Is the soil quality monitoring an effective tool in consumers' protection of agricultural crops from cadmium soil contamination?-a case of the Silesia region (Poland).

The monitoring of soil quality should be a control tool used to reduce the adverse health effects arising from exposure to toxic chemicals in soil through cultivated crop absorption. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the monitoring and control system of soil quality in Poland, in terms of consumer safety, for agricultural plants cultivated in areas with known serious cadmium contamination, such as Silesia Province. To achieve the objective, the contents of cadmium in soils and vegetables in the Silesia administrative area were examined. The obtained results were compared with the results of soil contamination from the quality monitoring of arable soil in Poland. The studies show a significant exceedance of the permissible values of cadmium in soil samples and the vegetables cultivated on that soil. The threat to consumer health is a valid concern, although this threat was not indicated by the results of the national monitoring of soil quality. The results indicated an unequal distribution of risk to consumers resulting from contaminated soil. Moreover, the monitoring systems should be designed at the local or regional scale to guarantee the safety of consumers of edible plants cultivated in the areas contaminated with cadmium.

Cigar Use Symposium: Epidemiology, Toxicant Exposure, Health and Policy Implications.

OBJECTIVE: Domestic cigar use has increased over the past 2 decades perhaps partially in response to cigarette restrictions and partially because cigars are used as vehicles for the delivery of marijuana. Although there is ample epidemiologic data to verify use and use patterns, there are relatively few studies that have looked at other aspects of current cigar use, advertising, toxicant exposure, and health effects. METHODS: Gaps in knowledge prompted a research symposium entitled Cigar Use: Epidemiology, Toxicant Exposure, Health and Policy Implications in 2016. The symposium was hosted by Battelle Memorial Institute with support from an R03 grant from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). RESULTS: Multiple research recommendations emerged from the symposium, such as improvements in cigar monitoring and assessing effects of product design on toxicant delivery that are essential to making regulatory decisions. CONCLUSIONS: Now that FDA has indicated that it intends to regulate cigars, significant new research on cigar characteristics, use and marketing is needed to inform tobacco regulatory policy.

Quality of unprocessed cooled fresh coconut water manually extracted by street vendors / Qualidade de águas de coco não pasteurizadas, in natura, resfriadas, extraídas artesanalmente por ambulantes

Coconut water is a versatile beverage that is rich in nutrients, has few calories, and presents functional and therapeutic characteristics, improving the well-being and health of consumers. However, the growth of deteriorating microorganisms is facilitated by its water activity and high nutrient content; and when combined with improper handling, this product may become a carrier of foodborne diseases. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the quality of unprocessed cooled fresh coconut water manually extracted by street vendors. Twelve samples of coconut water were collected and subjected to physicochemical (total titratable acidity, pH, and total soluble solids) and microbiological (mesophilic, and psychrotrophic microorganisms, molds, yeasts, and thermotolerant and total coliforms) analyses. The physicochemical analysis showed variations of 4.3-5.4 for pH, 0.01-0.03 for total titratable acidity, and 2.8-6.3 for total soluble solids. The microbiological analysis showed high contamination in the samples by deteriorating microorganisms, with 58% of the samples contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, regular use of good hygiene practices for handling manually extracted coconut water is necessary to physicochemically and microbiologically standardize this product. Thus, ensuring the quality of the coconut water when it is manually extracted by street vendors and trade as an unprocessed, cooled, and fresh beverage and consequently minimize consumer's health risks.(AU)

A água de coco é uma bebida bastante versátil, pois, além de apresentar grande riqueza nutricional e poucas calorias, tem características funcionais e terapêuticas, auxiliando no bem-estar e na saúde de seus consumidores. Porém, devido a sua atividade de água e nutrientes elevados, o crescimento de micro-organismos deteriorantes é facilitado e, com a manipulação inadequada do produto, a água de coco pode se tornar um veículo de doenças transmitidas por alimentos. Portanto, o presente trabalho objetivou avaliar a qualidade das águas de coco não pasteurizadas, in natura, resfriadas, extraídas artesanalmente por ambulantes. Para tanto, coletaram-se 12 amostras distintas de água de coco, as quais foram submetidas às análises físico-química (acidez total titulável, pH e sólidos solúveis) e microbiológica (micro-organismos mesófilos, psicrotróficos, bolores e leveduras, coliformes totais e termotolerantes). As análises físico-químicas demonstraram variações de 4,3-5,4 para o pH das amostras, de 0,01-0,03 para a acidez total titulável e de 2,8-6,3 para os sólidos solúveis totais. Quanto ao perfil microbiológico, verificou-se elevada contaminação por micro-organismos deteriorantes e 58% das amostras estavam contaminadas com micro-organismos patogênicos. Portanto, sugere-se aplicação regular de boas práticas de higiene e manipulação da água de coco artesanal para uma melhor padronização físico-química e microbiológica desse produto. Desse modo, garantindo melhor qualidade a essa bebida quando comercializada na forma não pasteurizada, in natura, resfriada, extraída artesanalmente por ambulantes e, consequentemente, minimizando os riscos à saúde de seus consumidores.(AU)