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-Di...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.展开更多
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 ...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.展开更多
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 Si...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.展开更多
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 saf...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.展开更多
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 implemen...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.展开更多
Food safety,specifically in restaurants,is becoming a key public health priority because of the increased number of meals eaten outside the home.Foodborne illness prevention thus is a significant concern and a public ...Food safety,specifically in restaurants,is becoming a key public health priority because of the increased number of meals eaten outside the home.Foodborne illness prevention thus is a significant concern and a public health priority in the United Arab Emirates,particularly Dubai,because of the extensive tourism industry.The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using demonstrations in training sessions to improve food safety knowledge and practices amongst food handlers.A descriptive and quantitative approach has been applied to collect the quantifiable information related to the research study.This has been further analyzed using the correlation tests to gather the required data.On comparison of the pre-test scores between the intervention and the control group,the t-test analysis showed significant difference in the level of food safety knowledge between the two groups.Pre-test score for the control group was 78.33 and post-test score was 104.66.In the case of the intervention group,pre-test score was 91.37 and post-test score was 130.75.The scores of food handlers’food safety practice for control group:pre-treatment score was 470 and post-treatment score was 646.For intervention group:pre-test score was 723 and post-test score was 1,056.The study concluded that training with demonstration techniques is an effective way of improving compliance with food safety guidelines.It has been understood that training helps in improving the performance of the employees while reducing the foodborne diseases and maintaining hygiene in the food.The study recommends every restaurant needs to provide regular trainings to the employees so that the restaurants can maintain hygiene and food safety practices.展开更多
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 signifi...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.展开更多
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...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.展开更多
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...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.展开更多
Stakeholders in the field of food safety management in China can be classified into three categories, government, food producers (farmers and enterprises), and the third-party regulatory bodies. The third-party regu...Stakeholders in the field of food safety management in China can be classified into three categories, government, food producers (farmers and enterprises), and the third-party regulatory bodies. The third-party regulation has experienced rapid development in past twenty years, and recently received considerable attention from consumers and the central government. This paper provides a review about the development, problems and future trend of the third-party regulation on food safety in China. To be specific, five forms of the third-party regulation are assessed, including media exposure, the third-party certification, regulation by consumer associations, social movements promoted by non-governmental organiza- tions (NGOs), and regulation by industry associations. The study concludes that media and consumer associations are the major players in the third-party regulation and are highly repudiated among customers. The food certification industry has developed rapidly, but is now facing crises of confidence among consumers because of its lack of self-regulation. NGOs and industry associations still remain in the early development stages of food safety management, and therefore, are of little importance in current regulatory bodies.展开更多
Food safety issues constitute an international topic discussed by many scholars. Although there is an extensive body of literature on comparisons of food safety control practices across different governance structures...Food safety issues constitute an international topic discussed by many scholars. Although there is an extensive body of literature on comparisons of food safety control practices across different governance structures, these studies have been conducted mainly in terms of qualitative and descriptive analysis. In addition, little attention has been given to family farms. This study addresses the food safety control practices adopted by firms with different governance structures in China. Food safety control is expressed by the following aspects, i.e., pollution-free, green, organic, and/or geographical indication prod- ucts certification, establishment of production records, and pesticide residue testing. Three types of governance structures that engage in agricultural production are distinguished: farmer cooperatives, agricultural companies, and family farms. The food safety control practices of various governance structures are investigated based on a database that comprises 600 vegetable and fruit enterprises in Zhejiang, China. The results show that (1) pesticide residue testing is adopted by the most firms, followed by products certification, and production records are adopted by the fewest firms, and (2) agricul- tural companies adopt more food safety control practices than family farms, while farmer cooperatives adopt the fewest food safety control practices. Governance structure features of a cooperative in terms of ownership, decision-making, and income distribution are the main reasons for the low level of food safety control in the cooperative.展开更多
