Research Publications (Food Safety)

Sphingobium sp. strain SYK-6 is able to degrade various lignin-derived biaryls, including a phenylcoumaran-type compound, dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (DCA). In SYK-6 cells, the alcohol group of the B-ring side chain of DCA is initially oxidized to the carboxyl group to generate 3-(2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-(hydroxymethyl)-7-methoxy-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-5-yl) acrylic acid (DCA-C).

The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of the effects of sanitizing treatments of fresh produce on Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes. From 55 primary studies found to report on such effects, 40 were selected based on specific criteria, leading to more than 1,000 data on mean log reductions of these three bacterial pathogens impairing the safety of fresh produce.

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Abstract

In 2013, an oropharyngeal tularemia outbreak in Turkey affected 55 persons. Drinking tap water during the likely exposure period was significantly associated with illness (attack rate 27% vs. 11% among non–tap water drinkers). Findings showed the tap water source had been contaminated by surface water, and the chlorination device malfunctioned.

Publication date: March 2016
Source:LWT - Food Science and Technology, Volume 66

Author(s): Ji Yoon Yi, Na-Hye Lee, Myong-Soo Chung

Publication date: March 2016
Source:LWT - Food Science and Technology, Volume 66

Author(s): Federica Saladino, Lara Manyes, Fernando B. Luciano, Jordi Mañes, Mónica Fernandez-Franzon, Giuseppe Meca

Publication date: March 2016
Source:LWT - Food Science and Technology, Volume 66

Author(s): Maria Sanz-Puig, M.Consuelo Pina-Pérez, Antonio Martínez-López, Dolores Rodrigo

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Summary

Kevin G. Roelofs, Christopher J. Jones, Sarah R. Helman, Xiaoran Shang, Mona W. Orr, Jonathan R. Goodson, Michael Y. Galperin, Fitnat H. Yildiz, Vincent T. Lee

Christopher J. Jones, Andrew Utada, Kimberly R. Davis, Wiriya Thongsomboon, David Zamorano Sanchez, Vinita Banakar, Lynette Cegelski, Gerard C. L. Wong, Fitnat H. Yildiz

Detection of Shiga toxins (Stx) is important for accurate diagnosis of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli infection. In this study, we quantitatively analyzed Stx protein in nine patients’ stool during an outbreak that occurred in Japan. Highly sensitive immunoassay (bead enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (bead-ELISA)) revealed that the concentrations of toxins in stool of patients ranged from 0.71 to 10.44 ng/mL for Stx1 and 2.75 to 51.61 ng/mL for Stx2.

There are more than 300 potential mycotoxins that can contaminate food and feed and cause adverse effects in humans and animals. The data on the co-occurrence of mycotoxins in novel animal feed materials, such as distiller’s dried grain with solubles (DDGS), are limited. Thus, a UHPLC–MS/MS method for the quantitation of 77 mycotoxins and other fungal metabolites was used to analyze 169 DDGS samples produced from wheat, maize, and barley and 61 grain samples.

Silica is deposited in and around the spore coat layer of Bacillus cereus, and enhances the spore's acid resistance. Several peptides and proteins, including diatom silaffin and silacidin peptides, are involved in eukaryotic silica biomineralization (biosilicification). Homologous sequence search revealed a silacidin-like sequence in the C-terminal region of CotB1, a spore coat protein of B. cereus.

The genesis of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae involves acquisition of CTX, a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) filamentous phage that encodes cholera toxin. The phage exploits host encoded tyrosine recombinases (XerC-XerD) for chromosomal integration and lysogenic conversion. The replicative genome of CTX produces ssDNA by rolling circle replication, which may either be used for virion production or for integration into host chromosome.

The adsorption of ochratoxin A (OTA) by yeasts is a promising approach for the decontamination of musts and wines, but some potential competitive or interactive phenomena between mycotoxin, yeast cells, and anthocyanins might modify the intensity of the phenomenon. The aim of this study was to examine OTA adsorption by two strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (the wild strain W13, and the commercial isolate BM45), previously inactivated by heat, and a yeast cell wall preparation.

Publication date: Available online 24 October 2015
Food and Chemical Toxicology

Author(s): C.A. González-Arias, A. Crespo-Sempere, S. Marín, V. Sanchis, A.J. Ramos

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) in reducing pathogens on pure cultures and on cotton fabric surfaces in the presence of organic matter and estimate its efficacy in comparison with povidone iodine solution for reducing pathogenic microorganisms on internal surfaces of layer houses.

The popularity of food produced from animals kept under an organic regimen has increased in recent years. In Germany, turkey meat consumption has increased. Despite several studies assessing the susceptibility of campylobacters to various antibiotics in poultry, no sufficient data exists regarding the antimicrobial resistance of campylobacters in organic-reared turkeys.

The influence of in ovo administration of aromatase inhibitors, clomiphen citrate, tomoxifen, and garlic and tomato extracts on sex differentiation in broiler chickens were investigated in 2 experiments. Five hundred, and 1,000 fertile eggs from Ross 308 strain were used in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. In both experiments, eggs were divided into 5 groups: control group (DW, 0.1 mL/egg), tomoxifen (0.05 mg/egg), clomiphene citrate (0.05 mg/egg), garlic and tomato extracts (0.1 mL/egg).

Publication date: Available online 23 October 2015
Food and Chemical Toxicology

Author(s): Shruti Agrawal, Pradeep Bhatnagar, S.J.S. Flora

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Aims

The effect of ohmic heating (OH) in a pilot plant system which had a zig-zag shaped (elbow-type) ohmic heater with five sequential voltage electrodes was investigated on Bacillus cereus spores in a commercial tsuyu sauce.

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