Navigating public health chemicals policy in Australia: a policy maker’s and practitioner’s guide

Chemicals are ubiquitous in everyday life. Environmental health practitioners rely on a complex web of regulators and policy bodies to ensure the protection of public health, yet few understand the full extent of this web. A lack of understanding can hamper public health response and impede policy development. In this paper we map the public health chemicals policy landscape in Australia and conclude that an understanding of this system is essential for effective environmental health responses and policy development.   NSW Public Health Bulletin 23(12) 217-227 http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/NB1211

Caffeine consumption habits, motivations, and experiences of New Zealand tertiary students : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

Background: Caffeine-related health incidents in New Zealand have escalated over the last two decades. Research suggests that in order to reduce the risk of substance-related harm, it is important to understand the consumers’ motivations for its use, especially in tertiary students who are presumed to be at a higher risk due to seeking out caffeine’s well-known cognitive benefits. The public health consequences of caffeine consumption can only be determined once data is available on the amount of caffeine currently being consumed by New Zealanders, and New Zealand-based studies that have examined caffeine consumption are limited. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the caffeine consumption habits of tertiary students in New Zealand; their motivations for use, and experiences across a broad range of caffeine products. Method: A previously designed caffeine consumption habits questionnaire (CaffCo) was administered to 317 tertiary students via the online survey software, Qualtrics. Results: Of the total dataset, 99.1% (n= 314), consumed at least one source of caffeine in their diet. The caffeine sources with the highest prevalence of use were chocolate (81.7% of participants), coffee (76.3%) and tea (71.6%). Motivations for consumption appear to differ between various caffeine sources. In caffeine consumers, the median estimated daily caffeine consumption was 146.73 mg·day-1 (n= 314), or 2.25 mg · kgbw-1· day-1 (n= 281), with coffee contributing 61.4% to the total daily caffeine consumption. An estimated 14.3% (n= 45) of caffeine consumers exceeded a suggested ‘safe limit’ of 400 mg · day-1, where cigarette smoking was the only participant demographic/characteristic which increased the likelihood of exceeding this level. Caffeine was co-ingested with alcohol by 38.5% (n= 122) of the participants, and those with paid employment or those who smoked cigarettes were more likely to do so. The majority of caffeine consumers (84.7%, n= 265) reported experiencing at least one adverse symptom post caffeine consumption, 64.2% reported being dependent on at least one caffeine source, and 47.3% (n= 152) of total participants reported experiencing at least one withdrawal symptom in the past. Conclusions: These findings provide critical information for implementing caffeinerelated risk-reduction strategies for New Zealand tertiary students

Development of gluten-free wrap bread : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Food Technology, Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

