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Research Publications (Food Safety)

This page tracks research articles published in national and international peer-reviewed journals. Recent articles are available ahead of print and searchable by Journal, Article Title, and Category. Research publications are tracked across six categories: Bacterial Pathogens, Chemical Contaminants, Natural Toxins, Parasites, Produce Safety, and Viruses. Articles produced by USDA Grant Funding Agencies (requires login) and FDA Grant Funding Agencies (requires login) are also tracked in Scopus.

Displaying 1 - 25 of 75

  1. New Genomic Techniques applied to food cultures: a powerful contribution to innovative, safe, and sustainable food products

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • Nontransgenic New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) have emerged as a promising tool for food industries, allowing food cultures to contribute to an innovative, safe, and more sustainable food system. NGTs have the potential to be applied to microorganisms, delivering on challenging performance traits like texture, flavour, and an increase of nutritional value.

      • Produce Safety
      • Pre Harvest
  2. Prevalence, virulence characteristics, and antimicrobial resistance of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates from raw seafood in a province in Northern Thailand

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus) is commonly found in seawater and seafood products, but evidence is limited of its presence in seafood marketed in locations very distant from coastal sources. This study determined the prevalence and characterization of V. parahaemolyticus in seafood from markets in landlocked Phayao province, Northern Thailand. Among 120 samples, 26 (21.7%) were positive for V.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  3. Periplasmic methionine sulfoxide reductase (MsrP)—a secondary factor in stress survival and virulence of Salmonella Typhimurium

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • Among others, methionine residues are highly susceptible to host-generated oxidants. Repair of oxidized methionine (Met-SO) residues to methionine (Met) by methionine sulfoxide reductases (Msrs) play a chief role in stress survival of bacterial pathogens, including Salmonella Typhimurium. Periplasmic proteins, involved in many important cellular functions, are highly susceptible to host-generated oxidants.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  4. Effect of Holder pasteurization and UV-C irradiation on bacteriophage titres in human milk

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • Human milk is the optimal nutrition source for infants and contains a complex mix of bioactive compounds and microorganisms. When unavailable, pasteurized donor milk may be provided, particularly to preterm infants. Holder pasteurization (HP) is typically implemented in human milk banks to prevent pathogen transmission. Given the impact of heat on milk bioactives, ultraviolet-C irradiation (UV-C) is an alternative being explored and has demonstrated effective bactericidal activity.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  5. Microbiological quality, antibiotic resistant bacteria and relevant resistance genes in ready-to-eat Pacific oysters (Magallana gigas)

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • Oysters are a highly valued seafood but can endanger public health, if they are eaten raw or barely cooked. We evaluated the microbiological quality of Pacific oysters (Magallana gigas) by international standard methods in four groups (each with four to five animals) acquired from supermarkets and directly from a farm producer. Most of the groups presented satisfactory microbiological quality.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
      • Shigella
      • Staphylococcus aureus
      • Vibrio
  6. Development of a visual detection method for Salmonella based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification using pyrophosphatase

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • Salmonella is one of the most widely distributed and harmful food-borne pathogens; thus, the rapid detection of viable Salmonella is important for ensuring food safety. In this study, a rapid visual strategy based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) with the addition of thermal inorganic pyrophosphatase and linked with an ammonium molybdate chromogenic buffer was established to detect Salmonella. Specific primers were designed based on the phoP gene of Salmonella spp.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  7. Listeria monocytogenes from food and food industry environments with reduced susceptibility to benzalkonium chloride, sodium hypochlorite, and peracetic acid

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • The growing number of Listeria monocytogenes strains displaying increased tolerance to sanitizers widely applied in the food industry is becoming a problem. The aims of this study were to evaluate the susceptibility of L.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Listeria monocytogenes
      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  8. Identification and analysis of Rap–Phr system in Bacillus cereus 0–9

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • In this study, eight rap-related genes were found in the Bacillus cereus 0–9 genome; five rap genes were located on chromosomes and three on large plasmids. A total of five Rap proteins in B. cereus 0–9 were annotated as ‘tetratricopeptide repeat proteins’. SMART Server analysis showed that the eight Rap proteins had typical tetrapeptide repeat sequence (TPR) domains.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Bacillus cereus
  9. Elucidating the correlation between the number of TTTTGAT heptamer repeats and cholera toxin promoter activity in Vibrio cholerae O1 pandemic strains

