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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 149

  1. Microbial lipopeptides: their pharmaceutical and biotechnological potential, applications, and way forward

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • As lead molecules, cyclic lipopeptides with antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties have garnered a lot of attention in recent years. Because of their potential, cyclic lipopeptides have earned recognition as a significant class of antimicrobial compounds with applications in pharmacology and biotechnology.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  2. In-vitro selection of lactic acid bacteria to combat Salmonella enterica and Campylobacter jejuni in broiler chickens

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Campylobacter and Salmonella are the two most prominent foodborne zoonotic pathogens reported in the European Union. As poultry is one of the major sources of these pathogens, it is imperative to mitigate the colonization of these pathogens in poultry.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Campylobacter
      • Salmonella
  3. Peptide recovery from chicken feather keratin and their anti-biofilm properties against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Bacteria have the potential to adhere to abiotic surfaces, which has an undesirable effect in the food industry because they can survive for sustained periods through biofilm formation.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  4. Antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties of selenium-chitosan-loaded salicylic acid nanoparticles for the removal of emerging contaminants from bacterial pathogens

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • In this study salicylic acid loaded containing selenium nanoparticles was synthesized and called SA@CS-Se NPs. the chitosan was used as a natural stabilizer during the synthesis process. Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission electron microscopy (FESEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to describe the physicochemical characteristics of the SA@CS-Se NPs.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  5. Exploiting the synergistic antibacterial activity of shikimic acid and ceftiofur against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Efforts to curtail the escalating health threat posed by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a formidable superbug, necessitate the development of innovative treatment strategies. Leveraging potential compounds from natural sources in tandem with antibiotics has emerged as a promising approach against MRSA. These strategies should enhance the antibiotic efficacy, reduce dosage and toxicity, and bypass MRSA resistance.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  6. Levilactobacillus brevis MZ384011 and  Levilactobacillus brevis MW362779 can mitigate lead induced hepato-renal damage by regulating visceral dispersion and fecal excretion

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Heavy metal pollution is a global issue. Current study provides evidence on Pb toxicity ameliorative potential and safe nature of Levilactobacillus brevis MZ384011 (S1) and Levilactobacillus brevis MW362779 (S2), isolated from carnivore gut and human milk, respectively. In a 60-days experiment, the rats were distributed into six groups.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  7. Genomic and proteomic analysis of Salmonella Enteritidis isolated from a patient with foodborne diarrhea

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Salmonella is a major cause of foodborne diseases and clinical infections worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the drug resistance, genomic characteristics, and protein expression of foodborne Salmonella in Shanxi Province. We isolated a strain of Salmonella Enteritidis from patient feces and designated it 31A. The drug resistance of 31A against 14 antibiotics was determined using an antimicrobial susceptibility test.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  8. Fabrication and characterization of fish gelatin-based magnetic nanocomposite for biomedical applications

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Bionanocomposite is considered an advanced way to bridge the gap between the structural and functional material and achieve the desired properties in the nanocomposite. This present study highlighted the synthesis of fish gelatin-based magnetic nanocomposite (GMNC) using three different concentrations of gelatin (6% w/v, G12% w/v, and 18% w/v) individually, through the in situ coprecipitation method.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Antibiotic residues
  9. Novel helix loop-mediated isothermal amplification (HAMP) assay for colorimetric detection of Staphylococcus aureus in milk

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Staphylococcus aureus is an important and leading cause of foodborne diseases worldwide. Prompt detection and recall of contaminated foods are crucial to prevent untoward health consequences caused by S. aureus. Helix loop-mediated isothermal amplification (HAMP) is an exciting recent addition to the array of available isothermal-based nucleic acid amplification techniques. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a HAMP assay for detecting S.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  10. Tyrosinase enzyme purification and immobilization from Pseudomonas sp. EG22 using cellulose coated magnetic nanoparticles: characterization and application in melanin production

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Melanin is a brown-black pigment with significant roles in various biological processes. The tyrosinase enzyme catalyzes the conversion of tyrosine to melanin and has promising uses in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. This research aims to purify and immobilize the tyrosinase enzyme from Pseudomonas sp. EG22 using cellulose-coated magnetic nanoparticles.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  11. Feeding laying hens with lactobacilli improves internal egg quality and animal health

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Feeding animals with lactobacilli strains is a biotechnological strategy to improve production, food quality, and animal health. Thus, this study aimed to select new lactic acid bacteria (LAB) able to improve laying hens health and egg production.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Bacillus cereus
  12. Chemical extraction, characterization, and inspection of the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of shrimp chitosan against foodborne fungi and bacteria

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Nowadays, the exploitation of biopolymers in the industrial sector has become a trend. Chitosan is considered one of the most investigated biopolymers due to its abundance and antibacterial, antifungal, and antibiofilm activities. In this work, chitosan was chemically extracted from shrimp shells. Solutions of HCl 1 M, NaOH 4 M, and NaOH 15 M were used for the demineralization, deproteinization, and deacetylation process, respectively.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  13. Comprehensive bacterial-metabolite profiles of Hawaijar, Bekang, and Akhone: a comparative study on traditional fermented soybeans of north-east India

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Preparation of traditionally fermented soybeans varies across ethnicities with distinct tastes, flavour, and nutritional values. The fermented soybean varieties Hawaijar, Bekang, and Akhone of north-east India are associated with diverse ethnic groups from Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland, respectively. These varieties differ in substrate and traditional practice that exerts differential bacterial-metabolite profile, which needs an in-depth analysis i.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  14. Inter-species competition of surface bacterial flora of pomegranate and their role in spoilage

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • The surface of fruits is heterogenous in term of its microenvironment hence dictate the kind of microflora that develops during storage. A better understanding of spoilage organisms would lead to better preservation methods. The pomegranate was chosen, since its sturdy and spoils slow at room temperature and is ideal for studying fruit spoilage in-situ. In the current study we isolated organisms from fruit surface and study the spoilage and competition amongst microbial species.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  15. Rhizosphere microbiomes of resurrection plants Ramonda serbica and R. nathaliae: comparative analysis and search for bacteria mitigating drought stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Rhizosphere microbial communities play an important role in maintaining the health and productivity of the plant host. The rhizobacteria Pseudomonas putida P2 of Ramonda serbica and Bacillus cereus P5 of R. nathaliae were selected for treatment of the Belija wheat cultivar because of their plant growth-promoting (PGP) properties.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Bacillus cereus
  16. Effect of food matrix on rapid detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in aquatic products based on toxR gene

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Vibrio parahaemolyticus has become an important public threat to human health. Rapid and robust pathogen diagnostics are necessary for monitoring its outbreak and spreading. Herein, we report an assay for the detection of V. parahaemolyticus based on recombinase aided amplification (RAA) combined with lateral flow dipstick (LFD), namely RAA-LFD. The RAA-LFD took 20 min at 36~38 ℃, and showed excellent specificity. It detected as low as 6.4 fg/µL of V.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  17. Occurrence and genetic characterization of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli on bovine and pork carcasses and the environment from transport trucks

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are foodborne pathogens causing severe diseases. The ability of STEC to produce disease is associated with Shiga toxin (Stx) production. We investigated the occurrence of STEC on bovine and pork carcasses and walls of trucks where they were transported, and we characterized virulence genes and serotypes of STEC strains.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli
      • Escherichia coli O157:H7
  18. Application of antifungal metabolites from Streptomyces philanthi RL-1-178 for maize grain coating formulations and their efficacy as biofungicide during storage

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • The major safety risk of maize grain is contamination with mycotoxins. In this study, a maize-coating formulation containing freeze-dried culture filtrate of Streptomyces philanthi RL-1-178 (DCF RL-1-178) was developed and evaluated to prevent the growth of mycotoxins during maize grain storage. In vitro studies using confrontation tests on PDA plates indicated that S.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  19. Research progress of volatile organic compounds produced by plant endophytic bacteria in control of postharvest diseases of fruits and vegetables

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Pathogen infestation results in significant losses of fruits and vegetables during handling, transportation, and storage. The use of synthetic fungicides has been a common measure for controlling plant pathogens. However, their excessive use of chemicals has led to increased environmental pollution, leaving large amounts of chemicals in agricultural products, posing a threat to human and animal health.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Pesticide residues
  20. Occurrence of mycotoxins and microbial communities in artisanal infant flours marketed in Côte d’Ivoire

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • The aim of this study was to determine the microbial diversity and mycotoxin profile of artisanal infant flours commonly vended in public healthcare centres and retail markets in Côte d’Ivoire. Thus, maize, millet, sorghum, soya and multigrain (mix of different cereals) flour samples collected from different localities were first, analysed for nutritional composition, then for microbial communities using high-throughput sequencing and for mycotoxins through UHPLC-MS/MS method.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  21. Enhanced antimicrobial activity of lactic acid bacteria through genome shuffling and genetic variability among shuffled strains

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • In this investigation, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from milk were tested for their antibacterial properties and improved the antimicrobial activity of these isolates using genome shuffling. A total of sixty-one isolates were found in eleven samples, which were then tested using the agar diffusion method for their antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  22. Proteomic analysis of the initial wake up of vibrio splendidus persister cells

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Vibrio splendidus is a ubiquitous pathogen that causes various diseases in aquaculture with a wide range of hosts. In our previous studies, we showed that l-glutamic acid was the optimal carbon source that could revive V. splendidus persister cells. In our present study, single cell observation under microscopy showed that V.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  23. Purification, characterization, immobilization and applications of an enzybiotic β-1,3–1,4-glucanase produced from halotolerant marine Halomonas meridiana ES021

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Extracellular β-1,3–1,4-glucanase-producing strain Halomonas meridiana ES021 was isolated from Gabal El-Zeit off shore, Red Sea, Egypt. The Extracellular enzyme was partially purified by precipitation with 75% acetone followed by anion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, where a single protein band was determined with molecular mass of approximately 72 kDa.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  24. The effect of essential oils mixture on chitosan-based film surface energy and antiadhesion activity against foodborne bacteria

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • In the food sector, the formation of biofilms as a result of microbial adherence on food-grade surfaces causes a major problem resulting in significant economic losses. Thereby, this work aimed to elaborate a biodegradable film using chitosan (CS-film) and reinforce its antiadhesion activity by incorporating pelargonium, clove, thyme, and cinnamon essential oils (EOs).

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  25. Value added bioactive compounds from fruits & vegetables waste for assessing their antimicrobial activity

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Since ancient time, plants and there parts have been used widely against dreadful pathogens due to ability of killing microbes. Waste from fruits and vegetables are pulling in more interest in exploration due to their therapeutic properties such as anti-pathogenic activity.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals