A risk-based restaurant inspection system in Los Angeles County

The majority of local health departments perform routine restaurant inspections. In Los Angeles County (LAC), California, approximately $10 million/year is spent on restaurant inspections. However, data are limited as to whether or not certain characteristics of restaurants make them more likely to be associated with foodborne incident reports. We used data from the LAC Environmental Health Management Information System (EHMIS), which records the results of all routine restaurant inspections as well as data regarding all consumer-generated foodborne incidents that led to a special restaurant inspection by a sanitarian (investigated foodborne incidents [IFBIs]). We analyzed a cohort of 10,267 restaurants inspected from 1 July 1997 to 15 November 1997. We defined a "case restaurant" as any restaurant with a routine inspection from 1 July 1997 to 15 November 1997 and a subsequent IFBI from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998. Noncase restaurants did not have an IFBI from I July 1997 to 30 June 1998. We looked for specific characteristics of restaurants that might be associated with the restaurant subsequently having an IFBI, including the size of restaurant (assessed by number of seats), any previous IFBIs, the overall inspection score, and a set of 38 violation codes. We identified 158 case restaurants and 10,109 noncase restaurants. In univariate analysis, middle-sized restaurants (61 to 150 seats; n = 1,681) were 2.8 times (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.0 to 4.0) and large restaurants (>150 seats; n = 621) were 4.6 times (95% CI = 3.0 to 7.0) more likely than small restaurants (< or =60 seats; n = 7,965) to become case restaurants. In addition, the likelihood of a restaurant becoming a case restaurant increased as the number of IFBIs in the prior year increased (chi2 for linear trend, P value = 0.0005). Other factors significantly associated with the occurrence of an IFBI included a lower overall inspection score, the incorrect storage of food, the reuse of food, the lack of employee hand washing, the lack of thermometers, and the presence of any food protection violation. In multivariate analysis, the size of restaurant, the incorrect storage of food, the reuse of food, and the presence of any food protection violation remained significant predictors for becoming a case restaurant. Our data suggest that routine restaurant inspections should concentrate on those establishments that have a large seating capacity or a poor inspection history. Evaluation of inspection data bases in individual local health departments and translation of those findings into inspection guidelines could lead to an increased efficiency and perhaps cost-effectiveness of local inspection programs.     

Genomic predictions for New Zealand dairy bulls and integration with national genetic evaluation

A method is described for the prediction of breeding values incorporating genomic information. The first stage involves the prediction of genomic breeding values for genotyped individuals. A novel component of this is the estimation of the genomic relationship matrix in the context of a multi-breed population. Because not all ancestors of genotyped animals are genotyped, a selection index procedure is used to blend genomic predictions with traditional ancestral information that is lost between the process of deregression of the national breeding values and subsequent re-estimation using the genomic relationship matrix. Finally, the genomically enhanced predictions are filtered through to nongenotyped descendants using a regression procedure.     

用系统仿真评估酒店餐厅设施的利用状态

叙述了利用CSIMAN系统仿真技术建立一个餐厅仿真系统的方法.在实际数据的抽样基础上,对餐厅系统的设备数量及种类进行了模拟仿真,同时根据CSIMAN仿真系统中的资源利用率NR(I)和实体排队长度NQ(I),得出了合理的设备配置及数量,确定了餐厅的最佳利用状态.     

新西兰羊毛质量管理与检验对我国进口羊毛检验监管的启示

中国和新西兰在羊毛贸易上具有互为重要的依存关系。文章概述了新西兰羊毛的生产与中新双边羊毛贸易状况,介绍了新西兰羊毛质量的管理与检验,分析了中国进口羊毛的检验现状,提出了对进口羊毛检验监管的建议:一要结合进口商品分类管理办法的制订,积极转变检验监管方式;二要进一步强化质量分析工作和不合格案例信息报送制度;三要加强系统内羊毛检验实验室的调整规划;四要完善羊毛检验的质量保证体系。     

Fast line-scan imaging system for broiler carcass inspection

The USDA Agricultural Research Service has developed a fast line-scan imaging system for differentiating wholesome and systemically diseased fresh chickens. The imaging system was used to acquire hyperspectral line-scan images of 250 chicken carcasses on a laboratory processing line moving at 70 birds per minute. A method appropriate for line-scan imaging was developed for automated sensing of birds and locating the Region of Interest (ROI) within the line-scan images most suited for differentiation. From analysis of wholesome and systemically diseased chicken spectra in the ROI, four key wavelengths for differentiating between wholesome and systemically diseased chickens were selected: 424, 465, 515, and 546 nm. The key wavelengths and their ratios with a reference wavelength (689 nm) were investigated for a fuzzy logic based differentiation algorithm. Classification using the key wavelengths correctly identified 98 and 95% of wholesome and systemically diseased chickens for model development, and 98 and 93% of wholesome and systemically diseased chickens for model testing. Although band ratios reduced variation within each chicken category, the resulting classification accuracies were not significantly improved over those for classification by key wavelengths.     

分形几何--纺织品设计开发和应用的新工具

分形是一种能描述自然的数学工具，分形几何作为技术与美学的结合，对纺织工业具有重要意义，特别是应用在纺织品的印花和提花织造中。文章概述了分形图形的产生方法，并通过编程产生了部分分形图形；阐述了分形图形在纺织品设计中的应用。结合纺织CAD系统，可将分形的美通过纺织品表达出来，并为印花、针织、提花和绣花图案的创作带来灵感源泉。     

一种测定羊绒颜色纯度的计算机视觉系统

传统测定羊绒纯度的手工方法受主观因素影响,精度和速度不能满足生产需要.文章提出了一种由纤维分匀器、图像获取系统和图像处理计算机组成的、能客观测定羊绒颜色纯度的计算机视觉系统.由实验结果的对比可以看出本系统的研究成果是可行的.文章还对系统采用的检测样品的预处理、羊绒中杂色毛的识别与评定算法等关键技术进行了重点介绍.     

新西兰 新鲜美味的代名词

<正> 新西兰是创新者和企业家辈出的国度.崇尚标新立异.勇于创新。这一点在新西兰食品饮料业表现得尤其显著。新西兰贸发局驻上海商务参赞邵吉夫先生(Jeff Shepherd)接受采访时表示:"新西兰注重加强新中两国贸易发展。目前,中国是新西兰第三大贸易伙伴。近10年来,新西兰对华食品出口以近200%的速度增长.其中食品饮料出口增幅达到250%。包括肉、乳制品、鱼.水果、蔬菜和饮料约占新西兰对华出口商品     

出入境检验检疫封识管理办法

<正> 第一章 总则 第一条 为加强出入境检验检疫封识管理,做好出入境检验检疫监督管理工作,根据《中华人民共和国进出口商品检验法》、《中华人民共和国进出境动植物检疫法》、《中华人民共和国国境卫生检疫法》和《中华人民共和国食品卫生法》的有关规定,制定本办法。     

油脂质量标准体系与质量检验体系的建立

油脂质量标准与质量检验管理体系的研究和完善,已经成为保障我国国家利益和油脂产业安全、提升我国综合国力和国际地位的迫切需要。油脂质量标准与质量检验管理体系的建立,不仅可以促进油脂科技的发展,规范油脂行业加工生产技术的发展,也可以提升行业的整体技术水平,应对加入WTO国际油脂产品对我国市场的冲击。借鉴国外发达国家的经验,提出我国油脂质量标准体系与质量检验体系需要不断完成的主要工作任务,进一步完善全社会协调的油脂质量标准体系和质量检验体系,为国家经济服务。     

Machine vision system for online inspection of freshly slaughtered chickens

A machine vision system was developed and evaluated for the automation of online inspection to differentiate freshly slaughtered wholesome chickens from systemically diseased chickens. The system consisted of an electron-multiplying charge-coupled-device (EMCCD) camera used with an imaging spectrograph and controlled by a computer to obtain line-scan images quickly on a chicken processing line of a commercial poultry plant. The system scanned chicken carcasses on an eviscerating line operating at a speed of 140 chickens per minute. An algorithm was implemented in the system to automatically recognize individual carcasses entering and exiting the field of view, to locate the region of interest (ROI) of each chicken, to extract useful spectra from the ROI as inputs to the differentiation method, and to determine the condition for each carcass as being wholesome or systemically diseased. The system can acquire either hyperspectral or multispectral images without any cross-system calibration. The essential spectral features were selected from hyperspectral images of chicken samples. The differentiation of chickens on the processing line was then carried out using multispectral imaging. The high accuracy obtained from the evaluation results showed that the machine vision system can be applied successfully to automatic online inspection for chicken processing. Mention of trade names or commercial products is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply endorsement or recommendation by the USDA.     

Profitabilities of some mating systems for dairy herds in New Zealand

The aim of this study was to evaluate the profitability of dairy herds under three mating systems involving the Holstein-Friesian, Jersey, and Ayrshire breeds. Mating systems were straight breeding and rotational cross-breeding using two or three breeds. A deterministic model was developed to simulate the nutritional, biological, and economic performance of dairy herds under New Zealand conditions. Expected performances per cow were obtained using estimates of breed group and heterosis effects, age effects, and age distribution in the herd. Requirements for dry matter in feed were estimated per cow for maintenance, lactation, pregnancy, and growth of the replacements. Stocking rate was calculated by assuming 12,000 kg of dry matter utilized annually per hectare. Productivity per hectare was calculated as performance per cow multiplied by stocking rate. Profitability was the difference between income (sale of milk and salvage value of animals) and costs (related to the number of cows in the herd and the land area farmed). Under current market values for milk and meat, all of the rotational crossbred herds showed superior profitability to the straightbred herds (Holstein-Friesian x Jersey, NZ$505/ha; Holstein-Friesian x Jersey x Ayrshire NZ$493/ha; Jersey x Ayrshire, NZ$466/ha; Holstein-Friesian x Ayrshire, NZ$430/ha; Jersey, NZ$430/ha; Holstein-Friesian, NZ$398/ha; and Ayrshire, NZ$338/ha). Changes in the value for fat relative to protein affected profitability more significantly in herds using the Jersey breed, and changes in the value for meat affected profitabiity more significantly in herds using the Holstein-Friesian and Ayrshire breeds. Results suggested that, under New Zealand conditions, the use of rotational crossbreeding systems could increase profitability of dairy herds under the conceivable market conditions.     

Wheat-bug damage in New Zealand wheats. Development of a simple SDS-sedimentation test for bug damage

Lines of three varieties of New Zealand wheat (cv. Aotea, Oroua and Kopara) damaged by wheat-bug were investigated. Hydrolysis of gluten proteins was shown to be of the endo- rather than the exo-proteolytic type. Electrophoresis revealed that the bug protease had a high specificity for the high molecular weight (HMW) glutenin subunits. An autolytic assay method was developed based on the decrease in sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS)-sedimentation volume for bug-damaged flours when they were incubated in distilled water for 30 min at 37°C. This method was specific for bug damage and exhibited no interference from other grain defects such as heat damage, field sprouting and laboratory germination.