Risk assessment of lead and cadmium concentrations in hen's eggs using Monte Carlo simulations.

The hen egg is one of the main sources of cheap, great quality, and nutritious food. This study aimed at determining the level of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in hen eggs and at assessing the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks caused by the consumption of hen eggs collected in Iran. A total of 42 hen eggs from 17 major brands were randomly sampled from supermarkets. Lead and cadmium concentrations were determined by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Additionally, using the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) method to calculate dietary exposure, target hazard quotient (THQ), and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR), the related human health risk associated with ingesting these hazardous metals for adults was evaluated. The average Pb and Cd concentrations in whole eggs were 7.16 ± 0.248, and 2.83 ± 0.151 µg kg-1, respectively, which were less than the maximum permitted levels, established by FAO/WHO and the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran (ISIRI). Pb and Cd concentrations were significantly correlated at the 0.05 level (r = 0.350). Regarding the levels of Pb and Cd in eggs, overall, the estimated weekly intake (EWI) of these metals for adults by egg consumption was determined 0.014 and 0.007 mg/week, respectively, which were lower than the risk values suggested. The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic indexes of Cd and Pb indicated that the adult population in Iran was safe (THQ Pb and Cd <1, ILCR <10-6 Pb). It should be emphasized that this research primarily focuses on egg consumption, which may account for a relatively small portion of Iranian consumers' overall exposure to Pb and Cd. Therefore, a comprehensive study on the risk assessment of these metals through whole-diet foods is recommended. The findings showed that lead and cadmium levels in all evaluated eggs were suitable for human consumption. Adults' Pb and Cd exposure from eating eggs was significantly lower than the risk levels established by Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), per the exposure assessment. According to the THQ values of these dangerous metals, which were below one value, egg eating by Iranian consumers does not present a non-carcinogenic risk. In addition, this finding provides accurate and reliable information for policymakers to improve food safety status to reduce public health hazards.

Analysis of fat, fatty acid profile, and salt content of Iranian restaurant foods during the COVID-19 pandemic: Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis.

This study aimed to analyze the fat, fatty acid profile, and salt content of restaurant foods (RFs) and find out strategies to lower them using the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). Five types of common foods (n = 70) were collected from restaurants in Tehran, Iran. The fat, fatty acid profile, and salt content of samples were analyzed by acid hydrolysis method, gas chromatography, and Charpentier Volhard methods, respectively. The quantitative data were analyzed by the SPSS using ANOVA and Spearman's correlation test. Then, a SWOT analysis was done. The laboratory results indicated that the highest amount of total fat was in Samosa (16.92% ± 6.27%), whereas saturated fatty acids (SFA) and trans fatty acids (TFA) were significantly higher in Koobideh kebab with rice (44.42% ± 5.07% and 2.86% ± 0.64%, respectively) as compared to other samples. In addition, the highest amount of salt was in the Falafel sandwich (2.87% ± 0.98%). The salt content in the majority of analyzed foods was about two times more than the daily recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). The SWOT analysis results showed the lack of standardization of recipes to measure accurate fat and salt content was the main weakness and food labeling in the menus was detected as an important opportunity. TFA and salt in RFs were alarmingly high and it is necessary to find strategies for reformulation of RFs to reduce their fat and salt content. Policymakers can use the SWOT analysis results of this study to offer directions for potential future strengthening actions of healthy foods in restaurants for public health.

A quasi-experimental study on the effect of health and food safety training intervention on restaurant food handlers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The restaurant business has turned into a dynamic and ever-growing industry. So, food safety must be a priority for these establishments, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of training intervention on the health and food safety knowledge, attitude, and self-reported practice (KAP) of restaurant food handlers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 159 restaurant food handlers in Tehran, Iran. The training intervention was developed based on the latest global guidelines. The KAP of the subjects was measured before and after the training. Fisher's exact test, paired t test, and repeated measures ANOVA were used for statistical analysis. Data analysis was done using the IBM_SPSS software. The total knowledge scores of participants were low (17.6%), moderate (35.2%), and good (47.2%) before training, which were changed to 5% (low), 23.9% (moderate), and 71.1% (good) after training. The total pretraining attitude scores were 0.6, 77.4, 18.2, and 3.8% that were changed to 0% (strongly negative), 49.1% (negative), 33.3% (positive), and 17.6% (strongly positive), respectively. Also, the self-reported practice scores of the participants before training were 1.3, 56, and 42.7 that were changed to 0% (weak), 26.4% (acceptable), and 73.6% (desirable) after the intervention, respectively. Paired t test results showed a statistically significant increase in all scores. The interaction of training with age and education was statistically significant in increasing the knowledge and attitude scores of the participants by the repeated measures ANOVA. Improving the KAP of food handlers by health and food safety training can improve the status of restaurants and minimize the outbreak of pandemic diseases, including COVID-19, which is an effective step in community health. Thus, it is an urgent need for policymakers to design an online system of continuous food safety training for food handlers.

Policy challenges of food advertisements from the viewpoints of Stakeholders: A qualitative study.

This study aims to explore the stakeholders' views and suggestions about the policy challenges of food advertisements. Sixteen semistructured interviews were held with media and the food industry experts. Directed content analysis and constant comparison methods were used to obtained categories until subthemes were extracted, and the results were shared as member checking with the stakeholders. Two categories in two themes and seven subthemes were investigated based on the perspectives of the stakeholders: (a) Creating food advertisements and (b) Regulations and rules of food advertising. Few strict guidelines and rules are governing food advertising in Iran. Some factors influencing the general approach in nutrition policy and particularly the choice of policy options and instruments that can be placed in this area, including economic factors, political leadership, lack of political, and systematic monitoring of food advertising status, will were perceived as powerful constraints in advertising policy. Strong links must be established between all sectors that have a bearing on healthy food (the media, public health community, food industry, and consumers). The research findings seek to offer policy options for both the government and the stakeholders for challenging future policies of food advertising.

A Mixed-Method Study on COVID-19 Prevention in Iranian Restaurants.

Background: In the face of the COVID-19, as a public health emergency, the restaurant industry is struggling to organize itself. The aim of this study is to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice and also the perceptions of restaurants' customers and managers toward COVID-19 prevention. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted using the mixed-method approach. Two online questionnaires were undertaken through WhatsApp Messenger among the 210 customers and 50 managers of restaurants. Multivariate linear regression analysis was conducted to identify the predictors of knowledge, attitude, and practice toward COVID-19 prevention. Then semi-structured, in-depth phone interviews were conducted with 45 subjects to identify their perceptions about the restaurant industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: The majority of customers had moderate knowledge (72.4%), positive attitude (90.5%), and desirable practice (38.6%); whereas the majority of managers had sufficient knowledge (50%), negative attitude (82%), and acceptable practice (58%) toward the prevention of COVID-19 in restaurants. Multiple linear regression analysis showed with increasing each 10 years in the age of the customers, the practice score significantly decreased (Beta = -0.155, p < 0.05). Moreover, qualitative results revealed three categories (1. restaurant industry, 2. social media, and 3. government) in 9 themes with 32 sub-themes which were explored based on the perception of the participants toward COVID-19 prevention in restaurants. Conclusion: The majority of restaurant customers and managers have sufficient knowledge and acceptable practice, but a positive attitude among customers and a negative attitude among managers about the prevention of COVID-19 were shown. There is an urgent need to understand public awareness about preventing COVID-19 in restaurants at these critical moments. The results seek to provide strategies for the policymakers and restaurant industry to plan the specific educational intervention about how to manage future crises and public health improvement.

Evaluating the rancidity and quality of discarded oils in fast food restaurants.

This cross-sectional study attempts to determine the rancidity and quality of discarded oils in fast food restaurants. Samples of the discarded frying oils were collected randomly from 50 fast food restaurants in Tehran, Iran. Their physicochemical properties were assessed and compared to the standard values. The means (±SD) of the physicochemical indicators of the rancidity in the discarded oils were as follows: peroxide value, 3.06 (0.51) (mEq/kg); free fatty acids content, 1.52 (2.26) (%); p-anisidine value, 57.63 (4.02) (mEq/kg); total oxidation value, 64.53 (4.15); total polar compounds (TPC), 20.19 (1.02) (%); viscosity, 107.87 (2.35) (cp); and red color, 9.64 (0.84). Positive correlations were found between the TPC, viscosity, and red color (p ≤ 0.01) of the oil samples. The majority of discarded oil from fast food restaurants were overdegraded containing hazardous secondary oxidative products, and also, the consumption of nonstandard frying oil has increased in fast food restaurants. Policymakers should develop guidelines to determine whether and when frying oils should be discarded and consider the consumption of overdegraded oils as a public health hazard.

Challenges of Edible Oils From Farm to Industry: Views of Stakeholders.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to explore stakeholders' views about quality and safety of edible oils from farm to industry and propose policy options to address these challenges. METHODS: Semistructured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 11 experts in the edible oil industry. Participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Open-ended interview questions were used to identify the edible oils' challenges from farm to industry. All interviews were recorded and final transcripts were re-read to obtain categories until themes were developed using directed content analysis and constant comparison methods. RESULTS: Six categories in 14 themes with 49 sub themes were explored based on the perspectives of the stakeholders who were responsible for edible oil industry: (1) safety, (2) imports, (3) factory, (4) edible oils' monitoring, (5) edible oil industry, and (6) building consumer trust. The participants' views showed that to increase the quality and safety of edible oils, the following approaches are required: updating food safety regulations, effective inspection, monitoring and surveillance systems, updating laboratory equipment, and controlling the media advertising. CONCLUSIONS: In order to build and maintain effective edible oil safety systems, strong links must be established between all sectors responsible. The key players need to have access to reliable and up-to-date information so that timely collective action can be taken. It is recommended that governments face up to this task and lead the way. The research findings seek to offer policy options for government and the stakeholders for challenging future strategies for edible oil industry.