Food Legislation

The objective of this work was to analyze and defined an appropriate heat treatment for the sterilization of a low-calorie grape jam (39.26 ± 0.63 °Brix; pH 3.63 ± 0.04) obtained using fruits reduced in carbohydrates by optimized pretreatment, and natural Stevia sweetener to replace sucrose. For this purpose, different types of information and tools were used. The physicochemical characteristics and proximal composition of the jam were determined. Information as to what microorganisms as common saprophyte fungi in grapes can develop in these products was gathered from the available literature. The thermophysical properties of the product were determined. Different combinations of recommended time and temperature combinations for heat treatments that inhibit microorganisms were analyzed. FEM numerical were developed to predict temperature profiles during heat treatment. Also, microbiological analysis of yeast and yeast screening and counting was performed. As a result of this study, two heat treatments were proposed to inhibit the fungus B. fulva and B. nivea (common in grapes). Two autoclave sterilization processes (121.1°C; 20-32 lb/in 2 ) were defined by the time-temperature combinations, T1: 100°C-5 minutes; T2: 100°C-10 minutes, to apply and maintain the desired temperature of 100°C throughout the product for 1.3-27 seconds. Both treatments were considered suitable for sterilizing a 190 g jam container and were validated by microbiological analysis.

Fumonisin is the second most commonly isolated mycotoxin in maize, produced mainly by Fusarium verticillioides. Fumonisins are associated with health effects in humans and animals. We reviewed the available literature on fumonisin contamination of maize in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the Fusarium species linked to the contamination. We searched for articles in Science Direct, PUBMED, and Google Scholar databases in June 2018 and updated in August 2018. We employed narrative synthesis in data synthesis. Out of the 2,156 records obtained from the search, 39 met the inclusion criteria. Of the included studies, 37 were cross-sectional studies, while two were controlled trials. Fourteen of the included studies were based on South Africa. The Fusarium species predominantly responsible for fumonisin production was Fusarium verticillioides. Other notable Fusarium species included F. proliferatum and F. graminaerum. In 13 studies, all samples tested positive for fumonisins. The levels of Fu...

In 2007, the Nutrition and Health Claim Regulation (NHCR) entered into force, which required scientific substantiation of health claims. In the field of antioxidants, most proposed claims were negatively assessed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). This study reviews the perception of the NHCR of 14 Dutch stakeholders to unravel the grounds for disproving the putative health claims. Most claims are shown to be refused based on the quality of scientific substantiation, due to usage of scientific methods on which no consensus has been reached and the differences in expectations and requirements. Three themes exemplify the need for improvement in applying the NHCR: (i) enforcement; (ii) methodology; and (iii) perceived impact of the NHCR. With highly diverging perceptions of stakeholders, the current effectiveness of the NHCR can be questioned. The views of different stakeholders on these themes help to focus the discussion on the NCHR in capturing health effects.

for the immense guidance and help you offered me during my stay at the Food Chemistry Laboratory during the analysis. I wish to acknowledge my family for always believing in me. You have all supported and encouraged me through my study period. I am forever grateful for your love and support. To God, who always has a stake in any activity with a successful outcome, be all glory and honour. I glorify and praise the Lord God Almighty for the gift of life, His blessings, mercy, favour, and grace which he has bestowed upon me throughout the study period. Surely you have been my help and I have seen your goodness in the land of the living.

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of fungi. Species assigned to the Aspergillus genus produce a wide range of mycotoxins which can contaminate several agricultural products, and cause various human and animal diseases. In this review, we wish to give an overview of producers of Aspergillus mycotoxins in view of recent scientific data.

The Hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) is a preventive system which seeks to ensure food safety and security. It allows product protection and correction of errors, improves the costs derived from quality defects and reduces the final overcontrol. In this paper, the system is applied to the line of cultivation of mushrooms and other edible cultivated fungi. From all stages of the process, only the reception of covering materials (stage 1) and compost (stage 3), the pre-fruiting and induction (step 6) and the harvest (stage 7) have been considered as critical control point (CCP). The main hazards found were the presence of unauthorized phytosanitary products or above the permitted dose (stages 6 and 7), and the presence of pathogenic bacteria (stages 1 and 3) and/or heavy metals (stage 3). The implementation of this knowledge will allow the self-control of their productions based on the system HACCP to any plant dedicated to mushroom or other edible fungi cultivation.

