Meat matters: tackling food loss and waste in the meat sector

Food wastage occurs throughout the entire food chain, starting from agricultural production and continuing through post‑harvest handling, storage, production, distribution, consumption and disposal. Food wastage not only affects food security but also has detrimental consequences for the global economy and the environment. Food loss and waste occur throughout the meat supply chain. According to literature data, 23% of meat production is lost and wasted across all stages of the food chain, with the highest share attributed to the consumption phase. Improved farming practices, animal health management, efficient transport systems, proper storage and handling at processing and retail levels, and consumer education on responsible consumption can all contribute to reducing food loss and waste in the meat sector

Control of Listeria monocytogenes in food production plants

L. monocytogenes has been established in different plants for the production of food, including dairy plants, abattoirs, plants for the processing of fish, as well as those for the production of ready-to-eat (RTE) food and this fact is being considered as the primary mechanism of food contamination with this bacteria. There is also the factor of numerous and diverse contaminated production equipment, because it has certain parts that are inaccessible for the necessary cleaning and disinfection. The temperature, position, as well as the material of the work surface are also linked to the contamination of plants with this bacteria. Investigations carried out so far have helped toward the better understanding of the manner and time of contamination of food items in the course of the production process, but there are still unresolved problems, including most certainly the biggest one - the adherence of bacteria and the creation of a biofilm, when the bacteria is in that condition more resistant to so-called stress factors which are usually used in the food industry for the purpose of decontamination of the surfaces with which foods come into contact. The control of L. monocytogenes in food production plants is possible primarily by using an integrated programme, compatible with the systems Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) and Good Hygiene Practice (GHP), necessary in the production of food that is safe for the consumer. Essentially, the control measures that can contribute to reducing the incidence of findings of L.monocytogenes in the finished product, as well as the reducing of the level of contamination with this bacteria are linked, on the one hand, with hygiene procedures in the production process, and, on the other, with the applied technological procedures

Kvantitativno i kvalitativno određivanje enrofloksacina u tkivima riba

Presence of enrofloxacin residues in fish liver, kidney and muscle tissue was investigated after per os application of the drug. For the purpose of determination of enrofloxacin, the following analytical methods were used: microbiological method - plate pH 8 with Escherichia coli ATCC 11303 and HPLC method with fluorescence detection. After a 5-day oral treatment of carps, enrofloxacin residues in tissues were determined up to the 10th day after the end of the drug application. Enrofloxacin content determined by the HPLC method was lower than MRL; drug residues were determined in liver on the 6th day after treatment, in kidney on the 7th day and in muscle on the 9th day after treatment. The results of enrofloxacin residues determination by screening method on the medium with E. Coli ATCC 11303, pH 8 show that this procedure can be used for qualitative determination of enrofloxacin. The screening method allows determination of enrofloxacin in fish tissues below the MRL. Cyprofloxacin was not detected in fish liver, kidney and muscle tissue.Prisustvo rezidua enrofloksacina u jetri, bubregu i mesu riba ispitano je posle njegovog peroralnog aplikovanja. Za ispitivanje rezidua su korišćene: mikrobiološ ka metoda - ploča pH 8 sa Escherichia coli ATTC 11303 i HPLC metoda sa flurescentnom detekcijom. Posle petodnevne oralne terapije šarana rezidue enrofloksacina u tkivima riba su dokazane i devetog dana po prestanku terapije. Sadržaj enrofloksacina dokazan HPLC postupkom, niži od MRL vrednosti, u jetri je dokazan šestog dana po prestanku terapije, u bubregu sedmog dana a u mišićnom tkivu devetog dana po prestanku terapije. Rezultati utvrđivanja rezidua enrofloksacina skrining postupkom na podlozi pH 8 E.coli ATCC 11303 pokazuju da se ovaj postupak može koristiti za kvantitativno dokazivanje enrofloksacina. Skrining postupkom u tkivima riba mogu da se dokažu količine enrofloksacina ispod MRL vrednosti. Ciprofloksacin nije utvrđen u jetri, bubrezima i mesu riba

Činioci od značaja za održivost ribe i odabranih proizvoda od ribe u prometu

Fish is one of most nutritive valuable food of animal origin in human nutrition. World fish landing reached its own maximum at the end of the past century. However, increasing market needs for food products are compensated with fish production in aquacultures. Over 50% of fish market is covered with fresh fish, less than one quarter is frozen fish and approximately 11% of market is covered with canned and smoked fish. Fish is very perishable food, so modalities of trading with fish and fish products and aspects of shelf life are things of major importance in fishing industry.Riba je jedna od najvrednijih namirnica životinjskog porekla u ishrani ljudi. Ulov ribe u svetu je dostigao svoj maksimum krajem prošlog veka. Međutim, tržište se rastućim potrebama za ribom podmiruje proizvodnjom ribe u akvakulturi. U prometu se više od 50 posto ribe nalazi kao sveža riba, manje od jedne četvrtine kao zamrznuta riba a približno ista količina ribe (oko 11 posto) u prometu se nalazi kao konzerva od ribe i kao dimljena riba. Kako je riba lako kvarljiva namirnica načinu njenog stavljanja u promet i činiocima od značaja za njenu održivost u prometu posvećuje se posebna pažnja.