Gluten, the storage protein in wheat, barley and rye is associated with coeliac disease, wheat allergy and non-coeliac gluten sensitivity. The clinical symptoms include diarrhoea, anaemia, nausea, mouth sore and psychological symptoms and in some cases a gluten free diet may reduce the severity of irritable bowel disease (IBD). Gluten-related disorders can be prevented by the omission of gluten from the diet. Currently, there is an increasing demand for gluten-free foods due to consumer awareness of gluten-related disorders as well as people seeking to reduce possible dietary risks. New Zealand’s market for gluten-free foods is presently estimated at nearly four million US dollars. The development and production of gluten-free bread presents major technological challenges due to the role of gluten in developing the characteristic structure of both the raw dough and subsequent loaf texture. The main ingredients of bread are water and cereal flours which provide the primary structure to the baked product. Wheat grain is a traditional and common cereal that is milled into bread flour. When wheat flour is hydrated with water, gluten, the protein component hydrates to become a continuous cohesive viscoelastic network entrapping starch granules. This highly elastic network retains CO2 gas produced by yeast and sugar during leavening, thus forming the foam structure of bread. Gluten replacements that mimic the viscoelastic properties of gluten have been widely investigated for gluten free baked products including flatbread. Flatbread is popular for use in ready-to-eat convenient foods due to its large crust to crumb ratio. Wrap bread is a typical flatbread that can be rolled to hold various fillings. The manufacture of gluten-free wrap breads mainly suffers from poor rollability which is an essential property of the product. Thus, the present study investigated the development of gluten-free wrap bread (GFW) using xanthan gum, guar gum, carboxmethyl cellulose (CMC) as possible replacers for gluten, coconut oil was also added to improve flexibility of the bread. The formulations were investigated and optimised in four integrated phases. In phase 1, guar and xanthan gums were studied as possible gluten replacers during the development of GFWs. GFW samples (n = 16) made from four formulations under four baking conditions (200°C/2 min, 200°C/4 min, 220°C/2 min, 220°C/4 min) were analysed for baking weight loss and rollability. Baking weight loss was determined as moisture loss during baking, while rollability was measured as the ability of the freshly cooked bread to conform to shape (1-5 scale) as it was rolled around a 3-cm diameter wooden dowel (rod). A mixture of guar and xanthan gums (1:1) produced GFWs with better rollability and less baking weight loss than either gum alone. GFW samples baked at the higher temperature for the longer time generally had higher rollability. The highest average rollability score (3) obtained for this phase was considered low for wrap breads developed in phase 2. In phase 2, GFWs (n = 20) made from five formulations containing both xanthan and guar gums (1:1), CMC, and coconut oil were baked at 230°C for 2 or 4 min or at 240°C for 2 or 4 min. Freshly baked GFWs were analysed for baking weight loss, water activity, and colour. Rollability using 1 1-cm diameter dowel and visible mould growth of the GFWs were determined during storage for 28 days (4°C). Products produced in phase 2 had no visible mould growth during storage for 3 weeks (4°C). The inclusion of xanthan-guar gum, CMC and coconut oil into GFWs baked at 240°C/2 min may have contributed to high rollability and low baking weight loss. The effect of each test ingredient (xanthan-guar, CMC, and coconut oil) on the properties of GFWs was the subject of phase 3. In phase 3, a basic formulation made with three levels (9 formulations) each of coconut oil, CMC and xanthan-gum gum were optimized using the Taguchi method to test the effect of each ingredient in the basic formulation. GFWs made using the 9 formulations were analysed by physical and sensory tests over three weeks storage at 4°C during which mould growth was assessed visually. Products in phase 3 had no visible mould growth during storage for three weeks (4°C). GFWs with high level of coconut oil (12%) were characterised by high baking weight loss, high whiteness index and a shorter firmer texture (high rupture force and low rupture distance). CMC (0.3%) and xanthan-guar gum (1%) may have contributed to low water activity, high rollability, high rupture distance and high rupture force during storage. Results indicated that 0.3% CMC and 1% xanthan-guar gum were the optimum levels for these ingredients. As the optimized levels of coconut oil could not be confirmed in this phase, three promising formulations with different levels of coconut oil (8, 10, 12%) were evaluated in phase 4. In phase 4, three products were produced using 3 optimised formulations from phase 3 and were analysed by physical tests and sensory evaluation during storage for two weeks (4°C). The 3 optimised formulations selected from phase 3 were: (1) base formulation plus 8% coconut oil, 0.3% CMC and 1% xanthan-guar gum; (2) base formulation plus 10% coconut oil, 0.3% CMC and 1% xanthan-guar gum; (3) base formulation plus 12% coconut oil, 0.3% CMC and 1% xanthan-guar gum. Among the three formulations, samples containing 12% coconut oil, 0.3% CMC and 1% xanthan-guar gum had the highest consumer sensory acceptability and were characterised by high rollability, and a more flexible texture (moderate rupture force and greater rupture distance) and low baking weight loss

Development of a matching file of Australian food composition databases (AUSNUT 2007 to 2011-13)

