Research Publications (Food Safety)

At present, SARS-CoV-2 has not been shown to be transmitted through food, even so the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how consumers view food and food safety. This study assessed consumer food safety practices during the COVID-19 pandemic using (1) surveys and (2) online focus group discussions. From April to August 2020, five waves of surveys were distributed to an online U.S. consumer panel and screened to include only primary food preparers and grocery shoppers.

Campylobacter is the leading cause of human bacterial diarrhoeal disease worldwide, with poultry meat products accounting for the majority of human cases. Recent surveys by the Food Standards Agency estimate the Campylobacter prevalence in fresh UK retail chicken to be 41.2%.

In this study, to investigate the pathogenic characteristics of the isolates, the pathogenic gene ( tdh gene) was identified, and adherence and cytotoxicity assays were performed. Furthermore, genome sequences of the seafood isolates were analyzed using the Illumina Hi-seq 2500 platform. The isolated strains were then mapped by comparing the genomes to the reference genome, and variations in the nucleotide sequences and amino acids were identified with the CLC Genomics Workbench program.

Foods of animal origin, such as poultry, eggs, and pork, are recognized sources of infection with Salmonella , but determining the proportion of foodborne infections resulting from different food sources has been challenging. In the current study, 141 Salmonella strains isolated from poultry products (n=1322) purchased over a period of one year from retail stores across Seattle, Washington, were subtyped by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) using restriction enzyme Xba I.

The number of farmers markets registered by the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has seen a significant increase, jumping from 1,755 in 1994 to 8,771 in 2019. Microbial studies have found evidence that produce sold at farmers can yield higher microbial counts than their retail counterparts; however, no previous literature explored the efficacy of microbial (bacteria and virus) persistence on a variety of different farmers market fomites over a 2-month period.

Recall announcements by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Food Safety Inspection and Service (FSIS) are important communication tools. Nonetheless, previous studies found that effects of recalls on consumer demand are small. Social media analytics can provide insights into public awareness about food safety related incidents.

Outbreaks of Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) infections have historically been associated with contaminated deli meats, but recent outbreaks have been linked to produce. To date, avocados have not been identified as the source of any outbreaks of L. monocytogenes infections in the United States, but avocado samples have yielded strains that were closely related genetically to clinical L. monocytogenes isolates.

Ruminants are natural reservoirs of Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC), and the STEC can be easily transferred to carcasses during the conversion of animals to meat. Three experiments were conducted to validate the efficacy of lactic acid (4%; LA), peroxyacetic acid (300 ppm; PAA), and hot water (80˚C; HW) for their individual or combined abilities to reduce STEC surrogates on bob veal carcasses pre- and post-chill and through fabrication.

Public health and regulatory agencies worldwide sequence all Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) isolates obtained as part of routine surveillance and outbreak investigations. Many of these entities submit the sequences to the NCBI Pathogen Detection (NCBI PD) database, which groups the Lm isolates into SNP clusters based on a pairwise SNP difference threshold of 50 SNPs.

Salmonella is one of the main causes of foodborne diseases worldwide. Molecular tests such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are rapid and sensitive and are increasingly becoming a preferred method for pathogen detection. However, the presence of PCR inhibiting substances in the analyzed samples could reduce the sensitivity or totally inhibit PCR amplification, which might result in failure of detection of the pathogen.

Cross-contamination of raw food to other surfaces, hands, and foods is a serious issue in foodservice.  With individuals eating more meals away from home, contracting a foodborne illness from a food service establishment is an increasing concern.  However, most studies have concentrated on hands or food contact surfaces and neglected atypical and unusual surfaces (surfaces that are not typically identified as a source of cross-contamination) and venues.  This review seeks to id

Fresh produce-borne enteric bacterial pathogens with resistance to antibiotics have posed serious challenges to food safety and public health worldwide.  This study examined the antibiotic resistance profile of Salmonella enterica (n=33), previously isolated from exotic and indigenous leafy green vegetable samples (n=328) collected from 50 vegetable farms in 12 farming areas and 37 vegetable sellers in 4 market centers in Accra, Ghana during the period of March 2016 to March 2017, and de

Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is a persistent public health concern in the United States and is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness. Cross-contamination of L. monocytogenes is common in delis (between contaminated and uncontaminated equipment, food and hands) and likely plays a role in the associated with retail deli meats. In 2012, EHS-Net conducted a study to describe deli characteristics related to cross-contamination with L. monocytogenes.

