Preference and possible consumption of provided enrichment and bedding materials and disinfectant powder by growing pigs

Background Domestic pigs have an evolutionary conserved exploratory behaviour. To comply with this requirement, the European Union aims at setting standards for appropriate enrichment materials for pigs (Council Directive 2008/120/EC). As recommended characteristics include ‘chewable’ and ‘edible’, pigs might also consume these materials (Commission Recommendation (EU) 2016/336), which are often additionally advertised to enhance lying comfort and hygienic conditions in stables. To date, a wide range of bedding, enrichment and disinfectant materials is available on the market to ensure environmental enrichment, a dry, hygienic environment or lying comfort. Previous studies revealed considerable amounts of undesirable substances in some of these materials possibly being a risk for food safety considering oral uptake by the animal. To determine interest and indicators for consumption of different types of materials by pigs during exploratory behaviour, a camera-assisted observational study with 12 female pigs (German Landrace) was conducted. We tested their preference for a disinfectant powder, peat, biochar and straw as reference material in a 4 × 6 factorial arrangement. Results Pigs manipulated and consumed all offered materials. However, longest manipulation time per pig was observed for biochar (63 min/day) and peat (50 min/day) (p < 0.05). Analyses of the bulk molecular-chemical composition and n-alkanes and acid insoluble ash as markers in the materials and in faeces clearly revealed the consumption of these materials by pigs. Conclusions Whether the consumption of considerable amounts together with certain levels of undesirable substances represents a risk for pig and consumer health could yet not be established. Future studies will address the quantitative contribution of undesirable substances by oral ingestion of bedding and enrichment materials and disinfectant powders to the daily feed ration.

Diagnosis of fasciolosis in cattle slaughtered at the slaughterhouse of the urban commune of Dédougou in Burkina Faso

Fasciolosis is a major zoonosis of ruminants which causes great economic losses to breeders. Given the economic and public health importance of this pathology, it is necessary to establish the current situation in a perspective of animal and ruminant meat consumer health protection. Therefore, the present study was conducted at the slaughterhouse of Dédougou in order to identify the species of fluke that caused this pathology in the Boucle du Mouhoun region and to estimate the prevalence, the risk factors and the economic losses associated with this pathology. For this purpose, 820 cattle and 6360 small ruminants were diagnosed through post-mortem examination over a five-month period from March to August 2018. Out of the 6360 small ruminant livers examined, no cases of infestation were observed unlike cattle in which the prevalence of infestation was 2.07%. These infestations were all due to Fasciola gigantica. Regarding the risk factors, a slight effect of the month and a high influence of animals' origin were observed. March, with a prevalence of 0.25%, was the most favorable infestation month (P-value=0.05) and Sourou (19.51%), was the highest infestation risk area (P-value<0.0001). The estimated financial loss associated with the infestations was XOF 22,200.29 per infested animal. The situation is particularly worrying insofar as some populations, especially rural populations, consume meat from uncontrolled slaughter areas. Appropriate precautions should therefore be taken to ensure both consumer and animal health, given the zoonotic nature of the disease.

Impact of Consumer Health Awareness on Dairy Product Purchase Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to a reduction in the overall consumption of dairy products in China. How to restore the consumption potential of dairy products and alleviate the serious impact on the dairy market in the post-epidemic period is an urgent problem that needs to be resolved. Based on the survey data of 1780 consumers in 31 provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions) of China, the Heckman two-stage model was used to empirically test the impact of consumer health awareness on dairy product purchase behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic and to further analyze the differences in factors affecting dairy product purchase behavior with the restriction of consumer health awareness. The results showed that the overall level of consumer health awareness after the outbreak of COVID-19 was relatively high. A total of 79% of consumers preferred to buy dairy products after the COVID-19 outbreak, and the proportion of purchased dairy products increased by an average of 17.49%, compared with that before the COVID-19 outbreak. Health change perception, health concern degree, and health habit development in consumer health awareness all have important impacts on the purchase behavior of dairy products. Among them, health change perception and health habit development both positively and significantly affected the purchase intention. Moreover, all three aspects of consumer health awareness positively increased the proportion of dairy product purchases. Difference analysis showed that there were obvious differences among consumer groups with different health awareness in dairy product purchase decisions. Component factor analysis found that, overall, consumer health awareness directly affected the purchase intention and increased the purchase proportion of dairy products. Therefore, policy recommendations are proposed to increase the consumption momentum of dairy products by raising consumer health awareness in the post-epidemic period.

Concerns of Quality and Reliability of Educational Videos Focused on Frailty Syndrome on YouTube Platform

(1) Background: Evaluation of the quality and reliability of the frailty syndrome videos available on YouTube platform was the aim of this study. (2) Methods: The observational study included 75 videos retrieved by searching seven terms related to frailty syndrome on YouTube. The quality and reliability of the videos were measured using three different tools: quality criteria for consumer health information (DISCERN), the Global Quality Score (GQS), and the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA). The video content was categorized according to the following characteristics: video provider, duration, view count, average daily views of the video, average daily views of a channel, channel subscribers, number of days since upload date, likes, dislikes, comments, the external webpages linked to the videos. (3) Results: The videos had a mean duration of 375 s and an average number of views of 1114. The quality of 17 videos assessed in the study was found to be high, 48—intermediate, and 10—low. The high-quality videos had the longest duration, the highest number of views, and points for the DISCERN score. The physician uploaders had the highest mean DISCERN and mean GQS scores, the highest number of views, and the longest duration but the hospital channels had the highest JAMA score. (4) Conclusions: YouTube can be a valuable source of medical information for patients and caregivers. The quality of videos mostly depends on the authorship and the source of video providers—physicians, academic, and health care-related organizations provide the best quality content based on professional medical knowledge.

