Research Publications (Food Safety)

Abstract The prevention and control of bacterial contamination on ready‐to‐eat (RTE) fresh produce is an essential task to ensure food safety. Therefore, the development of novel and effective decontamination technologies to ensure microbiological safety of fruits and vegetables has gained considerable attention and new sanitisation methods are needed.

Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhimurium are the main pathogens of diarrhea in weaned piglets. The prevention of bacterial diarrhea in weaned piglets by phage is rarely reported. We conducted this study to evaluate the preventive effect of phages on mixed Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhimurium infections in weaned piglets.

Burkina, a traditional fermented dairy product, is consumed in most parts of West Africa, including Ghana. Studies on the microflora of Burkina have indicated the presence of Escherichia coli and other pathogenic organisms. Thus, predicting the survival of E. coli in the product will inform the best manufacturing and handling practices. This study investigated the combined effect of storage temperature and time on the survival of acid-adapted and acid-non-adapted E. coli O157:H7 in Burkina.

O26 is the commonest non-O157 Shiga toxin (stx)-producing Escherichia coli serogroup reported in human infections worldwide. Ruminants, particularly cattle, are the primary reservoir source for human infection. In this study, we compared the whole genomes and virulence profiles of O26:H11 strains (n = 99) isolated from Scottish cattle with strains from human infections (n = 96) held by the Scottish Escherichia coli O157/STEC Reference Laboratory, isolated between 2002 and 2020.

Minas frescal cheese (MFC) is a potential vehicle for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7. The effect of electron beam irradiation on the control of STEC O157:H7 in artificially contaminated MFC (5 log cfu g-1) was evaluated. Samples were irradiated at doses of 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 kGy and evaluated for 40 days at 4 °C. Shelf life extension and the stability of the lipid fraction of the cheeses were also evaluated.

Gastrointestinal immunity and antioxidant defenses may be bolstered in young animals through prenatal immune system stimulation (PIS), but this is largely uninvestigated in swine. The objective of this experiment was to determine if a low dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administered to late-gestating sows would alter the immune response and oxidative status of subsequent offspring.

Food-borne illnesses caused by pathogenic Escherichia coli strains, especially enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), are a serious public health problem, as debilitating disease and even death from such food poisonings have been repeatedly reported. Colicin M (ColM), a non-antibiotic antimicrobial protein produced by some strains of E. coli, has shown promising activity in controlling multiple enteropathogenic strains of E. coli and related pathogens.

Microbial safety of fresh produce continues to be a major concern. Novel antimicrobial methods are needed to minimize the risk of contamination. This study investigated the antimicrobial efficacy of pulsed light (PL), a novel nisin-organic acid based antimicrobial wash (AW) and the synergy thereof in inactivating E.

The concentration of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) in plasma-activated water (PAW) can be increased by increasing the input power, discharge voltage, and discharge time under a constant discharge frequency. However, knowledge regarding RONS concentration prepared under different discharge frequencies is lacking. This study investigated how decreasing the discharge frequency affects the chemical and physical properties of PAW.

A mathematical model to predict the thermal inactivation of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in ground beef was developed, with temperature and fat content of ground beef as controlling factors. Survival curves for a cocktail of non-O157 STEC strains in ground beef at four temperatures (55, 60, 65, and 68 °C) and six fat levels (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30%) were generated.

by Erika N. Biernbaum, Rohana P. Dassanayake, Eric M. Nicholson, Indira T. Kudva Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 (O157) is a foodborne pathogen causing human disease ranging from hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome to kidney failure, while remaining harmless to cattle, its primary reservoir.

Low‐energy x‐rays can be used to reduce the number of pathogenic microorganisms in fresh produce, but the efficacy of this process against internalized bacteria in leafy greens has not yet been reported. Low‐energy x‐ray irradiation at 1.5 kGy reduced the internalized pathogens by an average of 4.86 log CFU/g in iceberg lettuce without affecting product quality.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a human pathogen that exists as part of the commensal microflora of cattle and is shed in animal feces. Little is known about the effect of management practices on its occurrence and transmission on small-scale cow-calf operations. Identification of risk factors associated with farm practices could help implement effective measures to control E. coli O157:H7. This study quantified the risk of E.

