Food Biotechnology Commons^™

Understanding The Factors Affecting Microbiological Quality Of Wheat Milled Products: From Wheat Fields To Milling Operations, Luis E. Sabillón Galeas

Dissertations, Theses, & Student Research in Food Science and Technology

Although regarded as a low-risk commodity, wheat flour-based mixes have been implicated in several food safety incidents. The present thesis is a compilation of five scientific manuscripts on the effect of weather variation, milling steps and implementation of pre-milling interventions on the microbiological quality and safety of wheat and milled products. The first manuscript is a review of the microbiological quality and safety of wheat-based products. Despite the low water activity, wheat flour may harbor dormant but viable microorganisms, which could lead to safety concerns when flour is used to produce refrigerated dough products. The second manuscript illustrates the effect ...

Astaxanthin: A Comparative Case Of Synthetic Vs. Natural Production, Khoa Dang Nguyen

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Astaxanthin, the “king of carotenoids” has been widely used as an animal feed additive for several decades, mainly in the aquaculture industry. Recent studies have led to its emergence as a potent antioxidant available for human consumption. Traditionally it has been chemically synthesized, but the recent market interest has generated interests in producing it naturally via yeast (Phaffia rhodozyma) fermentation, or algal (Haematococcus pluvialis) induction. This work aims to compare these production processes and their impact on the economical, environmental, and societal scale. We also look at the attempts of increasing production yields by altering various parameters during all three ...

Atmospheric Cold Plasma Interactions With Microbiological Risks In Fresh Food Processing, Apurva Patange

Doctoral

Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) is a novel emerging non-thermal technology that has attracted attention as a decontamination tool in several industrial, food and healthcare sectors. This study investigated the anti-microbial efficacy of ACP against microbiological risks associated with fresh foods. Treatment was performed using in-package ‘dry’ ACP technology and plasma functionalised liquid to decontaminate microorganisms, exploring the responses to real and challenging microbiological risks pertinent to both fresh foods themselves as well as the effluents generated from food processing industry. A range of critical control process parameters were investigated with respect to key pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms commonly implicated in ...

Food Safety Risk In An Indoor Microgreen Cultivation System, Gina Marie Misra

Theses and Dissertations

Microgreens are immature sprouts of edible plants, sharing some similarities with sprouted seeds and petite leafy greens. Since they are most often grown in containers in buildings or greenhouses, they present a new area for food safety research at the intersection of the built environment and produce farming. Contamination by human pathogens has been extensively studied in other types of produce typically eaten raw, including sprouted seeds, which have been implicated in numerous outbreaks of salmonellosis over the last several decades. There is a paucity of knowledge about the microgreen sector of the fresh-cut industry; thus, it was determined that ...

Comparison Of Real-Time Pcr And Elisa-Based Methods For The Detection Of Beef And Pork In Processed Meat Products, Adam T. Perestam, Kayleigh K. Fujisaki, Omar Nava, Rosalee S. Hellberg

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

Two commonly used methodologies for species detection within processed meat products are real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a DNA-based method, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a protein-based method. In this study, a real-time PCR assay was compared to a commercial ELISA kit based on sensitivity, specificity, agreement among duplicate samples, cost, time, and ease of use. Fifteen reference samples containing known percentages (0.1–99.9%, w/w) of pork and beef were analyzed in duplicate using both methods. Thirty commercial products, including sausages, pet treats, and canned meats, were also tested in duplicate with each method. Reference sample analysis ...

The Politics Of Genetically Modified Organisms: Global Rules, Local Needs, Ximena Gonzalez

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Biotechnology in regards to agriculture is complex and cannot be judged by a single factor. Exporters of GM foods have their reasons for exportation, and importing countries have their reasons to accept them. There is not a unified reason for acceptance or rejection. Countries may accept or reject for economic, social, or political reasons. Other countries may accept or reject for environmental and/or health reasons. However, there is the inevitable factor of influence. Some countries like the United States, and supernational powers like the European Union are major elements to the decision making process of developing countries. When it ...

Evaluation Of Qualitative Food Allergen Detection Methods And Cleaning Validation Approaches, Rachel C. Courtney

Dissertations, Theses, & Student Research in Food Science and Technology

Allergen control plans are increasingly used by the food industry to prevent allergen cross-contact and validation of these plans involves methods to detect allergen protein residues. A commonly used rapid allergen detection method is lateral flow devices, although research about their validation is lacking. The objective of this research was to investigate lateral flow devices, their specificity and sensitivity to milk proteins and milk-derived ingredients, swabbing conditions, and applications in cleaning validation.

Several lateral flow devices advertised to detect total milk did not detect whey proteins or whey-derived ingredients. The overload level of the kits was highly variable (ranging from ...

Golden Rice: A Case Study In Intellectual Property Management And International Capacity Building, Stanley P. Kowalski, R. David Kryder

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)

The authors examine the management of risks associated with intellectual property linked to agri-biotech products, with emphasis on the international movement of agri-biotech intellectual property from industrialized to developing nations.

Risk And Regulation: U.S. Regulatory Policy On Genetically Modified Food And Agriculture, Emily Marden

Boston College Law Review

Since the 1980s, successive White House Administrations have shaped federal policy on genetically modified food and agriculture to (1) be product-based, (2) presume low risk from genetic modification, and (3) review GM products under existing federal standards. For two decades, the FDA, USDA, and EPA have erected a regulatory framework for GM products based on these three principles. This Article reviews the history and structure of this framework and the challenges that it has faced as more GM products have entered the market. The Article concludes that the three basic principles of federal GM policy may have to be reconsidered ...

Biosafety: Evaluation And Regulation Of Genetically Modified (Gm) Crops In The United States, Richard E. Goodman

Faculty Publications in Food Science and Technology

This review of the safety assessment of genetically modified (GM) crops is focused primarily on the process and progress in the United States (US). It reviews the development of the safety evaluation process from the Asilomar conference in 1975 considering issues relevant to recombinant DNA technology, to discussions between the US government, academic and industrial scientists between 1984 and 1994 when the first GM crops were being field tested and evaluated commercial release for food and feed production. International guidelines were also reviewed for consistency with the US system. The overall process includes consideration of information relating to history of ...