Essential Terminology and Considerations for Validation of Non-targeted Methods

Through its suggestive name, non-targeted methods (NTMs) do not aim at a predefined "needle in the haystack". Instead, they exploit all the constituents of the haystack. This new form of analytical methods is increasingly finding applications in food and feed testing. However, the concepts, terms, and considerations related to this burgeoning field of analytical testing needs to be propagated for the benefit of ones associated in academic research, commercial development, and official control. This paper addresses the frequently asked questions around notations and terminologies surrounding NTMs. The widespread development and adoption of these methods also necessitates the need to develop approaches to NTM validation, i.e., evaluating the performance characteristics of a method to determine if it is fit-for-purpose. This work aims to provide a roadmap to approaching NTM validation. In doing so, the paper deliberates on the different considerations that influence the approach to validation and provides suggestions thereof.

Towards a Mathematical Framework for Method Validation and Performance Characteristics of Non-targeted Methods for Food Authenticity

Through its suggestive name, non-targeted methods (NTMs) do not aim at a predefined "needle in the haystack". Instead, they exploit all the constituents of the haystack. This new form of analytical methods is increasingly finding applications in food and feed testing. However, the concepts, terms, and considerations related to this burgeoning field of analytical testing needs to be propagated for the benefit of ones associated in academic research, commercial development, and official control. This paper addresses the frequently asked questions around notations and terminologies surrounding NTMs. The widespread development and adoption of these methods also necessitates the need to develop approaches to NTM validation, i.e., evaluating the performance characteristics of a method to determine if it is fit-for-purpose. This work aims to provide a roadmap to approaching NTM validation. In doing so, the paper deliberates on the different considerations that influence the approach to validation and provides suggestions thereof.

First report of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4, causing Fusarium wilt in Cavendish bananas in Peru

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 (Foc TR4), the causal agent of Fusarium wilt of banana (FWB), is currently the major threat to the banana industry worldwide (Dita et al. 2018). Restricted to South Asia for more than 20 years, Foc TR4 has spread in the last years to the Middle East, Mozambique, and Colombia (García-Bastidas et al. 2019; https://pestdisplace.org/embed/news/map/disease/11). The incursion of Foc TR4 in Colombia increased awareness and prevention efforts across Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC). However, new Foc TR4 outbreaks in LAC countries were considered a matter of time. In April 2021, banana (Musa spp., Cavendish, AAA) plants (30% of incidence) showing typical symptoms of FWB, such as leave yellowing, wilting and vascular discoloration were observed in one farm (about 1 ha) located in Querecotillo, Peru (4°43’54.84”S 80°33’45.00”W). Mycological analyses of samples (pseudostem strands) collected from 10 symptomatic plants were performed as described by Dita et al. (2010). These analyses revealed a continuous presence of fungal colonies identified as Fusarium oxysporum species complex. Molecular diagnostics targeting two different genome regions (Dita et al 2010; Li et al. 2013) identified nine of these isolates as Foc TR4. These results were further confirmed by qPCR analyses using the commercial Clear Detections TR4 kit. The genome of four single-spore isolates (PerS1, PerS2, PerS3 and PerS4) was sequenced using the Illumina platform (MiSeq Kit, 2x151 bp Paired-End). The strain PerS4 was also sequenced using Oxford Nanopore (FLOW-MIN111; R10.3 chemistry) as described by Lopez-Alvarez et al., (2020). The generated draft assembly yielded 533 contigs for a size of 47 Mbp (BioProject: PRJNA755905), which is comparable with sizes of previously reported Foc TR4 strains (Asai et al. 2019; García-Bastidas et al. 2019; Maymon et al. 2020; Warmington et al. 2019; Zheng et al. 2018). The sequence assembly showed high contiguity (94.9%) and high similarity (95.48%) with the high-quality genome sequence of the Foc TR4 isolate ‘UK0001’ (Warmington et al. 2019). Further analyses to identify the presence/absence of full sequences for the putative effector genes (Secreted In Xylem - SIX) and their allelic copies, also revealed that the SIX genes profile of the strains isolated from Querecotillo matched with previously reported Foc TR4 isolates (Czislowski et al. 2017). Pathogenicity tests with three isolates and water controls were performed as described by Dita et al. (2010), using five Cavendish plantlets per treatment. Four weeks after the inoculation typical external and internal symptoms of FWB were observed only in the inoculated plants. Fungal isolates recovered from inoculated plants tested positive for Foc TR4 when analyzed with PCR diagnostics as mentioned above. No fungal isolates were recovered from water-control plants which did not show any symptoms. Altogether, our results confirm the first incursion of Foc TR4 in Peru. Currently, Foc TR4 has the phytosanitary status of a present pest with restricted distribution in Peru and it is under official control of the National Plant Protection Organization – SENASA. Reinforced prevention and quarantine measures, disease monitoring and capacity building to detect, contain and manage eventual new outbreaks of Foc TR4 are strongly encouraged across LAC banana producing countries, especially for those bordering Peru with larger banana plantations, such as Ecuador and Brazil.

Undertaking a New Regulatory Challenge: Monitoring of Ergot Alkaloids in Italian Food Commodities

The present manuscript reports on monitoring data of 12 ergot alkaloids (EAs) in cereal and cereal-derived products, collected in Italy over the period 2017–2020, for official control purposes under the edge of the Commission Recommendation 2012/154/EU on the monitoring of the presence of EAs in feed and food. To these purposes, an LC-MS/MS method was set up and applied, after in-house verification of its analytical performance. Besides satisfactory recoveries and precision, the method’s quantification limits proved suitable to assess the compliance of cereals and cereal-based foods with the recently issued EU maximum permitted levels (Commission Regulation 2021/1399/EU). The validity of the generated data was also evaluated through the adoption of four proficiency tests, from which acceptable z-score values (−2 ≤ z ≤ 2) were obtained. The method was then applied to analyse a total of 67 samples, collected in Italy over the period 2017–2020. The samples consisted of 18 cereal grains, 16 flours (14 of wheat and 2 of spelt) and 31 other types of cereals derivatives (including 9 for infants). Overall, the EAs analysis returned a high percentage of left-censored data (>86%). Among the positive samples, the highest contamination levels, up to 94.2 µg/kg, were found for ergocristine (12% incidence), followed by ergocristinine (7% incidence) with levels of up to 48.3 µg/kg.

Zur Rezeption deutscher Musik in der japanischen Musikpublizistik während des Pazifischen Krieges - eine Zwischenbilanz

This article analyses the reception of German music in the music press of Japan during the Pacific War, against the bakdrop of the German-Japanese policy of alliance and a twofold centralization of the Japanese music press. In the first half of the 1940s the number of journals dealing with European music was reduced and an official cultural association, subordinated to the ministries for culture and propaganda, was founded. A close reading of Japanese music journals from between 1941 and 1944 establishes that German music was re-interpreted several times within a relatively short period of time, depending on its use for propaganda or social conformity. At first music journals demonstrated great interest in the restructuring of cultural life in Germany and compared German art music favourably with Russian, French and American music, particularly jazz. From 1943 onwards official control of the music press tightened and, in the wake of calls for a genuinely Japanese music independent of European traditions, anti-European rhetoric became more prominent, although German art music continued to be invoked against jazz and the vulgarization of art through popular music.

Analysis of Veterinary and Sanitary Inspection in Russian Federation Subjects

The paper represents the analysis of the key parameters specifying the food safety system in the Russian Federation as of January 1, 2020. Such issues as competence of the veterinary experts and laboratories in the field of veterinary and sanitary inspection as well as availability of the necessary equipment including equipment for radiometric tests were particularly considered. Implementation of the internal audit procedure by the veterinary and sanitary testing laboratories was assessed. Data on the availability of the slaughterhouses and slaughter units/facilities for emergency slaughter as well as their staffing with the veterinarians are demonstrated. The study results indicate that 39% of the laboratories are not equipped with the necessary laboratory equipment; 8% of the laboratories perform tests using non-calibrated laboratory equipment, and only 2/3 of the laboratories are covered by the regular internal audits. Evidence of insufficient control over the attestation of the veterinarians involved in the veterinary and sanitary expertise was identified. Moreover, insufficient number of slaughter facilities and veterinary and sanitary testing laboratories in the regions of the country was highlighted as well as inadequate staffing of the laboratories with the veterinarians responsible for the official control of the compliance with the veterinary rules and technical regulations and for the veterinary and sanitary inspections. Therefore, in some regions of the country the national veterinary services lack any capacities necessary to perform the emergency slaughter of the diseased and suspect animals in the isolated and controlled environment with the subsequent on-site storage and decontamination of the slaughter products or their disposal or destruction. The study results demonstrate a number of gaps in the veterinary and sanitary inspection system thus indicating the need for corrective actions to be taken both on the federal and local levels.

