Department of Food Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47906, United States.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Bedford Park, IL 60501, United States.
J Food Prot. 2024 Oct;87(10):100358. doi: 10.1016/j.jfp.2024.100358. Epub 2024 Sep 6.
Historically, low-moisture foods were considered to have minimal microbial risks. However, they have been linked to many high-profile multistate outbreaks and recalls in recent years, drawing research and extension attention to low-moisture food safety. Limited studies have assessed the food safety research and extension needs for the low-moisture food industry. The objectives of this needs assessment were to explore the food safety culture and education needs, identify the food safety challenges and data gaps, and understand the barriers to adopting food-safety-enhancing technologies in the U.S. low-moisture food industry. This needs assessment was composed of two studies. In Study 1, food safety experts from the low-moisture food industry upper management participated in online interviews and a debriefing discussion session. In Study 2, an online anonymous survey was disseminated to a different group of experts with experience in the low-moisture food industry. The qualitative data were analyzed using deductive and inductive coding approaches, while the quantitative data were analyzed via descriptive analysis. Twenty-five experts participated in the studies (Study 1: n = 12; Study 2: n = 13). Common commodities that participants had worked with included nuts and seeds, spices, flour, and dried fruits and vegetables. A food safety culture conceptual framework was adapted, which included three main components: infrastructure conditions (foundation), individual's food safety knowledge, attitudes, and risk perceptions; and organizational conditions (supporting pillars). Major barriers to establishing a positive food safety culture were identified to be limited resources, difficulties in risk communication, and difficulties in behavioral change. For continual improvement in food safety performance, two major themes of food safety challenges and data gaps were identified: cleaning, sanitation, and hygienic design; and pathogen reduction. Participants perceived the main barriers discouraging the low-moisture food industry from adopting food-safety-enhancing technologies were: (1) budgetary priorities, (2) operation constraints, (3) technology validation, (4) consumer acceptance, and (5) maintaining desired product characteristics such as quality and sensory functionality. The findings of this needs assessment provide guidance for the food industry, academia, and government agencies about the direction of future research and the development of targeted extension programs that might help improve food safety in the low-moisture food industry.
从历史上看，低水分食品被认为具有最小的微生物风险。然而，近年来，它们与许多备受瞩目的多州暴发和召回事件有关，这引起了对低水分食品安全的研究和推广关注。有限的研究评估了低水分食品行业的食品安全研究和推广需求。本需求评估的目的是探讨食品安全文化和教育需求，确定食品安全挑战和数据差距，并了解美国低水分食品行业采用增强食品安全技术的障碍。该需求评估由两项研究组成。在研究 1 中，低水分食品行业高层管理人员中的食品安全专家参与了在线访谈和汇报讨论。在研究 2 中，向具有低水分食品行业经验的不同专家组分发了在线匿名调查。使用演绎和归纳编码方法对定性数据进行分析，而对定量数据进行描述性分析。共有 25 名专家参与了这两项研究（研究 1：n=12；研究 2：n=13）。参与者合作过的常见商品包括坚果和种子、香料、面粉以及干水果和蔬菜。适应了食品安全文化概念框架，该框架包括三个主要组成部分：基础设施条件（基础）、个人的食品安全知识、态度和风险感知；以及组织条件（支撑柱）。建立积极的食品安全文化的主要障碍被确定为资源有限、风险沟通困难以及行为改变困难。为了持续提高食品安全绩效，确定了食品安全挑战和数据差距的两个主要主题：清洁、卫生和卫生设计；以及病原体减少。参与者认为，阻碍低水分食品行业采用增强食品安全技术的主要障碍是：（1）预算优先事项，（2）运营限制，（3）技术验证，（4）消费者接受度，以及（5）保持所需的产品特性，如质量和感官功能。这项需求评估的结果为食品行业、学术界和政府机构提供了指导，为未来的研究和制定有针对性的推广计划指明了方向，这些计划可能有助于提高低水分食品行业的食品安全。
