform the public so it can distinguish between the real and the imaginary hazards posed by radioactively contaminated foods

A Partnership for Public Health: USDA Branded Food Products Database

Science.gov (United States)

The importance of comprehensive food composition databases is more critical than ever in helping to address global food security. The USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference is the “gold standard” for food composition databases. The presentation will include new developments in stren...

ServAR: An augmented reality tool to guide the serving of food.

Science.gov (United States)

Rollo, Megan E; Bucher, Tamara; Smith, Shamus P; Collins, Clare E

2017-05-12

Accurate estimation of food portion size is a difficult task. Visual cues are important mediators of portion size and therefore technology-based aids may assist consumers when serving and estimating food portions. The current study evaluated the usability and impact on estimation error of standard food servings of a novel augmented reality food serving aid, ServAR. Participants were randomised into one of three groups: 1) no information/aid (control); 2) verbal information on standard serving sizes; or 3) ServAR, an aid which overlayed virtual food servings over a plate using a tablet computer. Participants were asked to estimate the standard serving sizes of nine foods (broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, kidney beans, potato, pasta, rice, and sweetcorn) using validated food replicas. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests compared median served weights of each food to reference standard serving size weights. Percentage error was used to compare the estimation of serving size accuracy between the three groups. All participants also performed a usability test using the ServAR tool to guide the serving of one randomly selected food. Ninety adults (78.9% female; a mean (95%CI) age 25.8 (24.9-26.7) years; BMI 24.2 (23.2-25.2) kg/m 2 ) completed the study. The median servings were significantly different to the reference portions for five foods in the ServAR group, compared to eight foods in the information only group and seven foods for the control group. The cumulative proportion of total estimations per group within ±10%, ±25% and ±50% of the reference portion was greater for those using ServAR (30.7, 65.2 and 90.7%; respectively), compared to the information only group (19.6, 47.4 and 77.4%) and control group (10.0, 33.7 and 68.9%). Participants generally found the ServAR tool easy to use and agreed that it showed potential to support optimal portion size selection. However, some refinements to the ServAR tool are required to improve the user experience. Use of the

Bacteriophages safely reduce Salmonella contamination in pet food and raw pet food ingredients.

Science.gov (United States)

Soffer, Nitzan; Abuladze, Tamar; Woolston, Joelle; Li, Manrong; Hanna, Leigh Farris; Heyse, Serena; Charbonneau, Duane; Sulakvelidze, Alexander

2016-01-01

Contamination of pet food with Salmonella is a serious public health concern, and several disease outbreaks have recently occurred due to human exposure to Salmonella tainted pet food. The problem is especially challenging for raw pet foods (which include raw meats, seafood, fruits, and vegetables). These foods are becoming increasingly popular because of their nutritional qualities, but they are also more difficult to maintain Salmonella -free because they lack heat-treatment. Among various methods examined to improve the safety of pet foods (including raw pet food), one intriguing approach is to use bacteriophages to specifically kill Salmonella serotypes. At least 2 phage preparations (SalmoFresh® and Salmonelex™) targeting Salmonella are already FDA cleared for commercial applications to improve the safety of human foods. However, similar preparations are not yet available for pet food applications. Here, we report the results of evaluating one such preparation (SalmoLyse®) in reducing Salmonella levels in various raw pet food ingredients (chicken, tuna, turkey, cantaloupe, and lettuce). Application of SalmoLyse® in low (ca. 2-4×10 6 PFU/g) and standard (ca. 9×10 6 PFU/g) concentrations significantly ( P contamination in all raw foods examined compared to control treatments. When SalmoLyse®-treated (ca. 2×10 7 PFU/g) dry pet food was fed to cats and dogs, it did not trigger any deleterious side effects in the pets. Our data suggest that the bacteriophage cocktail lytic for Salmonella can significantly and safely reduce Salmonella contamination in various raw pet food ingredients.

Does competitive food and beverage legislation hurt meal participation or revenues in high schools?

Science.gov (United States)

Peart, Tasha; Kao, Janice; Crawford, Patricia B; Samuels, Sarah E; Craypo, Lisa; Woodward-Lopez, Gail

2012-08-01

There is limited evidence to evaluate the influence of competitive food and beverage legislation on school meal program participation and revenues. A representative sample of 56 California high schools was recruited to collect school-level data before (2006–2007) and the year after (2007–2008) policies regarding limiting competitive foods and beverages were required to be implemented. Data were obtained from school records, observations, and questionnaires. Paired t-tests assessed significance of change between the two time points. Average participation in lunch increased from 21.7% to 25.3% (p foods, from $0.45 to $0.37 (per student per day). Compliance with food and beverage standards also increased significantly. At end point, compliance with beverage standards was higher (71.0%) than compliance with food standards (65.7%). Competitive food and beverage legislation can increase food service revenues when accompanied by increased rates of participation in the meal program. Future studies collecting expense data will be needed to determine impact on net revenues.

Clean Air Act Standards and Guidelines for Agriculture, Food and Forestry

Science.gov (United States)

This page contains the stationary sources of air pollution for the agriculture, food, and forestry industries, and their corresponding air pollution regulations. To learn more about the regulations for each industry, just click on the links below.

FDA regulations regarding iodine addition to foods and labeling of foods containing added iodine12

Science.gov (United States)

Trumbo, Paula R

2016-01-01

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the addition of iodine to infant formulas, the iodization of salt, and the addition of salt and iodine to foods. The required amount of iodine in infant formulas is based on caloric content, and the label must provide the iodine content per 100 kcal. Cuprous iodide and potassium iodide may be added to table salt as a source of dietary iodine at a maximum amount of 0.01%; if added, the label must indicate that the salt is iodized. Table salt to which iodine has not been added must bear the statement, “This salt does not supply iodide, a necessary nutrient.” If a nutrient is to be appropriately added to a food for the purpose of correcting a dietary insufficiency, there should be sufficient scientific information available to demonstrate a nutritional deficiency and/or identify a public health problem. Furthermore, the population groups that would benefit from the proposed fortification should be identified. If iodine is added to a food, the percent Daily Value of iodine must be listed. There are no FDA regulations governing ingredient standards for dietary supplements. As a result, some dietary supplements include iodine and others do not. If a supplement contains iodine, the Supplement Facts label must list iodine as a nutrient ingredient. If iodine is not listed on the Supplement Facts label, then it has not been added. There are similarities between the FDA, which establishes US food regulations and policies, and the Codex Alimentarius (Codex), which develops international food standards and guidelines under the aegis of the FAO and the WHO. Both the FDA and Codex call for the labeling of table salt to indicate fortification with iodine, voluntary labeling of iodine on foods, and a Daily Value (called a Nutrient Reference Value by Codex) of 150 μg for iodine. PMID:27534626

Irradiation of food

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacGregor, J.; Stanbrook, I.; Shersby, M.

1989-01-01

The House of Commons was asked to support the Government's intention to allow the use of the irradiation of foodstuffs under conditions that will fully safeguard the interests of the consumer. The Government, it was stated, regards this process as a useful additional way to ensure food safety. The effect of the radiation in killing bacteria will enhance safety standards in poultry meat, in some shell-fish and in herbs and spices. The problem of informing the public when the food has been irradiated, especially as there is no test to detect the irradiation, was raised. The subject was debated for an hour and a half and is reported verbatim. The main point raised was over whether the method gave safer food as not all bacteria were killed in the process. The motion was carried. (U.K.)

Orange-fleshed sweet potato-based infant food is a better source of dietary vitamin A than a maize-legume blend as complementary food.

Science.gov (United States)

Amagloh, Francis Kweku; Coad, Jane

2014-03-01

White maize, which is widely used for complementary feeding and is seldom fortified at the household level, may be associated with the high prevalence of vitamin A deficiency among infants in low-income countries. The nutrient composition of complementary foods based on orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) and cream-fleshed sweet potato (CFSP), maize-soybean-groundnut (Weanimix), and a proprietary wheat-based infant cereal (Nestlé Cerelac) were assessed using the Codex Standard (CODEX STAN 074-1981, Rev. 1-2006) specification as a reference. Additionally, the costs of OFSP complementary food, CFSP complementary food, and Weanimix production at the household level were estimated. Phytate and polyphenols, which limit the bioavailability of micronutrients, were assessed. Energy, macronutrients, and micronutrients listed as essential composition in the Codex Standard were determined and expressed as energy or nutrient density. All the formulations met the stipulated energy and nutrient densities as specified in the Codex Standard. The beta-carotene content of OFSP complementary food exceeded the vitamin A specification (60 to 180 microg retinol activity equivalents/100 kcal). All the formulations except Weanimix contained measurable amounts of ascorbic acid (> or = 32.0 mg/100 g). The level of phytate in Weanimix was highest, about twice that of OFSP complementary food. The sweet potato-based foods contained about twice as much total polyphenols as the cereal-based products. The estimated production cost of OFSP complementary food was slightly higher (1.5 times) than that of Weanimix. OFSP complementary food is a good source of beta-carotene and would therefore contribute to the vitamin A requirements of infants. Both OFSP complementary food and Weanimix may inhibit iron absorption because of their high levels of polyphenols and phytate, respectively, compared with those of Nestlé Cerelac.

