Food Hygiene and Safety Practices amongst Food Vendors in the Western Area, Sierra Leone

Food safety and hygiene practices require a multisectoral approach including food, water, sanitation, waste management, transport, education, trade, policies and programs that enable safe food preparation, storage and service. Unsafe food can cause illness keeping people from achieving their full potential and death. This was a descriptive study that uses a mixed method approach to derive insights into the characteristics of food vendors related to demography, knowledge, practices, infrastructure, compliance and recommendation for a policymaking framework. Using the Lemeshows’ sample size formula, 473 vendors from formal (restaurants) and informal (cookri-baffa/table top) sites were interviewed and observed. We found from discussions that respondents had a good understanding on how to keep food safe. However, observed practices were poor 93% handled food with their bare hands, 83% did not cover their hair, and 76% did not wear an apron whilst handling, preparing or serving food, 61% did not keep their finger nails clean or short and 57% did not wash their hand before preparing or serving food. Over half (51%) had access to a toilet but 32% reported their use required payment and emphasized their poor condition/inadequate management. Nearly half (47%) of the vending sites did not have a handwashing facility, with soap and water available. Only 7% reported having any authority oversight of food safety. Food safety and hygiene practices in most cookri shops and restaurants was ‘poor’ with very limited surveillance system in place by competent authorities for compliance of food operators. Hand washing, clean surroundings, and covered food were the most common and emphasized practices to mitigate the risks associated with unsafe food.

Effect of a Nutrition Education Intervention on Food Safety Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Mothers of Children under 5 Years in the Peri-Urban Areas of Bobo-Dioulasso: Before and after Study

Background: This study assessed the effect of a nutrition education intervention. This intervention aimed to improve the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of mothers on food safety in the peri-urban areas of Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso. Methods: A total of 243 mothers of children under 5 years in the peri-urban of Bobo-Dioulasso were administered the FAO questionnaire for food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices assessment during two cross-sectional surveys, before and after the intervention, in January and October 2017. The intervention included two components consisting of a theoretical phase (counselling and discussion) and cooking demonstrations implemented for ten months. To account for the before-and-after design of the study, the McNemar’s test was used to assess the effect of the intervention on food safety KAP of mothers of children under 5 years. Results: The mean age of mothers was 29 ± 6.2 years and 50.6% of them were between 20 and 29 years old. One for knowledge (cooking thoroughly with, p-value = 0.0001) and another for attitudes (perceived benefits of reheating leftovers before eating them, p-value = 0.0001), significantly increased after the intervention. In terms of food safety practices, all the indicators (cleaning of dirty surfaces, plates and utensils and storage of perishable foods) significantly increased (all p = 0.0001 Conclusion: This study provided some evidence of an effective nutrition education intervention for improving maternal KAP on food safety for their child’s feeding.

Teaching Status and Teaching Reform Ideas of Physical Chemistry Experiments for Food Quality and Safety Major

Physical chemistry experiments are an important branch of chemical experiments.In view of problems and shortcomings in physical chemistry experiment teaching of food quality and safety major in Chengdu University,the teaching methods of physical chemistry experiment course of food quality and safety major were explored and practiced,aiming to arouse students enthusiasm for experiments and cultivate their ability of independent learning,comprehensive thinking and independent problem solving.

Food Microbiology and Safety 实验课的教改探索

该文作者所在大学与新西兰梅西大学合作开展了食品科学与工程专业国际化培养本科教育项目,全英文课程Food Microbiology and Safety是该项目的核心课程之一。该实验课以应用性为前提,以课程思政为引领,强调食品微生物学与食品安全学的融合,中外师资合作开展了系列教学探索与实践。课程设计以食品产品和食品生产为情境,以微生物安全为话题,模拟真实生产场景,丰富内涵和拓展外延;自主设计实验激发主观能动性、自主规划进程锻炼统筹能力、线上资源平台支撑自主学习与评价、随机分组培养团队合作能力。实践表明,课程有效实现了食品微生物学与食品安全学的有机融合,目标驱动型实验教学过程更利于激发学生的主动性,大量综合性和设计性实验提高了课程的两性一度。与同期对照班级相比,该项目所培养学生具有更强的专业素养和实践能力,为食品专业其他实验课程的教学改革提供了参考。

