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Article
Publication date: 7 August 2018

Ilija Djekic, Nikola Tomic, Nada Smigic, Bozidar Udovicki, Gerard Hofland and Andreja Rajkovic

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the hygienic design of a scalable unit for supercritical carbon dioxide drying of food.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the hygienic design of a scalable unit for supercritical carbon dioxide drying of food.

Design/methodology/approach

For the purpose of this study, a checklist has been developed, covering requirements from sanitary standards and industry-tailored guidelines. Beyond hygienic design, failure mode and effects analysis of the results were performed to assess the potential food safety risks that may arise from failures to hygienic design requirements.

Findings

The overall score of the hygienic design was 46 percent. This kind of evaluation revealed two types of nonconformities. The first type was related to inadequate sanitary procedures. The second type was associated to design failures.

Research limitations/implications

The highest risk was designated to problems related to cleaning and sanitation followed by risks associated with the formation of dead zones and biofilms.

Practical implications

This study provides valuable insight to engineers and food technologists on hygienic design issues.

Originality/value

Application of a similar methodology was used for evaluating hygienic design of other non-thermal food technologies.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 120 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 November 2016

Ilija Djekic, Kevin Kane, Nikola Tomic, Eleni Kalogianni, Ada Rocha, Lamprini Zamioudi and Rita Pacheco

This paper aims to present results from a research that analyzed consumer perceptions of service quality in restaurants in four European cities – Belgrade (Serbia), Manchester…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present results from a research that analyzed consumer perceptions of service quality in restaurants in four European cities – Belgrade (Serbia), Manchester (UK), Thessaloniki (Greece) and Porto (Portugal).

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 802 respondents have been interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The service quality statements covered food quality, building exterior, restaurant interior and layout, seating comfort, restrooms and servicing.

Findings

Within all analyzed categories (city, gender and age), servicing of food and taste of food were the most influential factors. However, this study confirmed that there are different patterns in analyzed cities. For each factor analyzed, in at least two cities, results for the items were significantly different. Consumers from different cities showed different perceptions regarding service quality in restaurants. Gender of consumers plays a significant role in the perception of interior, restroom and servicing factors in restaurants. Age of respondents was the category with no significant difference with respect to food quality, layout, restrooms and servicing.

Research limitations/implications

Given the great cultural and other differences within the four cities/countries, more research is necessary to determine if similar results would be derived from different samples across various other continental and Mediterranean European cities.

Originality/value

In addition to increasing the theoretical understanding of the cultural aspects of the service quality, this paper can be of managerial relevance.

Details

Nutrition & Food Science, vol. 46 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0034-6659

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 March 2019

Nada Smigic, Ilija Djekic, Nikola Tomic, Bozidar Udovicki and Andreja Rajkovic

Supercritical carbon dioxide (sc-CO2) is a promising novel treatment that might be used in the food industry, such as sc-CO2 pasteurisation and sc-CO2 drying. Before sc-CO2

Abstract

Purpose

Supercritical carbon dioxide (sc-CO2) is a promising novel treatment that might be used in the food industry, such as sc-CO2 pasteurisation and sc-CO2 drying. Before sc-CO2 treated foodstuffs may be introduced to European market, they have to be authorised according to novel food regulation. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to give an overview of available literature data on sc-CO2 treated fruits and vegetables, which might be used for novel food authorisation.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on literature data available via Science Direct, EBSCO and Wiley concerning sc-CO2 pasteurisation and drying of fruits/vegetables. Studies performed on animal foodstuffs were manually excluded, while articles related to novel foods and legislation were included in the study.

Findings

Database search resulted 34 articles related to microbiological and compositional/nutritional changes in sc-CO2 treated foods. Obtained data indicated that sc-CO2 pasteurisation is effective in inactivating microorganisms in liquids, while no general conclusion on the microbiological quality of sc-CO2 pasteurised solid foods or sc-CO2 dried foods could be made. Available literature data showed that sc-CO2 pasteurisation did not result in significant compositional/nutritional changes in liquids, while for sc-CO2 pasteurised solid foods or sc-CO2 dried foods, one is not able to make common conclusions due to insufficient research data. Therefore, additional research and case-by-case study for each treated food have to be prepared.

Originality/value

This study is original to the extent that it brought together available information on sc-CO2 pasteurised and dried foods, needed the novel food application.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 121 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 January 2015

Nada Smigic, Andreja Rajkovic, Ilija Djekic and Nikola Tomic

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current situation of multidimensional food safety assurance in Serbia, as an official candidate for European Union (EU) membership, in…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current situation of multidimensional food safety assurance in Serbia, as an official candidate for European Union (EU) membership, in relation to its EU food law harmonization efforts.

Design/methodology/approach

Serbian assurance scheme was covered in this paper included food safety legislation, control and standards.

Findings

The food safety system in Serbia needs improvements in the area of effectiveness and efficiency of food safety control and inspection services, knowledge and expertise of state inspectors, governmental officials, food safety consultants and auditors. Additionally, problems related to the overlapping responsibilities of various legal authorities and inspection services have to be solved, with an improved transparency and communication between legal authorities, customers, consumers and food business operators.

Originality/value

An overview of current situation in food safety assurance in Serbia is shown.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 117 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 December 2020

Fadi Afif Fayyad, Filip Vladimir Kukić, Nemanja Ćopić, Nenad Koropanovski and Milivoj Dopsaj

The purpose of the study is to determine the prevalence of stress and to identify the occupational stressors among Lebanese police officers.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to determine the prevalence of stress and to identify the occupational stressors among Lebanese police officers.

Design/methodology/approach

Operational Police Stress Questionnaire (PSQ-op) was addressed to 100 randomly selected male Lebanese Police officers. Twenty items from the PSQ-op were run through the principal component analysis to determine the most significant factors of stress and loading within each of the factors.

Findings

The results indicated that 59% of officers reported moderate stress level and 41% reported strenuous stress. Principal component analysis identified six independent factors or stress among Lebanese police officers explaining in total 72.1% of the total variance: excessive workload (30.6%), social-life time management (12.8%), occupational fitness (9.1%), success-related stress (8.6%), physical and psychological health (5.8%), and working alone at night (5.2%).

Research limitations/implications

This research approach encountered some limitations so further research must: use a larger sample size, include female gender and identify other sources of stressors mainly organizational or job context stressors.

Originality/value

Addressing and understanding stress factors among Lebanese police officers helps improving awareness and developing individualized treatment strategies leading police officers to engage in stress-management training to learn coping strategies and use effective tools for preventing stress before it becomes chronic.

Details

Policing: An International Journal, vol. 44 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

Keywords

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