Food operators have been known as one of the sources of foodborne diseases in many food establishments. The illness usually occurs due to poor personal hygiene, which contaminates food during food preparation. The increasing number of online food businesses during the pandemic Covid-19 might cause a rising number of foodborne outbreaks. This is due to the lack of information and training about food safety among home-based food handlers. Thus, this study aims to assess the level of food safety knowledge, and practice of home-based food handlers in Hulu Selangor, Malaysia. This study also determined the correlation between food safety knowledge, and practice among home-based food handlers with their sociodemographic characteristics. Data were collected among 100 home-based food handlers around Hulu Selangor, Malaysia using a non-experimental quantitative method. The questionnaires were distributed via social media such as Facebook, and WhatsApp. Results have shown that the level of home-based food handlers’ knowledge was high with a mean percentage score (SD) of 97.50% (10.02). On the other hand, the level of food handlers’ practice was also high with a mean percentage score (SD) of 96.05% (7.92). The study found that knowledge was significantly correlated with experience, typhoid injection and attending a food safety course (p<0.05). Whereas practice was significantly correlated with education level, income and age (p<0.05). This study also found that there was a significant relationship between level of knowledge and practice among the home-based food handlers (p<0.05). Due to the increased number of home-based food handlers, it is critical to ensure that foods served to customers are safe and clean. Consequently, this will lead to a reduced number of foodborne illnesses. The study therefore showed the level of knowledge and practice in food safety among home-based food handlers and the data can be used to decrease the incidence of foodborne illness due to mishandling at home.​

Water soluble synthetic food colorants are widely used in the production of beverages for improving their appearance, being highly appreciated by producers especially due to their stability, compatibility with the food matrix, tinctorial power and price. However, previous studies on the toxicity of these food additives highlighted several worrying health-related issues on consumers: an excessive consumption of certain synthetic food colorants can cause allergic reactions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in sensitive children, or even cancer. Because soft drinks are highly-consumed beverages amongst all age groups, especially teenagers and children, they can be considered as a health risk for consumers. The aim of the present work is provide data on the content of eight synthetic food colorants from several soft drinks available on the Romanian market: Allura Red (E 129), Azorubine (E 122), Brilliant Blue (E 133), Patent Blue (E 131), Ponceau 4R (E 124), Ponceau 6R (E 126), Tartrazine (E 102) and Sunset Yellow (E 110). Soft drinks were purchased from hypermarkets; representative samples were subjected to solid phase extraction (carbonated soft drinks were degassed on an ultrasonic bath before extraction), then filtered through 0.45 μm membrane filters. Analytical determinations were performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on an Agilent 1100 system equipped with an diode array detector (DAD), separations being accomplished on a C18 column, using gradient elution with ammonium acetate buffer and acetonitrile as the mobile phase The HPLC method was optimized and validated, using multiple-specific wavelengths in the visible range to monitor the analytes to provide the highest sensitivity and specificity. The HPLC-DAD developed method proved to be fast (less than 20 minutes run-time), sensitive and accurate and suitable for the routine analysis of soft drinks containing a broad range of colorants. The obtained results showed that: 1) in certain products, besides the declared colorants of the label, several undeclared ones were found; 2) food colorants were generally added in low and rather safe amounts, all samples revealing colorants’ levels in conformity with Romanian and EU regulations.

Since ancient times, the chucula has been prepared in Colombia, consumed as a traditional dairy beverage made with cacao powder, cacao, panela, milk and mixed flours of legumes and cereals. Insects are a nutritionally interesting material, and inclusion in the human diet can be a good proposal. Edible insects were found as good sources of proteins, energy, vitamins, and minerals. The aim of this study was to add cricket (Acheta domesticus) flour to dried mixtures of chucula to obtain a mixture with higher protein content without altering the typical properties of the traditional product. An experimental design with 3 factors (cricket flour, cacao and other flours) was performed. From this, 27 experiments were carried out. The water and protein content, particle size, water solubility and water absorption index, and colour of samples were determined. All samples presented water content values less than or equal to 3%, typical of this type of product. Crude protein content increased significantly with increasing cricket flour content. The particle size of the samples with lower cocoa contents were higher, however those with lower cricket flour contents were lower. The water absorption and solubility indices were not affected by the 3 factors in the ranges studied. The sample with lower content of the generic flours presented lower luminosity values, that is, they were darker. The sample with the highest cocoa content in its formulation showed more orange-reddish tones compared to the rest. The addition of cricket flour can be an alternative to increase the protein content in powdered chucula without altering its traditional characteristics. According to results, 7% of cricket flour, 25% of cacao and 68% of general flour was recommended to improve the final product.

Mushrooms are considered as a valuable food due to their unique taste, nutritional properties, and biological effects [1]. They are source of several classes of phytochemicals, including phenols, terpenoids, steroids, and polysaccharides that demonstrated a wide range of biological activities [2]. Obesity is a metabolic disorder, which results from excessive accumulation of body fat, associated with several comorbidities, including cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, various types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes mellitus [3]. Several natural compounds possess the ability to reduce body weight and to prevent diet-induced obesity by inhibiting enzymes that interfere with the hydrolysis and absorption of dietary carbohydrates and lipids, such as alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, and pancreatic lipase [4,5]. This study was planned to investigate the hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic activity of Leccinum duriusculum and Lanmaoa fragrans (=Boletus fragrans) from Calabria (southern Italy), two symbiotic edible mushrooms belonging to the Boletaceae family, growing the former in poplar tree forests, the latter in a mycorrhizal association with oaks. Both mushrooms were dried and exhaustively extracted by maceration with n-hexane, dichloromethane, and methanol. Extracts were investigated for their inhibitory activity against alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, and lipase [6]. The best results against alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase were obtained with L. duriusculum methanol and dichloromethane extracts, respectively. The methanol extracts of both species exhibited the most promising results in inhibiting lipase (IC₅₀ of 35.02 and 22.40 microg/mL, for L. duriusculum and L. fragrans, respectively, vs IC₅₀ of 37.63 microg/mL for the positive control orlistat). These data provided evidence that both species are able to inhibit key enzymes that interfere with the hydrolysis and absorption of dietary carbohydrates and lipids, suggesting their potential use for the development of new potential agents for the management of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, further research is required to confirm these effects in vivo.

[1] Heleno, S.A.; Barros, L., Martins, A., et al. (2015). Nutritional value, bioactive compounds, antimicrobial activity and bioaccessibility studies with wild edible mushrooms. LWT-Food Sci. Technol. 63, 799-806; [2] Sokovic, M.; Ciric, M.; Glamocija, J.; et al. (2017). The bioactive properties of mushrooms, in Ferreira, I. C. F. R., Morales, P., & Barros L. (eds.) Wild plants, mushrooms and nuts: functional food properties and applications, 1st ed. West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons, 83-122. [3] Kitahara, C.M., Flint, A.J., de Gonzalez, et al. (2014). Association between class III obesity (BMI of 40-59 kg/m²) and mortality: a pooled analysis of 20 prospective studies. PLoS Med. 11, Article e1001673. [4] Yun J.W. (2010). Possible anti-obesity therapeutics from nature-a review. Phytochemistry, 71, 1625-1641. [5] Nair, S.S.; Kavrekar, V.; Mishra, A. (2013). In vitro studies on alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase inhibitory activities of selected plant extracts. Eur. J. Exp. Biol., 3, 128-132. [6] Tundis, R., Conidi, C., Loizzo, M.R., et al. (2021).

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) continues to be the major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, despite socioeconomic status. Plant bioactive compounds are studied as complementary therapies in CVD. Among natural products, Nigella sativa and its bioactive compounds or derived products proved their efficacy against multiple cardiovascular risk factors through its antioxidant capacity, antihypertensive, hypolipidemic, or anti-atherosclerotic effects. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the Nigella sativa oil (N. sativa oil) effect using an in vivo model of induced myocardial infarction with isoproterenol in rats.

Materials and methods: N. sativa oil was characterized for its bioactive compounds using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Thirty rats were divided into three groups as follows: the control group (saline solution), the isoproterenol group (45 mg/kg), and N. sativa oil group (isoproterenol – 45 mg/kg and N.sativa oil 0.4 mL/100g). The myocardial infarction was induced on the 14th day of the experiment. Electrocardiography was performed at the beginning and after one day from infarct induction. Serum analysis was evaluated using biochemical evaluation like alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and myocardial fraction of creatine kinase (CK-Mb). The inflammatory status was evaluated by measuring tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) inflammatory cytokines.

Results: N. sativa oil was rich in flavonoids, thymol derivatives α-thujene, p-cymene, α-pinene, and thymoquinone. Administration of N. sativa oil had a significant effect in reducing ventricular conduction while preventing isoproterenol cardiotoxic effects in the ventricular myocardium. Also, N. sativa oil administration significantly decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines when compared to the isoproterenol group. The levels of CK-Mb were as well significantly reduced.

Conclusion: The anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective effects of N.sativa oil in the isoproterenol-induced experimental myocardial infarction indicate its potential use in human diets with promising applicability in the control of several associated CVD risk factors.