ABSTRACT Cashew nuts are highly valued for their nutritional properties but remain susceptible to microbial contamination and aflatoxin formation during processing. This industrial case study evaluated the effectiveness of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)‐based control measures in cashew nut processing, with a focus on drying operations as critical control points. A combined approach including process flow analysis and experimental evaluation of physicochemical and microbiological parameters was applied. The results showed that moisture content decreased significantly from 8.60 g/100 g to 3.86 g/100 g during processing, indicating the efficiency of multi‐stage drying. Consequently, this reduction was associated with a decrease in yeasts and molds. However, total plate counts showed limited variation, decreasing from 3.98 to 2.57 Log CFU/g, thus confirming microbial persistence in low moisture conditions. No aflatoxins were detected at any stage, demonstrating effective prevention of fungal growth through moisture control. In addition, free fatty acids and peroxide values decreased, indicating improved lipid stability. These results highlight the key role of drying operations in controlling safety and quality parameters. This industrial case study confirms that effective HACCP implementation relies on a multi‐barrier approach combining moisture control and hygienic practices in low moisture foods.
ABSTRACT There is increasing pressure to reduce sodium nitrite and salt levels in processed and fermented meats in response to consumer demands and updated legislation. However, such reductions may impact pathogen control. In this study, the survival of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium was evaluated in pepperoni produced with reduced salt and sodium nitrite levels, with or without an enhanced postfermentation thermal treatment. Pepperoni batters with formulations varying in sodium nitrite (50–150 ppm) and salt (1.4%–2.5%), were inoculated with cocktails of L. monocytogenes or S. Typhimurium (~log 10 4–6 CFU g −1 ), subjected to a postfermentation thermal treatment (53.5°C × 61 min; 61°C × 40 min; 64°C × 20 min), and dried to a target water activity of 0.91 or 0.94. Overlay plating was used to enumerate both pathogens, allowing recovery of sublethally injured cells, and residual nitrite was also measured. In the standard formulation reductions of log 10 4.47 CFU g −1 for L. monocytogenes and log 10 4.18 CFU g −1 for S. Typhimurium were observed from prefermentation to endpoint. Formulation 1a, which differed from the standard formulation only in having a lower sodium nitrite level (50 ppm), showed endpoint reductions of log 10 4.21 CFU g −1 for L. monocytogenes and log 10 4.58 CFU g −1 for S. Typhimurium. A similar trend was observed in formulations with reduced sodium nitrite and salt levels. However, formulations subjected to the elevated thermal treatment (61°C × 40 min) showed greater endpoint reductions in both L. monocytogenes and S. Typhimurium compared with formulations processed at 53.5°C × 61 min. Residual nitrite levels at endpoint were well below legal limits across all recipes, reflecting extensive nitrite depletion during fermentation, heating, and drying. These findings demonstrate that pepperoni can be manufactured safely with reduced sodium nitrite and salt when a validated, postfermentation heat treatment is incorporated within a multihurdle system, supporting the feasibility of reformulation under current consumer and regulatory pressures.
Wet sweet potato starch noodles are highly susceptible to microbial spoilage due to their high moisture content, leading to significant economic losses and food safety concerns. This study systematically investigated the bacterial inhibition mechanism of potassium cinnamate, a natural and eco-friendly preservative, against dominant spoilage bacteria in wet sweet potato starch noodles. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Trichosporon asahii were identified as the predominant spoilage species. Potassium cinnamate exhibited potent in vitro antimicrobial activity with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 40 and 20 mg/mL, respectively. The antibacterial effect of potassium cinnamate was concentration-dependent, and when combined with 0.2% citric acid, the shelf life of wet sweet potato starch noodles could extend to 90 days. Mechanistic analyses revealed that potassium cinnamate effectively inhibited microbial growth and biofilm formation by increasing cell membrane permeability, inducing protein leakage, and reducing cell surface hydrophobicity. Morphological alterations, including cell rupture and distortion, were directly visualized via scanning and transmission electron microscopy. These findings demonstrate that potassium cinnamate effectively disrupts membrane integrity and biofilm stability in spoilage microorganisms, providing a scientific basis for its potential application as a green preservative in the food industry.
