Proposal of a new method for the risk scoring and categorization of Brazilian food services.

Risk scores are used worldwide to predict foodborne disease (FBD) outbreaks in the food service industry. This study aims to develop and validate a new method for the calculation of the FBD risk score for the checklist used to categorize food service outlets. The proposed novel method is based on a risk score for each item using a risk matrix (consequence × probability), overcoming the limitations of the previous scoring process used during the World Cup in Brazil, which was based on a factorial analysis. The classification of consequences was based on critical points identified by experts prior to the World Cup in Brazil. Probability was defined based on the violation percentage of each item evaluated during inspections from 1536 food service outlets. Validation was performed using a secondary database of 3072 food service assessments in two inspection cycles. The risk scores of the new method were compared with those used during the World Cup. Each food service was classified based on their risk score into four categories: A, B, C, and pending. Good concordance (Lin's correlation coefficient = 0.8711 and 0.9205) was observed between the new and previous scores in the two inspection cycles, respectively. Comparison of the classifications showed substantial agreement (Kappa = 0.749, p < 0.001) to the first inspection cycle and near-perfect agreement (Kappa = 0.821; p < 0.001) to the second inspection cycle. This new method allows the inclusion and exclusion of assessment elements depending on local reality. Simpler methods can be used throughout Brazil and serve as a model for other countries' food safety assessments.

Deoxynivalenol in wheat and wheat products from a harvest affected by fusarium head blight

Abstract Fusarium head blight is an important disease occurring in wheat, caused mainly by the fungus Fusarium graminearum. In addition to direct damage to crops, reduced quality and yield losses, the infected grains can accumulate mycotoxins (toxic metabolites originating from prior fungal growth), especially deoxynivalenol (DON). Wheat crops harvested in 2014/2015 in southern Brazil were affected by high levels of Fusarium head blight. In this context, the aim of this study was evaluate the mycotoxicological quality of Brazilian wheat grains and wheat products (wheat flour and wheat bran for DON. DON contamination was evaluated in 1,504 wheat and wheat product samples produced in Brazil during 2014. It was determined by high performance liquid chromatograph fitted to a mass spectrometer (LC-MS / MS). The results showed that 1,000 (66.5%) out of the total samples tested were positive for DON. The mean level of sample contamination was 1047 µg.kg-1, but only 242 samples (16.1%) had contamination levels above the maximum permissible levels (MPL) - the maximum content allowed by current Brazilian regulation. As of 2017, MPL will be stricter. Thus, research should be conducted on DON contamination of wheat and wheat products, since wheat is a raw material widely used in the food industry, and DON can cause serious harm to public health.