Consumer assessment of safety and date labeling statements on ready-to-eat meat and poultry products designed to minimize risk of listeriosis

Point-of-purchase safety-based labeling guidance on the proper storage and handling of refrigerated ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products could help reduce the risk of listeriosis. Seniors and pregnant women are two population groups at increased risk of listeriosis due to suppressed or compromised immune systems. We conducted 11 focus groups with senior-aged women and women of childbearing age in Colorado and Ohio to assess consumer awareness of Listeria, storage practices of RTE meat products, perceptions regarding the acceptability and usefulness of common date and potential food safety labeling statements on RTE meat and poultry products, and food safety information needs. Storage times for opened and unopened RTE products varied widely, with opened products often being stored longer than recommended. Women in both age groups paid attention to date labels on packages but varied highly in their interpretation of the statements. "Use by" statements were considered clearer and more helpful than "Sell by" or "Best if used by" labels. Proposed food safety-based labeling statements listing "antilisterial" agents used in RTE products were not well received. However, labels giving consumers instructions on how long they could keep RTE products and when to discard them after opening were considered helpful and well received. Participants indicated the need for further information about Listeria and its control. Educational information at point-of-purchase and where seniors and pregnant women congregate are suggested. Manufacturers are encouraged to provide more complete information on the safe storage and use of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products on package labels.     

Food Safety Knowledge of Cheese Consumers

ABSTRACT:  The aim of this study was to evaluate habits and practices of cheese consumers toward their level of knowledge of food safety. A total of 1000 people were interviewed in several cities of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Five hundred thirty-eight (53.8%) people consume cheese daily, while 318 (31.8%) and 144 (14.4%) consume cheese weekly and monthly, respectively. Five hundred twenty-two (52%) people reported its usage as an ingredient used in the preparation of other dishes, while 320 (32%) of the interviewed people consume cheese directly as a part of the diet. Typical Brazilian cheeses such as "Minas Frescal" and "Prato" cheese are preferred by 528 (52.8%) of the consumers. Of the total consumers, 764 (76.4%) purchase cheese from supermarkets, while 236 (23.6%) from open-air markets. Inspected cheese is purchased by 350 (35%) consumers, while 650 (65%) buy it without knowing if they were submitted to previous fiscalization. Four hundred thirty (43%) consumers do not know any disease transmitted by cheese that has not been inspected. Overall, educational campaigns must be developed by the Sanitary Surveillance and the Health Agencies to improve the knowledge of the consumer about food safety of cheeses.     

The Impact of Cooling Rate on the Safety of Food Products as Affected by Food Containers

In recent decades, the demand for ready‐to‐eat (RTE) food items prepared by the food catering sector has increased together with the value of cook‐serve, cook‐chill, and cook‐freeze food products. The technologies by which foods are cooked, chilled, refrigerated for storage, and reheated before serving are of prime importance to maintain safety. Packaging materials and food containers play an important role in influencing the cooling rate of RTE foods. Food items that are prepared using improper technologies and inappropriate packaging materials may be contaminated with foodborne pathogens. Numerous research studies have shown the impact of deficient cooling technologies on the survival and growth of foodborne pathogens, which may subsequently pose a threat to public health. The operating temperatures and cooling rates of the cooling techniques applied must be appropriate to inhibit the growth of pathogens. Food items must be stored outside the temperature danger zone, which is between 5 and 60 °C, in order to inhibit the growth of these pathogens. The cooling techniques used to prepare potentially hazardous foods, such as cooked meat, rice, and pasta, must be properly applied and controlled to ensure food safety. This paper critically reviews the effects of cooling and its relationship to food containers on the safety of RTE foods produced and sold through the food service industry.     

