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Foods
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Responsible Approach Toward Food Safety: Contaminant Analysis and Removal Methods
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Responsible Approach Toward Food Safety: Contaminant Analysis and Removal Methods

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Analytical Methods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 6519

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nebojša Potkonjak

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Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Dynamics and Permanent Education, VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences-National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: food chemistry; food control; food safety; food contaminants; risk assessment; vegetal products; statistical; antioxidant activity; antioxidants
Prof. Dr. Antonije Onjia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: environmental analysis; chemometrics; risk assessment; potentially toxic elements (PTEs); polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); rare earth elements (REEs); radioactivity; air pollution
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Milica Lučić

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Innovation Center of the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: health risk; heavy metals; pesticides; antioxidant activity; Capsicum

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ensuring food safety is a critical challenge in a world where the demand for food continues to rise. With an increase in agricultural production, the risk of contamination from various sources—such as pesticides, heavy metals, microbial pathogens, and food additives—also grows. While technological advancements have improved food processing and storage, improper handling and excessive chemical use can compromise food quality and pose significant health risks.

Food contaminants can originate at any stage of the food supply chain, from cultivation and processing to packaging and storage. Some substances, like pesticide residues and industrial pollutants, persist in the environment and accumulate in food products, raising concerns about long-term exposure. Additionally, improper storage conditions can lead to the formation of harmful compounds, further threatening food safety.

To address these challenges, the development and application of effective contaminant detection and removal methods are essential. Advanced analytical techniques enable the precise identification of hazardous substances, while innovative purification strategies help minimize risks.
This Special Issue aims to detail the latest advancements in contaminant analysis and removal methods, highlighting responsible approaches to food safety. Both original research papers and critical reviews are welcome.

Dr. Nebojša Potkonjak
Prof. Dr. Antonije Onjia
Dr. Milica Lučić
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • food safety
  • chemical contaminants
  • removal methods
  • analytical and removal methods
  • pesticide residues
  • heavy metals
  • veterinary drug residues
  • food additives
  • microplastics and nanoparticles
  • toxicity assessment
  • risk assessment

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 2440 KB  
Article
Application of the Briggs–Rauscher Oscillatory Reaction for Tartrazine Determination in Food Dye: Spectroscopic, Microscopic, and Analytical Characterization
by Jelena V. Senćanski, Jelena P. Maksimović, Danica V. Bajuk-Bogdanović, Aleksandra M. Radulović, Tihomir V. Jevtić, Nebojša I. Potkonjak and Maja C. Pagnacco
Foods 2026, 15(7), 1181; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15071181 - 1 Apr 2026
Viewed by 454
Abstract
Tartrazine (E102), a synthetic azo dye, is extensively utilized across diverse industrial sectors. Understanding the mechanisms of tartrazine degradation and identifying its breakdown products are essential for assessing its environmental fate and potential health risks. Tartrazine is studied in this work in terms [...] Read more.
Tartrazine (E102), a synthetic azo dye, is extensively utilized across diverse industrial sectors. Understanding the mechanisms of tartrazine degradation and identifying its breakdown products are essential for assessing its environmental fate and potential health risks. Tartrazine is studied in this work in terms of: (i) determining its concentration in a commercial food dye by use the Briggs–Rauscher (BR) oscillatory (clock) reaction as seldom-employed analytical method, (ii) examining its degradation in a highly oxidative system, such as the BR oscillatory reaction, using Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, and (iii) monitoring the degradation process in the BR system at different magnifications using optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) obtained for the BR reaction were higher than those determined by UV-Vis spectroscopy. Both methods determined comparable concentrations of tartrazine in the food dye. Based on the results obtained, the reaction mechanism for tartrazine degradation in the clock reaction was proposed. The findings strongly support the BR reaction as an easily available method for determining unknown concentrations of tartrazine in commercial food dyes. Furthermore, this study highlights the potential of the BR reaction for determining microconcentrations and for the rapid degradation of commercial food dyes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Responsible Approach Toward Food Safety: Contaminant Analysis and Removal Methods)
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17 pages, 604 KB  
Article
Dissipation Behavior and Risk Assessment of Three Pesticide Residues Under Combined Application in Greenhouse-Grown Cabbage
by Caixia Sun, Liping Chen, Yuhong Liu, Weiran Zheng, Yumei Hua and Qiaoyan Zhang
Foods 2025, 14(17), 3006; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14173006 - 28 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2345
Abstract
Field residue trials were conducted in greenhouse-grown cabbage at both recommended and double dosages to evaluate the degradation dynamics and dietary risks of three pesticides (azoxystrobin, thiamethoxam, and carbendazim). In this study, a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method combined [...] Read more.
Field residue trials were conducted in greenhouse-grown cabbage at both recommended and double dosages to evaluate the degradation dynamics and dietary risks of three pesticides (azoxystrobin, thiamethoxam, and carbendazim). In this study, a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method combined with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was developed to measure the residues of three pesticides in cabbage. The mean recoveries of three pesticides in cabbage were 82.5–104.2%, with relative standard deviations of 2.1–5.2%, meeting the requirements of residual analysis. Based on first-order kinetics, the half-lives of the three pesticides in cabbage were 11.55–33.00 d under field conditions. The health risks associated with three pesticides in cabbage were evaluated using the risk quotient (RQ) method and the EFSA PRIMo 3.1 model. In the final residue experiment, the dietary exposure risks of azoxystrobin and thiamethoxam were all acceptable for children and adults regardless of the dosage or pre-harvest intervals, with the risk quotient (RQ) ranging from 0.040 to 0.363 and 0.022 to 0.417, respectively. However, carbendazim intake posed unacceptable health risks for consumers, with RQ significantly exceeding 1. The EFSA PRIMo 3.1 model also indicated high %ADI values for carbendazim, consistent with the RQ results. Given the significant residual risk associated with carbendazim in cabbage, limiting its use on this crop is recommended. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Responsible Approach Toward Food Safety: Contaminant Analysis and Removal Methods)
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Review

