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Novel Research on Safety Detection and Quality Control of Food

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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Science and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2024 | Viewed by 18173

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Natalia Casado Navas

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Guest Editor

Departamento de Tecnología Química y Ambiental, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
Interests: contaminants; bioactive compounds; natural toxins; miniaturization; microextraction; sample preparation; liquid chromatography; mass spectrometry; novel sorbents; analytical methods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Isabel Sierra Alonso

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Guest Editor

Prof. Dr. Sonia Morante Zarcero

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Guest Editor

ESCET—Departamento de Tecnología Química y Ambiental, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
Interests: contaminants; bioactive compounds; natural toxins; sample preparation; novel materials as sorbents; miniaturization; microextraction; liquid chromatography; mass spectrometry; validated analytical methods; electrochemical sensors; food control; foods quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Today, consumers are becoming more aware of and concerned about what they eat. For this reason, assuring food safety, quality, and authenticity are the main concerns within the food field, leading to new challenges to ensure consumer health and meet their demands. As a result, it is necessary to develop advanced analytical strategies to improve the determination of these parameters in the different foodstuff, meeting the requirements established in international guidelines, such as sensitivity, selectivity, cost effectiveness, and sustainability.

This Special Issue aims to show new potential analytical applications to evaluate and improve food safety, quality, or authenticity through the development of quick, sensitive, selective, and environmentally friendly methodologies. We invite authors to submit original and innovative research articles or comprehensive review papers on this topic. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) determination of concerning contaminants in different food matrices, occurrence of potential bioactive compounds for development of functional foods, evaluation of biomarkers to ensure food authenticity, and improvements in food sample preparation and analysis. Papers that address the development of microextraction analytical procedures in food samples are also welcome.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Natalia Casado Navas
Prof. Dr. Isabel Sierra Alonso
Prof. Dr. Sonia Morante Zarcero
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

food contaminants
bioactive compounds
biomarkers
analytical procedures
functional foods
food sample preparation
green methodologies
microextraction
food control

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 1434 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physicochemical Properties and Sensory Attributes of Cold-Pressed Camelina Oils from the Polish Retail Market

by Monika Momot, Barbara Stawicka and Aleksandra Szydłowska-Czerniak

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1924; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13031924 - 02 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1483

Abstract

Cold-pressed camelina oil (CPCO) is exceptional seed oil with a unique fatty acid profile promoting health and wellness. Therefore, this work focused on estimating and comparing the physicochemical properties and sensory quality of eight CPCO samples available on the Polish market. All analyzed oils were rich in α-linolenic acid (ALA = 29.91–36.27%) and contained low amounts of saturated fatty acids (SAFA = 10.61–12.20%). Oxidative stability of the studied CPCO samples, using the Rancimat test, ranged between 4.8 and 6.8 h, while peroxide (PV = 0.58–4.61 meq O₂/kg) and anisidine (AnV = 0.15–1.60) values differed significantly. Moreover, the water and volatile matter contents (WVMC = 0.05–0.17%) and phosphorus level (P = 3.03–13.58 mg/kg) were monitored in commercial CPCO samples. Low concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contaminants (Σ4PAHs = 0.72–7.22 μg/kg) were established in all oils. A quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) was developed to characterize the sensory properties of eight CPCO samples. Six oil samples had high overall sensory quality (OSQ > 4.0), but OSQ < 3.5 was an unacceptance sensory quality for two of the oils. The developed lexicon might be used in the oil industry to monitor product quality, sensory profiling of new product development, and benchmark competitors’ samples. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Research on Safety Detection and Quality Control of Food)

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11 pages, 460 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hg Content in EU and Non-EU Processed Meat and Fish Foods

by Vincenzo Nava, Giuseppa Di Bella, Francesco Fazio, Angela Giorgia Potortì, Vincenzo Lo Turco and Patrizia Licata

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 793; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13020793 - 06 Jan 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1703

