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  • Ying-Ying ZHAO, Ruo-Yu WANG, Kai-Zhi WU, Yun-Lan LIAN, Zhi-Lai ZHAN, Bao-Peng DING, Li-Ting YANG, Wen-Cui ZHANG, Xiao-Qin ZHAO, Juan DU
    Journal of Food Safety & Quality. 2025, 16(8): 244-252.

    Objective To construct and compare the fingerprint profiles of Astragalus samples from different origins based on ultra performance liquid chromatography-charged aerosol detector (UPLC-CAD) technology, achieve quality evaluation and origin identification of Astragalus. Methods Using UPLC-CAD technology, this study focused on flavonoid and saponin components to construct the fingerprint of wild-simulated Astragalus membranaceus from the Hengshan Mountains, based on 29 batches of samples collected from multiple geographical origins. Statistical analysis methods such as cluster analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were used for analysis and evaluation. Results The fingerprint successfully marked 26 common peaks, and 8 key characteristic peaks were identified, including complanatoside A, ononin, astragaloside I to IV, etc. Cluster analysis clearly divided the samples into two major categories, revealing the influence of regional differences on the quality of Astragalus membranaceus. PCA further extracted 7 principal components. OPLS-DA analysis accurately predicted 8 kinds of key compounds influencing the quality differences, which were closely related to origin, cultivation methods, and growth duration. Conclusion This study successfully constructed a fingerprint capable of distinguishing Astragalus based on its origin, cultivation methods, and growth conditions by integrating UPLC-CAD technology with multivariate chemometric analysis. This method can be used to evaluate the fingerprint similarity of Astragalus membranaceus (Hengshan Mountain wild-simulated), with high specificity and sensitivity, which provids a scientific basis for the quality assessment of wild-simulated Astragalus from the Hengshan Mountains.

  • Yan-Hua LU, Xue-Yuan ZHANG, Yu ZHAO, Yu FENG, Qing-Guo LI, Zhan-Wei RAO, Zi-Xin CHAI, Heng LI, Chun-Long PU, Zhi-Rui NIU
    Journal of Food Safety & Quality. 2025, 16(8): 296-301.

    With the rapid development of the Chinese economy, coffee consumption in China has rapidly expanded, and the processing scale of coffee and related products in China has grown significantly in recent years. However, many food safety risks caused by non-standard processing in the industry have also been exposed as the industry grows. Among them, risks such as excessive use of food additives beyond the scope, excessive mold contamination caused by poor initial processing hygiene conditions, and extreme emphasis on flavor and neglect of acrylamide contamination in baking are more prominent. These risks will be amplified with the surge in consumption. Therefore, it is urgent to introduce normative documents to effectively guide the industry to control non-standard work. At present, China has not yet issued national standards or other authoritative documents on risk control measures for coffee processing exposure, which is significantly different from international standards. This article focused on the main food safety risks currently present in the coffee processing industry, and provided some perspectives and suggestions for future regulatory documents on coffee processing. The significance of this article is to standardize the processing of the coffee industry, ensure effective supervision, strictly control illegal additives, and suppress fraudulent behavior, providing standard support for improving the rate of high-quality coffee.

  • Chao-Jie OU, Ying LIN
    Journal of Food Safety & Quality. 2025, 16(8): 253-260.

