Codex Alimentarius commission on ensuring food safety and promoting fair trade: harmonization of standards between Korea and codex

Food Credence Attributes: A Conceptual Framework of Supply Chain Stakeholders, Their Motives, and Mechanisms to Address Information Asymmetry

Food credence attributes (e.g., food safety, organic, and carbon neutral production methods) are quality characteristics of products that cannot be assessed by buyers at the point of sale without additional information (e.g., certification labels). Hence, the ability to access credence attributes of a particular product can result in a situation termed as asymmetric distributed information among supply chain stakeholders (e.g., producers, processors, wholesalers, retailers, consumer) where one party of a market transaction is in possession of more information about a product than the other party. This situation can lead to potential inefficiencies, e.g., misinformation, risk of food borne illness, or opportunistic behavior such as fraud. The present study sought to develop a conceptual framework that describes a) the motivation for key stakeholders to participate in the market for food credence attributes, b) the type of food credence attributes that key stakeholders provide, and c) current mechanisms to address the issue of information asymmetry among the stakeholders in the food system. The study was conducted using an integrative literature review. The developed framework consists of two components: a) the food supply chain and b) the attribute assurance system among which multiple links exist. The findings suggest that retailers, processors, NGOs, and government authorities are influential stakeholders within the supply chain of food credence attributes by imposing food quality standards which can address information asymmetry among food actors. While the credence attribute assurance system (e.g., food standards, third party food attribute assurance providers) can potentially address the issue of asymmetric information among market stakeholders, a range of issues remain. These include food standards as a potential market entry barrier for food producers and distributors, limited food standard harmonization, and communication challenges of food attribute assurance (e.g., consumers' signal processing, signal use and trust). The syntheses presented in this study contributes to stakeholders' (e.g., supply chain actors, scientists, policy makers) improved understanding about the components of the credence food system and their integration as well as the drivers for change in this system.

Effect of fermented oyster (Crassostrea gigas) extracts and regular walking on muscle strength and mass in older adults with relatively low muscle mass: A randomized controlled trial

Introduction

Oysters possess an excellent nutritional profile containing γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Previous data suggest that GABA is a potent bioactive compound for improving muscle health. Lactic acid fermentation is thought to increase GABA content. However, the effect of oral supplementation of fermented oyster extracts (FO) on human muscle strength and mass is unclear. Therefore, we tested the effects and safety of consumption of FO combined with regular walking for 12 weeks on muscle strength and mass in older adults with relatively low muscle mass.

Materials and methods

A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 54 adults between 50 and 78 years of age. Participants were randomized to receive either placebo or 1,200 mg FO daily for 12 weeks. By fermentation with Lactobacillus brevis BJ20, FO was prepared from Crassostrea gigas. At baseline and at 12 weeks after treatment, the following parameters of the participants were examined: knee strengths, handgrip strengths, body composition, blood tests, and 24-h dietary recall. All participants were required to walk for 30–60 min/day for >3 days/week during the trial period. Physical activity was assessed using an exercise log during the study.

Results

Of the 54 participants, 49 completed the trial without reporting adverse effects. FO supplementation over 12 weeks did not cause any increase in knee or grip strength compared to the control group. Also, no differences were observed in the muscle mass, growth hormone, muscle biomarkers, anti-inflammatory markers, and antioxidative markers between the two groups. None of the participants experienced adverse events. Application of FO was well tolerated, and no notable adverse effect was reported in both groups.

Discussion

FO supplementation with regular walking did not improve remarkably muscle function compared to regular walking alone in adults with relatively low muscle mass.

Clinical Trial Registration

[www.ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [NCT04109911].

Simultaneous determination of trichothecene mycotoxins in cereals by LC-MS/MS

This study was designed to determine the residual trichothecene mycotoxins in cereal samples. The optimal solvent for extraction was 84% (v/v) aqueous acetonitrile with 1% (v/v) formic acid. The best performing clean-up method was dispersive-solid phase with a mixture octadecyl silica and primary-secondary amine. The recoveries for the studied mycotoxins ranged from 83.3 to 92.8%. The methodology was successfully applied for monitoring 100 cereal samples obtained from a Korean market. The bean sample were found to be co-contamination with deoxynivalenol and HT-2 toxin. Deoxynivalenol possessed the highest detection freauency (4/100) and amount (727.38 µg/kg) among the trichothecene mycotoxins. The hazard index was less than 1.0 for all the observed mycotoxins in all cereal samples except one white rice sample (1.2681). This results indicated that periodic risk assessments of trichothecene mycotoxin through cereal intake are necessary for the health and safety.