Abstract

Mercury is one of the most dangerous toxic elements. Fresh food is the primary source of Hg exposure for humans. However, since processed foods are also a fundamental part of the food system, continuous monitoring of this contaminant in processed products is necessary to safeguard consumer health. The purpose of this study was to determine the Hg content using a direct mercury analyzer (DMA-80) in different processed food products (beef, pork, poultry, shellfish, and fish species) of EU and non-EU origin purchased in supermarkets and ethnic food shops in Messina (Italy). The results obtained were variable and correlated with the different types of food matrix. Low mercury levels were obtained for beef, pork, and poultry products, ranging from <LOQ for most samples to 3.727 µg/Kg. Higher concentrations were, however, obtained for fish species (9.249–290.211 µg/Kg). The mercury content was below the maximum levels specified in Regulation No 1881/2006 as amended. Percentage of Tolerable Weekly Intake (TWI) values of total Hg were evaluated in accordance with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The results showed that some of the pelagic species of the genus Thunnus thynnus exceeded the TWI values. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Research on Safety Detection and Quality Control of Food)

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16 pages, 1708 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study of the Phenolic Compound Profile of Arbutus unedo L. Fruits at Different Ripening Stages by HPLC-TQ-MS/MS

by Sergio Izcara, Sonia Morante-Zarcero, Natalia Casado and Isabel Sierra

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(24), 11616; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app112411616 - 07 Dec 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2296

Abstract

Arbutus unedo L. berries have traditionally been used as edible and medicinal fruits in folk medicine for the treatment of some pathologies. Besides their good nutritional properties, these berries are rich in bioactive compounds. Accordingly, a HPLC-triple quadrupole (TQ)-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the first time to characterize the changes produced in the phenolic composition profile of A. unedo L. fruits through three ripening stages. Several hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids were detected, gallic acid being the highest phenolic acid quantified. Quercetin, quercetin-3-β-glucoside, rutin, and kaempferol were found in similar amounts at the different maturity stages. High amounts of (+)-catechin, procyanidin B2, epigallocatechin, and (−)-epigallocatechin gallate were observed in the unripe fruits. Naringin and vitexin were also quantified. Stilbenes, such as trans-resveratrol and trans-piceid, were identified for the first time in these fruits. Total phenolic compounds, total anthocyanin compounds, and radical scavenging activity were also determined in the fruits harvested at different years in several locations of the Iberian Peninsula at different ripening stages. The results confirmed that these fruits are an excellent source of these bioactive compounds (mainly flavanols) with high antioxidant activity, which could be used as a new source for preparation of nutraceutical or functional foods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Research on Safety Detection and Quality Control of Food)

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12 pages, 1561 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Oxidative Stability of Long-Chain Fatty Acids with Different Unsaturation Degrees into Layered Double Hydroxides

by Francesca Blasi, Claudia Chiesi, Roberto Spogli, Lina Cossignani and Morena Nocchetti

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(15), 7035; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11157035 - 30 Jul 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1465

Abstract

Nowadays, there is increasing evidence that the intake of essential fatty acids (FAs) and oleic acid has high nutritional importance. However, the vulnerability of these FAs to oxidation deserves special attention. FA oxidation may be avoided or delayed by intercalation of its anionic form in inorganic matrices as layered double hydroxides (LDH). Thus, the aim of the study was to evaluate the protective effects of MgAl LDH towards oleate (O), linoleate (L) and α-linolenate (Ln) degradation. The incorporation and the loading of different FAs in anionic form in LDH was determined by X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. In order to study the selectivity of LDH towards the FA, the inorganic solid was equilibrated with a mixture of O, L and Ln (1:1:1). TGA and gas chromatography showed that Ln was preferentially intercalated. Free FA (FFA) and intercalated FA (IFA) were heated at 40 °C in the dark and then analyzed weekly for a maximum of 42 days. Their oxidative stability was evaluated by monitoring the primary and secondary oxidative compounds. The volatile compounds were determined by solid-phase microextraction, coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Peroxide values were higher in FFA samples than in IFA samples, such as hexanal and trans,trans-2,4-heptadienal % contents. The results showed the potential of LDH intercalation for FA preservation from oxidative modification. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Research on Safety Detection and Quality Control of Food)

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11 pages, 671 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Evaluation of the Occurrence of Phthalates in Plastic Materials Used in Food Packaging

by Rosa Perestrelo, Catarina L. Silva, Manuel Algarra and José S. Câmara

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(5), 2130; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11052130 - 27 Feb 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2909