    Objective To investigate the effects of 3 kinds of different thermal processing methods on the quality of Triticum aestivum L. germ. Methods Fresh Triticum aestivum L. germ was used as the test material, and dry heat, microwave and moist heat methods were used to treat Triticum aestivum L. germ to analyze the effects of different thermal processing methods on the nutritional quality and oil quality of Triticum aestivum L. germ. Results There were no significant differences (P>0.05) in fatty acid composition among 3 kinds of thermal processing methods, and ash, fat, protein and mineral contents on a dry basis were essentially unchanged. Compared with fresh Triticum aestivum L. germ, dry heat and microwave methods decreased water content, vitamin E content (dry basis) and amino acid content (dry basis); moist heat method increased in water content, decreased in vitamin E content (dry basis) and no significant difference (P>0.05) in amino acid content (dry basis) content. Acid value and free fatty acid content increased and peroxide content decreased in the dry heat method; the acid value and free fatty acid content of microwave method and moist heat method were significantly reduced (P<0.05), the content of peroxide value significantly increased (P<0.05). Conclusion Moist heat method helps to protect the quality of Triticum aestivum L., can better improve the storage stability of Triticum aestivum L. germ, and provides a basis for further high-value processing and utilization of Triticum aestivum L. germ and the development of functional components.

  • Jing-Yuan GUAN, Yan-Ning YANG, Da-Ke ZHOU, Xue-Ming LONG, Can ZHOU, Gang ZHANG, Rui-Qi ZHANG, Ju-Fang HU, Shi-Qi LI
    Journal of Food Safety & Quality. 2025, 16(8): 107-114.

    Objective To establish a method based on ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight high resolution-mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) use as a rapid screening method for the illegal addition of 302 kinds of drugs in Chinese veterinary medicine. Methods A high-resolution mass spectrometry database containing information such as the names, molecular formulas, and exact mass numbers of 302 kinds of drugs was established. Samples were extracted with methanol and then analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. A sample was considered as a suspected positive if the retention time deviation was less than 0.2 min, the mass error was less than 5 ppm, the isotopic ratio deviation was less than 5%, and the library matching score of the main characteristic fragment ions was greater than 80. Results The method exhibited good selectivity, with a minimum detection concentration as low as 50 ng/mL for the target substances (100 ng/mL for tetracyclines, penicillins, estrogens, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; 200 ng/mL for aminoglycosides). This enabled the efficient screening of 302 kinds of illegally added drugs. In the screening of actual samples, 7 batches of suspected positive samples were detected. Conclusion This approach is applicable for the screening of illegal additives in various veterinary Chinese medicines, providing effective technical support for the quality control of veterinary Chinese medicines.

  • Lu-Kuan YANG, Hong-Zhou LI, Zhen-Xing WANG, Fei-Long SHAO, Huan-Qi WANG
    Journal of Food Safety & Quality. 2025, 16(8): 267-275.

    Objective To explore the quality characteristics and differences among the fruits of 6 kinds of different Prunus salicina L. varieties: Fengtang plum, Candy red plum, Red plum, Jiangan plum, Green red crisp plum and Crisp plum, Qinghong Cuili, and Suli. Methods The nutritional components of Prunus salicina L. fruits were analyzed using liquid chromatography, amino acid analyzer, spectrophotometry, and titration methods, and a quality analysis of different Prunus salicina L. varieties was conducted. Results The study found that the soluble sugar content in Prunus salicina L. fruits was primarily composed of fructose, glucose, and sucrose, with glucose being the highest, followed by fructose or sucrose. The total soluble sugar content, total sugar content, soluble solids, sweetness value, and sugar-acid ratio of Fengtang plum were significantly higher than those of other varieties, which might be the main reason for its sweeter taste. In terms of organic acids, malic acid was the predominant organic acid, accounting for more than 88% of the total, with Candy red plum having the highest malic acid content and Green red crisp plum having the highest total acid content. Amino acid analysis revealed that aspartic acid and proline levels were relatively high, and Candy red plum had the highest total free amino acid content. Green red crisp plum had the highest levels of total flavonoids and vitamin C, while Red plum had the highest vitamin E content. Conclusion The fruit qualities of the 6 plum varieties showes significant differences. This study provides a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for the utilization of quality resources of different plum varieties and the premium strategy for Prunus salicina L. fruits.

  • Jing-Min HUANG, Jing CHEN, Yan-Hui WU, Le-Shi LI, Mei-Zhu LI, Yu-Zhen JIANG
    Journal of Food Safety & Quality. 2025, 16(8): 115-121.

