Research Publications (Food Safety)

Ringer tablet-based micelle-mediated extraction-solvent back extraction method coupled to HPLC has been investigated for the determination of neonicotinoid pesticides in honey, cucumber, and orange samples. The method employs the entrapment of the analytes in the micelles of non-ionic surfactant (Triton X-114). By ultrasonication, the ringer tablet is dissolved, and the extractant is released into the aqueous phase as very tiny droplets to provide a cloudy solution.

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.

For centuries, herbal medicines have been used to treat humans and animals. Veterinary medicines are well-regulated; inspectors monitor milk and associated dairy products to screen for unacceptable contaminants. However, few scholars have discussed how the by-products of veterinary herbal medicine can be found in food products.

Honokiol is neolignan present in the magnolia bark. It displays versatile pharmacological properties—neuroprotective and anxiolytic effect, anti-cancer activity and antimicrobial effect being the most important. This paper aims to develop a voltammetric non-enzymatic biosensor for honokiol detection, quantification and monitoring in drugs and cosmetic products. The materials used in this study were synthesized and characterized by HR-XRPD, SEM, ATR-FTIR and electrochemical methods.

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.

Abstract

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. enterica ser. Typhimurium) is one of the main causes of human bacterial gastroenteritis. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a highly specific and accurate method for S. enterica ser. Typhimurium detection in food. In the study, we constructed a ratiometric electrochemical biosensor based on saltatory rolling circle amplification (SRCA) and dual-signal electrochemical readout.

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.

Abstract

In this work, we synthesized a novel hyperbranched Au plasmonic blackbody (AuPB) and applied it as a signal amplification label in immunochromatographic test strip (ICTS) sensor for the sensitive detection of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in maize.

As a typical halophilic bacterium, Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus) is regarded as one of the marine seafood-borne pathogens causing severe illnesses in humans and aquatic animals. Herein, a novel single primer isothermal amplification (SPIA) technique which was modified with SYBR Green II was successfully developed for the visual detection of V. parahaemolyticus.

Foodborne illnesses caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli) are causing worldwide morbidity and mortality, threating human health. One way to limit and eliminate E. coli infections is developing fast and sensitive methods for detection. Biosensors have emerged to complement traditional strategies for E. coli detection. This review aims at providing an updated summary of developed biosensors for specific detection of E. coli in the last 5 years.

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.

Food allergy has become an important food safety concern affecting people’s health and quality of life. As one of the most common allergic foods, egg poses a safety hazard to susceptible individuals. Therefore, it is crucial to develop rapid and sensitive detection methods for allergen monitoring. Sandwich ELISA detection method was developed based on two polyclonal antibodies for the detection of egg white allergens in this study.

A multi-residue method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of 39 and 33 chemical pesticides in rice using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS, respectively. The coefficient of determination was 0.994 to 0.999 over the linear concentration range of 0.01 to 0.1 μg mL-1. The LOD and LOQ were in the range of 0.31 to 3.35 and 1.04 to 10.06 μgkg-1, repsectively.

Sensitive, simple, and rapid pathogen separation and detection methods are essential for the early diagnosis and immediate medical treatment of bacterial infections. In this study, a novel strategy based on vancomycin (Van)-modified ovalbumin (OVA) mediated magnetic nanoprobes (MBs-OVA-Van) combined with multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) was developed for efficient isolation and detection of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Bacillus cereus (B.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is an important indicator in food safety assessment. In the present study, a non-label electrochemical aptasensor based on the Cu metal–organic framework (CuMOF) was fabricated to measure AFB1. The CuMOF was synthesized with a simple method and used to modify glassy carbon electrode (GCE).

A comprehensive analysis of crucial metabolites in seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) was conducted by analyzing the methanolic extract of berries originating from 37 geographical sites of the Indian Himalayas by using 1H NMR-based metabolome profiling. The concentration of 103 metabolites was annotated, of which two, spermidine and beta-alanine, were reported for the first time in higher concentrations in berries collected from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Abstract

A method based on QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) sample preparation coupled with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was developed for determining 43 pesticide residues in strawberries. The clean-up sorbents were optimized, with 50 mg PSA + 50 mg C18 + 150 mg MgSO4 showing the best performance in d-SPE. The effect of injection volume on matrix effect (ME) was investigated.

Highly sensitive and rapid detection of chloramphenicol antibiotics (CAPs) in aquatic products via lateral flow immunoassay (LFA) strips remains challenging. This study developed a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)–based LFA strip for ultrasensitive analysis of CAPs by using noble metal nanoparticles (NPs). A kind of core–shell Au@Ag NPs were employed to prepare SERS tags considering the stability and repeatability.

The development of detection method for aflatoxin gene cluster in Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticusis is an effective approach to prevent the widespread of aflatoxins, which are considered as extremely, toxic substances. Herein, a hairpin DNA-assisted fluorescence probe switch based on Förster resonant energy transfer (FRET) was designed.

A novel and sensitive chromatography method with modified Quick Polar Pesticide (QuPPe) sample preparation was validated for determination of eight high polar pesticides in cherries by liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The validation data executed the conditions of the European SANTE/12682/2019 Guidance Document. Good linearity (R2 > 0.99) was observed, and the residuals were lower than ± 20%.

Herein an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor based on graphene aerogel (GA) for detecting metronidazole (MTZ) was proposed. The ECL behavior of the Ru(bpy)32+-doped silica nanoparticles (SiO2@Ru(bpy)32+ NPs) was investigated with MTZ as the coreactant. Quantitative detection of MTZ was realized as MTZ could effectively enhance the ECL signal of the SiO2@Ru(bpy)32+ NPs.