Research Publications (Food Safety)

A fluorescence immunochromatographic strip using quantum dot nanobeads (QDNBs)-monoclonal antibody (McAb) conjugates was developed to rapidly detecting okadaic acid (OA) in shellfish. Under optimal conditions, the linear working range was 0.62–20 ng·mL−1, and the full competitive limit of detection (LOD) was 20 ng·mL−1, corresponding to 160 μg·kg−1 per shellfish, meeting the regulatory limit of European Conformity (EC).

Norfloxacin is an antibiotic in the fluoroquinolone family licenced for use in animals. However, residues in animal products can have negative consequences for consumers. As a result, residue detection in various food matrices must be considered. Norfloxacin accumulates in animal-derived foods, causing deleterious consequences in humans such as foetal deformity, renal failure and drug resistance.

The electrochemical immunosensor is one of the most promising detection approaches for pathogenic microorganism. In this study, a label-free electrochemical immunosensor based on chitosan/gelatin was fabricated for the detection of Bacillus cereus. Anti-Bacillus cereus polyclonal antibodies were immobilized through a cross-linking method on a chitosan/gelatin-modified electrode.

A programmed, autonomous, and self-powered DNA motor was developed for one-step amplification detection of ochratoxin A (OTA). The OTA can bind with the aptamer of hairpin and induce the opening of hairpin. Then, the Mg2+-specific DNAzyme can circularly cleave the fluorophore-labeled DNA on the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), causing autonomous and processive movement of DNA motor.

The most commonly reported serotype of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is O157:H7. This pathogen presents a threat to public health and is a cause of foodborne illness worldwide. The efficient and sensitive detection of E. coli O157:H7 remains a challenge for food safety. In this report, we developed a sensitive and specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) reaction coupled with a lateral flow (LF) assay to rapidly detect E. coli O157:H7.

A novel sandwich strategy based on the dual recognition by teicoplanin (Teic) and IgG was developed for the rapid separation and identification of Staphylococcus aureus.

Escherichia coli O157 (E. coli O157) is one of the most dangerous foodborne pathogens worldwide. A convenient, sensitive, and specific method for the E. coli O157 detection is necessary. The present study developed an isothermal real-time recombinase polymerase amplification (real-time RPA) assay and an RPA combined with lateral flow strip (LFS-RPA) to detect E. coli O157 targeting the conserved region of the rfbE gene.

Harmful secondary metabolites produced by fungi, mycotoxins, are found worldwide in a multitude of products. Roquefortine C (ROQ-C) is a mycotoxin produced by Penicillium roqueforti, the major fungus used to ripen blue-veined cheeses. To facilitate the screening of cheeses for ROQ-C, a method based upon the ambient ionization technique of direct analysis in real time-mass spectrometry (DART-MS) was developed.

In this study, a recombinase aided amplification (RAA) assay with an improved propidium monoazide (PMAxx) treatment called PMAxx-RAA assay was developed to detect Salmonella in milk. The established method was performed at 39 °C and the detection time was less than 40 min. Compared with traditional detection methods, the PMAxx-RAA assay is fast, sensitive, and specific because of the gene invA that was selected to design unique primers and probes for detection.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is one of the most common toxins in food and feed, which seriously affects the health of public. Herein, a convenient biosensor for OTA detecting was built based on graphene oxide (GO) and quantum dots-aptamer (QDs-aptamer) in this investigation. The results in our study demonstrated that the constructed biosensor shows excellent sensitivity and highly selectivity for OTA.

In the European Union (EU), Salmonella was the causative agent responsible for almost one in three (30.7%) of all foodborne outbreaks reported by member states during 2018, causing 11,581 cases of illness, which represented an increase of 20.6% compared to 2017.

Agricultural product contamination by endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) residues is an international public health issue and requires continuously stringent administration. A high-throughput biotin-streptavidin-amplified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (BA-ELISA) for detection of progesterone (P4) has been established to be applied in determining milk samples.

