Food safety regulations have increased over the past decade in response to food safety scares, international trade and changing public demands. The purpose of this thesis is to determine the impacts of meat safety regulations and a subsequent amendment on food security in rural and remote communities in British Columbia. Case studies of three communities, Bella Coola Valley, Haida Gwaii and Powell River Regional District, were utilized to assess these impacts. Interviews with government officials and local farmers were combined with agricultural and socio-economic data. Though it is not possible to attribute impacts directly and solely to the change in regulatory structure, it appears that the addition of harsh safety regulations has damaged an already fragile local meat industry in these vulnerable communities. The regulation amendment solved some of these issues, but many rural regions are still struggling to maintain local self-sufficiency in food production. / Graduate

The purpose of this research is to examine how professionals and civil society members engage in food security activities that include food safety precautions and how they work across differences to support a safe and accessible food supply. The objectives are: (a) to explore tensions between those working in community food security and food safety (regulatory authority) and the source of tension; (b) to explore how people experiencing these tensions can improve the way they work together; and (c) to explore potential opportunities for enhancing health equity through food security and food safety programs. Using a case study design, I employ concept mapping and situational analysis as methods, with a complexity science framework. I have illustrated the complex motives behind food safety regulations and examined the neo-liberal agenda favouring market forces over health equity. I have argued that while there is concern for protecting the public’s health, food safety regulations are not set with a primary focus on protecting people from unsafe food, but are a vehicle for providing confidence in the market and among international trading partners, at the cost of health and welfare of small-scale producers in rural and remote communities. I am suggesting change not only in how we view and understand personal motives or worldviews of food and market forces, but also a shift on a larger scale, to change structural conditions to promote health and to encourage a moral obligation to reduce health inequities. / Graduate / 0573 / 0569 / wmartin@uvic.ca

Darbo tikslas: įvertinti maisto saugos valdymą Širvintų rajono viešojo maitinimo įmonėse. Darbo uždaviniai: 1. Įvertinti viešojo maitinimo įmonėse vykdomą rizikos veiksnių analizės ir svarbiųjų valdymo taškų (RVASVT) sistemą. 2. Įvertinti maisto saugos ir kokybės reikalavimų vykdymą viešojo maitinimo įmonėse. 3. Išanalizuoti viešojo maitinimo įmonių vadovų ir darbuotojų informuotumą, bendradarbiavi-mą su kontroliuojančiomis institucijomis siekiant užtikrinti maisto saugos valdymą. Tyrimo metodika: Analizuoti 2009-2010 m. duomenys apie maisto saugos užtikrinimą taikant rizikos veiksnių analizės ir svarbiųjų valdymo taškų sistemą bei nustatytus pažeidimus Širvintų rajone esančiose viešojo maitinimo įmonėse. Anketinis tyrimas atliktas 2010 m. rugsėjo – gruodžio mėnesiais. Tiriamąją grupę sudarė visų Širvintų rajone esančių viešojo maitinimo įmonių atstovai. Išdalintos 154 anketos, atsako dažnis 100 proc. Tyrime dalyvavo 40 viešojo maitinimo įmonių, iš kurių 65 atstovai dirba kavinėse, baruose, restoranuose, 66 - bendrojo lavinimo mokyklose, 23 - ikimokyklinio ugdymo įstaigose. Į anketą atsakė 40 vadovų, 64 virėjos, 20 barmenų- padavėjų, 30 virtuvės darbuotojų. Maisto tvarkymo subjektų anketiniai duomenys buvo apdoroti ir analizuojami naudojant statistinį duomenų analizės paketą SPSS 13.0. Rezultatai: 2009-2010 m.vykdant valstybinės kontrolę nustatyta, kad viešojo maitinimo įmonėse dominuoja savikontrolės ir bendri higienos pažeidimai. Įmonėse nepilnai funkcionuoja savikontrolės... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Aim: to assess the food safety management in Sirvintos catering industry. Objectives: 1. To evaluate the catering establishment according to hazard analysis and critical control point HACCP system. 2. To assess food safety and quality requirements of the catering industry. 3. To analyze the catering managers and staff awareness, cooperation with authorities responsible for monitoring to ensure food safety management. Methods. The data of the period 2009-2010 was analyzed on food safety assurance by the hazard analysis and critical control point system and the violations in the catering industry. The questionnaire survey was conducted in 2010 September - December. The studied group consisted of all workers at catering industry. There were 154 questionnaires distributed with 100 % response rate. The study included 40 public catering companies, 65 representatives who work in cafes, bars, restaurants, 66 secondary schools and 23 pre-school educational institutions. The 40 managers, 64 cooks, 20 bartenders, 30 kitchen staff replied to the questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using the statistical data analysis SPSS 13.0. Results. According to 2009-2010 review, there are many violations in self-control and general hygiene in the catering industry. Some executives (12.5 %) do not understand the HACCP system. The 81.2 % employees are aware of, the 14.3 % has heard and the 4.5 % is familiar with the GHPT catering businesses. Only 27.5 % of the managers are organizing... [to full text]

