Research Publications (Food Safety)

Sorghum is the main staple food crop in developing countries, including Ethiopia. However, sorghum grain quantity and quality are affected by contaminating fungi both under field and post-harvest stage. The aim of the current study was to assessed fungal species and multi-mycotoxins associated with sorghum grain in post-harvest samples collected from eastern Ethiopia.

Currently,  1–2% of all prosthetic joint surgeries are followed by an infection. These infections cause approximately 4% of deaths in the first year after surgery, while the 5-year mortality rate is up to 21%. Prosthetic joint infections are mainly caused by Staphylococcus aureus or Staphylococcus epidermis strains. Both species share the capability of biofilm formation and methicillin resistance.

Microbiology Resource Announcements, Ahead of Print. Salmonella enterica continues to be a pervasive food safety concern in the poultry industry, contributing to the annual burden of foodborne illnesses in the United States. Poultry litter is a known environmental source for the transmission of Salmonella among broiler flocks. Here, we describe the draft genome sequences of 278 S. enterica isolates collected from poultry litter in Florida.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Ahead of Print. Drug-resistant bacteria was the third leading cause of death worldwide in 2019, which sounds like a cautionary note for global public health. Therefore, developing novel strategies to combat Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections is the need of the hour.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Ahead of Print. Staphylococcus epidermidis is one of the main pathogens responsible for bone and joint infections, especially those involving prosthetic materials, due to its ability to form biofilms. In these cases, biofilm formation, combined with increased antimicrobial resistance, often results in therapeutic failures. In this context, the development of innovative therapies active against S. epidermidis is a priority.

A poly (ionic liquid) (PIL) functionalized magnetic nanoparticles methodology was developed and utilized as an efficient adsorbent for the simultaneous extraction of cadmium, lead, and copper ions from water and fruit juice samples. The novel adsorbent was fabricated by grafting DABCO-based PIL onto silica-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles via copper (0)-mediated reversible-deactivation radical polymerization. Different techniques properly characterized the developed nanoparticles.

It is of great significance to develop safe and efficient dietary selenium sources to improve lead toxicity. In this study, selenate, selenite, SeMet and Se-yeast were supplied to investigate the Se biofortification and bioaccessibility in Pleurotus eryngii. The effects of Se-enriched P. eryngii on lead binding bacteria were investigated via in vitro fermentation.

Amanitin (AMA) is responsible for human fatalities after ingestion of poisonous mushrooms, thus, a rapid and accurate detection method is urgently needed. Here, gold nanoparticle-based immunosensor with monoclonal antibody against AMA was constructed for rapid detection of alpha- and beta-amanitin (α- and β-AMA) in mushroom, serum and urine samples.

Deoxynivalenol(DON) is a ubiquitous trichothecene mycotoxin in food. DON and its modified forms can cross the placental barrier and influence the foetus’ health. Limited information is available on exposure of dietary DON intake of pregnant women in China recently. We estimated the exposure of dietary DON intake of pregnant women in a large sample size(n = 2534) from China.

Listeria monocytogenes and Corynebacterium diphtheriae are typical bacterial pathogens and pose an increasing threat to food safety and human health due to their growing antibiotic resistance. In this study, biological selenium nanoparticles (Bio-SeNPs) were synthesized by Moringa oleifera extract and selenite.

Objective of the present study was to evaluate the ability of acetic acid to inhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes when added to artificial brine for mozzarella storage. L.

Dinoflagellates possess plastids that are diverse in both pigmentation and evolutionary background. One of the plastid types found in dinoflagellates is pigmented with chlorophylls a and b (Chl a + b) and originated from the endosymbionts belonging to a small group of green algae, Pedinophyceae.

Bacterial and viral diseases in aquaculture result in severe production and economic losses. Among pathogenic bacteria, species belonging to the Vibrio genus are one of the most common and widespread disease-causing agents. Vibrio infections play a leading role in constraining the sustainable growth of the aquaculture sector worldwide and, consequently, are the target of manifold disease prevention strategies.

Coral reefs belong to the marine ecosystems and host the richest biodiversity of marine organisms. Coral reefs are formed as a result of the symbiotic relationship between the host coral animal and photosynthetic dinoflagellates, namely Symbiodinium sp. Coral animals induce the release of carbon fixation products of symbiotic Symbiodinium sp. through secreting host release factors (HRFs) such as taurine.

Sewage effluent discharge is a major source of pathogenic contamination to the environment. The disinfection process is critical for the elimination of pathogens in sewage. In this study, we examined the impact of chlorine disinfection on the total, viable, and culturable populations of indicator bacteria, pathogens, and bacterial communities in two contrasting types of effluents (primarily treated saline and secondarily treated freshwater).

Vibrio parahaemolyticus biofilm poses a serious threat to food safety and human health. However, there is limited knowledge of transcriptional regulatory mechanism during the biofilm formation of this organism. Hence, the RNA sequencing technique was employed to compare the differences in transcriptome profiles between planktonic and biofilm state of V. parahaemolyticus ATCC33847 in this study.

T3SS is an important virulence factor of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and has a central role in the infection process. However, the functional regulation of the T3SS by environmental signals is poorly understood. In our lab, we use fluorescence microscopy to study protein kinetics in real-time in live cells. In P. aeruginosa, results have shown that T3SS appears as bright foci at the cell membrane with no specific arrangement.

Journal of Applied Microbiology, Accepted Article. Vibrio spp. are associated with water and seafood-related outbreaks worldwide. They are naturally present in aquatic environments such as seawater, brackish water and freshwater environments.

Journal of Applied Microbiology, Accepted Article. Aims In the study, seven Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) Azotobacter species were screened against three strains of Fusarium verticillioides to test its antifungal activity. Azotobacter strains were tested for the degradation of fumonisin produced by F.

The zoonotic protozoa parasites Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis infect a wide range of hosts, including humans. Pigs are reservoir hosts for Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis, which can transmit cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis to humans and other animals. The current study sought to investigate the infection rates and species/genotypes of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis in pigs in Hubei of China.

Red seaweeds have several biofunctional properties, including immunomodulatory, antitumor, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities. In this study, we examined the effects of diets containing Sarcodia suae on the immune response, immune-related gene expressions, and disease resistance against Vibrio alginolyticus in white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei.

Rapid and accurate predictions of heavy metal contents in farmland are of great significance to ensure the safety of agricultural products and maintain ecosystem balance. Combining multispectral images and chemometric modeling provides a feasible means of estimating cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) contents in farmland.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) induces intestinal epithelial barrier disruption, posing a threat to the body. Curcumin (Cur) possesses pharmacological bioactivities such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that help maintain intestinal health. Here, the protective effects of Cur against DON-induced intestinal epithelial barrier disruption were explored.

Transmission and outbreaks of Staphylococcus aureus among retail food highlights the need to comprehensive analysis the molecular characteristic of Staphylococcus aureus in foods. However, the information about Staphylococcus aureus in north China is limited. In this study, 97 and 28 S.

The zebrafish model was used to evaluate the antioxidant properties of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) and its metabolite protocatechuic acid (PCA) against aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress. In this study, zebrafish larvae were cultured for 3 days post fertilization (dpf) and then induced with AFB1. After induced 4 h, 8 h, 12 h, and 24 h, 5 μg/mL C3G/PCA was added and then co-cultured to 5 dpf, respectively.