This study assesses the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Chinese residents’food safety knowledge and behavior,and explores the possible influence mechanism,namely,focus on media information.The study is based on i...This study assesses the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Chinese residents’food safety knowledge and behavior,and explores the possible influence mechanism,namely,focus on media information.The study is based on internet survey data of 1373 residents in China.A series of econometric models are developed to estimate food safety knowledge and behavior of residents.Both the descriptive and econometric results indicate that the existence of COVID-19 cases in a community has a significantly positive effect on residents’food safety knowledge and behavior.Residents focusing on food safety-related information tend to have higher food safety knowledge and practice food safety behavior.When controlling the variable focused on food safety-related information,the marginal effects of the existence of COVID-19 cases in a community on residents’food safety knowledge and behavior significantly decrease.However,the decrease in consumers’food safety knowledge is quite minor.Hence,the COVID-19 pandemic indeed improves Chinese residents’food safety knowledge and behavior,while focus on food safety-related information is an important mechanism for improving food safety behavior.Moreover,the estimation results of the simultaneous equations model reveal that consumers’food safety knowledge has a significant and positive effect on their food safety behavior.Heterogeneous impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on residents’food safety knowledge and behavior among different regions and income groups are observed.The findings of this study provide evidence that public health events could enhance residents’safety awareness and behavior,while residents’focus on relevant information plays an important role in improving knowledge and impacting behavior.展开更多
The debate about the safety of genetically modified (GM) food has attracted public attention in concurrence with the rapid development of agricultural biotechnology. This paper examines the consumers' perceptions o...The debate about the safety of genetically modified (GM) food has attracted public attention in concurrence with the rapid development of agricultural biotechnology. This paper examines the consumers' perceptions on the safety of GM food in China. Based on a unique survey dataset, this study shows that consumers in urban China have significantly changed their perceptions on GM food safety. The percentage of consumers who perceived such food as unsafe for consumption increased by more than 30% in the 2002-2012 period. Approximately half of the consumers did not have an opinion on this issue. Major shifts have been occurred after 2010, likely because of the increasing influence of negative media reports on GM technology in recent years. Several individual and household's characteristics are shown to significantly affect consumers' perceptions on GM food safety, such as gender, education, food allergy experience and resident city size. The paper concludes with policy implications.展开更多
China is experiencing rapid urbanization, changes in diets, and modernization of food retailing and production. In this context, food safety can become a greater concern for a variety of reasons. The purpose of this a...China is experiencing rapid urbanization, changes in diets, and modernization of food retailing and production. In this context, food safety can become a greater concern for a variety of reasons. The purpose of this article is to review the international experiences and lessons regarding food safety management, regulation, and consumer behavior, with the goal of identifying how to improve food safety in middle income countries such as China. International experience in addressing food safety provides two general kinds of lessons. First, a middle-income country such as China needs to develop the capacity to carry out risk analysis in order to better focus public resources on the most important risks. Second, it will be important to leverage market incentives so as to make the best use of limited public capacity to enforce standards. Inter- national experiences show that food safety management is feasible where market incentives exist, and that public-private partnerships can support the process of improving food safety management. Market incentives require effective consumer or buyer demand, mechanisms to identify and reward quality, and supply chain coordination. Public efforts can be targeted to supporting these market developments for the risks that are the greatest burden to public health.展开更多
Pesticides have been an essential part of agriculture to protect crops and livestock from pest infestations and yield reduction for many decades. Despite their usefulness, pesticides could pose potential risks to food...Pesticides have been an essential part of agriculture to protect crops and livestock from pest infestations and yield reduction for many decades. Despite their usefulness, pesticides could pose potential risks to food safety and the environment as well as human health. This paper reviews the positive benefits of agricultural pesticide use as well as some potential negative impacts on the environment and food safety. In addition, using the case of California, we discuss the need for both residue monitoring and effective pest management to promote food safety. Twenty years' pesticide residue data from California's pesticide residue monitoring program were analyzed. Results showed that more than 95% of food samples were in compliance with US pesticide residue standards (tolerances). However, certain commodities from certain sources had high percentages of residues above tolerance levels. Even when residues above tolerance levels were detected, most were at levels well below 1 mg kg^-1, and most posed negligible acute health risk. However, a few detected residues had the potential to cause health effects. Therefore, establishing an effective food residue monitoring program is important to ensure food quality throughout the marketplace.展开更多
