In this research consumers attitudes towards general food safety and their perceptions of the safety of beef in Japan and Canada are examined. Risk perceptions, the willingness to pay for beef traceability from farm to final consumer and the willingness to pay for animal testing for bovine spongifrom encephalopothy (BSE) are measured through a stated preference exercise, provided as part of national surveys in each country. Japanese respondents continue to have higher risk attitudes and perceptions about beef than Canadian respondents in 2009 as compared to 2006. In each country survey respondents strongly prefer domestic beef over imports from any other country. However, interest in beef from other countries increases as full traceability, or one hundred % animal testing for BSE or both attributes are incorporated into the markets. The willingness to pay increases at a diminishing rate, from either traceability or BSE animal testing to both attributes. In latent class models the Japanese data suggest that there are three distinct classes of survey respondents, where class 1 respondents are characterized as being more trusting and willing to pay for beef from different countries, class 2 respondents strongly prefer domestic beef and their willingness to pay for imported beef does not increase with traceability or animal testing and class 3 respondents would only be willing to pay for traceable and a combination of traceable and animal tested domestic beef. Similarly, Canadian survey respondents can be segregated into two classes. Class 1 consumers are more trusting and will be willing to pay for both domestic and imported beef. Class 2 consumers are more cautious. / Agricultural and Resource Economics

<p>Poor food safety in informal, open-air markets remains a pressing issue in Cambodia, contributing to both foodborne illness and malnutrition. In order to design food safety programs that successfully promote positive food safety practices among the various actors involved in these markets, is important to understand their perceptions of food safety and of their own capability, opportunity, and motivation for adopting positive food safety behaviors. To that end, this research sought to explore and describe the perceptions of vegetable vendors, vegetable distributors, and vegetable growers in the Cambodian provinces of Battambang, Siem Reap, and Phnom Penh regarding food safety and their own personal capability, opportunity, and motivation for implementing specific food safety practices.  To note, this research was made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) though Cooperative Agreement No. 7200AA19LE00003 to Purdue University as management entity of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Safety. The contents are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. </p> <p>The first portion of the research, which examined levels of perceived capability, opportunity, and motivation for positive food safety practices among actors involved in informal vegetable markets in Cambodia, employed a quantitative questionnaire based on the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behavior model of behavior and the Theoretical Domains Framework. A pilot study using this questionnaire was performed with vegetable vendors in the Province of Phnom Penh (<em>N</em> = 55), after which the questionnaire was revised and implemented in person with vegetable distributors in Battambang Province (<em>n</em> = 37) and vegetable vendors and growers in Battambang (<em>n</em> = 26 and <em>n</em> = 27, respectively) and Siem Reap Provinces (<em>n</em> = 61 and <em>n</em> = 30, respectively). To validate the questionnaire, response data from participants in Battambang and Siem Reap were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis. The resultant nine-factor model had a comparative fit index of .91, a Tucker-Lewis index of .89, and a root mean square error of approximation of .05. Data analysis proceeded using a fitted general linear mixed model. Results of this analysis suggested that levels of perceived motivation and capability for the target food safety practice were typically significantly higher (<em>p</em> < .05) than levels of perceived opportunity among vegetable vendors and distributors, regardless of location. Levels of perceived opportunity and perceived capability were significantly lower (<em>p</em> < .05) than levels of perceived motivation among vegetable growers in both Battambang and Siem Reap. Significantly higher (<em>p</em> < .05) levels of perceived opportunity and motivation for the target food safety practice were observed among vendors in Battambang in comparison to vendors in Siem Reap; perceptions of all three behavioral determinants were higher among vendors in Battambang than among farmers in either location. </p> <p>Subsequently, a quantitative questionnaire regarding participants’ perceptions of vegetable safety was implemented in person with vegetable growers in Battambang (<em>n </em>= 41) and Siem Reap (<em>n</em> = 28) and vegetable vendors in Phnom Penh (<em>n </em>= 31). Response data were analyzed using a fitted logistic regression model. Nearly all respondents indicated that they were concerned about vegetable safety (overall mean estimate 97.4%, 95% CI = [89.7, 99.4]%), with ≤ 62.7% of respondents in all groups reporting at least moderate concern (lower bounds of 95% confidence intervals 46.2% at the lowest). Across all groups, chemical contamination was perceived as more concerning than microbial contamination (84.9%, 95% CI = [76.0, 90.9]%). The majority of respondents reported that they were familiar with the potential health effects of consuming vegetables contaminated with either chemicals (71.4% [61.5, 79.6]%) or microbes (57.3% [47.2, 66.9]%). Nonetheless, when those who reported familiarity were asked to give examples of such health effects, fewer than 50% (ranging from 7.3% to 48.4%) provided an example of a commonly understood health effect of consuming contaminated vegetables. </p> <p>Both chemical and microbial contamination were most frequently perceived as occurring mainly “at the farm”, regardless of participants’ occupation and location (≥ 76.7%, lower bounds of 95% confidence intervals at least 61.5%, and ≥ 39.3%, lower bounds of 95% confidence intervals at least 21.2%, respectively). Correspondingly, “vegetable farmers’ were most often perceived as having the greatest responsibility for chemical contamination prevention (≥ 51.6% across all groups, lower bounds of 95% confidence intervals at least 34.0%). There were significant between-group differences in participants’ perceptions of microbial contamination prevention responsibility, however (<em>p</em> = .02). With regards to practices intended to prevent vegetable contamination, 22.6% of surveyed vendors in Phnom Penh, 39.0% of surveyed growers in Battambang, and 53.6% of surveyed growers in Siem Reap described at least one commonly accepted contamination prevention practice. </p> <p>Considered as a whole, these findings indicate that food safety practice adoption may be more effectively encouraged among vegetable growers, distributors, and vendors in Phnom Penh, Battambang, and Siem Reap by emphasizing the importance of microbial contamination and integrating educational components regarding the health effects of consuming vegetables contaminated with microbes or chemicals into food safety programs. Such programs should also address the relatively lower levels of perceived opportunity present among all groups; environmental restructuring-based interventions may be one means by which to do so. Programs for vegetable vendors specifically should communicate that microbial contamination of vegetables is common and highlight the significance of the role of vegetable vendors in maintaining a safe vegetable supply. Food safety programs tailored to vegetable growers could draw on growers’ perception of their own responsibility for both vegetable contamination and contamination prevention as well as their perception of contamination as a common occurrence. Programs for vegetable growers also need to incorporate efforts to address the relatively lower levels of perceived capability present within this group. These efforts could include educational programming or hands-on demonstrations that increase participants’ perceptions of their own ability to implement positive food safety practices. </p>

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<p dir="ltr">The gastrointestinal tract harbors a diverse range of microorganisms, collectively constituting the gut microbiome. <a href="" target="_blank">The maintenance of a symbiotic relationship between the host and these microorganisms is essential to gastrointestinal health. Disruption of the ecological balance within the gut microbiome can result in discomfort or pathological conditions.</a> <a href="" target="_blank">This dissertation explores these alterations within the gastrointestinal tract as potential indicators for specific gastrointestinal diseases.</a> <a href="" target="_blank">In pursuit of this, I collaborated with others to develop a smart ingestible capsule that offers a non-invasive method for enhancing the effectiveness of differential diagnosis and treatment strategies for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). </a>My contributions encompassed conducting <i>in vitro</i> protein sampling and extraction experiments, as well as enteric coating dissolution tests. Following thorough characterization of the capsule, I advanced to <i>ex vivo</i> sampling experiments. As a proof of concept, the capsule's sampling capabilities have been rigorously validated both <i>in vitro</i> and <i>ex vivo</i> using calprotectin, a key biomarker for monitoring and managing IBD. Future research may explore integrating this technology with other sensors for diverse chemical and gas sensing capabilities, aiming to refine the differential diagnostics of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and IBD.</p><p dir="ltr">Simultaneously, the potential transmission of pathogenic microorganisms from the gastrointestinal tract to the environment through fecal matter can lead to substantial public health implications if adequate surveillance is not in place. These pathogens can contaminate water and food sources from various origins, exacerbating the problem. Furthermore, conventional laboratory-based assays, while effective, have extensive turnaround times and require skilled scientists to operate them. In response to this challenge, I have undertaken the development of point-of-care assays, aiming to streamline the detection of fecal contamination. This innovation is designed to mitigate the limitations associated with traditional methods by offering a more rapid and user-friendly approach. The primary objective is to enhance the accessibility of these assays, enabling on-site personnel with varying levels of expertise to utilize them effectively. Through the widespread adoption of these point-of-care assays, the overarching goal is to ensure the consistent provision of safe and reliable water and food supplies to the public.</p>

Master of Science / Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics / Kevin R. Roberts / International college students are becoming a sizable part of the overall college student population in American universities. Studies show that these students come to the United States (U.S) with food habits that could be in variance with the U.S. food safety norms. While food safety in the U.S. is among the safest in the world, foodborne illness has remained a growing concern. Food experts are showing increasing concern about how food habits associated with cultural and ethnic norms are impacting basic food safety practices in the U.S. While minimal research regarding food safety has been conducted with college students in general, no studies have sought to understand food safety practices among international college students. This study investigated self-reported food safety practices of international college students. Specific objectives included: determine international college students’ knowledge regarding basic food safety principles, evaluate international college students’ belief towards food safety, and examine international students’ current food safety practices. The target population was international college students at Kansas State University. An online survey system was used to administer the questionnaires. The respondents were allowed two weeks to complete the questionnaires. To facilitate a higher response rate, two email reminders were sent, the first after one week and another two days prior to the expiration date. SPSS (version 17.0) was used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics were computed to understand the nature of data and provide characteristics of international college students in the study. Independent Samples t-tests were used to examine differences between demographic characteristics. A One-way ANOVA was used to identify differences in food safety knowledge and food handling practices among different ethnic groups regarding food safety. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to measure association between variables. The majority of the respondents did not answer correctly questions related to cooking foods adequately and keeping foods at safe temperatures. The study suggests that most participants had beliefs that enhanced good safety practices. Respondents rarely practiced using a thermometer to determine correct temperatures of cooked foods or using separate cutting boards when preparing raw and ready-to-eat foods. They also reported using towels that were available to others to dry their hands. No significant differences were found between training and self-reported food safety handling practices.

Master of Public Health / Public Health Interdepartmental Program / Daniel Y.C. Fung / In the military, documenting the occurrence of foodborne illnesses is a challenge. During peacetime only about ten percent of all foodborne illnesses are reported or properly diagnosed. Between 1998 and 1999, the Army had documented over 800 cases involving food or waterborne diseases. Service members are classified as highly susceptible when they are deployed or participating in extended field training exercises. Physical and emotional stress weakens the immune system, as does fatigue. These situations can be further aggravated by soldiers taking medications and/or exposed to exotic diseases or extreme environmental conditions. Thus it is very important for the United States Army to have a very good food safety, security, and protection system in place to maintain a readily deployable force. The United States Army monitors food safety, security, and defense through an extensive network of multiple organizations within and outside the army by researching from the fields of microbiology, sociology, economics, bioterrorism, etc. This network monitors food procured by the army from the source to the consumer and maintains accountability throughout the process. This report takes a look at the multiple organizations and the various strategies entailed in implementing food safety, security, and protection within the army and the entire Department of Defense. It emphasizes on some of the strategies that can be developed and applied in civilian establishments to improve the efficiency of the establishments. Such strategies include the implementation of the Prime Vendor System and the World Wide Web directory of sanitary approved sources which help to improve the ability to monitor the food with fewer personnel and also improve security and defense through solicitations and contracts. These strategies have been so effective that they are being used not only for food but for general logistics.

