A Systematic Review of Risk Assessment Associated with Jellyfish Consumption as a Potential Novel Food

FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) predicted that the world’s population will reach over 9 billion in 2050. This condition will require an increase of the global food production by 60%. Technology and scientific research in the near future will soon be oriented towards optimizing the limited existing resources, reducing waste, and improving the consumption of sustainable new foods. Jellyfish could be a valid alternative among novel food. The purpose of this systematic review was to assess microbiological, chemical, physical, and allergenic risks associated with jellyfish consumption. Four research strings have been used to assess evidences about these risks. PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis) guidelines were applied. Finally, 14 articles were found. Results showed a good level of health safety for jellyfish consumption in terms of its allergenic and microbiological risks. No evidence was found about physical risks. As regards chemical safety, it should be fundamental to carry out a constant monitoring of the water where jellyfish are captured or bred. Periodic checks will be necessary on the finished product, such as the analysis of the aluminum content commonly used during the manufacturing process. The number of publications found was rather small, and further investigation will be necessary to enforce the knowledge on jellyfish consumption by humans

Seaweeds as a “Palatable” Challenge between Innovation and Sustainability: A Systematic Review of Food Safety

Moderate or severe food insecurity affect 2 billion people worldwide. The four pillars of food security (availability, access, use and stability) are in danger due to the impact of climatic and anthropogenic factors which impact on the food system. Novel foods, like seaweeds, have the potential to increase food yields so that to contribute in preventing or avoiding future global food shortages. The purpose of this systematic review was to assess microbiological, chemical, physical, and allergenic risks associated with seaweed consumption. Four research strings have been used to search for these risks. Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were applied. Finally, 39 articles met the selected criteria. No significant hazards for microbiological, allergenic, and physical risks were detected. Regarding chemical risk, algae can accumulate various heavy metals, especially when harvested in polluted sites. Cultivating seaweeds in a controlled environment allows to avoid this risk. Periodic checks will be necessary on the finished products to monitor heavy metals levels. Since the consumption of algae seems to be on the rise everywhere, it seems to be urgent that food control authorities establish the safety levels to which eating algae does not represent any risk for human health

Paediatric activities and adherence to vaccinations during the COVID-19 epidemic period in Tuscany, Italy: a survey for paediatricians

Introduction: The COVID-19 global pandemic is having a widespread impact on medical care. A general reduction, in routine vaccination activities, could occur. In Tuscany (Central Italy), paediatricians (in agreement with the regional health service) administer and register paediatric vaccinations of their assisted population. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on paediatric vaccination activities performed by Tuscan paediatricians, as a proxy of the adherence to vaccinations during this epidemic period. Methods: Four hundred members belonging to the Tuscany section of the Italian Federation of Paediatricians (FIMP) were invited to answer to a semi-structured online survey. Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, among 223 respondent paediatricians, almost all (98.2%) reported a general decline in outpatient paediatric visits; 65.8% of them reported more than 60% reduction (144 answers) compared to the situation before the COVID-19 pandemic. Among all paediatricians, 93.3% (208) guaranteed vaccination activities in the considered period: 66/208 paediatricians (31.7%) reported a reduction in the compliance of parents to mandatory vaccination (hexavalent and MMRV vaccines), and 88/208 paediatricians (42.3%) to non-mandatory vaccinations. Almost all paediatricians declared to have taken preventive actions to counter the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Discussion and conclusions: Although the majority of Tuscan paediatricians guaranteed vaccination practice during the lockdown, some parents decided to postpone the scheduled vaccinations for their children, mainly due to fears concerning the safety of access to health services. When Italian immunization coverage data of the first months of 2020 will be available, it will be possible to definitely assess the real impact of COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric vaccination. It is crucial to continue vaccinating against preventable infectious diseases in order to avoid other possible epidemics.  The pandemic must not be seen as an obstacle to compliance to the vaccination schedule, but rather an excellent opportunity to underline the importance of all recommended vaccinations