Research Publications (Food Safety)

Recently, aflatoxin exposure especially through maize and groundnuts has been associated with growth impairment in children. Infants and children are considered to be more susceptible to toxins because of their lower body weight, higher metabolic rate, and lower ability to detoxify. On the other hand, for women of reproductive age, aflatoxin exposure may not only affect their health but also that of their foetus in the case of pregnancy.

The excitatory neurotoxin domoic acid (DA) consistently contaminates food webs in coastal regions around the world. Acute exposure to the toxin causes Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning, a potentially lethal syndrome of gastrointestinal- and seizure-related outcomes. Both advanced age and male sex have been suggested to contribute to interindividual DA susceptibility.

Lactation is a unique physiological process to produce and secrete milk. Deoxynivalenol (DON) exposure during lactation has been demonstrated to affect adversely the growth development of offspring. However, the effects and potential mechanism of DON on maternal mammary glands remain largely unknown. In this study, we found the length and area of mammary glands were significantly reduced after DON exposure on lactation day (LD) 7 and LD 21.

Salmonella species are Gram-negative bacteria with more than 2600 serovars. Among these serovars, many are associated with various diseases in livestock and humans. White Kauffman Le-Minor (WKL) serotyping scheme applies specific serum to determine the serovars of Salmonella. Recent studies have applied molecular methods for serovar predictions. These methods include PCR, hybridization and sequence data to detect/predict serovar-specific genetic elements.

This research was conducted to explore the influence of cold shock on the firmness, a quality marker in chili pepper during 0–21 d storage and determine mechanism by cold shock impacted pectin. Chili peppers were exposed to cold shock precooling (0 ± 2 °C water/ice mixture) for 0-, 30-, 90- and 150-min, respectively. Results showed that cold shock alleviated loss of firmness throughout storage.

Heavy metals are defined by their high atomic mass. When essential to organisms, metal presence improves plant development; if nonessential, metal presence is toxic. This study aimed to evaluate the biological effects of heavy metals (copper, lead, nickel, aluminum, and cadmium) on Lactuca sativa germination, growth, cytogenotoxicity, and physiology. Seeds of L.

Swine pathogenic infection caused by Escherichia coli, known as swine colibacillosis, represents an epidemiological challenge not only for animal husbandry but also for health authorities. To note, virulent E. coli strains might be transmitted, and also cause disease, in humans. In the last decades, diverse successful multidrug-resistant strains have been detected, mainly due to the growing selective pressure of antibiotic use, in which animal practices have played a relevant role.

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Salmonella from turkeys has raised a food safety concern in Canada as certain serovars have been implicated in human salmonellosis outbreaks in recent years. While several studies evaluated AMR in broiler chickens in Canada, there are limited studies that assess AMR in turkey flocks.

Introduction Arsenic (As) contamination in soil, sediments, and water poses a significant threat to the growth of bamboo plants.

Introduction Ducks are important agricultural animals, which can be divided into egg and dual-purpose type ducks according to economic use. The gut microbiota of ducks plays an important role in their metabolism, immune regulation, and health maintenance.

Introduction The insurgence of antimicrobial resistance is an imminent health danger globally. A wide range of challenging diseases are attributed to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as it is weaponized with a unique array of virulence factors, and most importantly, the resistance it develops to most of the antibiotics used clinically.

Fumonisins (FUM) and deoxynivalenol (DON) and are two common mycotoxins in poultry feed. Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) is a primary foodborne bacterium in broilers. This trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of naturally occurring FUM and DON and their combination at subclinical doses on broiler performance during a S. Enteritidis challenge.

Journal of Food Safety, EarlyView. This study determined the prevalence, risk factors, and molecular characteristics of Listeria species detected in beef and beef products sampled in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. Four hundred beef and beef products were collected from 30 retail outlets in three districts (Bronkhorstspruit, Emalahleni, and Middelburg) within the province. Standard bacteriological and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were used in the study.

Background Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) is a major foodborne zoonotic pathogen worldwide. In the current study, Various NTS strains were isolated from (cows, milk and dairy products in addition to humans) in New Valley and Assiut Governorate, Egypt. NTS were firstly serotyped and tested by antibiotic sensitivity test. Secondly, some virulence genes and Antibiotic resistance genes have been identified by using PCR.

