Search Results (11)

With the increasing age and traffic load of highway networks in China, preventive maintenance has become a critical strategy for extending pavement service life and improving infrastructure sustainability. However, the lack of standardized post-evaluation systems has hindered the scientific assessment of maintenance effectiveness. This study proposes a systematic post-evaluation framework for highway preventive maintenance projects based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)-Inspired methodology (Applying Principles of Hazard Analysis and CCP Identification). Adopting a full life-cycle perspective, the framework identifies critical control points (CCPs) across pre-, mid-, and post-implementation phases, targeting six key dimensions: ecological and environmental hazards, resource utilization hazard, engineering safety risks, engineering quality risks, socioeconomic benefit hazards, and social living environment hazards. A multi-level evaluation indicator system is constructed using hierarchical clustering and weighted through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The framework is applied to a preventive maintenance project on the Jinghuan Expressway in Tianjin, China, demonstrating strong practical applicability. The final evaluation score of 84.1 out of 100 confirms the technical adequacy of the project while revealing areas for improvement in clean energy adoption and substructure monitoring. This framework provides a robust basis for standardizing post-evaluation practices and promoting sustainable highway maintenance management. Full article

Industrial processes governed by food safety regulations, such as high-temperature short-time (HTST) pasteurization, rely on continuous sensor monitoring to ensure compliance with standards like Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). However, extracting actionable process insights from raw sensor data remains a non-trivial task, largely due to the continuous, multivariate, and often high-frequency characteristics of the signals, which can obscure clear activity boundaries and introduce significant variability in temporal patterns. This paper proposes a process mining framework to extract activity-based representations from multivariate sensor data in a pasteurization scenario. By modelling temperature, pH, conductivity, viscosity, turbidity, flow, and pressure signals, the approach segments continuous data into discrete operational phases and generates event logs aligned with domain semantics. Unsupervised learning techniques, including Hidden Markov Models (HMMs), are used to infer latent process stages, while domain knowledge guides their interpretation in accordance with critical control points (CCPs). The extracted models support conformance checking against HACCP-based procedures and enable predictive process-monitoring tasks such as next-activity prediction and remaining time estimation. Experimental results on synthetic (literature-grounded data) demonstrated the method’s ability to enhance safety, compliance, and operational efficiency. This study illustrates how integrating process mining with regulatory principles can bridge the gap between continuous sensor streams and structured process analysis in food manufacturing. Full article

The malicious contamination of food has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a real and current threat that must be integrated into food safety systems to ensure preparedness for deliberate attacks. Traditional approaches, such as HACCP, effectively address unintentional hazards but remain insufficient against intentional contamination and sabotage. Food defense frameworks such as HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points), VACCP (Vulnerability Assessment and Critical Control Points), and TACCP (Threat Assessment and Critical Control Points) represent complementary methodologies, addressing unintentional, economically motivated, and deliberate threats, respectively. This review critically examines food defense frameworks across the European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom, as well as standards benchmarked by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), drawing on peer-reviewed and grey literature sources. In the United States, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) mandates the development and periodic reassessment of food defense plans, while the European Union primarily relies on general food law and voluntary certification schemes. The United Kingdom’s PAS 96:2017 standard provides TACCP-based guidance that also acknowledges cybercrime as a deliberate threat. Building on these regulatory and operational gaps, this paper proposes the Cyber-FSMS model, an integrated framework that combines traditional food defense pillars with cyber risk management to address cyber–physical vulnerabilities in increasingly digitalized supply chains. The model introduces six interconnected components (governance, vulnerability assessment, mitigation, monitoring, verification, and recovery) designed to embed cyber-resilience into Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS). Priority actions include regulatory harmonization, practical support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the alignment of cyber-resilience principles with upcoming GFSI benchmarking developments, thereby strengthening the integrity, robustness, and adaptability of global food supply chains. Full article

This study evaluated a novel methodology for assessing food safety vulnerabilities in shopping malls by integrating Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), Threat Assessment and Critical Points (TACCP), and Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). Inspections were conducted in nine shopping centers across Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Spain to identify the risk of intentional/unintentional contamination with chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear agents. The assessment considered key operational areas, including food delivery, transportation, staff security, back-office access, product handling, and inspection protocols. Risk levels were quantified using FMEA parameters. The findings revealed an overall high to average risk score with the most critical vulnerabilities linked to back-office access, unauthorized personnel entry, and susceptibility to fraudulent inspections. Observations also highlighted infrastructural shortcomings, insufficient monitoring, and procedural gaps that could facilitate contamination. The proposed methodology offers a structured, quantitative framework for identifying and prioritizing food safety hazards in public environments. Implementing targeted countermeasures—such as enhanced surveillance, strict access control, staff training, and dedicated food handling protocols—can substantially reduce risks, thereby strengthening public health protection and operational resilience. This approach may serve as a promising framework for integrating food defense and safety assessments for food defense in high-density commercial facilities. Full article

