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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 - 21 of 21

  1. Diversity and probiotic characterisation of yeast isolates in the bovine gastrointestinal tract

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • The use of yeasts as a feed supplement for cattle can promote animal development and performance. However, for the positive results to be consistent, strains with probiotic properties must be selected. The objective of this study was to isolate and identify yeasts present in the bovine feces and evaluate their probiotic potential together with strains previously isolated from the rumen (preliminary study).

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  2. Complete genome of Vibrio japonicus strain JCM 31412 T and assessment of the Nereis clade of the genus Vibrio

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • Clade-based taxonomy has become a recognised means of classifying members of the family Vibrionaceae. A multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) approach based on eight housekeeping genes can be used to infer phylogenetic relationships, which then groups species into monophyletic clades.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  3. Vibrio tetraodonis subsp. pristinus subsp. nov., isolated from the coral Acropora cytherea at Palmyra Atoll, and creation and emended description of Vibrio tetraodonis subsp. tetraodonis subsp. nov

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • Strain OCN044T was isolated from the homogenised tissue and mucus of an apparently healthy Acropora cytherea coral fragment collected from the western reef terrace of Palmyra Atoll in the Northern Line Islands and was taxonomically evaluated with a polyphasic approach. The morphological and chemotaxonomic properties are consistent with characteristics of the genus Vibrio: Gram-stain-negative rods, oxidase- and catalase-positive, and motile by means of a polar flagellum.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  4. Vibrio salinus sp. nov., a marine nitrogen-fixing bacterium isolated from the lagoon sediment of an islet inside an atoll in the western Pacific Ocean

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • A marine, facultatively anaerobic, nitrogen-fixing bacterium, designated strain DNF-1T, was isolated from the lagoon sediment of Dongsha Island, Taiwan. Cells grown in broth cultures were Gram-negative rods that were motile by means of monotrichous flagella. Cells grown on plate medium produced prosthecae and vesicle-like structures. NaCl was required and optimal growth occurred at about 2–3% NaCl, 25–30 °C and pH 7–8.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  5. Phylogenetic diversity in sulphate-reducing bacterial communities from oxidised and reduced bottom sediments of the Barents Sea

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • In the bottom sediments from a number of the Barents Sea sites, including coastal areas of the Novaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Land, and Svalbard archipelagos, sulphate reduction rates were measured and the phylogenetic composition of sulphate-reducing bacterial (SRB) communities was analysed for the first time.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  6. 16 S rRNA gene diversity and gut microbial composition of the Indian white shrimp (Penaeus indicus)

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • The endemic Indian white shrimp (Penaeus indicus) is an economically important crustacean species, distributed in the Indo-West Pacific region. Knowledge of its gut microbial composition helps in dietary interventions to ensure improved health and production. Here we analyzed V3-V4 hypervariable regions of the 16 S rRNA gene to examine intestinal microbiota in wild and domesticated farmed P.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  7. Protective effect of Lactobacillus reuteri Lb11 from chicken intestinal tract against Salmonella Enteritidis SE05 in vitro

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • Salmonella infections in eggs with increasing morbidity and mortality exhibit worldwide prevalence. The present study intends to evaluate the efficacy of Lactobacillus reuteri Lb11 (L. reuteri Lb11, isolated from chicken intestinal tract) in inhibiting the growth of multi-drug resistant (MDR) Salmonella Enteritidis SE05 (obtained from egg content). The cell-free cell lysates (CFCL) of L.

      • Salmonella
      • Bacterial pathogens
  8. C-protein α-antigen modulates the lantibiotic thusin resistance in Streptococcus agalactiae

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • Screening for producers of potent antimicrobial peptides, resulted in the isolation of Bacillus cereus BGNM1 with strong antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes. Genome sequence analysis revealed that BGNM1 contains the gene cluster associated with the production of the lantibiotic, thusin, previously identified in B. thuringiensis. Purification of the antimicrobial activity confirmed that strain BGMN1 produces thusin.

      • Listeria monocytogenes
      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Bacillus cereus
  9. Prevalence, detection of virulence genes and antimicrobial susceptibility of pathogen Vibrio species isolated from different types of seafood samples at “La Nueva Viga” market in Mexico City

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • Some Vibrio species are important human pathogens owing to they cause infectious diseases such as gastroenteritis, wound infections, septicemia or even death. Many of these illnesses are associated with consumption of contaminated seafood. In the present study, we evaluated the presence of pathogenic Vibrio species, their virulence and antimicrobial susceptibility from 285 different kind of seafood samples from “La Nueva Viga” market in Mexico City.

      • Vibrio
      • Bacterial pathogens
  10. The composition of bacteria in gut and beebread of stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini) from tropics Yunnan, China

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • Stingless bees are the main pollinators in tropical and subtropical regions. However, there are only a few studies on the structure and composition of bacteria in the gut and beebread of stingless bees, especially in China. To address this shortage of information, we characterized the microbiota of three common species of stingless bees (Lepidotrigona terminata, Lepidotrigona ventralis and Tetragonula pagdeni) and beebread samples of T. pagdeni.

