8^th International Conference on Food Safety and Regulatory Measures June 11-12, 2018 Barcelona, Spain

Biography:

Vincent J Sewalt has over 20 years’ of experience in managing biotechnology innovation, safety and regulatory compliance, of which the last 10 years in the fermentation biotechnology industry. He is passionate about sharing food enzyme safety and biotechnology risk assessment expertise to enhance capabilities in governments, non-profits and industry globally. He is a frequent speaker on proactive approaches in safety, regulatory and technology communication at biotechnology conferences and has addressed the National Academy of Sciences on managing risks associated with future biotechnology products.

Abstract:

Enzymes are used as processing aids in various food applications including baking, brewing, protein processing and manufacture of dairy products. In the US, any ingredients added to food, even if only as processing aids, require premarket approval unless they are generally recognized as safe (GRAS). The enzyme industry has effectively pursued GRAS exemption claims for its products as described recently. A thorough enzyme safety evaluation considers aspects of the enzyme itself, its production organism (including genetic engineering aspects), the manufacture process, and the exposure in the intended use, in addition to safety studies. The success in pursuing and notifying FDA of GRAS status for enzymes in an expedited manner was based on extensive collaboration within industry and with academia to summarize available toxicological studies for enzymes produced with genetically engineered microbes, made available for publication in review papers by Pariza and Johnson and; Pariza and Cook, all pointing at no adverse effects for microbial food enzymes. The Pariza papers also elaborated the concept of safe strain lineage (SSL) as part of a safety evaluation decision tree methodology, which allows extrapolation of existing toxicological data to evaluate new products. The SSL concept builds on the repeated use of common production organisms such as Bacillus subtilis, B. licheniformis, and Trichoderma reesei and the repeated assessment of these production organisms using the decision tree. These efforts resulted in a standardized, generally recognized safety evaluation methodology, and a high success rate in US FDA’s GRAS notification program. Other food safety professionals have commented that the concerted effort by the enzyme industry make clear the value in developing such processes. Indeed, this approach may serve as a model to other food ingredient categories for a scientifically sound, rigorous, and transparent application of the GRAS process and as inspiration to other jurisdictions involved in safety oversight of microbial products.

Biography:

Norhayati Ali is a Senior Lecturer at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris Malaysia since 2009. She was a Senior Government Chemist at Chemistry Department Malaysia for 25 years before joining the University. She did her Master’s and PhD degrees at Kagawa University Japan, specialized in mycotoxin analysis in food. She has published a number of original research papers in reputable international journals and has been serving as research articles reviewer for a number of international journals.

Abstract:

The potential of aflatoxins (AFBI) contamination in spices which is attributable to the risk of developing liver cancer among the consumers in Malaysia was studied. All the AFBI contamination data in spices from various studies in Malaysia were calculated for dietary exposure and margin of exposure (MOE) to give the most representative risk assessment. The dietary exposure to AFB1 ranging from 0.21-1.32 ng/kg-bw/day (overall mean 0.59 ng/kg-bw/day), and 12.27 ng/kg-bw/day for the highest level of AFBI contamination. The MOE derived from these dietary exposures at BMDL10 (benchmark dose lower confidence limit 10%) of 0.305 µg/kg-bw/day were 230-1450 (overall mean, 520) and 25 which were less than 10,000 indicating the risk of AFBI contamination in spices as a high priority for risk management actions. The overall mean of 0.59 ng/kg-bw/day represents 3-53.6% of the TDI levels of 0.11–0.19 ng AFB1/kg-bw/day for liver cancer risk per 100,000 populations in Asia. Population risk for primary liver cancer attributable to AFB1 contamination were 0.01-0.03 (0.1-0.7%) and 0-0.31 (0-6%) cancers/year/100,000 population, for mean and range of exposures. The risk which was less than one cancer case/year/100,000 population suggested that Malaysian population is not significantly at risk. However, the cumulative life time liver cancer risk attributable to AFB1 contamination in spices and in peanuts will be more than 1 cancer case/year/100,000 population, indicating that local authority in Malaysia should have a more stringent food safety system, strictly enforce the existing regulatory control and disseminate knowledge and awareness program on AF contamination in foods and its health impacts to the population.

Biography:

Sujeewa Gunaratne has her expertise in food and oral health product regulatory activities and food safety. Her dedication for food safety has enabled her to conduct several awareness programs for food industries on food regulations, food borne diseases, pest management, good regulatory review practices for industry etc., engaging state health regulators and private sector stakeholders as speakers. She believes in creating an enabling environment where industry can align with mandatory food regulations, assuring food safety for consumers.

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: The Sri Lankan government has introduced a mandatory color coding system for sugar levels in carbonated soft drinks, nectars, fruit juices, and ready serve drinks (except milk drinks) since 2016 as a control mechanism for non-communicable diseases. The level of awareness of color coding system among the population appears to be low, and behavior changes in consumption of beverages based on the color coding system also appears to be low. The state sponsored awareness programs on the regulation also have been low except at the initial introduction. The objective of this study was to find the level of awareness of color coding system for beverages, and changes in consumption of beverages due to color coding system among the population.

Method & Theoretical Orientation: A survey was carried out using convenient sampling, across population in several districts in the country. The study also included in-depth interviews.

Findings: Majority of respondents knew about the color coding regulation on sugar levels for beverages, but no one knew different beverage types the regulation was applicable. Only 40% had learnt of the regulation from newspapers or television. Nearly 50% of respondents had not changed consumption behavior towards beverages since implementation of the color coding system. But about 80% respondents believed that a color coding system is helpful to maintain population’s health, and they were looking forward to a color coding system on other food products too.

Conclusion & Significance: A regulation such as color coding system is not fully capable of bringing in consumer behavior change in consumption of beverages. More consumer centric grass root level educational activities are required to enable consumer behavior change. Recommendations are made to have public awareness programs to educate the public on non-communicable diseases and the relationship with energy intake from food.

Biography:

Sadia Tariq has obtained BS degree in Environmental Studies from University of Karachi in 2013. Since then she has been working with various renowned Pakistani non-governmental organizations as well as with DMC’s and Municipalities at governmental level voluntarily. She has written various papers on different aspects of environment along with a book entitled “Monitoring of Environmental Pollutants of Malir River and Chinna Creek”. Along with this she is currently enrolled in MS program of Energy and Environment at Hamdard University. She has been awarded as Young Researcher from various platforms and a Youth Achiever from government and non-governmental organizations.

Abstract:

Food Safety is a logical teaches that spotlights on taking care of, planning, and capacity of sustenance in ways that counteract foodborne disease. This incorporates various schedules that ought to be taken after to stay away from potential wellbeing perils. In technologically advanced nations there are many-sided gauges for sustenance readiness, while in lesser urbanized nations the primary issue is essentially the accessibility of satisfactory safe water, which is generally a basic thing in nourishment readiness. Pakistan does not have a coordinated lawful structure but rather has an arrangement of laws, which manages different parts of sustenance security. There exist a substantial number of nourishment laws in Pakistan. In any case, the majority of them manage control of creation, dissemination and supply of nourishment, notwithstanding managing profiteering and storing. There are four laws that particularly manage sustenance safety. Three of these laws straightforwardly center issues identified with nourishment wellbeing, while the fourth one specifically Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority Act, is in a roundabout way significant to nourishment security. Brief review of these laws and protocols will be talked about in this paper.

Biography:

Aiste Kabašinskiene is a full time Associate Professor of a Department of Food Safety and Quality of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. The main focus is teaching of Food Hygiene and Microbiology subjects. Currently, she is highly interested in the microbiological analysis of retail food, especially RTE food.

Abstract:

Poor hygiene is one of the most relevant problems in retail market, closely related with the quality and safety of the food. The aim of the work was to evaluate in-store hygiene conditions (up to 28 points) of minced meat (chicken, pork, beef and turkey meat; n=96), cold and hot smoked fish (Salmo salar, Clupea harengus membras, Abramis brama, Scomber scombrus; n=96) and fresh coleslaw (n=40), sold in three different retail market places (supermarkets, medium size shops and farmers markets; in total 15 places). Additionally the relationship of microbiological quality (Aerobic colony count (ACC), Coliforms and E. coli) and safety (Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes) criteria and in-store hygiene condition was evaluated. The results have shown that the most often found hygiene violations were improper storage conditions of the food, cross contamination and poor personal hygiene (improper washing of hands, dirty clothes, etc.). Hygiene of the farmers market was evaluated as insufficient (12 points out of 28), whereas the highest hygiene level (28 points out of 28) was assured in supermarkets. ACC of the analyzed samples ranged from 2.9 log CFU g^-1 (in coleslaw from supermarkets) to 8.18 log CFU g^-1 (in turkey meat from farmers market). The highest amounts of coliforms were found in coleslaw (5.21 log CFU g^-1) and beef (6.85 log CFU g^-1) bought in farmers markets. E coli were not found neither in coleslaw or in pork samples from supermarkets, whereas contamination of turkey meat from farmers market was the highest (4.56 log CFU g^-1). However no significant differences were found between the products. Salmonella spp. and Listeria spp. were absent in all samples. The results have also shown a significantly reliable influence (r=0.44, p<0.05) of the hygiene conditions of farmers markets on the ACC of the products.

Biography:

Dalia Sekmokiene is Full Professor in Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Department of Food Safety and Quality. During her career she was involved in different scientific projects regarding functional food investigations. EU funded projects Milk production and processing at small dairy farms.

Abstract:

In order to enrich the dairy food with natural, healthy substances we selected plant extracts that have antioxidant, antimicrobial properties, contain essential oils and have positive effect on human body. The sensory properties of the product are improved. The aim of this study is to evaluate antimicrobial, antioxidative, phytochemical and functional characteristics of the extracts of some plants and spices seeking to adapt them as a potential source of biologically active substances for the safety of dairy products. We used Chinese hibiscus and honeybush plant for preparation of extracts with different methodology and polarity of solvents and evaluate their antimicrobial and antioxidant activity in model systems. Measurements of antioxidant and radical scavenging activity and antimicrobial properties of plant extracts were produced. The results of our study revealed that extracts are potential sources of natural antioxidants and they would be well accepted by consumers if applied by the food industry to replace synthetic antioxidants. Antioxidant activity of Honeybush extract (ORAC Assay, DPPH radical scavenging assay and ABTS radical cation decolorization assay) was the highest. The highest antibacterial activity was determined for Chinese hibiscus acetone and ethanol extracts. Chinese hibiscus extract could be used in curd production as natural antimicrobial additives against L. monocytogenes, S.aureus and E.coli. Sensory indices of the curd with plant extracts additives were acceptable for consumption. Addition of honeybush extract had the greatest impact on flavor properties due to well-expressed pleasant taste, odor, appearance and antioxidant properties, increasing functionality of the product.

Biography:

Hanieh S Musavian has completed her Master’s degree in Biotechnology from Technical University of Denmark. Currently she is working as an R&D Project Manager and Specialist at FORCE Technology (an GTS Institute) which is a independent not-for-profit organisation located in Denmark.

Abstract:

Steam-ultrasound (SonoSteam®) decontamination is a minimally process that uses the combined effect from steam at 90°C and ultrasound at 25-35 kHz to reduce microbes on food and non-food surfaces. The technology applies patented nozzles that produce the combined effect from steam-ultrasound simultaneously. A specially constructed treatment chamber that enhances the combined effect from the nozzles was built in an industrial scale system for poultry disinfection. Since late 2014, this system has been installed and optimized at five different slaughter lines in three different European broiler slaughterhouses with capacities of 11.000-13.500 birds/hour. Ongoing weekly trials with 10-20 Campylobacter positive birds were sampled. Sampling technique includes 10 g of paired skin samples from neck and breast area. The system is monitored using temperature probes inside the chamber. A silicone dummy molded into a chicken carcass with temperature probes sitting around the surfaces was also applied to monitor system stability. Results from temperature profiles showed process stability inside chamber as well stability in steam flow around chickens entering and exiting process chamber. Microbial results showed approximately 0.7-1.2 log on average on birds with highest levels (>1000 CFU). The data suggest a correlation between initial levels and the achieved reductions, whereas the lowest reductions are found on birds infected with levels around 1.5 log. This study is a summary of the progress on the industrial application of SonoSteam® disinfection of broilers.