Personal glucose meters coupled with signal amplification technologies for quantitative detection of non-glucose targets:Recent progress and challenges in food safety hazards analysis

Ensuring food safety is paramount worldwide.Developing effective detection methods to ensure food safety can be challenging owing to trace hazards,long detection time,and resource-poor sites,in addition to the matrix effects of food.Personal glucose meter(PGM),a classic point-of-care testing device,possesses unique application advantages,demonstrating promise in food safety.Currently,many studies have used PGM-based biosensors and signal amplification technologies to achieve sensitive and specific detection of food hazards.Signal amplification technologies have the potential to greatly improve the analytical performance and integration of PGMs with biosensors,which is crucial for solving the challenges associated with the use of PGMs for food safety analysis.This review introduces the basic detection principle of a PGM-based sensing strategy,which consists of three key factors:target recognition,signal transduction,and signal output.Representative studies of existing PGM-based sensing strategies combined with various signal amplification technologies(nanomaterial-loaded multienzyme labeling,nucleic acid reaction,DNAzyme catalysis,responsive nanomaterial encapsulation,and others)in the field of food safety detection are reviewed.Future perspectives and potential opportunities and challenges associated with PGMs in the field of food safety are discussed.Despite the need for complex sample preparation and the lack of standardization in the field,using PGMs in combination with signal amplification technology shows promise as a rapid and cost-effective method for food safety hazard analysis.

No country is an island in regulating food safety:How the WTO monitors Chinese food safety laws through the Trade Policy Review Mechanism(TPRM)

Established within the framework of the World Trade Organization （WTO）, the Trade Policy Review Mechanism （TPRM） reviews periodically the trade policies of all WTO Members. The review includes many aspects of food safety regulation. China＇s trade policy is reviewed every two years. This paper analyses in detail the reviews of China＇s trade policy in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014. It focuses in particular on food safety laws and types of standards, alignment of domestic standards with international standards, the role of different domestic institutions, transparency and notification of food safety measures under the WTO agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures （SPS） and on Technical Barriers to Trade （TBTAgreement）, import and export, and geographical indications （GIs）. It concludes that the WTO TPRM can contribute, within its mandate, to reform of Chinese food safety laws and improvement of food safety in China. it notes that China has already undertaken substantial reforms of its system for regulating food safety. It recommends that China should continue to participate actively in the TPRM, follow its own path with regard to alignment and learn selectively from other WTO Members.

Environment and Awareness Influencing Food Safety in the Western Area, Sierra Leone

Food safety, nutrition, health and wellbeing are inextricably linked. This study investigated the environmental, awareness and practices amongst both food vendors and consumers in and around Freetown the capital of Sierra Leone. The population of the area has vastly out-grown the infrastructure laid down before and since independence. De-centralization of authority to local councils as recommended post-war has only been partial. The role of local versus central government in the planning and maintenance of water, sanitation and market-infrastructure and related policies was explored. This is a qualitative study that used semi-structured interviews with vendors, consumers and 29 key informants. Amongst an estimated population of 5386 actors in food services a sample size of 309 vendors, consumers in and around the 12 busiest market hubs in Western Area Urban and Rural Districts were sampled. Most of the respondents described “food safety” as “good-to-eat, well taken care-off, and free from germs”. The respondents cited that main causes to unsafe food are poor hygienic practices: 38%, contamination by flies: 28%, uncovered food/ improper handling/poor personal hygiene: 21%, and environmental factors, such as improper refuse disposal: 11%. Respondents expressed that consuming unsafe foods can lead to diarrhoea: 34%, food poisoning: 24%, vomiting: 17%, stomach ache/pain: 16%, or typhoid: 9%. Various measures to improve food safety were cited as hand washing: 60%, cleaning surroundings: 57%, covering food: 56%, washing utensils: 52%, covering hair: 42% and using a face mask: 32%. However almost 76% of food vendors interviewed were trading near gutters, where muddy/dirty water settled, with slippery floors, discarded plastic waste, flies and inadequate water, sanitation, and/or storage facilities. None of the food vendors had had any formal training on food safety. Despite progress recently made in solid and liquid waste management during the “Transform Freetown” agenda much more improvement in infrastructure and behaviour change is required. Similarly, despite improvements in formal market facilities the pattern of informal street trading remains the most prevalent especially for the poor. The link between “safe food” and good health was only partially understood, whilst the widespread application of recommended practices to reduce risks was lacking due in part to inadequate infrastructure. As the importance of food safety becomes better understood by administrators and the public the investments required in infrastructure and social and behavioural change will contribute towards a healthier environment and outcomes.

A Study to Assess Basic Food Safety Knowledge among University Students

Background: University students who visit off-campus university cafeterias during their academic life may lack some basic food safety knowledge. Study Aim: To evaluate university students’ basic knowledge of food safety in off-campus cafeterias. To explore whether the knowledge reported was influenced by the students’ educational backgrounds. Objects and Methods: Students from three different universities in Saudi Arabia were included. University A represented medical majors, University B represented a mix of both majors medical and non-medical, and University C represented only non-medical majors. Data Collection: An electronic questionnaire was circulated among 500 university students to evaluate their knowledge of food safety. The questionnaire had three main sections covering the cafeteria’s location as a food serving area, staff hygiene skills, and food preparation standards. The 5-point Likert scale consists of the following points: yes, maybe, no, it does not matter, I do not know. Only a “yes” answer indicated a positive response and proper awareness of the subject. Results: A total of 408 students participated, and the results showed significant differences in student knowledge between the three universities. In fact, University A’s students had better overall knowledge than University C’s students (0.001 < P). However, there was no significant difference between University A’s and University B’s students. The positive responses for the first part of the questionnaire which focused on off-campus cafeteria location, for 18 statements were from 26% to 90.4%. The positive responses for the second part of the questionnaire that focused on staff skills, for 8 statements were from 54.4% to 87.3%. Finally, the positive responses for the third part of the questionnaire which focused on food preparation, for 9 statements were 54.4% to 87.3%. Conclusion: Based on the overall comparison among universities, University A’s students have more knowledge in food safety in comparison to University C’s. University B’s students showed no significant difference with the latter two universities. The overall results suggest that students’ educational backgrounds can contribute effectively to the general knowledge of food safety.

New Food Safety Law of China and the special issue on food safety in China

1. IntroductionThere have been a number of serious incidents of compro- mised food safety in China in recent years. To list a few, these include： a Salmonella outbreak, the use of horse- meat in burgers, the illegal use of phthalates as a clouding agent, the contamination of formula milk by melamine, the meat scandal of Shanghai Husi Food Company which sold reprocessed stale meat to many fast food chains includ- ing McDonald＇s, Burger King, and KFC across theworld,

Application of"Six Thinking Hats"in the Investigation and Improvement of Hidden Dangers in Food Safety

With the development of economy,people's living standards are constantly improving,and the requirements for food safety are getting higher and higher.The Food Safety Law stipulates that enterprises should implement the main responsibility of food safety,and the investigation and improvement of food safety hazards plays an important role in improving the food safety management level of enterprises and reducing food safety risks.This paper combines the innovative thinking mode of six thinking hats with food safety,discusses the application mode of six thinking hats in food safety investigation and improvement,and hopes to improve food safety level through this way.

New food sources and production systems:a comparison of international regulations and China’s advancements in novel foods with synthetic biology

The global shift towards sustainable food systems has sparked innovations in food sources and production systems,including cell-based meat,plant-based food products,precision fermentation,and 3D food printing.These advancements pose regulatory challenges and opportunities,with China emerging as a critical player in adopting and regulating new food technologies.This review explores the international landscape of new food sources and production systems(NFPS),focusing on China’s role and regulatory approaches compared to global practices.Through this comparative analysis,we aim to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on food safety regulation,offering insights and recommendations for policymakers,industry stakeholders,and researchers engaged in the global food system’s evolution.This comprehensive overview underscores the dynamic nature of regulatory frameworks governing NFPS,highlighting the international efforts to ensure food safety,consumer protection,and the sustainable evolution of the food industry.

