Research Publications (Food Safety)

The graphical abstract presents a detailed analysis of data from the RASFF concerning herbs and spices. On the left, various herbs and spices are depicted, representing the subjects of the notifications. Below this, a pie chart categorizes the types of RASFF notifications, with border rejections constituting the majority. On the right, the graphic lists the top 10 notifying countries, countries of origin, and notified products, with chili being the most frequently reported product.

Decontamination of egg‐associated pathogens using plasma‐activated water and plasma‐activated hydrogen peroxide, along with examining their characteristics and effects on egg quality. Abstract This study investigated the effectiveness of plasma‐activated water (PAW) and plasma‐activated hydrogen peroxide (PAHP) in reducing egg‐associated pathogens.

The present study showed a positive correlation (both clpC and hly were downregulated) between stress response and virulence on apple surfaces, which indicates that the low‐dose gaseous ClO2 may not trigger Listeria to increase virulence or enhance the stress response. Abstract Fresh apples are vulnerable to Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) contamination during handling and storage causing subsequent foodborne outbreaks.

The study compared the effects of the flow regimes (laminar, transitional, and turbulent), treatment time, and the volume of water and plasma‐activated water bubbles circulation on the inactivation of the mixed‐species biofilms of Salmonella Typhimurium and Aeromonas australiensis grown on the inner surfaces of the polyvinyl chloride pipes. Abstract Biofilm formation in broiler drinking water systems is a public health concern.

Validation of traditional crust pepperoni pizza baking process. Abstract The objective of this study was to validate a simulated commercial baking process for traditional crust pepperoni pizza to inactivate Salmonella when contamination was introduced through inoculated flour and pepperoni slices.

This study determined the impact of food residues on the recovery of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium from stainless steel surfaces. Results show that food residue types tested in the present study had differentially impacted the recovery of L. monocytogenes and Salmonella during environmental monitoring. Abstract This study evaluated the impact of different food residues on the recovery of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium from stainless steel surfaces.

A novel loop‐mediated isothermal amplification assay was established on the basis of screening and verification of detection targets for rapid detection of Staphylococcus aureus. After amplification, there are two distinct methodologies for result determination: one involves the analysis of fluorescence curves, while the other involves the observation of color changes.

This research study the effect of the food product, even present in trace in the bacteria's habitat, on the bacteria potential of biofilm formation. Understanding the conditions that favor or disadvantage the formation of biofilms could help in the development and implementation of new alternative strategies to combat food‐borne infections.

Combined antibacterial effect of Origanum essential oils and antibiotics against multiresistant foodborne Salmonella in Morocco. Abstract The present study aims to assess the antibacterial activity of endemic Moroccan Origanum essential oils (Origanum elongatum and Origanum compactum) alone and in association with antibiotics against multidrug resistant foodborne Salmonella. The well diffusion and microdilution procedures were used to evaluate the antibacterial activity.

We demonstrated for the first time that Salmonella enterica Typhimurium can form dry surface biofilms (DSB) on surfaces. Mean reduction in viable cells recovered from Salmonella Typhimurium DSB following treatment with water (A and C) or the most efficacious disinfectant formulation (B and D) tested from a panel of candidates, with or without a subsequent wiping step. Contact times used were as per manufacturer's instructions.

The study determined the occurrence and molecular characteristics of virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes in Salmonella strains from chickens sampled at the informal market in Gauteng province, South Africa. Human consumers of chickens contaminated with virulent and AMR gene‐carrying Salmonella pose a risk of salmonellosis with therapeutic implications in South Africa.

Gaseous ozone treatment, recovery and counting of microbial cells inoculated on stainless steel. Abstract The aim of this work was to evaluate the resistance of two pathogenic bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serotype Senftenberg), and three airborne food‐spoiling filamentous fungi (Hyphopichia burtonii, Penicillium nordicum, and Aspergillus brasiliensis ATCC 16404) to gaseous ozone on stainless steel.

Effect of inoculation protocol on thermal inactivation of Salmonella spp. Abstract The laboratory inoculation techniques should ideally mimic the real‐life environment to reliably estimate the decimal reduction time (D‐value) of bacteria for process validation. This study aims at investigating the influence of the inoculation method on the D‐value of Salmonella in black pepper powder.

Graphıcal Abstract The antimicrobial activity of eugenol against Campylobacter jejuni in a food model system. Abstract Campylobacter jejuni is the predominant bacterial cause of gastroenteritis, the main cause of foodborne deaths. Currently, Campylobacter is a common foodborne pathogen found in poultry; thus, there is a need for the development of novel intervention strategies. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of eugenol on C. jejuni load in an experimental chicken meat model.

Regardless of temperature, more viable O157:H7 cells were transferred from moist biofilms on TPU surfaces to beef. At 25°C, biofilm formed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Comamonas korensis exhibited the lowest O157:H7 transfer to beef. At 10°C, none of the multispecies biofilms affected the number of O157:H7 transfers to beef. Through enrichment, Escherichia coli O157:H7 was recovered from multispecies biofilms.

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.

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.

Low‐energy x‐rays can be used to reduce the number of pathogenic microorganisms in fresh produce, but the efficacy of this process against internalized bacteria in leafy greens has not yet been reported. Low‐energy x‐ray irradiation at 1.5 kGy reduced the internalized pathogens by an average of 4.86 log CFU/g in iceberg lettuce without affecting product quality.

Inhibitory mechanism of Cs‐g‐Ca against S.aureus Abstract This study aimed to explore the antibacterial activity and mechanism of chitosan‐caffeic acid graft (CS‐g‐CA) against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The minimum inhibitory concentration of CS‐g‐CA against S. aureus was assessed.

Processing of apple juice supplemented with cinnamon essential oils in three different concentrations and processed by pulsed electric field by increased treatment time provided inactivation of endogenous and pathogenic bacteria without adversely affecting the physical, and bioactive properties with an increase in ΔH in thermal properties.

This study focuses on the characterization of STEC‐specific bacteriophages isolated from cow manure samples and examines their prevalence with STEC bacterial hosts. The findings indicate that the most common bacteriophages were specific to O26, and the presence of bacteriophages may have contributed to the diversity of their STEC host populations in the natural environment.

Gelatin‐based encapsulation of Cinnamon EOs and bacteriocins is a practical application to extend the shelf‐life of meatballs. The antibacterial and antioxidant activity of encapsulated formulation has been evaluated. This new method can be used in industry for biopreservation of meat.

This paper investigates how the rise in ambient temperature designed according to climate change affects the attachment levels of Escherichia coli O157:H7, O104:H4 and O26 on cress leaves. This study revealed that temperature increase designed according to climate change did not cause any significant change in persistence of pathogens studied here on leaf tissue.

Fatty acid amides of palmitic (PAPY), lauric (LAPY), myristic (MYPY), and decanoic (DEPY) acids inhibited bacteria. Significant inhibition of Listeria and other bacteria increased at higher amide concentrations (10,000–20,000 ppm). LAPY reduced Listeria growth by 1.55 to >5.0 Logs in co‐inoculation assays and by 0.51 to >3.00 Log CFU/g on produce. Abstract Foodborne pathogens are a persistent threat to food and consumer safety.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a phage cocktail in reducing seven Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) serogroups present in mung bean sprouts, lettuce, and seeds. The phage cocktail was effective at reducing O157:H7 when present in low levels, in combination with chlorinated water, and under refrigeration. The effectiveness of some phages was affected by the specific food matrix even if the targeted bacteria were highly sensitive to the phage.