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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 407

  1. Baicalin-aluminum alleviates necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens by inhibiting virulence factors expression of Clostridium perfringens

    • Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
    • Clostridium perfringens type A is the main cause of necrotic enteritis (NE) in chickens. Since the use of antibiotics in feed is withdrawn, it is imperative to find out suitable alternatives to control NE. Baicalin-aluminum complex is synthesized from baicalin, a flavonoid isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. The present study investigated the effects of baicalin-aluminum on the virulence-associated traits and virulence genes expression of C.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  2. Dietary Macleaya cordata extract supplementation improves the growth performance and gut health of broiler chickens with necrotic enteritis

    • Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology
    • Background The poultry industry needs effective antibiotic alternatives to control outbreaks of necrotic enteritis (NE) caused by Clostridium perfringens. Methods The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with Macleaya cordata extract (MCE) on the immune function and gut microbiota of broilers with NE.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  3. 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
  4. Evaluating a Salmonella Typhimurium, Eimeria maxima, and Clostridium perfringens coinfection necrotic enteritis model in broiler chickens: repeatability, dosing, and immune outcomes

    • Poultry Science
    • Coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis negatively impact poultry production, making challenge model repeatability important for evaluating mitigation strategies.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
      • Salmonella
  5. Antimicrobial resistance- and pathogen patterns in the fecal microbiota of sows and their offspring in German commercial pig farms

    • PLOS ONE
    • by Anja Lührmann, Andrea Palmini, Justinus Hellmich, Vitaly Belik, Jürgen Zentek, Wilfried Vahjen Reducing antibiotic use is one of the biggest challenges in pig farming, as antibiotics have been used for years to control typical problems such as newborn or post-weaning diarrhea. The pressure a one health approach has created on animal production regarding antimicrobial resistance is an opportunity to find other strategies against enterobacterial pathogens in suckling and weaned piglets.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
      • Salmonella
      • Shigella
  6. Effects of incorporation of sophorolipids on the texture profile, microbiological quality and oxidative stability of chicken sausages

    • International Journal of Food Science & Technology
    • Production and characterization of chicken sausages with sophorolipids. Summary Sophorolipids present antimicrobial and antioxidant activities allowing their application in meat products such as sausages. In this study, formulations of chicken sausages were developed with 0.008%–0.06% sophorolipid supplementation.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  7. Characterization of the Clostridium perfringens phage endolysin cpp-lys and its application on lettuce

    • International Journal of Food Microbiology
    • Clostridium perfringens is an important foodborne pathogen that can have severe consequences, including mortality and economic losses. In this study, the gene encoding cpp-lys, an endolysin from the C.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  8. PLGA Nanoparticle-Based Dissolving Microneedle Vaccine of Clostridium perfringens ε Toxin

    • Toxins
    • Epsilon toxin (ETX) is an exotoxin produced by type B and D Clostridium perfringens that causes enterotoxemia or necrotic enteritis in animals such as goats, sheep, and cattle. Vaccination is a key method in preventing such diseases. In this study, we developed a new type of dissolving microneedle patch (dMN) with a nanoparticle adjuvant for enhanced immune response to deliver the rETXY196E-C protein vaccine.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  9. Effect of allyl isothiocyanate on the growth and virulence of Clostridium perfringens and its application on cooked pork

    • Food Research International
    • The objective of this study is to explore the antibacterial action modes and virulence-inhibitory effects of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) against Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of AITC against vegetative cells of Cp 13124 was 0.1 μL/mL, and the time-kill kinetics analysis revealed that AITC could significantly suppress the growth of Cp 13124.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  10. The protective effects of Bacillus licheniformis against inflammatory responses and intestinal barrier damage in broilers with necrotic enteritis induced by Clostridium perfringens

    • Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
    • Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, Accepted Article. BACKGROUND Bacillus licheniformis (B. licheniformis) is a gram-positive bacterium that has strong environmental adaptability and can improve the growth performance, immunity, and antioxidant function of broilers. The current study aimed to elucidate the protective capability of B.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  11. Hyperimmune egg yolk antibodies developed against Clostridium perfringens antigens protect against necrotic enteritis

    • Poultry Science
    • Necrotic enteritis (NE) is a widespread infectious disease caused by Clostridium perfringens that inflicts major economic losses on the global poultry industry. Due to regulations on antibiotic use in poultry production, there is an urgent need for alternative strategies to mitigate the negative effects of NE. This paper presents a passive immunization technology that utilizes hyperimmune egg yolk immunoglobulin Y (IgY) specific to the major immunodominant antigens of C.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  12. Nigella sativa as an antibiotic alternative to promote growth and enhance health of broilers challenged with Eimeria maxima and Clostridium perfringens

    • Poultry Science
    • The poultry industry has significant coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis (NE) challenges, leading to high mortality and unacceptable growth without antibiotic treatment.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  13. The effect of dietary Yucca schidigera extract supplementation on productive performance, egg quality and gut health in laying hens with Clostridium perfringens and coccidia challenge

    • Poultry Science
    • Yucca schidigera extract (YSE) is a green feed additive that is known to reduce toxic gas emissions and promote intestinal health in animal production. This study investigated the potential of dietary YSE supplementation to mitigate the negative effect of Clostridium perfringens and coccidia infection on productive performance and gut health in laying hens.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  14. Identification of a Novel lncRNA LNC_001186 and Its Effects on CPB2 Toxin-Induced Apoptosis of IPEC-J2 Cells

    • Genes
    • The Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringen) beta2 (CPB2) toxin produced by C. perfringens type C (CpC) can cause necrotizing enteritis in piglets. Immune system activation in response to inflammation and pathogen infection is aided by long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). In our previous work, we revealed the differential expression of the novel lncRNA LNC_001186 in CpC-infected ileum versus healthy piglets.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  15. A meta-analysis of the effect of Eimeria spp. and/or Clostridium perfringens infection on the microbiota of broiler chickens

    • Poultry Science
    • Coccidiosis in chickens is caused by Eimeria spp.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  16. Subclinical doses of dietary fumonisins and deoxynivalenol cause cecal microbiota dysbiosis in broiler chickens challenged with Clostridium perfringens

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Fusarium toxins are one of the most common contaminants in poultry diets. The co-occurrence of fumonisins (FUM) and deoxynivalenol (DON), even at a subclinical dose, negatively affects the growth performance, intestinal integrity and induce subclinical necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens. Loss of gut integrity can be expected to alter the intestinal microbiota’s composition.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
      • Natural toxins
      • Mycotoxins
  17. Clostridium perfringens strains proliferate to high counts in the broiler small intestinal tract, in accordance with necrotic lesion severity, and sporulate in the distal intestine

    • Veterinary Microbiology
    • Clostridium (C.) perfringens is the causative agent of necrotic enteritis (NE), an important enteric disease in poultry. Although a variety of virulence factors have been identified and as such the pathogenesis is well studied, data on colonization and sporulation during passage in the intestinal tract are scarce. This study, therefore, evaluated the behaviour of C. perfringens in the different intestinal compartments of broiler chickens during a NE trial.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  18. Antimicrobial Properties of Bacillus Probiotics as Animal Growth Promoters

    • Antibiotics
    • Antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) suppress the growth of infectious pathogens. These pathogens negatively impact agricultural production worldwide and often cause health problems if left untreated. Here, we evaluate six Bacillus strains (BPR-11, BPR-12, BPR-13, BPR-14, BPR-16 and BPR-17), which are known for their ability to survive harsh environmental conditions, as AGP replacements in animal feed.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
      • Salmonella
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  19. Mathematical modeling of temperature and natural antimicrobial effects on germination and outgrowth of Clostridium perfringens in chilled chicken

    • LWT
    • Effects of ginger essential oil (GEO) and grape seed extract (GSE) treatments on germination and growth of Clostridium perfringens spores in chicken after linear cooling and isothermal storage were evaluated. GEO or GSE (1%) can properly inhibit the germination and growth of C. perfringens spores during cooling from 50 °C to 4 °C. The kinetic models of Gompertz and Rat-kowskyt were carried out to describe the spore germination and growth of C.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  20. Β-glucans and MOS, essential oil, and probiotics in diets of broilers challenged with Eimeria spp. and Clostridium perfringens

    • Poultry Science
    • The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of β-glucans and MOS, essential oil (mixture of carvacrol and thymol), and the probiotic based on Saccharomyces boulardi, as an alternative to anticoccidial agents. In this experiment, 672 1-day-old male broiler chicks were housed in batteries for 28 days.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  21. Targeting Enterococci with Antimicrobial Activity against Clostridium perfringens from Poultry

    • Antibiotics
    • Necrotic enteritis (NE), caused by Clostridium perfringens, is an emerging issue in poultry farming. New approaches, other than antibiotics, are necessary to prevent NE development and the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Enterococci are commensal microorganisms that can produce enterocins, antimicrobial peptides with activities against pathogens, and could be excellent candidates for protective cultures.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  22. Plant-Derived Xanthones against Clostridial Enteric Infections

    • Antibiotics
    • Intestinal bacterial infections are a major threat to human and animal health. In this study, we found plant-derived antibacterial xanthones, particularly α-mangostin (AMG) from the mangosteen peel, exhibiting extraordinary activities against Clostridium perfringens. Structure–activity relationship analysis showed that prenylation modulated the activity of xanthones.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  23. Study of microencapsulated fatty acid antimicrobial activity in vitro and its prevention ability of Clostridium perfringens induced necrotic enteritis in broiler chicken

    • Gut Pathogens
    • Background Necrotic enteritis (NE) is an infectious intestinal disease caused by Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) that is now re-emerging and causing concern within the poultry industry. Previously, the supplementation of antibiotics in feed was the most popular control strategy against C. perfringens.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  24. Production systems and important antimicrobial resistant-pathogenic bacteria in poultry: a review

    • Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology
    • Economic losses and market constraints caused by bacterial diseases such as colibacillosis due to avian pathogenic Escherichia coli and necrotic enteritis due to Clostridium perfringens remain major problems for poultry producers, despite substantial efforts in prevention and control. Antibiotics have been used not only for the treatment and prevention of such diseases, but also for growth promotion.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens
  25. Characterization of NanR Regulation of Sialidase Production, Sporulation and Enterotoxin Production by Clostridium perfringens Type F Strains Carrying a Chromosomal Enterotoxin Gene

    • Toxins
    • Clostridium perfringens type F food poisoning (FP) strains produce C. perfringens enterotoxin (CPE) to cause a common bacterial food-borne illness in the United States. During FP, CPE is synthesized in the intestines when C. perfringens sporulates. Besides CPE, FP strains also produce sialidases. Most FP strains carry their cpe gene on the chromosome and all surveyed chromosomal cpe (c-cpe) FP strains produce NanH sialidase or both NanJ and NanH sialidases.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Clostridium perfringens