Beef-based medium beef extract (BE) and standard medium tryptic soy broth (TSB) are used as minimally processed food models to study their effects on Escherichia coli O157:H7 biofilm formation. The effects of temperatures (4 °C, 10 °C, 25 °C, 37 °C, and 42 °C), pH values (4.5, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 7.0, and 8.0), strain characteristics, and the expression of functional genes on biofilm formation ability of the bacteria were determined. The three tested E.

This study evaluated the potential impact of environmental factors and harvesting practices on microbial load of macadamia nuts. Three farms located in the main macadamia nut production regions including Mbombela (A), Barberton (B) and White River (C) areas in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa were sampled over a ,rtwo-year period. A total of 264, irrigation water (54), soil (30) and macadamia nut (180) samples were collected and evaluated for microbial concentrations.

Aquatic products are favored by people all over the world, but the potential quality and safety issues cannot be ignored. In order to determine the risk of veterinary drug residues in aquatic products in the Yangtze River Delta, this paper used the Geographic Information System (GIS) method to analyze Chinese veterinary drugs in aquatic products in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui (Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomerations) from 2017 to 2019.

Bacillus cereus is one of the important foodborne pathogens that can be found in various foodstuffs; causing diarrheal and/or emetic syndromes. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility profile, pathogenic potential, and genotypic diversity of B. cereus isolated from diverse food products from markets in Cairo, Egypt. A total of 39 out of 165 food samples were positive for B.

Wine and alcoholic apple cider are commonly back-sweetened with unpasteurized juice to produce fresh, natural, and palatable sweetened alcoholic beverages. Foodborne pathogens may be introduced from unpasteurized juice into alcoholic beverages through this back-sweetening process. Although pathogens generally do not survive under low pH conditions or high alcohol environment, the die-off of these pathogens has not been established to ensure the safety of the products.

Flies are a vector for spreading foodborne pathogens pertinent to fresh produce, such as Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli and Salmonella; however, most studies focus on concentrated animal feeding operations, which do not reflect low-density animal farming practices that often adjoin fruit and vegetable acreage.  In this study, we determined the prevalence of Salmonella in flies collected biweekly on an integrated animal and produce operation over two growin

Mining is one of the major sources of heavy metals in most developing countries and this has become a major health concern to the populace due to the possibility of food contamination with these heavy metals.

Food manufacturers often use squeegees as a tool to remove condensation from overhead surfaces. This practice is done to reduce the likelihood of environmental pathogen contamination by eliminating condensed water droplets that could fall from overhead surfaces during production. However, this practice may actually spread environmental pathogens across these surfaces, defeating its purpose and further increasing the risk for contamination in the processing area.

Although SARS-CoV-2 is not a proven foodborne pathogen, the COVID-19 pandemic has put the food system on alert. Food safety is identified as an important pillar in mitigating the crisis. Therefore, understanding how popular media are used as a vital disseminator of food safety and health information for public use is more important than ever.

Salmonella  has been linked to many food-borne illnesses and epidemics in both humans and animals. This cross-sectional study determined the prevalence, serovars and factors associated with Salmonella contamination of chickens slaughtered in outlets of the informal markets in Gauteng Province, South Africa. A total of 151 chicken carcasses were randomly collected from 47 outlets.

Salad vegetables purchased from farmers’ markets and grocery stores in central Ohio during the summers of 2015 and 2016 were tested for the presence of Enterobacteriaceae resistant to extended spectrum cephalosporins and carbapenems, Salmonella contamination, and coliform bacteria count. A total of 364 samples were collected from 36 farmers’ markets and 33 grocery stores.

The growing popularity of raw meat-based diets for pets is accompanied by an increasing concern regarding possible health implications of this practice to pet owners, due to the storage and preparation of raw meat. This study aimed to explore pet owners’ knowledge and perceptions about safety of raw meat-based feeding and determine self-reported food safety practices during raw meat-based pet food preparation.