Research Publications (Food Safety)

Vibrio vulnificus is a zoonotic pathogen linked to aquaculture that is spreading due to climate change. The pathogen can be transmitted to humans and animals by ingestion of raw shellfish or seafood feed, respectively. The aim of this work was to design and test a new procedure to detect V. vulnificus hazardous to human and/or animal health in food/feed samples.

Moringin [4-(α-L-rhamnosyloxy) benzyl isothiocyanate] is an isothiocyanate from Moringa oleifera seeds. It is the bioactivated form of the glucosinolate precursor glucomoringin with various health benefits. However, few studies have examined the antibacterial activity of moringin. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial activity and mechanism of moringin against Listeria monocytogenes.

Giardia duodenalis is a flagellated parasitic microorganism that parasitizes in the intestines of humans and animals. Although asymptomatic infections commonly exist in both humans and animals, some enteric symptoms have been reported in immunocompromised individuals, posing a threat to public health. Children could be infected with G. duodenalis through an environment contaminated by infective animals. Thus, the investigation of the prevalence and genotypes of G.

Resistance to trimethoprim and other antibiotics targeting dihydrofolate reductase may arise in bacteria harboring an atypical, plasmid-encoded, homotetrameric dihydrofolate reductase, called R67 DHFR. Although developing inhibitors to this enzyme may be expected to be promising drugs to fight trimethoprim-resistant strains, there is a paucity of reports describing the development of such molecules. In this manuscript, we describe the design of promising lead compounds to target R67 DHFR.

The Food and Drug Administration Egg Safety Rule requires producers with >3000 layer hens to register a Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis (SE) prevention plan for production, storage, and transport of shell eggs. Since its implementation began in 2010, four outbreaks of egg-associated salmonellosis have occurred in Tennessee. We reviewed state health department records from each outbreak and described them in the context of the Egg Safety Rule.

mSystems, Ahead of Print. Antibiotics used as growth promoters in livestock and animal husbandry can be detected in animal-derived food. Epidemiological studies have indicated that exposure to these antibiotic residues in food may be associated with childhood obesity. Herein, the effect of exposure to a residual dose of tylosin—an antibiotic growth promoter—on host metabolism and gut microbiota was explored in vivo.

Journal of Applied Microbiology, Accepted Article. Aims Staphylococcus aureus has emerged as a serious threat to food safety owing to biofilm formation. The study aimed to examine antibiofilm mechanism of a novel milk-derived antimicrobial peptide BCp12 against it. Methods and results Anti-biofilm activity of BCp12 was studied by crystal violet staining, MTT assay, motility, SEM and CLSM.

Background Cronobacter sakazakii is a foodborne pathogen that causes septicemia, meningitis, and necrotizing enterocolitis in neonates and infants. The current research details the full genome sequences of two extremely persistent C. sakazakii strains (H322 and GK1025B) isolated from powdered infant formula (PIF) manufacturing settings.

Recent multistate outbreaks of salmonellosis linked to fresh cucumbers underscore the importance of understanding Salmonella behavior on cucumbers under different storage conditions. No validated models which describe the impact of environmental factors on growth of Salmonella on sliced cucumbers currently exist. This study developed mathematical models to predict the growth of Salmonella on sliced cucumbers at different temperature and relative humidity (RH) conditions.

Prior to a deadly 2014 listeriosis outbreak, caramel apples were not thought to be vehicles for the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. The purpose of this review article is to summarize what has been learned from research prompted by this outbreak. An overview of the two L. monocytogenes outbreaks related to prepackaged caramel apples, along with a brief discussion of apple sanitation and the production processes used to make caramel apples, is provided.

by Emma M. Stapleton, Kathy Keck, Robert Windisch, Mallory R. Stroik, Andrew L. Thurman, Joseph Zabner, Ian M. Thornell, Alejandro A. Pezzulo, Julia Klesney-Tait, Alejandro P. Comellas Introduction Vitamin D supplementation has been suggested to enhance immunity during respiratory infection season.

The type VI secretion system (T6SS) encoded by Salmonella Pathogenicity Island 19 (SPI-19) has been confirmed to be involved in bacterial infection or colonization in hosts and in the inhibition of the host T-cell immune response. However, the deletion of the core genes (clpV, vgrG, and hcp2) encoding the T6SS apparatus does not affect the phenotypes caused by SPI-19-encoded T6SS.

Amanita phalloides is one of the most toxic mushrooms worldwide, being responsible for the majority of human fatal cases of mushroom intoxications. α-Amanitin, the most deleterious toxin of A. phalloides, inhibits RNA polymerase II (RNAP II), causing hepatic and renal failure. Herein, we used cyclosporine A that showed potential to displace RNAP II α-amanitin in silico.

Listeria monocytogenes and its biofilms can constitute a severe threat to public health. RSQ04 is a novel bacteriocin produced by Lactococcus lactis CGMCC20699 against L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115.

The gut microbiome is associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-induced liver disease, which progresses from chronic hepatitis B, to liver cirrhosis, and eventually to hepatocellular carcinoma. Studies have analyzed the gut microbiome at each stage of HBV-induced liver diseases, but a consensus has not been reached on the microbial signatures across these stages.

Mercury (Hg) pollution is a worldwide problem and increasing day by day due to natural and anthropogenic sources. In this study, mercury-resistant (HgR) bacterial isolates were isolated from industrial wastewater of Ittehad Chemicals Ltd., Kala Shah Kaku, Lahore, Pakistan. Out of 65 bacterial isolates, five isolates were screened out based on showing resistance at 30–40 μg/ml against HgCl2.

Microbiology Resource Announcements, Ahead of Print. Listeria monocytogenes, a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacterium, is an important foodborne bacterial pathogen for humans worldwide, with a high mortality rate. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of a Listeria monocytogenes strain with an antimicrobial resistance (AMR) gene, isolated from sprouts in Canada.

Microbiology Resource Announcements, Ahead of Print. Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacterium which is an important foodborne bacterial pathogen for human worldwide with 20-30% mortality. Here, we report circular complete genome sequences of three Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from the samples of microgreens in Canada.

Microbiology Resource Announcements, Ahead of Print. Listeria monocytogenes, a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacterium, is an important foodborne bacterial pathogen for humans worldwide. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of a Canadian Listeria monocytogenes strain with an antimicrobial resistance (AMR) gene that was isolated from lettuce.

mBio, Ahead of Print. Despite being in a golden age of bacterial epigenomics, little work has systematically examined the plasticity and functional impacts of the bacterial DNA methylome.

Infection and Immunity, Ahead of Print. 5-Lipoxygenase (5-LO) is an enzyme required for the production of leukotrienes and lipoxins and interferes with parasitic infections. In vitro, Toxoplasma gondii inhibits leukotriene B4 (LTB4) production, and mice deficient in 5-LO are highly susceptible to infection.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Ahead of Print. The efficacy of killing by bactericidal antibiotics has been reported to depend in large part on the ATP levels, with low levels of ATP leading to increased persistence after antibiotic challenge.

Biohydrometallurgy waste (BW) was used as sulfate sources for supersulfated cement (SSC) production with the aim of providing an alternative binder for cemented paste backfill (CPB).

In nature, bacterial pathogens like L. monocytogenes, live in nature associated with other microbial species in spatially-structured communities called biofilms. In the food industry, biofilms contribute to the survival and persistence of L. monocytogenes within processing facilities, thereby enhancing its risk of cross-contaminating food products.

Salmonella is the most important foodborne pathogen in poultry production systems and can infect humans via consumption of contaminated food. Ducks, an important waterfowl widely raised in China, are also a vehicle that transmits Salmonella through the food supply chain.