Research Publications (Food Safety)

The sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) is a small, arboreal, nocturnal, gliding mammalian possum belonging to the marsupial infraclass. Exotic marsupials, including sugar gliders, are becoming popular companion pets and, consequently, the risk of potential infections that can be transmitted to humans should be investigated. Data on the role of the sugar glider as a possible carrier of pathogenic and zoonotic bacteria are scarce and fragmentary.

Significance and Impact of the Study: Fermented chopped pepper is an important ingredient in traditional Chinese foods. As of yet, the bacterial community dynamics that take place during the fermentation of chopped pepper have not been described. In this study, we used high‐throughput sequencing to investigate the bacterial community, deepening our understanding of the microbial mechanisms underlying the fermentation of traditional chopped pepper.

The present study aimed to investigate the incidence, virulence and antibiotic properties in Vibrio spp. isolated from cockles (Tegillarca granosa) marketed in Korea. A total of 32 Vibrio spp. isolates including V. parahaemolyticus (n=4), V. alginolyticus (n=11), V. diabolicus (n=14), and V. harveyi (n=3) were detected using gyrB sequencing.

The indiscriminate use of antimicrobials in aquaculture results in antibiotic selection pressure and proliferation of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria. Frequent assessment of antimicrobial resistance in aquaculture environment is inevitable so as to reduce the passage of clinically important AMR from aquatic to other environment. The present study analysed the antimicrobial resistance of pathogens associated with diseased koi carp and goldfish from an ornamental fish farm.

The present study assessed the occurrence, virulence determinants and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Vibrio spp. isolated from live Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum). A total of 31 Vibrio spp. including 27 V. diabolicus, 2 V. fluvialis, 1 V. alginolyticus, and 1 V. antiquarius were isolated and identified.

Significance and Impact of the Study: Microbial contamination of air and surfaces in hospitals play an important role in healthcare‐associated infections. The aim was the assessment of Klebsiella pneumoniae elimination using radiant catalytic ionization (RCI). K. pneumoniae are aetiological agent of nosocomial infections, such as: pneumonia, infections of urinary tract, blood, e.t.c. The strains producing the New Delhi metallo‐β‐lactamases are one of the greatest epidemiological threat.

Four cases of listeriosis in a hospital (A) in New Zealand were identified in 2012. Pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis used at the time identified four pulsotypes amongst the clinical isolates. Two of the pulsotypes matched to L. monocytogenes isolates obtained from ready‐to‐eat (RTE) meat samples from a RTE producer tested during a nationwide microbiological survey the month prior.

Sixteen sites in the watershed of the South Fork of the Broad River (SFBR) in Northeastern Georgia, USA, were sampled in two seasons to detect Campylobacter. Sites were classified as mostly influenced by forest, pasture, wastewater pollution control plants (WPC) or mixed‐use. Sampling was repeated in the late spring and late fall for two years for a total of 126 samples.

ESBL producing STEC are posing a constant threat to public health throughout the world leading to serious infections and raising key therapeutic issues. A total of 219 fecal samples were collected from piglets with diarrheoa, pig farmers, and water sources in North East India; and were processed for isolation of Escherichia coli. The isolates were screened for antimicrobial resistance and suspected isolates for ESBLs production by double disk synergy test (DDST). E.

Significance and Impact of the Study: The present study investigates the virucidal activity of tungsten carbide nanoparticles using the quantitative suspension test in accordance with the European norm EN 14476+A1 and the German DVV/RKI guidelines. Due to highly standardized assay conditions, results of this test are considered very reliable for evaluation of the virucidal activity of disinfectants.

Significance and Impact of the Study: Treated wastewater effluent contains Listeria monocytogenes which survives conventional wastewater treatment processes and can re‐enter human food chain, thus it is imperative to detect L.  monocytogenes using a rapid and an inexpensive method.

Significance and Impact of the Study: The ability to predict the growth and survival of Listeria monocytogenes in contaminated RTE foods is essential for listeriosis risk assessment. The results of this study provided valuable information on the kinetic parameters of survival of some L. monocytogenes strains found within the South African food environment.

This study investigated the existence of sulfonamides and colistin resistance genes among extended‐spectrum beta‐lactamase (ESBL)‐producing E. coli recovered from fish gut in Vietnam and evaluated the susceptibility patterns of the ESBL‐producing E. coli to relevant antimicrobials. A total of 88 ESBL‐producing E. coli isolates were analyzed for the presence of the ESBLs, sul (1,2,3) and mcr (1‐3) genes by PCR. Antimicrobial resistance phenotypes of isolates were determined by disc diffusion.

Significance and Impact of the Study: This paper reports on a simple, robust and scientifically sound method to reduce attachment and biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis to abiotic surfaces using a carefully designed nanoscale topography. This approach can help to reduce the incidence of staphylococcal biofilms and infections without imposing selective stresses on bacteria, thus preventing the creation of resistant strains.

Clostridium perfringens is the main cause of sudden death in dogs and currently there is no vaccine to prevent it. In this study, a canine C. perfringens type A strain was used to prepare a vaccine. C. perfringens was inactivated by formaldehyde and adjuvants were added. The safety and immunological characteristics of the inactivated C. perfringens vaccine were evaluated in mice and dogs. The results showed that the C. perfringens vaccine was safe and had immunoprotective activity.

Significance and Impact of the Study: Enterohepatic Helicobacter (EHH) infections have been associated with several diseases in humans such as acute gastroenteritis, inflammatory bowel disease and hepatobiliary diseases. Although they are frequently detected in clinical samples by molecular methods, only occasionally they are isolated using culture conditions described for the taxonomic related pathogen Campylobacter sp.

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