Food-and-beverage environment and procurement policies for healthier work environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Gardner, Christopher D; Whitsel, Laurie P; Thorndike, Anne N; Marrow, Mary W; Otten, Jennifer J; Foster, Gary D; Carson, Jo Ann S; Johnson, Rachel K

2014-06-01

The importance of creating healthier work environments by providing healthy foods and beverages in worksite cafeterias, in on-site vending machines, and at meetings and conferences is drawing increasing attention. Large employers, federal and state governments, and hospital systems are significant purchasers and providers of food and beverages. The American Heart Association, federal government, and other organizations have created procurement standards to guide healthy purchasing by these entities. There is a need to review how procurement standards are currently implemented, to identify important minimum criteria for evaluating health and purchasing outcomes, and to recognize significant barriers and challenges to implementation, along with success stories. The purpose of this policy paper is to describe the role of food-and-beverage environment and procurement policy standards in creating healthier worksite environments; to review recently created national model standards; to identify elements across the standards that are important to consider for incorporation into policies; and to delineate issues to address as standards are implemented across the country. © 2014 International Life Sciences Institute.

Beyond Neighborhood Food Environments: Distance Traveled to Food Establishments in 5 US Cities, 2009-2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jodi L; Han, Bing; Cohen, Deborah A

2015-08-06

Accurate conceptualizations of neighborhood environments are important in the design of policies and programs aiming to improve access to healthy food. Neighborhood environments are often defined by administrative units or buffers around points of interest. An individual may eat and shop for food within or outside these areas, which may not reflect accessibility of food establishments. This article examines the relevance of different definitions of food environments. We collected data on trips to food establishments using a 1-week food and travel diary and global positioning system devices. Spatial-temporal clustering methods were applied to identify homes and food establishments visited by study participants. We identified 513 visits to food establishments (sit-down restaurants, fast-food/convenience stores, malls or stores, groceries/supermarkets) by 135 participants in 5 US cities. The average distance between the food establishments and homes was 2.6 miles (standard deviation, 3.7 miles). Only 34% of the visited food establishments were within participants' neighborhood census tract. Buffers of 1 or 2 miles around the home covered 55% to 65% of visited food establishments. There was a significant difference in the mean distances to food establishments types (P = .008). On average, participants traveled the longest distances to restaurants and the shortest distances to groceries/supermarkets. Many definitions of the neighborhood food environment are misaligned with individual travel patterns, which may help explain the mixed findings in studies of neighborhood food environments. Neighborhood environments defined by actual travel activity may provide more insight on how the food environment influences dietary and food shopping choices.

Food processing methods influence the glycaemic indices of some commonly eaten West Indian carbohydrate-rich foods.

Science.gov (United States)

Bahado-Singh, P S; Wheatley, A O; Ahmad, M H; Morrison, E Y St A; Asemota, H N

2006-09-01

Glycaemic index (GI) values for fourteen commonly eaten carbohydrate-rich foods processed by various methods were determined using ten healthy subjects. The foods studied were round leaf yellow yam (Dioscorea cayenensis), negro and lucea yams (Dioscorea rotundata), white and sweet yams (Dioscorea alata), sweet potato (Solanum tuberosum), Irish potato (Ipomoea batatas), coco yam (Xanthosoma spp.), dasheen (Colocasia esculenta), pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata), breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis), green banana (Musa sapientum), and green and ripe plantain (Musa paradisiaca). The foods were processed by boiling, frying, baking and roasting where applicable. Pure glucose was used as the standard with a GI value of 100. The results revealed marked differences in GI among the different foods studied ranging from 35 (se 3) to 94 (se 8). The area under the glucose response curve and GI value of some of the roasted and baked foods were significantly higher than foods boiled or fried (P<0.05). The results indicate that foods processed by roasting or baking may result in higher GI. Conversely, boiling of foods may contribute to a lower GI diet.

Food and Feed Commodity Vocabulary

Science.gov (United States)

Food and Feed Vocabulary was developed to consolidate all the major OPP Commodity Vocabularies into one standardized vocabulary. The EPA-preferred term is the only term that can be used in setting tolerances.

Food irradiation 2009

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narvaiz, Patricia

2009-01-01

Food irradiation principles; its main applications, advantages and limitations; wholesomeness, present activities at Ezeiza Atomic Centre; research coordinated by the International Atomic Energy Agency; capacity building; and some aspects on national and international regulations, standards and commercialization are briefly described. At present 56 countries authorize the consumption of varied irradiated foods; trade is performed in 32 countries, with about 200 irradiation facilities. Argentina pioneered nuclear energy knowledge and applications in Latin America, food irradiation included. A steady growth of food industrial volumes treated in two gamma facilities can be observed. Food industry and producers show interest towards new facilities construction. However, a 15 years standstill in incorporating new approvals in the Argentine Alimentary Code, in spite of consecutive request performed either by CNEA or some food industries restricts, a wider industrial implementation, which constitute a drawback to future regional commercialization in areas such as MERCOSUR, where Brazil since 2000 freely authorize food irradiation. Besides, important chances in international trade with developed countries will be missed, like the high fresh fruits and vegetables requirements United States has in counter-season, leading to convenient sale prices. The Argentine food irradiation facilities have been designed and built in the country. Argentina produces Cobalt-60. These capacities, unusual in the world and particularly in Latin America, should be protected and enhanced. Being the irradiation facilities scarce and concentrated nearby Buenos Aires city, the possibilities of commercial application and even research and development are strongly limited for most of the country regions. (author) [es

Quantity and quality of food losses along the Swiss potato supply chain: Stepwise investigation and the influence of quality standards on losses.

Science.gov (United States)

Willersinn, Christian; Mack, Gabriele; Mouron, Patrik; Keiser, Andreas; Siegrist, Michael

2015-12-01

This paper presents the results of a stepwise investigation of the quantity and quality of food losses along the Swiss potato supply chain. Quantitative data were collected from field trials, from structured interviews with wholesalers, processors and retailers, and from consumer surveys in combination with a 30-day diary study. The "Swiss trade customs for potatoes" pose the basis for the qualitative evaluation of losses. The influences of technological, institutional (business and economy; legislation and policy), and social drivers on the generation of fresh potato and processed potato products losses were assessed. Losses due to quality standards driven by food safety and consumer preferences for certain aesthetic standards have been evaluated too. Across the entire potato value chain, approximately 53-55% of the initial fresh potato production and 41-46% of the initial processing potato production are finally lost. Losses between organic and non-organic supply chains differ from 2% to 5%. From the total initial fresh potato production, 15-24% gets lost during agricultural production, a further 12-24% at wholesalers, 1-3% at retailers, and 15% at private households. In comparison, 5-11% of the initial production gets lost at wholesalers, a further 14-15% during processing, 0% at retailers, and 2% at private households. Losses during agricultural production do not vary much (13-25%) between fresh and processing potatoes. Approximately half of total potato losses occur because potatoes do not meet quality standards. 25-34% of these quality-driven losses are caused by food safety reasons, and the remainder are caused by consumer preferences or suitability for storage. In total, social drivers (e.g., consumer preferences, behavior, or socio-demographical factors) are responsible for two-thirds to three-fourths of all fresh potato losses and 40-45% of all processing potato losses. Technological drivers cause circa one-third of the total processing potato losses. The

Implications of agri-food standards for Sri Lanka: Case studies of tea and fisheries export industries

OpenAIRE

Wijayasiri, Janaka; Jayaratne, Suwendrani

2011-01-01

During the past two decades, public awareness and concern regarding food safety in developed countries have increased as a result of a series of highly-publicized food scares and scandals (Henson and Caswell, 1999). In response to these events, regulations governing food production in those countries have been tightened. This has been accompanied by significant institutional changes and intensified border control of food imports in the industrialized countries. Separate and independent regula...

Thermal conductivity of food materials at elevated temperatures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spiess, W.E.L.; Walz, E.; Nesvadba, P.; Morley, M.; Haneghem, van I.A.; Salmon, D.R.

2001-01-01

In order to expand the available information on thermal conductivity of foods, within the framework of COST Action 93, a collaborative study was organised. In the first step, typical food components (apple pulp, meat, olive oil, sodium caseinate, starch, tomato paste) were used as standards for

PFGE standard operating procedures for Listeria monocytogenes: harmonizing the typing of food and clinical strains in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Michelon, Damien; Félix, Benjamin; Vingadassalon, Noemie; Mariet, Jean-François; Larsson, Jonas T; Møller-Nielsen, Eva; Roussel, Sophie

2015-03-01

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen responsible for a severe disease known as listeriosis. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) coordinates a network of national public health laboratories (NPHLs) in charge of typing clinical strains. In food, it is the European Union Reference Laboratory for L. monocytogenes (EURL Lm), which manages a network of National Reference Laboratories (NRLs). A pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) standard operating procedure (EURL SOP) has been used routinely at the EURL Lm since 2007. The EURL Lm has recommended that NRLs use the EURL SOP, whereas the Statens Serum Institut (SSI), under contract for ECDC, requested that NPHLs use Halpins' SOP (HSOP) published in 2010 for the PulseNet USA network. An update of Halpins' SOP (uHSOP) was published in 2013. To facilitate the exchange of profiles among human and food European reference laboratories, it is crucial to ensure that the PFGE profiles obtained with these different SOPs are comparable. The aim here was to compare the EURL SOP with HSOP and uHSOP. The panel comprised 114 well-characterized SSI/EURL strains. All were characterized at the EURL using both the EURL SOP and uHSOP. Seventy of the 114 strains were also characterized at the SSI using HSOP. The EURL SOP and uHSOP produced indistinguishable combined (ApaI/AscI) profiles for the 114 strains tested. The EURL SOP and HSOP produced indistinguishable combined profiles for 69 of the 70 strains tested. One strain displayed for the AscI profile an additional low-intensity band at 184 kbp with HSOP. For this strain, SSI and EUR Lm had already observed the same profile from NPHLs and NRLs. However, this deviation is minor as it accounted for about 1% of all the 114 combined profiles. This study should facilitate the exchange of reproducible PFGE profiles among human and food reference laboratories.