We present a rigorous mathematical proof of nonlocality within the Cascade Spectrality Resonance (CSR) framework, establishing a fundamental reformulation of locality through bimetric holography and spectral field resonance. Conventional quantum mechanical nonlocality emerges as a natural consequence of our twin-sheet spacetime structure with Josephson-ϕ coupling, where manifestations of apparent nonlocality reflect phase-synchronized oscillations across the bimetric manifold. The proof utilizes a gauge-theoretic teleparallel formulation to demonstrate that information encoded in phase relationships within the |i|-field balancer exhibits holographic symmetry across coherent singularities, with entropy scaling as S = A/4G across the boundary. We establish a formal mathematical connection between the Ísvara operator ξ fixed-point holonomy and quantum entanglement through a self-mapping condition ξ = M[ ξ] that enforces global charge-torsion neutrality while maintaining local resonant equilibrium. This formulation naturally accommodates recent experimental observations in FRB birefringence timing through our photon-mass drift mechanism, providing testable predictions significantly divergent from conventional field theories.

We present a formal mathematical proof of quantum nonlocality derived from the Cascade Spectrality Resonance (CSR) framework, which unifies gravity, electromagnetism, and quantum phenomena through a bimetric holographic paradigm. In this model, nonlocal correlations emerge from phase-synchronized oscillations across a dual-sheet spacetime governed by golden-ratio Josephson coupling. Central to our formulation are three core innovations: the |i|-field balancer, which mediates global equilibrium across CPT-opposite metric sheets; the Ísvara operator, a fixed-point holonomy that guarantees charge-neutrality and field coherence; and the phase-encoded information principle, which defines physical reality as structured phase geometry. We show that apparent nonlocal effects arise naturally from this 5D scalar-tensor framework without violating relativistic causality. The model predicts experimentally testable birefringence effects in FRB timing due to photon mass drift, providing a direct observational avenue. By reframing nonlocality as a projection of deeper spectral synchrony, this work offers a coherent resolution to the EPR paradox, Bell inequality violations, and the measurement problem.
Co Authors
D. Hansley
Dr. J. M. Lockwood

Author - C. Br. Cyrek

Special thanks to Dr. Simba Samapundo. Thanks for your invaluable advices, your support, guidance and constructive feedbacks. Thanks for never hesitate to help me out during the entire PhD. My sincere gratitude to Dr. Jeanne-Marie Membré. Thanks for your guidance, training and good insights. Thanks for making my risk assessment modeling chapter possible. I had a pleasant time and learned a lot during my internship at Oniris in Nantes. PhD in such a pleasant environment. To Dr. An Vermeulen, thanks for your guidance on predictive modeling, your patience and support. Thanks Ariane for your assistance and for being supportive ever since I started the PhD. To Ann, Danny, Tineke, Leentje, Filip, Anja, Inge, Ilse and Ramize, thanks for all your support, for your patience and continuous assistance in and outside the lab. I would also like to extend my gratitude to Prof. Mieke Uyttendaele, Prof. Liesbeth Jacxsens and Prof. Andreja Rajkovic for your support and your contributions during my PhD. To Zijin (Cecelia) Zhou my sincere gratitude for all your support and friendship. Thanks for never hesitate to help me out, even during the very busy times. Also, thanks for designing this beautiful cover. To Inge Van der Linden, thanks for your friendship and for welcoming me so well since my first day in the office. To Katrien, Wauter and Jelena, thanks for your friendship, nice conversations and all your support. To my dear Chinese colleagues, Rongxue, Xingchen, Chao, Xiangrong, Aiyan, thanks for your friendship and for making my lunch time so pleasant. Also, thanks for all your patience to listen to me during the last year of the PhD. To Irena, Lieven, Siméon, Elien, Maarten, Angelos, thanks for your support. I would also like to thank my Bachelor' and thesis' students, Ayşe, Sonay, Enrique, Jamaluddin, Gabriela, Stefani and Yassin for your contribution to this PhD. It was pleasant to work with you. Mycolab -Campus Schoonmeersen. Besides, I would like to thank Prof. Monica Höfte and Ilse Delaere for collaborating with the molecular identification of the heat-resistant moulds isolates. My gratitude to the fruit companies for cooperating with this project, providing diverse samples and key information which highly contributed to this PhD. Also, to the financial support from National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) from Brazil. Furthemore, I would like to express my profound gratitude to my spiritual family in Ghent, the International Community Church Gent (ICCG). Many thanks for your support, fellowship and all the great moments we had together during these years. Special thanks to Pr. Leo Proot and Anneke. Thanks for your spiritual guidance, your care for me and my family, your assistance and fellowship. This journey would never be the same without you. To my dear friends in Brazil, from yesterday, today and tomorrow, thanks for your invaluable friendship, encouragement and support. To my dear and beloved family in Brazil. Thanks for encouraging me to pursue my career even for the fact that we had to live 9603.71 km away from each other. Thanks for your unconditional love, your endless support and dedication which made all the difference during this journey. My deepest gratitude to the one who contributed the most to this achievement, my beloved husband Jeverton Ledo. Firstly, thanks for encouraging me to pursue my career in food science. Thanks for all your efforts to make it possible. Thanks for your love, your every-day support and your patience.

