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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 - 15 of 15

  1. Influence of host phylogeny and water physicochemistry on microbial assemblages of the fish skin microbiome

    • FEMS Microbiology Ecology
    • The skin of fish contains a diverse microbiota that has symbiotic functions with the host, facilitating pathogen exclusion, immune system priming, and nutrient degradation. The composition of fish skin microbiomes varies across species and in response to a variety of stressors, however, there has been no systematic analysis across these studies to evaluate how these factors shape fish skin microbiomes.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  2. Aeromonashydrophila infection in tilapia triggers changes in the microbiota composition of fish internal organs

    • FEMS Microbiology Ecology
    • Aeromonas hydrophila is a major pathogenic species that causes mass mortality in various freshwater fish species including hybrid tilapia, the main fish species in Israeli aquaculture. Our hypothesis was that A. hydrophila infection may cause changes in the microbiota composition of fish internal organs, and therefore we aimed to study the effect of A. hydrophila infection by injection or by net handling on the microbiota compositions of fish intestine, spleen, and liver.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  3. The impact of environmental pH on the gut microbiota community structure and short chain fatty acid production

    • FEMS Microbiology Ecology
    • Environmental pH is a critical parameter for maintenance of the gut microbiota. Here, the impact of pH on the gut microbiota luminal and mucosal community structure and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production was evaluated in vitro, and data compiled to reveal a donor-independent response to an increase or decrease in environmental pH. The results found that raising environmental pH significantly increased luminal community richness and decreased mucosal community evenness.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Shigella
  4. Tracing long-distance electron transfer and cable bacteria in freshwater sediments by agar pillar gradient columns

    • FEMS Microbiology Ecology
    • Cable bacteria (CB) perform electrogenic sulfur oxidation (e-SOx) by spatially separating redox half reactions over centimetre distances. For freshwater systems, the ecology of CB is not yet well understood, partly because they proved difficult to cultivate. This study introduces a new ‘agar pillar’ approach to selectively enrich and investigate CB populations.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  5. Inhibition of sulfate-reducing bacteria with formate

    • FEMS Microbiology Ecology
    • Despite hostile environmental conditions, microbial communities have been found in µL-sized water droplets enclosed in heavy oil of the Pitch Lake, Trinidad. Some droplets showed high sulfate concentrations and surprisingly low relative abundances of sulfate-reducing bacteria in a previous study. Hence, we investigated here whether sulfate reduction might be inhibited naturally.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Vibrio
  6. Plant–microbe–microbe interactions influence the faba bean nodule colonization by diverse endophytic bacteria

    • FEMS Microbiology Ecology
    • ABSTRACT Legume root nodules harbor rhizobia and other non-nodulating endophytes known as nodule-associated bacteria (NAB) whose role in the legume symbiosis is still unknown. We analysed the genetic diversity of 34 NAB isolates obtained from the root nodules of faba bean grown under various soil conditions in Egypt using 16S rRNA and concatenated sequences of three housekeeping genes.

      • Bacterial pathogens
  7. The dissemination of antimicrobial resistance determinants in surface water sources in Lebanon

    • FEMS Microbiology Ecology
    • ABSTRACT The prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in surface water in Lebanon is a growing concern and understanding the mechanisms of the spread of resistance determinants is essential. We aimed at studying the occurrence of resistant bacteria and determinants in surface water sources in Lebanon and understanding their mobilization and transmission. Water samples were collected from five major rivers in Lebanon.

      • Bacterial pathogens
  8. The interactions of bacteriophage Ace and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli during biocontrol

    • FEMS Microbiology Ecology
    • ABSTRACT Strictly lytic phages are considered powerful tools for biocontrol of foodborne pathogens. Safety issues needed to be addressed for the biocontrol of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) include: lysogenic conversion, Shiga toxin production through phage induction, and emergence/proliferation of bacteriophage insensitive mutants (BIMs).