Tb^(3+)-nucleic acid probe-based label-free and rapid detection of mercury pollution in food

Mercury is a threatening pollutant in food,herein,we developed a Tb^(3+)-nucleic acid probe-based label-free assay for mix-and-read,rapid detection of mercury pollution.The assay utilized the feature of light-up fluorescence of terbium ions(Tb^(3+))via binding with single-strand DNA.Mercury ion,Hg^(2+)induced thymine(T)-rich DNA strand to form a double-strand structure(T-Hg^(2+)-T),thus leading to fluorescence reduction.Based on the principle,Hg^(2+)can be quantified based on the fluorescence of Tb^(3+),the limit of detection was 0.0689μmol/L and the linear range was 0.1-6.0μmol/L.Due to the specificity of T-Hg^(2+)-T artificial base pair,the assay could distinguish Hg^(2+)from other metal ions.The recovery rate was ranged in 98.71%-101.34%for detecting mercury pollution in three food samples.The assay is low-cost,separation-free and mix-to-read,thus was a competitive tool for detection of mercury pollution to ensure food safety.

Physico-Chemical and Nutritional Properties of a Food Broth Based on Nere (Parkia biglobosa)

Purpose: Diet and eating habits are major risk factors for the health and the development of disease, such as, for example, metabolic disorder leading to cardiovascular pathology and cancer, decreased immunity exposing to infections. This study of the physico-chemical and nutritional properties of a soumara-based food broth was carried out with the aim of promoting the consumption of organic broth made from nere seeds (soumara). That is to alleviate certain metabolic diseases, which is a matter of food safety, and also to limit the risk for the health about the consumption of some cooking stocks on the market. Methods: Several natural ingredients such as nere seeds (soumara), ginger, black pepper, parsley and garlic were used to create a nere-based stock. All these ingredients were freeze-dried and the powder obtained was used to make the broth, regarding their physical and chemical properties. Results: The broth had a good protein content of 17.41 ± 0.367 g/100g, a lipid content of 16.80 ± 0.08 g/100g and a fiber content of 8.66 ± 0.04 g/100g. In terms of nutritional values, the broth showed good levels of calcium 184.21 ± 0.09 mg/100g, potassium 50.04 ± 1.45 mg/100g and iron and zinc. In terms of antioxidant activity, the broth also showed good antioxidant activity. Conclusion: Regarding the properties of our food broth, whose composition is based on natural ingredients, could be recommended for consumption and, its properties, could play an important role in preventing and combating certain metabolic diseases.

Enforcement of Food Legislation and Its Impact on Food Safety: A Case Study on Food Law Enactment in Mauritius

Foodborne diseases affect human health and cause significant economic loss. Among the proposed mitigating strategies to prevent, or at least, to reduce foodborne diseases were the enactment and proper enforcement of food legislation. In Mauritius (MU), many outbreaks have been reported since the enactment and enforcement of the Food Act 1998 (MU) and Food Regulations 1999 (MU). Therefore, it was high time to re-evaluate the impact of the food law on the pattern of foodborne diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the introduction of the Mauritian food legislation had influenced the pattern of foodborne diseases and its suitability in recent years. Data were collected from the website of the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life of Mauritius from 1990 to 2015 and analysed using nonparametric statistical methods, where required. Results showed that more foodborne disease cases occurred during enforcement of the food legislation than before. The study also found that the food law was consistently enforced over the years, except during epidemics of chikungunya fever and dengue fever. Furthermore, several strengths and weaknesses were identified in the current legislation related to the risk of foodborne diseases. Comparing the Mauritian with the Australian food laws revealed some similarities and differences between the two legislations. This review showed that overall foodborne diseases in Mauritius increased and were not affected by the food law enforcement. Therefore, a revision of the law and its enforcement is necessary to make them more efficient in preventing foodborne diseases.

