Responsible Approach Toward Food Safety: Contaminant Analysis and Removal Methods

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Analytical Methods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 1719

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Dynamics and Permanent Education, VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences-National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: food chemistry; food control; food safety; food contaminants; risk assessment; vegetal products; statistical; antioxidant activity; antioxidants

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Department of Analytical Chemistry and Quality Control, Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, 11120 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: physical chemistry; analytical chemistry; environmental chemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Innovation Center of the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: health risk; heavy metals; pesticides; antioxidant activity; Capsicum

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ensuring food safety is a critical challenge in a world where the demand for food continues to rise. With an increase in agricultural production, the risk of contamination from various sources—such as pesticides, heavy metals, microbial pathogens, and food additives—also grows. While technological advancements have improved food processing and storage, improper handling and excessive chemical use can compromise food quality and pose significant health risks.

Food contaminants can originate at any stage of the food supply chain, from cultivation and processing to packaging and storage. Some substances, like pesticide residues and industrial pollutants, persist in the environment and accumulate in food products, raising concerns about long-term exposure. Additionally, improper storage conditions can lead to the formation of harmful compounds, further threatening food safety.

To address these challenges, the development and application of effective contaminant detection and removal methods are essential. Advanced analytical techniques enable the precise identification of hazardous substances, while innovative purification strategies help minimize risks.
This Special Issue aims to detail the latest advancements in contaminant analysis and removal methods, highlighting responsible approaches to food safety. Both original research papers and critical reviews are welcome.

Dr. Nebojša Potkonjak
Prof. Dr. Antonije Onjia
Dr. Milica Lučić
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • food safety
  • chemical contaminants
  • removal methods
  • analytical and removal methods
  • pesticide residues
  • heavy metals
  • veterinary drug residues
  • food additives
  • microplastics and nanoparticles
  • toxicity assessment
  • risk assessment

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 604 KB  
Article
Dissipation Behavior and Risk Assessment of Three Pesticide Residues Under Combined Application in Greenhouse-Grown Cabbage
by Caixia Sun, Liping Chen, Yuhong Liu, Weiran Zheng, Yumei Hua and Qiaoyan Zhang
Foods 2025, 14(17), 3006; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14173006 - 28 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1043
Abstract
Field residue trials were conducted in greenhouse-grown cabbage at both recommended and double dosages to evaluate the degradation dynamics and dietary risks of three pesticides (azoxystrobin, thiamethoxam, and carbendazim). In this study, a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method combined [...] Read more.
Field residue trials were conducted in greenhouse-grown cabbage at both recommended and double dosages to evaluate the degradation dynamics and dietary risks of three pesticides (azoxystrobin, thiamethoxam, and carbendazim). In this study, a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method combined with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was developed to measure the residues of three pesticides in cabbage. The mean recoveries of three pesticides in cabbage were 82.5–104.2%, with relative standard deviations of 2.1–5.2%, meeting the requirements of residual analysis. Based on first-order kinetics, the half-lives of the three pesticides in cabbage were 11.55–33.00 d under field conditions. The health risks associated with three pesticides in cabbage were evaluated using the risk quotient (RQ) method and the EFSA PRIMo 3.1 model. In the final residue experiment, the dietary exposure risks of azoxystrobin and thiamethoxam were all acceptable for children and adults regardless of the dosage or pre-harvest intervals, with the risk quotient (RQ) ranging from 0.040 to 0.363 and 0.022 to 0.417, respectively. However, carbendazim intake posed unacceptable health risks for consumers, with RQ significantly exceeding 1. The EFSA PRIMo 3.1 model also indicated high %ADI values for carbendazim, consistent with the RQ results. Given the significant residual risk associated with carbendazim in cabbage, limiting its use on this crop is recommended. Full article
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