      • Bacterial pathogens
  9. Matrix inhibition by Salmonella excludes uropathogenic E. coli from biofilm

    • FEMS Microbiology Ecology
    • ABSTRACT Biofilm is a predominant lifestyle of bacteria that comprises of cells as collectives enmeshed in a polymeric matrix. Biofilm formation is vital for bacterial species as it provides access to nutrients and protects the cells from environmental stresses. Here we show that interference in biofilm matrix production is a strategy by the competing bacterial species to reduce the ability of the other species to colonize a surface.

      • Salmonella
      • Shigella
      • Bacterial pathogens
  10. Distribution of phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from cultivated oysters and estuarine water

    • FEMS Microbiology Ecology
    • ABSTRACT A total of 594 Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates from cultivated oysters (n = 361) and estuarine water (n = 233) were examined for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) phenotype and genotype and virulence genes. Four hundred forty isolates (74.1%) exhibited resistance to at least one antimicrobial agent and 13.5% of the isolates were multidrug-resistant strains. Most of the V.

      • Vibrio
      • Bacterial pathogens
  11. Microbial communities of container aquatic habitats shift in response to Culex restuans larvae

    • FEMS Microbiology Ecology
    • ABSTRACT We examined how larvae of Culex restuans mosquito influences the bacterial abundance, composition and diversity in simulated container aquatic habitats. The microbiota of Cx. restuans larvae were also characterized and compared to those of their larval habitats. The presence of Cx. restuans larvae altered the bacterial community composition and reduced the bacterial abundance, diversity and richness.

      • Bacterial pathogens
  12. The transcriptome of Escherichia coli O157: H7 reveals a role for oxidative stress resistance in its survival from predation by Tetrahymena

    • FEMS Microbiology Ecology
    • ABSTRACT Pathogenic E. coli remains undigested upon phagocytosis by Tetrahymena and is egested from the ciliate as viable cells in its fecal pellets. Factors that are involved in the survival of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli serovar O157: H7 (EcO157) from digestion by Tetrahymena were identified by microarray analysis of its transcriptome in the protozoan phagosome.

      • Bacterial pathogens
  13. Salmonella adapts to plants and their environment during colonization of tomatoes

    • FEMS Microbiology Ecology
    • ABSTRACT Humans and animals are considered typical hosts for Salmonella, however, also plants can be colonized. Tomatoes were linked to salmonellosis outbreaks already on several occasions. The aim of this study was, therefore, to establish a comprehensive view on the interaction between Salmonella enterica and tomatoes, and to test the hypothesis that colonization of plants is an interactive process.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  14. The hot oyster: levels of virulent Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains in individual oysters

    • FEMS Microbiology Ecology
    • Vibrio parahaemolyticus is the leading cause of seafood-associated gastroenteritis and is most commonly transmitted by raw oysters. Consequently, detection of virulent strains of this organism in oysters is a primary concern for seafood safety. Vibrio parahaemolyticus levels were determined in 110 individual oysters harvested from two sampling sites in SC, USA. The majority of oysters (98%) contained low levels of presumptive V. parahaemolyticus.

      • Vibrio
      • Bacterial pathogens
  15. Mannan- and xylooligosaccharides modulate caecal microbiota and expression of inflammatory-related cytokines and reduce caecal Salmonella Enteritidis colonisation in young chickens

    • FEMS Microbiology Ecology
    • Salmonella Enteritidis is a pathogen, which can infect humans and chickens. This study was designed to address the impact of two potential prebiotics, mannanoligosaccharides (MOS) and xylooligosaccharides (XOS), on the caecal microbiota and expression of cytokines in chickens infected with S. Enteritidis. Newly hatched chicks were assigned to one of five groups: (1) uninfected control, (2) infected control, (3) infected + XOS, (4) infected + MOS and (5) infected + virginiamycin.

      • Salmonella
      • Bacterial pathogens