Journal of Fish Diseases, EarlyView. Vibrio nigripulchritudo causes vibriosis in penaeid shrimps. Here, we used Illumina and Nanopore sequencing technologies to sequence the genomes of three of its strains (TUMSAT-V. nig1, TUMSAT-V. nig2, and TUMSAT-V. nig3) to explore opportunities for disease management. Putative virulence factors and mobile genetic elements were detected while evaluating the phylogenetic relationship of each isolated strain.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of zearalenone (ZEA) on piglet Sertoli cell (SC)-mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes (MAMs) based on mitochondrial fission, and to explore the molecular mechanism of ZEA-induced cell damage. After the SCs were exposed to the ZEA, the cell viability decreased, the Ca2+ levels increased, and the MAM showed structural damage.

Staphylococcus aureus is a prominent cause of food-borne diseases worldwide. Enterotoxigenic strains of this bacteria are frequently found in raw milk, and some of these strains are resistant to antimicrobials, posing a risk to consumers. The main objectives of this study were to determine the antimicrobial resistance pattern of S. aureus in raw milk and to detect the presence of mecA and tetK genes in it.

The effect of structure of gut microbes on the health of host has attracted increasing attention. Sea bass Lateolabrax japonicus is an important farmed fish in China. The relationship of the dynamic changes of intestinal bacterial communities in L. japonicus and the cultural water environment is very important for healthy culture. Here, the diversity and abundance of the gut microbial communities of L. japonicus were evaluated during the culture using 16S rRNA Illumina sequencing.

Salmonella Gallinarum (SG) is the causative agent of fowl typhoid (FT), a disease that is harmful to the poultry industry. Despite sanitation and prophylactic measures, this pathogen is associated with frequent disease outbreaks in developing countries, causing high morbidity and mortality. We characterized the complete genome sequence of Colombian SG strains and then performed a comparative genome analysis with other SG strains found in different regions worldwide.

Chimeric lysins composed of various combinations of cell wall-lysing (enzymatic) and cell-wall-binding (CWB) domains of endolysins, autolysins, and bacteriocins have been developed as alternatives to or adjuvants of conventional antibiotics. The screening of multiple chimeric lysin candidates for activity via E. coli expression is not cost effective, and we previously reported on a simple cell-free expression system as an alternative.

In shellfish aquaculture, antibiotics are commonly used to address Vibrio infections. However, antibiotic abuse has increased the risk of environment pollution, which has also raised food safety concerns. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are considered safe and sustainable alternatives to antibiotics. Hence, in this study, we aimed to develop a transgenic Tetraselmis subcordiformis line harboring AMP-PisL9K22WK for reducing the use of antibiotics in mussel aquaculture.

Salmonella is a major foodborne pathogen associated with poultry and poultry products and a leading cause for human salmonellosis. Salmonella is known to transmit in poultry flocks both vertically and horizontally. However, there is a lack of knowledge on relative contribution of the factors on Salmonella prevalence in poultry live production system including hatchery, feed, water, environment-interior, and -exterior.

With the global transition toward carbon neutrality, zero-waste strategy, and with the emergence of bacteriophages as ubiquitous antibiotic substitutes, we developed natural polymer-based hydrogel films characterized by sustainability and biodegradability as alternative green food packaging materials. We characterized the κ-carrageenan and konjac glucomannan-based hydrogel film containing Salmonella Enteritidis phage PBSE191.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a mycotoxin widely present in animal feed and human food, posing a serious threat to animal and human health. This study was aim to illustrate the mechanism of the protective role of MT against AFB1-induced hepatotoxicity, as well as to explore the feasibility of enhancing the tolerance of poultry to AFB1 by upregulating the expression of hepatic MT.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Ahead of Print. Soft-ripened cheeses (SRCs) are at a higher risk for the growth of the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes due to favorable moisture content and pH compared to other cheeses. L. monocytogenes growth is not consistent across SRCs, however, and may be affected by physicochemical and/or microbiome characteristics of the cheeses.