Food safety management has evolved with the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system serving as a global benchmark. However, conventional HACCP does not explicitly address environmental sustainability, leading to challenges such as excessive water use, chemical discharge, and energy inefficiency. Green HACCP extends traditional HACCP by integrating Environmental Respect Practices (ERPs) to fill this critical gap between food safety and sustainability. This study is presented as a conceptual paper based on a structured literature review combined with illustrative industry applications. It analyzes the principles, implementation challenges, and economic viability of Green HACCP, contrasting it with conventional systems. Evidence from recent reports and industry examples shows measurable benefits: water consumption reductions of 20–25%, energy savings of 10–15%, and improved compliance readiness through digital monitoring technologies. It explores how digital technologies—IoT for real-time monitoring, AI for predictive optimization, and blockchain for traceability—enhance efficiency and sustainability. By aligning HACCP with sustainability goals and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this paper provides academic contributions including a clarified conceptual framework, quantified advantages, and policy recommendations to support the integration of Green HACCP into global food safety systems. Industry applications from dairy, seafood, and bakery sectors illustrate practical benefits, including waste reduction and improved compliance. This study concludes with policy recommendations to integrate Green HACCP into global food safety frameworks, supporting broader sustainability goals. Overall, Green HACCP demonstrates a cost-effective, scalable, and environmentally responsible model for future food production. Full article

Escherichia coli (E. coli) remains a major concern in poultry production due to its ability to incite foodborne illness and public health crisis, zoonotic potential, and the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant strains. The contamination of poultry products with pathogenic E. coli, including avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), presents risks at multiple stages of the poultry production cycle. The stages affected by E. coli range from, but are not limited to, the hatcheries to grow-out operations, slaughterhouses, and retail markets. While traditional detection methods such as culture-based assays and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are well-established for E. coli detection in the food supply chain, their time, cost, and high infrastructure demands limit their suitability for rapid and field-based surveillance—hindering the ability for effective cessation and handling of outbreaks. Biosensors have emerged as powerful diagnostic tools that offer rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective alternatives for E. coli detection across various stages of poultry development and processing where detection is needed. This review examines current biosensor technologies designed to detect bacterial biomarkers, toxins, antibiotic resistance genes, and host immune response indicators for E. coli. Emphasis is placed on field-deployable and point-of-care (POC) platforms capable of integrating into poultry production environments. In addition to enhancing early pathogen detection, biosensors support antimicrobial resistance monitoring, facilitate integration into Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) systems, and align with the One Health framework by improving both animal and public health outcomes. Their strategic implementation in slaughterhouse quality control and marketplace testing can significantly reduce contamination risk and strengthen traceability in the poultry value chain. As biosensor technology continues to evolve, its application in E. coli surveillance is poised to play a transformative role in sustainable poultry production and global food safety. Full article

The camel milk market’s rapid expansion necessitates strategies that ensure raw milk quality and safety, particularly in small-scale production. This study examines smallholder farmers in Haixi, Qinghai Province, China, where traditional practices intersect with modern standards. Analyzing 80 raw camel milk samples, the study assessed risks like adulteration, microbial contamination, and nutritional variability. DNA testing and microbial assays revealed that 66.67% of hand-milked samples were adulterated with cow milk, a significantly higher rate than mechanically processed samples (p < 0.05). Manual milking also showed higher microbial counts (up to 2.05 × 10⁴ CFU/mL) and somatic cell levels, indicating hygiene issues. Nutritional analysis found that grazing systems yielded milk with more vitamin A, B2, and potassium, while semi-intensive systems had higher ash content. A quality evaluation framework was developed, combining pastoralist knowledge with rapid diagnostic tools, focusing on mechanization, cold-chain efficiency, and community training. This framework provides strategies to reduce adulteration, ensure nutritional consistency, and align small-scale production with international standards. The study proposes culturally adaptive quality control methods to protect consumer health, support rural livelihoods, and standardize the camel milk market. Full article

