PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Product Packaging”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Effect of low-dose gamma irradiation on Staphylococcus aureus and product packaging in ready-to-eat ham and cheese sandwiches.

Staphylococcus aureus is a common pathogen that causes foodborne illness. Traditional methods for controlling S. aureus do not address postprocess contamination. Low-dose gamma irradiation is effective in reducing pathogens in a variety of foods and may be effective in reducing S. aureus in ready-to-eat foods. The effects of gamma irradiation on product packaging should also be considered. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of gamna irradiation on product packaging and on S. aureus in ready-to-eat ham and cheese sandwiches. The effects of refrigerated storage on irradiated and nonirradiated sandwiches were also investigated. Ham and cheese sandwiches were inoculated with 10(6) or 10(7) CFU of S. aureus per g, frozen, irradiated, and analyzed by a standard plate count method. D10-values, the amount of irradiation needed to elicit a 1-log10 reduction of bacteria, were calculated. In addition, irradiated sandwiches were analyzed after 1, 13, 27, and 39 days of storage at 4 degrees C. The integrity of postirradiated packaging material was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Two experiments yielded D10-values of 0.62 and 0.63. During refrigerated storage, sandwiches irradiated with 5.9 kGy showed no S. aureus growth at any time; sandwiches irradiated with 3.85 kGy showed a 6.18-log reduction in S. aureus after 13 days; and nonirradiated sandwiches showed a 0.53-log increase in S. aureus after 39 days. FTIR spectroscopy showed that the label side and the bulge side were composed of polyethylene terephthalate and nylon 6, respectively. No significant change in the packaging due to irradiation was detected. In this study, low-dose gamma irradiation was shown to be an effective method for reducing S. aureus in ready-to-eat ham and cheese sandwiches and proved to be more efficacious than refrigeration alone. Additionally, package integrity was not adversely affected by gamma irradiation.

Colony Count, Microbial↗

Overpromotion of drugs in international product package inserts.

A study of the drug-labelling information contained in international product package inserts (PPIs) available in Nigeria in comparison with similar information in the United States Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR) was undertaken, against a background of recently-improved drug control regulations in Nigeria. The findings indicate that most multinational pharmaceutical firms, especially through their affiliates and subsidiaries, overpromote their drugs for extra indications and with mention of fewer hazards in the PPIs, than in the PDR. For some drugs with known, medically-stringent indications or low therapeutic indices, a few drug companies appeared to exert discretional restraint on overpromotion by providing the same content of information in the PPIs as in the PDR. The present study suggests that merely intending a better drug control with more sophisticated regulations which are not enforced may not cure the exploitative attitude of multinational drug companies and their subsidiaries or affiliates, in overpromoting pharmaceutical products through PPIs destined for countries with a literally free drug market.

Developing Countries↗

Egg marketing in national supermarkets: products, packaging, and prices--part 3.

As part of a national retail egg quality study, the variety of shell eggs and egg products offered for sale, type of packaging, and price relationships were compared in five major metropolitan regions. A total of 81 stores in 28 cities were sampled in California (CA), Illinois (IL), North Carolina (NC), Texas (TX), and New England (NE). Data were recorded for the variety of brands, sizes, white or brown shell eggs, specialty eggs, liquid or frozen eggs, carton sizes, package labeling and coding, and price relationships of shell eggs, liquid, and frozen egg products displayed for sale. The total variety of shell eggs displayed per store was the greatest for CA and NE stores. Stores in CA and TX offered more (P < 0.05) variety of white shell eggs than did stores in the other states, whereas stores in NE displayed the greatest variety (P < 0.05) of brown shell eggs. The average number of liquid and frozen egg products was highest (P < 0.05) for NC stores. Packaging type, USDA labeling, and carton coding differed somewhat among states. The price per one dozen cartons of all white shell egg sizes was highest (P < 0.05) in CA stores, and the average liquid plus frozen egg product prices were higher in CA and NE stores compared to the other states. However, the ratio of liquid and frozen product prices to all large shell egg prices was among the lowest for CA and NC stores. These data indicate that product selection, packaging, and consumer prices for shell eggs and egg products varied considerably across five separate regions of the country.

Animals↗

Ingestion of medicated oils by adults: the risk of severe salicylate poisoning is related to the packaging of these products.

Ingestion of medicated oils containing methyl salicylate poses the threat of severe, rapid-onset salicylate poisoning. In this retrospective study of 24 adults who had ingested 'White Flower Oil' (n=18) or 'Red Flower Oil' (n=6), the main objective was to determine if the risk of severe salicylate poisoning was related to the product packaging. 'Red Flower Oil' had a large bottle opening so that its content could be emptied much more easily. It also had a larger bottle size and usually had a higher methyl salicylate concentration than 'White Flower Oil'. Patients tended to ingest a greater amount of 'Red Flower Oil' than 'White Flower Oil'. Five per cent of subjects who had taken 'White Flower Oil', but 67% of subjects who had taken 'Red Flower Oil', had admission plasma salicylate level >2.2 mmol/L (P=0.006). None of the subjects who had ingested 'White Flower Oil', but 50% of subjects who had taken 'Red Flower Oil', had moderate to severe symptoms (P=0.010). As a result, none of the subjects who had ingested 'White Flower Oil', but 33% of subjects who had taken 'Red Flower Oil', required urine alkalinization (P=0.054). One patient who had taken 'Red Flower Oil' died because of hospital-acquired pneumonia. All other patients made a complete recovery. To reduce the amount of methyl salicylate that can be readily swallowed during accidental or deliberate ingestion of medicated oils, improvements are needed in the existing packaging of these products.

Adolescent↗

Evaluation of pharmacy and therapeutics committee drug evaluation reports.

Pharmacy and therapeutics (P & T) committee drug evaluation reports prepared by pharmacies and drug information centers (DICs) and product package inserts were compared with standard guidelines to evaluate their quality. Letters were sent to 143 hospital pharmacies asking them to submit a previously prepared drug evaluation report on temazepam, moxalactam disodium, or atenolol. The reports and package inserts for these three drugs were evaluated by the presence of 40 elements derived from the published ASHP guidelines for drug evaluation report preparation. Responses were obtained from 124 (87%) pharmacies; however, only 80 reports (60 DIC-prepared and 20 pharmacy-prepared) were received. The reports contained a mean of 28 of the 40 (70%) possible elements. The most frequently omitted elements were AHFS number, potential unlabeled uses, drug-drug interactions, drug-disease-laboratory test interactions, risk and benefit data, prevention and treatment of side effects, comparisons with established treatment, and disadvantages of the drug under consideration. Although the reports prepared by the DICs and pharmacies contained the same amount of information, the DIC-prepared reports included data more frequently on supply sources, therapeutic indications, approved labeling, comparison with established treatment, bioavailability and pharmacokinetics, and recommendations. Most of the reports contained more elements than the corresponding package inserts. The product package inserts did not contain the comparative elements required for P & T committee decisions. Both the pharmacy- and DIC-prepared reports failed to contain all 40 elements recommended in the standard guidelines, suggesting the need for more thorough reports.

Atenolol↗

Revised USP standards for product dating, packaging, and temperature monitoring.

Revisions in the standards of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) related to product dating, packaging, and temperature monitoring are discussed. USP has revised product dating specifications as they relate to pharmacy practice. Pharmacists are required to affix beyond-use dates and not expiration dates to the prescription or repackaged vial. With respect to beyond-use dates for nonsterile products that are repackaged into unit dose or single-unit containers, the requirement has been changed from the previous period of six months from the date of repackaging or 25% of the time remaining until the expiration date, whichever is less, to one year. The type of packaging container, the material used in packaging, and the permeability of the container to moisture are important issues for pharmacists to consider. USP requires that the pharmacy facility where dispensing or repackaging occurs be maintained at controlled room temperature such that the calculated mean kinetic temperature does not exceed 25 degrees C. USP standards for product dating, packaging, and temperature monitoring have changed, and pharmacists must educate themselves about these revisions.

Drug Labeling↗

Prescription drug products; patient package insert requirements--Food and Drug Administration. Final rule.

The Food and Drug Administration(FDA) is amending its patient package insert regulations to make the distribution requirements for patient package inserts for drug products in unit-of-use containers the same as the requirements for products in bulk containers. The agency is also amending its antibiotic drug regulations to permit manufacturers and distributors of antibiotics to make changes in labeling to comply with the patient package insert regulations without advance approval by FDA. This action will conform the requirements for implementing FDA's patient package insert regulations for antibiotics to the requirements currently applicable to the other drugs in the program.

Drug Labeling↗

Evaluation of botulinal toxin production in packaged fresh-cut cantaloupe and honeydew melons.

The ability of Clostridium botulinum to produce toxin on cubed, packaged melons was investigated relative to microbial spoilage at various incubation temperatures and in different packaging systems. Freshly cut cubes (approximately 2.5 cm3) of cantaloupe and honeydew melons were surface inoculated with a 10 strain mixture of proteolytic and nonproteolytic spores of C. botulinum (10 to 15 cubes per package; approximately 100 total spores per package). To initially evaluate toxin production and spoilage in a passively modified atmosphere, melon cubes were loosely packaged in air in polyethylene pouches, sealed, and incubated at 7 or 15 degrees C for up to 21 days. At various sampling intervals, samples were tested for headspace oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, pH, presence of botulinal toxin, aerobic and anaerobic plate counts, and counts of yeasts and molds. During incubation, headspace oxygen levels decreased, headspace carbon dioxide levels increased, aerobic and anaerobic plate counts increased, and the pH remained constant or decreased slightly. Botulinal toxin was not detected in any cantaloupe samples or in honeydew samples incubated at 7 degrees C. Botulinal toxin was detected in some honeydew samples at 15 degrees C after 9 days of incubation, but the toxic honeydews were severely spoiled and considered organoleptically unacceptable. A similar second experiment was performed in which half of the melon cubes were treated with UV light to inactivate vegetative organisms before packaging, and these were incubated at 7, 15, or 27 degrees C. In this second experiment, toxin production occurred in the UV-treated samples at 15 degrees C with gross spoilage and at 27 degrees C with only marginal spoilage. These data indicate that inhibition of spoilage organisms with UV light could result in botulinal toxin formation in packaged melons before overt spoilage.

Bacteria, Aerobic↗

Role of the UL25 gene product in packaging DNA into the herpes simplex virus capsid: location of UL25 product in the capsid and demonstration that it binds DNA.

Recent studies have suggested that the herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) UL25 gene product, a minor capsid protein, is required for encapsidation but not cleavage of replicated viral DNA. This study set out to investigate the potential interactions of UL25 protein with other virus proteins and determine what properties it has for playing a role in DNA encapsidation. The UL25 protein is found in 42 +/- 17 copies per B capsid and is present in both pentons and hexons. We introduced green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a fluorescent tag into the N terminus of UL25 protein to identify its location in HSV-1-infected cells and demonstrated the relocation of UL25 protein from the cytoplasm into the nucleus at the late stage of HSV-1 infection. To clarify the cause of this relocation, we analyzed the interactions of UL25 protein with other virus proteins. The UL25 protein associates with VP5 and VP19C of virus capsids, especially of the penton structures, and the association with VP19C causes its relocation into the nucleus. Gel mobility shift analysis shows that UL25 protein has the potential to bind DNA. Moreover, the amino-terminal one-third of the UL25 protein is particularly important in DNA binding and forms a homo-oligomer. In conclusion, the UL25 gene product forms a tight connection with the capsid being linked with VP5 and VP19C, and it may play a role in anchoring the genomic DNA.

Animals↗