Search

This study presents the results related to changes in aw value and bacteriological status of fermented sausages during maturation without and with added starter culture, stuffed into a narrower and wider casing. Values of aw of narrower and wider diameter sausages with and without added starter cultures decreased during ripening, and were close to values of 0.9. Enterobacteriaceae in narrower diameter sausages were not detected on day 18, i.e., the end of the ripening process, and these bacteria were not detected in wider diameter fermented sausages on day 25 or at the end of ripening (day 35). The increase in the lactic acid bacteria in narrow and wider diameter sausages without added starter culture was slower than the increase in the number of these bacteria in sausages with added starter culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food Allergy is a growing global public health concern. The presence of undeclared allergenic ingredients or the presence of traces of allergens due to contamination during food processing poses a great health risk to sensitised individuals. Celery and mustard belong to the group of 14 basic food allergens, and thus, they are potentially hazardous. Therefore, the objective of this mini-review is to evaluate the presence of celery and mustard in foods of animal origin in Serbia for the period 2021--2023. The present study provides a summary of qualitative detection of specific DNA sequences by real time PCR techniques conducted on 179 retail products of animal origin, i.e., coarse-ground cooked sausages, cooked sausages with meat pieces, fermented sausages, smoked products, chicken meat, dairy and meat alternatives, quick-frozen dough products and snacks. Celery DNA (the mannitol dehydrogenase gene region was used for specific celery identification in samples) was detected in 15 samples, while mustard DNA was detected in 14 samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of different feed composition and cultivation on the composition of fatty acids, their relationships, and the cholesterol content in the tissue of rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss). Trout were reared in ponds at two different altitudes and raised on different feeds. The total amount of monounsaturated fatty acids in fillets of both groups showed no statistically significant difference. However, higher levels of n-6 fatty acids were found in Pond I trout fillets than in Pond II fillets, while Pond II fillets contained almost even amounts of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids. Total cholesterol content in Pond I trout fillets was significantly lower ( p < 0.05) than in Pond II fillets. The results indicate that the final composition of the trout fillets was mostly dependent on the feed the live fish had consumed; the altitude of the ponds had less effect. Also, both groups of trout could be used in the human diet as biologically valuable foods. Practical application: Our results show influence of altitude, feed, and fatty acid composition of feed on trout fillets. The average fatty acid level in the trout fillets increased in the order SFA

Simple Summary: In surveillance studies conducted in industrialized EU nations, a rise has been noted in hepatitis E infections that are unrelated to travel. According to previous research studies, eating undercooked or uncooked meat and organs, as well as products from pigs or other wild animals (wild boars and deer), was predominantly linked to human hepatitis caused by the hepatitis E virus genotype 3. Furthermore, domestic pigs and wild boars represent nature's primary reservoirs of this virus, and the liver is the main organ for hosting this virus. The goal of this study conducted in Serbia was to detect HEV in pig liver samples from slaughterhouses, retail outlets, and environmental swabs over the course of a year. All positive HEV samples were measured and expressed as HEV gene copy numbers per gram of sample, and a representative number of samples were sequenced using the Sanger approach. A total of 45 HEV-positive samples were re-amplified using nested RT-PCR employing CODEHOP primers targeting ORF2 (493 nucleotides). The average prevalence of the HEV genotype 3 in all pig liver samples from the slaughterhouses was 29%, while HEV prevalence was 44% in liver samples from animals younger than 3 months. HEV RNA was found in thirteen out of sixty (22%) environmental swab samples that were taken from different surfaces along the slaughter line. Our findings confirmed seasonal patterns in HEV prevalence, with two picks (summer and winter periods) during the one-year examination. Among HEV-positive samples, the average viral particles for all positive liver samples was 4.41 ± 1.69 log10 genome copies per gram. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the majority of HEV strains (43/45) from Serbia were grouped in the HEV-3a subtype, while two strains were classified into the HEV-3c subtype, and one strain could not be classified into any of the HEV-3 subtypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Serbian market, fish is available from aquaculture (such as carp and trout) and from fishing (commercial and recreational catch). In the past ten years, from 2012 to 2021, there has been a decrease in the production of carp due to reduced farming areas, but trout production has increased. On average, during this period, aquaculture production yielded approximately 5,491 tons of carp and 2,977 tons of trout, while the fish catch averaged around 2,979 tons. The yield per hectare in carp ponds was 800 kg, while in trout ponds, it was 20 kg per square meter. As the demand for fish exceeds the domestic supply, the market is supplemented with imported fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legal standards specifically describe the need for allergy labelling on foods, beverages and other non-pre-packaged items because food allergies have developed as a concealed problem that seriously jeopardizes public health. The growing number of people who have food allergies has made it difficult for the foodservice business to control them appropriately. Current efforts in order to protect vulnerable customers include recognized standards for producers aiming to eliminate an allergen from their products and the inclusion of food allergy education in the training for people in food service and those in charge of enforcing food standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexity of the meat chain is well-known, beginning with the Pre-harvest (feed, farm biosecurity, herd/flock