Biography:

Abstract:

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) is one of the most widely spread Prunus species cultivated in the temperate zones and it is an important source of bioactive compounds. The study was conducted on Moroccan apricot (ten clones) stored in different conditions of temperature and humidity after 7, 15 and 30 days. The aim was to evaluate the impact of ripening and storage on apricot pomological traits (weight, color, flesh firmness, total soluble sugars, titratable acidity and sucre/acid ratio) and antioxidant properties which help to determine the fact how it affect apricot quality. The principal component analysis (PCA) was carried out and indicated a large variability among the studied variables. On a principal component analysis, acceptability was shown to be positively associated with sweetness and fruit color and negatively associated with acidity. After 15 days and 30 days of cold storage, unripe fruit appeared to have low acceptability and quality attributes. The interactions between the studied factors (genotype, ripening and storage system) on pomological traits changes may help to select a set of genotypes with better performances. Indeed, the ripe fruit (red-orange skin colors) showed the highest antioxidant activity. After 15 days of cold storage, the fruits were still acceptable; but, after 30 days, fruits reached the dislike zone. Marouch apricot clones harvested with an orange yellow skin color, as the least ripe fruits, showed that they could reach high quality standards and were able to withstand long periods of cold storage. The exposure of apricot fruits to accelerate and periodic conditions during storage show that the organoleptic, chemical and physical proprieties were decisive factors on determination of quality and safety in conservation of apricot fruits.

Biography:

Loreta Serniene was involved in different scientific projects in her carrier such as COST activity feed for health, investigating the effect of liquid whey on productivity and udder health parameters of dairy cows; EU funded projects milk production and processing at small dairy farms and the use of novel enzymes in the production of traditional and innovative dairy products at SMS dairy enterprises, developing and updating traditional dairy technologies and implementing new ones at small scale level which also involved dissemination of findings across the territory of Lithuania. At the moment she is leading a national project screening of new L. lactis bacteria producing bacteriocins and investigation of their applicability for food preservation, funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. She is one of international technical experts in EUREKA programme and by now has supervised more than 40 graduate students.

Abstract:

Interest in sprouts as a super food is growing rapidly due to their palatability and nutritional properties. The potential microbiological risks however, are challenging producers in finding innovative ways to ensure product’s safety while keeping quality high. One of the ways to achieve this is to employ ionized water in sprout production process. To determine the influence of ionized water on germination, sprouting vigour and safety of sprouts, common (bread) wheat (Triticum aestivum) seeds were chosen to soak and sprout for three days in the highest concentrations (in the safe range for human consumption) of ionized alkaline water (pH 9), acid (pH 3.8) and silvered (pH 9 + 0.011 / 0.51 mg / l silver ions). Ionized alkaline water, compared with control (tap water), increased sprouting vigour of wheat in 13.25% while the general germination improved in 57%. Ionized acidic (pH 3.8) water, compared to control (tap, distilled water) and other experimental samples (ionized alkaline, silvered water, hydrogen peroxide (8%)) effectively reduced microbial contamination of seeds: coliform bacteria was inhibited through 2.08 logarithmic units (lu) and the total bacterial count (TBC) decreased over 0.71 lu. Silvered water improved sprouting vigor in 12.5% and reduced microbial contamination, but had no statistically significant effect on improving their ability to germinate. Ionized alkaline water can be beneficial for germination, growth and irrigation of seeds, as well as ionized acidic water can play a role of an effective and safe disinfectant in sprouts production.

