历史上,低水分食品被认为具有最小的微生物风险。然而,它们与近年来许多备受瞩目的多州疫情和召回事件有关,引起对低水分食品安全的研究和推广关注。有限的研究评估了低水分食品工业的食品安全研究和推广需求。此次需求评估的目的是探讨食品安全文化教育需求,确定食品安全挑战和数据差距,并了解在美国低水分食品工业中采用食品安全增强技术的障碍。这项需求评估由两项研究组成。在研究1中,来自低水分食品行业高层管理人员的食品安全专家参加了在线访谈和汇报讨论会。在研究2中,一项在线匿名调查分发给了在低水分食品行业有经验的不同专家小组。定性数据采用演绎和归纳编码方法进行分析,而定量数据通过描述性分析进行分析。25名专家参与了这些研究(研究1:n=12;研究2:n=13)。参与者合作过的常见商品包括坚果和种子,香料,面粉,干果和蔬菜。调整了食品安全文化概念框架,其中包括三个主要组成部分:基础设施条件(基础),个人的食品安全知识,态度,和风险认知;和组织条件(支撑支柱)。建立积极的食品安全文化的主要障碍是资源有限,风险沟通中的困难,和行为改变的困难。为了持续改进食品安全绩效,确定了食品安全挑战和数据差距的两个主要主题:清洁,卫生,和卫生设计;减少病原体。与会者认为,阻碍低水分食品工业采用食品安全增强技术的主要障碍是:(1)预算优先事项,(2)操作约束,(3)技术验证,(4)消费者接受,和(5)保持所需的产品特性,如质量和感官功能。这项需求评估的结果为食品行业提供了指导,学术界,和政府机构关于未来研究的方向和有针对性的推广计划的发展,可能有助于提高低水分食品行业的食品安全。
Historically, low-moisture foods were considered to have minimal microbial risks. However, they have been linked to many high-profile multistate outbreaks and recalls in recent years, drawing research and extension attention to low-moisture food safety. Limited studies have assessed the food safety research and extension needs for the low-moisture food industry. The objectives of this needs assessment were to explore the food safety culture and education needs, identify the food safety challenges and data gaps, and understand the barriers to adopting food-safety-enhancing technologies in the U.S. low-moisture food industry. This needs assessment was composed of two studies. In Study 1, food safety experts from the low-moisture food industry upper management participated in online interviews and a debriefing discussion session. In Study 2, an online anonymous survey was disseminated to a different group of experts with experience in the low-moisture food industry. The qualitative data were analyzed using deductive and inductive coding approaches, while the quantitative data were analyzed via descriptive analysis. Twenty-five experts participated in the studies (Study 1: n=12; Study 2: n=13). Common commodities that participants had worked with included nuts and seeds, spices, flour, and dried fruits and vegetables. A food safety culture conceptual framework was adapted, which included three main components: infrastructure conditions (foundation), individual\'s food safety knowledge, attitudes, and risk perceptions; and organizational conditions (supporting pillars). Major barriers to establishing a positive food safety culture were identified to be limited resources, difficulties in risk communication, and difficulties in behavioral change. For continual improvement in food safety performance, two major themes of food safety challenges and data gaps were identified: cleaning, sanitation, and hygienic design; and pathogen reduction. Participants perceived the main barriers discouraging the low-moisture food industry from adopting food-safety-enhancing technologies were: (1) budgetary priorities, (2) operation constraints, (3) technology validation, (4) consumer acceptance, and (5) maintaining desired product characteristics such as quality and sensory functionality. The findings of this needs assessment provide guidance for the food industry, academia, and government agencies about the direction of future research and the development of targeted extension programs that might help improve food safety in the low-moisture food industry.