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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 1 - 25 of 40428

  1. Okadaic Acid Is at Least as Toxic as Dinophysistoxin-1 after Repeated Administration to Mice by Gavage

    • Toxins
    • Okadaic acid (OA) and its analogues cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) in humans, and risk assessments of these toxins require toxicity equivalency factors (TEFs), which represent the relative toxicities of analogues. However, no human death by DSP toxin has been reported, and its current TEF value is based on acute lethality. To properly reflect the symptoms of DSP, such as diarrhea without death, the chronic toxicity of DSP toxins at sublethal doses should be considered.

      • Natural toxins
      • Shellfish toxins
  2. Plasma-activated water for inactivation of Salmonella Typhimurium avirulent surrogate: Applications in produce and shell egg and understanding the modes of action

    • LWT
      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  3. Comprehensive bacterial-metabolite profiles of Hawaijar, Bekang, and Akhone: a comparative study on traditional fermented soybeans of north-east India

    • World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • Preparation of traditionally fermented soybeans varies across ethnicities with distinct tastes, flavour, and nutritional values. The fermented soybean varieties Hawaijar, Bekang, and Akhone of north-east India are associated with diverse ethnic groups from Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland, respectively. These varieties differ in substrate and traditional practice that exerts differential bacterial-metabolite profile, which needs an in-depth analysis i.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  4. Ecosystem and Commercializing of Fish in a Rich-Minerals, Low-Salinity Closed Lake

    • Water, Air, & Soil Pollution
    • Wadi El Natrun is an elongated narrow depression in the Western Desert of Egypt. The depression characterized by many ancient alkaline salt lakes. These lakes are filled with water in winter and dried up in summer. Recently, some lakes become permanently dried, while others become submerged throughout the year as El Bieda Lake. El Bieda Lake has undergone ecological changes due to the prolonged extraction of minerals and the continual discharging of freshwater.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  5. Draft genome sequence of Staphylococcus gallinarum BAU_KME002 strain isolated from egg surface in Bangladesh

    • Microbiology Resource Announcements
    • Microbiology Resource Announcements, Ahead of Print.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  6. Emerging challenges in maintaining marine food‐fish availability and food safety

    • Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety
    • Abstract The marine finfish and crustaceans contribute immensely to human nutrition. Harvesting marine food‐fish to meet the global demand has become a challenge due to reduction of the fishery areas and food safety hazards associated with increased pre‐harvest and post‐harvest contaminations. The causes of low fish availability and contaminations were reviewed following the published literature from 2000 to 2023.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Antibiotic residues
      • Produce Safety
      • Post Harvest
      • Pre Harvest
  7. Genomic epidemiology and characterization of Staphylococcus aureus isolates from raw milk in Jiangsu, China: emerging broader host tropism strain clones ST59 and ST398

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Staphylococcus aureus is highly pathogenic and can cause disease in both humans and domestic animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the genomic epidemiology of S. aureus isolates from raw milk in Jiangsu Province, China, to identify predominant lineages and their associated genomic and phenotypic characteristics. In this study, we identified 117 S. aureus isolates collected from 1,062 samples in Jiangsu Province between 2021 and 2022.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  8. A novel formula used for predicting hepatocellular carcinoma after the achievement of sustained virologic response by direct-acting antivirals in patients with chronic hepatitis C

    • PLOS ONE
    • by Yuji Yoshida, Masanori Atsukawa, Chisa Kondo, Michika Kitamura, Kaori Shioda-Koyano, Tadamichi Kawano, Hiroki Ono, Korenobu Hayama, Tomomi Okubo, Taeang Arai, Norio Itokawa, Katsuhiko Iwakiri Although eliminating HCV can prevent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), some patients develop HCC even after obtaining sustained virologic response (SVR). Previously, we developed a new formula to predict advanced liver fibrosis.