Etnisten vähemmistönuorten kokemukset virallisesta kontrollista ja leimasta

Vaikka luottamus poliisiin on Suomessa korkeaa, viime aikoina keskustelua on herättänyt etninen profilointi, poliisin voimankäyttö ja Black Lives Matter -liike. Etnisten vähemmistöjen ja poliisin suhteet näyttäytyvät usein kielteisinä ja niissä on havaittu epäluottamusta, mutta aihetta ei ole tutkittu riittävästi Suomessa. Tässä artikkelissa tutkitaan, millaisia kokemuksia etnisillä vähemmistönuorilla on kohtaamisistaan poliisien ja yksityisen turvallisuusalan toimijoiden kanssa. Artikkelissa tutkitaan myös sitä, miten nuoret ovat kokeneet tulleensa leimatuiksi näissä kohtaamisissa. Artikkeli hyödyntää kolmenkymmenen nuoren yksilö- ja ryhmähaastatteluaineistoa (N = 18), jota analysoidaan teemoittelun keinoin. Tutkimuksen osallistujat ovat syntyneet tai asuneet pitkään Suomessa. Silti he kokivat tulosten mukaan olevansa kontrollin alaisena arkielämässään. Nuoret tulkitsivat, että heidän oletettu maahanmuuttajataustansa tai etninen vähemmistötaustansa näyttäytyi poliisin, järjestyksenvalvojien ja vartijoiden näkökulmasta epäilyttävänä, potentiaalisena rikollisena tai häiriön aiheuttajana. Näitä tilanteita tuli esiin a) kontrollitoimijoiden etsiessä rikolliseksi epäiltyjä henkilöitä (leimaavat tuntomerkit), b) henkilöpapereita kysyttäessä Suomen kansalaisilta (oletettu ulkomaalaisvalvonta) ja c) yleisesti järjestyksenvalvonnassa. Tulosten mukaan epäily tuotti kielteistä kuvaa puuttumistoimista, leimaa ja toiseuden kokemusta. Leimautumista tapahtui näissä vuorovaikutustilanteissa, mutta nuoret myös vastustivat leimoja, esimerkiksi vältellessään tai kyseenalaistaessaan puuttumistoimia ja sanktioita. Artikkeli laajentaa ymmärrystä kriminologisesta leimaamisteoriasta ja kontrollin valikoivuudesta etnisten vähemmistönuorten näkökulmasta. Jatkuva epäilyn alaisena oleminen ja kontrollin kautta luotu rikollisen leima haastaa yhteiskuntaan kuulumista, identiteettiä ja luottamusta. Elsa Saarikkomäki: Experiences of official control and labelling amongst ethnic minority youths. Finland is characterised by the high levels of trust in the police. Recently though, discussions have been raised about ethnic profiling, and the use of force by the police, illustrated namely by the Black Lives Matter movement. Encounters between ethnic minorities and policing agents are often perceived as negative and lacking trust. However, these questions are not yet sufficiently studied. This article studies experiences of the police and private security officers among ethnic minority youths. Particularly, the analysis focuses on whether young people perceive the contacts as labelling and stigmatizing. The article is based on thematic analysis of 18 in-depth interviews (total 30 youths participated in individual and focus group interviews). Even if the study participants were born or lived in Finland for a long time, they experienced being common targets of policing due to their ethnic minority background or (assumed) immigrant background. These perceptions were based on situations where the policing agents looked for “suspects” (labelling attributes), or where the control agents asked for the identification card (assumed foreign control), as well as in general situations of maintaining law and order. The participants perceived these situations often as negative, labelling and they felt being treated as “others”. Yet, the participants also resisted stigma in different ways. The findings expand the criminological discussions of labelling and control biases from the viewpoints of ethnic minority youths. Furthermore, being often suspected and labelled as delinquent challenge belonging to society, identity and general trust. Keywords: ethnic profiling – criminological labeling theory – youth – police – private security sector

Building of an Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) Gene Dataset to Support the Italian Health Service in Mushroom Identification

This study aims at building an ITS gene dataset to support the Italian Health Service in mushroom identification. The target species were selected among those mostly involved in regional (Tuscany) poisoning cases. For each target species, all the ITS sequences already deposited in GenBank and BOLD databases were retrieved and accurately assessed for quality and reliability by a systematic filtering process. Wild specimens of target species were also collected to produce reference ITS sequences. These were used partly to set up and partly to validate the dataset by BLAST analysis. Overall, 7270 sequences were found in the two databases. After filtering, 1293 sequences (17.8%) were discarded, with a final retrieval of 5977 sequences. Ninety-seven ITS reference sequences were obtained from 76 collected mushroom specimens: 15 of them, obtained from 10 species with no sequences available after the filtering, were used to build the dataset, with a final taxonomic coverage of 96.7%. The other 82 sequences (66 species) were used for the dataset validation. In most of the cases (n = 71; 86.6%) they matched with identity values ≥ 97–100% with the corresponding species. The dataset was able to identify the species involved in regional poisoning incidents. As some of these species are also involved in poisonings at the national level, the dataset may be used for supporting the National Health Service throughout the Italian territory. Moreover, it can support the official control activities aimed at detecting frauds in commercial mushroom-based products and safeguarding consumers.

Salmonella, Food Safety and Food Handling Practices

Salmonellosis is the second most reported gastrointestinal disorder in the EU resulting from the consumption of Salmonella-contaminated foods. Symptoms include gastroenteritis, abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhoea, fever, myalgia, headache, nausea and vomiting. In 2018, Salmonella accounted for more than half of the numbers of foodborne outbreak illnesses reported in the EU. Salmonella contamination is mostly associated with produce such as poultry, cattle and their feeds but other products such as dried foods, infant formula, fruit and vegetable products and pets have become important. Efforts aimed at controlling Salmonella are being made. For example, legislation and measures put in place reduced the number of hospitalizations between 2014 and 2015. However, the number of hospitalizations started to increase in 2016. This calls for more stringent controls at the level of government and the private sector. Food handlers of “meat processing” and “Ready to Eat” foods play a crucial role in the spread of Salmonella. This review presents an updated overview of the global epidemiology, the relevance of official control, the disease associated with food handlers and the importance of food safety concerning salmonellosis.