With every passing 12 months, new and rising applied sciences and methods which have promise for advancing meals security are developed and validated—and 2023 was no totally different. The next checklist summarizes the highest 5 meals security improvements of 2023, based mostly on which articles made the most important waves with the Meals Security Journal viewers, in ascending order. 

5. Sustainable Natural Acid an Efficient Disinfectant Towards Foodborne Pathogens, Biofilm

A examine has demonstrated the antimicrobial efficacy of a novel natural acid compound in opposition to frequent foodborne pathogens and biofilm. The compound, tetrapotassium iminodisuccinic acid salt (IDSK), was proven to be a promising disinfectant, and can also be biodegradable and sustainable. IDSK samples had been examined in opposition to Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis, individually and as a part of biofilms. General, IDSK confirmed environment friendly antibacterial exercise in opposition to Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains, utterly suppressing the expansion of some strains, and was additionally capable of degrade mature biofilm by roughly 40 p.c. Learn extra in regards to the examine right here. 

4. New Sensor Expertise Detects Micro organism in Milk in Actual Time

Researchers have launched a novel, thermal biosensor for real-time detection of E. coli, demonstrating its capability to detect the pathogen in milk with out pattern preparation. The know-how relies on screen-printed electrodes (SPEs), functionalized by a easy surface-imprinting course of that represents an simply scalable technique for the manufacturing of artificial receptors. The SPEs had been utilized in mixture with the warmth switch methodology to detect E. coli. The sensor can be straightforward to mass produce, and reveals potential as a low-cost, fast instrument for onsite microbial indication. Learn extra in regards to the innovation right here.

3. Research Reveals Potential of Antimicrobial Blue Mild for Listeria Inactivation in Meals Processing Crops

Antimicrobial blue gentle has been studied more and more lately on account of its reported potential to inactivate a number of micro organism. In a single such examine, researchers supplied extra help for the meals security functions of antimicrobial blue gentle, demonstrating its capability to eradicate each dried cells and biofilms of Listeria monocytogenes. The pathogen was inactivated most quickly when positioned on polystyrene, a extensively used sort of plastic. Learn extra in regards to the examine right here.

2. Researchers Purpose to Make Cured Meat Safer With “No Nitrite-Added” Curing Course of

Nitrites and nitrates, usually added to meals comparable to cured meat to protect high quality and lengthen shelf life, are topic to rising scrutiny as analysis about attainable unfavourable well being results emerge. Nevertheless, researchers from Texas A&M College have reported that they’re within the strategy of creating a way for curing meats with out nitrites, with funding from the U.S. Division of Agriculture’s Agriculture and Meals Analysis Initiative (USDA’s AFRI). Particularly, the researchers are exploring the feasibility of a novel amino acid different curing system for meat, which is predicted to get rid of the necessity for direct or oblique addition of sodium nitrite in cured meat merchandise. Realizing that nitrites and nitrates happen naturally in people and in some meals, the researchers consider it’s attainable that including the amino acid L-arginine to meats would activate the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) enzyme contained inside. NOS converts L-arginine to NO and one other amino acid, L-citrulline. NO creates the attribute cured pink colour related to cured meats, and two NO molecules can mix to type nitrite, which serves as an antioxidant and antimicrobial. Learn extra in regards to the innovation right here.

1. Researchers Develop Tray That Alerts When Meals is Contaminated by Pathogenic Micro organism

Researchers have created a brand new packaging tray that may sign when Salmonella or different foodborne pathogens are current in uncooked or cooked meals, comparable to hen. The prototype tray, which is formed like a shallow boat, is lined with a food-safe reagent that permits a built-in sensor to detect and sign the presence of Salmonella, enabling producers, retailers, and customers to inform in actual time whether or not the contents of a sealed meals package deal are contaminated with out having to open it, stopping publicity to contamination. The know-how can readily be tailored to check for different frequent foodborne pathogens, comparable to E. coli and L. monocytogenes, and probably reduces the necessity for costly, lab-based detection processes. Learn extra in regards to the innovation right here. 

Honorable Mentions

Different fashionable articles from 2023 about meals security improvements and rising applied sciences that didn’t make the highest 5 checklist embody the discovery of a soil microbe that may degrade the dangerous mycotoxin patulin; a examine demonstrating the potential of superheated, dry steam to wash meals manufacturing services the place the usage of conventional moist sanitation is restricted, comparable to in low-moisture meals manufacturing and produce packhouses; and the improvement of mini pH sensors that point out meals spoilage in actual time and might be integrated into present meals packaging strategies.

This checklist is barely a sampling of the myriad research and improvements that Meals Security Journal coated in 2023. Browse this webpage to make amends for the newest meals security science!