Research Publications (Food Safety)

Cronobacter spp. is an opportunistic pathogen that causes severe infections, affecting newborns and infants, and is also an emerging cause of hospital-acquired infection in elderly populations. These infections are mainly associated with the consumption of infant formulas, even though these bacteria have been isolated from other foods as well. Cronobacter spp. invades epithelial cells and escapes the immune response mechanisms, multiplying inside macrophages.

In order to enrich the knowledge of chicken transcriptomic response to Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis infection, 2-day-old chicks were orally inoculated with this bacteria (1.0 × 108 cfu/mL), and then the cecum tissues of 3 days post-inoculation were utilized for RNA sequencing (six replicates each for treatment group and control group). After analysis, we found a variety of inflammatory genes were triggered at the mRNA level upon infection.

Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) is one pathogenic fungus that severely endangers human health and food safety. In our previous work, paeonol, a natural active compound from Paeonia. spp can inhibit the growth of A. flavus, and the mode of action is involved with targeting cell walls and cell membranes.

In CD-1 mice, gestational-only exposure to cadmium (Cd) causes female-specific hepatic insulin resistance, metabolic disruption, and obesity. To evaluate whether sex differences in uptake and changes in essential metal concentrations contribute to metabolic outcomes, placental and liver Cd and essential metal concentrations were quantified in male and female offspring perinatally exposed to 500 ppb CdCl2.

Lead is a nonessential metal and may be a coexposure in welding fumes. Preclinical data indicate lead may affect iron regulation. The current study investigated blood lead concentrations and their association with brain iron accumulation in workers with chronic welding fume exposure, with a focus on iron-rich subcortical regions of the cerebellum and basal ganglia. Occupational exposure, whole blood metal, and brain MRI data were obtained from 29 controls and 42 welders.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is required for vertebrate development and is also activated by exogenous chemicals, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). AHR activation is well-understood, but roles of downstream molecular signaling events are largely unknown.

Among the forms of idiopathic hyperhidrosis, those involving the forehead have the greatest impact on patients’ quality of life, as symptoms are not very controllable and are difficult to mask for patients. Although the local injection therapy with Incobotulinum toxin type A (IncoBTX-A therapy) can be considered a rational treatment, data from the literature describing both efficacy and safety of the treatment over the long term are poor.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a type of mycotoxin produced by the fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus and is commonly found in cereals, oils and foodstuffs. In order to understand the toxic effects of AFB1 exposure on Porcine alveolar macrophages (3D4/2 cell), the 3D4/2 cells were exposed to 40 μg/mL AFB1 for 24 h in vitro, and several methods were used for analysis.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence, pathogenic potential and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Escherichia coli isolated from raw milk cheese, traditionally produced by farmers and marketed directly to the consumer in Banat region, Romania. A total of 81.1% (43/53) of the processed samples expressed positive results for E. coli, with a distribution of 83.8% (31/37), and 75.0% (12/16) in the cow- and sheep-milk-origin assortments, respectively.

This work aimed to evaluate the chemical composition of the essential oils (EOs) of two cultivars of Allium sativum and their antibiofilm activity against the food pathogens Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus. The crystal violet assay ascertained the susceptibility of the bacterial biofilms, while the MTT assay let to evaluations of the metabolic changes occurring in the bacterial cells within biofilms.

Zoonoses and Public Health, EarlyView. The gastrointestinal tract of poultry is a potential source of Campylobacter jejuni. Here, the prevalence, risk factors, antimicrobial susceptibility profile and genetic relationship of C. jejuni were studied in broilers from farms and meat from live bird markets (LBMs) and super shops (SS). Pooled cloacal samples were obtained from farms in six districts of Bangladesh between June 2019 and March 2020.

by Yanhong Liu, Brian ByongKwon Yoo, Cheng-An Hwang, Mira Rakic Martinez, Atin R. Datta, Pina M. Fratamico Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen and the causative agent of listeriosis, a disease associated with high fatality (20–30%) and hospitalization rates (>95%). ATP-Binding Cassette (ABC) transporters have been demonstrated to be involved in the general stress response.

by Priyashi Rao, Dweipayan Goswami, Rakesh M. Rawal Since its origin, the emergence of vector-borne infections has taken a toll on incalculable human lives. The use of chemical insecticides is one of the early known methods of vector control and although their use is still a prevalent way to combat insect population sadly the perils of insects related transmission still persists.

Anthropogenic noise in the marine environment has become a global environmental pollutant that affects the behavior, physiology and immunity of marine animals. However, the resistance of marine animals to pathogens while under the influence of noise is a topic that has received little attention.

Interpretation of IgM anti-Toxoplasma can be problematic given the phenomena of “natural” IgM. We analyzed 1.503 sera obtained during prenatal care program, and we established natural and false-positive results by doing follow-up. In 101 samples the concordance between ELISA assay and two semi-automatized systems (Elecsys and VIDAS) was calculated.

Noncompetitive immunoassays for small molecules are generally considered to be more sensitive than competitive ones. In this study, a phage-peptide against immune complex of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and nanobody Nb28 was obtained by phage-display technology. The phage-peptide was labeled with peroxidase and used to develop a direct noncompetitive magnetic-chemiluminescent enzyme-linked immunoassay (Nc-MCLEIA) for AFB1.

Owing to the high carcinogenicity of aflatoxins, these toxic secondary metabolites pose a severe risk to human and animal health and can have major economic implications. Herein, we report the development of a noncompetitive immunoassay for aflatoxins based on a monoclonal capture antibody and a unique anti-immunocomplex (anti-IC) antibody fragment (scFv) isolated from a synthetic antibody repertoire.

Penicillium nordicum is the main ochratoxin A (OTA) producing mould in dry-cured meat products. The use of autochthonous microorganisms as protective cultures is a promising strategy to control this hazard. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of Debaryomyces hansenii and Staphylococcus xylosus isolated from dry-cured meat products as biocontrol agents (BCAs) against P.

Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus hominis causes bloodstream infections and often can form biofilms on medical devices. This study aimed to improve the current methodology for antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) in biofilm-growing S. hominis isolates. Biofilm production of S.

This study compares kinetic parameters of Salmonella and the surrogate Enterococcus faecium in mash broiler feed during thermal inactivation. Two-gram samples of mash broiler feed were added into a filtered sample bag and inoculated with nalidixic acid (NaL, 200 ppm) resistant S. Typhimurium or E.

Livestock-associated -Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (LA-MRSA) contamination on pork has emerged as one of the major concerns worldwide. Combinations of natural plant extracts (NPEs) and food preservatives were tested for their anti-MRSA activities.

Lactic-acid bacteria isolated throughout the ripening process from traditional RTE soft cheeses and dry-cured fermented sausages were characterized and selected for their anti-L. monocytogenes activity.

Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum (S. Gallinarum) is a host-specific pathogen causing fowl typhoid, a severe systemic infection in poultry, which leads to substantial economic losses due to high morbidity and mortality in many developing countries. However, less is known about the pathogenic characteristics and mechanism of S. Gallinarum-induced systemic infection in chickens. In this study, we deleted the S.

Bacterial contamination during meat processing is a concern for both food safety and for the shelf life of pork meat products. The gut microbiota of meat-producing animals is one of the most important sources of surface contamination of processed carcasses. This microbiota is recognized to vary between pigs from different farms and could thus be reflected on the bacterial contamination of carcasses at time of processing.

Deoxynivalenol (DON), the most naturally-occurring trichothecenes, may affect animal and human health by causing vomiting as a hallmark of food poisoning. Deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (D3G) usually co-occurs with DON as its glucosylated form and is another emerging food safety issue in recent years. However, the toxicity of D3G is not fully understood compared to DON, especially in emetic potency.