With the rapid growth of China's economy, rising demand for safety food has been accompanied by frequent food safety scandals. Given that China's farming is dominated by millions of small-scale farms, ensuring food ...With the rapid growth of China's economy, rising demand for safety food has been accompanied by frequent food safety scandals. Given that China's farming is dominated by millions of small-scale farms, ensuring food safety is a major challenge facing the public and private sectors. The direct farm (DF) program, initiated in 2008, represents one of the government's major initiatives to modernize the distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables (FFV) and improve food safety. Under the DF program, participating national and international retailers are expected to establish more direct procurement relationships with farm communities. While it is often claimed that greater participation by retailers in the production and post-harvest processing implied the DF program will lead to improved quality, safety and traceability, systematic evidence remains elu- sive as existing studies are largely narrative, based on case studies, or theoretical inference. Little empirical evidence is available for a broader evaluation of the DF program. This paper aims to fill this gap by assessing the overall performance of a single retailer's DF experience with respect to the procurement and food safety of FFV. We use data from a survey of production managers of 35 DF production bases (PBs) spread across 11 provinces, 3 cities and 1 autonomous region in China. The results show a mixture of opportunities and challenges. On one hand, the DF program improves production practices and distribution channels of FFV produced on its PBs, thus facilitating the move of China's food system towards improved food safety compliance. On the other hand, significant heterogeneity in the traceability of food and the ability of DF to meet higher safety standards is evident both across major product categories and across household-operated vs. firm-operated PBs. The paper concludes with policy implications.展开更多
Access to security and safe food is a basic human necessity and essential for a sustainable world. To perform hi-end rood safety analysis and risk assessment with state of the art technologies is of utmost importance ...Access to security and safe food is a basic human necessity and essential for a sustainable world. To perform hi-end rood safety analysis and risk assessment with state of the art technologies is of utmost importance thereof. With applications as exemplified by microfiuidic immunoassay, aptasensor, direct analysis in real time, high resolution mass spectrometry, benchmark dose and chemical specific adjustment factor, this review presents frontier food safety analysis and risk assessment technologies, from which both food quality and public health will benefit undoubtedly in a foreseeable future.展开更多
Allowable levels for pesticide residues in foods, known as tolerances in the US and as maximum residue limits (MRLs) in much of the world, are widely yet inappropriately perceived as levels of safety concern. A nove...Allowable levels for pesticide residues in foods, known as tolerances in the US and as maximum residue limits (MRLs) in much of the world, are widely yet inappropriately perceived as levels of safety concern. A novel approach to develop scientifically defensible levels of safety concern is presented and an example to determine acute and chronic pesticide food safety standard (PFSS) levels for the fungicide captan on strawberries is provided. Using this approach, the chronic PFSS level for captan on strawberries was determined to be 2 000 mg kg-1 and the acute PFSS level was determined to be 250 mg kg-1. Both levels are far above the existing tolerance and MRLs that commonly range from 3 to 20 mg kg-~, and provide evidence that captan residues detected at levels greater than the tolerance or MRLs are not of acute or chronic health concern even though they represent violative residues. The benefits of developing the PFSS approach to serve as a companion to existing tolerances/MRLs include a greater understanding concerning the health significance, if any, from exposure to violative pesticide residues. In addition, the PFSS approach can be universally applied to all potential pesticide residues on all food commodities, can be modified by specific jurisdictions to take into account differences in food consumption practices, and can help prioritize food residue monitoring by identifying the pesticide/commodity combinations of the greatest potential food safety concern and guiding development of field level analytical methods to detect pesticide residues on prioritized pesticide/commodity combinations.展开更多
This paper expounds the practical necessity of constructing diversified rural food safety supervision system as follows: it is the necessary requirements of guaranteeing people's health and life safety; it is an i...This paper expounds the practical necessity of constructing diversified rural food safety supervision system as follows: it is the necessary requirements of guaranteeing people's health and life safety; it is an important component of governmental function of social management and the logical extension of administrative responsibilities; it is the basis of maintaining order of rural society and constructing harmonious society. The main problems existing in the supervision of rural food safety are analyzed as follows: first, the legislative work of rural food safety lags behind to some extent; second, the supervision of governmental departments on rural food safety is insufficient; third, the industrial supervision mechanism of rural food security is not perfect; fourth, the role of rural social organizations in supervising food safety is limited; fifth, the farmers' awareness of food safety supervision is not strong. Based on these problems, the targeted strategies of constructing diversified rural food safety supervision system are put forward as follows: accelerate the legislation of rural food safety, and ensure that there are laws to go by; give play to the dominant role of government, and strengthen administrative supervision on rural food safety; perfect industrial convention of rural food safety, and improve industrial supervision mechanism; actively support the fostering of social organizations, and give play to the role of supervision of organizations; cultivate correct concept of rights and obligations of farmers, and form awareness of food safety supervision.展开更多
Supply chain traceability is key to reduce food safety risks,since it allows problems to be traced to their sources. Moreover,it allows regulatory agencies to understand where risk is introduced into the supply chain,...Supply chain traceability is key to reduce food safety risks,since it allows problems to be traced to their sources. Moreover,it allows regulatory agencies to understand where risk is introduced into the supply chain,and offers a major disincentive for upstream agricultural businesses engaging in economically motivated adulteration. This paper focuses on the aquatic supply chain in China,and seeks to understand the adoption of traceability both through an analytical model,and empirical analysis based on data collected through an extensive (largest ever) field survey of Chinese aquatic wholesale markets. The field survey includes 76 managers and 753 vendors,covering all aquatic wholesale markets in Zhejiang and Hunan provinces. The analytical and empirical results suggest that the adoption of traceability among wholesale market vendors is significantly associated with inspection intensity,their individual history of food safety problems,and their risk awareness. The effect of inspection intensity on traceability adoption is stronger in markets which are privately owned than in markets with state/collective ownership. The analysis offers insights into the current state of traceability in China. More importantly,it suggests several hypothesized factors that might affect the adoption of traceability and could be leveraged by regulatory organizations to improve it.展开更多
文摘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.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(Grant No.:ZR2020QC250)China Agriculture Research System(Grant No.:CARS-38)+1 种基金Modern Agricultural Technology Industry System of Shandong Province(Grant No.:SDAIT10-10)Key Technology Research and Development Program of Shandong(Grant Nos.:2021CXGC010809 and 2021TZXD012).
文摘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.
文摘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.
文摘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.
文摘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.
文摘Food safety,specifically in restaurants,is becoming a key public health priority because of the increased number of meals eaten outside the home.Foodborne illness prevention thus is a significant concern and a public health priority in the United Arab Emirates,particularly Dubai,because of the extensive tourism industry.The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using demonstrations in training sessions to improve food safety knowledge and practices amongst food handlers.A descriptive and quantitative approach has been applied to collect the quantifiable information related to the research study.This has been further analyzed using the correlation tests to gather the required data.On comparison of the pre-test scores between the intervention and the control group,the t-test analysis showed significant difference in the level of food safety knowledge between the two groups.Pre-test score for the control group was 78.33 and post-test score was 104.66.In the case of the intervention group,pre-test score was 91.37 and post-test score was 130.75.The scores of food handlers’food safety practice for control group:pre-treatment score was 470 and post-treatment score was 646.For intervention group:pre-test score was 723 and post-test score was 1,056.The study concluded that training with demonstration techniques is an effective way of improving compliance with food safety guidelines.It has been understood that training helps in improving the performance of the employees while reducing the foodborne diseases and maintaining hygiene in the food.The study recommends every restaurant needs to provide regular trainings to the employees so that the restaurants can maintain hygiene and food safety practices.
基金provided by the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Marketsby the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) Program on "Food Value Chain Upgrading for Food Safety in Transforming Food Markets" (71273269)
文摘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.
基金Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, ChinaPeking University School of Transnational Law, China
文摘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.
