Rapid Methods for Assessing Food Safety and Quality

Abstract

Food safety and quality represent a major concern worldwide, not only for the potential risk to consumers’ health but also for the economic losses occurring in food industries. A complete quality system involves raw matter, environmental conditions, production processes, storage and distribution, taking into account the purpose for which the end product is intended. Appropriate analytical methods combined with good hygiene practices are essential to ensure a safe food supply and/or to minimize the occurrence of foodborne outbreaks due to the consumption of food contaminated with pathogens such as bacteria, fungi and parasites. On the other hand, the lack of measures able to detect quality deterioration, spoilage, authenticity and adulteration, as well as texture, rheology and sensory properties of food can affect the food industry economy and reduce consumer confidence. The use of rapid analytical methods can benefit food companies in saving time and cost, indicating the importance of developing new reliable assays for good and fast control of products throughout the whole food chain.