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Hygiene and Safety of Foods: Health Consequences for Consumers
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Hygiene and Safety of Foods: Health Consequences for Consumers

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Quality and Safety".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 August 2026 | Viewed by 2237

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Luisa Brito

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Guest Editor
LEAF—Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food Research Center, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: food safety; food microbiology; foodborne bacteria; antimicrobial resistance; bacteria pathogenicity and virulence; probiotics; biofilms; genotyping
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Acacio Salamandane

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Linking Landscape Environment Agriculture and Food Research Center (LEAF), Associated Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal
2. Departament of Nutrition, Lúrio University, Campus de Marrere, Nampula, Mozambique
Interests: food microbiology; foodborne diseases; antibiotic resistance; microbial susceptibility to biocides; biofilms in food industry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ensuring food hygiene and safety is essential for public health, as contaminated food can lead to severe health consequences for consumers, as well as high economic losses. Unsafe food, harboring pathogenic bacteria, viruses, parasites, or chemical contaminants, may cause foodborne illnesses, affecting millions of people worldwide and placing a significant burden on healthcare systems. Furthermore, long-term exposure to food contaminants has been associated with chronic diseases, including cancer and metabolic disorders, highlighting the need for continuous monitoring and intervention.

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of current challenges and advances in food hygiene and safety. It brings together cutting-edge research on foodborne pathogens, chemical hazards, and innovative control strategies to ensure food safety throughout the supply chain. It will also explore regulatory frameworks, emerging threats, and the impact of food safety violations on public health.

In addition, this Special Issue will highlight scientific findings that can contribute to improving food safety, reducing health risks and informing policies aimed at better protecting consumers. By fostering a multidisciplinary discussion, this collection of articles seeks to bridge the gap between research, the food industry, and regulatory agencies, ultimately enhancing global food safety standards.

We invite researchers, food safety professionals, and policymakers to engage with the latest scientific insights presented in this Special Issue, promoting a safer and more sustainable food system for all.

Dr. Luisa Brito
Dr. Acacio Salamandane
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • foodborne pathogens
  • food safety
  • public health
  • foodborne disease
  • food poisoning
  • regulatory standards
  • good hygiene practice (GHP)
  • hygiene indicators
  • disinfectant susceptibility
  • persistent strains

