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.

Artificial senses for characterization of food quality

Food quality is of primary concern in the food industry and to the consumer. Systems that mimic human senses have been developed and applied to the characterization of food quality. The five primary senses are: vision, hearing, smell, taste and touch. In the characterization of food quality, people assess the samples sensorially and differentiate “good”from “bad”on a continuum. However, the human sensory system is subjective, with mental and physical inconsistencies, and needs time to work. Artificial senses such as machine vision, the electronic ear, electronic nose, electronic tongue, artificial mouth and even artificial the head have been developed that mimic the human senses. These artificial senses are coordinated individually or collectively by a pat- tern recognition technique, typically artificial neural networks, which have been developed based on studies of the mechanism of the human brain. Such a structure has been used to formulate methods for rapid characterization of food quality. This research presents and discusses individual artificial sensing systems. With the concept of multi-sensor data fusion these sensor systems can work collectively in some way. Two such fused systems, artificial mouth and artificial head, are described and discussed. It indicates that each of the individual systems has their own artificially sensing ability to differentiate food samples. It further indicates that with a more complete mimic of human intelligence the fused systems are more powerful than the individual sys- tems in differentiation of food samples.

China’s food quality report

This report on China's food quality and food security situation aims to put at ease the hearts of consumers at home and abroad. It will convey that China is a responsible country with an effective system for safeguarding every link in the food export chain. Hence, a few bad incidents should not be regarded as representative of all Chinese food exports. According to the report, last year's food exports were over 99 percent up-to-standard. The Chinese government has always taken food safety seriously because it concerns people's health, the market's credibility and the country's image. In recent years efforts have been made by concerned authorities to tighten industry regulations, step-up legislation and law enforcement and improve the supervision of food quality. Furthermore, the country has vowed to take severe measures to punish corporate culprits, including blacklisting them and imposing export bans. To improve its administration in food quality and safety and promote international trade in food products, the country has also been keen on borrowing successful experiences from other countries and has actively engaged in international co-operation.

Applications of electronic nose (e-nose) and electronic tongue (e-tongue) in food quality-related properties determination: A review

Background:An e-nose or an e-tongue is a group of gas sensors or chemical sensors that simulate human nose or human tongue.Both e-nose and e-tongue have showngreat promise and utility in improving assessments of food quality characteristics compared with traditional detection methods.Scope and approach:This review summarizes the application of e-nose and e-tongue in determining the quality-related properties of foods.The working principles,applications,and limitations of the sensors employed by electronic noses and electronic tongueswere introduced and compared.Widelyemployed pattern recognition algorithms,including artificial neural network(ANN),convolutional neural network(CNN),principal component analysis(PCA),partial least square regression(PLS),and support vector machine(SVM),were introduced and compared in this review.Key findings and conclusions:Overall,e-nose or e-tongue combining pattern recognition algorithms are very powerful analytical tools,which are relatively low-cost,rapid,and accurate.E-nose and e-tongue are also suitable for both in-line and off-line measurements,which are very useful in monitoring food processing and detecting the end product quality.The user of e-nose and e-tongue need to strictly control sample preparation,sampling,and data processing.

Food quality and safety in Singapore:microbiology aspects

BACKGROUND:Singapore’s status as a first world island city-state which relies chiefly on food imports to meet the demand for consumption presents unique challenges in terms of microbial food safety and quality.Despite the efforts of the Ministry of Health in Singapore,in conjunction with the Agri-Food&Veterinary Authority of Singapore and the National Environment Agency actively collaborate together to promote safety in Singapore,foodborne diseases are still a major public health issue.OBJECTIVE:The aim of the review was to summarize the various foodborne diseases reported in Singapore in the past few years as well as to give an account of all the currently available microbiological findings indicating safety and quality of poultry,vegetables,fruits,and seafood sold in Singapore.

Assessment of Food Service Quality of Chicken Republic and Mega Chicken Restaurants, Lagos, Nigeria

In this project, assessment of food service quality of two restaurants in Lagos was carried out. The study assessed quality of food served in Chicken Republic compared with Mega Chicken. Three hundred (300) copies of questionnaires were administered to the customers in Chicken Republic Restaurant while two hundred (200) copies questionnaires were administered to the customer in Mega Chicken Restaurant. In order to analyze the data, simple percentage method was adopted in which the respondents responded to variables like, quality of services, quality of food, healthy food, price and value and condition of environment as factors that determine their patronage. The result of the study showed that the customers prefer Mega Chicken. It also showed that there is a relationship between the customers’ satisfaction and customer patronage in a choice of restaurant. The result of the project could be of use to the intending restaurants’ operators to understand the trend and determinants of customers’ patronage. Recommendation is made that restaurant’s operation should intensify effort for training and retraining of the staff on customer delight.