Maisto sauga vienodai svarbi visoms institucijoms, susijusioms su žaliavų ir maisto produktų gamyba, pardavimu, apdorojimu bei kitokiu tvarkymu. Su maistu susijęs verslas turi būtų vykdomas pagal tinkamą maisto saugos valdymo programą, kuri sudaroma atsižvelgiant, pirmiausia, į verslo vaidmenį maisto grandinėje. Laikotarpiu nuo 2001 iki 2011 m. vidutiniškai kasmet bendras skundų skaičius padidėdavo 142 skundais arba 7,54 proc. per metus, t.y. 2001 metais buvo pateikti 1328 skundai, o 2011 metais - 2748 skundai. / Food safety is equally important for all bodies concerned with raw materials and food production, marketing, processing and other processing. For food-related business should be conducted in accordance with proper food safety management program which shall be based, in particular, the role of business in the food chain. In the period from 2001 to 2011 the average annual increases in the total number of complaints received was 142 complaints, or 7.54 percent per year, 2001 year have been made 1328 complaints and in 2011 - 2748 complaints.

Background: Listeria monocytogenes and ready-to-eat meats have garnered considerable attention in Canada over the past decade as a result of foodborne outbreaks and product recalls that continue to transpire. A number of factors suggest that ready-to-eat meats and Listeria monocytogenes are a wicked problem. They include (among others) the number of stakeholders involved in the processing, distribution and inspection of ready-to-eat meats in Ontario, the ubiquitous and hardy nature of the organism and the challenges associated with eliminating it from ready-to-eat meat products and processing environments. Since Ontario public health units play an integral part in the inspection of ready-to-eat meats in the province, it is important to determine their current role in the wicked problem in order to identify possible solutions for change. Purpose: The purposes of the study were: (1) to determine how Ontario public health units address the wicked problem of Listeria monocytogenes and ready-to-eat meats in their food safety inspection programs using the provincial regulatory framework in addition to the use of research, knowledge translation and innovation; and (2) to develop a theory that identifies gaps (if any) in public health unit inspection practices, provincial legislation or food safety research that serves to generate recommendations to reduce incidence of listeriosis resulting from consumption of RTE meat products. Methodology: The research design used the principles of grounded theory to lead the interview and survey methodology and subsequent data analyses. The study was completed in three phases. Interviews were conducted in the first 2 phases of the study while a survey was conducted in the last phase. Interviews were conducted with public health unit ‘food safety leads’ that met pre-determined eligibility criteria. Following methods used in previous studies,interview data were analyzed in 4 stages of theory development using a grounded theory approach. Through substantive coding and constant comparative methods, core categories were identified in each of the study phases. As a result, theoretical saturation was reached leading to the process of theoretical coding and the emergence of the study theory. Results: In total, 27 public health units of 36 participated in the study. Eleven public health units participated in the first 2 phases of the interviews while 25 public health units (for a total of 45 participants) participated in the survey. The study core category, 'reactive and regulatory practice' evolved from the results of the interviews and survey. As a result, it was determined that: (1) the Ontario provincial regulatory framework including the Food Premises Regulation is almost exclusively responsible for directing food safety inspection practices in food premises; (2) food safety inspection and investigation activities associated with listeriosis outbreaks are the focus of Listeria monocytogenes and ready-to-eat meat research; and (3) innovation and knowledge translation are not currently influenced by inspection practice as a result of the food safety framework which does not require or encourage it. Using the processes of theoretical integration and theoretical coding, the following theory