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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 988

  1. Extraction, identification, mechanism of action, and application of Hu Zhang (Polygonum cuspidatum) extracts against non-O1/O139 Vibrio cholerae in prawn storage

    • LWT
    • Plant-derived alternatives to antibiotics are of great concern. The goal of this work was to enhance the Hu Zhang (Polygonum cuspidatum) extraction procedure against non-O1/O139 V. cholerae (HZE), identify the antibacterial components, analyze the mechanism of action, and investigate its potential in prawn storage.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  2. Sodium chloride augments the antibacterial activity of a novel penaeid shrimp-derived peptide (GPCR10) against halotolerant Staphylococcus aureus

    • LWT
    • The activity of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) can be enhanced by sodium chloride (NaCl), but whether this applies to halotolerant bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, is unknown. Ten peptides with antimicrobial potential were identified from Penaeus vannamei using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and in silico analysis.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  3. Inactivation of Salmonella Typhimurium in fresh-cut lettuce during chlorine washing: Assessing the impacts of free chlorine concentrations and exposure times

    • LWT
    • The aim of this study was to evaluate, quantify and model the survival of Salmonella in fresh-cut lettuce during washings with chlorinated water at different free chlorine concentrations (FCC, 0–150 mg/L). Individual fresh-cut lettuce samples (4 cm2) were inoculated with a Salmonella culture (ca. 4 log CFU/cm2) and washed with 100-mL solutions with different FCC for different times (0–150 s).

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  4. Comparison and dynamic simulation of Staphylococcus aureus growth kinetics in grilled oysters

    • LWT
    • This study aimed to investigate the growth characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus in grilled oysters under different storage temperatures by establishing and comparing the relevant dynamic growth prediction models. The growth data of S.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  5. Simultaneous analysis of mildew degree and aflatoxin B1 of wheat by a multi-task deep learning strategy based on microwave detection technology

    • LWT
    • This study proposes a novel qualitative and quantitative analysis method for wheat mildew degree and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) by microwave detection technology combined with multi-task learning strategy. The team developed a miniaturized microwave detection device with double heterodyne mixing structure, and used this device to obtain the transmission indexes (amplitude and phase) of moldy wheat samples.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  6. Preoperational cleaning processes interfere with microbial ecology and presence of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. on food conveyor belts of a poultry slaughterhouse in Brazil

    • LWT
    • This study aimed to evaluate the preoperational cleaning process of a poultry slaughterhouse regarding microbial ecology, microorganisms indicators of hygienic-sanitary conditions, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Listeria monocytogenes
      • Salmonella
  7. Biocontrol of Bacillus cereus by Lactobacillus planetarium in Kareish cheese and yogurt

    • LWT
    • This study aims to biocontrol of Bacillus cereus by Lactobacillus planetarium in Kareish cheese and yogurts. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), antioxidant potentials, total flavonoids content (TFC) and total phenolic content (TPC) of L. planetarium were also estimated. Results showed that incidence of B. cereus in Kareish cheese and yogurt was 16 and 4%, respectively.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Bacillus cereus
  8. Bacteriostatic potential of nisin and sesamol combination against Listeria monocytogenes in chilled raw tuna fillets

    • LWT
    • Chilled tuna fillets are easy to be contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes, which is an important risk factor for the outbreak of foodborne diseases. Nisin (NS) in combination with sesamol (SE) has showed to have the ability to inhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes in bacterial culture-medium, however, their bacteriostatic effect in actual food model has been not evaluated.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Listeria monocytogenes
  9. Screening of probiotic strains of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum from Hu sheep and its ability to inhibit Listeria monocytogenes in pasteurized milk

    • LWT
    • Hu sheep is an important sheep breed in China whose intestines are rich in probiotics. In this study, a total of fifty-nine lactic acid bacteria strains were isolated from Hu sheep feces and twelve strains were identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. Among them, six L. plantarum strains were selected and further evaluated for their probiotic properties. Our results suggested that L.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Listeria monocytogenes
  10. High virulence Proteus mirabilis strains cause acceleration of decay of fresh-cut fruits

    • LWT
    • The role of Proteus mirabilis on food safety has not been investigated before. Three P. mirabilis strains (swupm1, swupm2 and swupm3) isolated from fresh-cut fruits were shown to vary in swarming motility, with strains swupm1 and swupm2, but not awupm3 exhibiting the characteristic bull's-eye phenotype. Strains swupm1 and swupm2 grew faster and produced stronger biofilm than swupm3.

      • Produce Safety
      • Fresh Cut
  11. Growth comparison and model validation for growth of Shiga toxin-producing escherichia coli (STEC) in ground beef

    • LWT
    • The aim of this study was to compare the growth of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) with E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef and modified Tryptic Soy Broth (TSB). Additionally, the performance of three available models (ComBase, Huang et al. model, and Cepeda et al. model) for predicting STEC growth in ground beef was evaluated. To achieve this, eleven groups of STEC, including E.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Escherichia coli O157:H7
  12. Inhibitory effects of piperine and black pepper essential oil on multispecies biofilm formation by Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

    • LWT
    • This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of black pepper essential oil (BPEO) and piperine and the effect of piperine on gene expression in a multispecies biofilm composed of Listeria monocytogenesSalmonella Typhimurium, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa on a polypropylene surface.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Listeria monocytogenes
      • Salmonella
  13. Thermal resistance of shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, Salmonella and Enterococcus faecium in peanut butter, oatmeal raisin, and chocolate chip cookies

    • LWT
    • Thermal-death-time characteristics, D- and z-values of shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Salmonella, and Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354 were investigated in peanut butter, oatmeal, and chocolate chip cookie formulations at three moisture levels. E. faecium was shown to be more resistant than Salmonella, followed by E. coli at all water activity levels. E.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  14. Survival behavior of Salmonella enterica in the peel, stalk, pulp, and tip of green, mature, and ripe tropical fruits: Avocado [Persea americana] and sugar apple [Annona squamosa]

