Research Publications (Food Safety)

Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen worldwide, with 20–30% fatality rate in vulnerable persons. The hypervirulent L. monocytogenes clonal complex (CC) 87 strains have emerging both in food production environments and clinic cases. The objective of this study was to develop a multiplex PCR to simultaneously detect L. monocytogenes CC87 and CC88 strains based on pan-genome analysis.

Ultraviolet Light-Emitting Diode (UV-LED) is a potential decontamination technology for reducing bacterial loads on meat. This study investigated the efficacy of UV-LED technology to reduce Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium, total viable counts (mesophiles (TVCm) and psychrophiles (TVCp)) and total Enterobacteriaceae counts (TEC) when suspended in beef broth and after inoculation onto diced beef.

This study determined the desiccation resistance of 37 Salmonella strains belonging to 16 serotypes isolated from the soybean meal production chain. Besides, the survival of strains from three Salmonella enterica serovars (S. Typhimurium, S. Schwarzengrund, and S. Havana) on dry- and wet-inoculated soybean meal through storage at 25 °C and 37 °C was evaluated.

Yersinia adhesin A (YadA) is a key virulence factor of Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. YadA is a trimeric autotransporter adhesin, a class of adhesins that have been shown to enable many Gram-negative pathogens to adhere to/interact with the host extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen, vitronectin, and fibronectin.

Early life exposure to environmental lead (Pb) has been linked to decreased IQ, behavior problems, lower lifetime earnings, and increased criminal activity. Beginning in the 1970s, limits on Pb in paint, gasoline, food cans, and regulated water utilities sharply curtailed US environmental Pb exposure. Nonetheless, hundreds of thousands of US...

The cysteine aspartic acid-specific protease (caspase) family is distributed across vertebrates and invertebrates, and its members are involved in apoptosis and response to cellular stress. The Zhikong scallop (Chlamys farreri) is a bivalve mollusc that is well adapted to complex marine environments, yet the diversity of caspase homologues and their expression patterns in the Zhikong scallop remain largely unknown.

Spent coffee grounds (SCGs), which constitute 75% of original coffee beans, represent an integral part of sustainability. Contamination by toxigenic fungi and their mycotoxins is a hazard that threatens food production. This investigation aimed to examine SCGs extract as antimycotic and anti-ochratoxigenic material. The SCGs were extracted in an eco-friendly way using isopropanol. Bioactive molecules of the extract were determined using the UPLC apparatus.

Listeria monocytogenes represents a high risk in food and can trigger potentially fatal listeriosis. The objective of this study was to detect L. monocytogenes in food using the LAMP method in a fast, specific, sensitive manner and thus to preventively test food for the presence of the target species. The reaction was performed and established using the portable real-time fluorometer Genie® II (OptiGene Ltd., Horsham, United Kingdom).

Shigella flexneri is the main causative agent of the communicable diarrheal disease, shigellosis. It is estimated that about 80–165 million cases and > 1 million deaths occur every year due to this disease. S. flexneri causes dysentery mostly in young children, elderly and immunocompromised patients, all over the globe. Recently, due to the emergence of S.

As preconized by the One Health concept, the intimate relationship between pets and owners is a common source for the trade of microorganisms with zoonotic potential, and with them, antimicrobial resistance genes.

The objective of this study was to develop new primer-probe set to detect Cronobacter sakazakii based on comparative genomics. Among 16 candidates of gene clusters from the results of panX analysis, gene annotated as type 1 fimbrial protein was selected as target of primer and sensitivity/selectivity of designed primer were confirmed with 59 strains.

In this work, a novel and credible electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) was constructed for the ultrasensitive and highly selective detection of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). Amino-functionalized 3D graphene hydrogel (NGH) served as the ECL platform with the self-enhanced ECL of luminol–palladium–graphene oxide (lum–Pd–GO) acting as a marker for the antibodies against AFB1.

Pontederia cordata is previously demonstrated a cadmium (Cd) tolerant plant, and also a candidate for the phytoremediation of heavy-metal-contaminated wetlands. A hydroponic experiment was used to investigate variations in photosynthetic gas exchange parameters, antioxidative activities, chlorophyll and secondary metabolite contents, and transcriptome in leaves of the plant exposed to 0.44 mM Cd2+ for 0 h, 24 h, and 48 h.

Plant exposure to metals is associated with the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, which mediate the oxidation of various molecules including lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. The aim of the present study is the evaluation of the impact of short-term Cu and Pb treatment on oxidative events in the roots of soybean seedlings, with special emphasis on RNA oxidation.

The objective was to determine the effects of an immunomodulatory feed ingredient following weaning on cytokine expression and fecal microbial populations of heifers. Commercial Angus heifers (n = 72) were weaned (227 ± 7 d of age), blocked by BW (n = 9 blocks), and randomly assigned to one of two pens per block. Pens within weight block (four heifers per pen) were then randomly assigned to treatments.

In this study, we evaluated the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extracts of Arcopilus eremanthusum sp. nov. (CML3766) isolated from E. erythopappus. The fungi were identified using the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), large subunit (LSU), and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2). Antibacterial activity was determined using the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) method.

Sewage contaminated with toxic metals is being naturally treated in ponds at East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW) for fish cultivation traditionally. From the aquatic phase, these metals get settled on sediment and undergo partitioning. Some fractions are available and may accumulate in the cultivated products. The present study highlights the degree of partition of heavy metals Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd) and Chromium (Cr) in these pond sediments.

High mountain environments are among the most fragile on Earth. Due to anthropogenic disturbances and the exposure to extreme weather events, the rates of soil erosion have recently been accelerating, resulting in ecological degradation and geological hazards. Ecological restoration of mountains and an improved understanding of nature-based solutions to mitigate land degradation is therefore of utmost urgency.

Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, Accepted Article. Rice is an important cereal for Cameroon where 95% of the population consumes it frequently. In order to ensuring a healthy food supply to consumers, the objective of this study was to determine the fungal profile and quantify mycotoxins in twelve rice samples produced in Cameroon.

Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, Accepted Article. The efficacy of fruit extracts in reducing Salmonella on whole and fresh-cut cucumbers was investigated. Fresh cucumbers inoculated with Salmonella were treated with fruit extracts (10% lemon, 10% yuzu, 1% naringin, or 1% resveratrol) and stored at various temperatures. Salmonella populations on the whole or sliced cucumbers during storage were determined.

Infections caused by protozoan parasites are a major public health concern globally. These infections are commonly diagnosed during water-borne outbreaks, necessitating accurate and highly sensitive detection procedures to assure public health protection. Current molecular techniques are challenged by several factors, such as low parasite concentration, inefficient DNA extraction methods, and inhibitors in environmental samples.

Vibrio mimicus (V. mimicus) is a pathogen causing serious vibriosis in aquatic animals. Hepcidin and β-Defensin1 are two important antibacterial peptides (AMPs) with broad-spectrum antibacterial activity in fish. In mammals, some evidences demonstrated that interleukin-1β (IL-1β) primarily promote AMPs expression via activating classical NF-κB pathway, but it still remains unclear in fish.

The present study sought to investigate the levels of multi-pesticide residues in highly consumed edible fungi in China's western regions. A total of 354 edible fungi samples were collected from the local markets, and the concentrations of 53 pesticides in these samples were determined through high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometer (HPLC/MS/MS). Carbendazim, acephate, procymidone, prochloraz, aldicarb sulfone,etc.

Sucrose laurate (SL) is a dual-functional additive with emulsifying and antibacterial activities. The synergistic antibacterial mechanism of SL and nisin were studied against Staphylococcus aureus. Alkaline phosphatase and peptidoglycan assays showed that SL and nisin could synergistically disrupt the integrity of cell wall by blocking the synthesis of peptidoglycan.

Infant milk formulas are designed to substitute human milk when breastfeeding is unavailable. In addition to human milk and milk-derived products, these formulas can be a vehicle of contaminants.