Journal of Food Safety and Hygiene
Volume:6 Issue: 2, Spring 2020

Trace elements are compounds that are essential in small amounts for biochemical reactions and to maintain human health. Almost all foods can contain varying amounts of these metals. In this study, the effects of food processing on the content of trace metals are investigated. Extensive interpretations of processing, including aspects of food production and specific examples of changes in metal content due to processing will be discussed. Pre-consumption food processing to improve rheological properties and increase shelf life is inevitable, which changes the bioavailability and amount of these compounds in different directions depending on the process. The amount of these trace metals in the food product can be affected by various conditions such as heating, fermentation, food additives, etc. The main factor in reducing trace elements in food, especially the use of heat in a special method and on the other hand, factors such as fermentation can also increase the bioavailability of these elements.

Foodborne pathogens represent one of the major challenges to health systems around the world. This risk is exacerbated by the presence of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) pathogens. Knowledge on the presence of these pathogens in the food supply chain would help in establishing intervention strategies to mitigate their risk. The objective of this study was to detect AMR among serotypes of Escherichia coli (E. coli) food adulterants serotypes of E. coli in the food supply chain and among isolates from gastroenteritis cases. E. coli isolates recovered form animals, meet processing plants, retail, and humans were examined for the presence of AMR using phenotypic and genotypic approaches. AMR to aminoglycosides, β-lactams, and tetracycline were detected in all isolates recovered from these sources at different levels. Similarly, presence of the bla-Tem, bla-SHV, aadA, and strAB genes were detected in isolates from these sources but there was no significant correlation between the genetic detection and phenotypic expression AMR.

Synthetic colors have advantages in comparison to natural colors, but they cause cancer, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, immune system suppression and vitamin deficiency. In the present study, authorized and unauthorized synthetic colors in saffron barbecued chicken from meat shops and restaurants in Babol city have been identified by thin-layer chromatography. Fifty samples of saffron barbecued chicken from meat shops and restaurants in Babol city have been collected from July to September 2019. Out of 50 samples, 20 had natural color, while 27 and 3 samples contained authorized and unauthorized synthetic colors respectively. According to the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran, the application of synthetic colors is banned in saffron barbecued chicken. Therefore, 40% were consumable and 60% were inconsumable, out of which 54% contained quinoline yellow and 6% had tartrazine. About 58.06% and 63.15% of samples from meat shops and restaurants were inconsumable, respectively. There were no significant differences regarding the frequency of the evaluated colors between samples from meat shops and restaurants (p>0.05). Based on the results, it is essential that the presence of synthetic colors is traced constantly and more strictly in food products and that the perpetrators receive more serious punishment.

The occurrence of drug-resistant non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) in poultry has serious economic implications for the poultry industry and has the potential to cause human Salmonellosis. This study, therefore, aimed to determine the circulating serovars of NTS and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns in poultry in Ilorin. This cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2015. A total of 420 samples (cloacal, n=140; fecal, n=140; feed, n=70, and water, n=70) were aseptically collected from live adult birds from 14 farms using a systematic random sampling technique. Salmonella was isolated using the ISO 6579 method. Antibiotic sensitivity testing of NTS serovars was performed using the Kirby Bauer disc – diffusion method and interpreted using the epidemiological cut-off (ECOFF) values. The prevalence of NTS in poultry was 7.4% (n=31). Feed samples were the most contaminated samples (42%, n=13/31). Faecal sample (32%, n=10/31), cloacal swabs (19.5%, n= 6/31), and water samples (6.5%, n=2/31) also contained NTS. There was a significant difference between NTS isolation rates between farms (p<0.05). Only 21 isolates purposively selected across farms and sample types were serotyped. Salmonella nagoya was the most prevalent (52%, n=11/21). Other serovars were Salmonella brijbhumi (5%, n=1/21); Salmonella enteritidis (5%, n=1/21); and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar 6, 8: z4 (19%, n=4/21). Four isolates (19%) were untypable. All isolates showed multidrug resistance. Most of the isolates were resistant to ampicillin (82.3%) and tetracycline (76.5%). Some isolates were resistant to cefotaxime (23.5%) and ciprofloxacin (29.4%). The occurrence of multidrug-resistant salmonella isolates is considered a critical public health threat that requires urgent global action. There is a need for a coordinated national salmonella surveillance program in Nigeria.

Food hygiene must be observed in production, storage, supply, and sales to obtain healthy foods with desirable quality. The purpose of present study was to evaluate the awareness, attitudes, and practices of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences food services staff toward food hygiene. A questionnaire consisting of 46 questions was completed by 40 food services staff from February to March 2019. Based on the results, respondents had an acceptable awareness (92.5% to 100% general sanitary awareness and 37.5% to 95% awareness about microbial food hazards), excellent attitudes (97.5% to 100%), and moderate practices regarding food hygiene (17.5% to 97.5%). Although all participants had a relatively high level of awareness and attitude and participated in food safety education courses, their practices were somewhat poor.