Quality of Frozen Hake Fillets in the Portuguese Retail Market: A Case Study of Inadequate Practices in the European Frozen White Fish Market

The overall quality of frozen hake fillets in the Portuguese market was evaluated. Physical, biochemical, microbiological, and sensory analysis in 20 brands revealed several non-conformities. Hake was identified in 19 brands, although two mislabeled the species. Lower net weight than labeled was evidenced in ca. one-third of brands. TVB-N in ca. one-third of the samples presented high values, although within legal limit. Almost all brands presented excessive amount of ice glaze, low levels of WHC (raw/cooked), low levels of soluble protein, and undue thaw-drip loss, thus reflecting the poor quality of fillets. Added phosphates were below the legal limit in all samples; however, they were used in glaze ice in three brands, and only labeled in one. Overall microbiological quality of frozen fillets was good, though yeasts and molds detected in six samples indicate poor hygienic conditions in some facilities. Labels comply with legal requisites, however, need improvement, namely the ‘best before’ periods. In general, packaging was efficient regarding presence of ice crystals and dehydration signs. Concerning sensory analysis of cooked fillets, 63% of the brands had bad to poor quality and 37% fair quality. Merluccius productus revealed the worst quality, namely regarding thaw drip loss, thaw drip loss protein, M/P ratio, pH and sensory evaluation. Overall results show that a significant part of the hake fillets business operators are still failing in relation with best practices.

Mycotoxins contamination of market maize and the potential of density sorting in reducing exposure in unregulated food systems in Kenya

Aflatoxins and fumonisins commonly contaminate key food staples in tropical countries, causing recurring acute and chronic public health problems. The present study was conducted to assess the potential of a simple device designed for density-based sorting of maize for its potential to reduce aflatoxins and fumonisins in diverse samples of naturally contaminated maize. A cross sectional survey was conducted, analysing market maize samples (n=204) from eight counties in Western Kenya. A quarter (25%) of the maize samples were contaminated with aflatoxin B1 above the legal limit of 5 μg/kg and nearly half (48%) were contaminated with fumonisins at levels above the legal limit of 2 μg/g. Analysis of additional samples (n=24) from Meru County showed that contamination of maize with the two toxins was also common in Eastern Kenya. A simple density sorter was used to separate grain samples into heavy and light fractions. With an out-sort rate of 31%, density sorting was effective in separating maize by bulk density and 100-kernel weight (P<0.001). Bulk density was negatively correlated with aflatoxins in unsorted (r=-0.20, P<0.01) and heavy fractions (r=-0.32, P<0.01). Density sorting was effective at reducing fumonisins; for maize samples with >1 μg/g, the heavy (accepted) fraction had 66% lower fumonisins than the unsorted maize. After density sorting, the light and heavy fractions fumonisin levels differed by an average of 8.38 μg/g (P<0.001). However, sorting was not effective at significantly reducing aflatoxin levels in maize that was highly contaminated. A simple density sorting equipment that could be adopted by local small-scale millers has potential to reduce fumonisins in maize. Additional and complementary sorting technologies, such as size screening and spectral sorting might improve the effectiveness of reducing aflatoxins in maize.

Global COVID-19 Pandemic and Indebtedness of Municipalities with Extended Power in the Czech Republic

Research background: In theory, indebtedness of municipalities is only ever associated with the acquisition of investments. It is advised that indebtedness should be regulated by the state, but there is a risk of limiting investment in local infrastructure. Purpose of the article: According to Act No. 23/2017 Coll., municipalities must regulate their own indebtedness and comply with the fiscal rule on pain of penalty. The aim of this text is to provide an analysis and examine the prospects of compliance with the fiscal rule in 205 municipalities with extended power. The analysis is carried out between 2017 and 2019, the risks of compliance in the following years mainly relate to the emerging economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Given the subject of the analysis, secondary data was used for the research. Data was taken from the Monitor database operated by the Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic. The obtained data had been processed using standard statistical methods. Findings & Value added: To date, the indebtedness of municipalities with extended power is not excessive: the mean and median values are still well below the legal limit. Still, there are some municipalities where the legal limit has been exceeded, or whose indebtedness is nearing the limit. In the event of reduced tax revenue, which is to be expected in the coming years, these municipalities will struggle to comply with the fiscal rule. The consequences will include halting or limiting local investment, and/or reducing the quality of local public goods.

Drink Driving as the Commonest Drug Driving—A Perspective from Europe

People mixing driving motor vehicles with consuming alcohol increases deaths and injuries on the roads, as was established irrefutably in the mid-1960s. This commentary discusses how society across Europe has responded since then to this burden by managing drink driving in the interests of road safety. The principal response has been to set, communicate and enforce limits on the level of alcohol in the blood above which it is illegal to drive and to deal in various ways with drivers found to be exceeding the limits. Achieving reduction in drink-related road deaths has benefitted public health, though the aim to change behaviour of drinking drivers has been a challenge to the profession. Other achievements have included changes in public attitude to drink driving, and reduction in reoffending by convicted offenders through rehabilitation courses and use of the alcohol interlock, which prevents starting of a vehicle by a driver who has drunk too much. There is scope for improved recording of road deaths identified as drink-related, greater understanding of effectiveness in enforcement of the legal limit and improved availability of the alcohol interlock. Relevance of experience with drink driving to management of other drug driving and prospects for building on the achievements so far are discussed.