emerged from the data analyses; Ontario public health units manage ready-to-eat meats and Listeria monocytogenes through general population and reactive regulatory processes that focus on local-level, end-product, hazard reduction strategies for established risks in inspected food premises. Strengths and Limitations: The study had several strengths including being the first of its kind to associate ready-to-eat meats and Listeria monocytogenes as a part of a wicked problem. It was also the first study to use grounded theory to illuminate the function and role of Ontario public health units in managing Listeria monocytogenes and ready-to-eat meats. There are a number of limitations to the study including the study sample size, participant inclusion process through provincial public health unit senior management, the generalizability of study results, and method of interviews conducted with participants. Implications: The results of the study have implications for public health researchers and policy/regulatory makers in the province of Ontario. It stresses improved management of Listeria monocytogenes and ready-to-eat meats in food premises using a proactive approach. Conclusions: Using a grounded theory approach, this study demonstrated that Ontario public health units manage ready-to-eat meats and Listeria monocytogenes through reactive and regulatory food safety inspection practices. Survey and interview results indicate that study participants aspire for evidence-based regulatory and program amendments that will allow for proactive and targeted microbial risk-reduction activities at the local level that focus on vulnerable populations. The study substantiates that amendments to the Ontario Food Safety program and in particular, the Food Premises Regulation are necessary.

The relationships between and among questions from a survey in three different areas, namely food and food related health, food safety and hygiene, and information gathering concerning food, with the main focus on the first two areas, are investigated. Data from older people have been analyzed. The questions are both about knowledge and behavior in relation to the areas mentioned above. Earlier studies have shown that people in general do not know about or act according to dietary advises about health and hygiene. The results from this study show that there are fairly strong correlations for all groups but men when it comes to knowledge and behavior about fruit and vegetable consumption. The results also show a significant association between fruit and vegetable consumption and gender and that women consume more than men. A factor model estimating the relationships between health, hygiene and information shows that the fitted factor model can be considered having an acceptable fit, with at least two variables, knowledge about the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables to eat per day and trust for grocery stores concerning food and health, being classified as good indicators.

Official inception of the Common agricultural Policy of the European Union dates back to 1962. It has been criticised in many aspects so far / and the most recent criticisms came from the consumers. Nevertheless, consumers&rsquo / side with respect to agricultural reforms has often been neglected vis a vis producers&rsquo / side, making this subject and interesting issue needed to be looked into. This thesis study touches upon the historical development of the Common Agricultural Policy. It explores benefits and the losses incurred by European consumers regarding the agricultural policy and the amendments introduced thereto. It sets out from this point of view and elaborates on food security, safety and quality within the European Union. This thesis exhibits facts about environmental consequences of the CAP together with organic farming practices. Additionally, it mentions globalization of ! the agricultural market and the emergence of supermarket chain! s and di scusses the benefits and detriments these brought about especially for the consumer. Finally, it indicates the activities undertaken by the organizations within the European Union and explores some of the reflections regarding the possible developments pursuant to the enlargement process. Keywords: CAP reform, consumer, producer, food safety

