Research Publications (Food Safety)

Fluoroquinolones are widely employed to treat or prevent respiratory diseases in poultry, and their residues could be present even after slaughtering. Thus, this study aimed to assess the oxidative effect of fluoroquinolones on myosin and chicken meat proteins under in vitro conditions, using proteomics and peptidomics approaches.

The invasive nature of Toxoplasma gondii is closely related to the properties of its cytoskeleton, which is constituted by a group of diverse structural and dynamic components that play key roles during the infection. Even if there have been numerous reports about the composition and function of the Toxoplasma cytoskeleton, the ultrastructural organization of some of these components has not yet been fully characterized.

Wound infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a great challenge which has caused significant burden and economic loss to the medical system. NZ2114, a plectasin-derived peptide, is an antibacterial agent for preventing and treating S. aureus infection, especially for methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infection.

Our aim was to explore the microbial community composition (bacteria and fungi) of fermented fish (pla-ra) from Northeast Thailand. We also made functional predictions concerning these microbial communities. The association between the microbiota and odor intensity was also analyzed. Fourteen samples of 1-year fermented fish samples derived from seven local markets in Khon Kaen, Northeast Thailand were used.

Biocompatible and non-toxic properties of chitosan make it a candidate with excellent application prospects in developing wound dressing conjugate compounds. Six different chitosan-based nanohybrid membranes were evaluated against multidrug-resistant bacterial isolates.

Journal of Separation Science, Accepted Article. As the pesticide and its metabolite residues in processed fruits could become a significant route of human exposure. The work presented herein focuses on developing a feasible quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe method with improved extraction and cleanup system for the determination of imidacloprid, acetamiprid, thiamethoxam and clothianidin (metabolite of thiamethoxam) in canned fruits.

by Bingliang Qu, Hui Zhao, Ying Chen, Xiangyong Yu Light intensity has an important environmental influence on the quality and yield of aquatic products. It is essential to understand the effects of light intensity on water quality and fish metabolism before large-scale aquaculture is implemented. In this study, two low-intensity light levels, 0 lx and 100 lx, were used to stress Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), with a natural light level (500 lx) used as control.

Parasitic dinoflagellates in genus Hematodinium have caused substantial economic losses to multiple commercially valuable marine crustaceans around the world. Recent efforts to better understand the life cycle and biology of the parasite have improved our understanding of the disease ecology.

The intestinal microbiota plays important roles in animal health and growth. We investigated the efficacy and mechanisms of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from adult SPF chickens against Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) infection in chicks. We transplanted 160 recipient SPF chicks (1-day-old) that were randomly divided into four groups, Ca (challenge), Cb (non-challenge), Fa (FMT and challenge) and Fb (FMT without challenge). The experiment lasted 40 days.

Introduction

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a major concern of public health due to its extraordinary capacity to develop and acquire resistance to different antimicrobials used to treat gonorrhoea. Limited treatment options and uncontrolled transmission have raised the need to assess the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of the isolates and to establish affordable alternatives for laboratory diagnosis.

Objectives

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a toxin that is widely present in food and feed and poses a serious threat to the health of humans and livestock. In this work, we proposed the quantitative detection method of AFB1 contamination using a simple, sensitive, and specific colorimetric immunoassay based on gold nanoparticles labeled with glucose oxidase (GOx)/rabbit anti-mouse immunoglobulin G.

Multidrug-resistant bacteria have become a public health problem worldwide, reducing treatment options against several pathogens. If we do not act against this problem, it is estimated that by 2050 superbugs will kill more people than the current COVID-19 pandemic. Among solutions to combat antibacterial resistance, there is increasing demand for new antimicrobials.

Mycolic acids are the key constituents of mycobacterial cell wall, which protect the bacteria from antibiotic susceptibility, helping to subvert and escape from the host immune system. Thus, the enzymes involved in regulating and biosynthesis of mycolic acids can be explored as potential drug targets to kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb).