Evaluation of the impact of matrix effect on quantification of pesticides in foods by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using isotope-labeled internal standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Yarita, Takashi; Aoyagi, Yoshie; Otake, Takamitsu

2015-05-29

The impact of the matrix effect in GC-MS quantification of pesticides in food using the corresponding isotope-labeled internal standards was evaluated. A spike-and-recovery study of nine target pesticides was first conducted using paste samples of corn, green soybean, carrot, and pumpkin. The observed analytical values using isotope-labeled internal standards were more accurate for most target pesticides than that obtained using the external calibration method, but were still biased from the spiked concentrations when a matrix-free calibration solution was used for calibration. The respective calibration curves for each target pesticide were also prepared using matrix-free calibration solutions and matrix-matched calibration solutions with blank soybean extract. The intensity ratio of the peaks of most target pesticides to that of the corresponding isotope-labeled internal standards was influenced by the presence of the matrix in the calibration solution; therefore, the observed slope varied. The ratio was also influenced by the type of injection method (splitless or on-column). These results indicated that matrix-matching of the calibration solution is required for very accurate quantification, even if isotope-labeled internal standards were used for calibration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Challenges to developing countries after joining WTO: risk assessment of chemicals in food

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Junshi

2004-01-01

FAO/WHO encourages member countries to develop national food control measures based on risk assessment in order to assure proper protection level to consumers and facilitate fair trade. This is particularly important for developing countries as WTO members because it is clearly stated in the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) Agreement that: (a) SPS measures should be based on risk assessment techniques developed by relevant international organizations; and (b) Codex standards which is based on risk assessment are regarded as the international norm in trade dispute settlement. When conducting risk assessment on food chemicals (including additives and contaminants) in developing countries, in most cases it is not necessary to conduct their own hazard characterization because the ADIs or PTWIs of food chemicals developed by international expert groups (e.g. JECFA) are universally applicable and also developing countries do not have the resources to repeat those expensive toxicological studies. On the other hand, it is necessary to conduct exposure assessment in developing countries because exposure to food chemicals varies from country to country. This is not only crucial in setting national standards, but also very important for developing countries to participate in the process of developing Codex standards. In addition to food standard development, risk assessment is also useful in setting up priorities in imported food inspection and evaluating the success of various food safety control measures

Challenges to developing countries after joining WTO: risk assessment of chemicals in food.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Junshi

2004-05-20

FAO/WHO encourages member countries to develop national food control measures based on risk assessment in order to assure proper protection level to consumers and facilitate fair trade. This is particularly important for developing countries as WTO members because it is clearly stated in the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) Agreement that: (a) SPS measures should be based on risk assessment techniques developed by relevant international organizations; and (b) Codex standards which is based on risk assessment are regarded as the international norm in trade dispute settlement. When conducting risk assessment on food chemicals (including additives and contaminants) in developing countries, in most cases it is not necessary to conduct their own hazard characterization because the ADIs or PTWIs of food chemicals developed by international expert groups (e.g. JECFA) are universally applicable and also developing countries do not have the resources to repeat those expensive toxicological studies. On the other hand, it is necessary to conduct exposure assessment in developing countries because exposure to food chemicals varies from country to country. This is not only crucial in setting national standards, but also very important for developing countries to participate in the process of developing Codex standards. In addition to food standard development, risk assessment is also useful in setting up priorities in imported food inspection and evaluating the success of various food safety control measures.

Dosimetry control for radiation processing - basic requirements and standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ivanova, M.; Tsrunchev, Ts.

2004-01-01

A brief review of the basic international codes and standards for dosimetry control for radiation processing (high doses dosimetry), setting up a dosimetry control for radiation processing and metrology control of the dosimetry system is made. The present state of dosimetry control for food processing and the Bulgarian long experience in food irradiation (three irradiation facilities are operational at these moment) are presented. The absence of neither national standard for high doses nor accredited laboratory for calibration and audit of radiation processing dosimetry systems is also discussed

Beyond-brand effect of television food advertisements on food choice in children: the effects of weight status.

Science.gov (United States)

Halford, Jason Cg; Boyland, Emma J; Hughes, Georgina M; Stacey, Leanne; McKean, Sarah; Dovey, Terence M

2008-09-01

To investigate the effect of television food advertising on children's food intake, specifically whether childhood obesity is related to a greater susceptibility to food promotion. The study was a within-subject, counterbalanced design. The children were tested on two occasions separated by two weeks. One condition involved the children viewing food advertisements followed by a cartoon, in the other condition the children viewed non-food adverts followed by the same cartoon. Following the cartoon, their food intake and choice was assessed in a standard paradigm. The study was conducted in Liverpool, UK. Fifty-nine children (32 male, 27 female) aged 9-11 years were recruited from a UK school to participate in the study. Thirty-three children were normal-weight (NW), 15 overweight (OW) and 11 obese (OB). Exposure to food adverts produced substantial and significant increases in energy intake in all children (P energy-dense snacks in response to the adverts (P energy-dense snacks.

Radionuclides in food

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez Gomez, Isis Maria

2008-01-01

The sources of the presence of radionuclides in food are presented: natural radiation and artificial radiation. The transfer of radionuclides through food chains, intakes of radionuclides to the body with its partners effective doses and typical consumption of basic foods of a rural adult population are exposed as main topics. Also the radiation doses from natural sources and exposure to man by ingestion of contaminated food with radionuclides of artificial origin are shown. The contribution of the food ingestion to the man exposure depends on: characteristics of radionuclide, natural conditions, farming practices and eating habits of the population. The principal international organizations in charge of setting guide levels for radionuclides in food are mentioned: standards, rules and the monitoring. It establishes that a guide is necessary for the food monitoring; the alone CODEX ALIMENTARIUS is applicable to emergency situations and the generic action levels proposed by the CODEX not satisfy all needs (no guiding international levels for planned or existing situations such as NORM). There are handled mainly socio-economic and political aspects. Among the actions to be taken are: to assure a public comprehensive information over the risk evaluation in food; to reinforce the collaboration among the different international organizations (WHO, IAEA, ICRP, EC) in relation with the food of set; to give follow-up to the control of the drinkable water and NORM's presence in the food. In addition, it is possible to create the necessary mechanisms to reduce the number of irrelevant measures and bureaucratic useless steps (certificates); to promote the exchange between the different institutions involved in the topic of the food, with relation to the acquired experiences and learned lessons. Likewise, it might examine the possibility of a multidisciplinary approximation (radioactive and not radioactive pollutants); to elaborate a technical guide to assure the

Food powders flowability characterization: theory, methods, and applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Juliano, Pablo; Barbosa-Cánovas, Gustavo V

2010-01-01

Characterization of food powders flowability is required for predicting powder flow from hoppers in small-scale systems such as vending machines or at the industrial scale from storage silos or bins dispensing into powder mixing systems or packaging machines. This review covers conventional and new methods used to measure flowability in food powders. The method developed by Jenike (1964) for determining hopper outlet diameter and hopper angle has become a standard for the design of bins and is regarded as a standard method to characterize flowability. Moreover, there are a number of shear cells that can be used to determine failure properties defined by Jenike's theory. Other classic methods (compression, angle of repose) and nonconventional methods (Hall flowmeter, Johanson Indicizer, Hosokawa powder tester, tensile strength tester, powder rheometer), used mainly for the characterization of food powder cohesiveness, are described. The effect of some factors preventing flow, such as water content, temperature, time consolidation, particle composition and size distribution, is summarized for the characterization of specific food powders with conventional and other methods. Whereas time-consuming standard methods established for hopper design provide flow properties, there is yet little comparative evidence demonstrating that other rapid methods may provide similar flow prediction.

Food Allergy: What We Know Now.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Lindsey E; Stewart, Patricia H; deShazo, Richard D

2017-04-01

Food allergy is an adverse immune reaction that occurs reproducibly on exposure to a given food. Prevalence rates of food allergy continue to increase worldwide, sparking continual research efforts in finding a suitable and safe cure. Food avoidance, the current standard of care, can be difficult to achieve. This review aims to provide a broad overview of immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergy, highlighting its epidemiology, masqueraders, immunopathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic work-up and available preventative and treatment strategies. This review also discusses novel, investigative therapies that offer promising therapeutic options, yet require continued research efforts to determine safety effects. Inducing tolerance, whether by immunotherapy or by the administration of monoclonal antibodies, allows us to move toward a cure for food allergy, which could vastly change this field of allergic diseases in the coming decades. Copyright © 2017 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Allopregnanolone preferentially induces energy‐rich food intake in male Wistar rats

Science.gov (United States)

