Research Publications (Food Safety)

Despite the wide variety of native and exotic fruits in Brazil, there is limited understanding of their ability to support pathogens during storage.

Toxoplasma gondii is a food-borne zoonotic parasite widespread in a variety of hosts, including humans. With a majority of infections in Europe estimated to be meat-borne, pork, as one of the most consumed meats worldwide, represents a potential risk for consumers. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the progress of T. gondii infection and tissue tropism in experimentally infected pigs, using different T. gondii isolates and infectious stages, i.e.

This study used hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) treatment to overexpress the gene of nitric oxide synthase (nos) in Staphylococcus vitulinus, which was then inoculated into fermented sausages to observe its effect on colour development. The results showed that a low concentration of H2O2 (50 mM) could up-regulate the expression of nos by increasing the oxidative stress level of S. vitulinus.

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models were utilized to investigate potential interactions between aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and efavirenz (EFV), a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor drug and inducer of several CYP enzymes, including CYP3A4. PBPK simulations were conducted in a North European Caucasian and Black South African population, considering different dosing scenarios. The simulations predicted the impact of EFV on AFB1 metabolism via CYP3A4 and CYP1A2.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a frequent cause of nosocomial and community infections, in some cases severe and difficult to treat. In addition, there are strains of MRSA that are specifically associated with food-producing animals. For this reason, in recent years special attention has been paid to the role played by foodstuffs of animal origin in infections by this microorganism.

Listeria monocytogenes, along with various other pathogenic bacteria, may show resistance against a broad spectrum of antibiotics. Evaluating the extent of resistance in harmful microorganisms like Listeria monocytogenes holds significant importance in crafting novel therapeutic strategies to mitigate or combat the rise of infections stemming from antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Salmonella Dublin is a bovine‐adapted bacterial pathogen that primarily affects dairy cattle. The incidence of S. Dublin has been increasing across North America, including strains that are multidrug resistant. In British Columbia, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Animal Health Center (AHC) reported an increase in cases since 2015, warranting an investigation into how S. Dublin is spreading within the province.

Fontitrygon margarita liver oil, rich in unsaturated fatty acids, is susceptible to oxidation during storage, which can diminish its antibacterial qualities. This study examines the effects of storage temperature and the addition of spices on the stability and antibacterial properties of F. margarita liver oil. Oils with added spices were stored in opaque bottles at room temperature (28 ± 2°C) and in a refrigerator (4°C) and were periodically analyzed over a six‐month period.

Mancozeb is an extensively consumed fungicide, which often leaves high residue levels on agricultural products. The conventional method for detecting mancozeb involves a time‐consuming process using gas chromatography (GC) after a 2‐hour water‐bath acidolysis, resulting in low efficiency and recovery rates. This study developed a rapid method for detecting mancozeb in fruits and vegetables using microwave‐assisted acidolysis and extraction coupled with GC analysis.

The wet market poultry processing is a concern of spreading microbial pathogens into the environment or to the products. So, this study evaluated the microbiological contamination in poultry settings, i.e., slaughter and processing lines of wet market poultry shops, and the use of nonchlorine sanitizer to improve the sanitation.

Solid‐state fermentation by Aspergillus niger and Lactobacillus plantarum improved the content of bioactive compounds and physicochemical properties of wheat bran. Whole wheat bread supplemented with the fermented bran displayed enhanced textual and sensory profiles with upgraded quality. Summary Solid‐state fermentation (SSF) is an economically viable processing technique to improve the bioactive content from agricultural by‐products.

Bacillus cereus is a foodborne pathogen that induces vomiting and diarrhea in affected individuals. It exhibits resistance to traditional sterilization methods and has a high contamination rate in dairy products and rice. Therefore, the development of a new food safety controlling strategy is necessary. In this research, we isolated and identified a novel phage named vB_BceP_LY3, which belongs to a new genus of the subfamily Northropvirinae.

The emergence of multi-drug resistance in Salmonella, causing food-borne infections, is a significant issue. With over 2,600 serovars in in Salmonella sp., it is crucial to identify specific solutions for each serovar. Phage therapy serves as an alternate treatment option. In this study, vB_SalP_792 phage was obtained from sewage, forming plaques in eight out of 13 tested clinical S. enterica isolates. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) examination revealed a T7-like morphotype.

Ruminal methane production is the main sink for metabolic hydrogen generated during rumen fermentation, and is a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. Individual ruminants exhibit varying methane production efficiency; therefore, understanding the microbial characteristics of low-methane-emitting animals could offer opportunities for mitigating enteric methane.

In recent years, global concern over increasing multidrug resistance (MDR) among various Salmonella serotypes has grown significantly. However, reports on MDR Salmonella Paratyphi B remain scarce, let alone the extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains.

Peroxyacetic acid (PAA) is widely used as an antimicrobial in poultry processing. Recent salmonellosis outbreaks caused by Salmonella Infantis from chicken products and Salmonella Reading from turkey products have raised concerns about their enhanced resistance (compared to Salmonella Typhimurium) to commonly used antimicrobial interventions such as PAA.

Listeria monocytogenes in beef receives less attention compared to other pathogens such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli. To address this gap, we conducted a literature review focusing on the presence of L. monocytogenes in beef. This review encompasses the pathogenic mechanisms, routes of contamination, prevalence rates, and the laws and regulations employed in various countries.

Cryptosporidium is an important water-borne and food-borne parasite with a high burden of disease. This organism has been shown to contaminate various leafy vegetables; however, studies assessing the presence of Cryptosporidium spp in pre-washed and ready-to-eat vegetables are limited. Routine surveillance in the UK revealed a nationwide exceedance of human cases of Cryptosporidium.

We investigated the therapeutic effects of EDTA application for 14 and 28 days on cadmium (Cd) induced pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis (Linnaeus, 1758). The sublethal concentration of cadmium (63.4 mg/l Cd) caused tissue damages to the snail after an exposure for 28 days.

Ivermectin (IVM) is one of the most widely used antiparasitic drugs worldwide and has become the drug of choice for anthelmintic and tick treatment in beef cattle production. Drugs used in production animals requires a withdrawal period after treatment to avoid residual concentrations above the defined maximun residue level (MRL).

Endemic infectious diseases remain a major challenge for dairy producers worldwide. For effective disease control programs, up-to-date prevalence estimates are of utmost importance. The objective of this study was to estimate the herd-level prevalence of bovine leukemia virus (BLV), Salmonella Dublin, and Neospora caninum in dairy herds in Alberta, Canada using a serial cross-sectional study design.

This study investigated the synergistic mechanism of UV-C and postbiotics against Salmonella enterica ser. Thompson biofilm in the poultry industry. The synergistic activity of postbiotic with UV-C was estimated singly and in combination and observed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM).

Salmonella is an important foodborne pathogen. Given the ban on the use of antibiotics during the egg-laying period in China, finding safe and effective alternatives to antibiotics to reduce Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) infections in chickens is essential for the prevention and control of this pathogen and the protection of human health.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination is a food safety issue threatening human health globally. Biodegradation is an effective method for overcoming this problem, and many microorganisms have been identified as AFB1-degrading strains. However, the response mechanisms of these microbes to AFB1 remain unclear. More degrading enzymes, especially of new types, need to be discovered. In this study, a novel AFB1-degrading strain, DDC-4, was isolated using coumarin as the sole carbon source.