基金the Shenzhen Science and Technology Projects of China (JCYJ20140417144423187 and JCYJ20130331145022339)Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Water Desalinization with Renewable Energy, China
文摘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.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (71173225 and 71272033)
文摘Stakeholders in the field of food safety management in China can be classified into three categories, government, food producers (farmers and enterprises), and the third-party regulatory bodies. The third-party regulation has experienced rapid development in past twenty years, and recently received considerable attention from consumers and the central government. This paper provides a review about the development, problems and future trend of the third-party regulation on food safety in China. To be specific, five forms of the third-party regulation are assessed, including media exposure, the third-party certification, regulation by consumer associations, social movements promoted by non-governmental organiza- tions (NGOs), and regulation by industry associations. The study concludes that media and consumer associations are the major players in the third-party regulation and are highly repudiated among customers. The food certification industry has developed rapidly, but is now facing crises of confidence among consumers because of its lack of self-regulation. NGOs and industry associations still remain in the early development stages of food safety management, and therefore, are of little importance in current regulatory bodies.
基金supported by the National Social Science Fund of China (13AZD079)the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (LQ14G030041 and LZ12G03003)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (71333011 and 71273234)
文摘Food safety issues constitute an international topic discussed by many scholars. Although there is an extensive body of literature on comparisons of food safety control practices across different governance structures, these studies have been conducted mainly in terms of qualitative and descriptive analysis. In addition, little attention has been given to family farms. This study addresses the food safety control practices adopted by firms with different governance structures in China. Food safety control is expressed by the following aspects, i.e., pollution-free, green, organic, and/or geographical indication prod- ucts certification, establishment of production records, and pesticide residue testing. Three types of governance structures that engage in agricultural production are distinguished: farmer cooperatives, agricultural companies, and family farms. The food safety control practices of various governance structures are investigated based on a database that comprises 600 vegetable and fruit enterprises in Zhejiang, China. The results show that (1) pesticide residue testing is adopted by the most firms, followed by products certification, and production records are adopted by the fewest firms, and (2) agricul- tural companies adopt more food safety control practices than family farms, while farmer cooperatives adopt the fewest food safety control practices. Governance structure features of a cooperative in terms of ownership, decision-making, and income distribution are the main reasons for the low level of food safety control in the cooperative.
基金We acknowledge the funding support from the Huazhong Agricultural University Scientific&Technological Self-innovation Foundation Chinathe Philosophy and Social Sciences Project of Ministry of Education of China(19YJC630191)+1 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central University,China(2662020JGPYG15)the National Science and Technology Major Project,China(2018ZX08015001).
文摘This study assesses the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Chinese residents’food safety knowledge and behavior,and explores the possible influence mechanism,namely,focus on media information.The study is based on internet survey data of 1373 residents in China.A series of econometric models are developed to estimate food safety knowledge and behavior of residents.Both the descriptive and econometric results indicate that the existence of COVID-19 cases in a community has a significantly positive effect on residents’food safety knowledge and behavior.Residents focusing on food safety-related information tend to have higher food safety knowledge and practice food safety behavior.When controlling the variable focused on food safety-related information,the marginal effects of the existence of COVID-19 cases in a community on residents’food safety knowledge and behavior significantly decrease.However,the decrease in consumers’food safety knowledge is quite minor.Hence,the COVID-19 pandemic indeed improves Chinese residents’food safety knowledge and behavior,while focus on food safety-related information is an important mechanism for improving food safety behavior.Moreover,the estimation results of the simultaneous equations model reveal that consumers’food safety knowledge has a significant and positive effect on their food safety behavior.Heterogeneous impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on residents’food safety knowledge and behavior among different regions and income groups are observed.The findings of this study provide evidence that public health events could enhance residents’safety awareness and behavior,while residents’focus on relevant information plays an important role in improving knowledge and impacting behavior.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (71333013)the National Key Program on Genetically Modified New Varieties of China (2011ZX08015-002A)the Templeton Foundation (through Rutgers University, USA)
文摘The debate about the safety of genetically modified (GM) food has attracted public attention in concurrence with the rapid development of agricultural biotechnology. This paper examines the consumers' perceptions on the safety of GM food in China. Based on a unique survey dataset, this study shows that consumers in urban China have significantly changed their perceptions on GM food safety. The percentage of consumers who perceived such food as unsafe for consumption increased by more than 30% in the 2002-2012 period. Approximately half of the consumers did not have an opinion on this issue. Major shifts have been occurred after 2010, likely because of the increasing influence of negative media reports on GM technology in recent years. Several individual and household's characteristics are shown to significantly affect consumers' perceptions on GM food safety, such as gender, education, food allergy experience and resident city size. The paper concludes with policy implications.