    Objective To understand the effect of sodium diacetate on the growth and toxin production of Burkholderia gladioli in fresh wet rice noodles medium. Methods A total of 10 Burkholderia gladioli strains isolated from wet rice noodles samples and rice raw materials and purchased by the strain preservation center were used as research objects. The strains were inoculated into the medium supplemented with different proportions of sodium diacetate to study the growth and toxin production of the strains in the medium. Results The growth of 10 strains of Burkholderia gladioli in BHI broth was consistent. Sodium diacetate had consistent inhibitory effects on different bacterial strains. When the addition of sodium diacetate in BHI broth was more than 0.1%, the growth of 10 strains of Burkholderia gladioli was significantly inhibited, and there was no bacterial growth when the addition reached 0.2%. In BHI semi-solid medium and wet rice noodles medium, when sodium diacetate was added more than 0.1%, the growth of Burkholderia gladioli was significantly weakened or even completely inhibited, and the production of bongkrekic acid was also greatly reduced. Conclusions Sodium diacetate can effectively inhibit the growth of Burkholderia gladioli and reduce the production of bongkrekic acid. It is expected to become a safe and effective preservative or compound preservative that can act on Burkholderia gladioli, reducing the risk of contamination by Burkholderia gladioli at a more affordable cost in the industry.

  • Ya-Dong WANG, Xin-Ying XU, Ying WANG, Xi-Ran WANG, Bei WANG
    Journal of Food Safety & Quality. 2025, 16(8): 152-160.

    Objective To deeply analyze the sensory quality of flavor during the ripening process of red cheese through various methods for measuring food flavor quality. Methods The volatile flavor compounds and sensory quality of red cheese at different ripening periods were analyzed by solid phase microextraction arrow-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME arrow-GC-MS), electronic nose, electronic tongue, and quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA). Results The results showed that there were differences in the flavor profiles of red cheeses at different ripening periods. A total of 85 kinds of volatile flavor compounds were identified in red cheese by GC-MS. The total content of acids, alcohols, aldehydes, and ketones first increased and then decreased, while the total content of esters continued to increase. Combined with the relative odor activity value (ROAV) analysis, 28 kinds of characteristic volatile flavor compounds were identified. QDA yielded that yogurt flavor, wine flavor, and sour flavor would enhance significantly (P<0.05) during cheese ripening. In addition, electronic tongue analysis demonstrated significant differences in sourness and bitter aftertaste among red cheeses at different ripening periods (P<0.05). Conclusion This study analyzes and compares the sensory quality of flavor during the ripening process of red cheese from multiple perspectives by combining various methods for measuring food flavor quality. This study not only improves the understanding of the sensory qualities of red cheese but also provides a reference for the development, quality control, and flavor improvement of novel fermented dairy products.

  • Lu-Ting YU, Su-Juan ZHOU, Di JIN, Shang-Wen FU, Shou-Zhen JIN
    Journal of Food Safety & Quality. 2025, 16(8): 276-281.

    Objective To investigate the content of tea polyphenols, catechins, and caffeine in novel-tea beverages available on the market. Methods This study collected and analyzed total of 46 samples from 17 different brands in the market. These products were categorized and compared into 3 types: Novel-milk tea beverages, novel-blended tea beverages and novel-pure tea beverages. Results The findings revealed that the average volume of these was 566 mL per cup. Comparison of average prices of 3 different kinds of new tea drinks was as follows: Novel-milk tea beverages>novel-blended tea beverages>novel-pure tea beverages. In terms of chemical composition, the content of tea polyphenols, catechins, and caffeine in novel-milk tea beverages were significantly lower compared to those in novel-blended tea beverages and novel-pure tea beverages. Notably, the content of tea polyphenols and catechins were influenced by the type of tea base used in the novel-tea beverages. In this study, green tea bases were characterized by tea polyphenols content exceeding 1000 mg/kg and catechins content exceeding 400 mg/kg. Conclusion This research can enable consumers to understand the specifications, prices and tea component content of novel-tea beverages on the market, and also provide assistance for product research and development of novel-tea beverages.