    • LWT
    • The aim of this study was to determine the growth potential (δ) of Salmonella enterica in various parts (peel, stalk, pulp, and tip) of avocado and sugar apple at different maturation stages (green, mature, and ripe) over time. In addition, physicochemical parameters of the fruits were monitored using standard methods. There were statistically significant differences in the growth potential of S.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  15. Antimicrobial activity of Emodin in combination with visible light against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus: Applications for food safety technology

    • LWT
    • In order to promote the application of natural photosensitizer, the photodynamic antibacterial effect of emodin combined with visible light on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were studied in this work. The results showed that emodin mediated photodynamic antibacterial activity was dependent on concentration, light time and pH.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  16. First insights into antimicrobial resistance, toxigenic profiles, and genetic diversity in Bacillus cereus isolated from Chinese sausages

    • LWT
    • Bacillus cereus is a common food-borne bacterial pathogen. This study was to designed the prevalence of B. cereus in Chinese sausages and evaluate its genetic diversity, toxigenic profiles, and antimicrobial resistance. Using bacteriological and biochemical detection tests, B. cereus was isolated from 12.63% (N = 49) of the total 388 samples. However, only 37 of the 49 isolates were simultaneously classified as the strictly B.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Bacillus cereus
  17. Antibacterial κ-carrageenan/konjac glucomannan-based edible hydrogel film containing Salmonella phage PBSE191 and its application in chicken meat

    • LWT
    • With the global transition toward carbon neutrality, zero-waste strategy, and with the emergence of bacteriophages as ubiquitous antibiotic substitutes, we developed natural polymer-based hydrogel films characterized by sustainability and biodegradability as alternative green food packaging materials. We characterized the κ-carrageenan and konjac glucomannan-based hydrogel film containing Salmonella Enteritidis phage PBSE191.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  18. Inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes by pulsed light in packaged and sliced salpicão, a ready-to-eat traditional cured smoked meat sausage

    • LWT
    • The efficacy of pulsed light (PL) for the surface decontamination of a sliced ready-to-eat cured meat product, salpicão, was studied. The surface of the slices was inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes (107 cfu/g), and then PL treatment was applied. Microbial analyses (L. monocytogenes, coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CNS), Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Enterobacteriaceae) were performed immediately after the treatment.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Listeria monocytogenes
  19. Biocontrol and anti-biofilm potential of aerosols sprayed slightly acidic electrolyzed water against Cronobacter sakazakii in infant food industry

    • LWT
    • This study aimed to assess microbial contamination of the processed rice product, food contact surface, and air at workplaces in the infant rice food industry. Further, the effectiveness of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) against Cronobacter sakazakii airborne and biofilm was evaluated. C. Sakazaki was detected in the grinding steps, dry room, and dry chamber, which can live in a low-water activity environment.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Cronobacter
  20. Deciphering the antibacterial mechanism of monocaprin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses and its application in pork preservation

    • LWT
    • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a drug-resistant pathogen generally derived from pork and other animal foods. This study investigated the antibacterial mechanism of monocaprin against MRSA and its preservation effect on pork. The results showed that monocaprin had a strong anti-MRSA activity with visible cell surface damage and a minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.16 mg/mL.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  21. Mathematical modeling of temperature and natural antimicrobial effects on germination and outgrowth of Clostridium perfringens in chilled chicken

    • LWT
    • Effects of ginger essential oil (GEO) and grape seed extract (GSE) treatments on germination and growth of Clostridium perfringens spores in chicken after linear cooling and isothermal storage were evaluated. GEO or GSE (1%) can properly inhibit the germination and growth of C. perfringens spores during cooling from 50 °C to 4 °C. The kinetic models of Gompertz and Rat-kowskyt were carried out to describe the spore germination and growth of C.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  22. Transcriptomic analysis reveals the antibiofilm mechanism of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus MS1 against Vibrio parahaemolyticus

    • LWT
    • This study aimed to explore novel anti-biofilm agents from Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus. We found that the ethyl acetate extract of L. rhamnosus MS1 effectively reduced the motility, extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) content and biofilm production of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and confirmed the anti-biofilm effect by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  23. Rapid and simultaneous detection of viable S. aureus and its penicillin susceptibility by phage amplification techniques in different food matrices

    • LWT
    • Staphylococcus aureus, a zoonotic pathogen causes diseases in humans and animals, establishing a robust analytical method is crucial to minimize its adverse impacts. Phage amplification assay (PAA) is a method for indirect detection of target bacteria by detecting the progeny phage. In this study, we proposed a phage amplification assay based on Twortvirinae phage LSA2311 with a broad host range to indirectly detect S.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  24. 1H NMR–based metabolomics reveals the antimicrobial action of oregano essential oil against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in broth, milk, and beef

    • LWT
    • Foodborne illnesses affect the health of human worldwide. Thus, the search for potential antimicrobial agents against foodborne pathogens is given increased attention. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial mechanism of oregano essential oil (OEO) against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in Luria–Bertani (LB) broth, milk, and beef using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)–based metabolomics.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  25. Rose bud extract as a natural antimicrobial agent against Staphylococcus aureus: Mechanisms and application in maintaining pork safety

    • LWT
    • Pingyin rose bud extract (RBE) may serve as a green antibacterial agent replacing chemically synthesized agents, but its potential antibacterial activity and mechanisms were not well studied. In the present study, RBE component was analyzed through untargeted metabolomics. Then, Staphylococcus aureus was taken as research subject, and the action mechanisms of RBE in Luria–Bertani broth and its elimination efficiency in pork were studied.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus