New food safety challenges of viral contamination from a global perspective: Conventional,emerging, and novel methods of viral control

Food- and waterborne viruses, such as human norovirus, hepatitis A virus, hepatitis E virus, rotaviruses, astroviruses, adenoviruses, and enteroviruses, are major contributors to all foodborne illnesses. Their small size, structure, and ability to clump and attach to inanimate surfaces make viruses challenging to reduce or eliminate, especially in the presence of inorganic or organic soils. Besides traditional wet and dry methods of disinfection using chemicals and heat, emerging physical nonthermal decontamination techniques (irradiation, ultraviolet, pulsed light, high hydrostatic pressure, cold atmospheric plasma, and pulsed electric field), novel virucidal surfaces, and bioactive compounds are examined for their potential to inactivate viruses on the surfaces of foods or food contact surfaces (tools, equipment, hands, etc.). Every disinfection technique is discussed based on its efficiency against viruses, specific advantages and disadvantages, and limitations. Structure, genomic organization, and molecular biology of different virus strains are reviewed, as they are key in determining these techniques effectiveness in controlling all or specific foodborne viruses. Selecting suitable viral decontamination techniques requires that their antiviral mechanism of action and ability to reduce virus infectivity must be taken into consideration. Furthermore, details about critical treatments parameters essential to control foodborne viruses in a food production environment are discussed, as they are also determinative in defining best disinfection and hygiene practices preventing viral infection after consuming a food product.     

Enhancing the sweetening power of lactose by enzymatic modification in the reformulation of dairy products

Lactose solutions of up to 50% (w/v) were incubated with lactases and glucose isomerases for subsequent implementation in dairy product samples to enhance sweetness. A degree of hydrolysis of >90% and of isomerisation of 50% were attainable. The sensory sweetening power of lactose in solutions of up to 50% (w/v) can be enhanced 2–3 times. Based on sensory experiments, application of this bi‐enzymatic system in yoghurt and pudding samples allowed for a 10–20% (w/w) reduction in the total sugar content, whilst retaining equal sweetness. The growth of yoghurt starter cultures was not affected, yet furosine formation more than doubled in high heated, enzyme‐modified milk.     

Bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds in cooked pulses

The aim of this study was to evaluate the bioaccessibility of polyphenols and antioxidant activity in cooked pulses and to study the effect of cooking on their total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity. Cooked faba beans showed the highest TPC, followed by soybeans and lentils or peas. TPC ranged from 10.4 ± 0.2 to 52.9 ± 0.3 mg/100 g and was positively correlated with antioxidant activity. Cooking resulted in increased TPC and antioxidant activity of the methanolic extracts, caused by cell disruption and improved extraction of polyphenols. Although polyphenols were lost in the cooking water, boiled legumes had more polyphenols than those resulting cooking broths. In vitro gastrointestinal digestion resulted in increased TPC and antioxidant capacity of the extracts. Soybeans showed the highest amount of bioaccessible polyphenols. The release of phenolics from cooked legumes was mainly achieved during the intestinal phase. Literature data may underestimate the TPC and antioxidant capacity of pulses.     

Development and application starch films: PBAT with additives for evaluating the shelf life of Tommy Atkins mango in the fresh-cut state

In this study, formulations of cassava starch and poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) flexible films were developed, with glycerol, coconut nanocellulose, annatto, and citric acid in different concentrations, as well as the effectiveness of the selected materials in fresh-cut mangoes storage was evaluated. The tensile strength of the different formulations varied from 1.90 (E4) to 6.65 MPa (E3c), and the strain varied from 206.31 (E1c) to 278.41% (E8); this variation was dependent on the percentage of the polymer matrix incorporated. The a_w values of the formulations ranged from 0.396 (E2) to 0.569 (E3c). The Formulations E4 and E7 (with additives) presented good properties and were selected to condition mangoes. The micrographs of these films showed regions of micropores that can facilitate the diffusion of water from the packaged product to the surface, allowing decreases in moisture and a_w, which is associated with higher color maintenance during fruit storage. E7 presented better barrier properties than E4 (lower values of WVP and water solubility) which may have influenced in a positive way to maintain the stability of the package in the studied period. E7 can be considered as a viable alternative for minimally processed mango storage. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 48150.     

A trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) perfusion model approach to elucidate the role of blood removal for lipid oxidation and colour changes in ice-stored fish muscle

Whole body saline-perfused rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) was ice-stored for 4 weeks and compared with unwashed/washed minces from unbled and bled trout in terms of rancid odour, peroxide value (PV), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and redness loss. Muscle from saline-perfused fish, which had 72% less total haem, was deficient in rancid odour during the whole storage, while bled (54% less haem) and unbled samples developed rancid odour already after ~4 and 2 days; higher intensity without bleeding. PV/TBARS also developed in the order unbled > bled > perfused samples; however, PV/TBARS were not as completely prevented as rancid odour after perfusion. Saline washing (3 × 3 volumes) of unbled mince removed 84% haem and yielded the second most stable sample while saline washing (1 × 1 volumes) destabilised unbled mince, despite 64% haem removal. Concurrent antioxidant removal during washing of minces obviously counteracted the effect of blood removal and washing fish mince with small volumes of solution should be used with great care.     