Changes to the food supply and analytical methods necessitate updating food composition databases over time. In Australia, survey-specific databases include AUSNUT 1999, 2007, and 2011-13. There is no standardized method to match AUSNUT 2007 foods to 2011-13 counterparts. This study aimed to develop an AUSNUT 2007 to 2011-13 matching file, and demonstrate its use in the clinical trial context. Food items aligned with AUSNUT 2007 were back-matched to 1999 and then forward to 2011-13 using food identification codes and existing matching files. Any unmatched AUSNUT 2007 foods were manually matched to appropriate 2011-13 foods based on conceptual and nutritional similarities. The file was then applied to clinical trial data originally collected using AUSNUT 2007. Of the n = 3874 products in AUSNUT 2007, n = 1270 were initially matched to 2011-13 equivalents using existing matching files. Of these foods, n = 1070 were deemed to have an acceptable one-to-one match. A total of n = 2804 AUSNUT 2007 foods required manual matching. Application to clinical trial data found small differences in nutrient intake between original and converted data. The AUSNUT 2007 to 2011-13 matching file will facilitate conversion of dietary data originally collected using AUSNUT 2007 into 2011-13 foods and groups, and to allow re-coding of intake data

Black tea water kefir beverage : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Food Technology, Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

Fermented foods and beverages play an important role in the human diet as they provide essential nutrients as well as contribute towards prevention of diseases. Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts are a major group of microorganisms associated with fermented products. Some of the microorganisms, known as probiotics, confer health properties to human health. Thus, many different types of fermented foods and beverages containing probiotics are produced around the world to support wellness and health. In recent years, there has been increased interest in the development of fermented functional plant-based foods and beverages due to a surge in scientific research of the products. Further, there is evidence that probiotic microorganisms can grow well in plant-based substrates. Water kefir is a sparkling fermented beverage with an acidic, sweet, slightly alcoholic taste, and a yeasty flavour. Water kefir fermentation can be achieved by the inoculation of water kefir grains as a starter culture into a solution containing sugar. Kefir grains consist of a symbiotic starter culture of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts contained in a polysaccharide matrix. Microorganisms present in kefir grains are recognized as probiotics. The majority of previous studies have focused on the isolation and identification of water kefir cultures responsible for fermentation. There is, therefore, scanty information on the fermentation of plant-based water kefir beverages. The main objective of this study was to develop fermented black tea beverage using water kefir grains as a starter culture. Fermentation of black tea infusions as single and mixed substrate with carrot juice using water kefir grains were investigated. Microflora of water kefir grains used consisted of symbiotic starter culture of lactic acid bacteria (Lactococcus spp. and Lactobacillus spp.) and a yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). The study was conducted in three main phases. The first phase investigated the effect of sucrose concentration (5% and 10%) and fermentation temperature (25°C and 30°C) in black tea water kefir fermentation for 72 h. Meanwhile, the effect of added carrot juice (5%, 10%, and 15%) on kefir beverage during secondary fermentation (24 h) at 25°C was investigated in the second phase. The stability of the final black tea water kefir beverage formulation during storage (4°C) for four weeks was investigated in phase three. Samples of black tea water kefir beverages were subjected to various analyses during fermentation and storage (4°C) for 4 weeks: titratable acidity, total soluble solids (°Brix), colour, viable cell counts of constituent starter culture, sensory evaluation, sugars, organic acids, antioxidants, and pH was also measured. Results showed that fermentation temperature, sugar concentration, and carrot juice concentration contributed to the physico-chemical and microbiological characteristic as well as sensory properties of the product. In phases one and two, pH and total soluble solids (°Brix) decreased, while titratable acidity and cell counts of LAB and yeasts increased during fermentation of the products. LAB and yeasts were able to grow in black tea and addition of carrot juice into the beverages slightly increased their growth. The best fermentation conditions based on physico-chemical and sensory properties were kefir beverage containing sugar (10%) and carrot juice (10%) fermented at 25°C for 96 h. In phase three, the growth and survival of Lactococcus spp. and Lactobacillus spp. were low during storage of the product (4°C) while Saccharomyces cerevisiae maintained high cell numbers (7.03±0.07 log cfu/ml) at the end of storage (28 days). Results showed the possibility to produce low sugar water kefir beverage containing 0.08±0.01% (w/v) sucrose, 1.55±0.04% (w/v) glucose, and 2.93±0.20% (w/v) fructose. The fermented kefir beverage also contained 0.202±0.02% (w/v) lactic acid, 0.114±0.03% (w/v) acetic acid and some antioxidants (gallic acid, ECG, EGC, EGCG, theobromine and caffeine) which may be beneficial to human health. There was significant difference (p<0.05) in the colour (L*, a*, b*) of the fermented beverages during storage (4°C). Black tea water kefir beverage containing 10% sugar and 10% carrot juice fermented at 25°C for 96 h was well-liked by consumer sensory panellists

