Safe food manufacturing

Effect of ultrasonic treatment on heavy metal decontamination in milk

Ultrasound has been found useful in increasing the efficiency and consumer safety in food processing. Removal of heavy metal (lead, mercury, and arsenic) contamination in milk is extremely important in regions of poor ecological environment - urban areas with heavy motor traffic or well established metallurgical/cement industry. In this communication, we report on the preliminary studies on the application of low frequency (20kHz) ultrasound for heavy metal decontamination of milk without affecting its physical, chemical, and microbiological properties.

Evaluation of Performance Measurement Instruments on Their Use for Food Quality Systems

Due to regular challenges of food safety, consumers put high demands on the performance of food quality systems. To deal with these requirements, food manufacturers need effective quality management. Performance of food quality systems can be partly realized by quality assurance systems, such as HACCP (hazard analysis and critical control point), ISO (international organization for standardization), and BRC (british retail consortium). However, it is still unknown to what extent these systems factually contribute to the realization of quality in the wider sense. Therefore, an instrument is needed that measures the effectiveness of quality systems. This article describes the evaluation of instruments on their suitability for the development of a diagnostic instrument that measures the effectiveness of food quality systems. For this evaluation, perspectives of quality, typical characteristics of agrifood production, quantification, and performance measurement of quality management were studied. Instruments that measure the performance of both quality management and production quality were identified and evaluated on the basis of the defined criteria. The criteria for the performance of production quality were 6 quality dimensions, i.e., product quality, availability, costs,flexibility, reliability, and service. The criteria for performance of quality management were analyses of the relationships between quality management, context of the organization, and production quality, a normative procedure, validation, applicability, classification, and a process approach. Finally, for the final instrument, the evaluation resulted in an integrated approach i.e., a technomanagerial approach, and 3 suitable instruments i.e., Wageningen Management Approach, Extended Quality Triangle, and the quality concept of Noori and Radford.

The use of epidemiological data in the control of foodborne viruses

The Codex Committee on Food Hygiene has recommended the adoption of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) as the basis for food safety control. To provide an objective basis for the construction of HACCP systems, epidemiological data are required. The data should be accurate, up-to-date, and identify emerging pathogens, such as viruses. The number of laboratory reports of small, round-structured viruses in England and Wales has increased from 400 cases in 1990 to 2387 in 1996. Although a food vehicle is not essential for the spread of viral particles, food my be the primary unidentified vehicle. The Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Foods recommends the use of the Kaplan Criteria, which can give strong circumstantial evidence that an outbreak is attributable to small, round-structured viruses. The application of these criteria would give a more accurate reflection of the involvement of viruses in the incidence of foodborne disease. This review considers the use of epidemiological data to support HACCP and risk-assessment systems. It discusses the implications of focusing on traditional pathogens, for example Salmonella spp., as opposed to emerging pathogens, for the design of control systems. Recommendations are made for improving the system of data collection.