文摘China is experiencing rapid urbanization, changes in diets, and modernization of food retailing and production. In this context, food safety can become a greater concern for a variety of reasons. The purpose of this article is to review the international experiences and lessons regarding food safety management, regulation, and consumer behavior, with the goal of identifying how to improve food safety in middle income countries such as China. International experience in addressing food safety provides two general kinds of lessons. First, a middle-income country such as China needs to develop the capacity to carry out risk analysis in order to better focus public resources on the most important risks. Second, it will be important to leverage market incentives so as to make the best use of limited public capacity to enforce standards. Inter- national experiences show that food safety management is feasible where market incentives exist, and that public-private partnerships can support the process of improving food safety management. Market incentives require effective consumer or buyer demand, mechanisms to identify and reward quality, and supply chain coordination. Public efforts can be targeted to supporting these market developments for the risks that are the greatest burden to public health.
基金the Sino-US Joint Research Center for Food Safety for special fund (A200021501)Start-up Funds (Z111021403) for Talents in Northwest A&F University, China
文摘Pesticides have been an essential part of agriculture to protect crops and livestock from pest infestations and yield reduction for many decades. Despite their usefulness, pesticides could pose potential risks to food safety and the environment as well as human health. This paper reviews the positive benefits of agricultural pesticide use as well as some potential negative impacts on the environment and food safety. In addition, using the case of California, we discuss the need for both residue monitoring and effective pest management to promote food safety. Twenty years' pesticide residue data from California's pesticide residue monitoring program were analyzed. Results showed that more than 95% of food samples were in compliance with US pesticide residue standards (tolerances). However, certain commodities from certain sources had high percentages of residues above tolerance levels. Even when residues above tolerance levels were detected, most were at levels well below 1 mg kg^-1, and most posed negligible acute health risk. However, a few detected residues had the potential to cause health effects. Therefore, establishing an effective food residue monitoring program is important to ensure food quality throughout the marketplace.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (71333013)a grant from the Regents of the University of California at Davis, USA (201122072)
文摘With the rapid growth of China's economy, rising demand for safety food has been accompanied by frequent food safety scandals. Given that China's farming is dominated by millions of small-scale farms, ensuring food safety is a major challenge facing the public and private sectors. The direct farm (DF) program, initiated in 2008, represents one of the government's major initiatives to modernize the distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables (FFV) and improve food safety. Under the DF program, participating national and international retailers are expected to establish more direct procurement relationships with farm communities. While it is often claimed that greater participation by retailers in the production and post-harvest processing implied the DF program will lead to improved quality, safety and traceability, systematic evidence remains elu- sive as existing studies are largely narrative, based on case studies, or theoretical inference. Little empirical evidence is available for a broader evaluation of the DF program. This paper aims to fill this gap by assessing the overall performance of a single retailer's DF experience with respect to the procurement and food safety of FFV. We use data from a survey of production managers of 35 DF production bases (PBs) spread across 11 provinces, 3 cities and 1 autonomous region in China. The results show a mixture of opportunities and challenges. On one hand, the DF program improves production practices and distribution channels of FFV produced on its PBs, thus facilitating the move of China's food system towards improved food safety compliance. On the other hand, significant heterogeneity in the traceability of food and the ability of DF to meet higher safety standards is evident both across major product categories and across household-operated vs. firm-operated PBs. The paper concludes with policy implications.
