Research Publications (Food Safety)

Endophytic strains belonging to the Bacillus cereus group were isolated from the halophytes Atriplex halimus L. (Amaranthaceae) and Tamarix aphylla L. (Tamaricaceae) from costal and continental regions in Algeria. Based on their salt tolerance (up to 5%), the strains were tested for their ability to alleviate salt stress in tomato and wheat. Bacillus sp.

In the last decade, foodborne outbreaks and individual cases caused by bacterial toxins showed an increasing trend. The major contributors are enterotoxins and cereulide produced by Bacillus cereus, which can cause a diarrheal and emetic form of the disease, respectively. These diseases usually induce relatively mild symptoms; however, fatal cases have been reported.

The electrochemical immunosensor is one of the most promising detection approaches for pathogenic microorganism. In this study, a label-free electrochemical immunosensor based on chitosan/gelatin was fabricated for the detection of Bacillus cereus. Anti-Bacillus cereus polyclonal antibodies were immobilized through a cross-linking method on a chitosan/gelatin-modified electrode.

by Saba Ahmed, Nadeem Iqbal, Xiaoyan Tang, Rafiq Ahmad, Muhammad Irshad, Usman Irshad Functioning of ecosystems depends on the nutrient dynamics across trophic levels, largely mediated by microbial interactions in the soil food web. The present study investigated the use of phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and poultry manure (PM) for maintaining labile P in the soil for an extensive fertility enhancement and as a substitution of chemical fertilizers.

Chitosan-ZnO nanoparticle (ZnONP) edible coating was applied to extend shelf life of wild-simulated Korean ginseng root (WsKG). In antimicrobial testing of various coating solutions (0.01, 0.02, 0.03% ZnONP), Bacillus cereus (Gram-positive) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) were most inhibited by the 0.03% chitosan-ZnONP solution. The 0.03% chitosan-ZnONP solution was finally used for edible coating of WsKG.

Background Cereulide, a potent toxin produced by emetic Bacillus cereus (B. cereus), is a small, heat- and acid-stable cyclic dodecadepsipeptide known as a potassium-selective ionophore. Recently, cereulide is responsible for an increasing number of foodborne poisonings due to changes in lifestyle and eating habits.

Bacillus cereus is widely distributed in foods, especially dairy products, and can lead to diarrhea (non-emetic B. cereus) and emesis (emetic B. cereus). Although diarrhea due to B. cereus is usually mild, emesis can lead to acute encephalopathy and even death. To develop rapid and sensitive detection methods for B. cereus in foods, specific primers targeting the gyrase B (gyrB) and cereulide synthetase (ces) genes were designed and screened using recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA).

Bacillus cereus is a major food poisoning pathogen that generates spores and biofilms, allowing it to survive in varied food systems. This study revealed the incidence, virulence toxin gene profiling, multi-drug resistance of B.

Bacillus cereus is a common foodborne pathogen that causes vomiting and diarrheal symptoms. Due to its spore-forming ability, B. cereus can resist physical sterilization and possess a relatively high contamination level in dairy products; therefore, it is necessary to develop an efficient strategy to control the growth of B. cereus. In this study, a novel bacteriophage, named DLn1, was isolated and characterized, and its endolysin was expressed.

Sulfur, organosulfur compounds, and sulfides are essential parts of life. Microbial sulfate assimilation is among the most active and ancient metabolic activities in the sulfur cycle that operates in various ecosystems. We analyzed the molecular basis of bacterial characterization. NR1 was isolated and purified from mangrove sediments. Whole-genome sequencing indicated that the NR1 isolate was closely related to Bacillus cereus.

In underdeveloped and developing countries, due to poverty, fermentation is one of the most widely used preservation methods. It not only allows extending the shelf life of food, but also brings other benefits, including inhibiting the growth of pathogenic microorganisms, improving the organoleptic properties and product digestibility, and can be a valuable source of functional microorganisms.

