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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2020) | Viewed by 43948

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Dr. Giuseppina Caggiano

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Guest Editor

Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche E Oncologia Umana, Università degli Studi di Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy
Interests: environmental hygiene; quality and hygiene of food; prevention of infectious disease; health promotion
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The health protection of individuals and, therefore, of the entire community is a priority objective of hygiene, which aims to prevent diseases , to diagnose diseases early so as to intervene promptly, and to rehabilitate patients already affected from illness. In recent years, the changes in production and eating habits in industrialized countries have produced new problems. In fact, incorrect diet is increasingly responsible for chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and tumors. At the same time, cases of food-borne diseases are continuously reported and are an increasing public health problem worldwide. They are produced by ingestion of foodstuffs contaminated with microorganisms or chemical substances due to the failure to comply with sanitary hygienic conditions. The type of contamination depends on production processes or environmental contaminations such as water, air, surface, etc. In fact, the environment plays a substantial role in conveying micro-organisms and particles that are toxic to human health, in the community, in the workplace, and in health facilities. In health facilities, in particular, infectious high-risk patients are hospitalized promoting the circulation of microorganisms responsible for infectious complications that are difficult to resolve. We are organizing a Topical Collection in a Special Issue about “Environmental and Food Hygiene” in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The journal is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes articles and communications in interdisciplinary areas of occupational health, safety, and human factors.

Assist. Prof. Giuseppina Caggiano
Guest Editor

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. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2500 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

Public health
Nutrition
Food
Air sampling
Health facilities

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 315 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Pilot Survey on Hygienic–Sanitary Characteristics of Ready-To-Eat Sauces and Pesto

by Giuseppina Caggiano, Giusy Diella, Paolo Trerotoli, Marco Lopuzzo, Francesco Triggiano, Massimo Ricci, Vincenzo Marcotrigiano, Maria Teresa Montagna and Osvalda De Giglio

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(14), 5005; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17145005 - 12 Jul 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2247

Abstract

In recent years, the chaotic habits of modern life have favored the consumption of quickly prepared meals, using ready-to-eat (RTE) foods and condiments. The aim of this study was to establish the microbiological safety of RTE sauces and pesto from markets analyzed at different stages of shelf life. In the bacterial investigation, all samples were shown to be acceptable, although differences were observed concerning shelf life times. On the other hand, the fungal investigation showed frequent positive results, with concentrations higher than threshold values. Detected microbial diffusion was the lowest when products were far from the expiry date and had just been opened, while high microbial proliferation was observed when analyzing the same package after 48 h, higher than for a product close to the end of its shelf life. This study highlights the discreet microbiological quality of processed and RTE foods, underlining the importance of hygienic–sanitary surveillance of these foods to their shelf life. Consequently, it is necessary to: (1) implement a food control plan for all food categories to carry out risk analysis associated with their consumption; and (2) better adapt the regulations relating to microbiological analysis, and understand the biological significance of each microbial parameter throughout the shelf life of foods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental and Food Hygiene)

12 pages, 352 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Food Safety Conditions in Home-Kitchens: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Federal District/Brazil

by Adenilma da Silva Farias, Rita de Cassia Coelho de Almeida Akutsu, Raquel Braz Assunção Botelho, Wilma Maria Coelho Araújo, Izabel Cristina Silva, Karin Eleonora Sávio and Renata Puppin Zandonadi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(13), 4897; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17134897 - 07 Jul 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2698

