Research Publications (Food Safety)

This research is an application of fiber‐in‐tube solid phase microextraction followed by HPLC‐UV for extraction and determination of trace amounts of bisphenol A. Nano magnetic Fe3O4 was formed on the surface of polypropylene porous hollow fibers to increase the surface area and then it was coated with polystyrene. The introduction of polystyrene improves the surface hydrophobicity and is an appropriate extractive phase because it is highly stable in aquatic media.

A study of pesticide residues was investigated in vegetable samples to highlight the trend of drugs obtained from the Jilin Province, China. Total of 230 samples obtained from four regions over the period 2016–2017 were screened for 18 pesticides that were analyzed using gas chromatography with electron capture (GC-ECD). The results showed that 45 samples (19.6%) were positive including 17 samples (7.39%) exceeded the national maximum residue limit (MRL).

Acetylcholinesterase inactivating compounds, such as organophosphate (OP) and carbamate (CM) pesticides, are widely used in agriculture to ensure sustainable production of food and feed. As a consequence of their applications, they would result in neurotoxicity, even death. In this essence, the development of enzyme inhibition methods still shows great significance as rapid detection techniques for on-site large-scale screening of OPs and CMs.

Author(s): Fangfang Yan, Li Zhao, Wanbing Chen, Qun Lu, Cuie Tang, Chengming Wang, Rui Liu

Author(s): Wei Quan, Yong Li, Ye Jiao, Chaoyi Xue, Guoping Liu, Zhaojun Wang, Zhiyong He, Fang Qin, Maomao Zeng, Jie Chen

Author(s): Wantang Huang, Hua Yin, Yuanyuan Yu, Guining Lu, Zhi Dang, Zhanghong Chen

Overwhelming empirical evidence has highlighted the contribution of indiscriminate antibiotic usage (ABU) in food animals to the overall burden of antibiotic resistance (ABR) in humans, thus making antibiotic use the main selective pressure driving antibiotic resistance. The social and behavioral perspective on antibiotic use and resistance in poultry is limited.

Author(s): Dilumi W.K. Liyanage, Dmytro P. Yevtushenko, Michele Konschuh, Benoît Bizimungu, Zhen-Xiang Lu

Marine pollution has increased reaching the entire marine environment, from the surface to the deepest sediment, and has become more concerning in the last 70 years. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a fraction of ocean waste that includes, among the others, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and plastic polymers. These chemicals have an extremely long half-life, and (bio)accumulate and damage the marine flora and fauna, and, ultimately, human health.

Detecting pesticide residues in human serum is a challenging process. This study developed and validated a method for the extraction and recovery of residues of multiple classes of pesticides from serum using one reagent. Salt‐assisted acetonitrile extraction and HPLC with quadrupole time of flight MS/MS were used to quantitate 34 pesticides classified in nine groups of chemicals in human serum samples, which are frequently detected in food.

In natural environments, the production of neurotoxic and bioaccumulative methylmercury (MeHg) is mediated by microorganisms carrying the genes hgcA and hgcB. However, the contribution of these microorganisms to mercury (Hg) methylation or MeHg accumulation in the ocean is poorly understood.

According to the World Health Organization, arsenic is the water contaminant that affects the largest number of people worldwide. To limit its impact on the population, inexpensive, quick, and easy-to-use systems of detection are required. One promising solution could be the use of whole-cell biosensors, which have been extensively studied and could meet all these criteria even though they often lack sensitivity.

Author(s): Y. Ma, Y.Z. Shi, Q.J. Wu, Y.Q. Wang, J.P. Wang, Z.H. Liu

Summarized the heavy metal pollution caused by natural and human activities. The natural causes include the migration and redistribution of soil debris and the hydraulic migration of soil parent rock with high background value under the action of wind; human factors include mining, abandoned mining areas, fertilizer and pesticide application, and sewage irrigation.

Hydrogen gas (H2) has a possible signaling role in many developmental and adaptive plant responses, including mitigating the harmful effects of cadmium (Cd) uptake from soil. We used electrophysiological and molecular approaches to understand how H2 ameliorates Cd toxicity in pak choi (Brassica campestris ssp. chinensis). Exposure of pak choi roots to Cd resulted in a rapid increase in the intracellular H2 production.

The elements Zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) have similar chemical and physical properties, but contrasting physiological effects in higher organisms. In plants, Zn/Cd transport is mediated by various transporter proteins belonging to different families. In this study, we functionally characterized two Zn transporter genes in rice (Oryza sativa), ZINC TRANSPORTER5 (OsZIP5) and ZINC TRANSPORTER9 (OsZIP9), which are tandem duplicates and act synergistically in Zn/Cd uptake.

Author(s): Sinosh Skariyachan, Roshini Ravishankar, Dharshini Gopal, Aditi G. Muddebihalkar, Akshay Uttarkar, Prinith Kaveramma Uluvangada Praveen, Vidya Niranjan

Author(s): Ching-Huang Lai, Chia-Chi Chou, Hsiao-Chi Chuang, Gu-Jiun Lin, Chih-Hong Pan, Wei-Liang Chen

Author(s): Luca Maria Chiesa, Lucia DeCastelli, Maria Nobile, Francesca Martucci, Giacomo Mosconi, Mauro Fontana, Marta Castrica, Francesco Arioli, Sara Panseri

In this study, the inhibitory potential of 3-(5-nitrofuran-2-yl)prop-2-en-1-one derivatives was evaluated against a panel of bacteria, as well as mammalian cell lines to determine their therapeutic index. In addition, we investigated the mechanism of antibiotic action of the derivatives to identify their therapeutic target.

Yellow corn kernels were subjected to gamma (γ) irradiation (1.0–10.0 kGy), post packaging in polypropylene/polyethylene terephthalate/aluminium foil trilamellate. These packaged‐irradiated corn grits were stored under ambient conditions (23 ± 2°C, 80% R.H.) and their shelf lives were ascertained chiefly w.r.t. lutein and aflatoxin contents.

The development of sustainable agriculture and the increasing antibiotic resistance of human pathogens call for novel antimicrobial compounds. Here, we describe the extraction and characterization of a class of cationic circular lipopeptides, for which we propose the name relacidines, from the soil bacterium Brevibacillus laterosporus MG64. Relacidines are composed of a fatty acid side chain (4‐methylhexanoic acid) and 13 amino acid residues.

by Michael G. Reuscher, Jeffrey G. Baguley, Paul A. Montagna

Author(s): Yoo-Jin Park, Md Saidur Rahman, Won-Ki Pang, Do-Yeal Ryu, Bongki Kim, Myung-Geol Pang

In this study, a combination of modified quick easy cheap effective rugged and safe extraction (QuEChERS) and dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) has been proposed for the extraction and preconcentration of multiclass pesticide residues from yogurt samples prior to their determination by fast gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Factors influencing DLLME efficiency, including type and volume of extractive solvent, mixing type, salt addition, and extraction time were evaluated.