Holmberg, Ellinor; Johansson, Maja; Bäckström, Torbjörn; Haage, David

2014-01-01

Abstract Obesity is an increasing problem and identification of the driving forces for overeating of energy‐rich food is important. Previous studies show that the stress and sex steroid allopregnanolone has a hyperphagic effect on both bland food and palatable food. If allopregnanolone induces a preference for more palatable or for more energy‐rich food is not known. The aim of this study was to elucidate the influence of allopregnanolone on food preference. Male Wistar rats were subjected to two different food preference tests: a choice between standard chow and cookies (which have a higher energy content and also are more palatable than chow), and a choice between a low caloric sucrose solution and standard chow (which has a higher energy content and is less palatable than sucrose). Food intake was measured for 1 h after acute subcutaneous injections of allopregnanolone. In the choice between cookies and chow allopregnanolone significantly increased only the intake of cookies. When the standard chow was the item present with the highest caloric load, the chow intake was increased and allopregnanolone had no effect on intake of the 10% sucrose solution. The increased energy intakes induced by the high allopregnanolone dose compared to vehicle were very similar in the two tests, 120% increase for cookies and 150% increase for chow. It appears that in allopregnanolone‐induced hyperphagia, rats choose the food with the highest energy content regardless of its palatability. PMID:25501437

Is eating organic a healthy or safer option? Health claims for organic food consumption, food quality and safety – A systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sneha Ghai

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Universally, there has been an increased awareness about the harmful effects of chemical inputs used for production of food on soil composition, environment and human health. This has triggered the consumption level of organic food products. India has witnessed a tremendous growth in domestic as well as export market. The demand is mainly driven by consumer perceptions that organic farming is more sustainable, produces healthy food, pesticide-free and safeguards the environment & biodiversity. Organic food producers also manifests the quality and safety of food. These claims which are perceived and professed as beneficial can only be accepted if they are tested and validated. Therefore, the foremost objective of this review paper is to provide an update on set of studies related to scientific evidence for nutritional composition marking the quality of organic foods vis-à-vis conventional foods and its impact on human health. Secondly, the paper examines the comparison of the sensory quality of the organic food, and thirdly the food safety aspect of organically as compared with conventionally grown foods. Past few controlled studies have proved that there is no such evidence of differences in concentration of various nutrients amongst organic and conventional foods. Furthermore, there are certain issues related to the impact and assessment of these nutrients in organic food which requires some future directives. Owing to the heterogeneity in results observed related to nutritional quality and safety of organic foods, technological aspects together with sensory parameters are the best for future comparative studies. To safeguard the public health and to avoid the difference in sampling and sample results, testing laboratories should also be adhering to uniform standards. Organic food business in India lack standard guidelines for quality, policy framework for domestic and export market. Also, traceability is another factor which should be given

Standards and quality

CERN Document Server

El-Tawil, Anwar

2015-01-01

The book brings together a number of subjects of prime importance for any practicing engineer and, students of engineering. The book explains the concepts and functions of voluntary standards, mandatory technical regulations, conformity assessment (testing and measurement of products), certification, quality and quality management systems as well as other management systems such as environmental, social responsibility and food safety management systems.The book also gives a comprehensive description of the role of metrology systems that underpin conformity assessment. A description is given of typical national systems of standards, quality and metrology and how they relate directly or through regional structures to international systems. The book also covers the relation between standards and trade and explains the context and stipulations of the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Challenges Associated with Technological Aspects for Modernization of Alkaline-Fermented Foods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Linnemann, A.R.; Hansen, E.B.; Lelieveld, H.L.M.; Heising, J.K.; Dekker, M.

2014-01-01

Among the new generations, the awareness and appreciation of indigenous healthy foods including alkaline-fermented foods (AFFs) needs to be enhanced. AFFs are considered to be old-fashioned. In fact, some of the food processing techniques are outdated with low hygiene and quality standards. Some

Socio-economic and hygiene features of street food vending in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The objectives of the study were firstly to determine the health risks associated with street food vending, secondly to determine the opinions of street food ... such as South Africa be allowed to earn their livelihood by means of an 'easy-to-enter' business such as street food vending when hygiene standards are acceptable.

Global trends of acceptance and trade in irradiated foods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matin, M A [Food and Environmental Protection Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)

2001-05-01

Issues as relevant to wide scale application of food irradiation are presented in this paper to provide current status of the technology. Global development on key issues such as public acceptance, public health improvement, safety and wholesomeness, regulatory aspects, potential application of the technology to ease quarantine problems in the trade of food and agricultural commodities as a viable alternative to fumigation with methyl bromide have been presented. Irradiation ensures the hygienic quality of food and extends shelf-life. Many international organizations and respected regional/national bodies agree on the merits of the technique and valuable contribution that the process can offer to safeguard the food supply worldwide. Codex General Standard for irradiated food and the associated Code of Practice for operation of the irradiation facilities used for the treatment of foods adopted in 1983 forms the regulatory basis for commercial utilization of the processing technology. More than 40 countries of the world have Standards/Regulations to process one or more food products by the irradiation process. Efforts are underway to harmonise national regulations on food irradiation to remove obstacles for international trade of irradiated products. There is a rapid development on commercial application of food irradiation in the USA and elsewhere in the past few months. There are already several existing commercial irradiators available for treating food in the USA and many more are planned to be built. Such commercial food irradiation facilities are also in different stage of development in Brazil, India, Mexico, Thailand, People's Republic of China, Republic of Korea. Roles of irradiation ensuring food safety, contributing food security and facilitating trade are more and more recognized in developed and developing countries alike. (author)

Global trends of acceptance and trade in irradiated foods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matin, M.A.

2001-01-01

Issues as relevant to wide scale application of food irradiation are presented in this paper to provide current status of the technology. Global development on key issues such as public acceptance, public health improvement, safety and wholesomeness, regulatory aspects, potential application of the technology to ease quarantine problems in the trade of food and agricultural commodities as a viable alternative to fumigation with methyl bromide have been presented. Irradiation ensures the hygienic quality of food and extends shelf-life. Many international organizations and respected regional/national bodies agree on the merits of the technique and valuable contribution that the process can offer to safeguard the food supply worldwide. Codex General Standard for irradiated food and the associated Code of Practice for operation of the irradiation facilities used for the treatment of foods adopted in 1983 forms the regulatory basis for commercial utilization of the processing technology. More than 40 countries of the world have Standards/Regulations to process one or more food products by the irradiation process. Efforts are underway to harmonise national regulations on food irradiation to remove obstacles for international trade of irradiated products. There is a rapid development on commercial application of food irradiation in the USA and elsewhere in the past few months. There are already several existing commercial irradiators available for treating food in the USA and many more are planned to be built. Such commercial food irradiation facilities are also in different stage of development in Brazil, India, Mexico, Thailand, People's Republic of China, Republic of Korea. Roles of irradiation ensuring food safety, contributing food security and facilitating trade are more and more recognized in developed and developing countries alike. (author)

Development of reference materials for composition of food dyes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. H. Kulev

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Actuality of the research. Development of standard samples (SS of food colour content continues to be relevant to enhance safety and quality of food products, additives and other micro-ingredients as well as to deal with import substitution. Work objective. The objective of this work is to develop SS for the basic substance and toxic elements in the most frequently used in food technologies synthetic food colours: Tartrazine E102, Yellow Quinoline E104, Azorubine E122 and Ponseau 4R E124. Research techniques. Mass fraction of colour in the samples was determined by spectrophotometry as per 320502013 GOST Standard; colour samples for toxic elements were evaluated according to 26929-94 GOST Standard; content of lead and cadmium was determined by atomic absorption analysis defined in the GOST 30178-96, arsenic -by calorimetry as per GOST 26930-94, mercury - by flameless atomic sorption spectrometry according to MU № 5178-90, homogeneity and shelf life - in conformity with RMG 93-2009, GOST 8.531-2002 and Р 50.2.031-2003. Results. SS for the content of four food colours were developed based on the research findings. Their following metrological specification is given in the Table 6: mass fraction of the basic substance, %, fractional error limits (P = 0,95, S, %; content of toxic elements, mg/kg with fractional error limits, S, %.

[FADCC in NIHS for prior consultation system of application of food additives].

Science.gov (United States)

Akiyama, Hiroshi; Sato, Kyoko

2015-01-01

An increasing number of inquiries about application of food additives have been made from businesses in and outside Japan. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) is requested to expedite the procedure for designation and revision of use standards. In June 2014, the MHLW set up a center for consultation on application concerning food additives (Food Additive Designation Consultation Center, FADCC) in the National Institute of Health Sciences, aiming to smoothly and expeditiously handle clerical work for designation or revision of the use standards. FADCC gives advice on how to prepare documents on the information such as physicochemical characteristics, effectiveness, safety, daily intake and use standards, based on actual cases and experience.

Climate Change, Global Food Markets, and Urban Unrest

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-01

Francis Gavin 512-471-6267 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) Standard Form 298 (Rev 8/98) Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39.18 - Climate Change, Global Food...Russia led then-President Dmitry Medvedev to impose export restrictions on wheat, barley, and rye . Food security is fundamental to human security. Prior...how much food is grown and where it is grown. Second, climate change will increase the frequency of localized crop failures due to more frequent

Impact assessment of commodity standards

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruben, Ruerd

2017-01-01

Voluntary commodity standards are widely used to enhance the performance of tropical agro-food chains and to support the welfare and sustainability of smallholder farmers. Different methods and approaches are used to assess the effectiveness and impact of these certification schemes at

New trends in the kitchen: propellants assessment of edible food aerosol sprays used on food.