The objective of this work is to match available phylogenetic information for Bacillus cereus strains with published thermal resistance parameters (D90°C, z) and to use this information to develop refined inactivation models for B. cereus sensu lato. To do so, the thermal resistance parameters were retrieved for 57 strains of B. cereus that could be assigned to a phylogenetic group.

Microorganisms can produce many antibiotics against bacteria and fungi, which have been used as a potential choice of new antibiotics. In this paper, we studied the characteristics of antibacterial substances by Bacillus cereus BC1. The results showed that the acid-precipitated substance played the main role in antibacterial activity, and further characterization indicated that the antibacterial substance might be a lipopeptide substance.

Bacillus cereus phospholipase C (PLCBC) was obtained by treating Bacillus cereus with ultraviolet light and diethyl sulfate. The active centers of PLCBC were determined, and its inactive center groups were combined with the carboxyl modified carrier to obtain immobilized PLCBC. The enzyme activity was 289 U/mg. The active group of the enzyme was –COOH, while the binding site was –NH2. The –COOH and –NH2 of PLCBC were chemically modified.

The contamination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) may directly threaten human health. This study used a metagenomic approach to investigate the ARG profile in a drinking water treatment system (DWTS) in south China. In total, 317 ARG subtypes were detected; specifically, genes encoding bacitracin, multidrug, and sulfonamide were widely detected in the DWTS.

Sucrose laurate (SL) is a promising dual-functional additive due to its emulsification and antibacterial activity. However, the knowledge on the antibacterial action of SL against Bacillus cereus was lacking, and thus it was investigated from multiple targets. The antibacterial results demonstrated that the minimum inhibitory concentration of SL was 0.3125 mg/mL, and the time-killing curve confirmed the strong antibacterial activity of SL.

Wild mushrooms are rich sources of natural compounds with potent bioactive properties. Several important metabolites have been reported from mushrooms, which possess clinically important bioactive properties like antibacterial, anticancer, antidiabetic, and neuroprotective activity.

Recently, frequent outbreaks of foodborne diseases have attracted increasing attention, and how to rapidly detect foodborne pathogens has also become an urgent issue. Herein, we reported the colorimetric sensor based on chitosan-coated magnetic nanoparticles (CS@MNPs) for rapidly broad-spectrum detection of the total bacterial count, whose color change can be visible to the naked eye without any other sophisticated instruments.

Bacillus cereus spores have the ability to adhere to solid surfaces, including stainless steel, a material widely used in food industries. Adhesion of spores allows for recontamination during food processing, and the cleaning and disinfection are largely used by industries to control them.

Antidesma thwaitesianum Müll. Arg. or Mao is well-known in Thailand for its use in soft drinks and wine. This study investigated the potential of its fruit juice as a food preservative based on its antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens and spoilage.

ABSTRACT The structure of the microbial community during sand crab juice fermentation was analyzed using culture-based methods and high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Additionally, the changes in amino acid nitrogen (AAN) and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) were evaluated.

Background A wide variety of pathogens can cause disease in humans via consumption of contaminated food.

Bacillus cereus foodborne intoxications and toxicoinfections are on a rise. Usually, symptoms are self-limiting but occasionally hospitalization is necessary. Severe intoxications with the emetic Bacillus cereus toxin cereulide, which is notably resistant heat and acid during cooking, can cause acute liver failure and encephalopathy.

Thymoquinone (2-methyl-5-propan-2-ylcyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione; TQ), a principal bioactive phytoconstituent of Nigella sativa essential oil, has been reported to have high antimicrobial potential. Thus, the current study evaluated TQ’s antimicrobial potential against a range of selected human pathogens using in vitro assays, including time-kill kinetics and anti-biofilm activity.

Objectives Bacillus cereus is responsible for food poisoning and rare but severe clinical infections. The pathogenicity of B. cereus strains varies from harmless to lethal strains. The objective of this study was to characterize three B. cereus isolates isolated from the same patient and identify their virulence potentials. Methods Three isolates of B.