Several obstacles to widespread use of bacteriocins in food have been identified, including lack of specific, rapid quantitation methods, and little data on their efficacy in food systems. The first objective of this study was to develop a specific, rapid quantitation method for bacteriocins that did not rely on bioassays and their associated limitations. Phage display was chosen to reduce reliance on continued use of animals and produce antibodies to the bacteriocins leucocin A, piscicolin 126, and brochocin-A. Although the antibody libraries generated by phage display were not successful for antibody production, a strong immune response to leucocin A and piscicolin 126 was observed in mice. The second objective of the study was to determine the efficacy of brochocin-C against Clostridium botulinum in a model system and in a vacuum-packaged, chopped and formed pork product stored at refrigeration temperature. Group I Cl. botulinum was not controlled by brochocin-C, and was found to inactivate brochocin-C and several class IIa bacteriocins by proteolysis. Cell counts revealed that Group II Cl. botulinum was controlled by brochocin-C in a model meat system, but was not controlled in the chopped and formed pork product. Powdered smoke and NaCl in the pork product had a synergistic interaction against Group II Cl. botulinum, as shown by minimum inhibitory concentration testing. The choice of media for isolation of Cl. botulinum from the chopped and formed pork product was important, as the presence of background microflora isolated from the meat was found to impact growth of Group II Cl. botulinum on plating media. In the presence of the background microflora, which were identified by 16S rDNA sequencing as carnobacteria and staphylococci, inclusion of phosphate in the plating medium was found to allow growth of Cl. botulinum. Other nutrients such as magnesium, sulphur, or increased protein sources added to the medium had no effect on growth of Cl. botulinum. Two of the background microflora strains, Carnobacterium maltaromaticum MH3 and Staphylococcus pasteuri EIV-21, inhibited Cl. botulinum, while one strain, C. maltaromaticum MH2, stimulated growth of Cl. botulinum. / Food Science and Technology