Food safety knowledge and behavior of expanded food and nutrition education program participants in Arizona

Consumer education is one of the focus points to reduce foodborne illness within the food safety continuum "from farm to table." A survey was conducted to determine the food safety knowledge and practices of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program participants in Maricopa and Pima counties of Arizona. Two hundred sixty-eight surveys were completed between 1 January and 31 December 1998. Survey participants consisted of 222 (85%) females and 39 (15%) males with an average age and education level of 31.5 and 11.7 years, respectively. The racial characteristics of this group included 53% whites, 32% Hispanics, 22% African-Americans, and 7% other. A majority of the survey participants (67%) were either unsure or felt it was appropriate to let food cool to room temperature prior to refrigeration. In addition 56% were in disagreement with or unsure about the need to cool foods in shallow containers. Fifty-two percent of respondents reported having no previous formal food safety education; for those who had, work was the most common source. Television news was the primary source of current food safety information for 50% of respondents. The most commonly consumed high-risk (i.e., raw or undercooked animal food or food purchased from unlicensed vendor) food was unpasteurized dairy products. Women scored significantly better than men on food safety knowledge and practice test parameters. Participants over age 50 had significantly higher food safety practice scores than the youngest age group. The food safety knowledge score of whites was significantly higher than that of Hispanics. It was determined for all participants that the food safety knowledge score had a small, positive effect on food safety practice score.     

“PLEASE PASS THE CHICKEN TITS”: RETHINKING MEN AND COOKING AT AN URBAN FIREHOUSE

Women, for centuries, have been the primary cooks and nurturers in most cultures. Men rarely represent family primary food providers. My interest in this study lies in what happens when men who are not food professionals develop into this role of primary cooks for a group of people; in this case, the men of an urban firehouse. Men in this scenario perform in roles typically ascribed to both men and women, and when a woman is involved, her presence is mitigated. I found that the men created a unique food system, and while each brought intact a value system and ethnic heritage to the table, these packages became negotiated, most powerfully in the kitchen and at meals. I was interested in how these men performed in roles that, in our mass consciousness and popular culture, we often ascribe to women. How do they shop, cook, and eat? How do they feel about what they are doing? How and why do they choose to cook? What issues do they face with regard to their identity as men, and how does this influence their food choices, cooking, and eating? Firehouse cooks perform domesticity by relying on multiple versions of masculinity at home and in the fire station.     

Safe eats: an evaluation of the use of social media for food safety education

Many undergraduate students are cooking for the first time, and they need to learn safe food practices to reduce their risk of foodborne illness. Social media tools are being utilized to disseminate public health messages, but limited research has been conducted to examine the effectiveness of these tools for food safety education. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a social media-based intervention for young adults to improve food safety attitudes, practices, and knowledge. Preliminary surveys were conducted and online focus groups were convened to guide design of this social media intervention. College students (710) were included in treatment and control groups. Results from pretests and posttests indicate that participation in the "Safe Eats" Facebook intervention leads to improvements in food safety attitudes, practices, and knowledge. Although students reported that they learned more from the intervention than from a traditional lecture, the combination of lecture and Facebook resulted in higher knowledge scores than those resulting from the intervention alone. Participants who spent more time on the Facebook page had greater improvements in food safety attitudes and practices.     

Comparison between self-reported and observed food handling behaviors among Latinas

The study was conducted to compare and identify the magnitude of differences between self-reported and observed food safety behaviors among women preparing a chicken and salad dish at home. The observed food safety practices also were compared according to sociodemographic variables and prior food safety education. Sixty Puerto Rican women who were the main meal preparers for their households were recruited in Hartford, Conn. Three household visits were made to (i) deliver food ingredients to prepare the chicken and salad meal, (ii) conduct household observation, and (iii) conduct a self-reported survey. The difference between self-reported and observed behaviors varied across food handling and sanitation behaviors. There was a high level of inaccuracy for socially desirable behaviors such as hand washing; the vast majority of participants reported practicing these behaviors but they were not observed doing so. Cutting board washing also was considerably overreported, questioning the validity of these self-reported data for regression analyses. There was a significant association (P < 0.05) between proper thawing method and prior food safety education, use of cutting board and higher income, and washing tomatoes and having a positive attitude towards food safety. Results revealed that overreporting errors must be considered when analyzing and/or interpreting data derived from self-reported food safety consumer surveys and that food safety education and positive food safety attitudes are associated with recommended food safety behaviors.     

Dietary practices of women diagnosed with environmental sensitivity.