De Novo Transcriptome Sequencing of Ramonda serbica : Identification of Late Embryogenesis Abundant Proteins

An extreme loss of cellular water or desiccation (5-10% of relative water content) leads to protein denaturation, aggregation and degradation, and affects the fluidity of membrane lipids resulting in loss of membrane integrity [1]. The essential constituents of vegetative desiccation tolerance in so-called resurrection plants are late embryogenesis abundant proteins (LEAPs). This heterogeneous group of anhydrobiosis-related intrinsically disordered proteins forms mostly random conformation when fully hydrated, turning into compact α-helices during desiccation [2]. Based on in vitro studies, LEAPs can be involved in water binding, ion sequestration, stabilization of both membrane and enzymes during freezing or drying, while by forming intracellular proteinaceous condensates they increase structural integrity and intracellular viscosity of cells during desiccation. Here, we identify 164 members of LEA gene family in endemic and relict resurrection species Ramonda serbica by integrating previously done de novo transcriptome and homologues protein motifs. Identified LEAPs were classification into six groups according to Protein family (PFAM) database and the most populated group was LEA4 containing 47% of total identified LEAPs. By using four secondary structure predictors, we showed that this group exhibited a high propensity to form amphipathic α-helices (81% of total sequence length is predicted to form α-helical structure). This implies that charged residues might be exposed to the solvent, while hydrophobic amino acids might interact with lipid bilayers or with other target proteins in the cell. In addition, as predicted by several bioinformatic tools, more than 70% of identified LEAPs were found to be highly disordered (~64%). Structural characterization of LEAPs is a key to understand their function and regulation of their intrinsic structural disorder-to-order transition during desiccation. These findings will promote transformative advancements in various fields, such as the development of new strategies in neurodegenerative disorders, cell preservation technology and the improvement of crop drought tolerance.Book of Abstracts; Belgrade BioInformatics Conference 2021, 21-25 June 2021, Vinča, Serbi

De Novo Transcriptome Sequencing of Ramonda serbica: Identification of Late Embryogenesis Abundant Proteins

An extreme loss of cellular water or desiccation (5-10% of relative water content) leads to protein denaturation, aggregation and degradation, and affects the fluidity of membrane lipids resulting in loss of membrane integrity [1]. The essential constituents of vegetative desiccation tolerance in so-called resurrection plants are late embryogenesis abundant proteins (LEAPs). This heterogeneous group of anhydrobiosis-related intrinsically disordered proteins forms mostly random conformation when fully hydrated, turning into compact α-helices during desiccation [2]. Based on in vitro studies, LEAPs can be involved in water binding, ion sequestration, stabilization of both membrane and enzymes during freezing or drying, while by forming intracellular proteinaceous condensates they increase structural integrity and intracellular viscosity of cells during desiccation. Here, we identify 164 members of LEA gene family in endemic and relict resurrection species Ramonda serbica by integrating previously done de novo transcriptome and homologues protein motifs. Identified LEAPs were classification into six groups according to Protein family (PFAM) database and the most populated group was LEA4 containing 47% of total identified LEAPs. By using four secondary structure predictors, we showed that this group exhibited a high propensity to form amphipathic α-helices (81% of total sequence length is predicted to form α-helical structure). This implies that charged residues might be exposed to the solvent, while hydrophobic amino acids might interact with lipid bilayers or with other target proteins in the cell. In addition, as predicted by several bioinformatic tools, more than 70% of identified LEAPs were found to be highly disordered (~64%). Structural characterization of LEAPs is a key to understand their function and regulation of their intrinsic structural disorder-to-order transition during desiccation. These findings will promote transformative advancements in various fields, such as the development of new strategies in neurodegenerative disorders, cell preservation technology and the improvement of crop drought tolerance.Book of Abstracts; Belgrade BioInformatics Conference 2021, 21-25 June 2021, Vinča, Serbi

Merenje konkurentnosti na tržištu industrije mesa - da li u Srbiji postoje oligopoli?

