Food Science Commons^™

The Plastic Footprint Of Sugar: Microplastic Contamination In Bangladesh’S Commercial Sugar, Sadia Afrin, Nayon Hossain, Mostafizur Rahman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The presence of microplastics (MPs) in food has emerged as an environmental and public health concern, yet evidence regarding their occurrence in refined dietary commodities remains limited. This study assesses microplastic contamination in commercially available sugar and estimates the daily intake of MPs. Seven branded and non-branded sugar products were analysed using stereomicroscopy for particle characterization and FTIR spectroscopy for polymer identification. Microplastics were detected in 95% of samples, with concentrations ranging from 210 to 508 particles/kg. Branded sugar contained 322 ± 109.53 particles/kg, while non-branded sugar exhibited 403 ± 148.5 particles/kg, indicating comparatively higher contamination in freely available market …

Sources And Potential Risks Of Micro- And Nanoplastics In Foods, Zhao Xinlong, Li Wei, Zhang Mengling, Xing Liwen, Tian Huafeng

Food and Machinery

Plastics are widely used in food packaging, storage, processing, and other food-related applications, playing a vital role in extending food shelf life, reducing material loss, and promoting food circulation. However, these plastic products that come into direct or indirect contact with foods can release micro- and nanoplastics through various physical and chemical processes. These micro- and nanoplastics can accumulate in the human body through bioaccumulation and other pathways and have become one of the emerging contaminants threatening food safety and human health. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the research progress on the generation pathways, release mechanisms, potential health …

Advances In Extraction And Detection Technologies For Veterinary Drug Residues In Food, Luo Qiaoqiao, Yuan Yufeng, Jia Yunzhu, Chen Qingya, Tan Fang, Zhao Xin

Food and Machinery

Veterinary drug residues constitute a global challenge that poses significant threats to food safety and public health. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in detection technologies for veterinary drug residues in food, with a particular focus on the performance characteristics and application status of sample extraction techniques (including liquid-liquid extraction, solid phase extraction, accelerated solvent extraction, QuEChERS, and magnetic solid phase microextraction ),as well as analytical methods (including chromatographic-mass spectrometric techniques, immunoassays, capillary electrophoresis, biosensors, and quantum dots -based approaches ). Comparative analysis reveals that accelerated solvent extraction (ASE ) and QuEChERS have emerged as mainstream pretreatment techniques owing to …

Proteomics And Alkaloid Signature Of Narrow Leaf Lupin Leaves Reveal Key Enzymes In Quinolizidine Alkaloid Biosynthesis And Transportation, Tawfeek Khedr, Ling Ling Gao, Lars G. Kamphuis, Utpal Bose, Mitchell G. Nye-Wood, Angéla Juhász, Michelle L. Colgrave

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Quinolizidine alkaloids (QAs) are toxic secondary metabolites in narrow-leafed lupin that defend against herbivores but constrain food and feed use. We developed a single-sample multiomics workflow for simultaneous extraction and quantitative analysis of QAs and proteins from individual leaves using urea/thiourea/CHAPS extraction with acetone precipitation, validated for QA quantification by LC–MS/MS. Data-independent acquisition proteomics of eight lupin accessions (four bitter, four sweet) identified 4437 proteins, with 183 differing significantly between bitter and sweet groups. Bitter accessions were enriched in lysine biosynthesis and stress-response pathways, whereas sweet accessions showed enrichment in phenylpropanoid and other defense-related processes. Coexpression network analysis linked protein …

Rapid Detection Of Chicken Residues On Poultry Plant Surfaces Using Color And Fluorescence Spectrometry, Clark Griscom, Dongyi Wang, Corliss A. O'Bryan, Rimmo Room, Philip G. Crandall

Food Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Color and fluorescence spectrometry were evaluated as rapid, objective tools for verifying the cleanliness of poultry-processing food-contacting surfaces contaminated with a model chicken solution across six common materials. Both techniques detected chicken residues at dilutions several orders of magnitude below human visual and olfactory thresholds, with stainless steel and blue plastic yielding the largest color differences between clean and contaminated states and fluorescence measurements remaining highly sensitive on all tested surfaces. Representative limits of detection were on the order of 1:50-1:100 dilution of chicken residue for color measurements on most surfaces and approximately 1:50 for fluorescence measurements, compared with human …

