Research Publications (Food Safety)

Author(s): Patrick McKernan, Benjamin Cassidy, Alexis Woodward, James Battiste, Douglas Drevets, Roger Harrison

Author(s): David Lynch, Colin Hill, Des Field, Máire Begley

Persistent contamination of food manufacturing environments by Listeria monocytogenes is an important public health risk because such contamination events defy standard sanitization protocols, for example, the application of quaternary ammonium compounds such as benzalkonium chloride (BC), providing a source for prolonged dissemination of the bacteria in food products. We performed whole-genome sequence (WGS) analyses of 1279 well-characterized L.

Author(s): John Jorgensen, Rebecca Bland, Joy Waite-Cusic, Jovana Kovacevic

Author(s): Even Heir, Lars Erik Solberg, Mats Carlehög, Birgitte Moen, Merete Rusås Jensen, Askild Lorentz Holck

Author(s): Rugna Gianluca, Carra Elena, Bergamini Federica, Franzini Giuliana, Faccini Silvia, Gattuso Antonietta, Morganti Marina, Baldi Deborah, Naldi Simona, Serraino Andrea, Piva Silvia, Merialdi Giuseppe, Giacometti Federica

Listeria monocytogenes contamination is of great concern in queso fresco (QF), and listeriosis outbreaks linked to consumption of QF continue to happen. Hurdle approaches such as combining antimicrobials provide an alternative to improve QF safety. In this work, the efficacy of antimicrobial combinations of nisin (NIS), lauric arginate (LAE), and ε-polylysine (EPL) to inhibit L. monocytogenes growth in QF was evaluated. First, antimicrobials were screened for potential synergy in vitro.

Author(s): Joo-Won Kim, Bhupendra Mistry, Han-Seung Shin, Seok-Seong Kang

Author(s): Yeon Jin Kim, Hwan Hee Yu, Ye Ji Song, Yeong Jin Park, Na-Kyoung Lee, Hyun-Dong Paik

Co‐microencapsulation of lactobacilli cell free and propolis extract inhibited bacterial growth considerably. Abstract Cell free extracts (CFE) obtained from Lactobacillus plantarum FI 8595 and Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC 55730 alone or in combination with propolis ethanolic or water extracts (1%) were microencapsulated with maltodextrin (25%) before the subsequent spray drying process. They were morphologically characterized by scanning electron microscope.

Plasma-functionalized liquids (PFL) emerge as an effective sanitizer with great potential to be against a variety of microorganisms but their applications on seafood products are limited. In the current study, the physicochemical properties of plasma-functionalized water (PFW) and plasma-functionalized buffer (PFB), and their antimicrobial activities on grass carp, were investigated under different conditions of applied voltage, plasma exposure time and immersion time.

Author(s): Hiroaki Baba, Hajime Kanamori, Risako Kakuta, Hiroki Sakurai, Kengo Oshima, Tetsuji Aoyagi, Mitsuo Kaku

There are several reports on the detection of Listeria monocytogenes in Iran, which has been identified as a major public health problem. In addition, due to drug resistance and strong biofilm formation of this pathogen, new approaches such as using probiotics are needed to combat this bacterium. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of spore-forming probiotics on the expression of virulence genes hly, plc, inlA, and invasion of L.

Nisin is a commonly used bacteriocin for controlling spoilage and pathogenic bacteria in food products. Strains possessing high natural nisin resistance that reduce or increase the potency of this bacteriocin against Listeria monocytogenes have been described. Our study sought to gather more insights into nisin resistance mechanisms in natural L.

Cyclic-di-AMP (c-di-AMP) is an essential and ubiquitous second messenger among bacteria. C-di-AMP regulates many cellular pathways through direct binding to several molecular targets in bacterial cells. C-di-AMP depletion is well known to destabilize the bacterial cell wall, resulting in increased bacteriolysis and enhanced susceptibility to cell wall targeting antibiotics.

Growing consumer desires for clean label, “natural” products drives more meat processors to cure meat products with natural sources of nitrate or nitrite such as celery juice powder (CJP). One particular challenge for these producers is to identify safe cooling rates in CJP-cured products where extended cooling could allow growth of pathogens. USDA FSIS recently added guidelines for stabilization of meat products cured using naturally occurring nitrites, based on control of Clostridium spp .

Grocery stores handle fresh produce in large quantities daily. According to the Food and Drug Administration Food Code, food is to be stored at least 15 cm above the floor, and all foods shall be protected from any source of contamination or otherwise discarded. It is reported in the literature that dropped produce could be a potential source of microbial contamination.

Author(s): Araceli Bolívar, Jean Carlos Correia Peres Costa, Guiomar D. Posada-Izquierdo, Sara Bover-Cid, Gonzalo Zurera, Fernando Pérez-Rodríguez

L. monocytogenes continues to be a major health issue in Europe, as well as worldwide. Faster methods, not only for detection, but also for sample preparation are of great interest particularly for this slow-growing pathogen. Immunomagnetic separation has been previously reported to be an effective way to concentrate bacteria, and remove inhibitors.

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is one of the leading causes of death due to foodborne illness, affecting the elderly, pregnant women, neonates and the immune compromised. Serologically, Lm can be classified into 13 serotypes, though only four are typically linked with food contamination and illness. Since 2000, a shift in serotypes involved in listeriosis outbreaks was observed, suggesting that tracking of serotypes could help identify emerging trends.

SUMMARY Microbiological contamination of chicken meat depends on the conditions under which the animals are reared, slaughtered and processed. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of farm origin and processing stages at slaughterhouse on the microbial safety and quality of chicken. Samples of chicken carcasses from three different farms were taken from a slaughterhouse.

Macrophages participate to the first line of defense against infectious agents. Microbial pathogens evolved sophisticated mechanisms to escape macrophage killing. Here, we review recent discoveries and emerging concepts on bacterial molecular strategies to subvert macrophage immune responses.

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance in the food chain and the consumer's demand for safe food without chemical preservatives have generated much interest in natural antimicrobials. Thus, our main goal was to study the mode of action of the crude extract, the enterocins, and the organic acid produced by a bacteriocinogenic Enterococcus faecium strain S6 previously isolated from raw camel milk. Then, we aimed to evaluate their potential application in a food system.

Author(s): Gökhan Kürşad İncili, Müzeyyen Akgöl, Mehmet Emin Aydemir, Selçuk Alan, Muhsin Mutlu, Osman İrfan İlhak, Gülsüm Öksüztepe

Intracellular pathogens are responsible for an enormous amount of worldwide morbidity and mortality, and each has evolved specialized strategies to establish and maintain their replicative niche. Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular pathogen that secretes a pore-forming cytolysin called listeriolysin O (LLO), which disrupts the phagosomal membrane and, thereby, allows...