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 994 KB  
Article
Relationship Between Food Healthiness, Price Fairness, and Loyalty with Moderating Roles of Temperature, Personalization, and Eco-Friendly Packaging at Subway
by Kyung-A Sun and Joonho Moon
Foods 2026, 15(5), 841; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15050841 - 3 Mar 2026
Viewed by 336
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to explore the relationships among food healthiness, price fairness, and loyalty in the context of Subway sandwich restaurants. Another objective of this study is to examine the moderating effects of temperature, personalization, and eco-friendly packaging on the [...] Read more.
The purpose of this research is to explore the relationships among food healthiness, price fairness, and loyalty in the context of Subway sandwich restaurants. Another objective of this study is to examine the moderating effects of temperature, personalization, and eco-friendly packaging on the relationship between food healthiness and loyalty. To achieve these objectives, an online survey was conducted. Data were analyzed based on 283 valid responses collected from consumers in the U.S. market. The findings indicate that food healthiness positively influences both price fairness and loyalty. In addition, price fairness exerts a positive effect on loyalty. Furthermore, the results empirically confirmed the significant moderating roles of temperature, personalization, and eco-friendly packaging. This research holds significance in that it empirically clarifies the relationships among the six variables through the case of Subway, providing meaningful marketing insights into consumer perceptions and loyalty in the food service industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hygiene and Safety of Foods: Health Consequences for Consumers)
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23 pages, 1007 KB  
Article
Background as Predictors of Food Safety Behavior in Peruvian University Students: The Mediating Role of Food Safety Attitudes
by Jairo I. González-Linares, Hypatia Ynfante-Acuña, Saúl Vara-Allhuirca, David Quispe-Sanca and Wilter C. Morales-García
Foods 2026, 15(4), 683; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15040683 - 13 Feb 2026
Viewed by 594
Abstract
Background: Foodborne diseases (FBDs) pose a significant threat to public health and are particularly relevant among university students, who often face limitations in time, resources, and experience in food handling. This study examined the influence of background factors (experience and education) on food [...] Read more.
Background: Foodborne diseases (FBDs) pose a significant threat to public health and are particularly relevant among university students, who often face limitations in time, resources, and experience in food handling. This study examined the influence of background factors (experience and education) on food safety behavior and the mediating role of attitudes among Peruvian students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 814 university students (53.8% female; 82.1% aged 17–22 years; 77.4% from private universities). Three validated scales were applied: background factors, attitudes, and behavior, all demonstrating acceptable reliability (α ≥ 0.71). Analyses were performed using PLS-SEM with 5000 bootstraps, confirming the convergent and discriminant validity of the constructs. Results: Results showed that background factors accounted for a small proportion (5.7%) of the variance in attitudes, and together with attitudes, they explained 31.8% of food safety behavior. The direct effects were significant: background → behavior (β = 0.266, p < 0.001), attitudes → behavior (β = 0.457, p < 0.001), and background → attitudes (β = 0.249, p < 0.001). Attitudes partially and modestly mediated the relationship, accounting for approximately 30% of the total effect of background factors on behavior (β_indirect = 0.114, p < 0.001). Women scored higher in personal hygiene, food hygiene, and cross-contamination prevention (p < 0.05), although multi-group comparisons revealed no significant differences in structural paths by gender. Conclusions: In conclusion, background factors are associated with food safety practices, and attitudes contribute to translating prior experience and education into behavior as a statistically significant but modest mediator, suggesting that other unmeasured factors (e.g., norms, habits, contextual constraints) also play an important role. Educational interventions should therefore prioritize strengthening attitudes and self-efficacy while also providing contextual resources that support safe practices in student kitchens. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hygiene and Safety of Foods: Health Consequences for Consumers)
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17 pages, 589 KB  
Article
Multidrug-Resistant and Potentially Pathogenic Escherichia coli Prevalent in Samples of Different Types of Raw Meat Sold in Informal Markets in Luanda, Angola
by Gomes Cahango, Lélia Chambel, Luisa Brito and Acácio Salamandane
Foods 2026, 15(1), 174; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15010174 - 4 Jan 2026
Viewed by 824
Abstract
Raw meat can act as a reservoir and vehicle for antimicrobial-resistant foodborne Escherichia coli, particularly when sold under poor hygienic conditions, as is often the case in informal markets in many developing countries, thereby representing a significant public health risk. This study [...] Read more.
Raw meat can act as a reservoir and vehicle for antimicrobial-resistant foodborne Escherichia coli, particularly when sold under poor hygienic conditions, as is often the case in informal markets in many developing countries, thereby representing a significant public health risk. This study aimed to characterize the antibiotic resistance patterns and virulence of E. coli isolated from raw meat sold in informal markets in Luanda, Angola. A total of 99 E. coli isolates were recovered from fresh beef, pork and goat meat in five informal markets. DNA macrorestriction analysis by Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to evaluate the genetic diversity of isolates. Multiplex PCR was performed to detect virulent and antibiotic resistance genes. Antibiotic susceptibility was tested using the disk diffusion method. PFGE analysis showed high genotypic diversity. Virulence genes were found in 46% of the isolates, with astA (32.3%) being the most frequent. The results also showed high resistance to cefotaxime (67.7%), ampicillin (56.7%) and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (56.6%). Resistance to imipenem, a last-resort antibiotic, was observed in 30.3% of the isolates. The most prevalent resistance genes were CTX-M group 1 (10.1%) and FOX variants (27.3%). The presence of multidrug-resistant and potentially pathogenic E. coli strains in raw meat sold in informal markets in Luanda represents a significant threat to public health. These findings underscore the urgent need to improve surveillance, hygiene practices, and antimicrobial use regulation policies in animal production in Angola. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hygiene and Safety of Foods: Health Consequences for Consumers)
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