Understanding Saudi Public’s Awareness, Perception, and Attitudes towards Genetically Modified Foods

Introduction: Recent technological developments have enabled many scientists to produce a wide variety of foods that meet consumers’ desires for diversity and quality. Genetically modified (GM) foods have long been a controversial topic, and consumer reliance on these foods depends on their trust in biotechnology institutions due to their lack of knowledge about the risks and benefits. This study aimed to assess the awareness, attitude, and perception of GM foods among the Saudi population, as well as to identify the association between age, gender, and education level in the studied population and their awareness level towards genetically modified foods. Method: Data was collected using a structured, pretested questionnaire drawn from previous studies, after obtaining written consent. The questionnaire included three sections focusing on personal data, general knowledge of GM foods, and perception, attitudes, and beliefs towards GM foods. Our study included 500 responses. Results: The majority of the participants were female, located in the central region, and had a university education. Most participants provided a correct definition of GM foods and indicated that they had heard about them, but were unsure if they had eaten these foods in the past. Their knowledge of these foods was good. Regarding opinions and attitudes towards these foods, the majority of participants were neutral. They approved of using GM foods because it produces more food, tastes better, and can be stored for a long time. In conclusion, the study highlights the urgent necessity to raise awareness and knowledge regarding genetically modified foods among the Saudi population. It emphasizes the importance of educating consumers about the potential advantages and risks associated with consuming such foods, enabling them to make informed decisions. It is crucial to integrate awareness and education about genetically modified foods into the technological and agricultural advancements in Saudi Arabia.

Office of the Leading Team of Product Quality and Food Safety Holds Third Meeting

The Office of the Leading Team of Product Quality and Food Safety of the State Council held its third meeting on September 10. Li Changjiang, Minister of AQSIQ, presided over the meeting, and Pu Changcheng, Deputy Director of AQSIQ, also attended.……

China International Food Safety and Quality Conference 2007 Held in Beijing

Officials, experts and scholars from different countries and intemational organizations attended the China International Food Safety and Quality Conference 2007 on September 12-13. ……

Food Safety Detection Methods Applied to National Special Rectification of Product Quality and Food Safety

Afour-month period of national special rectification for product quality and food safety officially started on August 25, and was focused on eight fields, including those of agricultural products and processed foods.……

Multisensor Data Fusion for High Quality Data Analysis and Processing in Measurement and Instrumentation

Multisensor data fusion （MDF） is an emerging technology to fuse data from multiple sensors in order to make a more accurate estimation of the environment through measurement and detection. Applications of MDF cross a wide spectrum in military and civilian areas. With the rapid evolution of computers and the proliferation of micro-mechanical/electrical systems sensors, the utilization of MDF is being popularized in research and applications. This paper focuses on application of MDF for high quality data analysis and processing in measurement and instrumentation. A practical, general data fusion scheme was established on the basis of feature extraction and merge of data from multiple sensors. This scheme integrates artificial neural networks for high performance pattern recognition. A number of successful applications in areas of NDI （Non-Destructive Inspection） corrosion detection, food quality and safety characterization, and precision agriculture are described and discussed in order to motivate new applications in these or other areas. This paper gives an overall picture of using the MDF method to increase the accuracy of data analysis and processing in measurement and instrumentation in different areas of applications.

A Novel Approach for Evaluation of Food Functions and Safety Applied in RR GM Soybeans

[Objective] This study aimed to evaluate tbe healthy risk of genetically modified （ GM ） soybeans by using a novel approach for functions and safety of food. [ Me^od] Different from traditional evaluation of substantial equivalence, three great innovations were performed in this study, involving in basic diet, evalu- ation approaches and principle, as well as the clarification of connotation differences between absolute and relative mass of organs. Hence a novel BDI-GS （Bendib Damage Index and General Score） evaluation approach was established and applied in comparative evaluation between RR GM and natural soybeans. Healthy male ICR mice during linear growth were selected; experimental mice were fed with 15% RR GM soybeans and 15% natural soybeans blending maize meal diets, and control mice were fed with single maize meal diet for 13 d; the mice were dissected after collecting blood samples and perfectly obtained nine organs or tissues to re- cord their masses and conduct statistical analyses. [Result] Plenty of matching information was obtained through simple design. The growth performance of treated mice was markedly of individual differences, some mice were thwarted due to regular intake of RR soybeans. Meanwhile, the functions and safety of RR soybeans were markedly lowered in overall nutritional and healthy effects than those of natural soybeans expressed in GS values, and presents some declines in nutrition and health of thymus, pancreas and spermary; especially, it can make thymus immune （P 〈0.05） in markedly lower level than that of natural soybeans. [ Conclusion] Therefore, major troubles and risks of RR soybeans intake are of personal risks in different degrees, in addition, it may increase sub-health and related chronic epi- demics risks, and herein it will presents certain safety issues. The creation of this novel evaluation system provides a simple and available evaluation approach for functions and potential risks revelation of food effects, and will yield far-reaching influences to safety evaluation and healthy development of GM foods, as well as public health.

PHOTONIC CRYSTAL WAVEGUIDE BIOSENSOR

The hollow core photonic crystal waveguide biosensor is designed and described.The biosensor was tested in experiments for artificial sweetener identifcation in drinks.The photonic crystal waveguide biosensor has a high sensitivity to the optical properties of liquids flling up the hollow core.The compactness,good integration ability to different optical systems and compatibility for use in industrial settings make such biosensor very promnising for v arious biomedical applicat ions.

Antioxidant Action of Rosemary and Oregano Extract in Pre-Cooked Meat Hamburger

The main goal is to compare the antioxidant potential of rosemary and oregano natural extracts in precooked beef burger by assessing the lipid oxidation extent and sensory analysis. Five formulations (F) of hamburger were prepared from beef and mechanically separated as follows: meat containing sodium erythorbate (F1);deodorized rosemary extract (F2);oregano extract (F3);rosemary plus oregano extracts (F4) and without antioxidant addition, denominated control formulation (CF). The samples were frozen at ?18°C for 24 hours, then submitted to heat treatment in an electric oven with internal controlled temperature of 75°C, and again frozen for a period of 30 days. The lipid oxidation extent (determined by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances— TBRS) was evaluated at 0, 15 during 30 days. After heating in plate to temperature of 75°C, the samples were submitted to color, taste and odor evaluation by 40 untrained tasters. The formulations F1, F2 and F4 presented lower concentrations of TBRS, whereas CF at day zero already showed very high values, indicating oxidation of the product. The samples showed good acceptance in the sensorial analysis.

Nutritional and Mineral Variability in 52 Accessions of Common Bean Varieties(Phaseolus vulgaris L.)from Madeira Island

The Phaseolus vulgaris L. is one of the traditional and most important leguminous crops in the Island of Madeira. The island’s bioclimatic tiers, agro-ecological environment and traditional farming practices had a great influence on the evolution of regional bean landraces. The variability of the nutritional and mineral seeds composition of 59 accessions of the Madeiran landraces, standard and commercial varieties was evaluated. Wide ranges of variability in biochemical parameters were reported among the Madeiran landraces, being the best sources of protein and mineral nutrition, according to the statistical results and literature comparative evaluation. Specifically, the content (g per 100 g DW) of ash ranged from 3.64-5.67, lipids from 0.57-2.86, protein from 18.55-29.69, starch from 23.40-52.65, soluble sugars from 2.97-6.84, while content of dry matter was from 83.35-93.55. The seeds also contained (per 100 g DW) between 2.55-4.83 g N, 0.30-7.50 g P, 1.30-2.49 g K, 0.10-0.18 g Mg, 4.10-10.00 mg Fe, 50.0-1.40 mg Cu, 2.20-5.00 mg Zn, 0.90-3.80 μg Mn and 0.20-2.40 μg B. This variability implies that the screened germplasm could serve as a source for breeding new varieties with improved biochemical and nutritional traits or could be highly recommended to meet specific dietary requirements. The cultivar Vaginha Grossa (ISOP 713) revealed low carbohydrate content that could be a good food choice for diabetics, while cultivar Vermelho (ISOP 724) bean should be offered as a valuable alternative source of protein and minerals in the local diet.

Advances in strategies to assure the microbial safety of food-associated ice

Ice has been extensively employed as a general coolant or ingredient in the food industry.However,evident indicates that food-associated ice can be easily contaminated by pathogenic bacteria,such as Escherichia coli,Staphylococcus aureus,and Salmonella spp.,among others.The contamination sources are attributed to the use of unhygienic water,improper handling,and poor hygiene conditions of ice-making machines.The contaminated ice might be a vesicle for the transmission of pathogens to food and human,posing potential risks to public health.This review overviewed the microbial contamination of food-associated ice,including the microbial contamination levels and the main microbial contaminants.In addition,a systematical introduction was constructed on the recent advances and applications of state-of-the-art methods to manufacture safe ices,illustrating ozone,electrolyzed water,cold plasma,essential oils,and ultraviolet light-emitting diode irradiation.The validities and limitations of ice treated by these techniques on the food quality were then discussed in detail.Various studies were also organized to demonstrate the potential of the mentioned treated ice,for ensuring the microbial safety and control quality deterioration during the storage of aquatic products.Finally,the direction for future study was given.

Has the Belt and Road Initiative Improved the Quality of Food Imported by Chinese Enterprises?

Using micro-level data from 2009-2015 and the difference-in-difference method,this paper empirically examines the impact of the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI)on the quality of food imported by Chinese enterprises from BRI countries.Our baseline results show that the BRI significantly improved the quality of food imported from these countries.Further investigation reveals that trade patterns,ownership types,import regions,transportation methods,and product quality show significant heterogeneous effects in influencing the quality of imported food.A mechanism analysis indicates that the BRI improves the quality of imported food through three main channels:import trade environment enhancement,competition effect,and consumption upgrading,with the competition effect having the largest impact compared with the other two channels.Our findings suggest that China should not only improve the infrastructure in BRI countries but also use the BRI as an opportunity to enhance the level of cooperation with BRI countries and maintain stability and sustainability in cooperation with them.

Recent trends and technical advancements in biosensors and their emerging applications in food and bioscience

Biosensor development has recently advanced as a result of their strong and indisputable uses as analytical methods in a variety of sectors,including medicine,food industry,environmental monitoring,metabolism,agriculture,military,and security.The popularity of biosensors as devices for a variety of applications may be ascribed to their distinct advantages of fast or rapid analysis,high sensitivity,minimal sample demand and preparation,and no need for the specific skill of operation that traditional analytical procedures require.We attempted to update earlier studies in this study by incorporating other materials that have been in use but have received less attention,such as carbon nano-onions(CNOs),metal-organic frameworks(MOFs),and biopolymers for biosensor manufacturing and design based on their unique properties.The assessment also took into account applicable applications in many sectors.Although considerable progress has been made in the application of biosensors,there is still a need for research development and enhancement,particularly in transforming most of the laboratory experiments that have already been published into portable on-site and implementable in the public domains.

Traceability implementation in food supply chain: A grey-DEMATEL approach

Numerous incidents of food adulteration,fraudulence and foodborne disease outbreaks have shaken the consumer confidence towards the food they consume.These incidents compel the Food Supply Chain(FSC)partners to implement an appropriate traceability system in their respective supply chains to sustain the consumer confidence.The objective of this research is to identify the drivers(major factors)which play a significant role in the successful implementation of the traceability system in FSC and evaluate the causal relationships developing therein.Twelve drivers are identified towards implementation of the traceability system in FSC through literature review and supported with expert’s opinion.The grey-based DEMATEL approach is identified to evaluate these relationships among the drivers according to their net effect.Further,these drivers ranked based on the prominence and effect score.The finding of this research shows that the drivers are clustered into two groups namely:influential(cause)and influenced(effect)group.Four drivers belong to the influential group,and remaining eight are from the influenced group.The most influential driver is the “food safety and quality”which provide a significant effect on the implementation of a traceability system.This research can be a building block to develop a framework to implement the traceability system within FSC and assist the policymakers,and practitioners to identify and evaluate drivers related to the implementation of traceability system in FSC.This paper also provides a useful insight&support to the practitioners and managers in decision making for traceability implementation related issues。

Poleward increase in feeding efficiency of leafminer Stigmella lapponica(Lepidoptera:Nepticulidae)in a latitudinal gradient crossing a boreal forest zone

Damage to plant communities imposed by insect herbivores generally decreases from low to high latitudes.This decrease is routinely attributed to declines in herbivore abundance and/or diversity,whereas latitudinal changes in per capita food consumption remain virtually unknown.Here,we tested the hypothesis that the lifetime food consumption by a herbivore individual decreases from low to high latitudes due to a temperature-driven decrease in metabolic expenses.From 2016 to 2019,we explored latitudinal changes in multiple characteristics of linear(gallery)mines made by larvae of the pygmy moth,Stigmella lapponica,in leaves of downy birch,Betula pubescens.The mined leaves were larger than intact leaves at the southern end of our latitudinal gradient(at 60°N)but smaller than intact leaves at its northern end(at 69°N),suggesting that female oviposition preference changes with latitude.No latitudinal changes were observed in larval size,mine length or area,and in per capita food consumption,but the larval feeding efficiency(quantified as the ratio between larval size and mine size)increased with latitude.Consequently,S.lapponica larvae consumed less foliar biomass at higher latitudes than at lower latitudes to reach the same size.Based on space-for-time substitution,we suggest that climate warming will increase metabolic expenses of insect herbivores with uncertain consequences for plant-herbivore interactions.