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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 176 - 200 of 6179

  1. Peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance metribuzin

    • EFSA Journal
    • Abstract The conclusions of the EFSA following the peer review of the initial risk assessments carried out by the competent authorities of the rapporteur Member State, Estonia, and co‐rapporteur Member State, Germany, for the pesticide active substance metribuzin and the assessment of application to amend existing residue definition are reported.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Pesticide residues
  2. Comparative efficacy of silicon and iron oxide nanoparticles towards improving the plant growth and mitigating arsenic toxicity in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

    • Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
    • Nano-enabled agriculture has emerged as an attractive approach for facilitating soil pollution mitigation and enhancing crop production and nutrition. In this study, we conducted a greenhouse experiment to explore the efficacy of silicon oxide nanoparticles (SiONPs) and iron oxide nanoparticles (FeONPs) in alleviating arsenic (As) toxicity in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and elucidated the underlying mechanisms involved.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  3. Assessment of Lactobacillus rhamnosus mediated protection against arsenic-induced toxicity in zebrafish: a qPCR-based analysis of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes groups and embryonic development

    • Archives of Microbiology
    • Arsenic poses a significant health risk worldwide, impacting the gut microbiota, reproductive health, and development. To address this issue, a cost-effective method like probiotic supplementation could be beneficial. However, the interplay between arsenic toxicity, probiotics, gut microbiota, and maternal transcript modulation remains unexplored. This study investigates the impact of Lactobacillus rhamnosus (L.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  4. A new semiconductor heterojunction SERS substrate for ultra-sensitive detection of antibiotic residues in egg

    • Food Chemistry
    • Antibiotic residues in animal-derived food (egg) are threatening human health. Semiconductor heterojunction surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates can be used for ultra-sensitive detection of antibiotic residues in egg. Here, a TiO2/ZnO heterojunction was developed as a new SERS substrate based on an interface engineering strategy.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Antibiotic residues
  5. Non‐destructive detection and recognition of pesticide residue levels on cauliflowers using visible/near‐infrared spectroscopy combined with chemometrics

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract In this study, two prediction models were developed using visible/near‐infrared (Vis/NIR) spectroscopy combined with partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS‐DA) and least squares support vector machine (LS‐SVM) for the detection of pesticide residues of avermectin, dichlorvos, and chlorothalonil at different concentration levels on the surface of cauliflowers.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Pesticide residues
  6. Iron-modified biochar improves plant physiology, soil nutritional status and mitigates Pb and Cd-hazard in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Environmental quality and food safety is threatened by contamination of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) heavy metals in agricultural soils. Therefore, it is necessary to develop effective techniques for remediation of such soils. In this study, we prepared iron-modified biochar (Fe-BC) which combines the unique characteristics of pristine biochar (BC) and iron.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
      • Produce Safety
      • Post Harvest
  7. Assessment of the feed additive consisting of alpha‐galactosidase produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae CBS 615.94 and endo‐1,4‐beta‐glucanase produced by Aspergillus niger CBS 120604 (Agal‐Pro BL/BL‐L®) for use in chickens for fattening, minor poultry spe

    • EFSA Journal
    • Abstract Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the assessment of the application for renewal of Agal‐Pro BL/BL‐L®. The additive is a preparation of alpha‐galactosidase produced by a genetically modified strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (CBS 615.94) and endo‐1,4‐beta‐glucanase produced by a non‐genetically modified strain of Aspergillus niger (CBS 120604).

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  8. Phosphorous-Functionalized Wheat Straw Biochar for the Efficient Removal of Cadmium and Lead in Aqueous Solution

    • Water, Air, & Soil Pollution
    • Biochar is an attractive and environmental friendly heavy metal sorbent, but is full-scale application is usually restricted by the limited sorption sites and surface area. Phosphate groups could strongly complex with heavy metal ions. Therefore, in the present study, phytic acid (PA) modified biochar (P-WBC) was prepared via the hydrolysis carbonization of wheat straw and PA at 300 °C and 700 °C.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  9. Virtual screening analysis of natural flavonoids as trimethylamine (TMA)‐lyase inhibitors for coronary heart disease