The Animal Health Law-Regulation EU 2016/429 and the Future of Food Safety and Free Commerce in Europe

The aim of this study was to analyze the contents of Reg.(EU)No.429/2016,and to assess its role in guaranteeing the efficient application of the disease prevention and control rules into member state.Furthermore,the authors evaluated the impact of the abovementioned Regulation on the legislation on public health and food safety already in force in Europe(Regulations EC No.178/2002,No.882/2004,No.853/2004)and considered the global impact of the new rules on the effective functioning of the internal market.The study pays attention also to the TFEU(treaty of lisbon on the functioning of the European union)procedure to delegate to the commission the power to adopt non-legislative acts of general application that supplement or amend certain non-essential elements of a legislative act.

Review of Food Safety Supervision for the Wholesale Market of Chinese Agricultural Products

With the continuous improvement of living standards, there is an increasingly concerned about food quality and safety issues. Especially in recent years,food safety incidents, breaking out frequently, have become the focus of people＇s attention, putting forward new demands on the regulation of food safety. This paper reviewed the Food Safety Supervision in China from food safety supervision mode,regulatory system defects and circulation supervision system, and also proposed the future research trends of food safety regulations for the wholesale market of Chinese agricultural products.

Comparison of the Evolution of Genetically Modified Food Safety Policies between the United States and the European Union

With the research on and development of Genetically Modified Food （GMF）, people＇s attitude toward GMF may fall into two divergent categories, typical- ly represented by the United States（US） and the European Union（EU）, respectively. The former follows a ＂sound science principle＂ and firmly objects to the precautionary principle, namely a permissive policy of positive support of and voluntary labelling on GMF; while the latter adopts a cautiously precautionary principle, requiring mandatory labelling and traceability. From the standpoint of regulatory principles, together with corresponding supervisory measures and relevant provisions, this paper compared the execution of directives and provisions on GMF from the initial policies enacted by the US and EU to current situation combined with the track and analysis of latest polic ies issued.

Is the Potential Interconnection between Antibiotic Susceptibility and Disinfectant Resistance a Threat to Food Safety?

The prevalence of antibiotic susceptibility and disinfectant resistance in bacterial pathogens causes a serious problem not only to food safety but also to public health, which directly or indirectly leads to treatment and disinfection failures. In this review, multidrug resistance, the mechanism of disinfectant resistance, the methods for detecting disinfectant resistance and the cross-resistance between an- tibiotics and disinfectants are summarized. More efforts should be devoted to explor- ing the professional guidance of using antibiotics and disinfectants, and to develop- ing the comprehensive detection with genetic and molecular methods is highly ex- pected.

Food safety regulatory systems in Europe and China:A study of how co-regulation can improve regulatory effectiveness

Food safety has received a great deal of attention in both developed and developing countries in recent years. In China, the numerous food scandals and scares that have struck over the past decade have spurred significant food safety regulatory reform, which has been increasingly oriented towards the public-private partnership model adopted by the Europe Union＇s （EU） food safety regulatory system. This paper analyzes the development of both the EU＇s and China＇s food safety regu- latory systems, identifies the current challenges for China and additionally considers the role of public-private partnership. The success of co-regulation in the food regulatory system would bring significant benefits and opportunities for China. Finally, this paper recommends additional measures like training and grants to improve the private＇s sector effectiveness in co-regulating China＇s food safety issues.

Water quality, agriculture and food safety in China:Current situation, trends, interdependencies, and management

Water quality in China is becoming a severe challenge for agriculture and food safety, and it might also impact health of population via agriculture and food. Thus, it is causing widespread concern. Based on extensive literatures review and data mining, current situation of water pollution in China and its effects on food safety were analyzed. The 2nd National Water Resource Survey in China show that the surface water all over the country was under slight pollution and about 60% of groundwater is polluted. Drinking water quality is basically guaranteed in urban area but it is worrisome in rural areas. In addition, China is the largest consumer of fertilizer and pesticide in the world and the amounts of application still show increasing trends. Fertilizers and pesticides are the most important sources of pollution, which affect human health as persistent organic pollutants and environmental endocrine disruptors. Eutrophication of surface water and nitrate pollution of groundwater are serious threats to drinking water safety. Sewage irrigation is becoming a pollution source to China＇s water and land because of lacking of effective regulations. Although, with the advance in technology and management level, control of nitrogen and phosphorus emissions and reducing water pollution is still a major challenge for China.