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Halal means permissible according to Islamic law. Halal meat is obtained by hand slaughtering an animal that is not stunned and that is blessed by a Muslim individual immediately before slaughter. The purpose of this study was to determine the microbiological quality of raw meat from halal meat markets. A total of 138 beef samples were purchased from three halal (n = 72 samples) and three non-halal markets (n = 66 samples) between November 2016 and October 2017. All samples were analyzed for the presence of indicator organisms—aerobic plate counts (APCs), Enterobacteriaceae counts (ECs), total coliform counts (TCCs), and generic Escherichia coli (ECCs). The levels of APCs, ECs, TCCs, and ECCs (mean log CFU/g) in halal samples were 4.93 (100%), 2.89 (91.7%), 2.87 (94.4%), and 1.09 (18.1%), respectively, and those in non-halal samples were 4.92 (100%), 3.07 (95.5%), 3.02 (89.4%), and 1.15 (16.7%), respectively. The levels of TCCs and ECs were higher in halal samples during the summer compared to the other three seasons, whereas the highest ECCs in halal samples were found during autumn. In non-halal samples, significant differences were observed in the ECCs, TCCs, and ECs across seasons, with the highest level of contamination during autumn. Samples having higher levels of indicator organisms (APCs, ECs, TCCs, and ECCs) were more likely to be positive for pathogenic bacteria. The high levels of indicator organisms in both halal and non-halal retail meat samples suggest that the operation size, and not halal or non-halal meat classification, is associated with the microbiological quality. These findings can inform food safety interventions targeting small meat markets in the United States.

Interest in microgreens, young, edible seedlings of a variety of vegetables, spices, and herbs, is growing worldwide. A recent national survey of the U.S. microgreen industry reported 48% of 176 growers learned to grow microgreens by viewing websites and videos on the internet. However, it is unknown if the content related to growing microgreens is aligned with regulations and clearly presented. The aim of this research was to conduct a content analysis to determine alignment with the Food Safety and Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule (PSR)and the presentation quality of existing microgreen training materials available on the internet. Microgreen training materials were collected using two search engines – Google and YouTube. A deductive approach was used to inform the development of three coding manuals to evaluate the training materials meeting the eligibility criteria. One was used to determine the alignment of the content and was based on the PSR. The other two manuals were used to determine the presentation quality of Google and YouTube training materials according to CDC's Quality E-learning Checklist. A total of 223 training materials (86 Google and 137 YouTube), which fulfilled the inclusion criteria, were selected for the analysis. The results of the alignment with the PSR revealed that both sources minimally covered food safety principles with several areas minimally or not addressing specific information (e.g., water testing, worker training, environmental monitoring, and record keeping). In addition, some food safety information was unclear or presented conflicting information (e.g., requirement of washing microgreens, cleaning and sanitization methods, seed treatment methods, and waste management). The Google and YouTube quality scoring systems resulted in a mean quality score of 15.81 and 22 of a maximum score of 28, respectively. These findings indicate the quality and alignment with the PSR of microgreen training materials need to be improved.

Islamic dietary laws inform halal standards, defining which foods are halal (lawful and permissible). Many halal foods are produced in non-Muslim majority countries increasing the likelihood they might be haram (prohibited). Halal certification is one way to operationalize halal standards, hence protecting Muslim consumers. At present there is no unified halal standard guiding halal certification. The aim of this study was to determine the perceived challenges in implementing halal standards in the United States. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were done with a representative from 6 of the 11 halal certifying bodies (HCBs) in the United States. All reported their role was to verify food safety records for compliance with government regulations but not to monitor food safety practices. Two main issues—forged halal certificates and expired halal logos were identified as significant issues. Three HCBs stated there is no problem with having multiple halal standards, but all believed it is necessary to have one universal halal standard with minimum standards followed by everyone. The findings of this study can be beneficial to the U.S. halal industry as it highlights the challenges and issues they face.

