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Metabolomics, the characterization of low-molecular-weight compounds in a system, is arising as a powerful tool in food authentication. Metabolomic analyses, which can be performed either in a targeted or untargeted way, allow differentiation between classes and sometimes even identification of different compounds. Gas and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance are the analytical techniques commonly used in metabolomics. They generate highly complex signals that need to be deconvoluted to extract the maximum information possible. In this chapter, we describe the common workflow of a metabolomic analysis together with examples of approaches in the field of food origin authentication.

In this paper real-time, label free sensing principle based on Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) and gravimetric, i.e. Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) are described and some applications to food analysis problems are reported. Affinity receptors are introduced and examples using antibodies, nucleic acid probes and biomimetic receptors i.e. molecular imprinted polymers (MIP) reported. In particualr pesticide, endotoxins, pathogens, Genetically Modified Organism (GMOs) detection and food origin analysis are reviewed.

Food industry of Slovakia became a part of European food market on 1st May 2004. This entrance was considered inevitable by Slovak producers of food and beverages as a part of intergation processes which were taking place in Europe. Despite membership with same right and duties there are still differences in subsidies among states. Because of that a state level ways of support domestic producers to help them survive in the market competition are important. Also producers need to be responsable regarding their customers by applying standarts of quality and safety.

Recent food scares and the globalisation of food and feed markets combined with the relative ease with which food commodities are transported through and between countries and continents, means that consumers are increasingly concerned about the origin of the foods they eat. Over the last five years an increasing number of genetic, spectroscopic, molecular and isotopic methods that permit independent verification of the origin of the foods we consume have been described in the literature. Paper trails of food products can be falsified by experienced criminals, or errors could be introduced unintentionally, leading to incorrect information on product labels. With increasing legislative demands on food producers to provide clear and concise origin information, the new approaches to independent verification techniques described here have the potential to contribute significantly to the food origin record process.

SUMMARYAeromonas strains (total = 60) of clinical, water and food origin were tested for adherence to HEp-2 cells. Environmental strains were selected (except for A. caviae) to include primarily those expressing other virulence-associated properties. Adhesion was markedly species-dependent (A. veronii biotype sobria, 15 of 20 [58%], A. caviae, 4 of 12 [33%] and A. hydrophila, 2 of 8 [11%]). A. veronii biotype sobria were adhesive, irrespective of source (62 and 54% for clinical and environmental strains, respectively). Adherent strains of this species were enterotoxin-positive and most (13 of 15) grew at 43 °C. A. caviae isolated from clinical specimens contained a higher proportion (75%) of adherent strains than environmental strains (13%). Virulent subsets of A. veronii biotype sobria and A. caviae are adherent to HEp-2 cells. The HEp-2 assay is a useful model for investigating mechanisms of adherence and enteropathogenicity of virulent Aeromonas species.

1H-Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used to detect metabolic profiles of wheat flour samples of different geographical and botanical origin. The NMR profiles were analyzed by multivariate statistical techniques in order to establish the origin of the samples. A linear model, able to discriminate among three different locations, was built achieving a prediction level of about 80% of correctly assigned samples. The principal classes of compounds responsible for the geographic origin discrimination were individuated in aromatic compounds and amino acids. The statistical modeling also indicated that botanical origin information is very poor in the NMR profiles of the analyzed wheat samples. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In this study, two typing methods, automated ribotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), were evaluated for the subtyping of Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4b. The strains originated from patients and food samples collected in Austria during 2001-2005 and from Europe and North America in the World Health Organization collaborative study on the subtyping of this species. The largest group of Austrian clinical isolates was of the same PFGE subtype as those isolated from foodborne outbreaks in Switzerland and in the United States. Another subtype of clinical isolates from Austria was indistinguishable to that obtained from isolates responsible for a foodborne outbreak in the United States in 1985. Although the discriminatory power of PFGE was higher than that of automated ribotyping, some PFGE types were differentiated by ribotyping. Thus, combining data obtained by both automated ribotyping and PFGE increases the strain discrimination. Still, many of the Austrian strains remain indistinguishable from strains of foodborne outbreaks in other countries although there is no known epidemiological relation. This complies to previous studies which show the highly clonal nature of L. monocytogenes 4b strains which are responsible for both large outbreaks and sporadic cases.

Because consumers’ preferences are relevant determinants in the purchase decision, their measurement seems to be extremely important. Therefore, the article presents selected results of preference measurement (conjoint-analysis) with special regard to different food production modes (organic production, conventional production and production reflecting animal welfare aspects) and labelling of food origin (out of the region, from farm-gate and without labelling of the food origin). The empirical research shows surprising results: the organic produce is not as strongly preferred as the product alternative reflecting the animal welfare aspect. As a consequence, marketing-strategies should pay much more attention to animal welfare aspects, whereas organic production seems to be a less persuasive promotion argument. The contribution ends with implications for further research.

