Joanna Trafialek

Dietary exposure to meat-related carcinogenic substances: is there a way to estimate the risk?

Abstract N-Nitroso compounds (NOCs), heterocyclic amines (HCAs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAs) are examples of carcinogenic substances, which are formed during cooking and processing of meat. Many researches suggest that high consumption of meat is positively associated with increased risk of some cancers. The majority of the researches are of epidemiological nature and, therefore, provide only associations related to population exposure to diet-related carcinogenic substances. The individuals exposure risk may be estimated by using food frequency questionnaire and analytical methods. However, there is a lack of methods which enable estimation of the risk concerning particular meat meals. The purpose of this paper was to summarize and emphasize the importance of factors influencing the formation of carcinogenic substances in meat during cooking.

Assessing hygiene practices during fish selling in retail stores

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess hygiene practices during fish selling in retail stores. Design/methodology/approach – The data were collected by observations during inspections carried out in 100 randomly selected food retail stores, both independent and chain, selling fresh fish, fish products and other seafood. Stores were located in and around the area of Warsaw, Poland. The inspection check list consisted of 43 questions based on rigorist requirements of Commission Regulation (EC) 852, 853 and Codex Alimentarius. The question form was divided into three hygiene sectors: hygiene conditions of seafood departments; hygiene of fish selling process; personal hygiene of employees. Inspections were unannounced, and were conducted by discreet visual observations of employees work routine and selling procedures. Findings – The level of hygiene compliances with inspection criteria was unexpectedly low. The highest percentage of compliance appeared in the hygiene of fish selling processes (in 44 percent of the stores compliance with evaluated criteria was found), less one compliance levels appeared in personal hygiene (18 percent) and hygiene of seafood department’s hygiene conditions (23 percent). Neither the size of the store, nor its location and type (independent and local or global chain) affected the compliance rate. Research limitations/implications – The main research limitation is that assessment was done only by observation method. This is one of audit/inspection methods according to ISO 19011/2011, guidelines for auditing management systems. However, this kind of inspection cannot assess microbiological cleanliness or other like ATP or symptoms of diseases expect of only visible signs. The used inspection check list needs more testing and more analyses should be done for its reliability and validity. Practical implications – Adequate hygiene practices are critical in preventing cross-contamination. However, none of the inspected stores ensured full implementation of all hygiene requirements during the sale of fish. The results indicated that a greater effort should be made to increase hygiene level both in small and large size retail stores. The designed inspection questionnaire proved to be a successful format for detailed evaluation of hygiene practices during the sale of fish. However, more work and analyses should be done for its reliability and validity. Social implications – The findings bring some information for the consumers that in many retail stores the hygiene level during the fish sales might be insufficient. Originality/value – The paper presents additional and detailed data on hygiene practices during fish selling, which are rarely pointed out by other authors. The applied evaluation method showed a low level of compliance with the rigorous hygienic criteria, adopted in this study, that may raise some food safety concerns.

Fast Estimation Method of Dietary Exposure to Carcinogenic Compounds in Cooked Meat for Individual Consumer Use

High consumption of meat was shown to be positively associated with increased risk of some types of cancer. Meat could be involved in carcinogenesis via carcinogenic substances related to cooking and processing, e.g. nitrate, heterocyclic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The evaluation of exposure to carcinogens from the diet is estimated using food frequency questionnaire and instrumental analysis. However, there is a lack of methods suitable to use by individual consumer enabling individual dietary hazards assessment. The purpose of this paper was to introduce the fast estimation method of dietary exposure risk to cooked meat-related carcinogenic substances, which could be easy to use by individual consumer. The method was based on special, formula which includes factors related to meat processing and cooking involved in carcinogens formation. It allows to calculate the hazard category and shows cooking procedures which lower the risk. The method may be helpful for every family to reduce intake of meat-related carcinogenic compounds, thus decreasing the risk of cancer.

Optymalizacja uwarunkowań wyboru systemu dystrybucji posiłków w żywieniu szpitalnym

S t r e s z c z e n i e W zywieniu szpitalnym wykorzystywane są dwa systemy dystrybucji posilkow: tacowy (indywidualny) oraz bemarowy (zbiorczy). Przy wyborze systemu zwraca sie uwage na oplacalnośc inwestycji, jak tez na funkcjonalnośc jego wprowadzenia. Celem pracy byla analiza porownawcza dwoch systemow dystrybucji potraw: tacowego i bemarowego, na przykladzie nowo projektowanego wojewodzkiego szpitala specjalistycznego. Przy porownaniu dwoch systemow uwzgledniono czynniki: organizacyjne (powierzchnia dzialu ekspedycyjnego, wyposazenie technologiczne) oraz ekonomiczne (koszt: powierzchni uzytkowej dzialu ekspedycyjnego, wyposazenia technologicznego, energii elektrycznej). Juz na etapie inwestycji, ze wzgledow ekonomicznych, jako bardziej preferowany nalezy wskazac system tacowy. Pomimo, ze szacunkowy koszt wyposazenia technologicznego w tym systemie jest wyzszy, to naklady związane z budową i wykonczeniem wnetrz są nizsze w porownaniu z systemem bemarowym. W pracy zwrocono takze uwage na pobor energii elektrycznej, niezbednej do eksploatacji urządzen. Wyposazenie technologiczne zaproponowane w tacowym systemie dystrybucji pozwala znacząco obnizyc miesieczny koszt jej zuzycia. Na podstawie analizy czynnikow organizacyjnych i ekonomicznych szpitala projektowanego dla 600 pacjentow stwierdzono, ze za rekomendowany sposob zywienia w takiej placowce nalezy uznac indywidualny system dystrybucji posilkow. Slowa kluczowe: zywienie szpitalne, dystrybucja posilkow, bemarowy system dystrybucji posilkow, tacowy system dystrybucji posilkow