Shellfish: Nutritive Value,Health Benefits,and Consumer Safety

Shellfish is a major component of global seafood production. Specific items include shrimp, lobsters, oysters, mussels, scallops, clams, crabs, krill, crayfish, squid, cuttlefish, snails, abalone, and others. Shellfish, in general, contain appreciable quantities of digestible proteins, essential amino acids, bioactive peptides, long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, astaxanthin and other carotenoids, vitamin B₁₂ and other vitamins, minerals, including copper, zinc, inorganic phosphate, sodium, potassium, selenium, iodine, and also other nutrients, which offer a variety of health benefits to the consumer. Although shellfish are generally safe for consumption, their exposure to diverse habitats, the filter feeding nature of shellfish such as oysters, clams, and mussels, and unhealthy farming and handling practices may occasionally entail health risks because of possible presence of various hazards. These hazards include pathogenic organisms, parasites, biotoxins, industrial and environmental pollutants, heavy metals, process‐related additives such as antibiotics and bisulfite, and also presence of allergy‐causing compounds in their bodies. Most of the hazards can be addressed by appropriate preventive measures at various stages of harvesting, farming, processing, storage, distribution, and consumption. Furthermore, consumer safety of shellfish and other seafood items is strictly monitored by international, governmental, and local public health organizations. This article highlights the nutritional value and health benefits of shellfish items and points out the various control measures to safeguard consumer safety with respect to the products.     

Kombucha, the fermented tea: microbiology, composition, and claimed health effects

Kombucha is a slightly sweet, slightly acidic tea beverage consumed worldwide, but historically in China, Russia, and Germany. Kombucha is prepared by fermenting sweetened black tea preparations with a symbiotic culture of yeasts and bacteria. Potential health effects have created an increased interest in Kombucha. Yet, only a few research studies have shown that Kombucha has in vitro antimicrobial activity and enhances sleep and pain thresholds in rats. Furthermore, Kombucha consumption has proven to be harmful in several documented instances.     

Xylitol: A Review on Bioproduction,Application, Health Benefits,and Related Safety Issues

Xylitol is a pentahydroxy sugar-alcohol which exists in a very low quantity in fruits and vegetables (plums, strawberries, cauliflower, and pumpkin). On commercial scale, xylitol can be produced by chemical and biotechnological processes. Chemical production is costly and extensive in purification steps. However, biotechnological method utilizes agricultural and forestry wastes which offer the possibilities of economic production of xylitol by reducing required energy. The precursor xylose is produced from agricultural biomass by chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis and can be converted to xylitol primarily by yeast strain. Hydrolysis under acidic condition is the more commonly used practice influenced by various process parameters. Various fermentation process inhibitors are produced during chemical hydrolysis that reduce xylitol production, a detoxification step is, therefore, necessary. Biotechnological xylitol production is an integral process of microbial species belonging to Candida genus which is influenced by various process parameters such as pH, temperature, time, nitrogen source, and yeast extract level. Xylitol has application and potential for food and pharmaceutical industries. It is a functional sweetener as it has prebiotic effects which can reduce blood glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol level. This review describes recent research developments related to bioproduction of xylitol from agricultural wastes, application, health, and safety issues.     

传统发酵食品营养保健功能与质量安全评价

传统发酵食品对人体有抗氧化、降血脂﹑提高免疫力、抑制肿瘤﹑延缓衰老﹑防止肠胃疾病等保健作用。由于世界传统发酵食品总体工业化水平不高,在产品的生产过程中,较多依赖人的经验与知识,产品质量不稳定,安全隐患较多。因此,传统发酵食品的安全控制十分重要。通过对传统发酵食品的分类﹑保健功能﹑安全风险及评价的文献回顾,提出了传统发酵食品质量安全性的评价与风险识别是控制食品质量安全的前提。现代微生物风险评估技术(microbiological risk assessment)是目前应用最广泛的评价手段之一。它通过目标陈述﹑危害识别﹑暴露评估﹑危害特征描述﹑风险特征描述5个阶段对微生物的安全性进行评价,为避免食品安全隐患,控制食品质量安全提供了有效且科学的方法。     

Governing GMOs in the USA: science,law and public health

Controversy surrounds the production and consumption of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Proponents argue that GMO food sources represent the only viable solution to food shortages in an ever‐growing global population. Science reports no harm from GMO use and consumption so far. Opponents fear the potentially negative impact that GMO development and use could have on the environment and consumers, and are concerned about the lack of data on the long‐term effects of GMO use. We discuss the development of GMO food sources, the history of legislation and policy for the labeling requirements of GMO food products, and the health, environmental, and legal rationale for and against GMO food labeling. The Food and Drug Administration regulates food with GMOs within a coordinated framework of federal agencies. Despite mounting scientific evidence that GMO foods are substantially equivalent to traditionally bred food sources, debate remains over the appropriateness of GMO food labeling. In fact, food manufacturers have mounted a First Amendment challenge against Vermont's passage of a law that requires GMO labeling. Mandatory GMO labeling is not supported by science. Compulsory GMO labels may not only hinder the development of agricultural biotechnology, but may also exacerbate the misconception that GMOs endanger people's health. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry     

Diet-disease relationships: public health perspectives

Recent nutrition recommendations are directed towards prevention of chronic degenerative diseases, particularly coronary heart disease and cancer. This focus is in response to morbidity and mortality trends during this century. The evidence supporting such dietary changes remains inconclusive because of difficulties inherent in the measurement of usual dietary intake. The association between dietary fat and breast cancer is reviewed as an example of the problems faced in assessing whether a dietary component does alter the risk of disease. Current recommendations suggest a population-based approach to dietary modifications; the public health implications of this approach are discussed.     

大豆蛋白对人体健康的新探索

科学家们通过大量临床实验来证明大豆蛋白有降低血胆固醇的作用及对心血管疾病的其它生物指标的作用,以及大豆蛋白对其它慢性疾病的作用,如肿瘤、骨质疏松症及更年期综合症.     

Nicotine addiction through a neurogenomic prism: ethics, public health, and smoking.

Studies are under way to examine the neurogenetic factors contributing to smoking behaviors. The combined approaches of genomics, molecular biology, neuroscience, and pharmacology are expected to fuel developments in pharmacogenetics, to create new genetic tests, and ultimately to provide the basis for innovative strategies for smoking cessation and prevention. The emergence of a neurogenomic understanding of nicotine addiction is likely to induce fundamental changes in popular, clinical, and public health views of smoking, which could significantly shape existing practices and policies to reduce tobacco use. Still a nascent area of research, nicotine addiction provides an excellent case study through which to anticipate key ethical and policy issues in both behavioral genetics and the neurogenomics of addictive behaviors.     

Water activity of culture media used in food microbiology

An improved gravimetric method was used to simultaneously determine (in a single assay) the water activity ( a_w ) of 30 solid and liquid culture media covering the entire useful range of a_w in food microbiology, including media recommended for osmophilic, halophilic and xerophilic organisms. The water activities of the media ranged between 0.999 and 0.739. As could be expected, the water activities of the solid media were not affected significantly by the presence of agar. No significant differences were observed either between the gravimetric (20°C) and the cryoscopic measurements (below 0°C) of liquid media of very high a_w .     

Quality,functionality, and microbiology of fermented fish: a review

Abstract

Fermentation is a traditional food preservation method and is widely used for improving food safety, shelf life, and organoleptic and nutritional attributes. Fermented fish are produced and consumed in different parts of the world and are an integral part of many food cultures. Furthermore, fermented fish are a source of interesting microbes and are an important industry in many countries. This review tries to update the types and manufacturing processes for fermented fish around the world. The emphasis is on this work related to fermented fish and their health benefits, as well as the contribution of microorganisms to their fermentation. A variety of different approaches have been used to determine and understand microbial composition and functionality. Moreover, some challenges and future research directions regarding fermented fish are also discussed in this review. Further research into fermented fish products is of crucial importance not only for the food industry but also for human health. However, extensive in vivo and toxicological studies are essential before the application of bioactive-rich fermented fish products for human health benefits.     

PURITY FG,帮PAS Grantham实现安全、效益双丰收

马铃薯的种植始于4000多年前，现已成为全球食用最广最令人喜爱的食品之一。PAS Grantham Ltd是麦肯食品有限公司（Mc Cain——全球最大的法式薯条及冷冻食品生产商．约占全球薯条市场份额的三分之）的分公司，是英国最受欢迎的薯条加工商之一。其产品种类丰富，     

Queso Chihuahua: manufacturing procedures, composition, protein profiles, and microbiology

A survey of fresh commercial Queso Chihuahua made from raw or pasteurized cow's milk was undertaken to determine the impact of cheesemaking parameters on composition, protein breakdown and microbial counts. Despite variations in the manufacturing procedure, the composition and casein breakdown of the cheeses fell within a comparatively tight range. Pathogens were not detected in any of the cheeses, but total aerobic plate counts exceeded the recommended limit for this variety. Differences in Mexican Queso Chihuahua manufacturing procedures did not substantially alter the final product, the quality of which could be improved by reduction of bacteria present.     

用膜生物反应器处理废水

位于英国威尔士北部费林特的Kimberly—Clark纸厂生产公共场合用卫生纸，每年用于喷淋、泵密封和稀释化学品的新鲜水达1147万m^3。这种卫生纸对水质的要求很高，也就是说固悬浮物含量、微生物含量以及有机物含量均很低。纸厂在过程水的回用及废水处理两方面均必须符合欧洲综合污染预防和控制(IPPC)关于卫生纸生产的要求。     

Cadmium in cephalopod molluscs: implications for public health

Cadmium concentrations were measured in the flesh and hepatopancreas (digestive gland) of 1,392 specimens of different species of cephalopod molluscs (broadtail squid, spider octopus, curled octopus, horned octopus, elegant cuttlefish, and pink cuttlefish) to determine whether maximum levels fixed by the European Commission were exceeded. In all species, mean cadmium concentrations were higher in hepatopancreas than in flesh. Large differences among the different species were also observed. Pink cuttlefish and spider octopus had the highest concentrations for both flesh (spider octopus, 0.77 microg g(-1); pink cuttlefish, 0.87 microg g(-1)) and hepatopancreas (spider octopus, 9.65 microg g(-1); pink cuttlefish, 18.03 microg g(-1)), and the lowest concentrations were encountered in broadtail squid (flesh, 0.13 microg g(-1); hepatopancreas, 2.48 microg g(-1)). The other species had intermediate concentrations of 0.20 to 0.30 microg g(-1) in flesh and 5.46 to 8.01 microg g(-1) in hepatopancreas. Concentrations exceeding the limit proposed by the European Commission (1.00 microg g(-1)) were observed in 44.4 and 40.0% of flesh samples of spider octopus and pink cuttlefish, respectively. The estimated weekly intake, 0.09 to 0.66 microg/kg body weigh, was below the provisional tolerable weekly intake set by the World Health Organization.