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21 pages, 3277 KB  
Review
Beyond Sustainable: Geo-Adaptive Design of Carbon-Based Adsorbents Through Aligning Pesticide Remediation with Regional Agricultural Practices and Food Safety Needs
by Tamara Lazarević-Pašti and Igor A. Pašti
Foods 2026, 15(6), 1110; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15061110 - 23 Mar 2026
Viewed by 531
Abstract
The persistence of pesticide residues in food and water poses a significant challenge to global food safety, particularly under the pressures of intensive agriculture and climate variability. Despite significant progress in developing adsorbent materials for pesticide remediation, most approaches remain chemically optimized but [...] Read more.
The persistence of pesticide residues in food and water poses a significant challenge to global food safety, particularly under the pressures of intensive agriculture and climate variability. Despite significant progress in developing adsorbent materials for pesticide remediation, most approaches remain chemically optimized but geographically blind. This review introduces the concept of geo-adaptive design of carbon-based adsorbents, emphasizing that remediation materials should be tailored to the regional profiles of pesticide use, environmental conditions, and available biomass precursors. Pesticide contamination patterns vary widely across climates and agricultural systems, resulting in distinct chemical signatures that determine adsorption behavior. Simultaneously, locally abundant agro-industrial byproducts, such as walnut shells, rice husks, olive stones, or fruit pomace, offer sustainable carbon sources for region-specific materials. By correlating pesticide structure, adsorbent surface chemistry, and environmental parameters, geo-adaptive materials can be designed to maximize efficiency, selectivity, and sustainability in environmental remediation contexts, including the treatment of pesticide-contaminated soils and water streams. In addition, these materials may be integrated into food processing and packaging systems, where they can function as localized, low-cost mitigation strategies aligned with circular economy principles. The review highlights how regionally optimized carbon materials could connect advances in environmental remediation with the practical needs of food technology, leading toward food safety strategies that are both globally relevant and locally adaptable. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Responsible Approach Toward Food Safety: Contaminant Analysis and Removal Methods)
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23 pages, 1090 KB  
Review
Food Safety in the Age of Climate Change: The Rising Risk of Pesticide Residues and the Role of Sustainable Adsorbent Technologies
by Tamara Lazarević-Pašti, Tamara Tasić, Vedran Milanković and Igor A. Pašti
Foods 2025, 14(21), 3797; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14213797 - 6 Nov 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1981
Abstract
Climate change is increasingly recognized as a critical factor of food contamination risks, particularly through its influence on pesticide behavior and usage. Rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and the proliferation of crop pests are leading to intensified and extended pesticide application across agricultural [...] Read more.
Climate change is increasingly recognized as a critical factor of food contamination risks, particularly through its influence on pesticide behavior and usage. Rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and the proliferation of crop pests are leading to intensified and extended pesticide application across agricultural systems. These shifts increase the likelihood of elevated pesticide residues in food and water and affect their environmental persistence, mobility, and accumulation within the food chain. At the same time, current regulatory frameworks and risk assessment models often fail to account for the synergistic effects of chronic low-dose exposure to multiple residues under climate-stressed conditions. This review provides a multidisciplinary overview of how climate change intensifies the pesticide residue burden in food, emphasizing emerging toxicological concerns and identifying critical gaps in current mitigation strategies. In particular, it examines sustainable adsorbent technologies, primarily carbon-based materials derived from agro-industrial waste, which offer promising potential for removing pesticide residues from water and food matrices, aligning with a circular economy approach. Beyond their technical performance, the real question is whether such materials and the thinking behind them can be meaningfully integrated into next-generation food safety systems that are capable of responding to a rapidly changing world. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Responsible Approach Toward Food Safety: Contaminant Analysis and Removal Methods)
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