Research Publications (Food Safety)

Earth’s climate is undergoing adverse global changes as an unequivocal result of anthropogenic activity. The occurring environmental changes are slowly shaping the balance between plant growth and related fungal diseases.

The European Food Safety Authority is currently evaluating the risks related to the presence of emerging mycotoxins in food and feeds. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of soil fertility, resulting from different nitrogen fertilization rates, on the contamination of regulated mycotoxins and emerging fungal metabolites in maize grains.

The pore forming alpha-toxin (hemolysin A, Hla) of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a major virulence factor with relevance for the pathogenicity of this bacterium, which is involved in many cases of pneumonia and sepsis in humans.

Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, Volume 46, Issue 6, June 2022. In this study, the effect of cholesterol on antibiotic resistance of Salmonella Typhimurium was investigated. Antibiotic resistance patterns revealed that the bacterium was susceptible to ampicillin, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and gentamicin and resistant to penicillin, erythromycin, and vancomycin.

Journal of Fish Diseases, EarlyView. In this research, Vibrio vulnificus formalin-killed (FKCs) vaccine and ghost (VVGs) vaccine were successfully developed, and shown to prevent vibriosis of Scophthalmus maximus resulting from V. vulnificus. The antibody titre of FKCs and VVGs vaccine was 1: 28 and 1: 211. The RPS of FKCs and VVGs vaccine was 60% and 80%.

Rapid and accurate detection of foodborne pathogens is crucial for safeguarding human health. Herein, we constructed a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9-integrated lateral flow strip (Cas9-LFS) for detecting Salmonella. A primer set targeting the fimA gene of Salmonella spp. was used to amplify all Salmonella serovars.

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) contamination in feed is of great concern nowadays. The intestine would be the first line when FB1-contaminated food or feed was ingested. However, the intestinal toxicity and mechanism of FB1 have rarely been studied. In this study, we found that FB1 inhibited cell viability, and promoted the severe release of lactate dehydrogenase. Meantime, FB1 destroyed the intestinal physical barrier by reducing the expressions of tight junctions.

Due to riching in polyphenolic compounds, betalains, and ascorbic acid, beetroot (Beta vulgaris) extract exhibits an antibacterial activity. However, its effect on Listeria monocytogenes is unclear. In this study, the antibacterial activity of beetroot extract against L. monocytogenes was assessed by measuring its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the time-kill curve. Results revealed that the MIC of beetroot extract against L.

Noctiluca scintillans (Macartney) Kofoid and Swezy, 1921 contributes ∼ 85% of the total biomass of heterotrophic plankton in Crimean coastal waters. Data for the retrospective analysis come from a 20-year sampling (in 2000s) across the Crimean shelf and in adjacent open sea waters. Samples were collected onboard research vessels, in the upper 150 m layer, by Juday nets (vertical hauls) fitted with 145 µm mesh. These data were compared to field surveys of the 1960s.

With increasing incidence of antimicrobial resistance, there is an urgent need for novel and effective antibacterials. Destiny Pharma plc have developed a series of porphyrin-based XF drugs, some with dual mechanisms of antibacterial action. An innate mechanism acts through binding to the outer bacterial membrane and a separate, light-activated, photodynamic (PD) mechanism, acts via the generation of reactive oxygen species.

Poultry is a major source of human foodborne illness caused by broad host range Salmonella serovars (paratyphoid), and developing cost-effective, pre-harvest interventions to reduce these pathogens would be valuable to the industry and consumer. Host responses to infectious agents are often regulated through phosphorylation.

Spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) is an essential mediator of immune cell signaling and has been anticipated as a therapeutic target for autoimmune diseases, notably rheumatoid arthritis, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and cancers. Significant attempts have been undertaken in recent years to develop SYK inhibitors; however, limited success has been achieved due to poor pharmacokinetics and adverse effects of inhibitors.

Infections caused by multidrug-resistant A. baumannii are a worldwide health concern with high mortality rates. Rapid identification of this infectious agent is critical as it can easily spread with difficult or no options for treatment. In this context, the development of reliable and economically viable detection and therapeutic methodologies are still challenging. One of the promising solutions is the development of nucleic acid aptamers capable of interacting with bacteria.