Biography:

Eva Skrivanova is a Microbiologist and Nutritionist at the Institute of Animal Science in Prague and Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Czech Republic. Her expertise is evaluation of antibacterial effect of various plant extracts, their combinations with antibiotics, both in vitro and in vivo, using animal models. Furthermore, her projects aim to study nutritional impact of antioxidants and enzymes as the feed additives in food animals and their effect of oxidative stability of animal products.

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: The alarming situation in the field of antimicrobial resistance in both human and veterinary medicine call for potent alternatives. One of the promising compounds is medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA). The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of vegetable oils rich in MCFA (hydrolyzed or non-hydrolyzed forms) towards a spectrum of pathogenic and beneficial bacteria, and to study its combinatory effect with oxacillin towards S. aureus.

Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of A. aculeatum, Attalea speciosa, Astrocaryum murumuru, Astrocaryum vulgare, Cocos nucifera, Cuphea ignea and Elaeis guineensis oils and free MCFA were determined by the microdilution method. The analysis of possible interactions of the oils and lauric acid with oxacillin was tested by the by the checkerboard method (fractional inhibitory concentration, FIC). The determination of distinctive MIC of oxacillin, palm oils and lauric acid, as well as their combinatory effect evaluation by FICs, was performed in 96-well microtiter plates in three independent experiments, each performed in triplicate.

Findings: The hydrolyzed oils were active against all tested pathogens (Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus cecorum, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus), at 0.14-4.5 mg/ml, while the same oils did not show any effect on commensal bacteria (Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp.). Tucuma and Cuphea seed oils showed the strongest antibacterial activity. Unhydrolyzed forms of all tested oils exerted no antibacterial effect. Very interesting finding was done in the combinatory effect testing, where the combinations of lauric acid and plant oils with oxacillin caused antagonism (FIC ≥ 4).This effect was observed in all tested bacterial strains.

Conclusion & Significance: The plant oils rich in MCFA can serve as potent antibacterial compounds. However, there is a risk of antagonistic effect with certain antibiotics. This finding need to be further studied.

Biography:

Erick K Ronoh is a Lecturer in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, School of Biosystems and Environmental Engineering, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Kenya. He has obtained his PhD in Horticultural Sciences (Dr. rer. hort.) in June 2016 at the Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany. He also holds an MSc in Agricultural Processing Engineering and a BSc in Agricultural Engineering, both from JKUAT. In addition to his teaching career, he has been actively involved in a number of research projects in the fields of Agricultural Processing Engineering, Agricultural Structures, Renewable Energy and value addition for enhanced food and nutrition security as well improved rural livelihoods. His vision is to be a reliable, dependable and result oriented professional by advancing knowledge in the field of agricultural processing engineering aimed at mitigating food insecurity, alleviating poverty and enhancing management of available natural resources.

Abstract:

Food and energy security are two key global challenges. In Kenya, agriculture is mainly characterized by dominance of primary production with little post-production interventions such as preservation. Preservation of fruits and vegetables can provide rural households with better diets year round and incomes. Therefore, the study focused on developing energy-efficient cooling technology utilizing renewable energy for preservation of fresh fruits and vegetables. Through a renewable energy for food processing (christened RE4Food) project; an evaporative charcoal cooler was purposely developed for use by a registered farmer group in Kirinyaga County, Kenya. The developed cooler measured 4 m long, 4 m wide and 2.5 m high with a storage capacity of 40 m³. Preliminary results indicate promising results in terms of microclimate conditions (temperature and relative humidity), shelf-life and quality of the produce. The charcoal cooler should be optimized to ensure a favorable microclimate and controlled wetting of charcoal walls thus saving water for other agricultural activities. To improve capacity among farmers, training of beneficiaries was conducted focusing on operation and maintenance of the facility, quality standards, packaging, business aspects and book keeping, group dynamics and marketing. To ensure sustainable and maximum returns from the facility, farmers were also trained on the development of health foods for subsistence as well as for export. Further, the farmer group was linked with renowned fresh produce exporters in order to maintain required quality standards along the entire value chain of fruits and vegetables. Through established marketing linkages, farmers can package their value-added products and deliver them to ready markets, thus generating incomes to the rural poor. These linkages provide valuable business opportunities badly needed in rural communities. Overall, the interventions undertaken by this study are vital in minimization of postharvest losses, enhancing food security and realizing nutrition sensitive agriculture in Kenya and beyond.

