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Open research questions in Food Safety and Hygiene

70 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 610 Food Safety and Hygiene papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • Systemic weaknesses in food and packaged drinking water safety in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Lack of effective hygiene and safety management in food production and processing units. Inadequate infrastructure and environmental management.

    Systemic Weaknesses in Food and Packaged Drinking Water Safety: Evidence from Retrospective Sanitary Inspections in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (2016–2020) · 2026 · DOI

  • Inadequate infrastructure and limited regulatory enforcement are challenges in developing countries. Low awareness among food handlers is a challenge in developing countries. The lack of comprehensive training programs and regular monitoring is a challenge in improving compliance with food safety regulations.

    Evaluating hygienic practices in cattle slaughterhouses and beef retail shops in Sidama region, Ethiopia: implications for public health · 2026 · DOI

  • Limited market availability of pasteurized milk. Higher margins in other dairy products leading to reduced supply of non-flavoured pasteurized milk.

    Market Availability and Household Consumption of Pasteurized Milk: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis in Sri Lanka · 2026 · DOI

  • Food contamination. Inadequate food handling practices. Lack of effective implementation of HACCP.

    Analisis Kesesuaian Penerapan HACCP terhadap Standar Keamanan Pangan pada Industri Jasa Boga di PT. Pangansari Utama · 2026 · DOI

  • Phthalate exposure is a complex issue, involving multiple sources and pathways. Reducing phthalate exposure from cheese consumption requires changes in food handling and storage practices. There is a need for effective interventions to reduce phthalate exposure from cheese consumption.

    Public knowledge and safe food handling practices related to packaged cheese in Saudi Arabia · 2026 · DOI

  • Foodborne illnesses remain a major public health problem worldwide. Vending environments are often informal and may lack adequate sanitation infrastructure. The study had to use convenience sampling due to the lack of an official registry of street food vendors.

    Food Safety Knowledge and Attitude Among Street Food Vendors in Tagbilaran City, Bohol · 2026 · DOI

  • The inherent subjectivity of weighting procedures in risk assessment. The complexity of food systems and the need to consider numerous factors and a wide range of risk impact indicators. The uncertainty associated with expert judgements.

    Weighting risk impact indicators in a food system: expert elicitation and analysis prior to inclusion in a multi-risk assessment · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies are needed to investigate the effectiveness of training programs on Good Hygienic Practices, Good Manufacturing Practices, and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point approaches. Research on the impact of upgrading infrastructure and environmental management on food safety and quality is necessary. Studies on the implementation and effectiveness of internal quality control systems in food production and processing units are required.

    Systemic Weaknesses in Food and Packaged Drinking Water Safety: Evidence from Retrospective Sanitary Inspections in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (2016–2020) · 2026 · DOI

  • Inadequate sanitation in restaurants. Improper food handling practices. Lack of standard procedures and routine monitoring in restaurants.

    Sanitation and Hygiene Risk Factors Associated with Salmonella Contamination in Restaurant Foods in Makassar City: An Observational Cross-Sectional Study · 2026 · DOI

  • A three-stage pretraining design leverages partial supervision from the Wilson interval (capturing both safety and risk rankings), together with semi-supervised label refinement, to effectively utilize historical records even when local sample sizes are insufficient.

    Leveraging AI for fine-grained food safety risk forecasting in sparse data conditions · 2026

  • Ensuring food safety represents a critical public health challenge, particularly when inspection resources are limited and regional sampling data are sparse.

    Leveraging AI for fine-grained food safety risk forecasting in sparse data conditions · 2026

  • Digital Food Product Passports (DFPPs) are emerging as data infrastructures for transparency in food value chains, but which traceability data categories should be included remains unclear.

    Traceability Data for Digital Food Product Passports: Beekeepers’ and Consumers’ Perspectives in Honey Value Chains · 2026

  • The observed difference in hygiene status between this study and Ntanga (2013) may be attributed to variations in assessment tools, enforcement of food safety regulations, levels of food safety training among meat handlers, or local regulatory oversight, but these factors were not systematically investigated.

    Evaluation of Hygiene Management Practices in Nigerian Retail Beef Outlets Based on a Survey of Key Principles · 2026 · DOI

  • The study findings highlight the need for strengthened regulatory enforcement, targeted hygiene training for meat sellers, and the adoption of Codex- and FAO/WHO-recommended practices at retail level, but implementation strategies are not detailed.

    Evaluation of Hygiene Management Practices in Nigerian Retail Beef Outlets Based on a Survey of Key Principles · 2026 · DOI

  • The manipulation of foods in itinerant units presents additional challenges. The adoption of simplified protocols, operational training, and systematic supervision is essential for mitigating microbiological risks. The study highlights the need for more resilient planning models for itinerant contexts.

    Desafios da segurança dos alimentos em uma unidade de alimentação e nutrição itinerante: análise higiênico-sanitária, execução do cardápio e controle da cadeia do frio em missão militar na Amazônia · 2026 · DOI

  • The study was conducted in a specific context (humanitarian mission in the Amazon). The study had a limited duration (34 days). The study did not involve a control group.

    Desafios da segurança dos alimentos em uma unidade de alimentação e nutrição itinerante: análise higiênico-sanitária, execução do cardápio e controle da cadeia do frio em missão militar na Amazônia · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of research on the microbiological quality and safety of traditional Filipino delicacies, such as moron. The study highlights the need for further research on the contamination risks associated with traditional delicacies.

    Microbiological Quality and Safety Assessment of Moron, a Traditional Filipino Delicacy · 2026 · DOI

  • Further research incorporating additional operational variables, such as time of day, officer workloads or peak trading hours, may help clarify which contributory factors underlie the pattern. The study suggests that future research should investigate the causes of the lower non-compliance rate observed on Fridays.

    Inspection scheduling by environmental health officers in england and its impact on food hygiene ratings · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of empirical evidence on how inspection scheduling itself shapes regulatory outcomes. The study aims to address this gap by examining the impact of inspection scheduling on food hygiene ratings in England.

    Inspection scheduling by environmental health officers in england and its impact on food hygiene ratings · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of studies on hygienic practices among abattoir and retail shop workers in Ethiopia. There is a need to identify factors associated with good meat handling practices among abattoir and retail shop workers. There is a need to develop targeted interventions to improve meat handling practices among abattoir and retail shop workers.

    Evaluating hygienic practices in cattle slaughterhouses and beef retail shops in Sidama region, Ethiopia: implications for public health · 2026 · DOI

  • Further research involving larger datasets, multi-batch sampling, and a broader range of product types is required. The development of evidence-based risk assessment and regulatory frameworks for the plant-based food sector is needed.

    Microbiological quality and allergen assessment of vegan-labelled foods sold in Turin · 2026 · DOI

  • Comprehensive evaluations of the microbiological safety and undeclared animal-derived allergens of vegan-labelled foods remain limited. There is a need for specific regulatory criteria for vegan-labelled foods.

    Microbiological quality and allergen assessment of vegan-labelled foods sold in Turin · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of understanding of the microbial contamination of salad vegetables in Bangladesh. The study aims to address this gap by investigating the types and levels of bacterial contamination in various vegetables.

    Microbial contamination of salad vegetables commonly consumed in Bangladesh · 2026 · DOI

  • The need for a comprehensive analysis of Algeria's food import regulation. The lack of understanding of the implications of the legal framework for food safety and economic objectives.

    The Legal Regulation of Food Imports in Algeria: Protection Mechanisms and Health and Technical Standards · 2026 · DOI

  • Based on these findings, several recommendations can be proposed to enhance the effectiveness, transparency, and efficiency of Algeria's food import regulatory system: 1 Enhance Regulatory Transparency and Predictability: The government should work towards simplifying and consolidating the legal framework. Creating a single, publicly accessible online portal that provides up-to-date information on all import requirements, procedures, and standards for every food category would significantly reduce uncertainty for economic operators. 2 Conduct a Review of Technical Barriers: A systematic review of specific technical requirements, particularly the 80% shelf-life rule, should be undertaken in consultation with both domestic importers and international trade partners. The goal should be to assess whether these measures are scientifically justified and proportionate to the risks they aim to mitigate, or if they could be replaced by less trade-restrictive alternatives that still achieve the desired safety outcomes. 3 Strengthen and Modernize Control Infrastructure: Continued investment in modernizing laboratory equipment, training for inspection and customs officials, and digitizing customs procedures (e.g., a single window system) is crucial. This would not only improve the effectiveness of controls but also reduce delays and logistical bottlenecks at ports. 4 Re-evaluate the Role of State Monopolies: While ensuring the supply of strategic commodities is vital, the government could explore ways to introduce more competition and private sector participation in the import of staples currently monopolized by agencies like OAIC. This could lead to greater efficiency and lower prices for consumers. JOW, Winter 2026, Vol. 65, No.

    The Legal Regulation of Food Imports in Algeria: Protection Mechanisms and Health and Technical Standards · 2026 · DOI

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70 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 610 Food Safety and Hygiene papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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