Application of HACCP (hazard analysis critical control point) to cow telemea cheese production

Nowadays, Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP) has become a prerequisite for transactions involving food products. Application of HACCP system in the cheese making industry proved to be beneficial and profitable, influencing consumer confidence by producing safe cheese with consistent quality. Cow TELEMEA is a ripened cheese which due to its composition (moisture, salt level) and properties is susceptible to contamination. The aim of this study was to detail the flow diagram, to assess physical, chemical and biological hazards and to identify critical control points for cow TELEMEA cheese on processing line. The results have revealed that physical, chemical and biological hazards may occur during processing and four critical control points were found: raw milk reception, raw milk storage, milk pasteurization and cold storage of cheese

Fish meat – a potential danger for consumers`health

Fish is an excellent source of Omega 3 protein and fatty acids, which have the property of reducing cholesterol, maintaining a healthy heart, and even helping to prevent depression. Also, meat fish is a lean meat with low calorie but delicious assortment of meat, and is recommended in the consumer's diet . The fish content vitamins (A, D, E, B12), minerals (phosphorus, iodine, potassium) and healthy fats that can not be synthesized in the human body and must be fed through food. How healthy the fish meat is, the more dangerous it can be in terms of its safety for the consumer, and more precisely the presence of parasitic hazards. The main objectives of this paper are to describe the parasitic hazards of fish meat to indicate the proper preparation of fish meat and to increase consumer awareness of the risks associated with the consumption of this type of meat, threats of parasitic nature. Avoiding the consumption of untreated or poorly treated fish meat is one of the preventive measures that need to be taken to avoid fish parasites

Traceability - an important step in food safety

Traceability is a topical issue used in the food processing industry, ensuring the economic operator the safety of purchasing raw materials from the external and internal market for their transformation into safe food products that reach the consumer's table. Traceability also emphasizes customer brand protection requirements. Traceability and withdrawal procedures are currently the most important in every segment of the food industry, as it must be ensured that their traceability efforts are at the highest standard to protect the brand image on the market. These growing requirements are pushing food processors to maintain traceability upstream and downstream in the supply chain. Given the expansion of the global market and the speed with which goods move around the world, it is understandable that the authorities are increasingly concerned with developing rules on traceability. There are priority approaches in the field of food, which have the greatest impact on consumers, given the frequency of consumption and the imperative nature of the need for food. , respectively: European Food Safety Authority - EFSA (Europe) and the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority - ANSVSA (Romania) [12,13]

The importance of implementing a HACCP plan in food service operations and restaurants

The European Union has shown that the post-industrial market economy has led to the production of food products above the level of consumer needs in the member states. This development has generated new types of issues, due to the production of food at industrial scale. In order to cope with food and nutrition illnesses and to restore consumer confidence in food safety, the European Commission has launched a series of new legislative amendments on food safety (Marin V. et al, 2007). The Good Hygiene Practices Guide in restaurants establishes, according to the legislation in force, a set of rules referring to the part of food hygiene, which must be followed and applied in restaurants. Potential risks of contamination of food and/or beverages are identified in these plans and a series of measures are developed to prevent these risks. The plan also includes the hygiene rules that must be observed by the employees and the kitchen staff. Operators operating in the field of food must guarantee for its products, comply with the legislative requirements and permanently implement these requirements, in order to release for consumption safe products for the final consumer. The purpose of this paper is to keep in mind the scope of this study focusing on the storage, handling, processing and distribution of all products, including the cooked product to be consumed. Thus, all biological, chemical or physical hazards that may occur during the cooking process of the product are taken into account. The HACCP team will ensure that all foodstuffs used in the preparation of cooked products comply with food safety legislation

Adapting the treatment of ovarian cysts according to their type in dairy cattle

Ovarian cysts, estimated as the most frequent ovarian disorder in dairy cattle, can impact the economic aspect and trigger serious loss by affecting the reproductive performance. However, treatment strategies for ovarian cysts in dairy cattle are disputed, as some researchers favour the use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) for all cysts, whereas others recommend this treatment only for follicular cysts, with prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) for luteal cysts, but not all of the dairy cattle responded to these regimes. Other studies mention a spontaneous recovery for some of the dairy cattle that present this disorder. However, the Ovsynch protocol appears to be the most used for treating ovarian follicular cysts, despite low pregnancy rates. Thus, this study’s main purpose is to assess by analogy the reproductive efficiency of multiparous dairy cattle with follicular cysts after treatment with a recommended dose of GnRH or a further Ovsynch protocol, and of cattle with luteal cysts after PGF2α or a further 12-day Presynch protocol, by comparing the reproductive responses between treated and non-treated cattle. It is remarkable that ten of the dairy cattle diagnosed with ovarian cysts recovered spontaneously without any hormonal intervention, but the reproductive performance indicates that treatment should be started as soon as the condition is diagnosed. Compared with other studies, our approach improved the conception (82.4% and 64.3%, respectively) and pregnancy rates (53.8% and 50%, respectively) in both follicular and luteal cysts

Economics of Rebreeding Nonpregnant Dairy Cows Diagnosed by Transrectal Ultrasonography on Day 25 after Artificial Insemination

Pregnancy rates of Holstein cows showed a substantial decline in the past years, which caused intensive TAI programs for nonpregnant cows to shorten the period between unsuccessful insemination and the next attempt on the same cow. Although many studies examined the improvement in pregnancy rates following TAI, only a few examined the economic impact of such programs. In this study, we look at the feasibility of reproductive programs that included early pregnancy diagnosis performed by transrectal ultrasonography 25 days after artificial insemination (AI) and TAI of nonpregnant cows. This resulted in the following two TAI programs: a modified OvSynch program with a second PGF2α treatment at 24 h interval (GPPG, n = 100) and a modified OvSynch program with an intravaginal progesterone-release device inserted between days 0–7 (PRID + GPPG, n = 100). Cows included in the TAI programs recorded an improvement in the cumulative pregnancy rate (67% vs. 53%; 69% vs. 53%) compared to those in which this strategy was not applied (p < 0.05). An economic analysis was performed using a decision-support tool to estimate the net present value (NPV; USD/cow/year). The analysis revealed a difference in NPV of 89.6 USD/cow/year between the programs (rebreeding the nonpregnant cows following the TAI program vs. AI at detected estrus). In summary, rebreeding the nonpregnant cows after early negative pregnancy diagnosis (25 days after AI) using this strategy can improve the cumulative pregnancy rate and profitability of dairy farms

Determination of Starch Changes During Growth and Development of Three Plum Varieties

The aim of this study is the evaluation of changes which occurred in starch content during the growth and the development of three varieties of plums Stanley, Vânăt de Italia, Tuleu Gras. Depending on variety, the maximum amount of starch was reached in phases 3 and 4; the values have declined as the fruit was approaching the maturity stage. The amount of starch during plum fruit growth and development is influenced by the harvesting phase, variety and the interaction between variety and harvest stage. </p