Research Publications (Food Safety)

by Kelsey Brown, Maina Mugoh, Douglas R. Call, Sylvia Omulo

Lake and adjoining river ecosystems are ecologically and economically valuable and are heavily threatened by anthropogenic activities. Determining the inherent capacity of ecosystems for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) biodegradation can help quantify environmental impacts on the functioning of ecosystems, especially on that of the microbial community. Here, PAH biodegradation potential was compared between sediments collected from a lake bay (LS) and an adjoining river (RS) ecosystem.

Melanoidins, formed at the final stages of Maillard reaction (MR) present important physiological activities, but their structure and reaction pathways are largely unknown in real food systems. In the present work, these bioactive compounds derived from Brewers’ spent grain (BSG) with different roasting degrees were analyzed. Results showed that BSG could be considered a more important source of bioavailable antioxidants than what it was reported in previous studies.

A dozen or so chemicals modify both cholesterol and copper metabolism. Ascorbic acid and cadmium, etc., inhibit copper metabolism and raise cholesterol. Calcium and clofibrate, etc., enhance copper and lower cholesterol. Perhaps the doses of dietary cholesterol and fructose in this experiment were too severe to permit fenofibrate to lower cholesterol in a manner similar to clofibrate. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry

The effect of pulsed light (PL) on numerous important quality characteristics of pineapple juice was studied and compared with untreated and thermally pasteurised samples. The laboratory scale PL batch system used was operated with each three different voltages (1.8, 2.1, and 2.4 kV) and numbers of pulses (47, 94, and 187). Treatments with 2.4 kV and either 94 or 187 pulses (757/1479 J·cm−2) resulted in a 5-log reduction in aerobic mesophiles and the yeast and mould counts.

ABSTRACT Our understanding of environmental factors controlling prokaryotic community is largely hampered by the large environmental variability across spatial scales (e.g. trace metal contamination, nutrient enrichment and physicochemical variations) and the broad diversity of bacterial pre-exposure to environmental factors.

This work examines polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in yard trash at various stages of the yard trash management cycle of collection, stockpiling, grinding and screening into mulch, and composting. Total extractable PAH concentrations were measured in yard trash at various management stages from 10 locations in Florida. The concentrations of 16 PAH compounds in processed yard trash ranged from 0.38 to 14 mg kg-1.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) transporters of the major facilitator superfamily (MFS) were previously believed to drive the extrusion of multiple antimicrobial drugs through the coupling to proton translocation. Here, we present the identification of the first Na+-coupled MFS-MDR transporter, MdrP, which also can achieve H+-coupled drug efflux independently of Na+.

Author(s): Sihui Liang, Ningge Jian, Jiankun Cao, Huayin Zhang, Jian Li, Qian Xu, Chunmin Wang

Author(s): Mi Li, Hang Yu, Yuliang Cheng, Yahui Guo, Weirong Yao, Yunfei Xie

Author(s): Elena Bartkiene, Modestas Ruzauskas, Vadims Bartkevics, Iveta Pugajeva, Paulina Zavistanaviciute, Vytaute Starkute, Egle Zokaityte, Vita Lele, Agila Dauksiene, Michael Grashorn, Ludwig E. Hoelzle, Anara Mendybayeva, Raushan Ryshyanova, Romas Gruzauskas

Author(s): Daniel Martín-Vertedor, Nuno Rodrigues, Ítala M.G. Marx, Luís G. Dias, Ana C.A. Veloso, José Alberto Pereira, António M. Peres

Background Iprodione has better control effect, but it is considered an endocrine disturbing chemical and it could inflict some serious damage to consumers. The garlic crop has three edible portions based on its growth stage, including the garlic, green garlic and garlic shoot. In this study, iprodione residue dissipation and distribution on these three edible portions were investigated, and dietary risk assessment was evaluated.

Bacteriophage-derived endolysin enzymes play a critical role in disintegration of the host bacterial cell wall and hence have gained considerable attention as possible therapeutics for the treatment of drug-resistant infections. Endolysins can target both dividing and non-dividing cells and given the vital role peptidoglycan plays in bacterial survival, bacteria are less likely to modify it even if continuously exposed to lysins.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted more attention for their potential candidates for new antibiotic drugs. As a novel identified cathelicidin AMP from duck, dCATH owns broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities but with a noticeable toxicity. To explore dCATH-derived AMPs with reduced cell toxicity and improved cell selectivity, a series of truncated and tryptophan-replaced peptides of dCATH were designed.

by Roberta M. O’Connor, Felix J. Nepveux V, Jaypee Abenoja, Gregory Bowden, Patricia Reis, Josiah Beaushaw, Rachel M. Bone Relat, Iwona Driskell, Fernanda Gimenez, Michael W. Riggs, Deborah A. Schaefer, Eric W. Schmidt, Zhenjian Lin, Daniel L. Distel, Jon Clardy, Timothy R. Ramadhar, David R. Allred, Heather M. Fritz, Pradipsinh Rathod, Laura Chery, John White

Author(s): Taehoon Lee, Hyesung Park, Pradeep Puligundla, Gwi-Hee Koh, Jungro Yoon, Chulkyoon Mok

Author(s): Ali Ranjbar Jafarabadi, Sakineh Mashjoor, Alireza Riyahi Bakhtiari, Catherine Jadot

Author(s): Kiran Yasmin Khan, Barkat Ali, Peter Joseph Stoffella, Xiaoqiang Cui, Xiaoe Yang, Ya Guo

Author(s): Dipa Lalwani, Yuefei Ruan, Sachi Taniyasu, Eriko Yamazaki, Nirmal J.I. Kumar, Paul K.S. Lam, Xinhong Wang, Nobuyoshi Yamashita

In this study, the concentrations of 14 types of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and 7 types of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in four freshwater fish species (Ctenopharyngodon idella, Cyprinus carpio, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) collected from nine lakes in Anhui Province were determined.

This study assessed if the concentrations of methylmercury (MeHg) in predatory and non-predatory fish caught in the Upper Solimões River are safe for human consumption, according to the reference values established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). MeHg concentrations were evaluated in muscle of 5 predatory and 4 non-predatory fish species by gas chromatography with electron capture detector (GC-ECD).

Abstract

Aims

This study aims to understand the mechanism by which grafting tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) onto Torubamu (Solanum melongena) reduces cadmium (Cd) accumulation in tomato.

Introduction:The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between polymorphisms of genes encoding enzymes involved in arsenic metabolism and urinary arsenic concentration in people occupationally exposed to arsenic.Materials and Methods:The data from 113 employers directly exposed to lead, cadmium, and arsenic in copper smelter in Legnica and Glogow were collected. Urinary arsenic concentration was measured.

Vacuolar processing enzymes (VPEs) play an important role in stress resistance and development of plants. Despite their diverse roles, little information is available in apple (Malus × domestic). This study firstly presents the genome-wide identification of VPE family genes in apple, resulting in 20 family members those are unevenly distributed across six out of the 17 chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis assigned these genes into four groups.