Research Publications (Food Safety)

Publication date: 1 April 2016
, Volume 196
Author(s): Wronkowska Małgorzata, Piskuła Mariusz Konrad, Henryk Zieliński

Shiga toxins (Stx1 and Stx2, also called verocytotoxins) are commonly associated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and Shigella dysenteriae type 1 (Tesh and O’Brien 1991). Recent studies have documented cases of stx carriage in other Shigella species, including S. sonnei linked to travel to Morocco (Nyholm et al. 2015) and S. flexneri with travel history to Caribbean (Gray et al. 2014, 2015).

Publication date: Available online 25 September 2015
Food and Chemical Toxicology
Author(s): German Cano-Sancho, Gemma Perelló, Ana Luisa Maulvault, António Marques, Martí Nadal, José L. Domingo

Publication date: Available online 25 September 2015

Author(s): Ute Wessels, Olga Stech, El-Sayed M. Abdelwhab, Andreas Judel, Thomas C. Mettenleiter, Jürgen Stech

Within the European activities for the ‘Monitoring and Collection of Information on Zoonoses’, annually EFSA publishes a European report, including information related to the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in Germany. Spatial epidemiology becomes here a fundamental tool for the generation of these reports, including the representation of prevalence as an essential element.

Raccoons are common in urban and rural environments and can carry a wide range of bacteria, including Salmonella, that can negatively affect human and livestock health. Although previous studies have reported that raccoons shed a variety of Salmonella serovars in their faeces, it is unknown whether Salmonella is carried on raccoon paws. Our objective was to compare the prevalence of Salmonella on the paws and in the faeces of raccoons in south-western Ontario.

Jacxsens, Liesbeth et al. This study describes the results of an on-line survey of fresh produce supply chain experts who work with producers from the Global North (n =41, 20 countries) and the Global South (n =63, 29 countries). They expressed their opinion using 1 to 5 Likert scales on several items related to four types of food safety and quality standards and legislation: Codex Alimentarius standards, European Union legislation, national legislation, and private standards.

Valleé, Jean-Charles Le et al. Food safety data segmentation and limitations hamper the world's ability to select, build up, monitor, and evaluate food safety performance. Currently, there is no metric that captures the entire food safety system, and performance data are not collected strategically on a global scale.

Menéndez, Rosa Ana et al. The objective of this research was to determine the behavior of Listeria monocytogenes in three types of sliced ready-to-eat meat products packaged under vacuum or modified atmosphere conditions and stored at three temperatures. Slices of about 25 g of chorizo (a fermented dry pork sausage), jamón (cured ham), and cecina (a salted, dried beef product) were inoculated with L. monocytogenes NCTC 11994.

Teramura, Hajime et al. A novel dry sheet culture method (Sanita-kun ACplus; SkACp) for rapid enumeration of total viable count has been developed. This rehydrated plate system comprises an adhesive sheet, nonwoven fabric coated with nutrients, and two types of water absorption polymers.

Sallam, Khalid Ibrahim et al. The emergence of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in food-producing animals is of increasing interest, raising questions about the presence of MRSA in food of animal origin and potential sources of transmission to humans via the food chain.

Piras, Francesca et al. Quantitative assessment of in vitro biofilm formation by 40 Salmonella enterica isolates isolated in pig abattoirs from animal and environmental sources (surfaces in contact and not in contact with meat) and classified in eight seroytpes was carried out by using a microtiter plate assay with spectrophotometric reading (optical density at 620 nm).

Li, Heng Yu et al. Water-distilled essential oil from Clinopodium chinense (Labiatae) aerial parts at the flowering stage was analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Thirty-five compounds, accounting for 99.18% of the total oil, were identified, and the main components of the essential oil of C. chinense were spathulenol (18.54%), piperitone (18.9%), caryophyllene (12.04%), and bornyl acetate (8.14%).

Lee, Kyung-Min et al.

Manns, David C. et al. Heat-resistant fungal spores present a processing challenge for beverages and fruit juices, as thermal and UV strategies are often inadequate in reducing heat-resistant fungal burdens to acceptable levels. While effective against pathogenic or invasive bacteria, germicidal UV light treatments also fail to achieve an appreciable reduction of heat-resistant fungal spores.

Yeargin, Thomas et al. Human norovirus is a leading cause of foodborne disease and can be transmitted through many routes, including environmental exposure to fomites. In this study, both the recovery and inactivation of two human norovirus surrogates, feline calicivirus (FCV) and murine norovirus (MNV), on hard nonporous surfaces (glass) and soft porous surfaces (polyester and cotton) were evaluated by both plaque assay and reverse transcription quantitative PCR method.

Zhou, Huimin et al. Two application methods were used to investigate the effect of plantaricin BM-1 on the control of Listeria monocytogenes and background spoilage bacteria in sliced vacuum-packaged cooked ham without the addition of any chemical preservatives, including sodium nitrite, during 35 days of storage at 4°C.

Beuchat, Larry R. et al. A study was done to determine the rate of inactivation of Salmonella in cookie and cracker snack sandwiches. Two cookie bases (chocolate and vanilla) and cheese crackers, along with high-sugar chocolate and peanut butter–based crème cookie fillings and peanut butter–and cheese-based cracker fillings, were obtained from commercial sources.

Oscar, T. P. et al. Mathematical models that predict the behavior of human bacterial pathogens in food are valuable tools for assessing and managing this risk to public health. A study was undertaken to develop a model for predicting the behavior of Salmonella enterica serotype 8,20:–:z6 in chicken meat during cold storage and to determine how well the model would predict the behavior of other serotypes of Salmonella stored under the same conditions.

Mohammed, Hussni O. et al. Escherichia coli O157:H7, non-O157 E. coli, and Campylobacter spp. are among the top-ranked pathogens that threaten the safety of food supply systems around the world. The associated risks and predisposing factors were investigated in a dynamic animal population using a repeat-cross-sectional study design.

Harada, Tetsuya et al. Shiga toxin family members have recently been classified using a new nomenclature into three Stx1 subtypes (Stx1a, Stx1c, and Stx1d) and seven Stx2 subtypes (Stx2a, Stx2b, Stx2c, Stx2d, Stx2e, Stx2f, and Stx2g). To develop screening methods for Stx genes, including all of these subtype genes, and Escherichia coli O26-, O111-, and O157-specific genes in laboratory investigations of Shiga toxin–producing E.

Oni, Ruth A. et al. Concerns about the microbiological safety of fresh produce have attracted attention in the past three decades due to multiple foodborne outbreaks. Animal manure contaminated with enteric pathogens has been identified as an important preharvest pathogen source. This study investigated the survival of Salmonella enterica in dust particles of dehydrated turkey manure and how association with manure dust may enhance the survival of salmonellae on leafy greens in the field.

Xiao, Zhenlei et al. Radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus) microgreens were produced from seeds inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 by using peat moss–based soil-substitute and hydroponic production systems. E. coli populations on the edible and inedible parts of harvested microgreen plants (7 days postseeding) and in growth medium were examined. E.

Généreux, Mylène et al. In 2011 and 2012, trials consisting of experimental plots were carried out to evaluate the presence of pathogenic (Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella) and prevalence of indicator (Escherichia coli) microorganisms in broccoli fertilized with liquid hog manure or mineral fertilizers and irrigated zero, one, or two times with E. coli–contaminated water. In 2011, results showed that E.

Wei Wang, Yan He, Guodong Yu, Baolong Li, Darren W. Sexton, Thomas Wileman, Alexandra A. Roberts, Chris J. Hamilton, Ruoxi Liu, Yimin Chao, Yujuan Shan, Yongping Bao