PURPOSE: Food avoidance is central to the treatment of environmental sensitivity (ES), a chronic, often debilitating, multisystem disorder characterized by adverse reactions to non-noxious levels of environmental substances. Because prolonged food avoidance could impact nutritional health, the purpose of this research was to assess adequacy and quality of diets consumed by women diagnosed with ES. METHODS: Twelve women aged 37 to 50 recruited from the Nova Scotia Environmental Health Clinic completed a four-day food record during the spring and summer of 1998. RESULTS: When adequacy of nutrient intake was assessed by comparison to the Estimated Average Requirement, the most limited nutrients in the diet were folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and magnesium. Only one woman exceeded the Adequate Intake for calcium. When diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index, the majority of women (75%) scored in the "needs improvement" category; intake of milk and dietary variety scored the lowest. Women consumed very few servings from "other foods", defined in the food guide as foods containing mostly sugar and mostly fat. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that women diagnosed with ES would benefit from counselling on ways to increase dietary variety, which would lead to improved nutrient intake, and ways to increase calcium intake.     

Meta-analysis of food safety training on hand hygiene knowledge and attitudes among food handlers

Research has shown that traditional food safety training programs and strategies to promote hand hygiene increases knowledge of the subject. However, very few studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact of food safety training on food handlers' attitudes about good hand hygiene practices. The objective of this meta-analytical study was to assess the extent to which food safety training or intervention strategies increased knowledge of and attitudes about hand hygiene. A systematic review of food safety training articles was conducted. Additional studies were identified from abstracts from food safety conferences and food science education conferences. Search terms included combinations of "food safety," "food hygiene," "training," "education," "hand washing," "hand hygiene," "knowledge," "attitudes," "practices," "behavior," and "food handlers." Only before- and after-training approaches and cohort studies with training (intervention group) and without training (control group) in hand hygiene knowledge and including attitudes in food handlers were evaluated. All pooled analyses were based on a random effects model. Meta-analysis values for nine food safety training and intervention studies on hand hygiene knowledge among food handlers were significantly higher than those of the control (without training), with an effect size (Hedges' g) of 1.284 (95% confidence interval [CI] ～ 0.830 to 1.738). Meta-analysis of five food safety training and intervention studies in which hand hygiene attitudes and self-reported practices were monitored produced a summary effect size of 0.683 (95% CI ～ 0.523 to 0.843). Food safety training increased knowledge and improved attitudes about hand hygiene practices. Refresher training and long-term reinforcement of good food handling behaviors may also be beneficial for sustaining good hand washing practices.     

Body dissatisfaction among middle-aged and older women

With the growing pervasiveness of mass media, individuals of all ages and both sexes are bombarded with images that glorify youthfulness, messages that tie self-worth to thinness, and products that promise youth and beauty forever. Aging women are vulnerable to these societal messages and experience strong pressures to maintain their youth and thinness. As the physiological changes that accompany normal aging move these women farther from the "ideal" image, body dissatisfaction may increase. These women are confronted with the impossible task of trying to defy the natural process of aging through a variety of means, including fashion, cosmetics, selective surgeries, and personal food choices. The resulting body image issues, weight preoccupation, and eating disturbances can lead to voluntary food restriction, depression, social withdrawal, lower self-esteem, and disordered eating, all of which can have a negative impact on quality of life and nutritional status. In this review we explore existing research on body dissatisfaction among middle-aged (30 to 60) and older (over 60) women, discuss the prevalence of body dissatisfaction, its predisposing risk factors, and the resulting eating and body maintenance behaviours, and examine implications for dietetic practice.     

Evaluation of safe food-handling instructions on raw meat and poultry products

Every year in the United States, millions of people become ill, thousands of people die, and substantial economic costs are incurred from foodborne diseases. As a measure to prevent foodborne diseases, since July 1994, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has required that safe food-handling labels be placed on retail packages of raw or partially cooked meat and poultry products. Through selected states' Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) interviews, survey data were collected to determine the proportion of adults aware of the label and adults who reported changing their raw meat-handling practices because of the label. Fifty-one percent of the 14,262 respondents reported that they had seen the label. Of these, 79% remembered reading the label, and 37% of persons who reported that they had seen and read the label reported changing their raw meat preparation methods because of the label. Women were more likely than men to have read the label, as were persons who are at least 30 years of age compared to younger adults (P < 0.05). Both label awareness and risky food-handling behaviors increased with education and income, suggesting that safe food-handling labels have limited influence on consumer practices. Our results also suggest that the labels might be more effective in discouraging cross-contamination than in promoting thorough cooking practices. We suggest that the label is only one component among many food safety education programs that are needed to inform consumers about proper food-handling and preparation practices and to motivate persons who have risky food-handling and preparation behaviors to change these behaviors.     