      • Shigella
      • Bacterial pathogens
  11. Assessment of some metabolic activities and potential probiotic properties of eight Enterococcus bacteria isolated from white cheese microbiota

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • In the present study, eight strains of Enterococcus spp. were isolated from Turkish and Iranian white cheese test pieces. Enterococcus spp. strains were identified as Enterococcus faecium (6 strains) and E. faecalis (2) with 16S rDNA sequence analysis. All Enterococcus spp.

      • Salmonella
      • Bacterial pathogens
  12. Polyphasic characterization of and genomic insights into a haloalkali-tolerant Saccharibacillus alkalitolerans sp. nov., that produces three cellulase isozymes and several antimicrobial compounds

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

      • Shigella
      • Staphylococcus aureus
      • Bacterial pathogens
  13. Biocontrol and plant growth-promoting potentiality of bacteria isolated from compost extract

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • The use of compost extracts is steadily increasing, offering an attractive way for plant growth enhancement and disease management replacing chemical pesticides. In this study, potential mechanisms involved in plant growth promotion and suppressive activity against fungal diseases, of a compost extract produced from poultry manure/olive husk compost, were investigated.

      • Pesticide residues
      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Chemical contaminants
  14. Lactobacillus gastricus BTM 7 prevents intestinal colonization by biofilm forming Cronobacter sakazakii in Caenorhabditis elegans model host

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • The study reports protective role of potential probiotic cultures against infection by biofilm forming Cronobacter sakazakii in Caenorhabditis elegans model system. Among the fifteen indigenous potential probiotics, the cell free supernatant of Lactobacillus gastricus BTM7 possessed highest antimicrobial action and biofilm inhibition against C. sakazakii.

      • Cronobacter
      • Bacterial pathogens
  15. Expanding the host range: infection of a reptilian host ( Furcifer pardalis ) by an atypical Brucella strain

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • Atypical brucellae show deviant phenotypes and/or genotypes. Besides Brucella inopinata, B. microti and B. vulpis, atypical strains have been described infecting humans, rodents, amphibians and fish. They represent potential zoonotic agents. Here, we provide evidence that reptiles as the remaining poikilothermic vertebrate class also represent susceptible hosts for atypical Brucella.

      • Bacterial pathogens
  16. Differential expression of vvhA and CPS operon allele 1 genes in Vibrio vulnificus under biofilm and planktonic conditions

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • Examination of genes encoding for the virulence factors, hemolysin/cytolysin (vvhA) and capsular polysaccharide (CPS allele 1), during biofilm formation revealed that their expression was influenced by the maturity of the biofilm as well as by temperature. At 24 °C, expression of vvhA during biofilm formation was low between 4 and 12 h but increased 10-fold by 24 h to (5.1 × 104 ± 6.3 × 103mRNA copies/ml) as the biofilm matured.

      • Vibrio
      • Bacterial pathogens
  17. Isolation and identification of two Serratia marcescens strains from silkworm, Bombyx mori

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • Bacterial septicemia commonly occurs and usually cause huge losses in sericulture industry. Here, two pathogenic bacterial strains were isolated from dead silkworm and named as ZJ-1 and ZJ-2. Phenotypic and genotypic analysis results revealed that both of these two strains are closely related to Serratia marcescens (S. marcescens). The morphological as well as physiological and biochemical characteristics of ZJ-1 were accordant with S.

      • Bacterial pathogens
  18. Molecular characterisation of hydrogen sulfide negative Salmonella enterica serovar Havana

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) detection is a screening method for distinguishing and identifying Salmonella strains from other bacteria in the intestine. Incidences of H2S-negative Salmonella have recently been reported in different countries.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  19. Phenotypes, transcriptome, and novel biofilm formation associated with the ydcI gene

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • The ydcI gene has previously been shown to encode a DNA-binding protein involved with acid stress resistance and induced biofilm formation in a strain of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. In addition, characterisation of the ydcI gene in Escherichia coli and other bacteria demonstrated strikingly different tolerance for induced ydcI expression across Gram negative species.

      • Salmonella
      • Bacterial pathogens
  20. Diversity in gene arrangement in a DNA region lacking aerA in clinical and environmental Aeromonas hydrophila isolates

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • Aquatic pathogen Aeromonas hydrophila produces an array of virulence factors, many of which are excreted proteins that causes infectious disease in fish, reptiles, and humans. Aerolysin, a haemolytic toxin, is the most well-known of the A. hydrophila virulence factors and is encoded by aerA.

      • Bacterial pathogens
  21. Bioinformatic analyses of a potential Salmonella - virus - FelixO1 biocontrol phage BPS15S6 and the characterisation and anti-Enterobacteriaceae-pathogen activity of its endolysin LyS15S6

    • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
    • Foodborne Enterobacteriaceae pathogens, especially Salmonella, still seriously threaten food safety.

      • Salmonella
      • Bacterial pathogens