      • Viruses
      • Hepatitis
  9. Evolutionary, comparative, and functional analyses of STATs and regulation of the JAK-STAT pathway in lumpfish upon bacterial and poly(I:C) exposure

    • Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
    • Background The Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK-STAT) system regulates several biological processes by affecting transcription of genes as a response to cytokines and growth factors.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  10. Modeling naturally-occurring Vibrio parahaemolyticus in post-harvest raw shrimps

    • Food Research International
    • There is little known about the growth and survival of naturally-occurring Vibrio parahaemolyticus in harvested raw shrimps. In this study, the fate of naturally-occurring V. parahaemolyticus in post-harvest raw shrimps was investigated from 4℃ to 30℃ using real-time PCR combined with propidium monoazide (PMA-qPCR). The Baranyi-model was used to fit the growth and survival data.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  11. Probiotic Potentials and Antibiotic Susceptibility of a Yoghurt Analogue From a Mixture of 3-Plants Water Extracts.

    • American Journal of Food Science and Technology
    • Yoghurt is one of the best sources of probiotics and its importance to the human gastrointestinal system provides a perfect food matrix for transporting probiotics to the body. Unfortunately, animal milk dominates the typical commercial yoghurt; hence, the need to produce probiotic yoghurt from plant milk. This paper has outlined a new yoghurt analogue, made from a mixture of plant-based materials and analyzed their probiotic potentials, microbial assay and Antibiotic susceptibility.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Shigella
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  12. Green Synthesis of SnO2 Nanoparticles from Laurus nobilis L. Extract for Enhanced Gelatin-Based Films and CEF@SnO2 for Efficient Antibacterial Activity

    • Food and Bioprocess Technology
    • The green synthesis method was used to prepare SnO2 nanoparticles (NPs) from Laurus nobilis L. aqueous extract. Gelatin-based films are a promising substitute for traditional plastics due to their eco-friendliness, low cost, and pliability. However, they have some drawbacks such as high water solubility, poor opacity, and permeability to vapor. The use of synthesized SnO2 NPs can help address these concerns.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  13. Contribution of chitosan–caffeic acid graft against Staphylococcus aureus on oxidative stress and cell membrane

    • Journal of Food Safety
    • Inhibitory mechanism of Cs‐g‐Ca against S.aureus Abstract This study aimed to explore the antibacterial activity and mechanism of chitosan‐caffeic acid graft (CS‐g‐CA) against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The minimum inhibitory concentration of CS‐g‐CA against S. aureus was assessed.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  14. Sequential infection of human norovirus and Salmonella enterica resulted in higher mortality and ACOD1/IRG1 upregulation in zebrafish larvae

    • Microbes and Infection
    • Human norovirus (HNoVs) and Salmonella are both very important foodborne pathogens with mixed infection of HNoV and Salmonella reported clinically. With the use of model organism zebrafish (Danio rerio), it was observed that the sequential infection of HNoVs and Salmonella caused lower survival rates (12.5 ± 4.2 %) than the single-pathogen infection by Salmonella (31.6 ± 7.3 %, P < 0.05) or HNoVs (no mortality observed).

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
      • Viruses
      • Norovirus
  15. VOZ1 and VOZ2 transcription factors regulate arsenic tolerance and distribution in rice and Arabidopsis

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Rice is the major source of arsenic (As) intake in humans, as this staple crop readily accumulates As in the grain. Identifying the genes and molecular mechanisms underlying As accumulation and tolerance is a crucial step toward developing rice with reduced As levels. We identified 25 rice genes that improve As tolerance in yeast cells by expressing a complementary DNA (cDNA) library generated from As-treated rice roots.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  16. Determination of mycotoxins in nuts, cereals, legumes, and coffee beans and effectiveness of a selenium‐based decontamination treatment

    • Journal of Food Safety
    • A large proportion (69%) of the imported foods tested in this study were contaminated with one or several mycotoxins, including zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, and aflatoxins. Their high levels in rice, walnuts, pistachios, peanuts, and coffee beans underscore the need for robust surveillance and quality assurance systems across the food supply chains, from production to retail, to effectively protect the public from mycotoxin exposure.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  17. Isolation and characterization of a novel phage vB_BceS_LY1 and its application to control newly isolated Bacillus cereus in milk and rice