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the food safety conditions in home kitchens from the Brazilian Federal District. A previously validated instrument composed of 77 items (in four blocks) was used to evaluate the safety conditions in home kitchens. A survey was carried out with on-site application with 226 home kitchens’ food handlers in the Federal District, Brazil to evaluate Brazilian home kitchens’ good practices. Of the home kitchen food handlers, most of them were female (64.6%), had completed undergraduate education (29.2%), and were 45–59 years old (23.5%). The visited households had an average of 3.38 ± 1.48 residents that ate some of their meals at home, and 40% declared the monthly family income to be between 5 and 15 Brazilian minimum wages (MW). Regarding the reliability of the instrument, from the KR-20 test, it was verified that the instrument presents good internal consistency (α = 0.758). According to the instrument classification, the home kitchens’ sample was considered as at a medium risk of food contamination (46.5% of them presented from 51 to 75% of conformities to the instrument). There was a statistical difference between house-kitchens with a family income from zero to one minimum wage (MW) and those receiving from 5 to 15 MW (p = 0.017), as well as between those from zero to one MW and who earn above 15 MW (p = 0.009). The result of the on-site evaluation shows that the instrument was able to measure food safety conditions in Brazilian Federal District domestic kitchens. Such findings can contribute positively to the development of actions in health education that help in the adoption of good practices of food manipulation and, consequently, in the reduction in foodborne disease outbreaks in residences. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental and Food Hygiene)

10 pages, 638 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Safety in Wine Production: A Pilot Study on the Quality Evaluation of Prosecco Wine in the Framework of UE Regulation

by Vincenzo Marcotrigiano, Sandro Cinquetti, Riccardo Flamini, Mirko De Rosso, Luca Ferraro, Saverio Petrilli, Matilde Poggi, Alessandro Dettori, Anna De Polo, Osvalda De Giglio, Giovanni Battista Orsi, Maria Teresa Montagna and Christian Napoli

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(9), 3283; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17093283 - 08 May 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2383

Abstract

In Italy, wine production is considered a sector of excellence, where the wines’ appreciable sensory features are favored by environmental factors, including weather and climate conditions, which benefit territories with a specific vocation. The whole chain involves many economic and agri-food sector operators, and requires an in-depth assessment of specific risks for identifying critical points, keeping the entire production process under control, and ensuring product traceability. This article describes the results of a pilot study conducted in the Prosecco DOCG (Designations of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin) area, concerning the detection of residues of plant protection products in fifty wine bottles. Although considerably below the maximum residue levels, all the samples tested were positive, ranging from two to five active substances detected in each sample. In addition to the provisions of the European Community legislation, this paper critically evaluates some best practices models that are already used by the Wine Federations of Italy, with the aim of identifying advantages of and areas for improvement in production methods, applicable to raw materials reception, rasping, storage, and bottling phases, in order to guarantee product safety and quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental and Food Hygiene)

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15 pages, 358 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of an Alimentary Education Intervention on School Canteen Waste at a Primary School in Bari, Italy

by Nicoletta Favuzzi, Paolo Trerotoli, Maria Grazia Forte, Nicola Bartolomeo, Gabriella Serio, Domenico Lagravinese and Francesco Vino

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(7), 2558; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17072558 - 08 Apr 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3392

Abstract

The “Love Food, Not Waste” project was conducted to train students on good food choices and evaluate food waste in school canteens. Teachers, parents and students were surveyed before and after training. Weights of both the served and wasted food were recorded for one week both before the educational intervention in February 2019 and after the educational intervention in March 2019, using the same menu. Students completed a food satisfaction questionnaire on the days the data were collected. For the first dish, the mean wastes per school were 1199 g before training and 1054 g after training. For the second dish, the mean wastes per school were 246 g before training and 220 g after training. For the side course, the means wastes per school were 663 g before training and 747 g after training. The results did not significantly differ among weeks or schools. Less food was wasted when boys judged the food’s general aspects like smell, taste and appearance as positive; more food was wasted when girls judged these factors as negative. Food waste monitoring is mandatory but does not always occur. Analyzing food waste relative to students’ food perceptions can help determine whether educational interventions can help reduce waste. Students’ satisfaction must also be considered. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental and Food Hygiene)

