Scientific Status Summaries

Reprints of documents listed below are available from the Department of Science and Communications. Documents published after April 1997 are available as PDF files. To request reprints, contact mailto:info@ift.org.

S-055 – Innovative Food Packaging Solutions
Informs readers of current and emerging innovations in food packaging materials. Journal of Food Science. October 2008. 73(8): R107 – R116. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2008.00933.x. Editorial.

S-054 -- “Just Add Water”: Regulating and Protecting the Most Common Ingredient
Provides readers with an overview of drinking water standards and regulations and the effects of agriculture and food processing on water quality and wastewater treatment. Journal of Food Science. January/February 2008. 73[1]: R1-R13. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2007.00611.x. Editorial.

S-053 -- Food Packaging -- Roles, Materials, and Environmental Issues
Updates readers on food packaging and its impact on the environment. Journal of Food Science. April 2007. 72 (3), R39–R55. doi:10.1111/j.1750-3841.2007.00301.x . Editorial.

S-052 -- Functional Materials in Food Nanotechnology
Updates readers on the applications of nanotechnology in the food industry. Journal of Food Science. November/December 2006. 71[9]. doi:10.1111/j.1750-3841.2006.00195.x. Editorial. 

S-051 -- Organic Foods
Updates readers on the organic foods industry. Journal of Food Science. November/December 2006. 71[9]. doi:10.1111/j.1750-3841.2006.00196.x. Editorial. 

S-050 -- Food Mycotoxins
Updates readers on the science of fungal toxins. Journal of Food Science. June/July 2006. 71[5]. doi:10.1111/j.1750-3841.2006.00052.x. Editorial.  

S-049 -- Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies 
Updates our knowledge of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and provides an authoritative perspective on the surrounding regulatory and trade landscape. Journal of Food Science. June/July 2005. 70[5]:R77-R87.

S-048 -- Irradiation and Food Safety
Discusses the current state of the science surrounding this technology, including effectiveness, safety, regulatory approvals and research needs. November 2004. 58[11]:22, 48-55. Editorial 

S-047 -- Bacteria Associated with Foodborne Diseases
Reviews the pathogenic significance, association with foods, and control measures for the microorganisms historically and newly linked with foodborne illness, excluding enterohemorrhagic E. coli. July 2004. 58[7]: 20-21. Editorial

S-046 -- Resistance and Adaptation to Food Antimicrobials, Sanitizers, and Other Process Controls
Discusses the potential for microorganisms to become resistant to antimicrobials and sanitizers used in food processing. November 2002. 56[11]:69-78. 

S-045 -- Parasites and the Food Supply
Discusses the sources and incidence of human infection by foodborne parasites and new technologies being developed for prevention, detection, and inactivation. April 2002.56[4]: 72-81. Editorial

S-044 -- Food Allergies and Other Food Sensitivities
Describes symptoms and pathogenesis of a wide range of food allergies and other food sensitivities, as well as implications for food manufacturing. September 2001. 55[9]: 68-83.  Editorial

S-043 -- Probiotics
Addresses the scientific basis of the hypothesis that consumption of probiotics can positively influence human health, rationale for use, and extent of support for human health effects, as well as products and regulatory issues. November 1999. 53[11]:66-77. Editorial

S-042 -- Dietary Supplements: Nutritional and Legal Considerations
Addresses the role of dietary supplement products in normal health. July 1999. 53[7]: 87-96.  Editorial

S-041 -- Functional Foods: Their role in disease prevention and health promotion
Addresses the primary plant and animal foods that have been linked with physiological benefits. November 1998. 52[11]: 63-70; 24. 

S-040 -- Fat Replacers
Addresses the key characteristicsa nd functions of fat replacers that arec ommercially available or underdevelopment. March 1998.52[3]:47-53.  Editorial

S-039 -- Extended Shelf Life Refrigerated Foods: Microbiological Quality and Safety
Addresses microbiological concerns and control methods for ensuring safety and quality. February1 998. 52[2]: 57-62.  Editorial

S-038 -- Irradiation of Food
Addresses the state of scientific knowledge of the technology, with emphasis on muscle foods. January 1998. 52[1]: 56-62.  Editorial

S-037 -- Foodborne Disease Significance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Other Enterohemorrhagic E. coli
Addresses the virulence and disease characteristics of EHEC, their reservoirs and sources, survival and growth, and disease prevention strategies. October 1997.51[10]:69-76.  Editorial

S-036 -- Assessing, managing, and communicating chemical food risks
Describes the trinity of risk-related factors: assessment, management,and communication. Addresses current issues surrounding this trinity of factors that pertain to the determination, management, andacceptablity of risks posed by chemicals in foods. May 1997. 51[5]:85-92. Editorial

S-035 -- Virus transmission via food
Discusses special features of viruses as foodborne disease agents, epidemiology of foodborne viral illnesses, and methods to detect and prevent virus transmission via foods. April 1997. 51[4]: 71-78. 

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S-034 -- Edible and Biodegradeable Polymer Films: Challenges and Opportunities
Presents the challenges and opportunities for using edible and biodegradeable polymer films as alternative food packaging. February 1997. 51[02]:61-74. Additional Reading bibliography
S-033 -- Glass transitions in low moisture and frozen foods: Effects on shelf life and quality
Describes the effects of glass transition and water plasticization on physicochemical properties of amorphous food matrices. Also evaluates the effects of glass transition related temperature-, water content-, and time-dependent phenomena on shelf life and quality of flow-moisture and frozen foods. November 1996. 50[11]: 95-108.
S-032 -- Seafood allergy and allergens: A review
Describes symptoms and pathogenesis of seafood allergy, including occupationally induced reactions. Also characterizes seafood allergens. October 1995. 49[10]:103-116.
S-031 -- Foodborne illness: Role of home food handling practices
Describes factors related to foodborne microbiological challenges and reviews the common causes of foodborne disease, particularly those related to home food handling practices; focuses on the important role of home food handling practices in reducing the risk of acquiring microbial foodborne illness. April 1995. 49[4]: 119-131.
S-030 -- Microbial attachment and biofilm formation: A new problem for the food industry
Describes how microbes attach to food and food processing surfaces and describes detrimental effects of the biofilms that subsequently form. July 1994.48[7]:107-115.
S-029 -- Microbial modeling
Discusses the modeling of pathogenic microorganisms in food and the application of such models. June 1994. 48[6]: 113-120.
S-028 -- Human obesity
Analyzes causes of obesity, including demographic and personal factors, and calls for new forms of treatment. February 1994. 48[2]: 127-138.
S-027 -- Browning of foods: Control by sulfites, antioxidants, and other means
Focuses on controlling enzymatic browning in fruits, vegetables and shellfish. October 1993. 47[10]: 75-84.
S-026 -- Potential mechanisms for food-related carcinogens and anticarcinogens
Focuses on ways dietary carcinogens and anti-carcinogenic modulators may influence variance in cancer rates among humans. February 1993.47[2]:105-118.
S-025 -- Medical foods
Reviews medical foods, including regulatory aspects, classification systems, processing opportunities, and unique technologies and ingredients used in their manufacture. April 1992.46[4]: 87-96.
S-024 -- Government regulation of food safety: Interaction of scientific and societal forces
Reviews roles of federal, state, and local governments in safeguarding consumers against hazards associated with the food supply. January 1992. 46[1]:73-80.
S-023 -- Foods from aquaculture
Discusses benefits of aquaculture, or fish farming, and the nutritional value, quality, and market forms of the species cultured. September 1991.45[9]: 87-92.
S-022 -- Effective management of food packaging: From production to disposal
Discusses food packaging's multiple roles: food protection, waste reduction, product information, etc. May 1991. 45[5]: 225-234
S-021 -- Organically grown foods
Concludes that purchasing organically grown foods cannot be justified on the basis of nutrition, taste, or freedom from pesticides. December 1990.44[12]:123-130.
S-020 -- Quality of fruits and vegetables

Discusses the aspects of fruits and vegetables: quality, chemical composition, nutritive value, shelf-life, and safety. June 1990. 44[6]:99-106.
S-019 -- Food flavors
Outlines the aspects of food flavors: types, characteristics, occurrence in foods, regulation, and developments in extraction, isolation, identification, and sensory evaluation. December 1989. 43[12]: 99-106.
S-018B -- Dietary fiber

Discusses the components, properties, and benefits of dietary fiber. October 1989. 43[10]: 133-139.

S-018A -- Low-calorie foods
Reviews low-calorie foods, beverages, and other dietary items and their labeling and efficacy. April 1989. 43[4]: 113-125.
S-017 -- Microwave food processing
Examines the use of microwaves in food processing and home preparation. January 1989. 43[1]: 117-126.

S-016 -- Virus transmission via foods
Analyzes viral properties, viruses associated with past and current problems, new developments, foods and vehicles of transmission, modes of infection, and laboratory detection. October 1988. 42[10]: 241-248.
S-015 -- Migration of toxicants, flavors, and odor-active substances from flexible packaging materials
Discusses the interaction between food and packaging. July 1988. 42[7]: 95-103.
S-014 -- Bacteria associated with foodborne diseases
Reviews the pathogenic significance, association with foods, and control measures for the microorganisms linked most commonly with foodborne illnesses. April 1988.42[4]: 181-200.
S-013 -- The risk/benefit concept as applied to food
Discusses the need to clarify the risk/benefit concept, along with risk quantification, assessment, and regulation. March 1988.42[3]:199-207.
S-012 -- Food biotechnology
Summarizes developments in food biotechnology and concludes that benefits include cost savings and product improvement. January 1988. 42[1]: 133-146.
S-011 -- Vitamins as functional additives in processed foods
Reviews functional roles that vitamins play in food processing, including use of vitamins as antioxidants and colorants. September 1987. 41[9]:163-168.
S-010 -- MSG
Concludes that monosodium glutamate MSG is safe for human consumption and presents information on the flavor enhancer, including human taste perception, flavor properties, idiosyncratic reactions after consumption, and regulations regarding labeling and safety. May 1987.41[5]: 143-150.
S-009 -- Nitrate, nitrite, and nitro compounds in foods
Reviews the curing process, microbiology of nitrite, research on nitrosocompounds, and sources of nitrosamines in foods and their formation in the body. April1987. 41[4]:127-135.