Abstract

Phthalates are multifunctional synthetic chemicals found in a wide array of consumer and industrial products, mainly used to improve the mechanical properties of plastics, giving them flexibility and softness. In the European Union, phthalates are prohibited at levels greater than 0.1% by weight in most food packaging. In the current study, headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was optimized, through the multivariate optimization process, and validated to evaluate the occurrence of four common phthalates, di-iso-butyl phthalate (DIBP), butyl-benzyl phthalate (BBP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DOP), and 2,2,4,4-tetrabromodiphenyl (BDE), in different food packaging. The best extraction efficiency was achieved using the polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) fiber at 80 °C for 30 min. The validated method showed good linearity, precision (RSD < 13%), and recoveries (90.2 to 111%). The limit of detection (LOD) and of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.03 to 0.08 µg/L and from 0.10 to 0.24 µg/L, respectively. On average, the phthalates concentration varied largely among the assayed food packaging. DIBP was the most predominant phthalate in terms of occurrence (71.4% of analyzed simples) and concentration (from 3.61 to 10.7 μg/L). BBP was quantified in only one sample and BDE was detected in trace amounts (<LOQ) in only two samples. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Research on Safety Detection and Quality Control of Food)

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Review

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25 pages, 2240 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Exploring the Potential of Microextraction in the Survey of Food Fruits and Vegetable Safety

by Cristina V. Berenguer, Laura García-Cansino, María Ángeles García, María Luisa Marina, José S. Câmara and Jorge A. M. Pereira

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 7117; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13127117 - 14 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1012

Abstract

The increasing demand for food to feed an exponentially growing population, the fast evolution of climate changes, how global warming affects soil productivity, and the erosion of arable lands, create enormous pressure on the food chain. This problem is particularly evident for fresh fruits and vegetables that have a short shelf life. For this reason, food safety precautions are not always a priority and they are often overused to increase the productivity and shelf life of these food commodities, causing concerns among consumers and public authorities. In this context, this review discusses the potential of microextraction in comparison to conventional extraction approaches as a strategy to improve the survey of food safety requirements. Accordingly, selected examples reported in the literature in the last five years will focus on the detection and quantification of pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, and preservatives in fresh fruits and vegetables using different extraction approaches. Overall, the use of microextraction techniques to survey the presence of contaminants in the food chain is very advantageous, involving simpler and faster protocols, reduced amounts of solvents and samples, and consequently, reduced waste produced during analysis while conserving a high potential for automation. Additionally, this higher greener profile of the microextraction techniques will boost a progressive substitution of conventional extraction approaches by microextraction processes in most analytical applications, including the survey of food chain safety. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Research on Safety Detection and Quality Control of Food)

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19 pages, 1730 KiB

Open AccessReview

Application of the QuEChERS Strategy as a Useful Sample Preparation Tool for the Multiresidue Determination of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in Food and Feed Samples: A Critical Overview

by Natalia Casado, Sonia Morante-Zarcero and Isabel Sierra

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(9), 4325; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app12094325 - 25 Apr 2022

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5973

Abstract

The identification of concerning high levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in a wide variety of food products has raised the occurrence of these natural toxins as one of the main current issues of the food safety field. Consequently, a regulation with maximum concentration levels of these alkaloids has recently been published to monitor their occurrence in several foodstuffs. According to legislation, the analytical methodologies developed for their determination must include multiresidue extractions with high selectivity and sensitivity, as a set of 21 + 14 PAs should be simultaneously monitored. However, the multiresidue extraction of these alkaloids is a difficult task due to the high complexity of food and feed samples. Accordingly, although solid-phase extraction is still the technique most widely used for sample preparation, the QuEChERS method can be a suitable alternative for the simultaneous determination of multiple analytes, providing green extraction and clean-up of samples in a quick and cost-effective way. Hence, this review proposes an overview about the QuEChERS concept and its evolution through different modifications that have broadened its applicability over time, focusing mainly on its application regarding the determination of PAs in food and feed, including the revision of published works within the last 11 years. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Research on Safety Detection and Quality Control of Food)

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