health status, animal welfare, transportation, livestock market/abattoir lairage), followed by Harvest (slaughter, dressing, chilling) and Post-harvest (deboning, meat processing, packaging, distribution, retail, consumer) modules. Over the previous decade, consumer awareness increased globally towards animal health, animal welfare and food safety issues, including food quality, food fraud, sustainability and climate change impact on meat production. Therefore, consumers demand proper and accurate information on the aforementioned issues in real time for making informed choices when buying their preferred meat/meat products. The transformation of traditional meat value chains towards sustainability needs reliable and affordable tools to optimize such transformation and achieve higher levels of food safety. Sensing systems (biosensors) and their regular use within an integrated meat production chain, from farm-to-fork, can play an important role and be a part of the solution for climate-smart and sustainable agri-food chain considering biosensor function in early and accurate detection of food(meat)-borne pathogens and other food contaminants (residues). The application of biosensors can provide accurate and concentrated data on animal health and welfare, including food borne hazards, to support food safety risk assessment in both, 'traditional' and 'novel' (cell-based meat) meat value chains for the benefit of the global population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exponentially increasing annual production of plastic waste at a global level has raised concerns regarding the prospective infiltration of microplastics into terrestrial ecosystems. The transport of microplastics via wind advection and stormwater runoff presents a substantial hazard to food resources. The most recent studies reveal that chicken, pork, and beef samples are contaminated with microplastic particles, encompassing polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polypropylene. However, the employment of various non-standardized detection methodologies poses a significant obstacle in the interpretation of acquired results. Furthermore, the thorough clarification of the correlation between human exposure to microplastics and various health consequences, such as carcinogenicity, infertility, metabolic disorders and pregnancy complications, remains inadequately explored and necessitates additional investigation to enhance public awareness and propose solutions and integrated strategies for the mitigation of microplastic contamination in meat chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim. Establishing a food safety control system is extremely important in preventing diseases associated with foodborne pathogens. The aim of this study was to examine the hygiene status of food contact surfaces and the application of good hygiene practices by food handlers in school canteens. Methods. A total of 10,366 swabs were taken from food contact surfaces, including food handler's hands from public school canteens in Novi Sad, Serbia, over ten years (2008-2017), covering voluntary good hygiene practices and obligatory Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) implementation periods. Results. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in aerobic colony counts (ACCs) on surfaces between two examined periods were found. A general positive trend regarding the reduction of microbial contamination of food contact surfaces was observed. The percentage of surfaces swabs with ACCs above 2.48 log CFU/cm significantly decreased R(² = 0.453) during the study period, and the percentage of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus in the swabs also decreased, but not significantly (R² = 0.264), and average annual Enterobacteriaceae counts above the established limit values on surfaces significantly decreased (R² = 0.442) over the years. A significantly higher (p < 0.05) percentage of workers' hands harbored ACCs, coagulase-positive Staphylococcus, and Enterobacteriaceae above the established limits than the equipment or work surfaces. Conclusion. The results obtained showed the proper implementation of good hygiene practices concerning food contact surfaces, but the implementation of good personal hygiene practices needs enhanced supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades pork production has increased in Serbia, and pork is the most widely consumed meat. Pig meat quality is affected by several factors: breed, sex, production performance, stress adaptation, and factors related to animal management. The aim of this study was to compare the meat quality characteristics from wild boar and pig breeds improved by selection. Samples of m. longissimus dorsi were obtained from three different pig breeds -- Yorkshire, Landrace and wild boar. Chemical composition, pH, fatty acid profile, volatile compounds, color, and overall sensory meat quality were determined. Chemical composition, pH, fatty acid profile, and volatile compounds differed significantly (p<0.05) among the pig breeds. Yorkshire meat had the most favorable ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids and the highest nutritional value. On the other hand, wild boar meat had the lowest intramuscular fat content. Determined differences among different pig breeds indicated the impact of breed on meat quality of pork. The results obtained could be used to meet consumer's needs regarding fatty acid composition and sensory properties of meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spices are often considered as one of the possible sources of meat products contamination with toxigenic moulds. Since spices are possible source of contamination of the final product and potential producers of mycotoxins, it is necessary to estimate the degree of moulds contamination. Therefore it is necessary to conduct an adequate and continuous control of spices on presence of the moulds. The choice of a culture media to carry out mycological analysis of food is extremely important to guarantee the reliability of the analysis. This paper presents an overview of the analysis of different spices (n=15) for the presence of xerophilic moulds, by using Dichloran Rose-Bengal Chloramphenicol Agar” (Oxoid, CM 727) and “Dichloran-Glycerol (DG18) Agar Base” (Oxoid, CM 729)., Black and white grounded pepper, were the most contaminated (3.62-3.79 log10 cfu/g) of 15 samples tested, while in the remaining samples an average contamination level of 2.7 log10 cfu/g was established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]