Gegenwärtig erlangen marinierte, vorverpackte Schweinefleischzubereitungen als typisches Convenience-Produkt eine zunehmende Marktbedeutung. Dem stehen allerdings wenig repräsentative Daten zur mikrobiologischen Sicherheit und Haltbarkeit dieser Produkte gegenüber. Ziel dieser Arbeit war es daher, im Interesse eines hohen Verbraucherschutzniveaus fundierte Daten über das Vorkommen und die Überlebensfähigkeit pathogener und toxinogener Mikroorganismen in vorverpackten marinierten Schweinefleischzubereitungen zu gewinnen. Darauf basierend sollten Empfehlungen für produktspezifische mikrobiologische Kriterien und Mindesthaltbarkeitsfristen abgeleitet werden. Während der Grillsaison der Jahre 2008 und 2009 wurden hierfür zwei Marktstudien über marinierte, vorverpackte Schweinenackensteaks (jeweils n=150) aus dem lokalen SB-Handel durchgeführt. Dabei erfolgte aufgrund der großen Produktvielfalt eine Einteilung der Produkte in Nackensteaks mit Senf-/Biermarinaden, Paprikamarinaden und Kräutermarinaden. Bei der Untersuchung wurden der pH-Wert, der mikrobiologische Status und das Vorkommen von verschiedenen pathogenen Keimen jeweils zum Zeitpunkt des Erwerbs und am Ende des MHD erfasst. Zudem wurden je Produktgruppe 10 für die industrielle Herstellung dieser Fleischzubereitungen verwendeten Flüssigmarinaden (n=30) mikrobiologisch auf die gleichen Parameter untersucht sowie pH- und aW-Werte in den Marinaden bestimmt. Auf Grundlage der Ergebnisse der Marktstudien wurde darüber hinaus die Überlebensfähigkeit von Salmonella spp. und Listeria monocytogenes in artifiziell kontaminierten Flüssigmarinaden jeder Kategorie während einer Lagerung für 42 Tage bei 4 und 22 °C überprüft. Die Gesamtkeimzahlen in den marinierten Schweinfleischsteaks lagen in einem Bereich von 2,8 x 103 bis 9,7 x 108 KbE/g, die Anzahl der Milchsäurebakterien zwischen 10 und 9,5 x 108 KbE/g und die der Enterobacteriaceae zwischen < 10 und 3,6 x 108 KbE/g. Bis zum Ende des MHD fand ein Anstieg der Gesamtkeimzahl und der Milchsäurebakterien bei gleichzeitigem pH-Wert-Abfall statt. Vermehrungsfähige Salmonellen wurden in 6 von 300 Proben (2,0 %) und Shigatoxin bildende Escherichia coli in 7 von 300 Proben (2,3 %) nachgewiesen. In 5 Proben (1,7 %) wurde Listeria monocytogenes mit bis zu 95 KbE/g und in 25 Proben (8,3 %) Staphylococcus aureus mit Keimzahlen bis 340 KbE/g detektiert. Bacillus cereus wurde in 64 Handelsproben (21,3 %) mit Keimzahlen bis zu 450 KbE/g und sulfitreduzierende Clostridien in 73 marinierten Schweinenackensteaks (24,3 %) mit Werten bis 500 KbE/g gefunden. Die Untersuchung der Flüssigmarinaden der drei Kategorien (n=30) erbrachte Gesamtkeimzahlen von 1,3 x 102 bis 4,2 x 105. Enterobacteriaceae und Milchsäurebakterien wurden jeweils nur in zwei Marinadenproben mit bis zu 180 bzw. 750 KbE/g nachgewiesen. Keine der Marinaden enthielt Salmonellen, Shigatoxin bildende Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes oder Staphylococcus aureus. Positive Befunde wurden nur für Bacillus cereus und sulfitreduzierende Clostridien erhoben: 16 Proben (53,3 %) enthielten Bacillus cereus mit Keimzahlen von bis zu 230 KbE/g und 14 Proben (46,7 %) sulfitreduzierende Clostridien mit maximalen Keimzahlen von 120 KbE/g. Die aW-Werte der Marinaden variierten zwischen 0,2 und 0,94, die pH-Werte zwischen 3,57 und 6,53. Bei den Tenazitätsstudien in Marinaden wurde eine kontinuierliche Keimreduktion für beide Pathogene festgestellt: Sowohl L. monocytogenes als auch Salmonella spp. zeigten in Senfmarinaden sowie bei 22 °C Lagerungstemperatur eine deutlichere Absterbekinetik als in Paprika- bzw. Kräutermarinaden und bei 4 °C Lagerungstemperatur. Basierend auf den Ergebnissen dieser Arbeit können vorverpackte, marinierte Schweinenackensteaks auch nach MHD-Fristen von 18 Tagen als lebensmittelhygienisch sicher beurteilt werden. Allerdings können Lebensmittelinfektionserreger in den Produkten vorkommen und zum Teil bis zum Ende des MHD überleben. Im Hinblick auf den vorbeugenden Verbraucherschutz können folgende Empfehlungen für mikrobiologische Richtwerte von marinierten Schweinenackensteaks abgeleitet werden: Salmonellen: nicht nachweisbar in 25 g STEC: nicht nachweisbar in 25 g L. monocytogenes: < 102 KbE/g St. aureus: 1,0 x 102 KbE/g B. cereus: 1,0 x 104 KbE/g Sulfitreduzierende Clostridien: 1,0 x 104 KbE/g Aufgrund von teils starken Zunahmen der Gesamtkeimzahl und der Keimzahlen von Milchsäurebakterien und Enterobacteriaceae sollte die MHD-Frist auf maximal 7-10 Tage beschränkt werden, um eine mikrobiologisch annehmbare Qualität für den Verbraucher garantieren zu können. Bei der Zubereitung sollte auf eine Vermeidung von Kreuzkontaminationen und vor dem Verzehr auf eine vollständige Durcherhitzung geachtet werden.

In South Africa there is a need within the milling industry for controlling food safety especially due to customer's demands and government's regulations. The best way to ensure food safety is with the implementation of a HACCP based food safety system. Therefore, the principal aim of this study was to develop a generic HACCP model for the flour milling industry. Afterwards this generic model can then be adapted for each specific mill and its needs.