Residual glucocorticoids in chickens can harm human health, and traditional detection methods can cause environmental pollution. In this study, hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technology was used to investigate the feasibility of nondestructively identifying chicken samples spiked with five different glucocorticoids. First, regions of interest (ROIs) were used to extract hyperspectral data. After preprocessing, the obtained average hyperspectral data were transformed at eight scales using multiscale continuous wavelet transform (CWT), and distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) and decision tree (DT) models were used to select the optimal transformation scale. Among the four feature extraction methods, the combination of stacked autoencoders and Fisher score demonstrated the best performance for characterizing the spectral features of the treated chicken samples. Finally, K-nearest neighbors (KNNs), support vector machine (SVM), Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM), and DT were selected as classifiers to evaluate the overall performance. The results showed that the CWT-SAE-FisherScore-SVM model achieved the best classification performance (accuracy = 99.76%). Compared to benchmark methods such as PCA + SVM, this method demonstrates greater robustness and clearer physical significance at extremely low feature dimensions. This study established a proof-of-concept rapid screening framework for identifying simulated glucocorticoid residues in chicken in experimental settings. Although this model currently focuses on artificially spiked samples, it provides a robust technical foundation and an automatic segmentation algorithm to support the future development of real-time intelligent monitoring systems for practical food safety applications.
This study aimed to characterize mono-, dual-, and triple-species biofilms formed by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. This was achieved by assessing biofilm formation, planktonic cell growth, biomass, and metabolic activity. In total, 111 biofilm combinations were analyzed. Significant synergistic interactions were observed between S. aureus and L. monocytogenes in dual biofilms. In contrast, E. coli showed no synergy and frequently inhibited biofilm formation when co-cultured with the other species. In triple-species biofilms containing E. coli, biofilm formation decreased by up to 47%, and metabolic activity decreased by over 75%. Furthermore, the effectiveness of selected common disinfectants was evaluated. The effectiveness of solutions containing 0.47% NaClO (chlorine bleach), 8% acetic acid, and 0.5% lactic acid against 24-h biofilms was tested. All disinfectants were effective, with bleach demonstrating the greatest reduction in biomass and metabolic activity. Notably, higher resistance to disinfectants was exhibited by mono-species biofilms than multi-species biofilms in this study. Inter-species interactions strongly modulate biofilm behavior. E. coli tends to suppress biofilm formation, whereas S. aureus and L. monocytogenes consortia promote it. While mono-species biofilms exhibit greater resistance in this study, bleach remains the most effective disinfectant. These results improve our understanding of the dynamics of mixed biofilms and emphasize the importance of selecting appropriate disinfectants for controlling biofilms in the food and healthcare industries.
Imported packaged foods are often purchased under conditions of limited consumer verification, where consumers cannot directly confirm safety-related attributes at the point of purchase and must rely on package-level label information as a visible cue of product identity, disclosure, and apparent safety. This study examined how food safety risk perception, trust in packaging-label information, and food neophilia were associated with consumer engagement with imported packaged foods in Taiwan. An self-administered online survey was completed by 454 adults in Taiwan. The questionnaire assessed perceived food safety hazards, trust in packaging-label information, food neophilia, and imported packaged food purchasing. Descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, bivariate correlations, Friedman tests, a market-entry logistic model, a purchaser-only ordered logistic model, and item-level Mann-Whitney U tests were applied. The highest-rated perceived hazards were unknown ingredients whose safety could not be confirmed, illegal food additives, pesticide residues, natural food toxins, and microbiological contamination. The most trusted package-level label information items were expiry date, ingredient declaration, and disclosure of food additive names. Food safety risk perception was associated with lower odds of market entry, whereas trust in packaging-label information was associated with higher odds of ever having purchased imported packaged foods. Among prior purchasers, food neophilia was associated with higher odds of being in a more frequent purchase category. Item-level comparisons further showed that never-purchasers reported greater concern about all retained food safety risk items, with the largest difference observed for microbiological contamination. These findings suggest that package-level label information functions as a consumer-facing food safety cue, but it should be interpreted as a partial cue rather than as direct evidence of product safety.
Salmonella is one of the pathogenic bacteria most associated with foodborne illnesses. The increasing increase in foodborne illnesses and the problems caused by bacterial resistance to antimicrobials (AMR) have caused the food industry to have to opt for alternative methods that can control Salmonella contamination. The biocontrol of this pathogen using bacteriophages is an alternative that is causing great expectations in the food sector due to its high bactericidal potential. Bacteriophages are defined as ubiquitous viruses that specifically infect bacteria and are a natural and economical biotechnological tool for the biocontrol of Salmonella . Therefore, this review aims to discuss the effects of treatment factors and highlight recent advances in the biocontrol of Salmonella in various food matrices. Also, the use of phages in the control of Salmonella biofilms is discussed and commercial phage products are mentioned to counteract Salmonella contamination in food and other fields. Finally, the conclusions and future perspectives of the application of phages in foods are discussed.