Mineral Composition of Cereal and Cereal-Free Dry Dog Foods versus Nutritional Guidelines

The aims of the present work are to estimate the nutritional value and to evaluate and compare the levels of macroelements (Ca, P, K, Na, Mg), microelements (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu), heavy metals (Co, Cd, Pb, Mo, Cr, Ni), and their ratios in extruded complete foods for adult dogs, their compatibility with nutritional guidelines, as well as food profile similarity. Basic composition was determined according to Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). Analyses for elements were performed using an atomic absorption spectrometer. All the evaluated dry dog foods met the minimum recommended levels for protein and fat. Eighteen tested dog foods (60%) did not meet at least one recommendation of nutritional guidelines. Four dog foods exceeded the legal limit of Fe and five foods exceeded the legal limit of Zn; in one of them, Zn level was almost twice higher. Dog foods with insect protein exceeded the legal limit for Mn content. Eight dog foods had an inappropriate Ca:P ratio. Heavy metals were below detection limit in all analyzed dog foods. The results seem to show the need for regular feed analyses of the elemental composition in raw materials before introducing supplementation and for the monitoring of the mineral composition of finished pet food.

Alcohol purchases from a large Finnish retail chain before and after a change in alcohol legislation

Background In January 2018, the legal limit for alcoholic beverages in grocery stores changed from 4.7 to 5.5 % alcohol. The increased availability of stronger beer, cider and ready-to-drink beverages was expected to increase the total amount of 100% alcohol bought. The study aimed to examine how the change in alcohol legislation affected the purchasing of 100% alcohol from grocery stores by comparing the years 2017 and 2018. Methods The study data consisted of 47,066 loyalty card holders of Finland's largest retail chain, who gave their consent and provided background information by an online questionnaire. The data contained the type, volume and alcoholic content of the purchases, from which we calculated the amount of 100% alcohol bought. The mean individual alcohol purchases in the years 2017 and 2018 were compared by age, gender, level of education and household income using repeated measurements ANOVA models. Results There was only a small, non-significant change in the total amount of 100% alcohol between 2017 and 2018 (mean 1.9 l and 2.0 l, respectively, p = 0.220). Lower income was associated with a decrease in total 100% alcohol purchased, whereas higher income groups showed an increase. Increase in 100% alcohol bought as ready-to-drink beverages was seen in all population groups. Conclusions The availability of stronger alcoholic beverages in grocery stores did not result in a notable overall increase in total purchases of 100% alcohol. The increased purchases of alcohol as ready-to-drink beverages were, on the average, compensated for by decreased purchases of alcohol as other beverages. The association of income with total alcohol purchases may indicate the effect of price in consumer behavior. Key messages The raise in the legal limit of alcohol content raised did not result in a significant increase in the total amount of 100% alcohol bought from grocery stores. Alcohol purchased as ready-to-drink beverages increased in all population groups.

FINAL QUALITY OF A SUSTAINABLE LANDFILL AND POST-CLOSURE MANAGEMENT

Landfill should be designed and constructed in line with the principle of environmental sustainability, guaranteeing over a period of less than one generation (typically considered 30 years) the environmental equilibrium of Final Storage Quality, when waste stability and immobilisation of contaminants is achieved and all active measures of control may be removed without posing any further risk to the environment. The practical definition of FSQ, when a landfill can be released from aftercare, and a procedure for the technical and administrative termination of the post-closure management phase are an evident regulatory strategic need to assure the design of sustainable landfill. The aim of this paper is to provide a criterion to define the FSQ of landfill, based on the control of the analytical emission parameters and of stability indexes related to the residual emission potential. These should concur with the law’s acceptance criteria for the landfilling of wastes (LAC), and with the legal limit values (LLV) established for the emission of contaminants into the environment. The interrelationship between, stability indexes (emission potential), analytical emission parameters, LAC and LLV is discussed and reference values are provided. Finally, the paper proposes a procedure for the termination of technical and administrative aspects following the post-closure management in accordance with FSQ.

Organic contaminants in distilled sugar cane spirits produced by column and copper alembic distillation

The present work aimed to characterize and quantify four contaminants (ethyl carbamate, 2,3-butanedione, furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural) present in still and industrial cachaça. The four contaminants ethyl carbamate, 2,3-butanedione, furfural (FU) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) were analyzed in spirits produced by alembic and column distillation. Forty-four samples of cachaça were collected in the southern, central-western, and southeastern regions of the state of Minas Gerais and in the state of São Paulo. The samples were subjected to chromatographic analysis. Ethyl carbamate, 2,3-butanedione, furfural and 5-HMF were characterized and quantified by HPLC. Two samples of spirits were found to contain concentrations of ethyl carbamate that were greater than the legal limits, ranging from 245.31 to 235.53 μg L-1. None of the alembic samples had concentrations higher than the legal limit. The spirits obtained by column disitllation contained higher concentrations of the 2,3-butanedione than the alembic liquors. An analytical method was developed and validated for the quantification of furfural and 5-HMF, and the spirits obtained by column distillation contained concentrations higher than the limit established by legislation.