Assessment Of Microbiological And Physicochemical Parameters In Ground Beef From Fast Food Outlets In The Prishtina Region, Diora Kastrati, Veton Haziri, Ibrahim Mehmeti, Violeta Lajqi Makolli, Arianeta Nura, Flutura C. Ajazi

International Journal of Business and Technology

Fast food consumption has significantly increased, particularly in fast-paced cities like Prishtina. Hamburgers, one of the most consumed products in this industry, rely on ground beef, which poses notable food safety risks due to potential contamination and inadequate hygiene practices. The aim of this study was to evaluate selected microbiological and physicochemical parameters in ground beef from fast food outlets in the Prishtina region. The research involved analyzing 12 samples from various fast-food establishments in Prishtina, collected during June-July 2024. Microbiological analyses focused on total mesophilic aerobic bacteria and Escherichia coli, using standard cultivation methods on Plate Count Agar and …

Predictive Modeling Of Listeria Monocytogenes Growth In Ready-To-Eat Meat Products, Manjari Singh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Listeria monocytogenes remains a significant food safety concern in ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products due to its persistence under refrigerated and stressed conditions. Predictive models play a vital role in risk assessment and food safety management; broth models are highly conservation & results in overprocessing. This thesis focuses on developing and validating meat-specific predictive models for Listeria monocytogenes growth and lag for RTE beef, pork, and poultry products. Matrix-specific secondary models were built to predict the maximum specific growth rate (μmax) of Listeria monocytogenes under varying environmental conditions, including temperature, pH, water activity, salt, organic acids, and nitrites. Growth …

Natural Pigment-Mediated Photodynamic Antimicrobial Technology : Mechanisms And Food Applications, Lei Zhao, Wenli Jiang, Qingshan Shen, Jingxuan Ke, Yanli Ma, Lifang Zhang

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

Photodynamic antimicrobial technology (PDT ),as a non-thermal physical bactericidal method,has received increasing attention due to its high efficiency,low residue,and lack of resistance induction.Natural pigments,as food-grade photosensitizers exhibit excellent optical responsiveness and biocompatibility.Studies have shown that curcumin,chlorophylls,and porphyrin-based pigments exhibit favorable photodynamic antimicrobial efficacy in various food matrices including fruits,vegetables,meat,and drinking water.The author summarizes the photodynamic antimicrobial mechanisms of representative natural pigments,and analyzes the effects of light parameters,photosensitizer concentrations,and food matrices on photodynamic antimicrobial efficacy.Furthermore,the recent progress of PDT applications in fruit and vegetable surface disinfection,drinking water sterilization,and smart packaging is reviewed,with a focus on the role of nanocarriers and composite …

The Importance Of Solvents In Obtaining Gossypol Free Cotton Meal In The Extraction Process, Dilshod A. Nasredinov, Aslbek B. Yulchiyev, Kamar P. Serkaev

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

Comparative, analytical and experimental studies of methods for obtaining vegetable oils from oilseeds have been conducted, the purpose was to determine the advantages and disadvantages of technologies used in industry. As the experimental results have shown, among the existing methods of oil production, the method of direct extraction is promising, which provides 12% more water-soluble proteins while observing the technological regimes developed for each type of oil raw materials. Based on the fact that the current level of scientific and technological progress allows the use of targeted solvents and if necessary sequence of several extractants that provides isolation of a …

The Bacteria Who Lived: Uncovering And Mitigating The Persistence Of Pathogens In Low-Moisture Food Processing, Kavita Shripati Patil

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Low-moisture food (LMF) processing environments pose a persistent food safety risk due to Salmonella survival and harborage on surfaces. This work investigates persistent bacterial populations (PBPs) in LMF production environments, focusing on identifying a suitable surrogate and evaluating sanitation strategies. Three potential surrogates, Escherichia coli MP 26, Enterococcus faecium, and Pediococcus acidilactici, were compared to Salmonella PBPs formed in nonfat dry milk (NFDM) on stainless steel coupons stored at 25°C under 30% or 70% relative humidity (RH) using two different inoculation methods. E. faecium showed survival patterns most similar to Salmonella, with no significant differences in log reductions (p > 0.05), …

Use Of The Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification For Food Safety And Drug Discovery, Maria R. Benavente Garcia-Huidobro

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders caused by the misfolding of the normal prion protein (PrP^C) into its infectious form (PrP^Sc). While the zoonotic potential of chronic wasting disease (CWD) remains uncertain, the presence of prions in food products raises public health concerns. Additionally, therapeutic strategies for prion diseases remain limited. This thesis presents a methodological exploration of the Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification (PMCA) technique to address these challenges in two key areas: (1) detecting CWD prions in processed meats subjected to common cooking procedures, and (2) identifying potential anti-prion compounds through a high-throughput PMCA adaptation. …

Negotiating Food Security, Maria Cudowska

Journal of Food Law & Policy

In the United States and worldwide, nutrition and food emerge as both high-profile public policy targets and as fundamental aspects of the right to self-determination. This Article examines how national security impacts food security in the United States. It explores conflicts and synergies between municipal, state, and federal law developments related to the right to food and investigates recent developments in how those commitments have been negotiated. The challenge and nebulous justiciability of the right to food can be in part attributed to existing global and national systems, which include supply chains, welfare programs, and foreign investment in the U.S. …

Survival, Biofilm Formation, And Control Of Foodborne Pathogens In Hydroponic Systems, Sai Rithin Reddy Kothur Thirupathi

Theses and Dissertations

The growing global population and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns have intensified the demand for sustainable food production methods. Hydroponics, a form of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), has gained attention as a viable solution due to its efficient use of resources such as land and water. Although hydroponic systems are perceived as safer alternatives to conventional farming, recent foodborne outbreaks associated with these systems have raised significant public health concerns. This thesis research investigated the food safety risk in hydroponic, particularly the survival and persistence of foodborne pathogens. Chapters I and II provide a comprehensive overview of hydroponics and the microbial …

Development Of Non-Destructive Methods For The Detection And Quantification Of Gluten Sources In Foods, Adewale Abiola Oloyede

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Cross-contamination of food with gluten-rich grains such as wheat, barley, and rye remains a significant challenge in gluten-free food production, posing health risks to individuals with gluten-related disorders. Traditional detection methods are often time-consuming and labor-intensive, highlighting the need for rapid and reliable alternatives. This study investigates the use of hyperspectral imaging (HSI) combined with machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques for the detection and quantification of gluten contamination in grain-based foods through three main approaches: (i) classification of gluten source contaminants in gluten-free flour, (ii) quantification of gluten content from wheat, rye, and barley flours, and …

Inactivation Kinetics Of Escherichia Coli And Listeria Monocytogenes In Edible Insects, Precious Aduloju

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Edible insects are emerging as sustainable and nutritious alternatives to conventional protein sources. However, concerns about food safety, particularly the presence of pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes, remain a barrier to consumer acceptance and industrial use. This study evaluated the effectiveness of thermal processing in inactivating E. coli, L. monocytogenes, and their non-pathogenic surrogates (E. coli JM109 and Listeria innocua) in both fresh and dehydrated forms of Tenebrio molitor (mealworm) and Acheta domesticus (cricket). It also evaluated the influence of insect species, moisture content, and temperature on microbial inactivation. A microbial challenge …

Microbiological Examination Of Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio Molitor) Larvae Under Various Processing And Storage Conditions As Potential For Human Consumption, Rachel Midkiff

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) larvae have gained attention as a sustainable and nutritionally balanced food source, yet their high natural bacterial load raises food safety concerns. This study investigates the impact of pre-processing, processing, and storage conditions on microbial load and diversity in mealworms, comparing thermal (hot) and non-thermal (cold) treatments. These treatments include freeze-drying, wet heat treatments, dry heat treatments, and the combination of wet and dry heat treatments against untreated controls. Microbial loads were quantified by plate counts after day 0, day 10, and day 28 of vacuum-sealed refrigerated (4°C) storage. Water activity (Aw), pH, and moisture content …

Improving Food Safety Practices Among Fsma-Exempt Small-Scale Produce Growers: A Manuscript-Based Dissertation On Risk, Adoption, And Practical Barriers, Jesica Marie Temple

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

Improving Food Safety Practices Among FSMA-Exempt Small-Scale Produce Growers: A Manuscript-Based Dissertation on Risk, Adoption, and Practical Barriers