    • Journal of Food Biochemistry
    • The TMA/TMAO pathway represents one of many microbe‐dependent pathways that will ultimately be linked to CHD pathogenesis Molecular docking results found that baicalein, fisetin, acacetin, and myricetin in flavonoid aglycones, and baicalin, naringin and hesperidin in flavonoid glycosides had good binding effects on TMA‐lyase, which were the most active and could be used as lead compounds for structural modification.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  10. Development of a fluorescent sensor based on TPE-Fc and GSH-AuNCs for the detection of organophosphorus pesticide residues in vegetables

    • Food Chemistry
    • A novel dual-signal fluorescent sensor was developed for detecting organophosphorus pesticides (OPs). It relies on the catalytic activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and choline oxidase (ChOx) to generate hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) through the conversion of acetylcholine (ACh) to choline·H2O2 then oxidizes ferrocene-modified tetraphenylethylene (TPE-Fc) to its oxidized state (TPE-Fc+), resulting in enhanced cyan fluorescence due to aggregation.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Pesticide residues
  11. Food assessment for pesticide's contamination in Chugchilán parish crops in Cotopaxi (Ecuador)

    • Journal of Food Process Engineering
    • Abstract The objective of this study is to evaluate the contamination by pesticides in food grown in the parish of Chugchilán. From 258 families that were part of the main project, a sub‐sample of 26 families was obtained and, for each of them, a sample of food was extracted and evaluated by chromatographic methods. The main pesticides found in the locality are from the group of organophosphates, carbamates, dithiocarbamates, and glyphosate.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Pesticide residues
  12. Effects of electrolyzed water‐ultrasound treatment on pesticide removal in fresh‐cut potatoes with different cutting methods

    • Journal of Food Process Engineering
    • Effects of electrolyzed water‐ultrasound treatments on pesticide removal in fresh‐cut potatoes with different cutting methods. Abstract Electrolyzed water (EW) and ultrasound (US) treatment are emerging effective means of reducing pesticides in fresh‐cut vegetables. However, their synergetic efficacy of degrading pesticides in fresh‐cut potatoes has not yet been revealed.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Pesticide residues
      • Produce Safety
      • Fresh Cut
  13. Design and selection of solar‐powered Peltier‐based cooling neera (coconut sap) collecting system

    • Journal of Food Process Engineering
    • Solar‐operated neera tapping device using Pelteir module as cooling system to collect neera in an effective manner without climbing the tree. Abstract The fresh sap harvested from the unbloomed inflorescence of the adult spadix of coconut tree (Cocus nucifera L.) is known as “neera.” It must be collected below room temperature to prevent naturally occurring fermentation.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  14. Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of endo‐1,4‐β‐xylanase produced by Trichoderma citrinoviride DSM 34663 (Hostazym® X) for use in all poultry species, ornamental birds, all growing Suidae and carp (Huvepharma NV)

    • EFSA Journal
    • Abstract Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of a feed additive containing endo‐1,4‐β‐xylanase produced by Trichoderma citrinoviride DSM 34663 (Hostazym® X).

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  15. Activated carbon@silver nanoparticles conjugates as SERS substrate for capturing malathion analyte molecules for SERS detection

    • Journal of Food Safety
    • Schematics of the individual components of the AC@AgNPs active substrate and analyte detection procedure Abstract Malathion is one of the commonly used organophosphate pesticides known to attack the central nervous system, posing a risk to humans and other animals upon exposure. The surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been identified as an indispensable tool for chemical and biomolecular sensing.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Pesticide residues
  16. Recent advances in application and progress of advanced materials as adsorbents in sample preparation for plant growth regulators

    • Journal of Separation Science
    • Plant growth regulators are a class of physiologically active substances that could modify or regulate basic physiological processes in the plant and defense against abiotic and biotic stresses, including natural plant growth regulators and synthetic ones.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Pesticide residues
  17. Enhancing the Qualitative and Nutritional Properties of Strawberry Juice through Chitosan Treatment

    • International Journal of Food Science & Technology
    • Summary Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) belongs to the Rosaceae family. The fruit is very beneficial, with a delicious taste, attractive colour, and high vitamin and mineral content. The effect of chitosan on juice's transparency and phytochemical properties from the Camarosa cultivar was evaluated. Using chitosan as a clarifying agent for strawberry juice significantly reduced turbidity, phenolic content, flavonoids, protein, and antioxidant properties.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Pesticide residues
  18. Protective potential of thymoquinone against cadmium, arsenic, and lead toxicity: A short review with emphasis on oxidative pathways

    • Journal of Applied Toxicology
    • Abstract Heavy metals are among the most important environmental pollutions used in various industries. Their extensive use has increased human susceptibility to different chronic diseases. Toxic metal exposure, especially cadmium, arsenic, and lead, causes oxidative damages, mitochondrial dysfunction, and genetic and epigenetic modifications.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  19. Identification of genes showing altered DNA methylation and gene expression in the renal proximal tubular cells of rats treated with ochratoxin A for 13 weeks

    • Journal of Applied Toxicology
    • Abstract Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin that causes renal carcinogenicity following the induction of karyomegaly in proximal tubular cells after repeated administration to rats. Here, we performed gene profiling regarding altered DNA methylation and gene expression in the renal tubules focusing on the mechanism of OTA‐induced carcinogenesis.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
      • Natural toxins
      • Mycotoxins
  20. Resveratrol protects against cadmium‐induced cerebrum toxicity through modifications of the cytochrome P450 enzyme system in microsomes

    • Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
    • Abstract BACKGROUND Cadmium (Cd), known as a vital contaminant in the environment, penetrates the blood–brain barrier and accumulates in the cerebrum. Acute toxicosis of Cd, which leads to lethal cerebral edema, intracellular accumulation and cellular dysfunction, remains to be illuminated with regard to the exact molecular mechanism of cerebral toxicity.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  21. Elevated UV photon fluxes minimally affected cannabinoid concentration in a high-CBD cultivar

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Ultraviolet photons (UV) can damage critical biochemical processes. Plants synthesize photo-protective pigments that absorb UV to minimize damage. Cannabinoids absorb UV, so increased UV has the potential to increase cannabinoid synthesis. Studies in the 1980’s provided some evidence for this hypothesis in low-cannabinoid cultivars, but recent studies did not find an increase in cannabinoid synthesis with increasing UV in high-cannabinoid cultivars.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  22. Foliar application of salicylic acid inhibits the cadmium uptake and accumulation in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Introduction

      Salicylic acid (SA) is a multi-functional endogenous phytohormone implicated in the growth, development, and metabolism of many plant species.

      Methods

      This study evaluated the effects of different concentrations of SA (0, 25, 100, 200, and 500 mg/L) on the growth and cadmium (Cd) content of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) under Cd stress. The different concentrations of SA treatments were administered through foliar application.

      Results

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  23. Analyzing the impacts of cadmium alone and in co-existence with polypropylene microplastics on wheat growth

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Heavy metals typically coexist with microplastics (MPs) in terrestrial ecosystems. Yet, little is known about how the co-existence of heavy metals and MPs affect crops. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of cadmium (Cd; 40 mg/L) alone and its co-existence with polypropylene (PP)-MPs (50 and 100 µm) on seed germination, root and shoot growth, seedling dry weight (DW), and antioxidant enzyme activities of wheat.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  24. Determination of 57 pesticide residues in fishery products by GC tandem mass spectrometry combined with QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) extraction

    • Food Science and Biotechnology
    • An analytical method using GC–MS/MS combined with quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe extraction was developed to determine 57 pesticides in fishery products. The limits of detection and quantification (LOD and LOQ, respectively) of the analytical method ranged between 0.91 and 2.12 ng/g wet mass and 3 and 7 ng/g wet mass, respectively. Moreover, the linearity of the calibration curves was acceptable (R2 > 0.99).

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Pesticide residues
  25. Climate and soil pH control the reduction of cadmium in rice during 7 years of biannual liming

    • Plant and Soil
    • Background and aims Liming is widely known as a cost-efficient agricultural practice to reduce cadmium (Cd) concentration in rice (Oryza sativa L.) grain (CdR) in the short term.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals