Research Publications (Food Safety)

Nguyen, Trang H. D. et al. In recent years, novel nanomaterials have received much attention due to their great potential for applications in agriculture, food safety, and food packaging. Among them, graphene and graphene oxide (GO) are emerging as promising nanomaterials that may have a profound impact on food packaging. However, there are some concerns from consumers and the scientific community about the potential toxicity and biocompatibility of nanomaterials.

Park, Yoen Ju et al. Biofilms are a mixture of bacteria and extracellular products secreted by bacterial cells and are of great concern to the food industry because they offer physical, mechanical, and biological protection to bacterial cells.

Pegoraro, Natália et al. Dry-salted codfish and pollock are commercially important food products with a relatively long shelf life. To date, bacterial assemblages present in these products that are relevant for food safety have been monitored using only classical molecular and/or cultivation methods.

Hoel, Sunniva et al. Retail fresh sushi is gaining popularity in Europe. This study was conducted to investigate the microbiological quality of selected samples of fresh sushi with a shelf life of 2 to 3 days offered as complete meals in Norwegian supermarkets. Analysis of aerobic plate counts in 58 sushi samples from three producers revealed large variations in microbiological quality, and 48% of the analyzed sushi boxes were rated as unsatisfactory (> 6.0 log CFU/g).

Tey, Yao Hsien et al. The occurrence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus, and Vibrio cholerae in a total of 72 samples from six aquaculture ponds for groupers, milk fish, and tilapia in southern Taiwan was examined by the membrane filtration and colony hybridization method. The halophilic V. parahaemolyticus was only recovered in seawater ponds, with a high isolation frequency of 86.1% and a mean density of 2.6 log CFU/g. V.

Sharp, Natasha J. et al. Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, is considered a high-priority agent that may be used in a food-related terrorist attack because it can be contracted by ingestion and it also forms spores with heat and chemical resistance. Thus, novel surveillance methodologies to detect B. anthracis on adulterated foods are important for bioterrorism preparedness. We describe the development of a phage-based bioluminescence assay for the detection of B.

Fan, Xuetong et al. Mesquite pod flour produced from nitrogen-fixing trees of the Prosopis species has a unique aroma and flavor that is preferred by some consumers. Due to the presence of wildlife, grazing domestic animals, and insects, the pods have a high potential of being contaminated with human pathogenic bacteria, such as Bacillus cereus.

King, Amanda M. et al. Organic acids and sodium nitrite have long been shown to provide antimicrobial activity during chilling of cured meat products. However, neither purified organic acids nor NaNO2 is permitted in products labeled natural and both are generally avoided in clean-label formulations; efficacy of their replacement is not well understood.

Liu, Fang et al. The effect of NaCl stress (0 to 8%, wt/vol) on the growth and tyramine production in two Enterococcus faecalis strains was examined during culture time. The growth of E. faecalis was inhibited by the increase in NaCl concentration, but tyramine production was unaffected. Tyramine accumulated rapidly during the logarithmic phase of the strains, and the final tyramine levels were approximately 800 μg/ml.

Ceylan, Erdogan et al. Pediococcus acidilactici ATCC 8042 and Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354 were investigated as potential surrogates for Salmonella serovars using thermal death time kinetics in products such as dry pet foods. The D-values of P. acidilactici ATCC 8042, E.

Porto-Fett, Anna C. S. et al. We evaluated the efficacy of potassium levulinate (KLEV; 0.0, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0%) with and without a blend of potassium propionate (0.1%) and potassium diacetate (0.1%) (KPD) versus a blend of potassium lactate (1.8%) and sodium diacetate (0.125%) (KLD) for inhibiting Listeria monocytogenes on commercially prepared, uncured turkey breast during refrigerated storage.

Luo, Ke et al. This study was conducted to develop a predictive model to estimate the growth of Listeria monocytogenes on fresh pork during storage at constant temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35°C). The Baranyi model was fitted to growth data (log CFU per gram) to calculate the specific growth rate (SGR) and lag time (LT) with a high coefficient of determination (R2 > 0.98). As expected, SGR increased with a decline in LT with rising temperatures in all samples.

Barlow, Robert S. et al. Antimicrobial agents are used in cattle production systems for the prevention and control of bacteria associated with diseases. Australia is the world's third largest exporter of beef; however, this country does not have an ongoing surveillance system for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in cattle or in foods derived from these animals.

Anderson, Kimberly M. et al. PCR-based typing methods, such as repetitive sequence–based PCR (rep-PCR), may facilitate the identification of Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) by serving as screening methods to reduce the number of isolates to be processed for further confirmation.

Paoli, George C. et al. Shiga toxin–producing E. coli (STEC) is an important group of foodborne pathogens in the United States and worldwide. Nearly half of STEC-induced diarrheal disease in the United States is caused by serotype O157:H7, while non-O157 STEC account for the remaining illnesses. Thus, the U.S.

Ulbrich, Carson J. et al. The efficacy of chemical antimicrobials for controlling Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella during production of marinated nonintact beef products was evaluated using nonpathogenic surrogates. Boneless beef strip loins were inoculated with either approximately 5.8 or 1.9 log CFU/cm2 (high and low inoculation levels, respectively) of nonpathogenic rifampin-resistant E. coli.

Ng, Kamela Charmaine S. et al. Food poisoning outbreaks and livestock mortalities caused by Salmonella enterica are widespread in the Philippines, with hogs being the most commonly recognized carriers of the pathogen. To prevent and control the occurrence of S. enterica infection in the country, methods were used in this study to isolate and rapidly detect, differentiate, and characterize S.

Annous, Bassam A. et al. Foodborne outbreaks have been associated with the consumption of fresh sprouted beans. The sprouting conditions of mung bean seeds provide optimal conditions of temperature and relative humidity for any potential pathogenic contaminant on the seeds to grow. The lack of a kill step postsprouting is a major safety concern. Thus, the use of a kill step on the seeds prior to a sprouting step would enhance the safety of fresh sprouts.

Yun Wang, Hong Chen, NingLing Wang, HaiYan Guo, Yonglun Fu, Songguo Xue, Ai Ai, Qifeng Lyu, Yanping Kuang

Publication date: Available online 7 May 2015

Author(s): F. Navarro , S. Harouna , M. Calvo , M.D. Pérez , L. Sánchez

Publication date: Available online 7 May 2015

Author(s): R. Pyz-Łukasik , W. Paszkiewicz , M.R. Tatara , P. Brodzki , Z. Bełkot

Publication date: 12 June 2015
, Volume 177, Issues 3–4
Author(s): Tao He , Yang Wang , Minyi Qian , Congming Wu

Publication date: 12 June 2015
, Volume 177, Issues 3–4
Author(s): Sarah Wendlandt , Kristina Kadlec , Andrea T. Feßler , Stefan Schwarz

Publication date: 12 June 2015
, Volume 177, Issues 3–4
Author(s): Jingyu Wang , Chao Tang , Qiuzhen Wang , Ruiqiao Li , Zhanli Chen , Xueying Han , Jing Wang , Xingang Xu

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