Jesica Temple

Foodborne illness outbreaks associated with fresh produce continue to pose a public health risk in the United States. Although the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) established science-based standards to prevent contamination, many small-scale farms are exempt from these requirements. Consequently, voluntary adoption of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) varies widely across regions. Strategies to improve engagement among FSMA-exempt growers are key to advancing postharvest food safety and reducing contamination. This manuscript-based dissertation examined how knowledge, attitudes, …

Harnessing Gold Nanomaterials For Advanced Multicolor Colorimetric Biosensors In Food Hazards Detection, Longyingzi Xie, Chenxi Guo, Lu Yang, Yue He

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Hazards such as pathogenic bacteria, mycotoxins, pesticides, antibiotics, heavy metal ions, etc., cause serious food safety problems worldwide due to their toxicity and frequent contamination. Rapid screening is an effective way for food safety control, which highly relies on the development of sensitive, specific, and convenient detection methods. The multicolor colorimetric biosensors based on gold nanomaterials have evolved into advanced tools for detecting various hazards in food, with intuitive readout. The excellent localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) properties of gold nanomaterials enable them to exhibit bright colors when used as chromophores. In addition, the small changes in the morphology of …

Research And Application Status Of Molecular Simulation Technology In Food Field, Bi Xinjian, Wen Shiyu, Qu Tingmin, Wu Hao, Xie Yufei, Wen Li

Food and Machinery

In the food field, a large number of phenomena and problems that are difficult to be macroscopically explained by traditional experimental methods occur during the process of research and development in upstream laboratories to production in downstream factories. Molecular simulation techniques are not only efficient and cost-effective, but also an important tool for connecting micro and macro scales, because molecular models can be used to study molecular behaviors at the atomic level, and thus predict and explain experimental results. This review summarized the commonly used software and databases for molecular simulation techniques, and introduced their applications in recent years in …

Agile Innovation And Application Of Food Safety Supervision Mode, Zhang Yi

Food and Machinery

As innovative thinking, the concept of agile governance focuses on rapid response, efficiency, and human nature. Applying agile governance to food safety supervision will help to optimize the food safety supervision model and improve its efficiency. Based on agile governance thinking, the innovative application of agile thinking was proposed from three aspects: regulatory objectives, regulatory tools and regulatory subjects.

Flexible Biosensors For Food Pathogen Detection, Sonatan Biswas, Md Shariful Islam, Fei Jia, Yunteng Cao, Yanbin Li, Changyong Cao

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Food contamination poses a significant threat to public health, the economy, and human health worldwide, occurring at any stage of the food supply chain, from farm to fork. Efficient and effective real-time monitoring methods for the early identification and rapid detection of pathogen contamination are critical to preventing possible food safety issues. In the past decade, flexible electrochemical biosensors have rapidly expanded in the detection of foodborne pathogens, owing to their ability to function well at biological interfaces that may be soft, intrinsically curvy, irregular, or deformable. The most important features of flexible sensors are their flexibility, multifunctionality, low cost, …

Food Safety Management In Online Live Broadcast Marketing, Hu Shuiying

Food and Machinery

Literature research and case analysis were used to summarize the development status of online live streaming marketing market, analyze the cases of food safety accidents in live streaming e-commerce, and summarize the food safety problems in current live streaming e-commerce. Governance strategies were proposed, such as strengthening the review of live content, strengthening supervision, unblocking consumer complaint channels and accelerating relevant legislative processes. For the problem of homemade food in network marketing, it can be counseled, supported and invested in the form of an incubator to promote its transformation to formal production.

Application Of Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy In Food Safety Detection, Wang Liuliu, Sun Fangtao

Food and Machinery

Based on Raman scattering phenomenon, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy （SERS） detection technology enhances "fingerprint" information of tested substance by adsorbing it on the surface of SERS substrate to achieve trace detection. With the advantages of simple pre-processing, high sensitivity, simple operation, real-time non-destructive detection on site and so on, SERS analysis technology has attracted much attention in food safety rapid detection. The characteristics and limitations of various types of SERS substrates were introduced. The recent research on SERS detection technology in food safety detection was summarized in detail. Finally, this paper discussed the challenges of its commercial application, and prospected the …

Research Progress In The Detection Technology Of Chloramphenicol Residues In Animal Derived Food, Yuan Zhe, Peng Maomin, Liu Li, Peng Xitian, Xia Hong