Production of meat and processing of meat products is a very significant part of the food industry. In order to secure economic growth and development, especially in the meat industry, it is very important to provide free competition for the business entities that operate within it. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to measure market concentration using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), in order to determine the competition level in the Serbian market. Furthermore, the HHI should provide evidence of any business entities that hold monopolistic or oligopolistic positions on the market. Moreover, another aim of this study was to define to what extent business entities in the Serbian meat industry export products and goods to international markets. The 350 companies that reported the highest revenues during 2013-2017 and which are registered in this sector were studied.Proizvodnja mesa I mesnih prerađevina je veoma značajan deo prehrambene industrije. Da bi se postigao ekonomski rast I razvoj, posebno u mesnoj industriji, veoma je važno obezbediti slobodnu konkurenciju za privredna društva koji posluju u njoj. Stoga, glavni cilj ovog rada je da se, pomoću Herfindahl-Hirschman indeksa (HHI), izmeri koncentracija tržišta, kao I da se utvrdi nivo konkurencije na srpskom tržištu, ali I da se utvrdi da li postoje subjekti koji na tržištu imaju poziciju monopola ili oligopola. Drugi cilj ovog rada je da se definiše u kojoj meri poslovni subjekti iz srpske mesne industrije izvoze svoje proizvode I robu na međunarodnom tržištu I da li je nivo koncentracije isti. U istraživanju je korišćen uzorak od 350 privrednih društava registrovanih u ovom sektoru, a koja su obelodanila najviše prihode u izveštajnom periodu od 2013. do 2017. godine

The safety and quality of sous vide food

The demands of contemporary health conscious consumers are increasingly focused on minimally processed, convenient and affordable food that retains its natural sensory qualities along with nutritional value. In order to fully respond to these expectations, the use of sous vide processing technology, which refers to cooking vacuum-sealed food in heat-stable plastic pouches under precisely monitored conditions, has been widely adopted. Due to the low temperatures of sous vide processing, most research on this processing method is associated with biological hazards such as Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus and Clostridium botulinum. Not only has sous vide long been accepted by the food industry, in recent years, it has also been applied in households and in restaurants which are searching for innovative ways to attract more health conscious consumers. In this review, the authors present basic techniques, benefits and disadvantages of sous vide cooking and consider the great efforts the modern food industry is undertaking to extend shelf-life, ensure microbiological safety and maintain nutritional and organoleptic quality of sous vide food products

Hospitality - Operating in accordance with the principles of good practice and hazard analysis and critical control points

Sektor ugostiteljstva predstavlja značajno mesto kada je u pitanju pojava bolesti prenosivih hranom u svetu. Restorani u okviru ugostiteljstva predstavljaju poslednja liniju odbrane hrane pre nego što ona dođe do potrošača. Ugostiteljski objekti koji pružaju usluge hrane i pića, su u obavezi da uspostave sistem za osiguranje bezbednosti hrane u skladu sa principima dobre proizvođačke i higijenske prakse i analize opasnosti i kritičnih kontrolnih tačaka (HACCP). Međutim, specifičnosti ugostiteljstva često predstavljaju barijere za uspešnu implementaciju HACCP sistema. U velikoj meri, na uspešnu primenu sistema upravljanja bezbednošću hrane, može uticati menadžment ugostiteljskih objekata. Pravilno rukovođenje ljudskim resursima, odnosno menadžment ljudskih resursa, mogao bi imati najvažniju ulogu u prevenciji bolesti prenosivih hranom u ugostiteljstvu. Dodatno, veoma je važno na pravilan način, sagledati čitav proizvodni proces i njegove specifičnosti što treba da rezultira primenom odgovarajućih kontrolnih mera kojim će se potencijalne opasnosti eliminisati ili svesti na prihvatljiv nivo. Bezbednost hrane je imperativ kada je u pitanju zdravlje potrošača, pa i efektivnost HACCP sistema, “alata” za postizanje bezbedne hrane, zavisi, između ostalog i od toga koliko je određeni subjekat u poslovanju sa hranom uspeo da prevaziđe sve barijere koje nosi specifičnost ugostiteljskog poslovanja da motiviše svoje zaposlene.A hospitality sector is an important place when it comes to the occurrence of foodborne diseases in the world. Restaurants within hospitality represent the last line of defense of food before it reaches the consumer. Hospitality facilities are obliged to establish a system for ensuring food safety in accordance with the principles of good manufacturing and hygiene practice and hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP). However, the specifics of the hospitality sector often represent barriers to the successful implementation of the HACCP system. To a large extent, the successful implementation of the food safety management system can be influenced by the management of hospitality facilities. Proper management of human resources could play the most important role in the prevention of foodborne diseases in the hospitality industry. In addition, it is especially important to carefully consider the entire production process and its specifics, which should result in the application of appropriate control measures that will eliminate potential hazards or reduce them to an acceptable level. Food safety is imperative when it comes to consumer health, but also the effectiveness of the HACCP system will depend on how much a certain entity in the food business has managed to overcome all barriers that carry the specifics of the hospitality business and also motivate its employees

Anisakis infection and allergy in humans

Compared with other well-studied parasitic diseases, fish-borne parasitic zoonoses do not get enough attention, especially because these zoonoses have been limited for the most part to populations living in low- and middle-income countries in Europe. Human fishery product-borne parasitic diseases caused by nematodes are the results of infection following ingestion of viable parasites, or as allergic reactions against parasite antigens. With the globalization of the seafood industry, the risk of humans acquiring anisakiasis in developed countries appears to be underestimated. For allergy, the only implicated parasite in fishery products is the nematode Anisakis simplex