Research Publications (Food Safety)

Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) give rise to resistance against penicillin and cephalosporin antibiotics in multiple bacterial species. The present study was conducted to map genetic determinants and related attributes of ESBL-producing bacteria in three wild aquatic bird species and chickens at the “Trimmu Barrage” in district Jhang, Punjab province, Pakistan.

The core objective of this study was to genetically and phenotypically characterize subclinical mastitis-causing multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MDRSA). In addition, risk factors associated with subclinical mastitis caused by MDRSA were investigated. Bacterial cultures were performed on 2120 mammary quarters, 40 swabs of milk utensils, 5 bulk tank milk samples, and 11 nostril and 11 hand swabs from milkers from five dairy farms.

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major pathogens causing bovine mastitis, and antibiotic treatment is most often inefficient due to its virulence and antibiotic-resistance attributes. The development of new antibiotics for veterinary use should account for the One Health concept, in which humans, animals, and environmental wellbeing are all interconnected. S. aureus can infect cattle and humans alike and antibiotic resistance can impact both if the same classes of antibiotics are used.

The objective of this study was to evaluate collateral sensitivity and cross-resistance of antibiotic-induced resistant Salmonella Typhimurium to various antibiotics. S. Typhimurium ATCC 19585 (STWT) was exposed to ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, kanamycin, and tetracycline to induce antibiotic resistance, respectively, assigned as STCIP, STGEN, STKAN, and STTET.

The prevalence and persistent outbreaks of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella in low-income countries have received growing attention among the public and scientific community. Notably, the excessive use of antibiotics in chicken feed for the purpose of treatment or as prophylaxis in the poultry industry have led to a rising rate of antimicrobial resistance.

The rising demand for minimally processed, natural, and healthier food products has led to the search for alternative and multifunctional bioactive food components. Therefore, the present study focuses on the functional proprieties of a peptide fraction derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolism.

Bovine mastitis is a polymicrobial disease characterised by inflammation of the udders of dairy and beef cattle. The infection has huge implications to health and welfare of animals, impacting milk and beef production and costing up to EUR 32 billion annually to the dairy industry, globally. Bacterial communities associated with the disease include representative species from Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Actinomyces, Aerococcus, Escherichia, Klebsiella and Proteus.

Salmonella Isangi is an infrequent serovar that has recently been reported in several countries due to nosocomial infections. A considerable number of reports indicate Salmonella Isangi multidrug resistance, especially to cephalosporins, which could potentially pose a risk to public health worldwide. Genomic analysis is an excellent tool for monitoring the emergence of microorganisms and related factors.

The Arcobacter genus comprises a group of bacteria widely distributed in different habitats that can be spread throughout the food chain. Fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides represent the most common antimicrobial agents used for the treatment of Arcobacter infections. However, the increasing trend of the antimicrobial resistance of this pathogen leads to treatment failures.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as an urgent global public health issue that requires immediate attention. Methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS) is a major problem, as it may cause serious human and animal infections, eventually resulting in death. This study determined the proportional distribution, genetic characteristics, and antimicrobial susceptibility of mecA- or mecC-carrying staphylococci isolated from food chain products.

Salmonella enterica serovar Derby (S. Derby) ranks fifth among nontyphoidal Salmonella serovars causing human infections in the European Union. S.

Salmonella enterica is a causative pathogen of Salmonellosis, a zoonosis causing global disease and financial losses every year. Pigs may be carriers of Salmonella and contribute to the spread to humans and food products. Salmonella may persist as biofilms. Biofilms are bacterial aggregates embedded in a self-produced matrix and are known to withstand disinfectants.

Essential oils (EOs) have gained economic importance due to their biological activities, and increasing amounts are demanded everywhere. However, substantial differences between the same essential oil samples from different suppliers are reported—concerning their chemical composition and bioactivities—due to numerous companies involved in EOs production and the continuous development of online sales.

Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) is a foodborne pathogen and a prevalent causative agent for disease outbreaks globally. The Salmonella enterica serovar 4,[5],12:i:- (S.4,[5],12:i:-) belongs to the monophasic variant of Salmonella typhimurium, which is of current global concern. In this study, the epidemiology and genomic characterization of S.

Staphylococcus aureus is a drug resistant pathogen with zoonotic potential commonly isolated from humans and animals. The aim of this study was to compare the occurrence of drug resistance, resistance genes, sequence types (STs), and genotypes of S. aureus isolated from humans, livestock, and wildlife in eastern Poland.

An optimized QuEChERS method for the simultaneous extraction of 26 antibiotics and 19 anthelmintics in whole cow milk was established, followed by UHPLC-MS/MS analysis. Briefly, 20 mL acetonitrile with 1 g disodium hydrogen citrate, 2 g sodium citrate, 4 g anhydrous MgSO4, and 1 g sodium chloride were added to 10 g milk for target chemical extraction, followed by 50 mg anhydrous MgSO4 for purification.

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in food matrices has been investigated under conditions that favor gene exchange. However, the major challenge lies in determining the specific conditions pertaining to the adapted microbial pairs associated with the food matrix. HGT is primarily responsible for enhancing the microbial repertoire for the evolution and spread of antimicrobial resistance and is a major target for controlling pathogens of public health concern in food ecosystems.

Mobile colistin resistance (mcr) genes (mcr-1 to mcr-10) are plasmid-encoded genes that threaten the clinical utility of colistin (COL), one of the highest-priority critically important antibiotics (HP-CIAs) used to treat infections caused by multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant bacteria in humans and animals.

This study presents a green protocol for the fabrication of a multifunctional smart nanobiocomposite (NBC) (ZnO-PIACSB-TiO2) for secure antimicrobial and antibiofilm applications. First, shrimp shells were upgraded to a polyimidazolium amphiphilic chitosan Schiff base (PIACSB) through a series of physicochemical processes. After that, the PIACSB was used as an encapsulating and coating agent to manufacture a hybrid NBC in situ by co-encapsulating ZnONPs and TiO2NPs.

Background: Massive fruit losses are caused by microbial pathogens of unknown identities. Therefore, ecofriendly biocontrol measures are well sought after, and biogenic silver nanoparticles are plausible candidates. Here we investigate the antimicrobial effect of three different sized AgNPs samples on those pathogens. Methodology: Identities of three local pathogenic bacteria were investigated using molecular methods.

The use of antimicrobial drugs and coccidiostats in poultry farming is widespread, with a significant proportion of these drugs being excreted and released into the environment. The residues of such drugs in poultry litter (PL) can result in the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

The Caribbean region is a hotspot of biodiversity (i.e., algae, sponges, corals, mollusks, microorganisms, cyanobacteria, and dinoflagellates) that produces secondary metabolites such as polyketides and polypropionates. Polyketides are a diverse class of natural products synthesized by organisms through a biosynthetic pathway catalyzed by polyketide synthase (PKS).

Bacterial biofilms are a significant problem in the food industry, as they are difficult to eradicate and represent a threat to consumer health. Currently, nanoparticles as an alternative to traditional chemical disinfectants have garnered much attention due to their broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and low toxicity.

Antimicrobial resistance is increasing globally and is now one of the major public health problems. Therefore, there is a need to search for new antimicrobial agents. The food industry generates large amounts of by-products that are rich in bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds, which are known to have several health benefits, including antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

Resistance to antibacterial agents is a growing global public health problem that reduces the efficacy of available antibacterial agents, leading to increased patient mortality and morbidity. Unfortunately, only 16 antibacterial drugs have been approved by the FDA in the last 10 years, so it is necessary to develop new agents with novel chemical structures and/or mechanisms of action.