Cadmium pollution is a serious threat to the soil environment. The application of bio-based fertilizers in combination with beneficial microbial agents is a sustainable approach to solving Cd pollution in farm soil. The present study investigated the effects of co-application of a Cd-immobilizing bacterial agent and two fermented organic fertilizers (fermentative edible fungi residue; fermentative cow dung) on Houttuynia cordata and its microbial communities in a Cd-polluted field.

Many microbial secondary metabolites have been studied for decades primarily because of their antimicrobial properties. However, several of these metabolites also possess nonantimicrobial functions, both influencing the physiology of the producer and their ecological neighbors. An example of a versatile bacterial secondary metabolite with multiple functions is the tropone derivative tropodithietic acid (TDA).

This study aimed at evaluating the incidence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) in thyme and thyme-based products, related dietary exposure, and cancer risk for regular and high consumption. A total of 160 samples were collected, and 32 composite samples were analyzed. AFB1 and OTA were respectively found in 84% (27/32) and 38% (12/32) of the samples.

In the past few years, there was a great interest in the use of higher doses of botulinum toxin type A, especially in case of upper and lower limb severe spasticity. To date, only one prospective, non-randomized, single-arm, multicenter, open-label, dose-titration study with the employment of incobotulinum toxin up to 800 U has been published, and the authors investigated safety and tolerability.

Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, Accepted Article. Zoonotic hepatitis E, mainly caused by swine hepatitis E virus (sHEV), is endemic in China, causing great economic disruption and public health threats. Although recombination is critical for the evolution of viruses, there is a limited assessment of its occurrence among sHEVs.

International Journal of Food Science & Technology, Accepted Article. Thirty-four different RTE vegetable salads were inoculated with a cocktail of three Salmonella enterica strains, and stored under modified atmosphere for up to 168 h at 4, 7, 12 and 16°C. Eighteen (18) of the salad samples comprised of two or more vegetable ingredients (also referred to as MV RTE salads), and 16 were made up of single vegetable ingredients (SV RTE salads).

Use of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in pesticides may lead to residual levels in food crops, thus raising food safety and environmental concerns. Since little is known about Ag NP behavior in wash water during typical commercial washing of fresh produce, this study assessed the temporal changes in Ag NP behavior when exposed to 2–100 mg/L free chlorine (Cl 2 ) in simulated lettuce wash water for up to 10 days.

Inshell walnuts could be contaminated with pathogens through direct contact or cross-contamination during harvesting and postharvest hulling, drying, or storage. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of ultraviolet–C (UV–C) radiation in inactivating foodborne pathogens on inshell walnut surfaces.

Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are one of the most consumed fruits worldwide. The fruit can become contaminated with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes at different stages of the production and supply chain, and these pathogens may survive under different storage conditions. The effect of relative humidity, temperature and time of storage on the attachment and survival characteristics of both pathogens on the surface of tomatoes was investigated.

by My-Hang Huynh, Vern B. Carruthers The Toxoplasma gondii lytic cycle is a repetition of host cell invasion, replication, egress, and re-invasion into the next host cell. While the molecular players involved in egress have been studied in greater detail in recent years, the signals and pathways for triggering egress from the host cell have not been fully elucidated.

by Salma Javed, JoAnn McClure, Muhammad Ali Syed, Osahon Obasuyi, Shahzad Ali, Sadia Tabassum, Mohammad Ejaz, Kunyan Zhang Buffalo represent a major source of milk in Pakistan. However, production is impacted by the disease bovine mastitis. Mastitis causes significant economic losses, with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) being one of its major causative agents.

Lithium-ion battery technology is one of the innovations gaining interest in utility-scale energy storage. However, there is a lack of scientific studies about its environmental performance. This study aims to evaluate the environmental impacts of lithium-ion batteries and conventional lead-acid batteries for stationary grid storage applications using life cycle assessment.