This paper presents a new risk assessment methodology called the Integrated Risk Framework (IRF) through the application of Ishikawa diagrams combined with the enhanced Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system. This risk investigation technique aims to ensure a significantly higher level of quality, safety, and sustainability in food products by using improved classical methods with strong intercorrelation capabilities. The methodology proposes expanding the typology of basic physical, chemical, and biological risks outlined by the ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System standard, adding other auxiliary risks such as allergens, fraud/sabotage, Kosher/Halal compliance, Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed notification, or additional specific risks such as irradiation, radioactivity, genetically modified organisms, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, African swine fever, peste of small ruminants, etc. depending on the specific technological process or ingredients. Simultaneously, it identifies causes for each operation in the technological flow based on the 5M diagram: Man, Method, Material, Machine, and Environment. For each identified risk and cause, its impact was determined according to its severity and likelihood of occurrence. The final effect is defined as the risk class, calculated as the arithmetic mean of the impact derived at each process stage based on the identified risks and causes. Within the study, the methodology was applied to the spring water bottling process. This provided a new perspective on analyzing the risk factors during the bottling operations by concurrently using Ishikawa diagrams and HACCP principles throughout the product’s technological flow. The results of the study can form new methodologies aimed at enhancing sustainable food safety management strategy. In risk assessment using these two tools, the possibility of cumulative or synergistic effects is considered, resulting in better control of all factors that may affect the manufacturing process. This new perspective on studying the dynamics of risk factor analysis through the simultaneous use of the fishbone diagram and the classical HACCP system can be extrapolated and applied to any manufacturing process in the food industry and beyond. Full article

Food safety is a major risk for agribusiness firms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 5000 people die annually, and 36,000 people are hospitalized as a result of foodborne outbreaks in the United States. Globally, the death estimate is about 42,000 people per year. A single outbreak could cost a particular segment of the food industry hundreds of millions of dollars due to recalls and liability; these instances might amount to billions of dollars annually. Despite U.S. advancements and regulations, such as pathogen reduction/hazard analysis critical control points (PR/HACCP) in 1996 and the Food Modernization Act in 2010, to reduce food-safety risk, retail meat facilities continue to experience recalls and major outbreaks. We developed a stochastic-optimization framework and used stochastic-dominance methods to evaluate the effectiveness for three strategies that are used by retail meat facilities. Copula value-at-risk (CVaR) was utilized to predict the magnitude of the risk exposure associated with alternative, cost-effective risk-reduction strategies. The results showed that optimal retail-intervention strategies vary by meat and pathogen types, and that having a single Salmonella performance standard for PR/HACCP could be inefficient for reducing other pathogens and food-safety risks. Full article

Domestic food markets are of significant importance to Kosovar and Albanian companies because access to export markets is under-developed, partly as a result of the gaps in food safety and quality standards. Kosovar and Albanian consumers’ use of food safety attributes and their evaluation of the quality of domestic food versus imported food are the research objectives of this study. The paper is based on a structured consumer survey of 300 Kosovars and 349 Albanians analyzing their perceptions of issues related to food safety and quality, measured through two respective batteries of items using a 5-point Likert scale. We used the t-test to identify differences between populations, correlation analysis and the bootstrapping method. Despite the prevalent problems with food safety, consumers in both countries consider domestic food to be safer as well as of higher quality than imported products. Kosovars are more likely than Albanians to perceive domestic food products to be significantly better than imported products. Female and better educated consumers use information related to food safety more often. Expiry date, domestic and local origin, and brand reputation are the most frequently used safety and quality cues for both samples. International food standards such as ISO or HACCP are less frequently used as quality cues by these consumer groups. It is important to strengthen the institutional framework related to food safety and quality following best practices from EU countries. Full article

Thousands of preventable injuries and deaths are annually caused by microbial, chemical and physical hazards from building water systems. Water is processed in buildings before use; this can degrade the quality of the water. Processing steps undertaken on-site in buildings often include conditioning, filtering, storing, heating, cooling, pressure regulation and distribution through fixtures that restrict flow and temperature. Therefore, prevention of disease and injury requires process management. A process management framework for buildings is the hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) adaptation of failure mode effects analysis (FMEA). It has been proven effective for building water system management. Validation is proof that hazards have been controlled under operating conditions and may include many kinds of evidence including cultures of building water samples to detect and enumerate potentially pathogenic microorganisms. However, results from culture tests are often inappropriately used because the accuracy and precision are not sufficient to support specifications for control limit or action triggers. A reliable negative screen is based on genus-level Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for Legionella in building water systems; however, building water samples with positive results from this test require further analysis by culture methods. Full article