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Research Publications (Food Safety)

This page tracks research articles published in national and international peer-reviewed journals. Recent articles are available ahead of print and searchable by Journal, Article Title, and Category. Research publications are tracked across six categories: Bacterial Pathogens, Chemical Contaminants, Natural Toxins, Parasites, Produce Safety, and Viruses. Articles produced by USDA Grant Funding Agencies (requires login) and FDA Grant Funding Agencies (requires login) are also tracked in Scopus.

Displaying 26 - 50 of 2783

  1. Exploring the microbial ecosystem of Berchemia polyphylla var. leioclada: a comprehensive analysis of endophytes and rhizospheric soil microorganisms

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Endophytic and rhizospheric microorganisms associated with plants play a crucial role in plant health, pest and disease defense, and fruit yield by actively participating in the plant’s adaptation to its environment. In this study, high–throughput sequencing technology was employed to analyze the community structure and diversity of endophytic and rhizospheric soil microorganisms in Berchemia polyphylla var. leioclada.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Shigella
  2. Development and validation of a random forest algorithm for source attribution of animal and human Salmonella Typhimurium and monophasic variants of S. Typhimurium isolates in England and Wales utilising whole genome sequencing data

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Source attribution has traditionally involved combining epidemiological data with different pathogen characterisation methods, including 7-gene multi locus sequence typing (MLST) or serotyping, however, these approaches have limited resolution. In contrast, whole genome sequencing data provide an overview of the whole genome that can be used by attribution algorithms. Here, we applied a random forest (RF) algorithm to predict the primary sources of human clinical Salmonella Typhimurium (S.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  3. Epidemiological investigation and pathogenicity analysis of waterfowl astroviruses in some areas of China

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Waterfowl astroviruses are mainly duck astroviruses and goose astroviruses, of which duck astroviruses (DAstV-3, -4), goose astroviruses (GoAstV-1, -2) are the four new waterfowl 21 astroviruses in recent years, which can lead to enteritis, viral hepatitis, gout and reduce the growth performance of waterfowl, affecting the healthy development of the waterfowl farming industry.

      • Viruses
      • Hepatitis
  4. Multi-omics reveals the mechanism of rumen microbiome and its metabolome together with host metabolome participating in the regulation of milk production traits in dairy buffaloes

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Recently, it has been discovered that certain dairy buffaloes can produce higher milk yield and milk fat yield under the same feeding management conditions, which is a potential new trait. It is unknown to what extent, the rumen microbiome and its metabolites, as well as the host metabolism, contribute to milk yield and milk fat yield.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  5. Insights into the diversity and survival strategies of soil bacterial isolates from the Atacama Desert

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • The Atacama Desert, the driest, with the highest radiation, and one of the most ancient deserts in the world, is a hostile environment for life. We have a collection of 74 unique bacterial isolates after cultivation and confirmation by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Pigmentation, biofilm formation, antimicrobial production against Escherichia coli MG1655 and Staphylococcus aureus HG003, and antibiotic resistance were assessed on these isolates.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  6. Nanopore sequencing for identification and characterization of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. from tilapia and shrimp sold at wet markets in Dhaka, Bangladesh

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Wet markets in low-and middle-income countries are often reported to have inadequate sanitation resulting in fecal contamination of sold produce. Consumption of contaminated wet market-sourced foods has been linked to individual illness and disease outbreaks. This pilot study, conducted in two major wet markets in Dhaka city, Bangladesh during a 4-month period in 2021 aimed to assess the occurrence and characteristics of Escherichia coli and non-typhoidal Salmonella spp.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  7. Prevalence and risk factors of seafood-borne Vibrio vulnificus in Asia: a systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Vibrio vulnificus is a free-living marine bacterium associated with the contamination of fish and shellfish—the most consumed seafood in Asia. Owing to its potentially lethal clinical consequences, the consumption of seafood contaminated with V. vulnificus has become a growing public health concern. This systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression aimed to integrate data on the prevalence of seafood-borne V.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  8. Antimicrobial resistance and genomic investigation of Salmonella isolated from retail foods in Guizhou, China

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Introduction

      Salmonella is a major foodborne pathogen worldwide that causes severe morbidity and mortality. It is mainly caused by consuming contaminated food, with retail food considered the primary source.

      Methods

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  9. Combination of autochthonous Lactobacillus strains and trans-Cinnamaldehyde in water reduces Salmonella Heidelberg in turkey poults

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Reducing the colonization of Salmonella in turkeys is critical to mitigating the risk of its contamination at later stages of production. Given the increased susceptibility of newly hatched poults to Salmonella colonization, it is crucial to implement interventions that target potential transmission routes, including drinking water.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
      • Produce Safety
      • Pre Harvest
  10. A bacteriophage cocktail can efficiently reduce five important Salmonella serotypes both on chicken skin and stainless steel

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Salmonella is one of the most important zoonotic pathogens and is mostly transmitted through food of animal origin. Application of bacteriophages is a promising tool to biocontrol Salmonella on both food and food contact surfaces. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of a six-phage cocktail for the reduction of Salmonella Enteritidis and a mixture of five major Salmonella serotypes (S.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  11. Strain-level characterization of foodborne pathogens without culture enrichment for outbreak investigation using shotgun metagenomics facilitated with nanopore adaptive sampling

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Introduction Shotgun metagenomics has previously proven effective in the investigation of foodborne outbreaks by providing rapid and comprehensive insights into the microbial contaminant. However, culture enrichment of the sample has remained a prerequisite, despite the potential impact on pathogen detection resulting from the growth competition.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  12. Antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of protocatechualdehyde and its synergy with ampicillin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Protocatechualdehyde (PA) is a phenolic acid present in many plants and has many biological activities. Herein, the antagonistic effects and the action mechanism of PA against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were studied. The results showed that PA had both significant antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities against MRSA. Additionally, PA had synergy with ampicillin against MRSA.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  13. 2-Hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde, a more effective antifungal aroma than vanillin and its derivatives against Fusarium graminearum, destroys cell membranes, inhibits DON biosynthesis, and performs a promising antifungal effect on wheat grains

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Fusarium graminearum (F. graminearum) is a severe pathogen threatening the safety of agriculture and food. This study aimed to explore the antifungal efficacies of several plant-derived natural compounds (vanillin and its derivatives) against the growth of F. graminearum and investigate the antifungal mechanism of 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde (HMB), the strongest one. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of HMB in inhibiting mycelial growth was 200 μg/mL.

      • Natural toxins
      • Mycotoxins
  14. Temporal dynamics of volatile fatty acids profile, methane production, and prokaryotic community in an in vitro rumen fermentation system fed with maize silage

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Anaerobic in vitro fermentation is widely used to simulate rumen kinetics and study the microbiome and metabolite profiling in a controlled lab environment. However, a better understanding of the interplay between the temporal dynamics of fermentation kinetics, metabolic profiles, and microbial composition in in vitro rumen fermentation batch systems is required.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Campylobacter
  15. Impact of intense sanitization on environmental biofilm communities and the survival of Salmonella enterica at a beef processing plant

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Salmonella enterica is a leading cause of foodborne illness in the U.S. In the meat industry, one action taken to address pathogen contamination incidence is an intense sanitization (IS) of the entire processing plant that many large processors perform annually or semiannually. However, this procedure’s immediate and long-term impact on environment microbial community and pathogen colonization are unknown.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  16. Colonization of Raphanus sativus by human pathogenic microorganisms

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Contamination of vegetables with human pathogenic microorganisms (HPMOs) is considered one of the most important problems in the food industry, as current nutritional guidelines include increased consumption of raw or minimally processed organic vegetables due to healthy lifestyle promotion. Vegetables are known to be potential vehicles for HPMOs and sources of disease outbreaks.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Bacillus cereus
      • Listeria monocytogenes
      • Salmonella
  17. Toxicity evaluation of processing Evodiae fructus based on intestinal microbiota

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Background

      With the development of healthcare services, drug efficacy, and safety have become the focus of drug use, and processing alters drug toxicity and efficacy, exploring the effects of processing on Evodiae fructus (EF) can guide the clinical use of drugs.

      Methods

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  18. Bacterial community changes in strawberry fruits (Fragaria × ananassa variety “Monterey”) from farm field to retail market stands, an indicator of postharvest contamination

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Background

      Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) fruits are vulnerable to bacterial contamination; some species are pathogenic and can affect human health. Comprehending the bacterial composition and diversity at different ripe stages is a key determinant of the fruit health, productivity, and quality.

      Methodology

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  19. Characterization and mechanism of simultaneous degradation of aflatoxin B1 and zearalenone by an edible fungus of Agrocybe cylindracea GC-Ac2

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Contamination with multiple mycotoxins is a major issue for global food safety and trade. This study focused on the degradation of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and zearalenone (ZEN) by 8 types of edible fungi belonging to 6 species, inclulding Agaricus bisporus, Agrocybe cylindracea, Cyclocybe cylindracea, Cyclocybe aegerita, Hypsizygus marmoreus and Lentinula edodes. Among these fungi, Agrocybe cylindracea strain GC-Ac2 was shown to be the most efficient in the degradation of AFB1 and ZEN.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  20. Multi-omics revealed rumen microbiota metabolism and host immune regulation in Tibetan sheep of different ages

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • The rumen microbiota and metabolites play an important role in energy metabolism and immune regulation of the host. However, the regulatory mechanism of rumen microbiota and metabolite interactions with host on Tibetan sheep’s plateau adaptability is still unclear. We analyzed the ruminal microbiome and metabolome, host transcriptome and serum metabolome characteristics of Tibetan sheep at different ages.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  21. Geographical and temporal distribution of multidrug-resistant Salmonella Infantis in Europe and the Americas

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Recently emerged S. Infantis strains carrying resistance to several commonly used antimicrobials have been reported from different parts of the globe, causing human cases of salmonellosis and with occurrence reported predominantly in broiler chickens. Here, we performed phylogenetic and genetic clustering analyses to describe the population structure of 417 S. Infantis originating from multiple European countries and the Americas collected between 1985 and 2019.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  22. Identifying a list of Salmonella serotypes of concern to target for reducing risk of salmonellosis

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • There is an increasing awareness in the field of Salmonella epidemiology that focusing control efforts on those serotypes which cause severe human health outcomes, as opposed to broadly targeting all Salmonella, will likely lead to the greatest advances in decreasing the incidence of salmonellosis. Yet, little guidance exists to support validated, scientific selection of target serotypes.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  23. Purine metabolism in plant pathogenic fungi

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • In eukaryotic cells, purine metabolism is the way to the production of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) and plays key roles in various biological processes. Purine metabolism mainly consists of de novo, salvage, and catabolic pathways, and some components of these pathways have been characterized in some plant pathogenic fungi, such as the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae and wheat head blight fungus Fusarium graminearum.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  24. Benzalkonium chloride disinfectant residues stimulate biofilm formation and increase survival of Vibrio bacterial pathogens

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Vibrio spp. are opportunistic human and animal pathogens found ubiquitously in marine environments. Globally, there is a predicted rise in the prevalence of Vibrio spp. due to increasing ocean temperatures, which carries significant implications for public health and the seafood industry. Consequently, there is an urgent need for enhanced strategies to control Vibrio spp. and prevent contamination, particularly in aquaculture and seafood processing facilities.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  25. Effects of dietary D-lactate levels on rumen fermentation, microflora and metabolomics of beef cattle

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Introduction Excessive intake of lactate caused by improper use of silage in animal husbandry has adverse effects on rumen fermentation, such as rumen acidosis. The speed of absorption and metabolism of D-lactate in rumen epithelial cells was slower than that of L-lactate, making D-lactate more prone to accumulate and induce rumen acidosis.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Shigella