Achieving continuous improvement in reductions in foodborne listeriosis--a risk-based approach

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that can cause listeriosis, a severe disease that can lead to septicemia, meningitis, and spontaneous abortion. Ongoing efforts are needed to further reduce the incidence of listeriosis, due to its high mortality rate. The focus of this report is the use of a risk-based approach to identify strategies that will have the greatest impact on reducing foodborne listeriosis. A continuum of risk for listeriosis is observed in the human population, ranging from exquisitely sensitive groups, who are highly immunocompromised and at very high risk of listeriosis, through the normal healthy population younger than 65 years of age, who appear to have a minimal risk for listeriosis. In addition, unique subpopulations may exist; for example, pregnant Latina women appear to have a higher risk of listeriosis than pregnant women of other ethnic groups, most likely due to consumption of contaminated soft cheeses such as queso fresco and queso blanco. The International Life Sciences Institute Risk Science Institute Expert Panel concluded that certain foods pose a high risk for causing listeriosis. High-risk foods have all of the following properties: (1) have the potential for contamination with L. monocytogenes; (2) support the growth of L. monocytogenes to high numbers; (3) are ready to eat; (4) require refrigeration; and (5) are stored for an extended period of time. Control strategies are needed in the food chain from preharvest through consumption to minimize the likelihood that food will become contaminated by L. monocytogenes and to prevent the growth of the organism to high numbers. The Expert Panel identified three main strategies for ensuring continuous improvement in reducing foodborne listeriosis: (1) preventing contamination of foods with L. monocytogenes; (2) preventing growth of L. monocytogenes to high numbers in foods; and (3) science-based education messages targeted to susceptible populations and their caregivers. Of these strategies, the Expert Panel concluded that preventing growth of L. monocytogenes to high numbers would have the greatest impact in reducing cases of listeriosis. Dose-response models predict that the risk of listeriosis increases as the number of organisms in a food increases and can be used as a scientific basis for a target level below which the organism should be reduced to minimize the likelihood of listeriosis in high-risk populations. This requires implementation of effective food safety control measures and ensuring that these control strategies are consistently met. Most effective strategies to control L. monocytogenes in high-risk foods include (1) good manufacturing practices, sanitation standard operating procedures, and hazard analysis critical control point programs to minimize environmental L. monocytogenes contamination and to prevent cross-contamination in processing plants and at retail; (2) an intensive environmental sampling program in plants processing high-risk foods and an effective corrective action plan to reduce the likelihood of contamination of high-risk foods; (3) time and temperature controls throughout the entire distribution and storage period, including establishing acceptable storage times of foods that support growth of L. monocytogenes to high numbers; (4) reformulating foods to prevent or retard the growth of L. monocytogenes; and (5) using postpackaging treatments to destroy L. monocytogenes on products. Science-based education and risk communication strategies aimed at susceptible populations and focused on high-risk foods should be delivered through health care providers or other credible sources of information. Exquisitely sensitive consumers may become ill when exposed to low numbers of L. monocytogenes or other opportunistic pathogens, so reducing the risk to this population could be achieved by maintaining them on restricted low-microbe diets during those periods when they are most severely immunocompromised. High-risk individuals (i.e., the elderly, pregnant women, and most immunocompromised individuals) should be provided with guidance on healthy eating, including specific information on high-risk foods that they should avoid, and strategies to reduce their risk, such as thorough cooking, avoidance of cross-contamination, and short-term refrigerated storage of cooked perishable foods. Those at low risk for listeriosis should receive information on safe food handling practices, preferably starting at a preschool age.     