Effects of monosodium-L-glutamate administration on serum levels of reproductive hormones and cholesterol, epididymal sperm reserves and testicular histomorphology of male albino rats

This study investigated the effects of administration of monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) on serum gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), luteinising hormone (LH), testosterone and total cholesterol (TC), cauda epididymal sperm reserves (CESR) and testicular histomorphology of adult male albino rats. Eighty-four rats, randomly assigned to 7 groups of 12 rats each, were used for the study. Varying low doses (0.25, 0.50 or 1.00 g/kg body weight) of MSG were administered orally or subcutaneously at 48-h intervals for six weeks. Serum GnRH, LH, testosterone and TC, and CESR were evaluated on days 14, 28 and 42 of MSG administration. Testicular histomorphology was evaluated on day 42. The results showed that the mean serum GnRH, LH and testosterone levels, and the CESR of all the treated groups were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those of the untreated control on days 14, 28 and 42 of MSG administration. The mean serum TC levels of all the treated groups were also significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those of the control group on days 14 and 28. No lesions were observed on sections of the testes. It was concluded that MSG administration for 14, 28 and 42 days led to significantly lower serum levels of GnRH, LH, testosterone and TC, and significantly lower CESR

‘May Contain’ Allergen Statements: Facilitating or Frustrating Consumers?

As a result of mandatory labelling legislation, major food allergens that commonly cause allergic reactions are declared on packaging. The usage of precautionary allergen labelling (PAL) on packaging is not regulated in all countries and the food industry uses various forms of ‘may contain’ labelling which firstly is often inconsistent and secondly over time may diminish the value of such advisory statements. Hence the aim of this paper is to review the current industry usage of PAL and to provide recommendations on future use that are of value to academic, policy makers, food industry and consumers. A case study example is used to illustrate the likely costs and benefits of improving the current PAL status by considering a ‘peanut-free’ product and calculation using the Voluntary Incidental Trace Allergen Labelling (VITAL) calculator. Governance such as addressing the inconsistent usage of PALs, promoting the harmonisation of language used in PALs, and improving PAL status to quantified PAL statements would be helpful to communicate risks to consumers so they can make informed choices when purchasing food products

Human campylobacteriosis related to cross-contamination during handling of raw chicken meat: Application of quantitative risk assessment to guide intervention scenarios analysis in the Australian context

Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment (QMRA) is a methodology used to organize and analyze scientific information to both estimate the probability and severity of an adverse event as well as prioritize efforts to reduce the risk of foodborne pathogens. No QMRA efforts have been applied to Campylobacter in the Australian chicken meat sector. Hence, we present a QMRA model of human campylobacteriosis related to the occurrence of cross-contamination while handling raw chicken meat in Western Australia (WA). This work fills a gap in Campylobacter risk characterization in Australia and enables benchmarking against risk assessments undertaken in other countries. The model predicted the average probability of the occurrence of illness per serving of salad that became cross-contaminated from being handled following the handling of fresh chicken meat as 7.0 × 10−4 (90% Confidence Interval [CI] ± 4.7 × 10−5). The risk assessment model was utilized to estimate the likely impact of intervention scenarios on the predicted probability of illness (campylobacteriosis) per serving. Predicted relative risk reductions following changes in the retail prevalence of Campylobacter were proportional to the percentage desired in the reduction scenario; a target that is aiming to reduce the current baseline prevalence of Campylobacter in retail chicken by 30% is predicted to yield approximately 30% relative risk reduction. A simulated one-log reduction in the mean concentration of Campylobacter is anticipated to generate approximately 20% relative risk reductions. Relative risk reduction induced by a one-log decrease in the mean was equally achieved when the tail of the input distribution was affected—that is, by a change (one-log reduction) in the standard deviation of the baseline Campylobacter concentration. A scenario assuming a 5% point decrease in baseline probability of cross-contamination at the consumer phase would yield relative risk reductions of 14%, which is as effective as the impact of a strategic target of 10% reduction in the retail prevalence of Campylobacter. In conclusion, the present model simulates the probability of illness predicted for an average individual who consumes salad that has been cross-contaminated with Campylobacter from retail chicken meat in WA. Despite some uncertainties, this is the first attempt to utilize the QMRA approach as a scientific basis to guide risk managers toward implementing strategies to reduce the risk of human campylobacteriosis in an Australian context

Comprehensive overview of the analytical methods for determining pyrrolizidine alkaloids and their derived oxides in foods

Producción CientíficaPyrrolizidine alkaloids and their derived oxides are toxins naturally produced by plants when they are exposed to stress factors. In particular, the unsaturated pyrrolizidine alkaloids exhibiting a double bond between the 1,2-positions have caused great interest in recent years since they have pneumotoxic, genotoxic and carcinogenic effects upon ingestion. In this review, focus on their chemical structure justifying their toxicity is provided as well as insight on the recently adopted EU regulatory framework. In addition, to reveal current trends and highlight the research effort in the field, an all-time bibliometric analysis was performed for the first time. It was found that tea, infusions, honey, spices, and cereals are the most common foodstuffs in which pyrrolizidine alkaloids have been detected. In terms of pre-analytical steps, the application of efficient sample preparation is necessary to detect pyrrolizidine alkaloids in complex food matrices. Solvent extraction followed by a clean-up stage, e.g., solid-phase extraction was the most applied option. Focusing on the analytical methods, liquid chromatography combined with various mass spectrometry detectors has been the golden standard in the field. Gas chromatography methods were also applied, but the need for analyte derivatisation has hindered their application. All in all, this review provides an overview on the analysis of pyrrolizidine alkaloids and their derived oxides, comprehensively discussing the up-to-date advances and highlighting the analytical challenges to be faced.METROFOOD-CZ research infrastructure project (MEYS Grant No: LM2018100

Development of a questionnaire-based insecticide exposure assessment method and comparison with urinary insecticide biomarkers in young Australian children

Environmental and behavioural factors assessed via an online questionnaire were compared to insecticide metabolite concentrations in urine collected from 61 children from South East Queensland, Australia. Metabolite concentrations (μg/L urine) were transformed using the natural logarithm prior to regression analysis and adjusted for age and creatinine. A significant dietary association was reported for vegetable intake and 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) (β: 1.47 for top quartile of intake versus bottom quartile of intake 95% CI: 0.36, 2.57). Intake of vegetables and fruit were also positively associated with sum non-specific organophosphate metabolites (ƩnsOP). ƩnsOP concentrations were lower when fruits and vegetables were always or almost always washed prior to cooking or eating (β: -0.69 95% CI: -1.25, -0.12). In multivariable modelling 3-PBA concentrations were also associated with hand-washing frequency (β: 1.69 95% CI: 0.76, 2.61 for  3 day), presence of a dog in the home (β: 0.73 95% CI: 0.07, 1.38), frequency of pest-spray use in the summer months (β: 0.88 95% CI: 0.22, 1.54 weekly versus less than weekly) and season (β: 0.88 95% CI: 0.32, 1.44 for spring/summer versus winter/autumn). This is the first study in Australia to report dietary, behavioural and environmental factors associated with biomarkers of insecticide exposure in young children