Antimicrobial resistance is an issue of increasing global concern. Several investigators have suggested that antibiotic use in food-producing animals is a major contributor to the increasing incidence of antimicrobial-resistant organisms causing illness in humans (F. J. Angulo, K. R. Johnson, R. V. Tauxe, and M. L. Cohen, Microb. Drug Res. 6:77-83, 2000; P. D. Fey, T. J. Safranek, M. E. Rupp, E. F. Dunne, R. Efrain, P. C. Iwen, P. A. Bradford, F. J. Angulo, and S. H. Hinrichs, N. Engl. J. Med. 342:1242-1249, 2000; S. A. McEwen and P. J. Fedorka-Cray, Commun. Infect. Dis. 34(Suppl. 3):S93-S106, 2002; D. L. Smith, A. D. Harris, J. A. Johnson, E. K. Silbergeld, and J. G. Morris, Jr., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99:6434-6439, 2002; D. G. White, S. Zhao, R. Sudler, S. Ayers, S. Friedman, S. Chen, P. F. McDermott, D. D. Wagner, and J. Meng, N. Engl. J. Med. 345:1147-1154, 2001; W. Witte, Science 279:996, 1998). In this paper, we discuss this and other assumptions relevant to a quantitative risk assessment model for salmonellosis in humans. We also discuss other important aspects of modeling food safety and food-associated antimicrobial resistance risk to humans. We suggest that the role of food-producing animals in the origin and transmission of antimicrobial resistance and "foodborne" pathogens has been overestimated and overemphasized in the scientific literature; consequently, nonfoodborne transmission, including pet-associated human cases, has been underemphasized. Much evidence exists for the potential contribution to infectious disease that may be of human or pet origin (that may contact humans through food but not be of a food origin). Risk analyses that do not acknowledge the potential for these sources of cross-contamination will understate the contribution that origin has in the realm of foodborne and food-associated diseases (e.g., Salmonella) and the resulting uncertainty levels in the food system, thus leading to biased inferences. We emphasize the importance of evaluating both the foodborne and nonfoodborne transmission risk for salmonellosis and outline the basics of an analytical modeling approach in food safety with examples to illustrate strengths and limitations in the modeling. Examples illustrate, on a simplistic level, how varying assumptions and other inputs can influence the output of food-associated quantitative risk models.

The analysis of phenols in samples of plant and food origin attracts considerable attention. However, sample handling is often an ignored feature of the analysis. This review highlights the importance of sample extraction in an analysis and the problems that can arise during this step. Many questions remain unanswered and there is a need to more carefully validate extraction efficiencies. Although many new procedures have been developed the use of traditional techniques still dominates.

The beetles are a useful group for studies on trophic structure of communities, mainly in forested areas. These kind of studies are based on food habits of species groups. The different terms applied to nomminated these groups (trophic category, ecologic group, trophic group, guild, trophic guild) are discussed. The term trophic group, a natural unity, is proposed to form a group of species with the same food habits, not considering the trophic level. The guild, an artificial unity, is recognized as an important tool to group organisms group that use the same resources as defined by the investigator (Hawkins & MacMaiion, 1989; Simberloff & Dayan 1991; Wilson 1999). The known alimentary habits of Coleoptera are classified in five trophic groups - herbivores, algivores, fungívores, detrivores and carnivores. Within each trophic group, subgroups are recognized. The subgroup are in a lower hierarchic level and are defined by morphological (herbivores), taxonomic (fungivores) atributes of the food, by the food origin (detrivores) and by the way that the food is obtained (carnivores). A food resource diagram showing connections among the trophic groups, based on consumer-consumed (predator-prey) relations, is presented.

A survey on the antibiotics resistance on salmonella strains of food origin was carried out. Four hundred thirty five different strains of Salmonella detected during eight years since 2003 were tested with the protocols of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standard (NCCLS). One hundred twenty Salmonella strains were of cow origin, 166 from swine, 92 from poultry and the remaining 57 from shellfish. Starting from 2007 a reduction in the resistance was evident on the total isolates.

A decrease in basitrichous isorhiza and spirocyst nematocysts is observed in a fully fed sea anemone, Calliactis tricolor, as compared to unfed animals. Discharge of tentacle nematocysts of an intact living animal is inhibited by anesthetics and a decrease in temperature. The chemical (food origin) threshold for discharge of basitrichs is higher than for spirocysts and the implications of these results are discussed. The most probable cause for the observed decrease in nematocyst discharge is a combination of food present in the gastrovascular cavity and a physical stretching of the cavity.

The liver is one of the most important organs, both in terms of the different metabolic processes (energy, lipid, ferric, uric, etc.) and of its central role in the processes of detoxification of substances of food origin or noxious substances (alcohol, drugs, antibiotics, etc.). The development of a relevant model that reproduces some of the functions of this tissue has become a challenge, in particular for human medicine. Thus, in recent years, most studies aimed at producing hepatocytes in vitro with the goal of developing hepatic 3D structures have been carried out in the human model. However, the tools and protocols developed using this unique model can also be considered to address physiological questions specific to this tissue in other species, such as the pig, chicken, and duck. Different strategies are presently being considered to carry out in vitro studies of the hepatic metabolism of these agronomic species.