Research Publications (Food Safety)

ABSTRACT Antimicrobial treatment regimens against bacterial pathogens are designed using the drug's minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) measured at a bacterial density of 5.7 log10(colony-forming units (CFU)/mL) in vitro. However, MIC changes with pathogen density, which varies among infectious diseases and during treatment. Incorporating this into treatment design requires realistic mathematical models of the relationships.

ABSTRACT Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as one of the most pressing threats to public health. AMR evolution occurs in the clinic but also in the environment, where antibiotics and heavy metals can select and co-select for AMR. While the selective potential of both antibiotics and metals is increasingly well-characterized, experimental studies exploring their combined effects on AMR evolution are rare.

ABSTRACT Little is known about the regulatory mechanisms that ensure the survival of the food-borne bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes in the telluric environment and on roots. Earlier studies have suggested a regulatory overlap between the Agr cell–cell communication system and the general stress response regulator σB. Here, we investigated the contribution of these two systems to root colonisation and survival in sterilised and biotic soil.

ABSTRACT Foods of plant origin are recognised as a major source of foodborne pathogens, in particular for Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC). Most work for STEC and plant-based fresh produce has focused on the most prevalent outbreak serogroup, O157.

ABSTRACT Food-borne diseases are a threat to human health and can cause severe economic losses. Nowadays, in a growing and increasingly interconnected world, food-borne diseases need to be dealt with in a global manner. In order to tackle this issue, it is essential to consider all possible entry routes of human pathogens into the production chain.

ABSTRACT Preventing microbial contamination of non-food products is a major area of industrial microbiology where preservatives are used to stop microbial growth. However, microorganisms occasionally overcome product preservation, causing recalls and the implementation of multiple procedures to prevent further contamination.

ABSTRACT Due to the presence of efflorescences and improper microclimate conditions for conservation, pink-pigmented areas were reported in two historic monuments in Northern and Central part of Romania.

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to evaluate the safety and bacterial profile of Dhanaan (Ethiopian traditional fermented camel milk). The composition of the microbial community in Dhanaan samples was analysed by a metagenomic approach of 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Metagenomic profiling identified 87 different bacterial microorganisms (OTUs) in six samples analysed.

ABSTRACT Genomes of 21 strains of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Slovakian traditional cheeses were sequenced on an Illumina MiSeq platform. Subsequently, they were analysed regarding taxonomic classification, presence of genes encoding defence systems, antibiotic resistance and production of biogenic amines.

ABSTRACT In order to provide a harmonised preassessment to support risk assessment performed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the Biohazard Panel in 2007 published guidelines for evaluation of the safety of a strain included in the food chain, the Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS).

ABSTRACT To tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is of outmost importance for the general population to understand the severity and the relevance of different routes of transmission.

ABSTRACT This study linked growth inhibition of soil bacteria and protists to the chemical activity (a) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and compared the sensitivities of bacteria and protists. Passive dosing from pre-loaded silicone provided well-defined and constant a of PAHs in independent tests.

ABSTRACT The Malaysian and global shrimp aquaculture production has been significantly impacted by acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) typically caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus harboring the pVA plasmid containing the pirAVp and pirBVp genes, which code for Photorhabdus insect-related (Pir) toxin. The limited genomic resource for V.

ABSTRACT A thorough understanding of the mechanisms of Rcs and EnvZ/OmpR phosphorelay systems that allow Yersinia enterocolitica to thrive in various environments is crucial to prevent and control Y. enterocolitica infections. In this study, we showed that RcsB and OmpR have the ability to function differently in modulating a diverse array of physiological processes in Y. enterocolitica.

ABSTRACT Salmonellae represent one of the most common bacterial infection reagents in both humans and animals. For detection and epidemiological elucidation of Salmonella infections, determination of Salmonella serotypes and differentiation between different Salmonella isolates is crucial.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination is a serious food safety problem. Acute and chronic Cd exposure changes the gut microbiota composition and damages the gut barrier function. Akkermansia muciniphila (AKK), a promising candidate for the next-generation probiotics, has been reported to protect the mucus layer in the colon and significantly decrease the effects of Cd exposure in mice.

The aim of the study was to assess the safety of three newly developed synbiotic preparations in feeding chickens. The study was carried out on 84 Specific Pathogen Free chickens, between 1st and 21st day of their life. Animals were divided into four groups fed ad libitum: three with an addition of synbiotics A, B or C and a control group (feed with no additives).

Consumption of contaminated salmon in China has led to pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus infections in humans. In this study, 420 salmon samples were collected from supermarkets and restaurants in China that showed a contamination rate of 9.05 and 15.24%, respectively. Eighteen antibiotics were used to test the antibiotic susceptibility of all 51 isolates.

Poultry is one of the most consumed meats worldwide and there are many different types of poultry products available on the market for consumers. Many poultry producers provide a variety of labeled meats based on rearing system such as organic, free-range and antibiotic-free. However, these labels often can be misleading by implying organic products are better in safety and quality compared to poultry products without additional labels.

Several outbreaks of listeriosis have implicated fresh produce but genetic factors required for growth of Listeria monocytogenes on produce remain poorly characterized. Based on the fact that β-lactam antibiotics only kill bacterial cells that are growing, we hypothesized that ampicillin selection can enrich for L. monocytogenes mutants unable to grow on produce. For validation, we examined relative recovery of L.

Competition assays measure differences between populations of bacteria after stress adaptation, populations of different bacteria and mutations in antibiotic resistance genes. We have developed a competition-based assay to evaluate if genes upregulated under starvation are important for bacterial survival.

AbstractDefined organic waste products are ideal and sustainable secondary feedstocks for production organisms in microbial biotechnology. Chitin from mycelia of fungal fermentation processes represents a homogeneous and constantly available waste product that can, however, not be utilised by typical bacterial production strains. Therefore, enzymes that degrade chitin within fungal mycelia have to be identified and expressed in production organisms.

AbstractMicroorganisms are intentionally added at different stages of the food and feed chain (food or feed additive, novel food or plant protection product) and are subjected to regulation and safety assessment by the European Food Safety Authority. Safety evaluation is based on application dossiers for market authorisation to the European Commission.

Abstract

Abstract