Science.gov (United States)

Varlet, V; Smith, F; Augsburger, M

2014-01-01

New products available for food creations include a wide variety of "supposed" food grade aerosol sprays. However, the gas propellants used cannot be considered as safe. The different legislations available did not rule any maximum residue limits, even though these compounds have some limits when used for other food purposes. This study shows a preliminary monitoring of propane, butane and dimethyl ether residues, in cakes and chocolate after spraying, when these gases are used as propellants in food aerosol sprays. Release kinetics of propane, butane and dimethyl ether were measured over one day with sprayed food, left at room temperature or in the fridge after spraying. The alkanes and dimethyl ether analyses were performed by headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/thermal conductivity detection, using monodeuterated propane and butane generated in situ as internal standards. According to the obtained results and regardingthe extrapolations of the maximum residue limits existing for these substances, different delays should be respected according to the storage conditions and the gas propellant to consume safely the sprayed food. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

9 CFR 3.139 - Food and water requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

..., and Marine Mammals Transportation Standards § 3.139 Food and water requirements. (a) All live animals... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Food and water requirements. 3.139 Section 3.139 Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF...

The use of atomic energy for the irradiation of foods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wills, P.A.

1982-01-01

Radiation processing is a highly versatile preservation technique for the food industry. It is a cold treatment which can inhibit sprouting, eliminate insects and food pathogens, extend shelf life, decontaminate raw materials, and pasteurise or sterilise food and packaging materials. Recent developments, such as an International Standard for Irradiated Foods and a Code of Practice for the Operation of Radiation Facilities for the Treatment of Foods, are expected to stimulate and facilitate trade in radiation processed foods. These developments and prospects for commercialisation of this new technology in Australia are discussed

Biofuels: policies, standards and technologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2010-09-15

Skyrocketing prices of crude oil in the middle of the first decade of the 21st century accompanied by rising prices for food focused political and public attention on the role of biofuels. On the one hand, biofuels were considered as a potential automotive fuel with a bright future, on the other hand, biofuels were accused of competing with food production for land. The truth must lie somewhere in-between and is strongly dependent on the individual circumstance in different countries and regions. As food and energy are closely interconnected and often compete with each other for other resources, such as water, the World Energy Council - following numerous requests of its Member Committees - decided to undertake an independent assessment of biofuels policies, technologies and standards.

Online dietary intake estimation: the Food4Me food frequency questionnaire.

Science.gov (United States)

Forster, Hannah; Fallaize, Rosalind; Gallagher, Caroline; O'Donovan, Clare B; Woolhead, Clara; Walsh, Marianne C; Macready, Anna L; Lovegrove, Julie A; Mathers, John C; Gibney, Michael J; Brennan, Lorraine; Gibney, Eileen R

2014-06-09

Dietary assessment methods are important tools for nutrition research. Online dietary assessment tools have the potential to become invaluable methods of assessing dietary intake because, compared with traditional methods, they have many advantages including the automatic storage of input data and the immediate generation of nutritional outputs. The aim of this study was to develop an online food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for dietary data collection in the "Food4Me" study and to compare this with the validated European Prospective Investigation of Cancer (EPIC) Norfolk printed FFQ. The Food4Me FFQ used in this analysis was developed to consist of 157 food items. Standardized color photographs were incorporated in the development of the Food4Me FFQ to facilitate accurate quantification of the portion size of each food item. Participants were recruited in two centers (Dublin, Ireland and Reading, United Kingdom) and each received the online Food4Me FFQ and the printed EPIC-Norfolk FFQ in random order. Participants completed the Food4Me FFQ online and, for most food items, participants were requested to choose their usual serving size among seven possibilities from a range of portion size pictures. The level of agreement between the two methods was evaluated for both nutrient and food group intakes using the Bland and Altman method and classification into quartiles of daily intake. Correlations were calculated for nutrient and food group intakes. A total of 113 participants were recruited with a mean age of 30 (SD 10) years (40.7% male, 46/113; 59.3%, 67/113 female). Cross-classification into exact plus adjacent quartiles ranged from 77% to 97% at the nutrient level and 77% to 99% at the food group level. Agreement at the nutrient level was highest for alcohol (97%) and lowest for percent energy from polyunsaturated fatty acids (77%). Crude unadjusted correlations for nutrients ranged between .43 and .86. Agreement at the food group level was highest for "other

Food and environmental protection newsletter. Vol. 3, No. 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-07-01

Significant progress on international standard setting has been made in recent months. Firstly, the Codex General Standard for Irradiated Foods was accepted for amendment at Step 5 by the 33{sup rd} Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants (CCFAC), The Hague, The Netherlands, 12-16 March 2001, by removing the maximum dose limit of 10 kGy. Secondly, the 3{sup rd} Session of the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (ICPM), the standard setting body of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), Rome, Italy, 2-6 April 2001 agreed to develop a new international standard on irradiation as a phytosanitary measure. Finally, the Codex Committees on Pesticide Residues and on Veterinary Drug Residues agreed to accept the Guidelines on Single Laboratory Method Validation for further development as their standards. It is expected that all these developments will lead to international standards in respective fields by 2003. Following a positive development on certification of irradiation as a .sanitary and phytosanitary treatment in Asia and the Pacific through a regional workshop held in Sydney, Australia in December 2000 (see details in this issue), another regional workshop on the same subject will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the benefit of Latin American countries. A new Co-ordinated Research Project (CRP) on Irradiation to Ensure Hygienic Quality of Fresh, Pre-Cut Fruits and Vegetables and Other Minimally Processed Food of Plant Origin is now being implemented jointly with the Pan American Health Organization. The first Research Co-ordination Meeting (RCM) of this CRP will be held later this year. Progress made through RCMs on Irradiation as a Phytosanitary Treatment of Food and Agricultural Commodities, on Transfer Factors of Radionuclides from Soil to Reference Plants and on Quality Control of Pesticide Products, held during the past six months, is reported in this issue.

Food and environmental protection newsletter. Vol. 3, No. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-07-01

Significant progress on international standard setting has been made in recent months. Firstly, the Codex General Standard for Irradiated Foods was accepted for amendment at Step 5 by the 33 rd Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants (CCFAC), The Hague, The Netherlands, 12-16 March 2001, by removing the maximum dose limit of 10 kGy. Secondly, the 3 rd Session of the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (ICPM), the standard setting body of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), Rome, Italy, 2-6 April 2001 agreed to develop a new international standard on irradiation as a phytosanitary measure. Finally, the Codex Committees on Pesticide Residues and on Veterinary Drug Residues agreed to accept the Guidelines on Single Laboratory Method Validation for further development as their standards. It is expected that all these developments will lead to international standards in respective fields by 2003. Following a positive development on certification of irradiation as a .sanitary and phytosanitary treatment in Asia and the Pacific through a regional workshop held in Sydney, Australia in December 2000 (see details in this issue), another regional workshop on the same subject will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the benefit of Latin American countries. A new Co-ordinated Research Project (CRP) on Irradiation to Ensure Hygienic Quality of Fresh, Pre-Cut Fruits and Vegetables and Other Minimally Processed Food of Plant Origin is now being implemented jointly with the Pan American Health Organization. The first Research Co-ordination Meeting (RCM) of this CRP will be held later this year. Progress made through RCMs on Irradiation as a Phytosanitary Treatment of Food and Agricultural Commodities, on Transfer Factors of Radionuclides from Soil to Reference Plants and on Quality Control of Pesticide Products, held during the past six months, is reported in this issue

Lack of credibility in food markets - driving medium quality food out of the market

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Jan; Graversen, Jesper Tranbjerg

Some food markets are dominated by high quality and standard quality segments, whereas me-dium quality products are almost absent. A modeling framework with asymmetric information regard-ing true quality of the products and the resulting lack of consumer confidence is presented. Uncer...

Assessing knowledge and practice of food producers, retailers and consumers of food labels in Bostanabad

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Ghochani

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Awareness of the information provided on food labels is important and will help the consumers to select standard food packaging. This knowledge can lead to improving the diet and health in the community. This study was carried out to determine the knowledge and practice of food producer retailers and consumers of food labels in Bostanabad, East-Azarbaijan province. In a descriptive and cross-sectional study, 1013 individuals were selected through random selection. Data on demographics and knowledge and practice of food retailers and consumers were collected by filling in a questionnaire and the results were compared. The age of participants ranged 16-65 years old and majority of them were between 40 and 60 years of age. According to the results, 75.7% of the participants read food labels during shopping.  Amongst mostly considered food labels to observe the production and expiry dates on labels. A minority of the participants read food labels for nutritional information, product weight, types of additives and artificial colors, etc. The results showed that knowledge of people about the nutritional information on food labels is very slight. Due to the high impact of nutritional knowledge on the performance of people, having an idea about the individual’s attention to the information on food labels is essential. It is important to achieve the proper nutritional behavior and reduce the risk of adverse effects associated with packaged foods.

Health Food Supplements (Health Food Highly Nutritious From Chlorella And Oil Catfish (Pangasius hypopthalmus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Syahrul Syahrul

2017-02-01

Full Text Available AbstractThe utilization of microalgae as a food ingredient considered effective, because in addition to alternative food sources also contains nutrients chlorella microalgae in particular is very good for health. This microalgae rich in protein (60.5%, fat (11%, carbohydrates (20.1%, water, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals Besides these microalgae contain pigments (chlorophyll, tocopherol and the active component (antimicrobial and antioxidants. This is what underlies microalgae is very useful to be used as a source of raw materials of health food supplements. Currently the health food supplements have become a necessity for people to maintain their health in order to remain vibrant. This study aims to produce high nutritious health food supplements from raw material chlorella enriched with fish protein concentrate and oil catfish. The method used in the manufacture of high nutritious health food supplement is a method of microencapsulation with different formulations. The results showed that the best formulations based on the profile of amino acids, fatty acids and standards AAE per day especially essential fatty acids oleic and linoleic is formulation B (chlorella 2%, 1% fish oil and fish protein concentrate 1%.

Food labeling issues in patients with severe food allergies: solving a hamlet-like doubt.

Science.gov (United States)

Fierro, Vincenzo; Di Girolamo, Francesco; Marzano, Valeria; Dahdah, Lamia; Mennini, Maurizio

2017-06-01

We review the laws on labeling in the international community, the difficulties they pose to the food manufacturers to prepare the food labels and the methodologies to determine the concentration of potential allergens in foods. European Food Safety Authority and International Life Sciences Institute Europe are evaluating strategies to identify the threshold level of allergen that can trigger a reaction in individuals. The most used techniques to detect the presence of protein in food are Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, polymerase chain reaction and real time polymerase chain reaction. Researchers are now trying to apply proteomics to estimate the amount of protein within the food.In order to protect the health of consumers, the Codex Alimentarius Commission updates constantly the list of allergens. In response to these regulations, some industries have also added some precautionary allergen labeling (PAL). It was generally agreed that PAL statements needed to be visible, simple, and safe. It was suggested that PAL be standardized, an action that would occur if the 'Voluntary Incidental Trace Allergen Labelling' process was made mandatory. So far, no laboratory technique is able to reassure the consumers about the composition of foods found on the packaging. International authorities produced increasingly stringent laws, but more is still to do.

Recent research and development of functional food in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun Hwang, Lucy

2007-08-01

As the living standard rises, people are more concerned with the health benefits of foods. Functional foods are, therefore, receiving increasing attention worldwide. The functional food market in Taiwan reached 1.78 billion US dollars in 2005. Only those which have been certified by the Department of Health can claim their health benefits. Until January 2007, only 88 functional foods have received the certificates. In addition to the product development in the food industry, research institutes and universities are also actively engaged in the technology development and basic research of functional foods. Many raw materials harvested in Taiwan, including edible plants, herbs, medicinal mushrooms, and sea foods, are investigated for their health benefits, bioactive components and suitable processing technologies.

The impact of food and nutrient-based standards on primary school children's lunch and total dietary intake: a natural experimental evaluation of government policy in England.

Science.gov (United States)

Spence, Suzanne; Delve, Jennifer; Stamp, Elaine; Matthews, John N S; White, Martin; Adamson, Ashley J

2013-01-01

In 2005, the nutritional content of children's school lunches in England was widely criticised, leading to a major policy change in 2006. Food and nutrient-based standards were reintroduced requiring primary schools to comply by September 2008. We aimed to determine the effect of the policy on the nutritional content at lunchtime and in children's total diet. We undertook a natural experimental evaluation, analysing data from cross-sectional surveys in 12 primary schools in North East England, pre and post policy. Dietary data were collected on four consecutive days from children aged 4-7 years (n = 385 in 2003-4; n = 632 in 2008-9). We used linear mixed effect models to analyse the effects of gender, year, and lunch type on children's mean total daily intake. Both pre- and post-implementation, children who ate a school lunch consumed less sodium (mean change -128 mg, 95% CI: -183 to -73 mg) in their total diet than children eating home-packed lunches. Post-implementation, children eating school lunches consumed a lower % energy from fat (-1.8%, -2.8 to -0.9) and saturated fat (-1.0%; -1.6 to -0.5) than children eating packed lunches. Children eating school lunches post implementation consumed significantly more carbohydrate (16.4 g, 5.3 to 27.6), protein (3.6 g, 1.1 to 6.0), non-starch polysaccharides (1.5 g, 0.5 to 1.9), vitamin C (0.7 mg, 0.6 to 0.8), and folate (12.3 µg, 9.7 to 20.4) in their total diet than children eating packed lunches. Implementation of school food policy standards was associated with significant improvements in the nutritional content of school lunches; this was reflected in children's total diet. School food- and nutrient-based standards can play an important role in promoting dietary health and may contribute to tackling childhood obesity. Similar policy measures should be considered for other environments influencing children's diet.

The impact of food and nutrient-based standards on primary school children's lunch and total dietary intake: a natural experimental evaluation of government policy in England.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suzanne Spence

Full Text Available In 2005, the nutritional content of children's school lunches in England was widely criticised, leading to a major policy change in 2006. Food and nutrient-based standards were reintroduced requiring primary schools to comply by September 2008. We aimed to determine the effect of the policy on the nutritional content at lunchtime and in children's total diet. We undertook a natural experimental evaluation, analysing data from cross-sectional surveys in 12 primary schools in North East England, pre and post policy. Dietary data were collected on four consecutive days from children aged 4-7 years (n = 385 in 2003-4; n = 632 in 2008-9. We used linear mixed effect models to analyse the effects of gender, year, and lunch type on children's mean total daily intake. Both pre- and post-implementation, children who ate a school lunch consumed less sodium (mean change -128 mg, 95% CI: -183 to -73 mg in their total diet than children eating home-packed lunches. Post-implementation, children eating school lunches consumed a lower % energy from fat (-1.8%, -2.8 to -0.9 and saturated fat (-1.0%; -1.6 to -0.5 than children eating packed lunches. Children eating school lunches post implementation consumed significantly more carbohydrate (16.4 g, 5.3 to 27.6, protein (3.6 g, 1.1 to 6.0, non-starch polysaccharides (1.5 g, 0.5 to 1.9, vitamin C (0.7 mg, 0.6 to 0.8, and folate (12.3 µg, 9.7 to 20.4 in their total diet than children eating packed lunches. Implementation of school food policy standards was associated with significant improvements in the nutritional content of school lunches; this was reflected in children's total diet. School food- and nutrient-based standards can play an important role in promoting dietary health and may contribute to tackling childhood obesity. Similar policy measures should be considered for other environments influencing children's diet.

Translation of the Chinese Menu from the Perspective of Food Culture

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

汪平心

2015-01-01

Chinese food culture is similar to a pearl shinning in this era of globalization.Due to a higher frequency of cross-cultural communication than ever before,people from western countries show increasing interests in Chinese cuisine.Therefore,a standardized translation of the Chinese menu plays a more indispensible role in grasping the precise understanding of Chinese food names for foreign diners.From a cultural perspective,this paper primarily discusses various differences between Chinese and Western food cultures,and provides major translation principles and tips of the Chinese menu so as to arrive at a standardized translation as clearly and accessibly as possible.

Translation of the Chinese Menu from the Perspective of Food Culture

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

汪平心

2015-01-01

Chinese food culture is similar to a pearl shinning in this era of globalization. Due to a higher frequency of cross-cultural communication than ever before, people from western countries show increasing interests in Chinese cuisine. Therefore, a standardized translation of the Chinese menu plays a more indispensible role in grasping the precise understanding of Chinese food names for foreign diners. From a cultural perspective, this paper primarily discusses various differences between Chinese and Western food cultures, and provides major translation principles and tips of the Chinese menu so as to arrive at a standardized translation as clearly and accessibly as possible.

Preventing intentional food contamination: a survey to assess restaurant preparedness.

Science.gov (United States)

Xirasagar, Sudha; Kanwat, C P; Qu, Haiyan; Smith, Lillian U; Patterson, Nathaniel J; Shewchuk, Richard M

2010-01-01

In the age of preparedness, public health agencies are concerned with intentional acts of food contamination in restaurants, in addition to food safety. Food safety consists of applying standard norms of practice and infrastructure, which, if violated, cause food-borne illness. In contrast, food defense requires an institutionalized mindset of informed alertness to unusual variations from the norms, combined with preemptive practices best suited to each restaurant. Therefore, while food safety lends itself to regulation to ensure standard practices, food defense is best served by advisory guidelines for autonomous application, preserving the restaurant industry's core values of hospitality and customer service. To address this challenge, public health agencies need survey tools that can yield action-relevant data on the knowledge and practice gaps in food defense preparedness and on educational messages and support services to be developed for maximum impact potential. This article presents a mail survey instrument, developed using qualitative research to ensure content and face validity. Instrument development involved drafting the survey on the basis of expert consultations, validating its content by using focus groups (representing all restaurant categories and geographic regions), and ensuring face validity through cognitive interviews. The resulting survey remains sensitive to the hospitality industry while encompassing all vulnerable points.

Can we define a tolerable level of risk in food allergy? Report from a EuroPrevall/UK Food Standards Agency workshop.