Relationship between consumer food safety knowledge and reported behavior among students from health sciences in one region of Spain

A survey was conducted to investigate the relationship between knowledge about food safety and actual food handling practices among Spanish university students (mainly from the health sciences disciplines) who usually prepare meals at home. Based on level of education in food safety topics, students were divided in three groups: high, which included students from Food Science and Nutrition; medium, which included students from other health sciences; and low, which included students from non-health-related studies. More than two thirds of the 562 people selected had an accurate knowledge of the eight foodborne pathogens included in the survey, but only 5.2% were able to identify Staphylococcus aureus as a foodborne pathogen. Significant differences in responses were found depending on educational level concerning the food safety topic. For food handling, up to 60% of the responses reflected accurate knowledge of proper storage of prepared meals and washing of hands and materials to avoid cross-contamination. However, with the exception of questions related to storage temperature, there was considerable difference between knowledge and reported behavior. Although 98.6% of the participants recognized the importance of hand washing before and during food preparation, only one quarter (24.4%) affirmed that they washed their hands with soap and water. On questions concerning food practices, more accurate answers were given by the older students. Women answered questions regarding cross-contamination more accurately, whereas men were more accurate in response to questions concerning temperature and food preservation. In general, students with more knowledge of food hygiene had better reported practices, but even these students reported some high-risk behaviors. These results confirm the need to improve educational programs, ensuring that the acquired knowledge actually modifies consumer behavior.     

Influence of process temperature and salting methods on starter and NSLAB growth and enzymatic activity during the ripening of cheeses produced with Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus helveticus

The effect of varying cook temperature (40 or 50 °C) and salting method (dry or brine salting) on bacterial viability, enzymatic activity and chemical composition in cheeses made using Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus helveticus were investigated. Dry salting resulted in decreased cell viability of L. helveticus, increased lactate dehydrogenase activity and increased free amino acid levels, compared with brine salted cheeses, irrespective of cook temperature. A cook temperature of 50 °C resulted in reduced primary proteolysis and increased pH in comparison with that in cheeses cooked to 40 °C. Salting method influenced moisture content with higher levels in brine salted cheeses; cook temperature was also influential with higher cook temperature resulting in lower moisture within each salting method. Variations in manufacture procedure can allow for the development of cheese varieties with novel flavour and texture profiles using existing Cheddar or Swiss-style manufacturing facilities.     

Multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes associated with Mexican-style cheese made from pasteurized milk among pregnant, Hispanic women

Listeriosis is a severe infection caused by Listeria monocytogenes. Since 2004, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has requested that listeriosis patients be interviewed using a standardized Listeria Initiative (LI) questionnaire. In January 2009, states and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began investigating a multistate outbreak of listeriosis among pregnant, Hispanic women. We defined a case as an illness occurring between October 2008 and March 2009 with an L. monocytogenes isolate indistinguishable from the outbreak strain by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. We conducted a multistate case-control study using controls that were selected from L. monocytogenes illnesses in non-outbreak-related pregnant, Hispanic women that were reported to the LI during 2004 to 2008. Eight cases in five states were identified. Seven of these were pregnant, Hispanic females aged 21 to 43 years, and one was a 3-year-old Hispanic girl, who was excluded from the study. Seven (100%) cases but only 26 (60%) of 43 controls had consumed Mexican-style cheese in the month before illness (odds ratio, 5.89; 95% confidence interval, 1.07 to ∞; P = 0.04). Cultures of asadero cheese made from pasteurized milk collected at a manufacturing facility during routine sampling by the Michigan Department of Agriculture on 23 February 2009 yielded the outbreak strain, leading to a recall of cheeses produced in the plant. Recalled product was traced to stores where at least three of the women had purchased cheese. This investigation highlights the usefulness of routine product sampling for identifying contaminated foods, of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis to detect multistate outbreaks, and of the LI for providing timely exposure information for case-control analyses. Recalls of contaminated cheeses likely prevented additional illnesses.     