This article analyses the consequences of the implementation of the nutrition and health claim regulation in the field of food products containing antioxidants or food products claiming antioxidant activity. To this end, it first examines the origin and creation of the regulation and the involvement of EFSA in assessing scientific substantiation of health claims. Three criteria are regarded as critical in EFSA's opinions on the scientific substantiation of a health claim: the claimed effect (i) is well defined; (ii) is a clear beneficial physiological effect; and (iii) shows a cause effect relationship with the consumption of the food or functional ingredient. These criteria have implications for the research requested to substantiate health claims, although these implications do not all seem to fit nutrition research as it is currently executed. Looking at antioxidants, the complexity of the mechanisms and actions of antioxidants is not recognised by the criteria used to evaluate proposed health claims, nor by the methodologies used to assess the effects of antioxidants. These criteria should be adjusted with novel scientific insights after consulting stakeholders.

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés.

In 2005, more than 90% of Vietnamese households were using adequately iodized salt, and urinary iodine concentration among women of reproductive age was in the optimal range. However, household coverage declined thereafter to 45% in 2011, and urinary iodine concentration levels indicated inadequate iodine intake. To review the strengths and weaknesses of the Vietnamese universal salt iodization program from its inception to the current day and to discuss why achievements made by 2005 were not sustained. Qualitative review of program documents and semistructured interviews with national stakeholders. National legislation for mandatory salt iodization was revoked in 2005, and the political importance of the program was downgraded with consequential effects on budget, staff, and authority. The Vietnamese salt iodization program, as it was initially designed and implemented, was unsustainable, as salt iodization was not practiced as an industry norm but as a government-funded activity. ...

Ten volatile oils of some plants were tested as antifungal agents against twelve fungal strains. Most fungal strains affected by volatile oils and the highest effect was found in case of Clove oil followed by Cinnamon oil and Basil oil according to the diameter of inhibition zone. The highest value of inhibition zone by Clove oil were found in case of Penicillium sp. followed by Aspergillus glaucus, A. niger, A. nidulans and E. nidulans to be 45.00, 34.52, 33.01,32.69 and 31.85 mm, respectively. Rose mary oil had no effect in all tested fungi except Penicillium sp. being 1.86 mm. Clove oil decreased the mycelium dry weight in all tested fungi. All fungi which not produced O-methylsterigmatocystin (OMST) did not produce any aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1 or G2). The presence of Ras cheese in the cultivation media stimulated A. nidulans and A. oryzae to produce aflatoxins. A. glaucus and A. ochraceus produced OMST and G2 in all cultivation media but did not produce aflatoxins B1, B2 or G1 in all cultivation media. The presence of clove oil in RCMCO medium of A. alliaceus, A. nidulans, A. niger, A. oryzae and Penicillium sp. prevented the production of aflatoxins. A. oryzae did not produce any of aflatoxins in all cultivation media. G. candidum produced all mycotoins in all cultural media except aflatoxin B2.

The global nutraceuticals industry is a dynamic and rapidly evolving sector with diverse products, each offering numerous health benefits that significantly impact behaviours and market trends. The evaluation of patents within this industry reveals the dual nature of intellectual property rights as both a tool for fostering innovation and a potential barrier. However, with this growing recognition of these nutraceutical products face the challenges of ensuring product integrity, particularly in addressing issues such as adulteration and substandard quality. Key aspects include its market potential, nutraceutical company challenges, adulteration, intellectual property rights, and identification techniques that will ensure public access to safe and effective products. In addressing the core relationships between intellectual property rights, regulations, and safe and effective products, this paper identifies several critical pathways for advancing industry practices like strengthening regulatory oversight, encouraging innovation through intellectual property rights, promoting ethical practices investing in research and development, and enhancing international collaboration. Also, it focuses on fostering a regulatory environment that promotes innovation and accessibility to its stakeholders who can ensure that nutraceutical products contribute meaningfully to public health objectives. There are several parameters like high-cost research and development, complex regulatory landscapes, consumer skepticism, and technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning to streamline product development and help tailor strategies to address its specific needs. The insights of collaboration and innovation among international organizations are crucial to improving global health and well-being positively by shaping the future of the nutraceutical sector. Therefore, by addressing these collaboration relationships between governments, industry stakeholders, researchers, and civil society. Also, it is necessary to address the core relationship between intellectual property rights, regulation, and promotion of safe and effective nutraceutical products in this rapidly evolving industry.