Purpose Hyperaccumulators are plants with the ability to tolerate and accumulate high concentrations of potentially phytotoxic metals. The Australian legume Crotalaria novae-hollandiae accumulates remarkably high concentrations of zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd) and copper (Cu) in its shoots when growing on metalliferous (Zn-Cd ‘calamine’) soils. This study aimed to investigate zinc-cadmium tolerance in C.

This study assessed the effects of botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) in mandibular range of motion and muscle tenderness to palpation in persistent myofascial pain (MFP) patients (ReBEC RBR-2d4vvv). Eighty consecutive female subjects with persistent MFP, were randomly divided into four groups (n = 20): three BoNT-A groups with different doses and a saline solution group (placebo control group).

Fumonisins are a group of closely related mycotoxins produced by Fusarium, Alternaria alternata and Aspergillus species. Their occurrence is correlated with various factors during growth, processing and storage. Fumonisins occurrence data in the literature mainly include the B group of fumonisins (FB1 & FB2) in raw materials, showing high frequency of positive samples in a wide range of concentrations.

Salmonella spp. is the most frequent cause of foodborne diseases, and the increasing occurrence of MDR strains is an additional and increasing problem. We collected Salmonella spp. strains isolated from meat (poultry and pork) and analysed their antibiotic susceptibility profiles and the occurrence of resistance genes. To determine the susceptibility profiles and identify MDR strains, we used two MIC methods (MICRONAUT and VITEC2 Compact) and 25 antibiotics.

Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, Accepted Article. Hepatitis E virus (HEV), the causative agent of hepatitis E (HE), is classified into four major genotypes (1–4), with wild boar being the main natural reservoir for genotypes 3 and 4. However, little is known about the prevalence of HEV infection in wild boars in China.

Journal of Food Science, EarlyView. Chicken wings are among the most popular poultry products for home and foodservice consumption. Poultry products must be handled and cooked safely to decrease the risk of foodborne salmonellosis for consumers. This study aims to validate the use of domestic appliances (convection and air fryer ovens) for the thermal inactivation of Salmonella on chicken wings.

Journal of Food Science, EarlyView. The bioaccessibility and bioavailability of different cadmium (Cd) levels (low: 7.31 mg/kg, medium: 24.20 mg/kg, high: 41.64 mg/kg) in Boletus griseus were evaluated by establishing a bionic digestive system in vitro. The results showed that the bioaccessibility of high Cd level by gastrointestinal digestion was significantly higher than other two levels.

Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, Accepted Article. pH is an important environmental factor for the virulence of fungi. To explore the effect of tissue pH on the diffusion behavior of Penicillium expansum and patulin, pear (pH 4.98), apple (pH 3.72) and kiwifruit (pH 3.31) were selected to inoculate P. expansum. When the diameter of the lesion was 1 cm or 2 cm, tissues within a certain distance (0, 1, 2, and 3 cm) from the lesion were sampled.

Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, EarlyView. Zearalenone (ZEA) is a mycotoxin frequently found in cereal crops and cereal-derived foodstuffs worldwide. It affects plant productivity, and is also a serious hazard to humans and animals if being exposed to food/feed contaminated by ZEA.

Journal of Applied Microbiology, Accepted Article. Aims Our objective was to determine how injectable antimicrobials affected populations of Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus spp.

Quesillo is an artisanal Honduran cheese made from raw milk. During fabrication, curd melting is considered a killing step for pathogenic bacteria. This work was aimed at determining the survival of Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes on inoculated curd packaged in plastic bags and immersed in a water bath at 48, 54, 60, 65, and 70°C for predetermined times.

Freshwater bodies receive waste, feces, and fecal microorganisms from agricultural, urban, and natural activities. In this study, the probable sources of fecal contamination were determined. Also, antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) were detected in the two main rivers of central Chile. Surface water samples were collected from 12 sampling sites in the Maipo (n = 8) and Maule Rivers (n = 4) every 3 months, from August 2017 until April 2019.