Food and Machinery

Chloramphenicol is a widely used bactericide and highly effective antibiotic in aquaculture and livestock breeding. To protect human health, detecting chloramphenicol residues in animal-derived food products has become increasingly important. This review introduces the properties of chloramphenicol, the limit standards, and the hazards of residual chloramphenicol in animal-derived food products. Furthermore, it describes commonly used chloramphenicol detection methods. In addition, the review thoroughly analyzes and summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of different detection methods, outlining methods to improve the efficiency and precision of chloramphenicol detection to ensure the quality and safety of animal-derived food products. Finally, the prospects for developing …

Twenty-Eight Years Of Gm Food And Feed Without Harm: Why Not Accept Them?, Richard E. Goodman

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Since the first genetically engineered or modified crops or organisms (GMO) were approved for commercial production in 1995, no new GMO has been proven to be a hazard or cause harm to human consumers. These modifications have improved crop efficiency, reduced losses to insect pests, reduced losses to viral and microbial plant pathogens and improved drought tolerance. A few have focused on nutritional improvements producing beta carotene in Golden Rice. Regulators in the United States and countries signing the CODEX Alimentarius and Cartagena Biosafety agreements have evaluated human and animal food safety considering potential risks of allergenicity, toxicity, nutritional and …

Twenty-Eight Years Of Gm Food And Feed Without Harm: Why Not Accept Them?, Richard E. Goodman

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Since the first genetically engineered or modified crops or organisms (GMO) were approved for commercial production in 1995, no new GMO has been proven to be a hazard or cause harm to human consumers. These modifications have improved crop efficiency, reduced losses to insect pests, reduced losses to viral and microbial plant pathogens and improved drought tolerance. A few have focused on nutritional improvements producing beta carotene in Golden Rice. Regulators in the United States and countries signing the CODEX Alimentarius and Cartagena Biosafety agreements have evaluated human and animal food safety considering potential risks of allergenicity, toxicity, nutritional and …

Salmonella Detection In Food Using A Hek-Htlr5 Reported Cell-Based Sensor, Esma Eser, Victoria A. Felton, Rishi Drolia, Arun K. Bhunia

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The development of a rapid, sensitive, specific method for detecting foodborne pathogens is paramount for supplying safe food to enhance public health safety. Despite the significant improvement in pathogen detection methods, key issues are still associated with rapid methods, such as distinguishing living cells from dead, the pathogenic potential or health risk of the analyte at the time of consumption, the detection limit, and the sample-to-result. Mammalian cell-based assays analyze pathogens’ interaction with host cells and are responsive only to live pathogens or active toxins. In this study, a human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cell line expressing Toll-Like Receptor 5 (TLR-5) …

A Study On The Application Of Non-Prosecution Of Criminal Compliance By Food Production And Operation Enterprises, Cai Kunpeng

Food and Machinery

With the current criminal compliance pilot, how to apply it correctly in the field of food safety is a new research direction. Starting from the criminal behavior of substantive law, this paper probes into the rationality of applying compliance non-prosecution in food production and operation enterprises, and through the analysis of the application of criminal compliance non-prosecution, puts forward the measures for applying the system in the field of food safety.

Optimization Approaches To Legal Supervision Of Import And Export Food Safety In China, Chen He-Fang

Food and Machinery

At present, China has preliminarily established a food safety supervision system for imports and exports, with the current 21 year Food Safety Law as the basic law and the inspection and quarantine department as the main regulatory body. However, there are still problems such as low food safety standards, low management and technical level of regulatory departments, and lack of necessary coordination with major trading partners. In this regard, we can optimize and construct the legal supervision of China's import and export food safety from the dimensions of building scientific food safety standards that are in line with international standards, …

Application Progress Of Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry In Food Analysis, Xing Qian-Qian, Liu Zhen-Min, Hong Qing, You Chun-Ping

Food and Machinery

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combines the advantages of efficient and rapid gas chromatography and accurate identification by mass spectrometry. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry has been widely used in the separation and analysis of volatile components in food recently. This paper reviewed the application progress of GC in food analysis, introduces the separation mechanism of GC, the types of GC columns and the classification of detectors. The application progress of GC-MS in food analysis was reviewed, and the separation process of gas chromatography, the classification of chromatographic columns and the classification of detectors were introduced. Moreover, the applications of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in …