    • LWT
    • Bacillus cereus is important foodborne pathogen that causes food poisoning and other non-gastrointestinal infections, which could cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Phages have antibacterial potential to control this pathogen, especially antibiotic resistant ones. In this study, a novel lytic Bacillus cereus phage, vB_BceS_LY1 (LY1), a new genus of the subfamily Gutmannvirinae under Caudoviricetes, was isolated from a sewage treatment plant in China.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Bacillus cereus
  18. Detection of hemolytic Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in fresh vegetables and efficiency of phytogenically synthesized silver nanoparticles by Syzygium aromaticum extract and gamma radiation against isolated pathogens

    • BMC Microbiology
    • Background Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) is a major cause of foodborne diseases accompanied by several clinical illnesses in humans. This research aimed to isolate, identify, and combat STEC using novel alternative treatments, researchers have lately investigated using plant extract to produce nanoparticles in an environmentally acceptable way.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Escherichia coli O157:H7
  19. Prevalence and Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Retail Raw Milk Samples in Chennai, India

    • Foodborne Pathogens and Disease
    • Milk is an important source of food, and it is also a nutrient-rich medium, which can harbor multiple microorganisms. Staphylococcus aureus is an important foodborne pathogen in food-producing animals, and there have been many reports on its infection and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which has significant global public health concerns. This study was designed to isolate, characterize, and analyze the AMR pattern of S. aureus from milk samples collected in Chennai, India.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  20. Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii accelerates intestinal microbiota maturation and is correlated with increased secretory IgA production in neonatal dairy calves

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Neonatal calves have a limited capacity to initiate immune responses due to a relatively immature adaptive immune system, which renders them susceptible to many on-farm diseases. At birth, the mucosal surfaces of the intestine are rapidly colonized by microbes in a process that promotes mucosal immunity and primes the development of the adaptive immune system.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Shigella
  21. Occurrence of Mycotoxins in Dried Fruits Worldwide, with a Focus on Aflatoxins and Ochratoxin A: A Review

    • Toxins
    • Dried fruits are popular and nutritious snacks consumed worldwide due to their long shelf life and concentrated nutrient content. However, fruits can be contaminated with various toxigenic fungal species during different stages, including cultivation, harvesting, processing, drying, and storage. Consequently, these products may contain high levels of mycotoxins. This risk is particularly pronounced in developed countries due to the impact of climate change.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  22. Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium verticillioides and Their Main Mycotoxins: Global Distribution and Scenarios of Interactions in Maize

    • Toxins
    • Maize is frequently contaminated with multiple mycotoxins, especially those produced by Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium verticillioides. As mycotoxin contamination is a critical factor that destabilizes global food safety, the current review provides an updated overview of the (co-)occurrence of A. flavus and F. verticillioides and (co-)contamination of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and fumonisin B1 (FB1) in maize. Furthermore, it summarizes their interactions in maize.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  23. An integrated screening method for paralytic shellfish toxins and their analogues based on fragmentation characteristics using an Orbitrap-based ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry

    • Food Chemistry
    • Paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) perform a huge threat to food safety and public safety. In this study, an integrated non-targeted screening strategy was developed for the screening of PSTs and their analogues exploiting the fragmentation characteristics from ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). First, an extensible in-house PSTs compound database was developed.

      • Natural toxins
      • Shellfish toxins
  24. Fecal microbial and metabolic characteristics of swine from birth to market

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Introduction Recently, the research on pig intestinal microbiota has become a hot topic in the field of animal husbandry. There are few articles describing the dynamic changes of porcine fecal microbiota and metabolites at different time points from birth to market. 

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Shigella
  25. Impact of feeding dried distillers’ grains with solubles diet on microbiome and metabolome of ruminal and cecal contents in Guanling yellow cattle

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Dried distillers’ grains with solubles (DDGS) are rich in nutrients, and partially alternative feeding of DDGS effectively reduces cost of feed and improves animals’ growth. We used 16S rDNA gene sequencing and LC/MS-based metabolomics to explore the effect of feeding cattle with a basal diet (BD) and a Jiang-flavor DDGS diet (replaces 25% concentrate of the diet) on microbiome and metabolome of ruminal and cecal contents in Guanling yellow cattle.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio