Research Publications (Food Safety)

Moldy peanuts may contain aflatoxin, a highly carcinogenic substance that threatens the health of humans and livestock. This study aimed to identify moldy peanuts using hyperspectral measurements and continuous wavelet transform (CWT). Peanuts were allowed to develop mold in a simulation of natural process of fungal infection; detailed hyperspectral images of healthy and moldy peanuts were captured.

Our previous study showed anti-influenza virus activity in adlay tea prepared from adlay seeds, naked barley seeds, soybean, and cassia seeds. In this study, we evaluated the anti-influenza virus activity of each component of this tea and analyzed their active ingredients. Each component was roasted and extracted in hot water; the extracts were tested for antiviral activity and their mechanisms of action were studied.

Aflatoxins pose significant food security and public health risks, decrease productivity and profitability of animal industries, and hamper trade. To minimize aflatoxin contamination in several crops, a biocontrol technology based on atoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus is commercially used in the United States and some African countries. Significant efforts are underway to popularize the use of biocontrol in Africa by various means including incentives.

The aim of this study was to investigate the use of botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) injections and their efficacy on gross motor function for lower limb spasticity in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). This retrospective study included 919 injection occasions from 591 children with CP who received a lower limb BoNT-A injection between 2006 and 2016.

Venoms are one of the most convergent of animal traits known, and encompass a much greater taxonomic and functional diversity than is commonly appreciated. This knowledge gap limits the potential of venom as a model trait in evolutionary biology.

Deoxynivalenol, T-2 toxin, and zearalenone, major Fusarium mycotoxins, contaminate human food on a global level. Exposure to these mycotoxins during pregnancy can lead to abnormalities in neonatal development. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Fusarium mycotoxins on human placental epithelial cells. As an in vitro model of placental barrier, BeWo cells were exposed to different concentrations of deoxynivalenol, zearalenone or T-2 toxin.

OnobotulintoxinA (OBT-A) is a treatment option for Chronic Migraine (CM). It works on central sensitization and pain but its mode of action is still unknown. To observe how OBT-A treatment works on single migraine attacks, this paper covers an over-6-month observation period through self-reported smartphone application data.

A series of cyclam- and cyclen-derived salts are described in the present work; they were designed specifically to gain insights into their structure and antibacterial activity towards Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, used respectively, as Gram-positive and Gram-negative model organisms.

High temperature requirement A (HtrA) is a widely expressed chaperone and serine protease in bacteria. HtrA proteases assemble and hydrolyze misfolded proteins to enhance bacterial survival under stress condit...

by Bovornpat Suriyapakorn, Pun Chairat, Suwanan Boonyoprakarn, Pimonwan Rojanarattanangkul, Wassana Pisetcheep, Natthaphon Hunsakunachai, Pornpun Vivithanaporn, Supakit Wongwiwatthananukit, Phisit Khemawoot

Background

Exophiala pisciphila is one of the dominant dark septate endophytes (DSEs) colonizing metal-polluted slag heaps in southwest China. It shows numerous super-metal-tolerant characteristics, but the molecular mechanisms involved remain largely unknown. In the present study, the functional roles of a specific set of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters in E. pisciphila were characterized.

Author(s): Geoffrey Cottenet, Carine Blancpain, Poh Fong Chuah, Christophe Cavin

Author(s): Mohamed Ziyaina, Barbara Rasco, Shyam S. Sablani Abstract Dairy products are monitored for microbial spoilage to ensure their quality and safety across the supply chain under the recent U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act, including environmental monitoring for pathogens and allergens. Recently, several methods have been developed for rapid monitoring of spoilage microbes and pathogens in dairy products throughout processing, storage and distribution.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of the high pressure (HP) technology on the preservation of persimmon purée during chilled storage (1, 30, and 90 days at 4 ± 1 °C). Results showed that the treatment at 400 MPa for 1 min was enough to eliminate the microbial counts and no regrowth was observed during storage. Physicochemical parameters, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant capacity were not affected by HP and were kept stable during storage.

The pollution of aquatic environments by drugs is a problem for which scarce research has been conducted in regards of their removal. Amycolatopsis sp. Poz 14 presents the ability to biotransformation naphthalene at high efficiency, therefore, in this work this bacterium was proposed as an assimilator of naproxen and carbamazepine. Growth curves at different concentrations of naproxen and carbamazepine showed that Amycolatopsis sp.

The intertidal zone occupies the shore between the high and low tide marks and is subjected both to natural forces and anthropogenic activities. Compared with the coastal ecosystem, studies comparing diversity and community structure of intertidal planktonic and benthic microeukaryotes are limited. Therefore, the ecological processes mediating their assemblies remain poorly understood.

Since the onset of land application of poultry litter, transportation of microorganisms, antibiotics, and disinfectants to new locations has occurred. While some studies provide evidence that antimicrobial resistance (AMR), an evolutionary phenomenon, could be influenced by animal production systems, other research suggests AMR originates in the environment from non-anthropogenic sources.

ABSTRACT

The dynamic nature of Vibrio parahaemolyticus epidemiology has presented a unique challenge for disease intervention strategies. Despite the continued rise of disease incidence and outbreaks of vibriosis, as well as the global emergence of pandemic clones and serovariants with enhanced virulence, there is a paucity of molecular methods for the serotyping of V. parahaemolyticus strains to improve disease surveillance and outbreak investigations.

by Sunicha Chanvatik, Siriporn Donnua, Angkana Lekagul, Wanwisa Kaewkhankhaeng, Vuthiphan Vongmongkol, Pornpimon Athipunyakom, Saenchai Khamlar, Maitree Prommintara, Viroj Tangcharoensathien

Background

ABSTRACT

The clinical presentation of brucellosis in humans is variable and unspecific, and thus, laboratory corroboration of the diagnosis is essential for the patient’s proper treatment. The diagnosis of brucellar infections can be made by culture, serological tests, and nucleic acid amplification assays.

Author(s): Carla Cervini, Carol Verkeecke-Vaessen, Massimo Ferrara, Esther García-Cela, Donato Magistà, Angel Medina, Antonia Gallo, Naresh Magan, Giancarlo Perrone

Author(s): Miao Li, Fang-Chao Hu, Fang Qiao, Zhen-Yu Du, Mei-Ling Zhang