Thesis (M. Tech. Environmental health) -- Central University of technology, Free State, 2011 / Although the application of low pH is common practice in food preservation, the emergence of acid tolerance has been reported world-wide amidst a growing concern that preservation with weak acids, such as organic acids may be influenced as a result of food-borne bacteria becoming acid tolerant or acid resistant. The present study was conducted to assess the acid tolerance of a wide range of bacterial species and consequently the sustainable application of organic acids as food preservatives in particularly acidic foodstuffs. Acid tolerance was determined in 19 bacterial strains predominantly associated with food spoilage and food poisoning. After exposure to hydrochloric acid 16% of the isolates were found to be intrinsically tolerant to low pH and included amongst others the enteric bacteria Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. The latter organisms are known causative agents in food spoilage and poisoning, and the results highlight the predicaments related to their ability to survive in acidic foodstuffs as well as the human gastric environment. Bacterial strains were further exposed to increasing concentrations of various acidic foodstuffs in order to determine the development of acid tolerance by gradual decrease in pH, as opposed to exposure to acid shock. After induction, the protein profiles of resulting acid tolerant isolates were compared with those of the original un-induced strains. Exposure to acidic foodstuffs resulted in various survival profiles, where not only pH but also the type of acidulant (foodstuff or inorganic acid) were found to be contributing factors in acid tolerance development. Bacterial protein composition after exposure to acidic foodstuffs showed considerable variation which may be indicative of acid tolerance development whereas the mechanisms involved may be the result of multiple modifications in bacterial composition. After the induction of acid tolerance, susceptibility of induced strains to various organic acids were determined at various pH values. This was done to investigate whether acid tolerance would influence the inhibitory activity of organic acids as antimicrobial agents in acidic food. Decreased susceptibility was not significantly demonstrated with the exception of only selected isolates, the latter including E. coli and S. typhimurium. Organic acid activity was found to be much more effective at lower pH values and it would be necessary to elucidate whether this inhibition is the result of a lower pH or more specifically the activity of the organic acids. The effect of exposure to an acidic environment on phenotypic characteristics of Gram-negative bacteria, and more specifically psychrotrophic organisms was evaluated in order to show the combined effect of organic acids and low temperature preservation. The characteristic yellow pigment of various Chryseobacterium species was found to be not as apparent after acid exposure while in some cases the colonies were observed as white. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa the characteristic green pigment was much more prominent after acid exposure. These morphological alterations may be important factors that should be considered in identification procedures employed in food safety laboratories. Finally, the influence of acidic exposure via acidic foodstuffs and also organic acids on the protein composition and outer membrane protein structure of various bacterial cells was investigated. No specific relationships with the MICs (Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations) of organic acids after induction with the selected acidic foodstuffs could be established, although various differences were found in protein expression. From the results, it may be suggested that the outer membrane of various pathogenic bacteria is involved in acid tolerance development and this supports the reports on the importance of membrane integrity in the protection against low pH. In conclusion, the study endeavoured to add to the body of knowledge with regard to alternative food preservation regimes utilising organic acids, either solely or in combination with selected extrinsic and intrinsic parameters.

Main aim: To supply recommendations to implement a Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP) system in a hospital food service unit serving low bacterial diets in order to prevent or decrease the infection rates in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) patients. Objectives: Firstly, to investigate the current food safety and hygiene status in a hospital food service unit, serving low bacterial diets, by means of a questionnaire and bacterial swabs taken from the food service unit. Secondly, to utilize the gathered information in a structured action plan to implement HACCP standards successfully in the appointed food service unit. The implementation of HACCP will not be done by the author. Design: The primary research was done in a food service unit of a 350 bed private hospital. One unsuspected audit with a pre-designed audit form was done. The audit consisted out of ten categories. A percentage was allocated to each category. Four swabs, as well as four food samples, were taken during the audit. The swabs and samples were tested to assess the microbiological safety of the foods prepared in the appointed hospital food service unit. The results of the audit, swabs and food samples were used to evaluate the current Food and Safety System of the hospital food service unit according to internationally approved HACCP standards. Setting: The study was conducted in the metropolitan area of Gauteng, South Africa. Results: None of the ten areas audited was of an acceptable standard and an average of 37% was scored. Category 5, the service and distribution area, scored the highest (69%) and category 10, the quality procedures and records division, scored the lowest (6%). According to United States Food and Drug Administration Baseline Report five forbidden policies could lead to increased risk of food borne illnesses. All five forbidden policies were detected in the food service unit during the audit. The microbiological tests showed relatively high microbial counts. Conclusion: The results of the study confirmed that instead of focusing mainly on the selection of food items allowed, and the cooking methods used in HSCT diets, the type of food service, together with the food and safety protocol that the food service follows, could play an important role in providing food that is safe for HSCT patient use. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Dietetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Farmers’ markets have increasingly become a popular venue for purchase of fresh, locally-grown produce, with the number of farmers’ markets in Kentucky reaching an all-time high of 159 in 2016. Good Agriculture Practices (GAPs) is a program created by the USDA’s Agriculture Marketing Service to function as a food safety audit for small-scale fresh produce growers, such as those who sell fresh produce at local farmers’ markets. However, under the provisions of the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011, small-scale farmers who sell an average of $25,000 in annual fresh produce sales across the span of three years are exempt from mandatory food safety certification. Many smallscale farmers in Kentucky fall below this threshold, and do not hold food safety certification. This study had two objectives: to investigate the practices, perceptions, and implementation of GAPs among small-scale Kentucky farmers who sell at farmers’ markets; and to create and evaluate the effectiveness of commodity-specific informational factsheets to disseminate food safety knowledge among small-scale Kentucky farmers. Data from the perceptions, practices, and implementation survey were analyzed from 160 completed surveys of small-scale fresh produce growers on-site at farmers’ markets in 21 counties across the state of Kentucky (see Appendix A). The results were mixed, with 90% of participants indicated familiarity with GAPs, but only 47% opting to practice water quality GAPs and 55% choosing to observe soil amendment GAPs. Participants did report slightly higher compliance with field sanitation (71%) and sanitary facilities (73%) GAPs, but indicated that cost (67%) and time (68%) were significant perceived barriers to completing a GAPs audit on their farm. Participants also failed to identify many sources of potential microbiological contamination, with soil only being identified as a source of pathogenic contamination by 41% of participants and irrigation water identified by 51% of participants. Even fewer participants believed that contamination could result from ice (26%) or refrigeration and cooling (28%). However, most respondents indicated a desire to undergo further GAPs education, and the factsheet evaluation data indicated that the factsheets were highly effective and had resulted in significant GAPs knowledge increases for participants.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology / Douglas Powell / Randall Phebus / Not-ready-to-eat entrées purchased at retail and prepared in the home have been identified as a risk factor for salmonellosis. From 1998 to 2010, ten outbreaks implicated undercooked not-ready-to-eat entrées. In each outbreak, affected individuals prepared entrées in a microwave oven, did not follow recommended cooking instructions, and failed to take the internal temperature of the cooked product. This dissertation surveyed grocery stores for product availability, evaluated consumers’ preparation practices of raw, breaded, frozen chicken entrées, and validated on-package label instructions. The survey of retail revealed that several manufacturers fail to provide consumers clear preparation instructions. A video capture system was used to observe food preparation practices of 41 consumers–21 primary meal preparers and 20 adolescents–in a mock domestic kitchen using uncooked, frozen, breaded chicken products, and determined if differences exist between consumers’ reported safe food handling practices and actual food handling behavior as prescribed on product labels. Differences between self-report and observed food safety behaviors were identified between groups. Many participants reported owning a food thermometer (73 percent) and reported using one when cooking raw, breaded chicken entrées (19.5 percent); however, only five participants (12.2 percent) were observed measuring the final internal temperature with a food thermometer despite instructions on the product packaging to do so. Food handling errors identified during the meal preparation sessions were then mimicked in a controlled laboratory setting to determine the impact of such deviations on end-product temperature. For all products, highly variable internal temperatures were recorded across entrées when prepared in a 600W microwave oven. Microwave cooking of raw breaded poultry products is unpredictable in achieving uniform target end-point temperatures; however, a 1000W microwave oven consistently produced a safe end product. Data collected through direct observation more accurately reflected consumer food handling behaviors than data collected through self-reported surveys. Low wattage microwave ovens failed to produce a safe end product. Processors should validate instructions for not-ready-eat entrées using a range of microwave ovens rather than a single wattage, develop a unique set of instructions for entrées, and provide consumers clear cooking instructions that result in a safe end product.