Research Publications (Food Safety)

Fresh fruits and vegetables have numerous benefits to human health. Unfortunately, their consumption is increasingly associated with food‐borne diseases, Salmonella enterica being their most frequent cause in Europe. Agricultural soils were postulated as reservoir of human pathogens, contributing to the contamination of crops during the growing period.

Environmental testing for  Salmonella  Enteritidis is required for U.S. shell egg producers with > 3,000 hens on a farm. The egg producer assumes all costs for the mandatory testing. According to the FDA Egg Rule, either manure scraper or drag swabs can be collected according to published guidelines and requirements.

The microbiological quality of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods from school cafeterias in Chongqing, China, was evaluated in comparison to a guideline published by a provincial health commission.

A study was undertaken to examine hygienic control of the slaughter and dressing process for beef cattle at Australian export processing establishments. Samples were collected from two points during the process: immediately after hide removal and at the completion of dressing before the commencement of chilling. Hindquarter (HQ) and forequarter (FQ) samples were collected from 24 establishments, half of which (n=12) employed some form of microbial intervention (in addition to trimming).

The economic burden of foodborne illness has been estimated to be as high as $90 billion annually.  For policy purposes, it is often important to understand not just the overall cost of illness, but also the costs associated with individual products or groups of products. In this study, I estimate the cost of foodborne illnesses from 29 pathogens associated with non-game meat and poultry products that are regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Dehydrated fruit, including dried coconut and dried apple slices, have been the subject of manufacturer recalls due to contamination with Salmonella . A study was conducted to determine the survival of Salmonella on six cultivars of apple slices after dehydration as well as survival following treatment with antimicrobial solutions (0.5%, wt./wt.)  and dehydration.

Canadian First Nations communities rely on traditional preservation methods such as  the smoking, drying, and canning of fish and game meats, to ensure long-term food security. Unlike commercial food production, there are no recognized official standards for these methods, thus rendering their efficacy in producing microbiologically safe foods relatively unknown.

The documented survival of pathogenic bacteria including Listeria monocytogenes (LM), shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), and Salmonella during the manufacture and aging of some cheeses highlights the need for additional interventions to enhance food safety. Unfortunately, few interventions are compliant with the Standards of Identity for cheese. Protective bacterial cultures (PC) represent actionable, natural interventions.

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of long-term storage at different temperatures (4, 25 and 35 °C) on flavor, microbiological and physicochemical quality characteristics of low-salt fermented fish. Food spoilage and pathogenic bacteria, such as coliforms,  Pseudomonas ,  Salmonella , were inhibited during the 90 days of storage at all temperatures.

Campylobacter is one of the most commonly reported foodborne pathogens in the U.S. Because poultry is considered a major source of Campylobacter infections in humans, reducing Campylobacter contamination in poultry products is likely the most important and effective public health strategy to reduce the burden of campylobacteriosis in humans. A comprehensive on-line survey was conducted of key stakeholders of the U.S.

Process control validations require knowledge of the resistance of the pathogen(s) of concern to the target treatment, and, in some cases, the relative resistance of surrogate organisms.

The burden of foodborne illness linked to the consumption of contaminated broiler meat is high in the United States. With the increase in popularity of alternative poultry rearing and production systems, it is important to identify the difference in food safety risks presented by alternative systems when compared to conventional methods.

Author(s): Sam Van Haute, Yaguang Luo, Samantha Bolten, Ganyu Gu, Xiangwu Nou, Patricia Millner

by Kelly M. J. Simpson, Siobhan M. Mor, Michael P. Ward, Julie Collins, James Flint, Grant A. Hill-Cawthorne, Moataz Abd El Ghany

Author(s): Suthee Mangmee, Onrapak Reamtong, Thareerat Kalambaheti, Sittiruk Roytrakul, Piengchan Sonthayanon

Author(s): Danielle K. Rosen, Miguel Gallardo, McClain Vail, Rosalee S. Hellberg

Salmonella can resist various stresses and survive during food processing, storage, and distribution, resulting in potential health risks to consumers. Therefore, evaluation of bacterial survival profiles under various environmental stresses is necessary.

The study conducted on 39‐layer farms in Gauteng Province, South Africa determined the prevalence and resistance of enteropathogens, and antimicrobial residues in table eggs collected from the farms. Eggs were tested for the presence of bacteria using standard methods. The resistance of bacteria to eight antimicrobial agents was determined using the disc diffusion method.

Microbial biosurfactants, produced by fungi, yeast, and bacteria, are surface-active compounds with emulsifying properties that have a number of known activities, including the solubilization of microbial biofilms.

ABSTRACT

Author(s): V. Ferreira, M.J. Cardoso, R. Magalhães, R. Maia, C. Neagu, L. Dumitrascu, A. Nicolau, P. Teixeira

Author(s): Min-Kyoung Seo, Kyung Won Na, Sang Ha Han, Si-Hong Park, Sang-Do Ha

Author(s): Lei Wang, Li Xue, Ruya Guo, Lingyan Zheng, Siyuan Wang, Lan Yao, Xiaoting Huo, Ning Liu, Ming Liao, Yanbin Li, Jianhan Lin

Author(s): N.A. Cox, A.A. Oladeinde, K.L. Cook, G.S. Zock, M.E. Berrang, C.W. Ritz, A. Hinton

Liposomes have been broadly studied as delivery systems for bioactive compounds, although its relatively low stability remains a limitation for commercial application.