Processing of apple juice supplemented with cinnamon essential oils in three different concentrations and processed by pulsed electric field by increased treatment time provided inactivation of endogenous and pathogenic bacteria without adversely affecting the physical, and bioactive properties with an increase in ΔH in thermal properties.

Culture-independent metagenomic sequencing of enriched agricultural water could expedite the detection and virulotyping of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). We previously determined the limits of a complete, closed metagenome-assembled genome (MAG) assembly and of a complete, fragmented MAG assembly for O157:H7 in enriched agricultural water using long reads (Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Oxford), which were 107 and 105 CFU/ml, respectively.

This study focuses on the characterization of STEC‐specific bacteriophages isolated from cow manure samples and examines their prevalence with STEC bacterial hosts. The findings indicate that the most common bacteriophages were specific to O26, and the presence of bacteriophages may have contributed to the diversity of their STEC host populations in the natural environment.

Microgreens, the immature plants harvested after a few weeks of growth, are perceived as a heathy, nutritious food ingredient but may be susceptible to colonisation by human pathogens including Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC). Some microgreen cultivars accumulate anthocyanins or secrete essential oils which, when extracted or purified, have been reported to inhibit bacterial growth.

This study investigated the effectiveness of plasma-activated organic acid (PAOA) on pork loin's bactericidal impact and quality. Salmonella Typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes were used to inoculate the pork loins, revealing that PAOA achieved approximately 1.0 log CUF/g greater reduction than plasma-activated water.

Cattle are recognized as the principal reservoir for Escherichia coli O157:H7 and preharvest food safety efforts often focus on decreasing shedding of this pathogen in cattle feces. Enogen® corn (EC; Syngenta Seeds, LLC) is genetically modified to produce enhanced concentrations of α-amylase in the corn kernel endosperm.

Abstract Establishing efficient methods to combat bacterial biofilms is a major concern. Natural compounds, such as essential oils derived from plants, are among the favored and recommended strategies for combatting bacteria and their biofilm. Therefore, we evaluated the antibiofilm properties of peppermint oil as well as the activities by which it kills bacteria generally and particularly their biofilms.

This paper investigates how the rise in ambient temperature designed according to climate change affects the attachment levels of Escherichia coli O157:H7, O104:H4 and O26 on cress leaves. This study revealed that temperature increase designed according to climate change did not cause any significant change in persistence of pathogens studied here on leaf tissue.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a phage cocktail in reducing seven Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) serogroups present in mung bean sprouts, lettuce, and seeds. The phage cocktail was effective at reducing O157:H7 when present in low levels, in combination with chlorinated water, and under refrigeration. The effectiveness of some phages was affected by the specific food matrix even if the targeted bacteria were highly sensitive to the phage.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is harmful to humans by producing toxins that cause thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and haemolytic uraemic syndrome. Real-time recombinase-aided amplification (rRAA) can generate real-time fluorescence signals to achieve sensitive detection of pathogens within 20 min but cannot distinguish dead bacteria from viable bacteria, leading to false-positive results.

Contamination of wheat flours with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) is a concern for the milling industry. Milling-specific interventions are needed to address this food safety hazard. The objectives for this study were to determine the efficacy of bacteriophage treatment in reducing wheat STEC contamination during tempering and assess its effects on flour milling and baking quality.

Feedlot cattle commonly shed the foodborne pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7 in their feces. Megasphaera elsdenii (ME), a lactic acid-utilizing bacterium, is commonly administered to cattle to avoid lactate accumulation in the rumen and to control ruminal acidosis. The impact of administering ME on foodborne pathogen prevalence, specifically E. coli O157:H7, has not been explored. The purpose of this study was to quantify E.