Research Publications (Food Safety)

Perillaldehyde (PAH) is a natural compound and food additive that is added to meat, beverage, sauce and baked food. PAH has been confirmed to have antibacterial and antifungal properties, but its antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities against Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus) have not been reported. This work aimed to explore the antibacterial and antibiofilm efficacy of PAH against V.

The emergence of antimicrobial-resistant non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) in retail chicken meat poses a food safety risk. Data on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in NTS isolates collected by the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System for Enteric Bacteria (NARMS) from retail chicken meat across the United States of America between 2013 and 2020 were analyzed. A total of 3,067 samples tested positive for NTS.

Contamination by aflatoxins and ochratoxin A of traditional Korean fermented soybean paste (Doenjang) is a serious food safety issue. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of commercial Koji, a microbial starter culture used for fermentation, on mycotoxin contamination during Doenjang production at in vitro and scaled-up fermentation levels.

Produce is a known vehicle for Listeria monocytogenes, with the number of produce-related outbreaks increasing. Consumers occasionally misuse frozen vegetables as ready-to-eat instead of ready-to-cook, raising the possibility of L. monocytogenes contamination. Environmental monitoring studies focusing on the freezing step in frozen produce are relatively scarce, yet essential, as this step could cause post-contamination.

Rapid, accurate, and simultaneous screening of V. parahaemolyticus and its antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) is significant for mariculture monitoring and food safety. Thus, we developed an integrated RPA-microfluidic method to simultaneously detect V. parahaemolyticus and its ARGs floR, sul1 and qnrA.

For the past years, Salmonella has been one of the major foodborne pathogens in Europe, leading to the development of several control efforts to reduce its impact on human health. Poultry meat has been consistently implicated in foodborne cases of salmonellosis.

Fruits and vegetables are susceptible to Listeria monocytogenes. In this study, the nano emulsion of oregano essential oil (OEO) prepared by ultrasonic (US) nanoemulsion method combined with US has a promising synergistic bactericidal effect on L. monocytogenes, with 255 W/cm2+0.06 μL/mL origano essential oil nanoemulsion (OEONE) completely kill the initial number of bacteria (8.67 ± 0.17 log CFU/mL) after 15 min of treatment.

Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enteritidis, and Staphylococcus aureus are widely present in food and can cause serious and large-scale cases of illness worldwide every year. Herein, we developed a triplex immunomagnetic separation (IMS) combined with loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) on a microfluidic chip (triplex IMS-mLAMP) for the simultaneous detection of these three important foodborne pathogenic bacteria.

Postharvest pear fruits are susceptible to fungal decay and patulin (PAT) contamination during storage and transportation. PAT is a harmful mycotoxin contaminant of fruits and fruit products. Our team has identified a strain of Hannaella sinensis through preliminary research and validated its ability to degrade PAT in vitro. However, whether H. sinensis can effectively combat postharvest diseases of pears and control PAT within the fruit was yet unknown.

This study investigated the synergistic mechanism of UV-C and postbiotics against Salmonella enterica ser. Thompson biofilm in the poultry industry. The synergistic activity of postbiotic with UV-C was estimated singly and in combination and observed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM).

This study investigated the effects of compound probiotics (CP) as starter cultures to reduce AFB1 residues and improve safety and quality of chicken jerky. First, Enterococcus faecalis, Candida utilis, Lactobacillus casein, and Bacillus subtilis were subjected to single strain fermentation experiments.

Wheat, a strategic global agricultural product, is prone to contamination by hazardous fungi and toxins, with aflatoxin being particularly prevalent and perilous.

Paçoca is a typical Brazilian confectionery of Indigenous origin prepared by mixing ground roasted peanuts, sugar, and salt. A total of 52 samples of paçoca (37 pressed, 15 cooked), produced and sold in the state of São Paulo, were evaluated for aflatoxin content (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2), moisture content and water activity.

Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) gas is widely recognized as a potent antimicrobial agent effective against various microorganisms. Chia seeds are prone to microbial contamination, and thermal treatments are not feasible due to potential quality issues. The study is aimed at investigating the effectiveness of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) gas followed by mild heat for Salmonella reduction in chia seeds.