17 pages, 1257 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biomonitoring of Metals in Children Living in an Urban Area and Close to Waste Incinerators

by Agostino Di Ciaula, Patrizia Gentilini, Giusy Diella, Marco Lopuzzo and Ruggero Ridolfi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(6), 1919; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17061919 - 16 Mar 2020

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4969

Abstract

The impact of waste incinerators is usually examined by measuring environmental pollutants. Biomonitoring has been limited, until now, to few metals and to adults. We explored accumulation of a comprehensive panel of metals in children free-living in an urban area hosting two waste incinerators. Children were divided by georeferentiation in exposed and control groups, and toenail concentrations of 23 metals were thereafter assessed. The percentage of children having toenail metal concentrations above the limit of detection was higher in exposed children than in controls for Al, Ba, Mn, Cu, and V. Exposed children had higher absolute concentrations of Ba, Mn, Cu, and V, as compared with those living in the reference area. The Tobit regression identified living in the exposed area as a significant predictor of Ba, Ni, Cu, Mn, and V concentrations, after adjusting for covariates. The concentrations of Ba, Mn, Ni, and Cu correlated with each other, suggesting a possible common source of emission. Exposure to emissions derived from waste incinerators in an urban setting can lead to body accumulation of specific metals in children. Toenail metal concentration should be considered a noninvasive and adequate biomonitoring tool and an early warning indicator which should integrate the environmental monitoring of pollutants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental and Food Hygiene)

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11 pages, 939 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Sanitizers on Microbial Levels of Chicken Meat Collected from Commercial Processing Plants

by Kapil Chousalkar, Sarah Sims, Andrea McWhorter, Samiullah Khan and Margaret Sexton

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(23), 4807; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph16234807 - 29 Nov 2019

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3630

Abstract

Chicken meat can potentially become contaminated with bacteria at the processing plant. In Australia, there is currently a lack of knowledge on the parameters and indications of use of non-chlorine based treatments in the chicken meat processing plants. Chlorine is widely used as a sanitizer in Australian chicken meat processing plants but due to occupational health and safety concerns and consumer perception, there is a need to identify alternative sanitizers. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of four different sanitizers in reducing the microbial load from naturally contaminated chicken meat carcasses collected from the processing plants in South Australia. There was a significant variation in a load of Campylobacter and total viable count (TVC) between samples collected from two different processing plants and within carcass batches collected from the same plant that was tested during the study. All sanitizers generally reduced the load of Campylobacter on chicken meat carcasses. Treatment with acidified sodium chlorite significantly reduced the level of Salmonella enterica serovars at all temperatures tested during this study. These findings are helpful to the industry for selection of the appropriate sanitizers. Findings are also useful for the regulatory authorities in Australia for providing approval for the use of sanitizers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental and Food Hygiene)

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Review

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21 pages, 462 KiB

Open AccessReview

Chocolate, “Food of the Gods”: History, Science, and Human Health

by Maria Teresa Montagna, Giusy Diella, Francesco Triggiano, Giusy Rita Caponio, Osvalda De Giglio, Giuseppina Caggiano, Agostino Di Ciaula and Piero Portincasa

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(24), 4960; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph16244960 - 06 Dec 2019

Cited by 58 | Viewed by 23973

Abstract

Chocolate is well known for its fine flavor, and its history began in ancient times, when the Maya considered chocolate (a cocoa drink prepared with hot water) the “Food of the Gods”. The food industry produces many different types of chocolate: in recent years, dark chocolate, in particular, has gained great popularity. Interest in chocolate has grown, owing to its physiological and potential health effects, such as regulation of blood pressure, insulin levels, vascular functions, oxidation processes, prebiotic effects, glucose homeostasis, and lipid metabolism. However, further translational and epidemiologic studies are needed to confirm available results and to evaluate other possible effects related to the consumption of cocoa and chocolate, verifying in humans the effects hitherto demonstrated only in vitro, and suggesting how best to consume (in terms of dose, mode, and time) chocolate in the daily diet. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental and Food Hygiene)

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