Research Publications (Food Safety)

Due to the carcinogenic character of aflatoxins when present in foods, these compounds are considered a risk to human health. This systematic review aimed at compiling the available research data on detection and quantification of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in milk and common types of cheese produced in Mexico in the past two decades. A limited number of studies were found that matched the purpose of our review.

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, mycotoxicoses constitute the second most pressing food safety problem worldwide, with most cases occurring in developing countries. Maize (Zea mays L.), the main staple for many Latin Americans, is one of the best suitable substrates for mycotoxigenic Aspergillus fungi. Aflatoxins (AFs) produced primarily by Aspergillus flavus, are of significant concern, especially in developing countries.

The objective of this study was to evaluate biochemical parameters and histopathology of liver in Matrinxã (Brycon cephalus) and Pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) fish chronically exposed to dietary aflatoxins. Fish feed was artificially contaminated with aflatoxins and the treatments were: Control – feed without toxin; Treatment A – feed + 10 μg aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)/kg; Treatment B – feed + 20 μg AFB1/kg; and Treatment C – feed + 50 μg AFB1/kg.

Human norovirus (HuNoV) is the leading causative agent of foodborne outbreaks and is associated with the second most prevalent cause of waterborne infections in the United States.

The presence of AFM 1 in milk is a public health concern, since milk is a significant part of human diets across nations.   In economies where monitoring is low or non-existent, the possibility of contamination with AFM 1 might be increased. Our study aimed to detect and quantify the concentration of AFM 1 in fluid milk and milk drink of different brands, fat contents, packages and, heat treatments sold in the Metropolitan Area of Asunción.

This study aimed to characterize the Salmonella spp. distribution in a poultry processing facility, and to identify their antibiotic resistance profiles. S. enterica was detected in 146 samples (66.7%), and 125 isolates were identified as S. Heidelberg (n = 123), S. Abony (n = 1) and S. O:4,5 (n = 1). S.

ABSTRACT Leafy green vegetables have increasingly been reported as a reservoir of multidrug-resistant pathogenic Enterobacteriaceae; with Shiga toxin- producing Escherichia coli frequently implicated in disease outbreaks worldwide.  This study aimed to determine the presence and characteristics of antibiotic resistance, diarrheagenic virulence genes and phylogenetic groupings of E.

Campylobacter spp. is considered the most common bacterial cause of human gastroenteritis, one of the four main causes of diarrheal disease worldwide, and one of the main foodborne pathogens causing hospitalizations and deaths. A total of 148 strains of Campylobacter spp.   isolated from poultry at farms, processing plants and retail stores in Costa Rica were examined for resistance to six antibiotics.

Imported berries have contributed to U.S. hepatitis A virus (HAV) infections. Minimal processing by freeze-drying is preferred by industry for preserving food quality, but virus inactivation by this process may be limited. This study investigated HAV survival on strawberries during 24-h freeze-drying followed by 22 ° C-storage.

The objectives of this investigation were a) to isolate bacteria from different foods (dairy products, fruits, and vegetables) and evaluate their probiotic potential and b) to select, identify, and characterize the strain with the highest probiotic potential.

Accurately monitoring mercury ions (Hg2+) in food and agriculture-related matrixes (e.g., green tea) is of great significance to safeguard food safety. Here, we employed upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to engineer a cysteine (Cys)-assisted anti-Stokes luminescence sensing platform (UCNPs–AuNPs) for precisely detecting residual Hg2+ in green tea through the competition effect.

Feeding raw meat to domestic pets is a popular practice. Because of the potential food safety implications associated with handling raw meat, concerns about pet owner health have increased. For this study, a netnographic content analysis approach was used to analyze posts from ‘PetForums Community’ online archives, relating to ‘raw meat-based feeding’ and ‘food safety’ ( n =308).

