The effects of hot axisymmetric compression to break down the primary carbide network of the H23 tool steels were studied. This current study only focused on one strain rate of 0.01 s -1 . The samples were deformed at 3 different temperatures (1000, 1050 and 1100 o C) with solutioning temperatures 1100 and 1250 o C, respectively. Afterwards, the samples were cooled by water quenching. The techniques used in this current study for investigation were the optical and electron microscopes and Vickers hardness test. The results show that hot axisymmetric compression had broken down the primary carbide network in the direction perpendicular to the compression axis and the carbides became finer. Although the highest hardness (274 HV) was achieved after solutioning at 1250 o C, followed by deformation at 1000 o C, however the microstructure analysis indicated that the optimum hot axisymmetric compression condition was solutioning at 1250 o C and deformation at 1000 o C.

Advanced Materials Research

Background There is an urgent need to drive improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of food chains. The global population is expected to reach at least 9 billion by the year 2050, requiring up to 70% more food, and demanding food production systems and the food chain to become fully sustainable. This challenge is complicated by a number of overarching issues, including increasing complexity of food supply chains, environmental constraints, a growing aging population and changing patterns of consumer choice and food consumption. Within this context, food safety must be an enabler and not inhibitor of global food security. Scope and approach This paper will highlight how recent developments and trends related to food safety will impact the food sector and ultimately the ability of the sector to deliver food security. Key findings and conclusions Global megatrends including climate change, a growing and aging population, urbanisation, and increased affluence will create food safety challenges and place new demands on producers, manufacturers, marketers, retailers and regulators. Advances in science and technology such as whole genome sequencing, active packaging, developments in tracing and tracking technologies, information computing technology and big data analysis has the potential to help mitigate the challenges and meet demands, but will also create new challenges. Overcoming a number of these challenges will be difficult for developed economies and large food companies, but even greater for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), developing economies and smallholder farmers, noting that each is a critical component in the global food supply.

Food safety for food security: Relationship between global megatrends and developments in food safety

Shellfish is a major component of global seafood production. Specific items include shrimp, lobsters, oysters, mussels, scallops, clams, crabs, krill, crayfish, squid, cuttlefish, snails, abalone, and others. Shellfish, in general, contain appreciable quantities of digestible proteins, essential amino acids, bioactive peptides, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, astaxanthin and other carotenoids, vitamin B12 and other vitamins, minerals, including copper, zinc, inorganic phosphate, sodium, potassium, selenium, iodine, and also other nutrients, which offer a variety of health benefits to the consumer. Although shellfish are generally safe for consumption, their exposure to diverse habitats, the filter feeding nature of shellfish such as oysters, clams, and mussels, and unhealthy farming and handling practices may occasionally entail health risks because of possible presence of various hazards. These hazards include pathogenic organisms, parasites, biotoxins, industrial and environmental pollutants, heavy metals, process-related additives such as antibiotics and bisulfite, and also presence of allergy-causing compounds in their bodies. Most of the hazards can be addressed by appropriate preventive measures at various stages of harvesting, farming, processing, storage, distribution, and consumption. Furthermore, consumer safety of shellfish and other seafood items is strictly monitored by international, governmental, and local public health organizations. This article highlights the nutritional value and health benefits of shellfish items and points out the various control measures to safeguard consumer safety with respect to the products.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/1541-4337.12312

Shellfish: nutritive value, health benefits, and consumer safety.

The present study explores the concept of mistrust in country of origin information and the use of technology by consumers to corroborate information on food labels. Despite the plethora of food studies on trust conveyed by different sources, there appears to be a lack of studies exploring consumers' willingness to substantiate information on food labels, more specifically country of origin, and how it is influenced by mistrust. A self-administered survey was conducted in the city of Innsbruck, Austria, to evaluate the relationship between mistrust and the willingness to use technology and verify food label information in food stores. This present study suggests that mistrust towards industry and/or regulators in general augments consumers' willingness to self-authenticate. Findings also suggest that highly educated consumers are more likely to distrust the information on food labels, and are more willing to use a device to validate food label content. Expected results suggest that consumers who read labels on a regular basis expressed a higher willingness to self-authenticate, and that women are more likely to read labels than men. Limitations of the study are presented; theoretical significance and practical implications of the findings are also discussed.

Food fraud: An exploratory study for measuring consumer perception towards mislabeled food products and influence on self-authentication intentions

Seafood traceability: current needs, available tools, and biotechnological challenges for origin certification

The food traceability regulations of 21 Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) countries were examined with attention to whether these regulations are comprehensive for all food commodities and processed foods. The countries were evaluated based on responses to a series of questions that were developed to allow assessment of their traceability programs. The questions sought background information on whether: mandatory traceability regulation(s) exists at the national level within a given country; regulations include imported products, and the nature of required documentation for imports; an electronic database(s) for traceability exists and, if present, its accessibility; and labeling regulations allow consumer access and understanding of traceability. The examination ranked the countries that have specific traceability regulations for all commodities, both domestic and imports, as "Progressive," while countries with less broad or stringent regulations were ranked as "Moderate," and countries that were still in the developmental stage of mandatory or industry-led traceability requirements were ranked as "Regressive." Aggregate scores were developed from all of the rankings, determined on the basis of the questions, for each of the 21 countries, to provide an overall world ranking score. The aggregate scores were "Superior," "Average," or "Poor."

/pdf/comparison-of-global-food-traceability-regulations-and-3k6jd06zwr.pdf

Sandi Kyaw Naing

Papers

Comparison of Global Food Traceability Regulations and Requirements

Global Food Traceability: Harmonizing Regulations and Best Practices