Biography:

Hendrik Frentzel is a Scientific Assistant in the Laboratory for Spore Formers in the unit Microbial Toxins, Department Biological Safety of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). His research focusses on the risks related to the occurrence of Bacillus cereus group species in food. In this context, research activities are directed towards species identification, toxin-gene/toxin detection and phylogenetic analysis.

Abstract:

The Bacillus (B.) cereus group (also called B. cereus sensu lato or presumptive B. cereus) currently comprises eight closely related species which are difficult to differentiate and are thus not distinguished in routine diagnostics. However, the potential to cause foodborne disease differs between these species. Especially, B. cereus and B. cytotoxicus are considered foodborne pathogens whereas discussions on the pathogenic potential of B. thuringiensis are ongoing. Presumptive B. cereus is common contaminants of vegetable food, while the individual B. cereus group species with its toxinogenic potential remains mostly unknown. A possible unnatural source of contamination is the application of B. thuringiensis based biopesticides. Still, evidence for biopesticide residues on food is scarce. This lack of evidence was also noted by the EFSA Panel on Biological Hazards in a Scientific Opinion of 2016. In order to address these issues, we analyzed samples of spices, dried and fresh herbs, and bell pepper for presumptive B. cereus. Additionally, tomato and sprout samples were analyzed by food inspection laboratories of the federal states in Germany. Obtained isolates were further characterized in terms of species affiliation, toxinogenic potential and partially their multilocus sequence type (MLST). The presumptive B. cereus prevalence and contamination levels ranged from 8 to 95% and from 10¹ to 10⁴ cfu/g. Most strains were able to produce toxins. The presumptive B. cereus populations from bell pepper and tomatoes were dominated by B. thuringiensis (93% and 99%, respectively). These strains were indistinguishable from the biopesticide B. thuringiensis subsp. aizawai ABTS 1857 or B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki ABTS-351, respectively, based on the following parameters: toxin genes, toxin production, cry1 gene and parasporal crystal content as well as MLST profiles. These findings indicate that the B. thuringiensis burden in the analyzed bell pepper and tomato samples may originate from residues of biopesticides.

Biography:

Abstract:

Author was appointed a member of a high level European expert group to provide The European Commission a state of the art report and advice on the following question: How can more food and biomass be obtained from the oceans in a way that does not deprive future generations of their benefits?- The group included natural and social scientists, including some from the humanities. The interesting aspect about the report is that it is very explicit about the fact that higher productivity of seafood is indeed partially constrained by limits of the natural resources and partially by technology and its environmental impacts, but that a huge challenge for further growth and development is due to social and cultural factors. Society and people’s attitudes and values are bottlenecks for some technological developments. The task for the future is to align these forces to a much greater extent, and this means also a significant challenge to our social and humanistic sciences. Author will deepen these points with examples from the report.

Biography:

Mohanad Mushtaha has graduated from Qatar University, College of Art and Science, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences in 2016. Since 2016, he is working as a Research Assistant (RA) in a project concentrated on Food Safety in Qatar, under the supervision of Professor Ipek Goktepe.

Abstract:

Central Market (CM) is the major fresh produce market in Doha-Qatar, where most of the imported fruits and vegetables coming from overseas are sold or distributed to food establishments, such as supermarkets, restaurants, and food companies. The target market is an open unconditioned place surrounded by other markets, such as fish and meat markets, and located near the industrial area. This study was conducted to assess the microbial quality of fresh produce sold at the CM. Several produce samples which are normally consumed raw were collected for 12 months and analyzed using general and selective media. The results showed that the produce samples tested in this study were heavily loaded with various microorganisms from different origins. Although none of the isolated and identified strains are pathogenic, dominant strains, such as Bacillus spp., Enterococcus spp., and Pseudomonas spp. were identified, which may negatively impact the produce quality and the public health.