Research Publications (Food Safety)

Aims Current culture‐based methods for detection and determination of Campylobacter levels on processed chickens takes at least two days. Here, we sought to develop a new complete, low‐cost and rapid (approximately 2·5 hours) detection system requiring minimal operator input.

Aims To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of Salmonella in pork on sale in Wuhan, Central China. Methods and Results A total of 4744 pork samples were collected from retail or wholesale markets in each season from 2016 to 2018.

Aims The object of this study was to identify potential health concerns of the Aeromons spp. isolated from marketed Pacific abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) with respect to their virulence and antimicrobial resistance patterns.

Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a zoonotic pathotype associated with human gastrointestinal disease that may progress to severe complications. Ruminants, especially cattle, are the main reservoirs of STEC from which they can contaminate the environment and foods of animal or vegetable origin. Besides Shiga toxin, other virulence factors are involved in STEC virulence. O157:H7 remains the most frequent serotype associated with disease.

Aims To develop a pcsB‐based Loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for detection of Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) in milk, tilapia, and vaginal swabs. Methods and results The sensitivity of the LAMP method using real‐time turbidity monitoring was 1 pg of template within 1 h at 64°C, 100‐fold higher than conventional PCR. The sensitivity of visual detection dropped an order of magnitude using SYBR Green I or hydroxynaphthol blue.

Aims This study was aimed at revealing the composition of microbiota in leaves, roots and rhizosphere soil of wheat plants that are resistant or susceptible to stripe rust, one of the most widely destructive leaf diseases in wheat production. Methods and Results A total of 36 wheat plants that showed resistant or susceptible reactions to stripe rust were sampled.

Aim To study Weissella cibaria and W. confusa strains, Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) members, naturally present in food products, but not yet included in Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) list of European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Methods and Results We carried out a comparative genome analysis of 23 sequenced W. cibaria and seven W.

Aim To evaluate antimicrobial effect of paeoniflorin against carbapenem‐resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP). Methods and Results Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of paeoniflorin against CRKP was determined by agar dilution method. Changes in intracellular ATP concentration, intracellular pH (pHin), cell membrane potential and membrane integrity were investigated to assess the influence of paeoniflorin on cell membrane damage.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are widely distributed in nature and, due to their beneficial effects on the host, are used as probiotics. This review describes the applications of LAB in animal production systems such as beekeeping, poultry, swine and bovine production, particularly as probiotics used to improve health, enhance growth and reproductive performance.

Aims To study the antimicrobial agents of the Bacillus velezensis strain HC6 and assess the application potential of Bacillus velezensis HC6 in maize. Methods and Results We applied a dual culture technique to test the antimicrobial activity of B. velezensis HC6 against bacteria and fungi of common contaminated crops. B. velezensis HC6 showed antagonistic action on pathogenic fungi, including Aspergillus and Fusarium, as well as pathogenic bacteria (especially Listeria monocytogenes).

Aims This study investigated the efficacy of Hydrogen Peroxide Vapour (HPV) at inactivating Hazard Group 3 bacteria that have been presented dried from their growth medium to present a realistic challenge.

ABSTRACT Aims:  Microbiological and molecular analysis of antibiotic resistance in Gram‐positive cocci derived from the Italian PDO dairy food product Mozzarella di Bufala Campana (MBC). Methods and Results:  177 coccal colonies were assigned to Enterococcus faecalis, Lactococcus lactis and Streptococcus bovis genera by ARDRA analysis. Among them, 16 Ent. faecalis, 26 L. lactis and 39 Strep. bovis displayed high MIC values for tetracycline, while 17 L.

Aims:  To assess norovirus (NoV) contamination in aquatic ecosystems in the city of Florianópolis, in Southern Brazil, in order to provide epidemiological data that can support actions for environmental contamination control. Methods and Results:  An adsorption‐elution method, followed by ultrafiltration, was performed to concentrate the viruses. NoV were detected using semi‐nested PCR and quantified by real‐time PCR.