Anemia prevalence and risk factors in pregnant women in an urban area of Pakistan

BACKGROUND: Anemia affects almost two-thirds of pregnant women in developing countries and contributes to maternal morbidity and mortality and to low birthweight. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of anemia and the dietary and socioeconomic factors associated with anemia in pregnant women living in an urban community setting in Hyderabad, Pakistan. METHODS: This was a prospective, observational study of 1,369 pregnant women enrolled at 20 to 26 weeks of gestation and followed to 6 weeks postpartum. A blood sample was obtained at enrollment to determine hemoglobin levels. Information on nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and practice and dietary history regarding usual food intake before and during pregnancy were obtained by trained interviewers within 1 week of enrollment. RESULTS: The prevalence of anemia (defined by the World Health Organization as hemoglobin < 11.0 g/dL) in these subjects was 90.5%; of these, 75.0% had mild anemia (hemoglobin from 9.0 to 10.9 g/dL) and 14.8% had moderate anemia (hemoglobin from 7.0 to 8.9 g/dL). Only 0.7% were severely anemic (hemoglobin < 7.0 g/ dL). Nonanemic women were significantly taller, weighed more, and had a higher body mass index. Multivariate analysis after adjustment for education, pregnancy history, iron supplementation, and height showed that drinking more than three cups of tea per day before pregnancy (adjusted prevalence odds ratio [aPOR], 3.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3 to 8.0), consumption of clay or dirt during pregnancy (aPOR, 3.7; 95% CI, 1.1 to 12.3), and never consuming eggs or consuming eggs less than twice a week during pregnancy (aPOR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1 to 2.5) were significantly associated with anemia. Consumption of red meat less than twice a week prior to pregnancy was marginally associated with anemia (aPOR, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.8 to 1.8) but was significantly associated with lower mean hemoglobin concentrations (9.9 vs. 10.0 g/dL, p = .05) during the study period. A subanalysis excluding women with mild anemia found similar associations to those of the main model, albeit even stronger. CONCLUSIONS: A high percentage of women at 20 to 26 weeks of pregnancy had mild to moderate anemia. Pica, tea consumption, and low intake of eggs and red meat were associated with anemia. Women of childbearing age should be provided nutritional education regarding food sources of iron, especially prior to becoming pregnant, and taught how food choices can either enhance or interfere with iron absorption.     

Cook/Chill Foodservice Systems with Conduction, Convection and Microwave Reheat Subsystems. Nutrient Retention in Beef Loaf, Potatoes and Peas

Percent thiamin in beef loaf and peas and percent ascorbic acid in potatoes were determined at all process stages in a simulated hospital cook/chill foodservice system. Retention of nutrients in experimental products after reheating by conduction, convection and microwave radiation was compared. Points in food product flow causing largest nutrient losses were: beef loaf, precooking; peas, reheating; and potatoes, 24-hr chilled storage. Statistical analyses indicated no significant difference in nutrient retention of experimental products due to method of reheating.     

Metabolomics-based component profiling of hard and semi-hard natural cheeses with gas chromatography/time-of-flight-mass spectrometry, and its application to sensory predictive modeling

Gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC/TOF-MS) was used to analyze hydrophilic low molecular weight components, including amino acids, fatty acids, amines, organic acids, and saccharides, in cheese, and the sensometric application for practical metabolomic studies in the food industry is described. Derivatization of target analytes was conducted prior to the GC/TOF-MS analysis. Data on 13 cheeses, six Cheddar cheeses, six Gouda cheeses and one Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, were analyzed by multivariate analysis. The uniqueness of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese metabolome was revealed. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed no grouping of the Cheddar cheeses and Gouda cheeses according to production method or country of origin. The PCA loading plot confirms that many amino acids contribute positively to PC1, suggesting that PC1 is closely related to degradation of proteins, and that lactic acid contributed positively to PC2, whereas glycerol contributed negatively to PC2, suggesting that factors regarding degradation of carbohydrates and fats were expressed in PC2. Partial least squares (PLS) regression models were constructed to predict the relationship between the metabolite profile and two sensory attributes, "Rich flavor" and "Sour flavor", which were related to maturation. The compounds that play an important role in constructing each sensory prediction model were identified as 12 amino acids and lactose for "Rich flavor", and 4-aminobutyric acid, ornithine, succinic acid, lactic acid, proline and lactose for "Sour flavor". The present study revealed that metabolomics-based component profiling, focusing on hydrophilic low molecular weight components, was able to predict the sensory characteristics related to ripening.