A bacterium was isolated during routine detection of Listeria spp. from chicken meat using Agar Listeria according to Ottaviani and Agosti (ALOA). The isolate produced bluish-green colonies on ALOA. This color indicates beta-D-glucosidase activity, a feature commonly used to presumptively identify Listeria spp. However, later biochemical and molecular analysis revealed discrepancies compared with the reference strain Listeria monocytogenes ScottA. PCR analysis showed the absence of major virulence-associated internalin genes (inlA, inlB, and inlC). To confirm the taxonomic identity, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed. BLASTn analysis against the NCBI database identified the isolate as belonging to the genus Kurthia, with the highest sequence similarity to Kurthia gibsonii NBRC 15534T. GC-MS fatty acid methyl ester analysis also revealed anteiso-C15:0 as the main fatty acid, matching Kurthia species. These results revealed that Kurthia sp. strain CMMC05 can grow on ALOA medium and resembles Listeria spp. Such results lead to false-positive identification. The study highlights a limitation of chromogenic media used in food safety testing and emphasizes the need for molecular identification to avoid misinterpretation of Listeria contamination in poultry products.
Chicken meat is a favored traditional dish in Ethiopia and is widely consumed globally, but it carries risks of contamination with microbial hazards and antimicrobial residues. This study analyzed 120 broiler carcass samples from farms practicing backyard slaughtering to assess microbial load, occurrence of Campylobacter, E. coli O157:H7, and Salmonella, and to detect antimicrobial resistance and drug residues. The Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) profile was determined using the VITEK 2XL system, while the detection and quantification of antimicrobial residues were performed by Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with a Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (UHPLC-MS/MS). Results showed that all tested samples were found positive for at least one bacterial pathogen. The overall prevalence was 62.5% for Campylobacter, 22.5% for E. coli O157:H7, and 16.7% for Salmonella. The contamination levels for all tested microbial groups exceeded the limit of Ethiopian standard requirements. Specifically, E. coli and total aerobic bacteria were found in all samples (100%), followed by coliforms in 114 (95%) and S. aureus in 105 (87.5%) of the samples. Among the isolated bacteria, 40.7% of E. coli O157:H7 and 65% of Salmonella isolates were multi-drug resistant (MDR). Three Salmonella isolates were extensively drug-resistant (XDR) and one was pan-drug resistant (PDR). Antimicrobial residue analysis detected enrofloxacin in 25% of samples, oxytetracycline in 18.3%, and sulfadiazine in 3.3%, with a substantial proportion (21.67%) exceeding established EU maximum residue limits. The observed contamination, AMR, and drug residue levels are attributable to unregulated slaughter and widespread drug use in broilers, which necessitate implementation of safety procedures and rational use of antimicrobials.
Thermophilic and thermotolerant spore-forming bacilli that survive pasteurization may persist in dairy systems through biofilm formation. In this study, thermophilic isolates recovered from commercially marketed pasteurized milk in Ankara, T & uuml;rkiye, were characterized phylogenetically and evaluated for temperature- and surface-dependent biofilm formation. Eight isolates were obtained from eight milk samples after selective enrichment at 55 degrees C. Based on 16S rRNA gene analysis and phylogenetic reconstruction, the isolates were distributed into two lineages: one Aeribacillus-affiliated isolate (A1; closest BLAST match to Aeribacillus pallidus, 96.74% identity) and seven Bacillus isolates, with closest BLAST identities ranging from 88.83% to 98.42%. Among the latter, D2 showed the highest similarity to Bacillus licheniformis (98.42%) and clustered near the B. licheniformis reference clade, supported by a 91% bootstrap value. On Congo red agar, increasing the temperature from 45 degrees C to 60 degrees C induced transitions from smooth colonies to wrinkled, intensely pigmented morphotypes, indicating enhanced matrix-associated phenotypes. Pellicle formation at 60 degrees C was restricted to 3 of 8 isolates (A1, C2, and D2). On polystyrene, most isolates produced maximal biofilm biomass at 45 degrees C-50 degrees C, whereas on stainless steel, several isolates maintained high viable biofilm populations up to 55 degrees C. In milk-based adhesion assays on eight abiotic materials, Aeribacillus sp. A1 showed the strongest attachment to polystyrene, whereas Bacillus sp. C2 exhibited the highest colonization on stainless steel. These findings identify 45 degrees C-55 degrees C as a critical thermal window that promotes biofilm persistence by thermophilic spore-formers in dairy environments.
Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen with a high potential for antibiotic resistance and zoonotic transmission. Doxycycline is widely used in human and poultry infections, but its extensive application has accelerated the emergence of resistant strains. This study evaluated the potential of tannic acid, salicylic acid, and boric acid as adjuvants to doxycycline against S. aureus isolated from frozen chicken meat. Isolates were identified using selective culture media and biochemical tests. Antimicrobial activity was determined by broth microdilution assays to measure minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values. Synergistic interactions were assessed using the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI), while antibiofilm activity was also investigated. In addition, molecular docking analysis was performed using the target protein structure (PDB ID: 4URO). Doxycycline showed a MIC value of 0.5 mu g/mL, whereas tannic acid, salicylic acid, and boric acid exhibited MIC values of 500, 1000, and 2000 mu g/mL, respectively. Combination treatments reduced the MIC of doxycycline to 0.125 mu g/mL with tannic acid and 0.25 mu g/mL with salicylic acid, confirming synergistic effects, while boric acid showed no synergism. MBC and biofilm inhibition assays further supported the enhanced antibacterial activity of doxycycline combined with tannic acid or salicylic acid. Molecular docking results were consistent with the biological findings, showing the strongest binding affinity for doxycycline (-6.92 kcal/mol), followed by tannic acid (-5.61 kcal/mol) and salicylic acid (-5.49 kcal/mol), whereas boric acid showed weak binding (-3.22 kcal/mol). Overall, tannic acid and salicylic acid significantly enhanced the antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects of doxycycline against S. aureus, suggesting their potential as natural adjuvants for combating antibiotic resistance.
Nonthermal plasma (NTP) and plasma-activated water (PAW) are emerging nonthermal technologies for microbial decontamination of fresh vegetable and fruit products. Yet, their efficacy is strongly influenced by microbial type and matrix complexity. This study evaluated the antimicrobial performance of NTP and PAW against two foodborne bacterial pathogens, namely Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) and Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes), as well as bacteriophage Phi X174 as a viral surrogate. The effects of NTP and PAW were studied on two fresh produce surfaces of Eruca sativa (arugula) and Fragaria ananassa Duch (strawberry) in aqueous suspensions. The OES confirmed the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) with high electron density. In water, direct NTP achieved rapid inactivation of bacterial pathogens (> 5 log(10) within 2-3 min), whereas efficacy on produce surfaces was reduced, with maximum reductions of similar to 2.5 log(10) on arugula and similar to 2 log(10) on strawberries, while higher reductions (> 5 log(10)) were observed in the corresponding aqueous phase. In contrast, PAW demonstrated strong bactericidal activity in aqueous systems (up to similar to 4.9 log(10)) and on produce surfaces, achieving similar to 2.5 log(10) reduction on arugula and similar to 3.1 log(10) on strawberries for S. Typhimurium. However, viral inactivation was more limited and matrix-dependent, with PAW achieving similar to 2.3 log(10) reduction on arugula but only similar to 0.5 log(10) on strawberries. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed severe membrane damage to the selected bacterial pathogens after treatment and microbial localization within the produce surface pores, explaining matrix-associated protection. Overall, NTP and PAW show strong potential to enhance the safety of fresh produce, but further optimization is needed to overcome surface shielding and preserve product quality.
Surveillance of pathogenic bacteria in aquatic products is vital to public health. Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus, Shigella spp., and Staphylococcus aureus represent important and complementary bacterial hazards associated with aquatic products, highlighting the need for rapid and simultaneous detection methods. This study aimed to develop a novel quadruplex real-time PCR system for detecting these four pathogens in aquatic products. Four sets of primers and TaqMan probes were newly designed, specific to the pR72H, vvhA, ipaH, and kipA_2 genes, respectively. The assay exhibited high specificity against other common pathogens and no cross-reaction among these different bacteria. Analytical sensitivity ranged from 10-6 ng mu L-1 for Shigella spp. to 10-5 ng mu L-1 for Vibrio species and Staphylococcus aureus. The limits of detection in pure culture and spiked samples were 101 CFU mL-1 for Shigella spp., 102 CFU mL-1 for Vibrio species, and 103 CFU mL-1 for Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. To enhance the sensitivity to 100 CFU mL-1 directly from real samples, a 9-h pre-enrichment step was incorporated. The effectiveness of the method was validated using 365 diverse aquatic products from multiple coastal and inland regions in China, demonstrating diagnostic accuracy above 97.3% compared to traditional culture-based methods while offering a significant time reduction (3-7 days vs. 11 h). Overall pathogen prevalence across samples ranged from 0% to 21.4%. This study offers a practical tool for large-scale surveillance, enabling timely detection of key pathogens and supporting proactive food-safety interventions.
