State of the Art in Hygienic Quality of Food Ice Worldwide: A Ten-Year Review

Ice consumption has widely increased over the last decade. Cases of ice contamination by various microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and fungi) have been documented in the literature. In this review, we summarize the findings of selected articles on the hygienic and sanitary quality of food ice from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2023. A total of 14 articles found via the PubMed search engine during the study period were reviewed. From the comparison between the ice produced on an industrial scale and the ice produced on a local scale in food businesses, the latter was found to be more contaminated by microorganisms. The most detected bacteria included Escherichia coli, coliforms, Pseudomonas spp., Staphylococcus aureus; three studies evaluated the presence of Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio parahaemolyticus; two studies highlighted the presence of viruses (Rotavirus and Norovirus). Finally, two studies detected the presence of fungi (molds and yeasts). Almost all authors of the studies argued that ice contamination also depends on the hygienic-sanitary quality of the ice-making machines. The results show that the information currently available in the literature on the hygienic-sanitary quality of ice is incomplete and that future national and international scientific studies need to be carried out

Mycotoxins in food. legislation and thresholds [Micotossine negli alimenti. normative e limiti di legge]

Le micotossine sono sostanze chimiche prodotte da specie fungine appartenenti per lo più ai generi Aspergillus, Penicillium e Fusarium, in grado di esercitare un'azione tossica nell'uomo e negli animali d'allevamento. Negli ultimi anni, l'Autorità Sanitaria ha prestato molta attenzione alla contaminazione alimentare da micotossine, facendo riferimento soprattutto alle aflatossine, fumonisine, ocratossina A, patulina, tricoteceni e zearalenone. L'attuale Regolamento CE n. 1881/2006 e il successivo n. 1126/2007 ne stabiliscono i livelli massimi in alcuni prodotti destinati al consumo umano. Nonostante la presenza di micotossine negli alimenti sia ormai ben regolamentata, sussiste ancora poca chiarezza su alcuni prodotti (es. derivati del latte) che, invece, meriterebbero maggior attenzione sia a livello di controlli che di normative.Mycotoxins are chemical substances produced by fungal species belonging mostly to Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium , and having a toxic effect on humans and farm animals. In recent years health authorities have dedicated much attention to food contamination by mycotoxins, especially with regards to aflatoxins, fumonisin, ocratoxin A, patulin, trichothecenes e zearalenone. The current European legislation CE n. 1881/2006 and n. 1126/2007 establish the maximum levels of mycotoxins allowed in human food. Despite the existence of such legislation, regulations regarding certain products are not very clear (i.e. milk products). More interest should be paid to these food products in terms of regulations and testing

[Mushroom consumption and toxicity, state of the art]

Mushroom consumption is widespread throughout the world and mushroom foraging is often seen as a recreational activity. However, mushroom hunters, especially if inexperienced, may not fully perceive the risks associated with ingesting potentially toxic mushroom species. It is fundamental that mushrooms must be professionally inspected and their quality and safety approved before being ingested. This article analyzes the main scientific documents and current regulations regarding this topic

Shiga toxin -producing Escherichia coli and regulatory implications in the field of Public Health in light of recent outbreaks in Europe

The increasingly widespread habit of consuming ready-to-eat foods, especially foods not subjected to heat treatment, has contributed to the occurrence of new outbreaks of foodborne illness. In 2011, outbreaks caused by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli occurred in several European Union (EU) countries and this led to a legislative evolution on food safety at the EU level. This article outlines the recommendations made to ensure food safety within the food chains, especially in relation to foods potentially responsible for Escherichia coli VTEC infections, and focuses on measures adopted at EU level to ensure consumer protection

An Integrated Control Plan in Primary Schools: Results of a Field Investigation on Nutritional and Hygienic Features in the Apulia Region (Southern Italy)

Data concerning overweight and obesity in children and adolescent populations are alarming and represent one of the most serious public health problems of our time. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the school environment may play an important role in health promotion with regard to nutritional aspects. This article reports the results of a study conducted in the Apulia region (Southern Italy), aimed at providing an integrated surveillance of the behaviors related to nutrition habits in students and the hygienic and nutritional conditions of the school’s canteens attended by enrolled students. To this purpose, a sample of 501 students attending primary school (third class—children approximately eight years old) replied to a validated questionnaire, and official controls (OC), of both food and nutritional safety, were performed in 22 primary schools. A team of healthcare professionals carried out the study, and the implementation of all the prescribed improvement actions were subsequently verified through follow-up OC. The results of our study show a critical situation in the student sample, with 41.3% of children having a weight excess (overweight or obesity). With regard to the children’s behaviors, only 59.8% of children ate at least one fruit or had a fruit juice for breakfast, and 10.8% did not have breakfast at all. Overall, 40.1% of the total children played outdoors the afternoon before the survey and 45% reported going to school on foot or by bicycle. During the afternoon, 83.5% of the sample watched television or used video games/tablets/mobile phones, while 42.3% played sports. The schools had an internal canteen with on-site preparation of meals in 36.4%, the remaining 63.6% received meals from external food establishments. With regard to OC, for the hygienic–sanitary section, eleven prescriptions were issued, in the great part related to the structure and organization of the canteen. For the nutritional section, nine corrective actions were prescribed, mainly related to official documents and management. The follow-up OC showed that all prescriptions were subsequently addressed. Eating at school was less frequent among obese and overweight students compared with those with normal weight. Although this evidence needs to be further confirmed, it highlights the potential role that the school canteens may play in health promotion and prevention of nutritional disorders. On the other hand, in order to fulfill its health promotion task, the school canteens have to comply with official regulations and guidelines; therefore, OC during the management of the food service at school are needed

Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Vaccination Campaigns in Veneto Region: Population Vaccination Centers as Support for the Traditional Outpatient Model

The extraordinary vaccination campaigns of the COVID-19 pandemic era put organizational and operational systems to the test in numerous territorial contexts. In the Veneto region, the activation of population vaccination centers (CVPs) guaranteed the provision of vaccines to mountain areas. These centers, drive-in and building-based, improved the efficiency of dose administration in relation to similar conditions where healthcare workers (HCWs) were routinely involved in clinics. Overall, a comparison of the two models investigated, with the same numbers of HCWs involved and the same opening hours for the vaccination sites, has shown that the CVPs are able to guarantee three times as many vaccines administered, compared with the traditional outpatient model. This study aims to provide a detailed analysis of the adopted organizational model, highlighting the best practices and improvements required to guarantee a timely and effective public health response, and evaluating the opportunities to deploy these innovative methods actively in a standard context

Preliminary Investigation on Hygienic-Sanitary Quality of Food Vending Machines

The consumption of hot drinks dispensed from vending machines has become a common practice, both in workplaces and during free time. Every day, millions of bulk drinks are sold, but the quality of the products distributed may not always be guaranteed, as it is related to many factors such as the quality of the water, the raw materials used, and the effectiveness of the equipment’s cleaning system. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the hygienic-sanitary requirements of hot drinks and vending machine surfaces. The investigation highlighted the microbial contamination of both coffee and vending machine surfaces. Although the ”coffee break” is usually considered a moment of pleasure, apparently not subject to specific jurisdiction, the products dispensed can represent a health risk if the hygienic conditions are not fully respected. Therefore, official controls carried out by the Prevention Department represent a suitable way for evaluating and guaranteeing the hygienic-sanitary requirements, providing for corrective actions, when needed, to protect consumers

Investigations on the Efficacy of Ozone as an Environmental Sanitizer in Large Supermarkets

Awareness of the importance of the microbial contamination of air and surfaces has increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of bacteria and fungi in the air and on surfaces within some critical areas of large supermarkets with and without an ozonation system. Surveys were conducted in four supermarkets belonging to the same commercial chain of an Apulian city in June 2021, of which two (A and B) were equipped with an ozonation system, and two (C and D) did not have any air-diffused remediation treatment. There was a statistically significant difference in the total bacterial count (TBC) and total fungal count (TFC) in the air between A/B and C/D supermarkets (p = 0.0042 and p = 0.0002, respectively). Regarding surfaces, a statistically significant difference in TBC emerged between A/B and C/D supermarkets (p = 0.0101). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating the effect of ozone on commercial structures in Italy. Future investigations, supported by a multidisciplinary approach, will make it possible to deepen the knowledge on this method of sanitation, in light of any other epidemic/pandemic waves

Food Hygiene Surveillance in Italy: Is Food Ice a Public Health Risk?

Food ice is used as an ingredient or as a coolant in drinks and in the storage of food, especially fishery products. Studies show that ice can be polluted both by chemical substances and by bacteria and fungi. In particular, the presence of fungi in these food matrices has acquired an important role in Public Health, as it can represent a risk factor for fungal complications in immunocompromised subjects. In the present study we evaluated the hygiene–sanitary quality of food ice from public and collective catering establishments in a large area of Southern Italy, investigating the mandatory parameters (Escherichia coli, coliform and Enterococci) and some accessory parameters (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and fungi) provided for Italian Legislative Decree 31/01. Although 54.5% of samples were compliant, the results highlight a vast contamination of food ice by bacteria and fungi. In particular, 95.8% of samples were contaminated by fungi, stressing no difference between compliant and non-compliant samples. Their presence is generally attributable to the poor sanitation conditions in the production and/or administration phase and to the incorrect sanitization and ordinary maintenance procedures. It seems appropriate to suggest the need to carry out a specific risk assessment with respect to the self-control plan