Research Publications (Food Safety)

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has emerged today as an ultimate typing tool to characterize Listeria monocytogenes outbreaks. However, data analysis and interlaboratory comparability of WGS data are still challenging for most public health laboratories. Therefore, we have developed and evaluated a new L. monocytogenes typing scheme based on genome-wide gene-by-gene comparisons (core genome multilocus the sequence typing [cgMLST]) to allow for a unique typing nomenclature.

The inhibitory activities of salvia and basil essential oils (EOs) against chemical and microbial spoilage in Iranian white cheese were investigated. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration obtained for salvia against Listeria monocytogenes were 0.015 and 0.02%, and for basil were 0.05 and 0.06%, respectively.

The aim of the present study was to investigate chemical composition and antibacterial activity of essential oil from the leaf of Mentha spicata plant against common food-borne pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, and Escherichia coli O157:H7). Chemical composition of the essential oil was identified by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometer detector (GC-MS).

Publication date: December 2015
, Volume 52
Author(s): Alexandre Ceugniez, Djamel Drider, Philippe Jacques, Françoise Coucheney

A novel target-enriched multiplex polymerase chain reaction (Tem-PCR) assay for the simultaneous detection of Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 was developed in the present study. The invA, hly and rfbE genes were selected as target genes for identifying Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7, respectively.

Publication date: February 2016
, Volume 60
Author(s): Marta Mikš-Krajnik, Hazel Sin Yue Lim, Qianwang Zheng, Matthew Turner, Hyun-Gyun Yuk

While the food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes can persist in food associated environments, there are no whole-genome sequence (WGS) based methods to differentiate persistent from sporadic strains. Whole-genome sequencing of 188 isolates from a longitudinal study of L. monocytogenes in retail delis was used to (i) apply single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based phylogenetics for subtyping of L.

While rain and irrigation events have been associated with an increased prevalence of foodborne pathogens in produce production environments, quantitative data are needed to determine the effects of various spatial and temporal factors on the risk of produce contamination following these events. This study was performed to quantify these effects and to determine the impact of rain and irrigation events on the detection frequency and diversity of Listeria species (including L.

e-First Articles.

Publication date: February 2016
, Volume 60
Author(s): M.S. Barbosa, S.D. Todorov, I.V. Ivanova, Y. Belguesmia, Y. Choiset, H. Rabesona, J.-M. Chobert, T. Haertlé, B.D.G.M. Franco

Mazza, Roberta et al.

Monu, Emefa Angelica et al. Produce has been associated with a rising number of foodborne illness outbreaks. While much produce is consumed raw, some is treated with mild heat, such as blanching or cooking.

Publication date: 15 October 2015
, Volume 211
Author(s): Nelson Justino Gomes Neto, Marciane Magnani, Beatriz Chueca, Diego García-Gonzalo, Rafael Pagán, Evandro Leite de Souza

Publication date: 15 October 2015
, Volume 211
Author(s): Masashi Kanki, Hisayo Naruse, Masumi Taguchi, Yuko Kumeda

Publication date: 15 October 2015
, Volume 211
Author(s): Luxin Wang, Liang Zhao, Jing Yuan, Tony Z. Jin

Publication date: 15 October 2015
, Volume 211
Author(s): Adelson Alves de Oliveira Junior, Hyrla Grazielle Silva de Araújo Couto, Ana Andréa Teixeira Barbosa, Marcelo Augusto Guitierrez Carnelossi, Tatiana Rodrigues de Moura

Publication date: 2 December 2015
, Volume 214
Author(s): M. Oliveira, M. Abadias, P. Colás-Medà, J. Usall, I. Viñas

Wild animals can serve as hosts, amplifiers, or reservoirs for various zoonotic diseases. Most species of deer in highly fragmented agricultural landscapes, search out maximum cover from intrusive human activity. Hence, the likelihood of zoonosis transmission is likely to increase the more humans and wildlife interact.

Publication date: Available online 23 July 2015

Author(s): Byoung-Kwon Hahm, Hyochin Kim, Atul K. Singh, Arun K. Bhunia

Phenotypic heterogeneity describes the occurrence of "nonconformist" cells within an isogenic population. The nonconformists show an expression profile partially different from that of the remainder of the population. Phenotypic heterogeneity affects many aspects of the different bacterial lifestyles, and it is assumed that it increases bacterial fitness and the chances for survival of the whole population or smaller subpopulations in unfavorable environments.

The production of cysts, an integral part of the life cycle of many free-living protozoa, allows these organisms to survive adverse environmental conditions. Given the prevalence of free-living protozoa in food-related environments, it is hypothesized that these organisms play an important yet currently underinvestigated role in the epidemiology of foodborne pathogenic bacteria.

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen whose survival in food processing environments may be associated with its tolerance to desiccation. To probe the molecular mechanisms used by this bacterium to adapt to desiccation stress, a transposon library of 11,700 L. monocytogenes mutants was screened, using a microplate assay, for strains displaying increased or decreased desiccation survival (43% relative humidity, 15°C) in tryptic soy broth (TSB).

Ukuku, Dike O. et al. For health reasons, people are consuming fresh-cut fruits with or without minimal processing and, thereby, exposing themselves to the risk of foodborne illness if such fruits are contaminated with bacterial pathogens. This study investigated survival and growth parameters of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and aerobic mesophilic bacteria transferred from cantaloupe rind surfaces to fresh-cut pieces during fresh-cut preparation.

Publication date: December 2015
, Volume 52
Author(s): Avelina Franco-Vega, Nelly Ramírez-Corona, Aurelio López-Malo, Enrique Palou

Publication date: November 2015
, Volume 109
Author(s): Adisorn Swetwiwathana, Wonnop Visessanguan