In food processing environments, various microorganisms can adhere and aggregate on the surface of equipment, resulting in the formation of multi-species biofilms. Complex interactions among microorganisms may affect the formation of multi-species biofilms and their resistance to disinfectants, which are food safety and quality concerns. This paper reviews the various interactions among microorganisms in multi-species biofilms, including competitive, cooperative and neutral interactions.

Abstract

Purpose

Evaluation of various mechanisms of Cd2+ and Zn2+ root uptake through modelling, including interactions with Fe uptake.

Microcystins are ubiquitous toxins produced by photoautotrophic cyanobacteria. Human exposures to microcystins occur through the consumption of contaminated drinking water, fish and shellfish, vegetables, and algal dietary supplements and through recreational activities. Microcystin-leucine-arginine (MCLR) is the prototypical microcystin because it is reported to be the most common and toxic variant and is the only microcystin with an established tolerable daily intake of 0.04 µg/kg.

Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) produces Stx1 and/or Stx2, and Subtilase cytotoxin (SubAB). Since these toxins may be present simultaneously during STEC infections, the purpose of this work was to study the co-action of Stx2 and SubAB. Stx2 + SubAB was assayed in vitro on monocultures and cocultures of human glomerular endothelial cells (HGEC) with a human proximal tubular epithelial cell line (HK-2) and in vivo in mice after weaning.

In this review, an analysis focusing on mycotoxin determination in infant breast milk and infant food has been summarised for the last fifteen years of research focused on the intended population group of 1–9 months. The objective was to know the level of exposure of the child population to an estimated daily intake (EDI) of mycotoxins from the consumption of habitual foods. The EDI was compared with the tolerable daily intake (TDI) established by EFSA to estimate risk.

This study aims to investigate (1) microbial patterns in fracture-related infections (FRIs) in comparison to microbiological patterns of periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs), (2) the identification of effective empiric antibiotic therapy for FRIs and PJIs and (3) analysis of difficult-to-treat (DTT) pathogens. Patients treated for FRIs or PJIs from 2017 to 2020 were evaluated for pathogens detected during treatment.

Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, Accepted Article. Abstract

Hybridization is one of the important factors influencing the adaptive evolution of invasive plants. According to previous studies, hybridization with an invasive plant reduces the adaptability of its native congener to environment. However, in this study, the hybridization with an invasive plant of Xanthium strumarium (LT) improves the tolerance and accumulation of its native congener Xanthium sibiricum (CR) to cadmium (Cd). Under Cd stress, X. sibiricum♀ × X.

Salmonellosis represents a growing threat to global public health. Salmonella enterica remains the leading cause of bacterial foodborne diseases in China. Salmonella enterica serovar Rissen (S. Rissen) has been recognized as one of the emerging serovars among humans in different countries worldwide. However, knowledge on the prevalence of S. Rissen in China is largely lacking. To address essential epidemiological information for S. Rissen in China, a total of 1,182 S.

Rice stripe mosaic disease (RSMD) is caused by the rice stripe mosaic virus (RSMV; genus Cytorhabdovirus, family Rhabdoviridae). In recent years, significant progress has been made in understanding several aspects of the disease, especially its geographical distribution, symptoms, vectors, gene functions, and control measures.

Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) is a common cause for self-limiting gastroenteritis, representing a public health concern globally. NTS is one of the leading causes of foodborne illnesses in China; however, the invasive infection caused by NTS is largely underappreciated.

Type I interferons (IFN), a family of cytokines widely expressed in various tissues, play important roles in anti-infection immunity. Nevertheless, it is not known whether Brucella spp. could interfere with IFN-I production induced by other pathogens.

Probiotics have been reported to play a major role in maintaining the balance of microbiota in host. Consumption of food with probiotics has increased with consumer concerns regarding healthy diets and wellness. Correspondingly, safety evaluation of probiotics for human consumption has become increasingly important in food industry. Herein, we aimed to test the safety of Bifidobacterium lactis BL-99 and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei K56 and ET-22 strains in vitro and in vivo.