Science.gov (United States)

Madsen, C B; Hattersley, S; Allen, K J; Beyer, K; Chan, C-H; Godefroy, S B; Hodgson, R; Mills, E N C; Muñoz-Furlong, A; Schnadt, S; Ward, R; Wickman, M; Crevel, R

2012-01-01

There is an emerging consensus that, as with other risks in society, zero risk for food-allergic people is not a realistic or attainable option. Food allergy challenge data and new risk assessment methods offer the opportunity to develop quantitative limits for unintended allergenic ingredients which can be used in risk-based approaches. However, a prerequisite to their application is defining a tolerable level of risk. This requires a value judgement and is ultimately a 'societal' decision that has to involve all relevant stakeholders. The aim of the workshop was to bring together key representatives from the stakeholders (regulators, food industry, clinical researchers and patients), and for the first time ever discuss the definition of a tolerable level of risk with regard to allergic reactions to food. The discussions revealed a consensus that zero risk was not a realistic option and that it is essential to address the current lack of agreed action levels for cross-contamination with allergens if food allergen management practice is to be improved. The discussions also indicated that it was difficult to define and quantify a tolerable level of risk, although both the clinical and the industry groups tried to do so. A consensus emerged that doing nothing was not a viable option, and there was a strong desire to take action to improve the current situation. Two concrete actions were suggested: (1) Action levels should be derived from the data currently available. Different scenarios should be examined and further developed in an iterative process. On the basis of this work, a tolerable level of risk should be proposed. (2) 'One-dose' clinical trial with a low challenge dose should be performed in multiple centres to provide additional information about the general applicability of dose-distribution models and help validate the threshold levels derived. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Food-safe modification of stainless steel food processing surfaces to reduce bacterial biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

Awad, Tarek Samir; Asker, Dalal; Hatton, Benjamin D

2018-06-11

Biofilm formation on stainless steel (SS) surfaces of food processing plants, leading to foodborne illness outbreaks, is enabled by the attachment and confinement within microscale cavities of surface roughness (grooves, scratches). We report Foodsafe Oil-based Slippery Coatings (FOSCs) for food processing surfaces that suppress bacterial adherence and biofilm formation by trapping residual oil lubricant within these surface cavities to block microbial growth. SS surfaces were chemically functionalized with alkylphosphonic acid to preferentially wet a layer of food grade oil. FOSCs reduced the effective surface roughness, the adhesion of organic food residue, and bacteria. FOSCs significantly reduced Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation on standard roughness SS-316 by 5 log CFU cm-2, and by 3 log CFU cm-2 for mirror-finished SS. FOSCs also enhanced surface cleanability, which we measured by bacterial counts after conventional detergent cleaning. Importantly, both SS grades maintained their anti-biofilm activity after erosion of the oil layer by surface wear with glass beads, which suggests there is a residual volume of oil that remains to block surface cavity defects. These results indicate the potential of such low-cost, scalable approaches to enhance the cleanability of SS food processing surfaces and improve food safety by reducing biofilm growth.

The determination of trace elements in new food grain SRM's using neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gills, T.E.; Gallorini, M.; Rook, H.L.

1978-01-01

Potentially toxic metals in the food chain that can lead to deleterious effects on human health have been well documented. Because of the toxicity of some metals, levels of 1 ppm or less must be routinely monitored in foods to ensure human safety. To ensure the accuracy of measurement, NBS in a cooperative interagency agreement with the Food and Drug Administration is involved in developing and certifying selected elements in food grain as a part of the Standard Reference Material program. Both instrumental and radiochemical neutron activation analysis were used to analyze two food grain standard reference materials (Rice and Wheat Flours) for trace element certification. (author)

Standardized methods to verify absorbed dose in irradiated food for insect control. Proceedings of a final research co-ordination meeting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-03-01

Irradiation to control insect infestation of food is increasingly accepted and applied, especially as a phytosanitary treatment of food as an alternative to fumigation. However, unlike other processes for insect control, irradiation does not always result in immediate insect death. Thus, it is conceivable that fresh and dried fruits and tree nuts, which have been correctly irradiated to meet insect disinfestation/quarantine requirements, may still contain live insects at the time of importation. There is, however, a movement by plant quarantine authorities away from inspecting to ensure the absence of live insects in imported consignments towards examining through administrative procedures that a treatment required by law has been given. Nevertheless, there is a need to provide plant quarantine inspectors with a reliable objective method to verify that a minimum absorbed dose of radiation was given to supplement administrative procedures. Such an objective method is expected to bolster the confidence of the inspectors in clearing the consignment without delay and to facilitate trade in irradiated commodities. The Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture initiated a co-ordinated research project (CRP) in 1994 to generate data on the verification of absorbed dose of irradiation in fresh, dried fruits and tree nuts for insect disinfestation/quarantine purposes. A standardized label dose indicator available commercially was used to verify the minimum/maximum absorbed dose of the irradiated commodities for these purposes as required by regulations in certain countries. It appears that such a label dose indicator with certain modifications could be made available to assist national authorities and the food industry to verify the absorbed dose of irradiation to facilitate trade in such irradiated commodities. This TECDOC reports on the accomplishments of this co-ordinated research project and includes the papers presented by the participants

Emerging Approaches to Food Desensitization in Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamad, Ahmad; Burks, Wesley A

2017-05-01

The purpose of this review is to highlight the recent advances in food desensitization in children with food allergy. Recent advancements in epicutaneous, sublingual, and oral immunotherapy for food allergy in the future may offer children with food allergy and their families a viable option to reduce risk or severity of anaphylaxis with phase III trials ongoing for two of these treatment modalities. Food allergy prevalence in children is estimated to be up to 8%. These children are at risk of significant allergic reactions and anaphylaxis. Food avoidance and use of antihistamines or epinephrine has been the standard of care for these patients. This approach also has a significant socioeconomic effects on patients and their families. Recent advancements in understanding food allergy have allowed for exploring new methods of treatment. There is an increasing interest in oral immunotherapy, epicutaneous immunotherapy, or sublingual immunotherapy for food allergy. There have been also innovative approaches to immunotherapy by modification of food allergens (to make them less allergenic while maintain their immunogenicity) or adding adjunctive treatments (probiotics, anti-IgE, etc.) to increase efficacy or safety.

Standard Guide for Absorbed-Dose Mapping in Radiation Processing Facilities

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2003-01-01

1.1 This document provides guidance in determining absorbed-dose distributions in products, materials or substances irradiated in gamma, X-ray (bremsstrahlung) and electron beam facilities. Note 1—For irradiation of food and the radiation sterilization of health care products, other specific ISO and ISO/ASTM standards containing dose mapping requirements exist. For food irradiation, see ISO/ASTM 51204, Practice for Dosimetry in Gamma Irradiation Facilities for Food Processing and ISO/ASTM 51431, Practice for Dosimetry in Electron and Bremsstrahlung Irradiation Facilities for Food Processing. For the radiation sterilization of health care products, see ISO 11137: 1995, Sterilization of Health Care Products Requirements for Validation and Routine Control Radiation Sterilization. In those areas covered by ISO 11137, that standard takes precedence. ISO/ASTM Practice 51608, ISO/ASTM Practice 51649, and ISO/ASTM Practice 51702 also contain dose mapping requirements. 1.2 Methods of analyzing the dose map data ar...

Food Irradiation Newsletter. V.13, no. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-03-01

The International Conference on the Acceptance, Control of, and Trade in Irradiated Food, jointly sponsored by FAO, IAEA, WHO and ITC-UNCTAD/GATT, Geneva, Switzerland, December 1988, recognized that (1) food irradiation has the potential to reduce the incidence of foodborne diseases; (2) food irradiation can reduce post-harvest food losses and make available a larger quantity and a wider variety of foodstuffs for consumers - It can also be an effective quarantine treatment for certain food and thus contribute to international trade; (3) international trade in irradiated foods would be facilitated by harmonization of national procedures based on internationally recognized standards for the control of food irradiation. The ''International Document on Food Irradiation'' adopted by consensus at the Conference is included in this issue, which also contains excerpts of the 5th Annual Meeting of the International Consultative Group on Food Irradiation (ICGFI), convened in Vienna, September 1988, and reports of two co-ordinated meetings, the second Research Co-ordination Meeting on the Use of Irradiation as a Quarantine Treatment of Food and Agricultural Commodities, and the Second Co-ordination Meeting on Food Irradiation Programme for Developing Countries in Middle East and Europe. 3 tabs

Peering into the secrets of food and agricultural co-products

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Delilah; Williams, Tina; Glenn, Gregory; Pan, Zhongli; Orts, William; McHugh, Tara

2010-06-01

Scanning electron microscopy is a useful tool for understanding food contamination and directing product development of food and industrial products. The current trend in food research is to produce foods that are fast to prepare and/or ready to eat. At the same time, these processed foods must be safe, high quality and maintain all or most of the nutritional value of the original whole foods. Minimally processed foods, is the phrase used to characterize these "new" foods. New techniques are needed which take advantage of minimal processing or processing which enhances the fresh properties and characteristics of whole foods while spending less time on food preparation. The added benefit coupled to less cooking time in an individual kitchen translates to an overall energy savings and reduces the carbon emissions to the environment. Food processing changes the microstructure, and therefore, the quality, texture and flavor, of the resulting food product. Additionally, there is the need to reduce waste, transportation costs and product loss during transportation and storage. Unlike food processing, structural changes are desirable in co-products as function follows form for food packaging films and boxes as well as for building materials and other industrial products. Thus, the standard materials testing procedures are coupled with SEM to provide direction in the development of products from agricultural residues or what would otherwise be considered waste materials. The use of agricultural residues reduces waste and adds value to a currently underutilized or unutilized product. The product might be biodegradable or compostable, thus reducing landfill requirements. Manufacturing industrial and packaging products from biological materials also reduces the amount of petroleum products currently standard in the industry.

A collaborative study on a Nordic standard protocol for detection and enumeration of thermotolerant Campylobacter in food (NMKL 119, 3. Ed., 2007)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosenquist, Hanne; Bengtsson, Anja; Hansen, Tina Beck

2007-01-01

A Nordic standard protocol for detection and enumeration of thermotolerant Campylobacter in food has been elaborated (NMKL 119, 3. Ed., 2007). Performance and precision characteristics of this protocol were evaluated in a collaborative study with participation of 14 laboratories from seven European...... jejuni (SLV-542). Expected concentrations (95% C.I.) (cfu g(-1) or ml(-1)) of both strains in matrices were 0.6-1.4 and 23-60 for qualitative detection, and 0.6-1.4; 23-60; and 420-1200 for semi-quantitative detection. For quantitative determination, the expected concentrations of C. jejuni/C. coli were...

Regulatory Monitoring of Fortified Foods: Identifying Barriers and Good Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Rowe, Laura A; Vossenaar, Marieke; Garrett, Greg S

2015-01-01

While fortification of staple foods and condiments has gained enormous global traction, poor performance persists throughout many aspects of implementation, most notably around the critical element of regulatory monitoring, which is essential for ensuring foods meet national fortification standards. Where coverage of fortified foods is high, limited nutritional impact of fortification programs largely exists due to regulatory monitoring that insufficiently identifies and holds producers accountable for underfortified products. Based on quality assurance data from 20 national fortification programs in 12 countries, we estimate that less than half of the samples are adequately fortified against relevant national standards. In this paper, we outline key findings from a literature review, key informant interviews with 11 fortification experts, and semi-quantitative surveys with 39 individuals from regulatory agencies and the food fortification industry in 17 countries on the perceived effectiveness of regulatory monitoring systems and barriers to compliance against national fortification standards. Findings highlight that regulatory agencies and industry disagree on the value that enforcement mechanisms have in ensuring compliance against standards. Perceived political risk of enforcement and poorly resourced inspectorate capacity appear to adversely reinforce each other within an environment of unclear legislation to create a major hurdle for improving overall compliance of fortification programs against national standards. Budget constraints affect the ability of regulatory agencies to create a well-trained inspector cadre and improve the detection and enforcement of non-compliant and underfortified products. Recommendations to improve fortification compliance include improving technical capacity; ensuring sustained leadership, accountability, and funding in both the private and the public sectors; and removing political barriers to ensure consistent detection of

Food Taxes: A New Holy Grail?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ignaas Devisch

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In an effort to reduce the growing prevalence of overweight and obesity, food taxes have been introduced in several European countries, the so-called ‘obesitax’. As yet little evidence is at hand, policy measures are being taken to counterweight the consumption of unhealthy food or the increasing diet-related diseases. Several questions need to be discussed, starting from a general perspective: can food taxes become an appropriate and just policy measure to reduce overweight and obesity and therefore increase consumer’s health? The implementation of an effective and fair food tax is an exercise riddled with uncertainty. Not only is there a need for evidence on the health and economic impact of food taxes, we also have to think about a conceptual and ethical discussion concerning the balance between health imperatives and public health on the one hand, and social and ethical standards on the other hand.

Food insecurity and mental disorders in a national sample of U.S. adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

McLaughlin, Katie A; Green, Jennifer Greif; Alegría, Margarita; Jane Costello, E; Gruber, Michael J; Sampson, Nancy A; Kessler, Ronald C

2012-12-01

To examine whether food insecurity is associated with past-year DSM-IV mental disorders after controlling for standard indicators of family socioeconomic status (SES) in a U.S. national sample of adolescents. Data were drawn from 6,483 adolescent-parent pairs who participated in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement, a national survey of adolescents 13 to 17 years old. Frequency and severity of food insecurity were assessed with questions based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Security Scale (standardized to a mean of 0, variance of 1). DSM-IV mental disorders were assessed with the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Associations of food insecurity with DSM-IV/Composite International Diagnostic Interview diagnoses were estimated with logistic regression models controlling for family SES (parental education, household income, relative deprivation, community-level inequality, and subjective social status). Food insecurity was highest in adolescents with the lowest SES. Controlling simultaneously for other aspects of SES, standardized food insecurity was associated with an increased odds of past-year mood, anxiety, behavior, and substance disorders. A 1 standard deviation increase in food insecurity was associated with a 14% increase in the odds of past-year mental disorder, even after controlling for extreme poverty. The association between food insecurity and mood disorders was strongest in adolescents living in families with a low household income and high relative deprivation. Food insecurity is associated with a wide range of adolescent mental disorders independently of other aspects of SES. Expansion of social programs aimed at decreasing family economic strain might be one useful policy approach for improving youth mental health. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

TINY TCP/IP PROTOCOL SUITE FOR EMBEDDED SYSTEMS WITH 32 BIT MICROCONTROLLER

OpenAIRE

Mr. Praful M. Godhankar; Mr. Maske Vishnu Dattatraya; Prof. Shahzia Sayyad

2015-01-01

The scope of embedded devices is increasing day by day and the demand will be further more when networking technology is incorporated into these devices. Many embedded systems not only communicate with each other, but also with computers using a network. All systems connected to the Internet, wireless networks such as WLAN and GPRS, and many local area networks communicate using the standard TCP/IP protocol suite. An embedded system may have as little memory, the memory constraints make progr...

Explaining the food safety behaviours of food handlers using theories of behaviour change: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Ian; Thaivalappil, Abhinand; Greig, Judy; Meldrum, Richard; Waddell, Lisa

2018-06-01

Theories of behaviour change can explain the factors affecting food handlers' use of food safety practices. A systematic review was conducted on this topic to identify which theories have been applied in this area and to determine which theories are the most consistent predictors of food handlers' behaviours. Standard systematic review procedures were followed: comprehensive search strategy; relevance screening of abstracts; article characterization; data extraction; risk-of-bias assessment; and descriptive analysis. Among 19 relevant studies, the most commonly investigated theories were the Theory of Planned Behaviour (n = 9 studies) and Health Belief Model (n = 5). All investigated theories were useful to explain food handlers' behavioural intentions and behaviours related to food safety across different settings, and could serve as useful frameworks for future research and practice. However, there was wide variability in the predictive ability of the theories and their specific constructs, indicating theories should be adapted to the local context of application.

Validation and acceptability of double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges in children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Venter, Carina; Maslin, Kate; Patil, Veeresh; Grundy, Jane; Glasbey, Gillian; Raza, Abid; Vlieg-Boerstra, Berber; Dean, Taraneh

2016-01-01

The Double Blind Placebo Controlled Food Challenge (DBPCFC) is considered the gold standard for food allergy diagnosis (1, 2). It is recommended that active and placebo challenge foods for DBPCFCs are sufficiently blinded in terms of smell, flavour and texture. Difficulties arise with children

Development of a standard methodology for integrating non-food crop production in rural areas with niche energy markets. Proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-09-01

This project was supported as a Concerted Action under the EC DGVI AIR programme from 1993-1996. It has successfully developed a standard methodology to help integrate non-food crop production in rural areas with niche energy markets. The methodology was used to compare the costs of different energy crop production and conversion options across the six participating nations. The partners provide a representative cross-section of European agriculture and energy expertise. All partners agreed on three niche markets favourable for biomass and biofuels: small-scale heat markets (less than 1 MW th ) for agro-industry, domestic and commercial buildings, medium-scale heat markets (1-10MW th ), including cogeneration for light industry and district heating, and liquid biofuels as substitutes for fossil fuels in transport, heat and power applications. (Author)

Food addiction-diagnosis and treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Dimitrijević, Ivan; Popović, Nada; Sabljak, Vera; Škodrić-Trifunović, Vesna; Dimitrijević, Nina

2015-03-01

In this article we summarized the recent research of the food addiction, diagnosis, treatment and prevention, which is carried out in this area. The concept of food addiction is new and complex, but proven to be very important for understanding and solving the problem of obesity. First part of this paper emphasizes the neurological studies, whose results indicate the similarity of brain processes that are being activated during drug abuse and during eating certain types of food. In this context, different authors speak of "hyper-palatable", industrial food, saturated with salt, fat and sugar, which favor an addiction. In the section on diagnostic and instruments constructed for assessing the degree of dependence, main diagnostic tool is standardized Yale Food Addiction Scale constructed by Ashley Gearhardt, and her associates. Since 2009, when it was first published, this scale is used in almost all researches in this area and has been translated into several languages. Finally, distinguish between prevention and treatment of food addiction was made. Given that there were similarities with other forms of addictive behavior, the researchers recommend the application of traditional addiction treatment.

Gamma irradiation as a means of food preservation in Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pim, L.R.

1983-11-01

The status of food irradiation has changed significantly in the past three years with the establishment of inter-national standards by the Codex Alimentarious Commission of the United Nations and the setting of wholesomeness guidelines for a wide variety of foods by the Joint FAO/IAEA/WHO Expert Committee on Food Irradiation. This report examines: the technology of food irradiation; the biochemical, nutritional and microbiological effects on food, with special attention paid to radiolytic products and their possible toxicity; the economic feasibility of a food irradiation industry; food irradiation in Canada -experience, outlook and regulatory proposals, and consumer reaction to irradiated foods; and presents conclusions and recommendations to Health and Welfare Canada and to Consumer and Corporate Affairs Canada

The role of GLOBAL G.A.P.: In improving competitiveness of agro-food industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bešić Cariša

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The issues of food safety, standards and food quality represent a challenge for every food company which has to cope with in order to survive. The change in consumers attitudes has considerably been influenced by certain incidents related to food safety which clearly showed that more attention should be paid to food safety. Different actors should work together on this issue, from food producers (primary and final, consumer associations, international organizations, big retailers to the state. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current situation in implementation of certification schemes for agro-food industry in which GLOBAL G.A.P. has been recognized as a perspective one. A special attention is paid to two directions: (1 Comparison of implementing GLOBAL G.A.P. standard and other Certification schemes and (2 Overview and opportunities for Serbia and neighboring countries, in relation to its EU food law and food safety certification schemes harmonization efforts.