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Santos MI, Grácio M, Silva MC, Pedroso L, Lima A. One Health Perspectives on Food Safety in Minimally Processed Vegetables and Fruits: From Farm to Fork. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2990. [PMID: 38138132 PMCID: PMC10745503 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11122990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
While food markets and food production chains are experiencing exponential growth, global attention to food safety is steadily increasing. This is particularly crucial for ready-to-eat products such as fresh-cut salads and fruits, as these items are consumed raw without prior heat treatment, making the presence of pathogenic microorganisms quite frequent. Moreover, many studies on foodborne illnesses associated with these foods often overlook the transmission links from the initial contamination source. The prevention and control of the dissemination of foodborne pathogens should be approached holistically, involving agricultural production, processing, transport, food production, and extending to final consumption, all while adopting a One Health perspective. In this context, our objective is to compile available information on the challenges related to microbiological contamination in minimally handled fruits and vegetables. This includes major reported outbreaks, specific bacterial strains, and associated statistics throughout the production chain. We address the sources of contamination at each stage, along with issues related to food manipulation and disinfection. Additionally, we provide potential solutions to promote a healthier approach to fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. This information will be valuable for both researchers and food producers, particularly those focused on ensuring food safety and quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Isabel Santos
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal; (M.C.S.); (L.P.)
- CECAV—Centre of Animal and Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Madalena Grácio
- Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Mariana Camoesas Silva
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal; (M.C.S.); (L.P.)
| | - Laurentina Pedroso
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal; (M.C.S.); (L.P.)
- CECAV—Centre of Animal and Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Lima
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal; (M.C.S.); (L.P.)
- CECAV—Centre of Animal and Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
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da Silva WP, Souto LMD, Ferreira JPDL, Gomes JP, Lima AGBD, Queiroz AJDM, Figueirêdo RMFD, Santos DDC, Santana MDFSD, Santos FSD, Amadeu LTS, Galdino PO, Costa CC, Júnior AFDS, Franco CMR. Use of Inverse Method to Determine Thermophysical Properties of Minimally Processed Carrots during Chilling under Natural Convection. Foods 2023; 12:foods12102084. [PMID: 37238901 DOI: 10.3390/foods12102084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the thermophysical properties and process parameters of cylindrical carrot pieces during their chilling. For this, the temperature of the central point of the product, initially at 19.9 °C, was recorded during chilling under natural convection, with the refrigerator air temperature maintained at 3.5 °C. A solver was created for the two-dimensional analytical solution of the heat conduction equation in cylindrical coordinates. This solver and the experimental data set were coupled to the LS Optimizer (V. 7.2) optimization software to simultaneously determine not only the values of thermal diffusivity (α) and heat transfer coefficient (hH), but also the uncertainties of these values. These values were consistent with those reported in the literature for carrots; in this study, the precision of these values and the confidence level of the results (95.4%) were also presented. Furthermore, the Biot numbers were greater than 0.1 and less than 40, indicating that the mathematical model presented in this study can be used to simultaneously estimate α and hH. A simulation of the chilling kinetics using the values obtained for α and hH showed good agreement with the experimental results, with a root mean square error RMSE = 9.651 × 10-3 and a chi-square χ2 = 4.378 × 10-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilton Pereira da Silva
- Center for Technology and Natural Resources, Academic Unit of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande 58429-900, Brazil
| | - Leidjane Matos de Souto
- Center for Technology and Natural Resources, Academic Unit of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande 58429-900, Brazil
| | - João Paulo de Lima Ferreira
- Center for Technology and Natural Resources, Academic Unit of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande 58429-900, Brazil
| | - Josivanda Palmeira Gomes
- Center for Technology and Natural Resources, Academic Unit of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande 58429-900, Brazil
| | - Antonio Gilson Barbosa de Lima
- Center for Technology and Natural Resources, Academic Unit of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande 58429-900, Brazil
| | - Alexandre José de Melo Queiroz
- Center for Technology and Natural Resources, Academic Unit of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande 58429-900, Brazil
| | - Rossana Maria Feitosa de Figueirêdo
- Center for Technology and Natural Resources, Academic Unit of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande 58429-900, Brazil
| | - Dyego da Costa Santos
- Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Norte, Paus dos Ferros 59900-000, Brazil
| | | | - Francislaine Suelia Dos Santos
- Center for Technology and Natural Resources, Academic Unit of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande 58429-900, Brazil
| | - Lumara Tatiely Santos Amadeu
- Center for Technology and Natural Resources, Academic Unit of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande 58429-900, Brazil
| | - Plúvia Oliveira Galdino
- Center for Technology and Natural Resources, Academic Unit of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande 58429-900, Brazil
| | - Caciana Cavalcanti Costa
- Center for Technology and Natural Resources, Academic Unit of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande 58429-900, Brazil
| | - Aluízio Freire da Silva Júnior
- Center for Technology and Natural Resources, Academic Unit of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande 58429-900, Brazil
| | - Célia Maria Rufino Franco
- Center for Technology and Natural Resources, Academic Unit of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande 58429-900, Brazil
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Single and Combined Effect of Mild-Heat Treatment and Alginate Coatings on Quality Preservation of Minimally Processed Bunching Green Onions. Foods 2022; 11:foods11050641. [PMID: 35267274 PMCID: PMC8909205 DOI: 10.3390/foods11050641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Bunching green onion is an Allium species that has been widely used in food flavorings and seasonings. This vegetable experiences a rapid loss of quality during storage due to physiological changes and microbial spoilage. In the current work, the single and combined effect of mild-heat treatment (55 °C for 60 s) and alginate edible coatings on the quality preservation of minimally processed bunching green onions was studied. Control and treated samples were stored at 4 °C for 15 days and examined periodically in terms of their respiration rate, weight loss, pH, soluble solids content, firmness, total polyphenol content, antioxidant activity, microbial count, decay ratio, and overall visual quality. The results showed that the combination of mild heat and alginate edible coatings was the most effective approach to slow down the respiration rate and the incidence of decay in the minimally processed bunching green onions. In addition, the treatments with alginate coating alone or combined with mild-heat treatment showed the best performance for maintaining the overall visual quality of the products during the storage.
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