  • Lu ZHANG, Teng GAO, Liang HUANG, Shi-Jie WANG, Hui LI, Pei-Bei ZHAO, Ying-Ying LIAN, Yan-Fei FANG, Rui-Ling LU, Wei-Hao LI
    Journal of Food Safety & Quality. 2025, 16(8): 131-138.

    Objective To understand the contamination distribution and drug resistance of Enterobacteriaceae bacteria in 3 types of food in Handan Area, and to build a contamination database of foodborne Enterobacteriaceae. Methods Food and drug substances, food for special diet, nuts and seeds and their processed products were collected in Handan City from 2023 to 2024. Enterobacteriaceae were isolated and identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry, and quantitative count and drug sensitivity test of Enterobacteriaceae were performed. Results Among 196 food samples, 22 samples were positive for Enterobacteriaceae, positive rate 11.2%. The detection rate of Enterobacteriaceae in bulk food was 20.0% higher than 6.3% in pre-packaged food, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2=8.415, P<0.05). The total contamination of Enterobacteriaceae ranged from 1.00-4.67 lg CFU/g. The 31 strains of Enterobacteriaceae were identified in 22 positive foods, including 17 kinds of bacteria from 9 genera. In the drug susceptibility test of 15 kinds of antibiotics, 32.26% of Enterobacteriaceae bacteria were drug-resistant strains, and the resistance rates of ampicillin (25.81%) and ceftazidime (12.90%) were relatively high, while the resistance rates of chloramphenicol,compound sulfamethoxazole tablets, colistin, cefotaxime, ampicillin/sulbactam and tetracycline were relatively low (all resistance rates≤10.00%). The sensitivity to ertapenem, meropenem, ceftazidime/avibactam, tigacycline, ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid and amikacin was 100.00%. One strain of Leclercia adecarboxylata was detected in bulk jujube, which was resistant to the most types of antibiotics. Conclusion There is a certain degree of Enterobacteriae bacteria contamination in food in Handan Area, and the contamination rate of bulk food is significantly higher than that of pre-packaged food. A wide variety of Enterobacteriae bacteria are detected, and the drug resistance of different bacteria is significantly different. Targeted monitoring should be further strengthened to prevent and control foodborne diseases.

  • Wen-Xin FENG, Bing SUN, Zhi-Ping XIE, Si-Qian WANG
    Journal of Food Safety & Quality. 2025, 16(8): 227-233.

    Objective To conducte compression tests and finite element mechanical simulations on Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl., and investigate its compression characteristics. Methods The compression deformation process of Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl. was repeatedly tested by universal electronic material testing machine, and the relationship curve between compression force and deformation was obtained. The feature points and feature chains of fruits pictures were extracted by image processing, and the 3D digital model of fruits was constructed. The stress and strain distribution of its fruits under compression was analyzed based on ANSYS Workbench 2024 R1 finite element simulation software. Results The yield load of Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl. fruit was 38.25 N. The average relative error between the finite element simulation model and compression test was 5.93%, which proved that the compression test of its fruit was reasonable and effective. The stress-strain cloud map of fruit compression test was obtained. It was found that the maximum stress position of Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl. was at the edge of the contact between the fruit and the upper pressure plate, the maximum stress value was 0.14057 MPa and the maximum strain value was 0.52233 mm. Conclusion In the process of picking and circulation of Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl., it shall be noted that the extrusion pressure generated by mechanical picking and fruit stacking shall not exceed 38.25 N to avoid mechanical compression damage. At the same time, it is necessary to do a good job of packaging buffering to protect the maximum stress part of its fruits.