Chris Elliott’s Post

Two-tier approach to identify and mitigate the occurrence of #fraud and #contaminants in #sunflower oil: #Raman spectroscopic technique coupled with #chemometrics for the on-package in situ inspection, and chromatographic technique augmented with mass spectrometry to authenticate suspect samples.

Food Adulteration: You like Tomato, I like Tomayto If data mining for food adulteration incidents, always remember that the US regulatory definition is much wider than that of many other countries. US “adulteration” includes everything from pesticide residues to salmonella. In some cases, the root cause may still be #foodfraud. For example, the new FDA Compliance Policy on histamine in fish. Histamine is formed after temperature abuse. This may just be poor practice. But when lied about (falsified storage records or durability dates) then it is fraud. Food safety is not always top of fraudsters’ priority lists.

Food Safety Hazards Includes - Biological e.g: bacteria, Parasite, Virus - Physical eg: Broken glass, screw, stone - Chemical e.g: Cleaning fluids, insecticides - Allergenic e.g: peanut, shellfish

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) consist of a large group of man-made chemicals used for their water-, grease-, and stain-resistant properties in products like non-stick cookware, food packaging, water-repellent clothing, and firefighting. foams The active substances in pesticides can also be PFAS. One of the main ways in which PFAS contaminate food is by gradually accumulating in water, fish, shellfish plants and animals. Additionally, PFAS may migrate from food processing equipment and packaging. However, this contribution to human exposure is small compared to the other sources. EFSA works closely with national authorities and other stakeholders to collect and analyse monitoring data on PFAS contamination in food. This activity follows a European Commission recommendation for Member States to monitor the presence of PFAS in food from 2022 to 2025 (EC recommendation 2022/1431, 2022).

Let us discuss safe food, Basically it is food that is free from any harmful contaminants, Could be bacteria, chemicals, viruses or physical hazards. There is a lot of emphasis that goes into making food safe for export markets due to the stringent market requirements, but locally there is very little commitment to this course. Chemicals are not the problem, chemical residues on produce-the elephant in the room. PHI- pre harvest interval. For every chemical, on the label, you find the number of days preharvest, after the application of the chemical. Majority of farmers are ignorant of this PHI. A good number of them, are aware of PHI but do not care to follow. More sensitization is required but we acknowledge all the efforts done by institutions and individuals to preach the gospel of food safety. At our own capacity, let us spread the word to as many farmers as possible! #FoodSafety #Agriculture #SafeFoodLocally

There are types of hazards that you need to consider: Microbiological hazards. Microbiological hazards include bacteria, yeasts, moulds, and viruses. Chemical hazards. Chemical hazards include water, food contact materials, cleaning agents, pest control substances, contaminants (environmental, agricultural, and process, e.g., acrylamide), pesticides, biocides, and food additives. Physical hazards. Physical hazards include glass, packaging, jewellery, pest droppings, screws, etc. Allergens. This refers to the risk associated with the unintended presence of one or more of the 14 EU listed food allergens due to cross-contamination. #HSE #Safety #food_safety #hygiene

With the number of olive oil fraud and mislabeling cases in the EU at a record high, manufacturers and retailers must stay vigilant. The spike in olive oil prices has led to an increase in "cross-border EU notifications" involving mislabeling, potential fraud, and food safety concerns like oils contaminated with pesticides, mineral oils, and even glass fragments. Cases include adulterated extra virgin olive oil, mislabeling virgin olive oil as extra virgin, and cases of misleading origins. NSF offer a range of services that can aid manufacturers and retailers, including; Food Fraud/Defence Consulting: https://lnkd.in/eyT4juKb Food Labeling and Specifications Management Consulting: https://lnkd.in/emT_gUfc Source; The Guardian: https://lnkd.in/eavTVEYR #NSF #FoodIndustry #FoodSafety #EURegulations

The purposes of quality control are: § To protect the beneficiaries from dangers (e.g. contaminated       foods) and ensure that they get the weight and quality of food       that they are entitled to. § To protect customer from cheating by suppliers, provide standard food       quality and false accusations by transporters, beneficiaries or suppliers. § To be sure that food laws operating in a country (origin or       recipient) are complied with. § To be more transparent vis­-à­-vis our donors.

Dioxins and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are toxic chemicals that persist in the environment and accumulate throughout the food chain. Although they are found at low levels in many foods, long-term exposure to these substances has been shown to cause a range of adverse effects on human bodies and cause cancer. If your food contains animal fat, it is important to measure the food safety levels of Dioxins and PCBs in your food products. For more information, download our comprehensive data sheet on Dioxins and PCBs as chemical hazards: https://lnkd.in/dfW7vqvw #FoodChain #ChemicalHazard #ChemicalContamination