Day 2 :
Keynote Forum
Sompon Wanwimolruk
Mahidol University, Thailand
Keynote: Food safety associated with pesticide use in South East Asia, with Thailand as a pilot country
Biography:
Sompon Wanwimolruk has graduated with BSc and MSc from Mahidol University, Thailand in 1976. In 1983, he obtained a PhD in Clinical Pharmacology from Flinders University, Australia, and spent two years as Postdoctoral research fellow at State University of New York. From 1988-2000, he was a Senior Lecturer at the Otago University, New Zealand. In 2004, he became a Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Loma Linda University, California, USA. He returned home in 2011 and worked as Professor at Faculty of Medical Technology, Mahidol University. He has published more than 110 papers and obtained many awards. He is the Director of Food Safety Research Center, Mahidol University in Thailand.
Abstract:
Food safety is a very important issue and has been recognized globally. Pesticides are excessively used in agriculture to increase crop production without considering the harmful impacts on human health. Numerous cases of cancer and other adverse health conditions have been reported to be linked with pesticide exposure. Therefore, in developed countries, routine pesticide monitoring and regulation on pesticide maximum residue limits (MRL) in food were set up to protect consumer’s health. For South East Asian (SEA) countries except Singapore, this regulation exists in law but is not fully implemented. Thus, pesticide residues in food have not been thoroughly monitored. Also there is a lack of information on contamination of pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits sold domestically in this region. Accurate and reliable information on pesticide residue contamination in foods is essential for planning and implementation of an effective national pesticide monitoring program. Utilizing Thailand as a pilot country, pesticide monitoring survey using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method has been conducted to determine the incidence of pesticide residues detected in vegetables and fruits sold domestically. The vegetables included Chinese kale, pak choi, morning glory, cabbage, tomato, snake bean, cucumber and chili. Fruits studied were watermelon, durian, mangosteen, orange (tangerine), apple, rose apple, guava, pomelo, papaya and mango. The results have shown that all of the vegetables and fruits studied were considerably contaminated with pesticide residues. The rate of pesticide detection in the vegetables ranged from 85% in Chinese kale to 100% in many vegetables including cabbage, tomato and snake bean. Similarly, high incidence of pesticide residues was observed in fruits which included watermelon (91%), 100% in orange, mangosteen and guava. It should be noted that there were many types of pesticide residues detected in the vegetables and fruits. Some of these had pesticide residues at levels of >MRL. The incidence of MRL exceedance for some produce was remarkably high ranging from 29% to 100%. However, it is safe to eat watermelon and durian as the pesticide residues were <MRL. This implies that there is increased likelihood of problems associated with food safety in Thailand. The existing findings provide scientific evidence of detected significant pesticide residues in the commonly consumed vegetables and fruits in Thailand. This situation observed with Thailand as a pilot country, is likely to be observed in the other SEA countries. It strongly suggests that government authorities should implement an effective routine monitoring program of pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits. This will lessen the health risk associated with ingestion of pesticide contaminated food. It also recommends that much research is essential by international and multidisciplinary experts to study the impact on economic, environmental, and health risks, of pesticide use in this region.
Keynote Forum
Ainie Kuntom
Malaysian Palm Oil Board, Malaysia
Keynote: Malaysian palm oil food safety and regulatory measures
Biography:
Ainie Kuntom has graduated from the Institute of Technology Bandung, Bandung, Indonesia and obtained her PhD from the State University of Ghent, Belgium. She has served as a Lecturer at the University of Science Malaysia in Penang, and Principal Research Officer at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB). She is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the MPOB. Her research interests are in food safety, palm oil quality, flavor chemistry, development of methods for analyses of pesticide residue, soap technology and standards development. She is also involved in the certification under ISO 9001, ISO17021 AND ISO17025. In addition, she is also actively involved in development of sustainability in particular for Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) and the codes of practice for oil palm along the entire supply chain. She worked closely with the oil palm industry on the drafting of Malaysian standard and certification scheme for MSPO. She organized the pilot run of the standard and scheme in the industry followed by voluntary implementation of the MSPO certification scheme. In MPOB she is the coordinator of MSPO and has given numerous lectures of MSPO. She has assisted some of the premises to be certified under this scheme. She is now working closely with the smallholders to get them certified under MSPO certification. Currently the oil palm industry is facing issue on food safety related to the presence of 3-MCPD esters in refined palm oil. She is part of the 3-MCPD ester team in MPOB and assists the oil palm industry to reduce or eliminate both the 3-MCPD and glycidyl esters.
Abstract:
The Malaysian oil palm industry is a highly regulated industry. More than 60 national laws and regulations govern the palm oil production. In addition, the Malaysian palm oil board (MPOB) imposes licensing requirements to produce and trade palm products throughout the supply chain, from seed production through plantation, processing, until the palm products are exported to consuming countries. Palm oil is a popular and widely used food ingredient because of its versatility, trans-free, nutritious, readily available and competitive price. In Malaysia, palm oil as food ingredient is governed by the Food Act and Regulations. In addition, palm oil has to comply with the Codex Alimentarius Commission standards and food laws of the importing countries. The various food acts and regulation is adhered by the palm oil industry players in addressing the food safety requirements. Malaysia is also currently addressing the 3-MCPD esters and glycidyl ester (GE) contaminants in palm oil. Industrial research at palm oil mills and refineries are being conducted in collaboration with technology providers, seeking for suitable and feasible technology for adoption by the whole industry. It is crucial for producers to comply with all the national and international food safety regulations and requirements to sustain in global trade because palm oil is the most important agricultural commodity for Malaysia generating income to its people and nation.
- Food Safety | Food Preservation and Quality Standards | Food Safety in Retail Foods | Food Borne Diseases and Its Prevention
Chair
Ainie Kuntom
Malaysian Palm Oil Board, Malaysia
Co-Chair
Hendrik Frentzel
German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Germany
Session Introduction
Loreta Serniene
Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Lithuania
Title: The effect of ionized water on germination, sprouting vigour and microbial contamination of wheat sprouts
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.
Eva Skrivanova
Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic
Title: Antibacterial effect of plant oils rich in medium chain fatty acids and their possible interactions with antibiotics
Time : 12:30-13:00
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.
Erick K Ronoh
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya
Title: Preservation of fresh fruits, vegetables and quality standards during storage utilizing energy-efficient technologies for improved livelihoods
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.
Hendrik Frentzel
German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Germany
Title: Presumptive Bacillus cereus/Bacillus thuringiensis in vegetable food: natural contaminant or pesticide residue?
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.
Matthias Kaiser
University of Bergen, Norway
Title: Social and ethical dimensions of future food from the oceans: Highlights from a high-level EU background paper
Biography:
Matthias Kaiser is a Director of the Centre for the Study of the Sciences and Humanities (SVT) at the University of Bergen, having studied at the Universities of Munich, Oslo, Stanford and Frankfurt. His areas of expertise include philosophy of science, ethics of science and technology assessment. His areas of competence include social studies of science and technology, history of science, ethics, logic, and history of philosophy. His topics of interest include but are not restricted to: risk, the precautionary principle, uncertainty and complexity, aquaculture, food ethics, governance, value studies, integrity in science, energy, public participation, gm-organisms. He is an internationally recognized specialist in fields relating to ethics of science, food ethics, and integrity of science; he is Co-Editor-in-Chief of the scientific journal Food Ethics (Springer), and past President of the European Society for Agricultural and Food Ethics. He has published widely, more than 150 articles.
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.
Mohanad Mushtaha
Qatar University, Qatar
Title: Microbial quality assessment of select fresh produce sold at the Central Market in Doha, Qatar
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.