New challenges in the field of spatial planning: landscapes

The European Landscape Convention (ELC) highlights the landscape as an holistic concept, which is important for individual and social well being and for quality of life. Landscape questions tend today to fall between the responsibilities of different sectors of society. The implications of the Convention for giving 'landscape' a higher status in spatial planning are discussed. Important challenges for planning that need to be focused from a landscape approach are discussed: the growing urbanization; the development and new roles of the urban fringe areas; new infrastructure landscapes; the mental landscapes of tomorrow; an holistic approach to landscape ecological planning and environmental policies and the need for co-ordination of European planning issues that concern landscapes. Planning for good landscape qualities is not a new issue; many landscape architects and landscape planners have worked in the spirit of the ELC for decades. The importance of educating landscape architects and planners with an holistic approach is particularly addressed. Efforts for a more integrated landscape education, such as the European network LE:NOTRE, already exist and contribute to the implementation of the ELC.     

Foraging for identity: the relationships between landscape activities and landscape identity after catastrophic landscape change

ABSTRACT

In this article, we deal with landscape activities in relation to changing landscape identity after a major wildfire in Sweden in 2014. The aim was to investigate the relationships between 22 landscape activities (before the fire) and 2 components (emotion and cognition) of landscape identity (before and after the fire). A total of 656 respondents living nearby the fire area participated in this study. Before the fire, a positive association was found between the activities of enjoying nature and foraging, and both components of landscape identity. This suggests that the more participants enjoyed nature and picked berries and mushrooms, the stronger their attachment to the landscape (emotion), and the more they remembered and reasoned about the landscape (cognition). Post fire, these relationships were found only between the two components of landscape identity and foraging. This implies a significant role of this type of activity for keeping ‘alive’ landscape identity.     

Total mercury,methylmercury and selenium in mercury polluted areas in the province Guizhou,China

The province of Guizhou in Southwestern China is currently one of the world's most important mercury production areas. Emissions of mercury from the province to the global atmosphere have been estimated to be approximately 12% of the world total anthropogenic emissions. The main objective of this study was to assess the level of contamination with Hg in two geographical areas of Guizhou province. Mercury pollution in the areas concerned originates from mercury mining and ore processing in the area of Wanshan, while in the area of Quingzhen mercury pollution originates from the chemical industry discharging Hg through wastewaters and emissions to the atmosphere due to coal burning for electricity production. The results of this study confirmed high contamination with Hg in soil, sediments and rice in the Hg mining area in Wanshan. High levels of Hg in soil and rice were also found in the vicinity of the chemical plant in Quingzhen. The concentrations of Hg decreased with distance from the main sources of pollution considerably. The general conclusion is that Hg contamination in Wanshan is geographically more widespread, due to deposition and scavenging of Hg from contaminated air and deposition on land. In Quingzhen Hg contamination of soil is very high close to the chemical plant but the levels reach background concentrations at a distance of several km. Even though the major source of Hg in both areas is inorganic Hg, it was observed that active transformation of inorganic Hg to organic Hg species (MeHg) takes place in water, sediments and soils. The concentration of Hg in rice grains can reach up to 569 microg/kg of total Hg of which 145 microg/kg was in MeHg form. The percentage of Hg as MeHg varied from 5 to 83%. The concentrations of selenium can reach up to 16 mg/kg in soil and up to 1 mg/g in rice. A correlation exists between the concentration of Se in soil and rice, indicating that a portion of Se is bioavailable to plants. No correlation between Hg and Se in rice was found. Exposure of the local population to Hg may occur due to inhalation of Hg present in air (in particular in Hg mining area) and consumption of Hg contaminated food (in particular rice and fish) and water. Comparison of intake through these different routes showed that the values of Hg considerably exceed the USA EPA Reference Concentration (RfC) for chronic Hg exposure (RfC is 0.0004 mg/m(3)) close to the emission sources. Intake of Hg through food consumption, particularly rice and fish, is also an important route of Hg exposure in study area. In general, it can be concluded that the population mostly at risk is located in the vicinity of smelting facilities, mining activities and close to the waste disposal sites in the wider area of Wanshan. In order to assess the real level of contamination in the local population, it is recommended that biomonitoring should be performed, including Hg and MeHg measurements in hair, blood and urine samples.