ABSTRACT Aim:  To identify a DNA sequence specific to a bacterium found in poultry litter that was indicative of faecal contamination by poultry sources. Methods and Results:  Faecally‐contaminated poultry litter and soils were used as source material for development of a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method targeting the 16S rRNA gene of a Brevibacterium sp. The identified sequence had 98% nucleotide identity to the 16S rRNA gene of B. avium.

Aims:  This study aimed to compare the efficacy of different disinfection methods in eliminating Salmonella contamination from turkey houses. Methods and results:  Fifty depopulated turkey houses which had all housed Salmonella‐positive flocks were visited after cleaning and disinfection. A minimum of 45 swab samples from different surfaces were taken per house and analysed for the presence of Salmonella.

Aims:  To develop simple and rapid PCR‐fingerprinting methods for Vibrio cholerae O1 (El Tor and classical biotypes) and O139 serogroup strains which cause major cholera epidemics, on the basis of the diversity of superintegron (SI) carried by these strains. Methods and Results:  PCR‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP) assay was developed targeting region between integrase gene in the SI and its nearby ORF, followed by BglI digestion. Besides, a V.

Acinetobacter baumannii causes several nosocomial infections and poses major threat when it is multidrug resistant. Even pan drug‐resistant strains have been reported in some countries. The intensive care unit (ICU) mortality rate ranged from 45.6% to 60.9% and it is as high as 84.3% when ventilator‐associated pneumonia was caused by XDR (extensively drug resistant) A. baumannii.

Use of bacteria in cancer therapy, despite being considered as a potent strategy, has not really picked up the way other methods of cancer therapies have evolved. However, in recent years, the interest on use of bacteria to kill cancer cells has renewed considerably. The standard and widely followed strategies of cancer treatment often fail either due to the complexity of tumour biology or because of the accompanying side effects.

Actinomycetes are a rich source for secondary metabolites with a diverse array of biological activities. Among the various genera of actinomycetes, the genus Saccharopolyspora has long been recognized as a potential source for antibiotics and other therapeutic leads that belong to diverse classes of natural products. Members of the genus Saccharopolyspora have been widely reported from several natural sources including both terrestrial and marine environments.

Aims First, two inactivation models were compared for different phenotypic profiles of Escherichia coli O26 using ultraviolet‐C light (UV‐C) and thermal treatment (T), by means of Central Composite Rotatable Design of Experiment (CCRD). Second, we aimed to evaluate the subsequent survival and persistence of cells in simulated gastric fluid (SGF). Methods and Results Two strains of E. coli O26, a wild‐type strain and a clinical ATCC strain were used in both steps.

Aims Suilysin (SLY), a crucial virulence‐related factor, has multiple cytotoxicities that are regarded as playing a key role in several diseases induced by Streptococcus suis. The aim of this study was to identify an effective inhibitor of SLY and to evaluate the potential inhibitory effect of the inhibitor against S. suis virulence.

Aim The increase in the number of fungal infections worldwide, coupled with the limitations of current antifungal chemotherapy, demand the development of safe and effective new antifungals. Here, we presented the synthesis of a novel acridone (M14) and its antifungal properties against Candida and dermatophytes species. Methods and Results A series of 17 acridones was designed, synthesized and tested for its antifungal activity.

Aims This study evaluated the efficacy of essential oil from Origanum vulgare L. (oregano; OVEO) and Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary; ROEO) to inactivate sessile cells of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis 86 (SE86) in young and mature biofilms formed on stainless steel.

Aims To investigate the effects of ohmic heating (OH) and water bath heating (WB) on the membrane permeability, membrane structure, intracellular organization and leakage of intracellular substances of Escherichia coli O157:H7 at the same inactivation level and at a heating temperature of 72°C. Methods and Results Flow cytometry analysis indicated that membrane permeability of E. coli O157:H7 by OH was comparable to WB at 72°C.

The production of livestock and poultry faces major challenges to meet the global demand for meat and dairy products and eggs due to a steady increase in the world’s population and the ban of antibiotics in animal production. This ban has forced animal nutritionists to seek for natural alternatives to antibiotics. In this context, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has received considerable attention in the last decade.