Research Publications (Food Safety)

Maintaining membrane integrity is of paramount importance to the survival of bacteria as the membrane is the site of multiple crucial cellular processes including energy generation, nutrient uptake and antimicrobial efflux. The DedA family of integral membrane proteins are widespread in bacteria and are associated with maintaining the integrity of the membrane. In addition, DedA proteins have been linked to resistance to multiple classes of antimicrobials in various microorganisms.

Access to deep-sea sponges brings with it the potential to discover novel antimicrobial candidates, as well as novel cold- and pressure-adapted bacteria with further potential clinical or industrial applications.

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen where the emergence of antibiotic resistant lineages, such as methicillin-resistant S.

The present study was conducted to reveal the concentrations and patterns of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in seven species of freshwater aquatic products ( procambarus clarkii, ctenopharyngodon idellus, parabramis pekinensis, hypophthalmichthys molitrix, cyprinus carpioio, aristichthys nobilis, carassius auratus ) collected from freshwater aquaculture farms around Changsha, China.

The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of the milling degree (MD) of Oryza sativa L. (Korean rice) on the heating rate, pathogen inactivation (Salmonella Typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus), and color change resulting from radio-frequency (RF) heating. Rice samples inoculated with pathogens were placed in a polypropylene jar and subjected to RF heating for 0-75 s.

Salmonella contamination in a dry processing facility frequently requires removal methods that are non-aqueous. Removal of pathogens from food processing systems with a purge of uncontaminated dry food materials has been proposed, however, little is known with the respect to efficacy. In this study, survival of Salmonella on inert contact surfaces and transfer of Salmonella from inert contact surfaces to low-moisture foods was evaluated.

Salmonella enterica  has been increasingly implicated in foodborne outbreaks involving low moisture foods (LMF) during the recent decade. This study aimed to investigate the potential for persistence of  Salmonella enterica  in a range of low moisture foods (LMF) during storage at 3 temperatures.

Cheese made with unpasteurised milk has been associated with outbreaks of illness. However, there are limited data on the prevalence of shiga-toxin producing E. coli (STEC) in these products, and a lack of clarity over the significance of E. coli as general indicators of hygiene in raw milk cheeses. The aim of this study was to provide further data to address both of these issues as well as assessing the overall microbiological quality of raw milk cheeses available to consumers in England.

This cross-sectional study determined the occurrence, risk factors and characteristics of Salmonella isolated from imported broiler hatching fertile eggs, hatcheries, and broiler farms in Trinidad and Tobago. Standard methods were used to isolate and characterize Salmonella isolates from two broiler hatcheries and 27 broiler farms in the country.

Healthy cattle are considered the main reservoir of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains, so in some places in the world, products derived from beef are the most common source for disease outbreaks caused by these bacteria. Therefore, in order to guarantee that the beef produced by our slaughterhouses is safe, there is a need for continuous monitoring of these bacteria.

A series of proof of concept studies were developed to determine if a commercial bacteriophage (phage) cocktail could be utilized for the mitigation of Salmonella in bovine peripheral lymph nodes (LN). The first objective sought to determine if exogenous phage could be isolated from the LN following administration. If successful, the second objective sought to determine if once in the LN, could the phage effectively reduce Salmonella .

Exposure of newborns to Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) is a public health concern. The objective of this study was to assess the occurrence of POPs in the human milk collected from lactating mothers in Lebanon and investigate the socio-demographic, nutritional, and other lifestyle determinants. Fifty-four breast milk samples were collected as per WHO guidelines. A survey was used to assess the anthropometric and demographic characteristics of participants.

Salmonella is the leading cause of bacterial foodborne zoonoses in humans. Thus, the development of strategies to control bacterial pathogens in poultry is essential. Peanut skins, a considerable waste by-product of the peanut industry is discarded and of little economic value. However, peanut skins contain polyphenolic compounds identified that have antimicrobial properties.

Third-generation cephalosporins (3GCs) are preferred treatments for serious human Salmonella enterica infections. Beef cattle are suspected to contribute to human 3GC-resistant Salmonella infections. Commensal 3GC-resistant Escherichia coli are thought to act as reservoirs of 3GC resistance since they are more frequently isolated than 3GC-resistant Salmonella at beef cattle feedyards.

Campylobacter is the leading bacterial pathogen that causes human foodborne illnesses worldwide and outbreaks have been associated with consumption of under-cooked chicken livers.  The objectives of this study were to compare two PCR assays for speciation of 250 Campylobacter isolates, to assess antibiotic resistance of the isolates, and to analyze genetic diversity of the quinolone resistance determining regions (QRDR) of the isolates.

The objective of the present study was to analyze the prevalence of Salmonella in multiple food commodities in China by performing a meta-analysis. Accordingly, we screened studies that examined the prevalence of Salmonella in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Methodological quality assessment and heterogeneity analyses were performed for included studies. The prevalence rate with the 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was selected as the effect size.

Salmonella enterica is well-known for its ability to survive and persist in low-moisture environments.

Reference methods developed for L. monocytogenes are commonly used for Listeria spp. detection. Improved method performance data are needed, since the genus Listeria has expanded from 6 to 26 species and now includes several Listeria sensu lato species, which can show phenotypes distinct from Listeria sensu stricto .

This study investigated the concentration of the pesticide residues found in Fragaria and Myrica rubra sold in the city of Hangzhou. From an analysis of 151 (77 Fragaria and 74 Myrica rubra ) samples using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), a total of 41 different pesticide residues were found to be present. Of the 41 residues, 14 were found using GC-MS/MS and 27 using LC-MS/MS.

Fish oil inclusion into a dry pet food provides a source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in fish oil have antibacterial activity against various foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella and pathogenic Escherichia coli. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of temperature applied to dry pet food kibbles on the antimicrobial activity of Menhaden fish oil against Salmonella spp.

The disinfection efficacy and mechanism of slightly acid electrolyzed water (SAEW) on Cronobacter sakazakii were investigated. SAEW solutions in three concentrations were carried on C. sakazakii which decreased in a range of 23%-55% in 2 minutes. The propidium iodide (PI) uptake and electronic microscopy (SEM) images indicated that SAEW treatment damaged cell integrity and changed membrane permeability with leaking nucleic acid (109.7%), intercellular protein (692.3%) and K + (53.6%).

Beef is rich in various nutrients while easily spoils due to contamination by pathogens, thus it is of great significance to develop a bactericidal method to inactivate meat-borne pathogens and meanwhile maintain the freshness of beef.

There is limited examination about COVID-19-related food handling concerns and practices that cause chemical or microbial contamination and illness, particularly among those with food insecurity. We investigated consumer food handling concerns and practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether they differed by food insecurity status. An online survey was distributed among Chicago, Illinois residents between July 15-August 21, 2020 (N=437).

The use of antimicrobials in formulations of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products has been identified as a major strategy to control Listeria monocytogenes . The USDA-FSIS recommends no more than 2-logs of Listeria outgrowth over the stated shelf life if antimicrobials are used as a control measure for a product with post-lethality environmental exposure. This study was designed to understand the efficacy of a clean label antimicrobial against the growth of L.

The Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule sets forth minimum standards for fruit and vegetable production in the U.S. One provision states that growers must not harvest dropped produce, as damage or ground contact may contaminate produce. An unpublished survey of 2020 food safety inspections conducted by the Northeast Center to Advance Food Safety identified handling of dropped covered produce as a common misunderstanding and non-compliance issue among Northeast growers.