Under the current version of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), participants can purchase virtually any food or beverage (collectively, food). Research indicates that SNAP recipients may have worse dietary quality than income-eligible nonparticipants. Policymakers have urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to pilot SNAP purchasing restrictions intended to support a healthier diet, and state legislators have proposed similar bills. The USDA rejected these invitations, stating that it would be administratively and logistically difficult to differentiate among products, amid other concerns. However, the USDA's Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) do just that. Further, state governments define and differentiate among foods and beverages for tax purposes. This paper reviews several factors intended to inform future policy decisions: the science indicating that SNAP recipients have poorer diet quality than income-eligible nonparticipants; the public's support for revising the SNAP program; federal, state, and city legislators' formal proposals to amend SNAP based on nutrition criteria and the USDA's public position in opposition to these proposals; state bills to amend eligible foods purchasable with SNAP benefits; state retail food tax laws; and the retail administration and program requirements for both WIC and SNAP. The paper finds that the government has a clear ability to align SNAP benefits with nutrition science and operationalize this into law.

This research is aimed at isolation and identification of fungi associated with the dried fruits of Ziziphus spina-christi (Christ’s thorn). Sample fruits of Christ's thorn (Ziziphus spina-christi), was collected from three mother trees in Dutse (Drieved Savannah area) in Jigawa state, the samples were air dried for eight (8) weeks. Pulps were extracted from the fruits with the help of pestle and mortar, a small portion of the pulp was placed in a beaker containing distilled water. The sample solution was serially diluted in this manner 102 104  106 in order to reduce fungal load in the sample. A drop of the serially diluted solution was placed on the prepared potato dextrose agar media under sterilized environment and incubated at (370C) for 48 hours. The pure /axemic culture were obtained by several transfer of colony growth from PDA plates aseptically i.e. (Sub-culturing until axemic culture were obtained).  Identification was done macroscopically and microscopically. The investigation has identified Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Rhizopus to be associated with the dried fruits of Ziziphus spina-christi (Christ’s thorn) these fungi are commonly associated with food spoilage and can significantly impact the quality and safety of the fruits. Aspergillus species were known for its potential for mycotoxin production, such as aflatoxins, which are harmful to human health. The findings also recommendations; improved Post-Harvest Handling in form of better drying and storage practices, routine fungal contamination assessments using molecular and microscopic techniques. Consider antifungal treatments or natural preservatives, such as plant extracts to limit fungal growth. More so, further Research should be encouraged on inhibiting mycotoxin-production capabilities of isolated fungi. Public Awareness Campaigns to farmers, producers, and consumers about fungal contamination risks and preventive measures to ensure food safety and reduce post-harvest losses.
Keywords: Ziziphus spina-christi, isolation, identification, fruit, nutritional value and fungi.

Here is presented the relativity theory of real non-inertial reference frames generalizing special relativity-the relativity theory of inertial and, in the general case, abstract reference frames. As an elementary real reference frame there is considered a material particle with four orthonormal vectors-an oriented point in the four-dimensional event space. The core of the theory is in establishing a strict connection between the four-dimensional orientation of the real reference frame located in the external field and the event coordinates in this frame. Three follow-up research directions having a number of consequences which lead to "anomalous" experimental phenomena are also presented with their main provisions and results: the geometric model of strong interaction, the dynamics of the system of oriented points and the electrodynamics of the oriented point.

While FDA has more than 30 years of experience conducting and using safety and risk assessments for food additives and chemical contaminants, only recent- ly have we begun to apply these tech- niques to microbial food safety issues. 3 With the application of innovative approaches, quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) is emerging as an important discipline for addressing com- plex

The purpose of this paper is to provide winemakers with information which can be used to make informed decisions when developing strategies to deal with grapes from water-stressed vines. However, scientific understanding of many factors remains incomplete and winemakers are, therefore, encouraged to seek information from as many sources as possible when making decisions on how best to process such fruit. In a large number of Australia's grapegrowing areas, the 2007 harvest is proving to be a challenge in many respects, with winemakers dealing with not only the effects of frost, but with dry conditions and potentially hot weather as well. The relative importance of each of these influences on fruit quality and yield will vary, and should be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Wineries are urged to make plans in advance according to their production capabilities and intended wine styles. • Dry conditions will exacerbate variation within a vineyard, so it is important to sample carefully and possibly to increase the frequency of sampling closer to the expected date of harvest. When sampling, take into account topographic differences; cropping levels (frost influence); and variations of soil types within a vineyard. • Fruit can be expected to ripen earlier and reach elevated sugar levels more quickly, with lower than usual acidity levels. o The period during which fruit will be at optimum ripeness is likely to be shorter than usual.

Samples of brinjal. lady finger and onion leaves analysis carried out by analytical technique. Samples contained residues above MRL values. The contamination was mainly with organophosphates followed by organochlorines. Among organophosphates, residues of monocrotophos, quinalphos and chlorpyriphos exceeded the MRL value in 36% and 23% samples of brinjal and fenugreek. Residues of monocrotophos were higher than MRL value in 3 samples of brinjal and lady finger. chlorpyriphos in samples of onion leaves and quinalphos in of lady finger. Among synthetic pyrethroids, cypermethrin was the major contaminant and its residue exceeded the MRL value in sample each of brinjal, lady finger .The residues of some organochlorines, i.e. HCH, DDT and endosulfan were found in all the samples but did not exceed the tolerence limit.

The need for protein-rich plant-based foods continues as dietary guidelines emphasize their contribution to healthy dietary patterns that prevent chronic disease and promote environmental sustainability. However, the Canadian Food and Drug Regulations provide a regulatory framework that can prevent Canadian consumers from identifying protein-rich plant-based foods. In Canada, protein nutrient content claims are based on the protein efficiency ratio (PER) and protein rating method, which is based on a rat growth bioassay. PERs are not additive, and the protein rating of a food is underpinned by its Reasonable Daily Intake. The restrictive nature of Canada's requirements for supporting protein claims therefore presents challenges for Canadian consumers to adapt to a rapidly changing food environment. This commentary will present two options for modernizing the regulatory framework for protein content claims in Canada. The first and preferred option advocates that protein quality not be considered in the determination of the eligibility of a food for protein content claims. The second and less preferred option, an interim solution, is a framework for adopting the protein digestibility corrected amino acid score as the official method for supporting protein content and quality claims and harmonizes Canada's regulatory framework with that of the USA.

It is essential to guarantee the safety of unprocessed plants and food supplements if consumers' health is to be protected. Although botanicals and their preparations are regulated at EU level, at least in part, there is still considerable discretion at national level, and Member States may choose to classify a product either as a food supplement or as a drug. Accurate data concerning the finished products and the plant used as the starting point are of major importance if risks and safety are to be properly assessed, but in addition standardized criteria for herbal preparation must be laid down and respected by researchers and manufacturers. Physiologically active as well as potentially toxic constituents need to be identified, and suitable analytical methods for their measurement specified, particularly in view of the increasing incidence of economically motivated adulteration of herbal raw materials and extracts. It remains the duty of food operators to keep up with the scientific literature and to provide sufficient information to enable the adaptation of specifications, sampling schemes and analytical methods to a fast-changing environment.

Context-National recommendations for the prevention and treatment of obesity emphasize reducing energy intake. Foods purchased in restaurants provide approximately 35% of the daily energy intake in US individuals but the accuracy of the energy contents listed for these foods is unknown. Objective-To examine the accuracy of stated energy contents of foods purchased in restaurants. Design and Setting-A validated bomb calorimetry technique was used to measure dietary energy in food from 42 restaurants, comprising 269 total food items and 242 unique foods. The restaurants and foods were randomly selected from quick-serve and sit-down restaurants in Massachusetts, Arkansas, and Indiana between January and June 2010. Main Outcome Measure-The difference between restaurant-stated and laboratory-measured energy contents, which were corrected for standard metabolizable energy conversion factors. Results-The absolute stated energy contents were not significantly different from the absolute measured energy contents overall (difference of 10 kcal/portion; 95% confidence interval [CI], -15 to 34 kcal/portion; P=.52); however, the stated energy contents of individual foods were variable relative to the measured energy contents. Of the 269 food items, 50 (19%) contained measured energy contents of at least 100 kcal/portion more than the stated energy contents. Of the 10% of foods with the highest excess energy in the initial sampling, 13 of 17 were available for a second sampling. In the first analysis, these foods contained average measured energy contents of 289 kcal/portion (95% CI, 186 to 392 kcal/portion) more than the stated energy contents; in the second analysis, these foods contained average measured energy contents of 258 kcal/portion (95% CI, 154 to 361 kcal/portion) more than the stated energy contents (P<.001 for each vs 0 kcal/ portion difference). In addition, foods with lower stated energy contents contained higher measured energy contents than stated, while foods with higher stated energy contents contained lower measured energy contents (P<.001). Conclusions-Stated energy contents of restaurant foods were accurate overall. However, there was substantial inaccuracy for some individual foods, with understated energy contents for those with lower energy contents.

Studies on the nutrient quality and fungal pathogen of Citrus paradisi (grapefruit )were carried out in the Department of Food Science and Technology Laboratory, Rivers State University. Moisture, ash, fibre, lipid, carbohydrate and protein were parameters assessed. Higher values of moisture (85.4 ± 0.011%), fibre (1.5 ± 0.001%) and protein (2.7 ± 0.021%) were recorded for the healthy samples while the spoilt fruit samples had higher content of ash, lipid and carbohydrate. Mineral and vitamin analyses revealed the presence of calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and vitamin C. However, higher values of magnesium (7.5 ± 0.013mg\100g), phosphorus (12.5 ± 0.023%) and vitamin C (165 ± 0.014mg) were recorded for the healthy samples while calcium and sodium were higher for the spoilt samples. Iron and potassium had equal values ( 0.4 ± 0.011mg\100g) and (9. 9±0.022mg\100g) for both healthy and spoilt samples of C. Paradisi respectively. Phytochemical investigation showed the av...

Monosaccharides and disaccharides, natural sweeteners, have some nutritional value, but artificial sweeteners have few or absence of nutritional advantages. The influence of sugar on health is a subject of debate, especially in light of increasing apprehensions over diabetes and obesity. In the 21st century, a growing number of individuals opt for low-calorie, artificially sweetened items to control their weight and blood glucose levels due to increasing health awareness. Although widely used, artificial sweeteners are controversial because of their safety and effectiveness concerns. According to reports, these medications may have adverse effects such as headaches, weight gain, and organ malfunction, which raises concerns about their prolonged usage. Conversely, sweeteners derived from natural sources, such as stevia, are seen as being more secure. While the FDA has approved some artificial sweeteners, there is still ongoing dispute regarding their metabolic consequences. Hence, customers had to select between synthetic and organic sweeteners meticulously. The early published reviews of the "Artificial Sweeteners" were deficient in extensive long-term human investigations, mainly depended on animal research, neglected to analyze different types of sweeteners, and disregarded confounding factors such as food and lifestyle. This review aims to acquire information regarding the various types of available sweeteners, their composition, their impact on human health, and a thorough comparison between natural and artificial sweeteners. This review aims to assist readers in developing a healthy diet plan and making informed choices when using products that contain sweeteners.

Alle rechten voorbehouden. Niets uit deze uitgave mag worden vermenigvuldigd en/of openbaar gemaakt worden door middel van druk, fotokopie, microfilm, elektronisch of op welke andere wijze ook zonder voorafgaandelijke schriftelijke toestemming van de uitgever. All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced in any form by print, photoprint, microfilm, electronic or any other means without written permission from the publisher.

Alle rechten voorbehouden. Niets uit deze uitgave mag worden vermenigvuldigd en/of openbaar gemaakt worden door middel van druk, fotokopie, microfilm, elektronisch of op welke andere wijze ook zonder voorafgaandelijke schriftelijke toestemming van de uitgever. All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced in any form by print, photoprint, microfilm, electronic or any other means without written permission from the publisher.

Functional foods as a marketing term was initiated in Japan in the late 1980s and is used to describe foods fortified with ingredients capable of producing health benefits. This concept is becoming increasingly popular with consumers because of a heightened awareness of the link between health, nutrition, and diet. Food manufacturers are enthusiastic about developing such products because the added ingredients give increased value to food. The global market for functional foods in the coming years is predicted to grow rapidly. Although Japan currently accounts for about one-half of this market, the fastest rate of growth is expected to be in the United States. Probiotic products represent a strong growth area within the functional foods group and intense research efforts are under way to develop dairy products into which probiotic organisms such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species are incorporated. Such probiotic foods may modulate gut microbial composition, thereby leading to improved gut health, for example, through improved tolerance to lactose in lactose-intolerant individuals or improved resistance to pathogenic bacteria. Large numbers of viable microorganisms are likley to be required in the food product, which should be consumed regularly to experience the health effect. The probiotic market, especially dairy products such as yogurts and fermented milks, has experienced rapid growth in Europe. The long-term exploitation of probiotics as health promoters is dependent on several factors, including sound, scientifically proven clinical evidence of health-promoting activity; accurate consumer information; effective marketing strategies; and, above all, a quality product that fulfills consumer expectations.

Iodine-deficiency disorders are a major problem of public health in Morocco. To mitigate this deficiency, the iodination of all the salt intended for human consumption in a proportion of 80 +/- 10 mg/kg of salt has become obligatory since a decree published in 1995. We estimated that this rate of iodized salt issued risked inducing an iodine excess in the population. To check this hypothesis, we provided 7 families made up of 28 subjects, who at the start were consuming a non-iodized salt, with the decreed, iodized salt and we followed the evolution of their urinary iodine excretion over a period of 3 weeks. The mean values of urinary iodine excretion of the 28 subjects were 12.8 micrograms/dl before use of iodized salt and 26.8, 35.5 and 63.2 micrograms/dl, respectively, after 7, 14 and 21 days from the introduction of iodized salt into their diet. After 21 days of the use of iodized salt, 84.6 per cent of the subjects had an iodine excess. We conclude that prolonged use of this io...

Background: Artificial sweeteners can cause glucose intolerance, which is a condition where the glucose in the blood is abnormal. Purpose: This research was conducted to determine the difference in blood glucose levels of mice as experimental animals that were given sugarcane juice as a natural sweetener and cyclamate solution as an artificial sweetener. Methods: The research method applied was laboratory experimental followed by checking blood glucose levels using a GCU easy touch glucometer and the data analysis method used was descriptive analysis. Results: the average blood sugar before treatment was P0 (control) 110 mg/dl, P1 (test animals given sugarcane juice solution) 63 mg/dl, P2 (test animals given sodium cyclamate solution) 69.5 mg/dl. Then, the average blood sugar after treatment was, P0 (control) 77.5 mg/dl, P1 (test animals given sugar cane juice) 81.5 mg/dl, P2 (test animals given cyclamate solution) 101.5 mg/dl etc. From this data, it was obtained that the level of glucose in the blood decreased by an average of 32.5 for P0. Then, there was an increase in blood glucose levels with an average of 18.5 for P1. In addition, there was an increase in blood glucose levels with an average of 32 for P2. Blood sugar levels in the treatments given cyclamate and sugar cane juice both experienced an insignificant increase in blood sugar, but within two weeks the average increase in blood sugar was highest in the treatment given cyclamate. Conclusion: There are differences in blood glucose levels of mice as experimental animals given sugarcane juice as a natural sweetener and cyclamate solution as an artificial sweetener.

Analyze the content of documents used to guide mandatory fortification programs for cereal grains. Legislation, standards, and monitoring documents, which are used to mandate, provide specifications for, and confirm fortification, respectively, were collected from countries with mandatory wheat flour (n=80), maize flour (n=11), and/or rice (n=6) fortification as of January 31, 2015, yielding 97 possible country-grain combinations (e.g., Philippines-wheat flour, Philippines-rice) for the analysis. After excluding countries with limited or no documentation, 72 reviews were completed, representing 84 country-grain combinations. Based on best practices, a criteria checklist was created with 44 items that should be included in fortification documents. Two reviewers independently scored each available document set for a given country and food vehicle (a country-grain combination) using the checklist, and then reached consensus on the scoring. We calculated the percentage of country-grain ...

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of using citizen politics as a framework for empowering citizens to build a community food security agenda. Design: A critical perspective, case study design, and multiple qualitative methods were used. Participants/Setting: Forty-four participants were purposefully recruited to participate in a community-based planning process called a search conference (SC). Seven additional disenfranchised stakeholders who did not attend the SC were also recruited to participate. Phenomenon of Interest: To assess how power influenced agenda setting and to determine the extent to which disenfranchised stakeholders' most salient interests were incorporated into the final SC action agendas. Analysis: The constant comparison method, content analysis, and consensus were used to produce the final analysis. Results: Power influenced agenda setting by managing knowledge, problem framing, trust, and consent. Two of seven of disenfranchised stakeholders' most salient interests, including need for adequate food preparation skills and increased availability of locally produced foods, were incorporated into the final SC action agendas. Conclusions and Implications: Citizen politics can be used to build a community food security agenda on issues that are not at odds with stakeholders in positions of power.To bring about change on issues in which power differences between groups are substantial, additional theoretical frameworks and public policy-making models are needed.

In 2006, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) decided to promote the study of Nutraceuticals in Latin America as a scientific opportunity of commercial interest for the entire community. This initiative, promoted by the IUPAC Subcommittee on Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Development, chaired by C.R. Ganellin, resulted in Latin American researchers uniting efforts to successfully carry out this study. This project consists of a general presentation of the topic of this study which will be followed by the publication of specific situations in different Latin American countries. The work is easily accessible as it is presented simultaneously in different scientific journals. This permits readers throughout the world to enter into discussion regarding the topic published, creating a climate of interest based on research of traditional knowledge and scientific experience which permit innovation to the benefit of all, especially the nutraceutical producer societies and those who are in need of the compounds.

Pesticides (biological, biotechnical and/or chemical) are regularly used in plant production. Considering their toxic and/or repellent effect on plant pests and weeds, they present a health risk on food consumers. Maximum residue level-MRL (mg active ingredient/kg of food) is the maximum content of the residues of certain pesticides in or on treated plants and plant products which must be determined when these products are put into circulation on the market. National monitoring programs for pesticide residues are the food safety indicators in the EU member states. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) collects and interprets the results of monitoring programs from different member states. Results from Croatian national monitoring program show lower share of samples that had measurable residues above the analytical reporting level but below or at the MRLs, than average results that EU member states reported to EFSA. Those results could be the consequence of two scenarios: a) analyzed food is safer for consumer than EU average, or b) results from Croatian national monitoring program are misleading if they are not sufficiently detailed. Anyhow, Croatian residues monitoring program should be enhanced by analyzing all the active substances that are currently available on Croatian market.

Objective: Water recycling is a significant part of an overall water management system. The current study evaluated electrocoagulation, used in combination with ultraviolet light (at 254 nm), to reduce the organic content and enhance the microbiological quality, of wash water derived from shredded lettuce processing. Method: The composition of spent wash water derived from a commercial lettuce processing operation was used to prepare a simulated solution to be applied to validate the water recycling system. The simulated spent wash water was subjected to an electrocoagulation process followed by filtration and a tertiary ultraviolet (254 nm) treatment. The efficacy of the recycling treatment to decrease turbidity (nephelometric turbidity units, biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and decrease in introduced bacterial numbers. Results: Spent wash water sampled from a commercial processing line was found to be colloidal in nature (78 ± 26 NTU) with low total solids content (544 ± 87 mg/L), BOD (230 ± 53 mg/L) and COD (309 ± 53 mg/L). An electrocogaultion process performed for 10 min using 3.48 A/m 2 current density at pH 6.5 and conductivity of >100 µS/cm supported an 87% removal of turbidity, 38% reduction in BOD along with 49% decrease in COD. The electrocoagulation process was also found to reduce the levels of Escherichia coli, Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes by 1-2 log cfu. The tertiary UV treatment of water derived from the electro coagulation process, supported further reduction in model pathogens, although it was noted that the D values for inactivation were in the order of 1.01-1.60 mJ/cm 2 , which compares to 0.22-0.31 mJ/cm 2 in saline. The apparent increase in bacterial resistance to ultraviolet was likely due to the UV absorbing low molecular weight constituents within wash water that provided protection against inactivation. Conclusion: In conclusion, the study demonstrated the feasibility of applying electrocoagulation and UV to rapidly treat spent lettuce wash water to facilitate in-process recycling within shredded lettuce processing operations.

Multidisciplinary experts in the areas of nutrition and health met in Chinchón, Madrid, on November 25-26, 2013 under the auspices of the Fundación para la Investigación Nutricional (Nutrition Research Foundation) and with the collaboration of the Madrid Regional Government&#39;s Health Ministry, the International Sweeteners Association and the Carlos III Health Institute CIBER of Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition. They analyzed the current status of scientific knowledge on low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS) and developed a consensus Decalogue on their use; this constitutes the Chinchón Declaration. Sweeteners, including sugar, represent a subject of undeniable interest and are currently a popular topic, although areas relating to their safety and benefits remain unknown to segments of academia and the general public. The nature of LNCS makes them vulnerable to biased and even contradictory information. They are food additives that are broadly used as sugar substitutes to ...

Objective A systematic review of animal and human studies was conducted on genetically modified (GM) food consumption to assess its safety in terms of adverse effects/events to inform public concerns and future research. Methods Seven electronic databases were searched from January 1st 1983 till July 11th 2020 for in vivo, animal and human studies on the incidence of adverse effects/events of GM products consumption. Two authors independently identified eligible studies, assessed the study quality, and extracted data on the name of the periodical, author and affiliation, literature type, the theme of the study, publication year, funding, sample size, target population characteristics, type of the intervention/exposure, outcomes and outcome measures, and details of adverse effects/events. We used the Chi-square test to compare the adverse event reporting rates in articles funded by industry funding, government funding or unfunded articles. Results One crossover trial in humans and 20...

International attention has been focused on minimizing costs that may unnecessarily raise food prices. One important aspect to consider is the redundant and overlapping costs of food safety audits. The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) has devised benchmarked schemes based on existing international food safety standards for use as a unifying standard accepted by many retailers. The present study was conducted to evaluate the impact of the decision made by Walmart Stores (Bentonville, AR) to require their suppliers to become GFSI compliant. An online survey of 174 retail suppliers was conducted to assess food suppliers&#39; opinions of this requirement and the benefits suppliers realized when they transitioned from their previous food safety systems. The most common reason for becoming GFSI compliant was to meet…