A novel method based on ultrasonic-assisted aqueous two-phase extraction (UAATPE) coupled with solidifying organic drop-dispersible liquid–liquid microextraction (SOD-DLLME) was developed for simultaneous determination of nine mycotoxins (aflatoxins of B1, B2, G1, G2, and M1, ochratoxin A, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol and patulin) in medicinal and edible foods by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode array detector (DAD) and fluorescence detector (FLD) in series.

Metribuzin is a broad-spectrum herbicide that allows effective weed management in fields but the contamination of metribuzin on the environment and humans is a threat to its application. To better monitor the residue of metribuzin in practical application, an HPLC–MS/MS method for the determination of herbicide metribuzin and its metabolites DA, DK, and DADK residues in potato tuber was developed. The matrix effects were also investigated in this work.

In recent decades safety of food has played a pivotal role from raw material till it reaches the consumer. The food consumed may contain unwanted contaminants, which may impose severe health implications on the consumers. Instrumental techniques like HPLC, GCMS, LCMS, AAS, FTIR, and NIRS detect the contaminants, but the need for low cost, continuous, specific, real-time, and rapid contaminant detection method is required. To meet these essentials, a biosensor stands as a powerful tool.

Developing sensitive assay for pathogen detection is a sustained demand for food scientists, industries, and government. In this study, an ultrasensitive colorimetric lateral flow assay (LFA) was successfully developed for the detection of Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium). Based on cascade enzyme reaction induced by horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-encapsulated starch-based liposome, the sensitivity of the conventional LFA can be dramatically improved.

In this work, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and DNA tetrahedral nanostructure (DTN) as a signal probe carrier platform to control the density of aptamers were used to construct an ultrasensitive electrochemical aptasensor (AuNPs-DTN sensor).

Fabric-phase sorptive extraction (FPSE) coats organic–inorganic hybrid sorbent materials onto flexible and hydrophilic fabrics through sol–gel sorbent-coating technology. Herein, we explored four different coating chemistries, including those of nonpolar sol–gel poly(dimethylsiloxane), medium polar sol–gel poly(tetrahydrofuran), and polar sol–gel poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)–block-poly(propylene glycol)–PEG, and sol–gel PEG.

A very explicate and ligand-less ultrasound-vortex-assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (US-VA-DLLME) technique has been designed for the pre-concentration and extraction of ultra-trace amounts of cadmium ions, before its determination by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Abstract  

Abstract

Nuts and peanuts are foods that are rich in minerals, vitamins, fibre and healthy fats in addition to antioxidant compounds. However, these food products can be subject to adulterations and fraud mainly due to their cost or contamination as a result of improper handling. Different types and degrees of damage can be caused to consumers due to food fraud, highlighting the serious consequences that can occur when the adulterant is toxic or allergenic.

The monitoring of food contaminants is of interests to both food regulatory bodies and the consumers. This literature review covers polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with regard to their background, sources of exposures, and occurrence in food and environment as well as health hazards. Furthermore, analytical methods focusing on the analysis of PAHs in tea, coffee, milk, and alcoholic samples for the last 16 years are presented.

In this paper, a simple and effective strategy was designed for colorimetric sensing of benzoyl peroxide (BPO) based on the morphological transition of silver nanoprisms (AgNPRs). The decomposition of O–O bond of BPO generated strong oxidant benzoyl oxide free radical, which could be first oxidized the silver atoms at the corner areas and the {110} facet of AgNPRs.

Fabric-phase sorptive extraction (FPSE) coats organic–inorganic hybrid sorbent materials onto flexible and hydrophilic fabrics through sol–gel sorbent-coating technology. Herein, we explored four different coating chemistries, including those of nonpolar sol–gel poly(dimethylsiloxane), medium polar sol–gel poly(tetrahydrofuran), and polar sol–gel poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)–block-poly(propylene glycol)–PEG, and sol–gel PEG.