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • A complex virulence-regulatory cascade controls expression of the cholera toxin genes (ctxAB) in Vibrio cholerae, which eventually leads to the production and secretion of choleragen (CT), responsible for rice watery diarrhoea in infected individuals.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  10. Modulation effects of danshen-honghua herb pair on gut microbiota of acute myocardial ischemia model rat

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • In the recent years, a growing number of studies have shown that the occurrence of myocardial ischemia (MI) is closely related to the gut microbiota (GM). The Danshen-Honghua herb pair (DHHP), a classic combination in traditional Chinese herbal formulas, has been widely applied throughout history to cure cardiovascular disease, exhibiting remarkable clinical efficacy to treat ischemic heart disease (IHD). However, the intrinsic regulation mechanism of DHHP in treating MI remains unclear.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Shigella
  11. Phylogenetic analysis and antibiotic resistance of Shigella sonnei isolates

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • Shigellosis is one of the most important gastric infections caused by different species of Shigella, and has been regarded as a serious threat to public health. Lineage/sublineage profile of Shigella sonnei is strongly associated with the antibiotic resistance and population structure of this pathogen. In this study, we determined the phylogeny and antibiotic resistance profiles of S.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Shigella
  12. Bacteriophage Sf6 host range mutant that infects Shigella flexneri serotype 2a2 strains

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • Shigella flexneri serotype 2a2 (II:9;10) is the most prevalent strain in causing bacillary dysentery in developing countries. Chemical modifications such as glucosylation, O-acetylation, and phosphoethanolamine modifications of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O antigen (Oag) contribute to the emergence of various serotypes. Sf6 is a Shigella-specific bacteriophage that infects only a limited range of S. flexneri serotypes [X, Y].

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Shigella
  13. Characterisation of the E. coli and Salmonella qseC and qseE mutants reveals a metabolic rather than adrenergic receptor role

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • Catecholamine stress hormones (norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine) are signals that have been shown to be used as environmental cues, which affect the growth and virulence of normal microbiota as well as pathogenic bacteria. It has been reported that Escherichia coli and Salmonella use the two-component system proteins QseC and QseE to recognise catecholamines and so act as bacterial adrenergic receptors. In this study, we mutated the E.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli
      • Salmonella
  14. Comparative insight into the roles of the non active-site residues E169 and N173 in imparting the beta-lactamase activity of CTX-M-15

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • CTX-M-15 is a major extended-spectrum beta-lactamase disseminated throughout the globe. The roles of amino acids present in the active-site are widely studied though little is known about the role of the amino acids lying at the close proximity of the CTX-M-15 active-site. Here, by using site-directed mutagenesis we attempted to decipher the role of individual amino acids lying outside the active-site in imparting the beta-lactamase activity of CTX-M-15.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Antibiotic residues
  15. Analysis of changes in the microbial community structure and physicochemical properties during the fermentation of sand crab juice

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • ABSTRACT The structure of the microbial community during sand crab juice fermentation was analyzed using culture-based methods and high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Additionally, the changes in amino acid nitrogen (AAN) and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) were evaluated.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Bacillus cereus
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  16. Genetic resisters to antibiotics in Escherichia coli arise from the antibiotic-surviving population containing three reactive oxygen species

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • ABSTRACT Antibiotic-exposed bacteria acquire genetic mutations and emerge as antibiotic-resistant clones that thwart treatment of bacterial diseases. Genome-wide mutations are inflicted by the reactive oxygen species (ROS), hydroxyl radical, formed in most of the antibiotic-exposed bacteria. Hydroxyl radical is generated through the Fenton reaction of Fe (II) with H2O2, which is formed by the dismutation of superoxide.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  17. High Temperature Requirement A (HtrA) protease of Listeria monocytogenes and its interaction with extracellular matrix molecules

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • ABSTRACT High Temperature Requirement A (HtrA) was identified as a secreted virulence factor in many pathogenic bacteria, including Listeria monocytogenes. Recently, it was discovered that Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter jejuni HtrAs can directly cleave the human cell-adhesion molecule E-cadherin, which facilitates bacterial transmigration. HtrAs also interact with extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules.

      • Campylobacter
      • Listeria monocytogenes
      • Bacterial pathogens
  18. Two strains of airborne Nocardiopsis alba producing different volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as biofungicide for Ganoderma boninense

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • ABSTRACT Nocardiopsis are actinobacteria which produce active compounds, such as antifungals and volatile compounds. Ganoderma boninense is a pathogenic and aggressive fungus that decreases palm oil yield during production. In this study, we isolated two strains of Nocardia (GME01 and GME22) from airborne contaminants on the actinobacteria culture collection in the laboratory.

  19. Antifungal and antiaflatoxigenic assessment of new Cu(II)–pq complexes against Aspergillus parasiticus, in dark conditions and under visible irradiation

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • ABSTRACT The issue of food contamination by fungi and aflatoxins; constitutes a serious concern not only for human/animal health but also for agriculture and the economy. Aflatoxins are secondary metabolites produced by certain filamentous fungi and contaminate a variety of foodstuffs. In this context, control of fungal growth and aflatoxin contamination appears to be important.

      • Aflatoxins
      • Natural toxins
  20. Effect of the essential oils of Satureja montana L., Myristica fragrans H. and Cymbopogon flexuosus S. on mycotoxin-producing Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus ochraceus antifungal properties of essential oils

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • ABSTRACT Essential oils can be a useful alternative to the use of synthetic fungicides because they have biological potential and are relatively safe for food and agricultural products. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the antifungal and antimycotoxigenic activities of the essential oils from Satureja montana L., Myristica fragrans H. and Cymbopogon flexuosus S.

      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
      • Natural toxins
  21. Certain Listeria monocytogenes plasmids contribute to increased UVC ultraviolet light stress

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • Listeria monocytogenes is the causative agent of the highly fatal foodborne disease listeriosis and can persist in food production environments. Recent research highlights the involvement of L. monocytogenes plasmids in different stress response mechanisms, which contribute to its survival in food production facilities. Ultraviolet (UV) light in the UVC spectrum (200–280 nm) is used in food production to control microbial contamination.

      • Listeria monocytogenes
      • Bacterial pathogens
  22. An investigation into the anaerobic spoilage microbiota of beef carcass and rump steak cuts using high- throughput sequencing

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • ABSTRACT The presence of anaerobic microflora on fresh beef carcass and rump steaks, which may contribute to meat spoilage, was explored in this study. A total of 120 carcass and 120 rump steak swabs were collected immediately after slaughtering and boning, respectively from five meat plants, anaerobically incubated and enriched at 4°C for 3 weeks.

      • Shigella
      • Bacterial pathogens
  23. A kinetic analysis of the aflatoxin detoxification potential of lactic acid bacteria in Terxine (a cereal-based food)

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • ABSTRACT Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a hazardous component that can seriously threaten the public health. Terxine is a component used in traditional soup and found in the western mountainous regions of Iran. Several microorganisms have been reported to bind or degrade aflatoxins (AFs) in foods and feeds. This research aimed to investigate the effect of Terxine fermentation by Lactobacillus plantarum strains AF1 and LU5 on AFB1.

      • Aflatoxins
      • Natural toxins
  24. Mechanistic analysis of cadmium toxicity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • ABSTRACT As a potentially toxic heavy metal, Cadmium (Cd) can cause endoplasmic reticulum and oxidative stress, and thus lead to cell death. To explore the mechanisms of Cd toxicity, we investigated the UPRE-lacZ expression, the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell death in the 151 Cd-sensitive mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in response to Cd stress.

      • Heavy Metals
      • Chemical contaminants
  25. In vitro characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa recovered in Portugal from low respiratory tract infections in ICU patients (STEP Study)

    • FEMS Microbiology Letters
    • ABSTRACT Purpose: to characterize the distribution and mechanisms involved in ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T) resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates recovered from intensive care units (ICUs) in Portugal as part of the STEP surveillance study. Materials and methods: a total of 226 P. aeruginosa isolates were collected from patients with low respiratory tract infections (LRTI) admitted to ICUs between June 2017 and July 2018.