基金financially supported by the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Project, China (Z131110000613066)the Educational and Teaching Reform Project for Graduate Students, China (G-JG-XJ201408)the Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, China
文摘Access to security and safe food is a basic human necessity and essential for a sustainable world. To perform hi-end rood safety analysis and risk assessment with state of the art technologies is of utmost importance thereof. With applications as exemplified by microfiuidic immunoassay, aptasensor, direct analysis in real time, high resolution mass spectrometry, benchmark dose and chemical specific adjustment factor, this review presents frontier food safety analysis and risk assessment technologies, from which both food quality and public health will benefit undoubtedly in a foreseeable future.
基金the Chilean Government and the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT) for supporting this work through the Becas Chile Scholarships
文摘Allowable levels for pesticide residues in foods, known as tolerances in the US and as maximum residue limits (MRLs) in much of the world, are widely yet inappropriately perceived as levels of safety concern. A novel approach to develop scientifically defensible levels of safety concern is presented and an example to determine acute and chronic pesticide food safety standard (PFSS) levels for the fungicide captan on strawberries is provided. Using this approach, the chronic PFSS level for captan on strawberries was determined to be 2 000 mg kg-1 and the acute PFSS level was determined to be 250 mg kg-1. Both levels are far above the existing tolerance and MRLs that commonly range from 3 to 20 mg kg-~, and provide evidence that captan residues detected at levels greater than the tolerance or MRLs are not of acute or chronic health concern even though they represent violative residues. The benefits of developing the PFSS approach to serve as a companion to existing tolerances/MRLs include a greater understanding concerning the health significance, if any, from exposure to violative pesticide residues. In addition, the PFSS approach can be universally applied to all potential pesticide residues on all food commodities, can be modified by specific jurisdictions to take into account differences in food consumption practices, and can help prioritize food residue monitoring by identifying the pesticide/commodity combinations of the greatest potential food safety concern and guiding development of field level analytical methods to detect pesticide residues on prioritized pesticide/commodity combinations.
文摘This paper expounds the practical necessity of constructing diversified rural food safety supervision system as follows: it is the necessary requirements of guaranteeing people's health and life safety; it is an important component of governmental function of social management and the logical extension of administrative responsibilities; it is the basis of maintaining order of rural society and constructing harmonious society. The main problems existing in the supervision of rural food safety are analyzed as follows: first, the legislative work of rural food safety lags behind to some extent; second, the supervision of governmental departments on rural food safety is insufficient; third, the industrial supervision mechanism of rural food security is not perfect; fourth, the role of rural social organizations in supervising food safety is limited; fifth, the farmers' awareness of food safety supervision is not strong. Based on these problems, the targeted strategies of constructing diversified rural food safety supervision system are put forward as follows: accelerate the legislation of rural food safety, and ensure that there are laws to go by; give play to the dominant role of government, and strengthen administrative supervision on rural food safety; perfect industrial convention of rural food safety, and improve industrial supervision mechanism; actively support the fostering of social organizations, and give play to the role of supervision of organizations; cultivate correct concept of rights and obligations of farmers, and form awareness of food safety supervision.
基金The research was funded by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China and ZJU-IFPRI Center for International Development Studiesthe National Planning Office of Philosophy and Social Science of China (19ZDA106).
文摘Supply chain traceability is key to reduce food safety risks,since it allows problems to be traced to their sources. Moreover,it allows regulatory agencies to understand where risk is introduced into the supply chain,and offers a major disincentive for upstream agricultural businesses engaging in economically motivated adulteration. This paper focuses on the aquatic supply chain in China,and seeks to understand the adoption of traceability both through an analytical model,and empirical analysis based on data collected through an extensive (largest ever) field survey of Chinese aquatic wholesale markets. The field survey includes 76 managers and 753 vendors,covering all aquatic wholesale markets in Zhejiang and Hunan provinces. The analytical and empirical results suggest that the adoption of traceability among wholesale market vendors is significantly associated with inspection intensity,their individual history of food safety problems,and their risk awareness. The effect of inspection intensity on traceability adoption is stronger in markets which are privately owned than in markets with state/collective ownership. The analysis offers insights into the current state of traceability in China. More importantly,it suggests several hypothesized factors that might affect the adoption of traceability and could be leveraged by regulatory organizations to improve it.