Diluted Acetic Acid Softened Intermuscular Bones from Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) by Dissolving Hydroxyapatite and Collagen

Intermuscular bones (IBs) pose physical hazards that threaten consumer health and food safety. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of softening IBs from silver carp with diluted acetic acid. IBs (separated from muscle) and fillets (without removing IBs) were treated with diluted acetic acid. Analyses of sensory attributes and the hardness of treated IBs indicated that diluted acetic acid (<10 mmol/L) could soften IBs effectively. Additionally, 0.5 mmol/L acetic acid softened IBs within fillets without significantly affecting the texture and flavor of fillets. Analyses of microstructure, minerals (calcium and phosphorus) and collagen content, and the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of IBs indicated that acetic acid broke connections (formed by collagen that shared hydroxyl groups) between collagen molecules, and between collagen and hydroxyapatite (HAP), thus inducing the dissolution of collagen and HAP. The dissolution of HAP contributed more to IBs softening than collagen.

The use of food swaps to encourage healthier online food choices: a randomized controlled trial

Background Online grocery stores offer opportunities to encourage healthier food choices at the moment that consumers place a product of their choice in their basket. This study assessed the effect of a swap offer, Nutri-Score labeling, and a descriptive norm message on the nutrient profiling (NP) score of food choices in an online food basket. Additionally explored was whether these interventions made it more motivating and easier for consumers to select healthier foods and whether potential effects were moderated by consumer health interest. Methods Hypotheses were tested with a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in a simulated online supermarket. Dutch participants (n = 550) chose their preferred product out of six product options for four different categories (breakfast cereals, crackers, pizza, and muesli bars). Participants were randomly allocated to one of eight groups based on the interventions in a 2 (Nutri-Score: present, not present) X 2 (swap offer: present, not present) X 2 (norm message: present, not present) between subject design. The primary outcome was the difference in combined NP score of product choices, for which a lower score represented a healthier product. Results Swap offer (B = − 9.58, 95% CI: [− 12.026; − 7.132], Ƞ2 = 0.098) and Nutri-Score labeling (B = − 3.28, 95% CI: [− 5.724; −.829], Ƞ2 = 0.013) significantly improved the combined NP score compared to the control condition (NP score M = 18.03, SD = 14.02), whereas a norm message did not have a significant effect (B = − 1.378, 95% CI [− 3.825; 1.070], Ƞ2 = 0.002). No evidence was found that interventions made it more motivating or easier for consumers to select healthier food, but situational motivation significantly influenced the healthiness score of food choices for both swap offer (b = − 3.40, p < .001) and Nutri-Score (b = − 3.25, p < .001). Consumer health interest only significantly moderated the influence of Nutri-Score on ease of identifying the healthy food option (b = .23, p = .04). Conclusions Swap offer and Nutri-Score labeling were effective in enhancing healthy purchase behavior in the online store environment. Trial registration This study was retrospectively registered in the ISRCTN database on 02-09-2021 (ISRCTN80519674).

Occurrence of selected pathogenic microorganisms in raw and processed eggs of snails of the Cornu genus

Introduction This study investigated the eggs of Polish-bred edible snails of the Cornu genus as a food and aimed to determine the presence of microorganisms in them of the Salmonella and Listeria genera and ascertain the number of coagulase-positive staphylococci. Material and Methods Raw material, semi-finished products, and the final product were collected during the production cycle. Testing for the presence of Salmonella spp. and Listeria spp. and measuring of the pathogenic staphylococci contamination level were carried out in accordance with ISO standards. Commercial biochemical tests were used for species identification of bacteria of the Enterobacteriaceae family and Staphylococcus genus. An API kit and a PCR protocol were utilised for species confirmation of the microorganisms of the Listeria genus. Results Neither Salmonella nor coagulase-positive staphylococci were found in any of the studied material. Bacteria of the Listeria genus were found in samples taken at every stage of production; however L. monocytogenes was confirmed in samples of the final product. Conclusion The absence of Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus in samples of the final product indicates that the required hygiene standard was maintained in the production process of edible snail eggs. Nevertheless, the presence of L. monocytogenes in eggs of common garden snails may pose a potential risk to consumer health.

Compensation for Harm Caused to the Consumer's Health according to the Norms on Product Liability: Principal Directions for Improving Russian Legislation based on the Results of a Study of Foreign Experience

Despite the fact that cases of harm caused as a result of defects in goods, works and services represent the third most common special type of tort in Russia, with which claims for compensation for health damage are associated, the legislation does not provide additional insurance means of protection for the consumer. In judicial practice, the problems of determining the basis of tort liability for such harm, its nature and size according to Article 1086 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation remain relevant. Foreign experience shows that many of these problems can be solved through the introduction of special evidentiary tests and the development of norms on product liability, the use of institutes of insurance of the risk of harm and liability. The paper presents a comparative legal study of the procedure and conditions for compensation for the harm caused to consumer health in Russia and foreign countries. Special attention is given to the fundamental differences between the American and European models of legal regulation of these relations. The author studied the most indicative approaches to determining the causal relationship between the defect of the goods and the damage caused, calculating the amount of compensation, understanding the defect of the goods and its legal consequences. The goals and objectives of the study are to identify and analyze the problems of legal regulation of compensation for harm caused to consumer health in Russia, study foreign experience and identify fundamentally significant areas of improvement of Russian legislation in this area. The expediency of establishing in the domestic legislation special presumptions of the presence of a defect in the goods, the origin of harm from such a defect for cases of causing damage to health during the operation of certain categories of goods is justified, a set of conditions is given, under which such a step may become possible. The prospects for the development and implementation of insurance methods of compensation for harm in this area, including mandatory no-fault insurance, are determined.