Research Publications (Food Safety)

Introduction

Approximately 200 million people worldwide are affected by arsenic toxicity emanating from the consumption of drinking water containing inorganic arsenic above the prescribed maximum contaminant level. The current investigation deals with the role of prenatal arsenic exposure in modulating the gut microbial community and functional pathways of the host.

Method

Salmonella is one of the pathogens that cause many foodborne outbreaks throughout the world, representing an important global public health problem. Salmonella strains with biofilm-forming abilities have been frequently isolated from different food processing plants, especially in poultry industry.

Abstract The fruits of Tamarindus indica L. are consumed worldwide, with various parts of the plant being used for medicinal purposes. The residues (pericarp and seeds) generated during cellulose processing are of significant value as they contain bioactive compounds with diverse biological activities.

by Erika N. Biernbaum, Rohana P. Dassanayake, Eric M. Nicholson, Indira T. Kudva Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 (O157) is a foodborne pathogen causing human disease ranging from hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome to kidney failure, while remaining harmless to cattle, its primary reservoir.

Table grapes are considered non-climacteric fruit, not showing a rapid increase in respiration rate and ethylene production during ripening. Previous research has suggested that abscisic acid (ABA) may have a more crucial role in grape postharvest behaviour. This study aimed to identify biomarkers of postharvest resilience and flavour life of imported table grapes.

The use of phages as biocontrol agents against antibiotic-resistant strains of Salmonella spp. is gaining attention.

Introduction Staphylococcus capitis naturally colonizes the human skin but as an opportunistic pathogen, it can also cause biofilm-associated infections and bloodstream infections in newborns. Previously, we found that two strains from the subspecies S. capitis subsp. capitis produce yellow carotenoids despite the initial species description, reporting this subspecies as non-pigmented.

A dual-mode sensing platform for Pb2+ was constructed based on the dual optical channels of Au NPs system with the amplification of DNAzyme, and it was successfully applied for Pb2+ determination in preserved egg with satisfactory results. The presence of Pb2+ activated the DNAzyme and induced the dispersion change of Au NPs in high salt concentration.

Introduction

Fluctuations in environmental physicochemical parameters can affect the diversity and prevalence of microbial communities, including vibrios, associated with aquatic species and their surrounding environments. This study aimed to investigate the population dynamics of two Vibrio species as well as the microbial community diversity of whole crab and seawater from the Maryland Coastal Bays (MCBs), using 16S rRNA sequencing.

Methods

Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide (PACAP) is a multifunctional neuropeptide that is widely distributed and conserved across species. We have previously shown that in teleost fish, PACAP not only possesses direct antimicrobial properties but also immunomodulatory effects against the bacterial pathogens Flavobacterium psychrophilum and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Abstract Commercial starter cultures play a critical role in the industrial production of fermented sausages. However, commercial starter cultures could not reproduce the metabolic actions of diverse microorganisms and the aroma profile of the traditional spontaneously fermented sausages.

Introduction The emergence of resistance and interference mechanisms to phage infection can hinder the success of bacteriophage-based applications, but the significance of these mechanisms in phage therapy has not been determined.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a hazardous bacterium that causes serious disease in shrimps, leading to enormous economic losses and high rates of mortality. The control of V. parahaemolyticus is a difficult task due to its ability to produce biofilms. In this work, the ability of inexpensive quinoline to inhibit V. parahaemolyticus growth and biofilm formation was explored for the first time.

Proanthocyanidins (PCs) extracted from ume have many well-known functional properties. The aim of this study was to explore a novel natural food preservative using ume plum pulp proanthocyanidins (UPPP). The crude product of PCs from ume plum was obtained by using ethanol as extraction solvent and ultrasonic-assisted extraction, and then the pure product of UPPP was obtained by purification with AB-8 resin.

This study aimed to evaluate a method for effectively reducing Vibrio vulnificus contamination in fish based on the type of washing water and method. Texture profiles and sensory evaluations were performed to determine the effect of the developed method on the quality and preference of the samples. The selected fish sample was Konosirus punctatus, which is mainly consumed in Asian countries. Various factors that could affect the survival rate of V.

Vegetable cultivation on solid wastes dumpsites (SWD) soils is very common in developing countries though unsafe due to heavy metals pollution. In order to evaluate the ecological and human health risks of this practice, Talium triangulare and Lycopersicon esculentum were grown in a greenhouse on soils from two abandoned and active SWD, and control site.

Antimicrobial treatment procedures are often applied during produce post-harvest processing and storage as a complementary measure to reduce the potential risk of foodborne illness. Herein, we investigate the feasibility and efficacy of utilizing essential oil vapor–assisted plasma treatments to sanitize lettuce, spinach, and tomatoes. These fresh produce items are often associated with foodborne illnesses. Additionally, potatoes were chosen to introduce topography diversity into the study.

The heavy-metal-associated (HMA) proteins are a class of PB1-type ATPases related to the intracellular transport and detoxification of metals.

Milk tea consumption and microbial contamination: A survey and analysis. Abstract The assurance of food safety is paramount, especially concerning ready‐to‐drink products like milk tea. This research sought to gauge the safety perceptions of both student and office worker demographics towards this beverage using a combination of direct and online surveys. The data reveals that 84.6% of respondents express significant concerns about hygiene and safety standards within milk tea consumption.

Indoor, soilless production—often referred to more broadly as controlled environment agriculture (CEA)—is increasingly used for the cultivation of leafy greens. Minimal information is currently available regarding food safety practices during production and distribution of leafy greens grown within indoor, soilless environments in the United States (U.S.). This study aimed to describe production challenges and implementation of good agricultural practices among CEA growers.

The study aimed to investigate the response of osmotically adapted and detached biofilm Listeria monocytogenes cells following sequential stresses that occur during the processing of hot smoking, such as heating and smoke application. Thermal resistance of L. monocytogenes was significantly affected by previous osmotic adaptation of the cells. D60oC-values of osmotically adapted L.

Staphylococcus aureus is a major pathogen capable of causing foodborne diseases (FBDs) in fresh meat products and ready-to-eat (RTE) sandwiches. Therefore, investigating antimicrobial therapies that are safe and efficacious will benefit food safety.

The majority of fruits and vegetables are perishable, thus finding sustainable postharvest treatments to regulate the quality of fresh produce is imperative. Recent research has demonstrated that the exogenous application of hydrogen (H2)-associated treatments such as H2 gas or hydrogen-rich water (HRW), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at optimal concentrations can significantly maintain the quality of postharvest fruits and vegetables.

The combined of ultrasound and ozone notably expedites the degradation process. In addition, the combined treatment preserves the pak choi's vitamin C content and color to a greater extent than treatments involving ultrasound or ozone alone, while still accomplishing the same level of pesticide removal. Abstract The effect of ultrasound, ozone, and their combination treatment on the removal of two common pesticides (trichlorfon and phoxim) in pak choi samples was studied in this work.

The principle of phage T102‐mediated phagomagnetic separation combined with the qPCR assay for Salmonella detection. Abstract Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) and Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) are the most commonly reported serotypes detected for the occurrence of Salmonellosis through foodborne transmission in recent years.