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of pathogenic bacteria on halal beef carcasses and environmental surfaces in two halal beef slaughterhouses in the United States. To evaluate halal beef slaughter operations, 144 beef carcass samples (pre- and post-evisceration), and 24 environmental site samples (slaughter hall floor, brisket saw, and offal’s table) were collected in two halal beef slaughterhouses during June to September 2017. All carcass and environmental samples were analyzed for the presence of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and shiga toxin-producing E. coli (non-O157 STEC). Results revealed that Salmonella spp. was isolated and confirmed for the presence of invA gene in 5/36 samples (13.8%) and 5/36 samples (13.8%) at pre-evisceration in plants A and B, respectively. Salmonella spp. was isolated in 2/9 samples (5.6%) of plants A and was not detected in any sample at post-evisceration process. E. coli O157:H7 was not detected in any sample collected from plant A and B. E. coli non-O157 was isolated and confirmed for the presence of virulence genes in 4/36 samples (11.1%) and 2/36 samples (5.5%) at post-evisceration in plants A and B, respectively. Salmonella spp. was detected based on the presence of the Salmonella invA gene in the slaughter hall floor (4/4) and the offal’s table (2/4) samples using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR). In plant B, Salmonella spp. was also confirmed in the slaughter hall floor (2/4) and brisket saw (2/4) samples. On the other hand, one isolate of E. coli O157:H7 and one non-O157 STEC were obtained from the slaughter hall floor of plant A. The E. coli O157:H7 isolate was positive for stx1, stx2, eaeA, and EHEC-hly genes. Two isolates of non-O157 STEC (2/4) were detected in the environmental site samples, one from the slaughter hall floor, and one from an offal’s table sample of plant B. These data can be used to inform food safety interventions targeting halal meat operations in the southeastern United States.

Produce-associated foodborne disease outbreaks have increased worldwide highlighting the importance of proper implementation of risk management practices (RMP). We determined the relationship between environmental characteristics (i.e., physical resources) of produce farms and implementation of RMP. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses principles, we identified 36 studies to include in our analysis. Most study data were collected through surveys administered to growers in developed countries. Quality assessment results showed that studies on this topic should be more rigorously conducted (e.g., powering sample sizes and training data collectors) to yield better quality evidence. Agricultural waters were the most common environmental characteristic assessed, with many farms using unsafe water sources. Hygiene aids (e.g., accessible handwashing facilities), were lacking across many farms. Animal intrusion RMP were the least commonly assessed environmental characteristic. Only one study tested the relationship between on-farm environmental characteristics and RMP implementation reporting a positive relationship between accessible handwashing and worker hygiene practices. Grower knowledge and perception of RMP combined with cost and ease in carrying out RMP might influence the availability of physical resources for proper RMP implementation. These results can inform practical interventions aimed to increase adoption of RMP on produce farms.

Objectives: Medical and life-style factors are associated with malnutrition in older adults. This study assessed the presence of these risk factors in limited-resource, community-dwelling older adults to inform the development of a nutrition education interventions., Design: Quantitative descriptive study., Setting: A total of 24 randomly selected congregate nutrition sites (where limited-resource older adults can receive one hot meal/day, five days/week) in the rural state of South Carolina, USA., Participants: Data were collected from 477 older adults (of the 407 who reported race, 219 were African American and 171 were White)., Measurements: Extension Educators who work for the Cooperative Extension Service (a formalized educational outreach system associated with some U.S. universities) read aloud a 27-item instrument designed to assess risk factors for malnutrition. Response frequencies were tabulated and chi-square tests were performed using SAS 9.3., Results: More African Americans reported having a chronic illness or condition (81.2 vs. 68.3%; p=0.003), eating alone (66.2 vs. 53.6%; p=0.012), having a refrigerator that sometimes did not keep food cold (31.8 vs. 8.4%; p<0.0001), and sometimes not having enough money to buy food (38.9 vs. 18.5%; p<0.0001) compared to White older adults., Conclusion: Rural older adults who attend congregate nutrition sites, especially African Americans, could be at risk for malnutrition due to health status and food preparation-related factors. Evidence-based, tailored programs are needed to minimize malnutrition among limited-resource older adults living in rural areas in the U.S.