Protected tomato production is undergoing rapid digitalization, transforming greenhouses into cyber-physical systems that require intelligent decision support to strengthen quality assurance and address food safety-related risks. Based on the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, this systematic review synthesizes 96 studies published between 2015 and 2025 to examine how expert systems are supporting the transition from automated environmental control to data-driven management in protected tomato production. The reviewed literature is organized into four domains: agricultural robotics, artificial intelligence for perception and prediction, Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructures, and integrated fertigation systems. Despite substantial progress, current systems still face fragmented data silos, limited adaptability in unstructured environments, insufficient external validation, and limited evaluation of postharvest quality outcomes. This review highlights the need for stronger validation frameworks, improved interoperability, explainable artificial intelligence (XAI), and more effectively coordinated cyber-physical architectures to support scalable protected tomato production with stronger quality and safety assurance.
Biofilms pose significant challenges in the food processing industry. This study used plasma-activated mist (PAM) prepared from plasma-activated water (PAW) for surface decontamination of Escherichia coli biofilms. PAW was produced at three different temperatures (4 degrees C +/- 0.2 degrees C, 21 degrees C +/- 0.2 degrees C, and 35 degrees C +/- 0.2 degrees C) for two different plasma generation times (10 and 20 min), with or without the addition of chemicals (100 ppm NaOH or 340 ppm H2O2), named as plasma-activated solution (PAS). The PAM treatment using 4 degrees C PAW achieved 1.56 +/- 0.04 log CFU/cm2 microbial reduction in biofilms. This research demonstrates the potential of PAM as an industrial disinfection method to reduce reliance on chemical disinfectants, offering a promising, more sustainable alternative.
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of UV-C light intensity and exposure time on quality indicators of a minimally processed vegetable salad (50% purple lettuce, 25% arugula, and 25% beet leaves) as well as to assess the effectiveness of its combination with nisin in enhancing microbial safety against Listeria innocua. Preliminary assays established maximum irradiation times to preserve total polyphenols and ascorbic acid: 90 s for low intensity (L-I: 0.036 kJ/s & centerdot;m2) and 60 s for high intensity (H-I: 0.070 kJ/s & centerdot;m2). While individual UV-C treatments (up to 10 s) resulted in reductions of 0.5-1.0 log cycles, the combination with nisin (250-500 IU/g) led to enhanced microbial inactivation, with immediate reductions exceeding 5 log cycles in all cases. Notably, the application of a low nisin dose (125 IU/g) followed by UV-C (0.3 kJ/m2) demonstrated a superior bacteriostatic effect over 6 days under high-contamination scenarios. Under more realistic contamination levels (105 CFU/g), this combination maintained undetectable Listeria counts for 7 days, complying with European food safety standards. These results demonstrate a synergistic hurdle effect, providing a practical and scalable approach to enhance the microbial safety and quality of ready-to-eat vegetable products.
Eugenol, a major bioactive compound present in various essential oils with substantial antibacterial activity, has limited application in food industries due to its low water solubility. To address this limitation, a microemulsion system was developed utilizing Tween 80 as a surfactant and lactic acid as a co-surfactant to facilitate the delivery of eugenol. The resulting microemulsion underwent physicochemical characterization, antibacterial evaluation, and sanitation trials on fresh-cut lettuce. Phase analysis revealed three distinct types of microemulsions with stability and dispersibility: water-in-oil with 0%-20% water, bicontinuous with 30%-60% water, and oil-in-water with 70%-90% water. Antibacterial assays indicated minimum inhibitory concentrations of 0.5 mg/mL for Staphylococcus aureus and 0.25 mg/mL for Escherichia coli, along with minimum bactericidal concentrations of 1 and 0.5 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the microemulsion at 1 mg/mL exhibited rapid bactericidal effects against both bacterial strains, achieving a population reduction of over 6-log units within 10 min. In refrigerated fresh-cut lettuce sanitation experiments, microemulsion concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/mL effectively suppressed the number of total microbes, mold, and yeast, with 0.5 mg/mL treatment being most effective in maintaining lettuce quality and freshness. Additionally, these treatments contributed to the preservation of vitamin C content, chlorophyll level, and color stability. Overall, the results demonstrate that eugenol microemulsions hold strong potential as green sanitizers for vegetables, offering a promising avenue to enhance food safety and quality.
Bananas (Musa spp.), a widely cultivated and consumed fruit, are subjected to various artificial ripening agents to meet market demands in developing countries. This study examined the effects of different ripening methods on the physicochemical, nutritional quality, and potentially toxic elements (PTEs) contamination in bananas. Health risk assessments were conducted to evaluate safety of ripening treatments. Samples treated with calcium carbide (CaC2) had the highest percentage of total soluble solids (TSS) (25.38 degrees Brix) and TSS/titratable acidity (TA) ratio (121.06), indicating rapid ripening but with the lowest vitamin C level (5.10 mg/100 mL) and antioxidant potential. Untreated bananas retained the highest total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity, and vitamin C level, highlighting their superior nutritional and bioactive properties. Ethylene gas-treated bananas maintained balanced nutritional attributes with relatively high antioxidant activity, while ethylene ripener-treated bananas showed intermediate results. CaC2-treated bananas contained detectable levels of lead (0.45 mg/kg), cadmium (0.51 mg/kg), and arsenic (0.32 mg/kg), which exceeded safe limits regarding health risk indices. Untreated and ethylene-treated bananas exhibited minimal PTE contamination and negligible health risks. Arsenic posed the highest carcinogenic risk, especially in CaC2-ripened banana (2.4 & times; 10-3), followed by ethylene ripener (1.05 & times; 10-3). CaC2-ripened samples also contributed to carcinogenic risk for cadmium (9.6 & times; 10-4). These findings provide scientific evidence to support the adoption of ethylene-based methods as a safer alternative for ripening of bananas. In addition, the data presented stress the need for stricter regulations on artificial ripening agents for fruits, especially CaC2, to safeguard public health in Pakistan and other developing countries.
Cultured meat, also referred to as cell-based or cultivated meat, has emerged as a disruptive innovation in the global food system, promising environmental sustainability, animal welfare benefits, and supply chain resilience. Despite rapid technological advances and recent regulatory approvals in selected countries, food safety remains the most critical determinant of public acceptance and market scalability. Unlike conventional meat, cultured meat introduces novel risk profiles associated with cell sourcing, bioprocessing conditions, culture media components, scaffolding materials, and post-harvest handling. This review critically examines cultured meat from a food safety perspective, integrating recent scientific evidence, regulatory developments, and emerging risk assessment frameworks. We highlight key safety concerns including microbial contamination in bioreactors, genetic and epigenetic stability of cell lines, chemical hazards from growth factors and scaffolds, allergenicity, and long-term toxicological uncertainties. Importantly, this review proposes a next-generation food safety paradigm for cultured meat, emphasizing process-based safety control, real-time monitoring using omics and biosensors, and adaptive regulatory science. By identifying critical knowledge gaps and offering a roadmap for harmonized safety governance, this article positions food safety as the cornerstone for the responsible commercialization of cultured meat.
The production of biofunctional protein hydrolysates from chicken meat has gained attention due to the growing demand for natural antioxidants and functional ingredients that enhance food quality. The current study aimed to optimize the fermentative hydrolysis conditions for producing biofunctional (antioxidant and antibacterial) chicken meat protein hydrolysate (CMPH) using Pediococcus pentosaceus and to evaluate its physicochemical and functional properties. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) revealed that the 10% inoculum level, 2% dextrose concentration, and 48 h fermentation time were the optimum conditions for the production of CMPH with a maximum degree of hydrolysis (48.25%), DPPH radical scavenging (27.87 mu M TE/mg), ABTS radical scavenging (21.08 mu M TE/mg), ferric reducing antioxidant power (24.74 mu M TE/mg), and iron chelation activity (15.36 mu M EDTA/mg). CMPH contained 71.94% protein with a balanced essential amino acid profile (47.53 g/100 g protein), while maintaining low bioamine levels (< 5 mg/100 g), indicating its safety for consumption. SDS-PAGE confirmed protein hydrolysis, while FTIR analysis indicated the presence of beta-sheet structures in CMPH. The CMPH also demonstrated antibacterial activity against major foodborne pathogens and had excellent functional properties across a wide pH range, with a maximum solubility of 96.66% at a pH of 11. Furthermore, it displayed better foaming capacity, emulsification, and water/oil absorption properties. Overall, the findings highlight the strong potential of CMPH as a natural biofunctional ingredient for functional foods and nutraceutical applications.
