Research Publications (Food Safety)

Listeria-infecting phages are readily isolated from Listeria-containing environments, yet little is known about the selective forces they exert on their host. Here, we identified that two virulent phages, LP-048 and LP-125, adsorb to the surface of Listeria monocytogenes strain 10403S through different mechanisms. We isolated and sequenced, using whole-genome sequencing, 69 spontaneous mutant strains of 10403S that were resistant to either one or both phages.

Pathogenic Escherichia coli or its associated virulence factors have been frequently detected in dairy cow manure, milk, and dairy farm environments. However, it is unclear what the long-term dynamics of E. coli virulence factors are and which farm compartments act as reservoirs. This study assessed the occurrence and dynamics of four E. coli virulence factors (eae, stx1, stx2, and the gamma allele of the tir gene [-tir]) on three U.S. dairy farms.

Cronobacter species are opportunistic pathogens commonly found in the environment. Among the seven Cronobacter species, Cronobacter sakazakii sequence type 4 (ST-4) is predominantly associated with recorded cases of infantile meningitis. This study reports on a 26-month powdered infant formula (PIF) surveillance program in four production facilities located in distinct geographic regions.

Campylobacter jejuni, the leading bacterial cause of human gastroenteritis in the United States, displays significant strain diversity due to horizontal gene transfer. Conjugation is an important horizontal gene transfer mechanism contributing to the evolution of bacterial pathogenesis and antimicrobial resistance. It has been observed that heat shock could increase transformation efficiency in some bacteria. In this study, the effect of heat shock on C.

Clostridium botulinum type E toxin is responsible for extensive mortality of birds and fish in the Great Lakes. The C. botulinum bontE gene that produces the type E toxin was amplified with quantitative PCR from 150 sloughed algal samples (primarily Cladophora species) collected during summer 2012 from 10 Great Lakes beaches in five states; concurrently, 74 sediment and 37 water samples from four sites were also analyzed.

Enterobacteriaceae-associated blaCTX-M genes have become globally widespread within the past 30 years. Among isolates from Washington State cattle, Escherichia coli strains carrying blaCTX-M (CTX-M E. coli strains) were absent from a set of 2008 isolates but present in a set of isolates from 2011. On 30 Washington State dairy farms sampled in 2012, CTX-M E.

Formulations of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods with antimicrobial compounds constitute an important safety measure against foodborne pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes. While the efficacy of many commercially available antimicrobial compounds has been demonstrated in a variety of foods, the current understanding of the resistance mechanisms employed by L. monocytogenes to counteract these stresses is limited.

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of near-infrared radiation (NIR) heating combined with lactic acid (LA) sprays for inactivating Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis on almond and pine nut kernels and to elucidate the mechanisms of the lethal effect of the NIR-LA combined treatment. Also, the effect of the combination treatment on product quality was determined. Separately prepared S. Enteritidis phage type (PT) 30 and non-PT 30 S.

Publication date: Available online 4 June 2015

Author(s): S.U. Wetzels , E. Mann , B.U. Metzler-Zebeli , M. Wagner , F. Klevenhusen , Q. Zebeli , S. Schmitz-Esser

Publication date: October 2015
Source:LWT - Food Science and Technology, Volume 63, Issue 2
Author(s): Ghada M. Khiralla , Bahig A. El-Deeb

Publication date: October 2015
Source:LWT - Food Science and Technology, Volume 63, Issue 2
Author(s): Rekha Priyadarshini Albert Dhayakaran , Suresh Neethirajan , Jun Xue , John Shi

Publication date: October 2015
Source:LWT - Food Science and Technology, Volume 63, Issue 2
Author(s): Fernanda Rodrigues Leite Rolim , Karina Maria Olbrich dos Santos , Samuel Carneiro de Barcelos , Antônio Sílvio do Egito , Thais Santana Ribeiro , Maria Lúcia da Conceição , Marciane Magnani , Maria Elieidy Gomes de Oliveira , Rita de Cássia Ramos do Egypto Queiroga

Publication date: November 2015
Source:LWT - Food Science and Technology, Volume 64, Issue 1
Author(s): Şeniz Karabıyıklı , Nilgün Öncül , Hande Cevahiroğlu

This study aimed at using essential oilEO) alone or combined EO with nisin and γ-irradiation to control Salmonella Typhimurium during the refrigerated storage of mini-carrots. Peeled mini-carrots were inoculated with S. Typhimurium at a final concentration of approximately 7 log CFU/g.

Aims
The effect of milk fat content on ohmic heating compared to conventional heating for inactivation of food-borne pathogens was investigated.

Publication date: 9 July 2015
, Volume 178, Issues 1–2
Author(s): Migma Dorji Tamang , Mamata Gurung , Hyang-Mi Nam , Dong Chan Moon , Su-Ran Kim , Geum-Chan Jang , Dae-Yeong Jung , Suk-Chan Jung , Yong-Ho Park , Suk-Kyung Lim

The growth behavior of Listeria monocytogenes in the presence of typical spoilage microorganisms on poultry breast fillets (Pseudomonas spp., Brochothrix thermosphacta, Enterobacteriaceae, Lactobacillus spp., total viable count) was investigated.

Foodborne Pathogens and Disease , Vol. 0, No. 0.

Publication date: 2 September 2015
, Volume 208
Author(s): Yaoxin Huang , Robert Sido , Runze Huang , Haiqiang Chen

In this work, the combined effect of bioactive compounds (tea tree essential oil, propolis extract and gallic acid) and storage temperature (15 and 5C) on microbiological and sensory quality of fresh-cut celery, leek and butternut squash was studied. It was confirmed that a good control of refrigeration temperature limits the growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms.

Bhagawat S. Chandrasekar, Shikha Yadav, Emmanuel S. Victor, Shamik Majumdar, Mukta Deobagkar-Lele, Nitin Wadhwa, Santosh Podder, Mrinmoy Das, Dipankar Nandi

Publication date: October 2015
, Volume 51
Author(s): Edward M. Fox , Patrick G. Wall , Séamus Fanning

Publication date: October 2015
, Volume 51
Author(s): Hanna Lee , Jung Eun Kim , Myong-Soo Chung , Sea C. Min

Abstract

Aims
In the present work the Libyan wild-growing Thymus capitatus essential oil was evaluated for its biological properties.