Items Tagged with 'study'

Medical researchers at Florida Atlantic University found that adults who ate the most ultra-processed foods (UPFs) had a “statistically significant and clinically important” 47 percent higher risk of heart attack or stroke than those who ate the least.

The Canadian-based study represents some of the first evidence linking an area’s retail food environment, including the density of “healthy” and fast food outlets, with recorded food safety infractions as a proxy for foodborne illness risk.

The Center for Produce Safety-funded project aims to generate practical guidance for produce growers, including improved sampling approaches to determine whether groundwater is influenced by surface water, and immediately actionable recommendations for mitigating microbial contamination and biofilms in irrigation systems.

A survey of food safety and quality professionals in the dairy industry found that digital transformation is inconsistent and weighted toward larger companies. Current uses of digital tools and barriers to adoption were identified.

Researchers developed a quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) framework that evaluates the public health, environmental, and economic trade-offs of microbiological sampling plans. They suggested microbiological sampling may be most useful when risk-based or as a verification tool.

Garlic carries a distinct bacterial signature reflective of the soil in which it was grown, enabling geographic identification based on microbial composition. A novel method using microbiome data and AI analysis potentially offers a low-cost authentication technique.

Controls based on overly sensitive detection methods and focused on single outcomes may introduce unintended environmental and economic consequences. The researchers advocate for the holistic evaluation of food safety and sustainability risks within a “One Health” framework.

A national study led by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) found concerning increases in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among poultry-associated Campylobacter isolates. Source attribution modeling predicted that chicken meat is by far the most dominant source of human campylobacteriosis cases.

The low-cost approach enables simultaneous detection of multiple foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms in a shorter timeframe than traditional detection methods, without requiring advanced technical training. 

According to the researchers, the findings indicate that Salmonella persistence in food processing environments should not be attributed solely to disinfectant resistance. Proper implementation of cleaning and sanitization protocols alongside stringent hygiene practices remains critical.