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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 446

  1. Predictive modeling of Salmonella spp. growth behavior in cooked and raw chicken samples: Real‐time PCR quantification approach and model assessment in different handling scenarios

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract The increasing prevalence of Salmonella contamination in poultry meat emphasizes the importance of suitable predictive microbiological models for estimating Salmonella growth behavior. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of chicken juice as a model system to predict the behavior of Salmonella spp. in cooked and raw chicken products and to assess its ability to predict cross‐contamination scenarios.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  2. The antibacterial mechanism of (−)‐epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG) against Campylobacter jejuni through transcriptome profiling

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract (−)‐Epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG) has been shown antibacterial activity against Campylobacter jejuni; however, the relevant antibacterial mechanism is unknown. In this study, phenotypic experiments and RNA sequencing were used to explore the antibacterial mechanism. The minimum inhibitory concentration of EGCG on C. jejuni was 32 µg/mL. EGCG‐treated was able to increase intracellular reactive oxygen species levels and decline bacterial motility.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Campylobacter
  3. Upcycling Romaine lettuce outer leaves by infrared blanching and hot air drying

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract Romaine lettuce outer leaves, as opposed to the more commonly marketed heart, are typically discarded and present an opportunity for upcycling as dried powders. Duquesne Romaine lettuce was evaluated to quantify and compare quality attributes of fresh outer and heart leaves, dried powders following hot air drying, and dried powders following an infrared (IR) blanching pretreatment before drying.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
      • Pesticide residues
  4. Preparation and characterization of nisin‐loaded chitosan nanoparticles functionalized with DNase I for the removal of Listeria monocytogenes biofilms

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract Listeria monocytogenes biofilms represent a continuous source of contamination, leading to serious food safety concerns and economic losses. This study aims to develop novel nisin‐loaded chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) functionalized with DNase I and evaluate its antibiofilm activity against L. monocytogenes on food contact surfaces. Nisin‐loaded CSNPs (CS‐N) were first prepared by ionic cross‐linking, and DNase I was covalently grafted on the surface (DNase‐CS‐N).

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Listeria monocytogenes
  5. Probabilistic risk assessment for determining nonessential metals in commercial infant formula products in Taiwan

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract During the early months of life, infant formula plays a crucial role as a primary source of both food and essential nutrients for infants, serving as a replacement for or supplement to breast milk. However, nonessential metals in infant formulas are a concern because infants are highly vulnerable to chemical exposure. The aim of this study was to investigate infant exposure to nonessential metals in infant formula products in Taiwan and assess the associated health risks.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  6. Numerical simulation of heat transfer during meat ball cooking and microbial food safety enhancement

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract This study was conducted to apply the finite volume method (FVM) to solve the partial differential equation (PDE) governing the heat transfer process during meat cooking with convective surface conditions.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  7. The effect of emulsifier type and oil inclusion on stress‐related gene expression of Salmonella typhimurium in oil‐in‐water emulsion

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract Salmonella has been associated with numerous outbreaks from contaminated food products, including emulsions. Emulsions are influenced by emulsifier type and oil presence, which can have varying degrees of stress or protection on bacteria. Although our previous research has shown that emulsifier solutions, rather than emulsions, provide a protective effect on Salmonella typhimurium after thermal treatment, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study selected S.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  8. A review of food safety in low‐moisture foods with current and potential dry‐cleaning methods

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract Food is one of the basic needs of human life. With the increasing population, the production and supply of safe and quality foods are critical. Foods can be classified into different categories including low moisture, intermediate moisture, and high moisture content. Historically, low‐moisture foods have been considered safe for human consumption due to the limited amount of moisture for microbial activity.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
  9. Prolonging broccoli shelf life through controlled release of plai essential oil using palm wood sachet as a novel absorbent material with reusable properties

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract Palm wood powder derived from palm wood waste was utilized as a novel absorbent material. The investigation involved exploring its pore structure and size to achieve the controlled release of bioactive compounds from plai oil, providing protection against pathogenic bacteria and thereby extending the shelf life of broccoli. The palm wood sachet was prepared before being placed into the broccoli bag.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Listeria monocytogenes
      • Salmonella
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  10. Effects of lycopene on the growth performance, meat quality, and antioxidant capacity of broiler chickens challenged with aflatoxin B1

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract The present study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary lycopene (LYC) supplementation on the growth performance, meat quality, and antioxidant capacity of breast muscle in aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)‐challenged broilers. A total of 192 1‐day‐old healthy Arbor Acres broilers were randomly assigned to 3 treatments, each with 8 replicates (8 broilers per replicate).

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  11. A new strategy for browning regulation: Flos Sophorae Immaturus extract and thermal treatment modulates nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species network in fresh‐cut potatoes

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract Browning discoloration is a critical issue that negatively affects the quality of fresh‐cut products and their industrial growth. Although many individual anti‐browning technologies have been adopted, very few reports on the combination use of natural product extracts and physical methods exist.

      • Produce Safety
      • Fresh Cut
  12. Withdrawal time of danofloxacin and difloxacin and in vitro binding phenomenon to melanin in black‐boned silky fowl

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract Fluoroquinolones are commonly used in poultry breeding. Few studies have evaluated the causes of serious drug residues in black‐boned silky fowl until enrofloxacin has been banned in black‐boned silky fowl breeding in the Chinese Veterinary Commission of Chinese Veterinary Pharmacopoeia (2020). However, similarly structured fluoroquinolones have not been studied in black‐boned silky fowl.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Antibiotic residues
  13. Study of chemical constituents, antioxidants and antimicrobial activities of Tamarindus indica L. seed

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract The fruits of Tamarindus indica L. are consumed worldwide, with various parts of the plant being used for medicinal purposes. The residues (pericarp and seeds) generated during cellulose processing are of significant value as they contain bioactive compounds with diverse biological activities.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Bacillus cereus
      • Salmonella
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  14. Improving the aroma profile of inoculated fermented sausages by constructing a synthetic core microbial community

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract Commercial starter cultures play a critical role in the industrial production of fermented sausages. However, commercial starter cultures could not reproduce the metabolic actions of diverse microorganisms and the aroma profile of the traditional spontaneously fermented sausages.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  15. Inactivation of Tulane virus and feline calicivirus by aqueous ozone

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract Ongoing challenges with reproducible human norovirus cultivable assays necessitate the use of surrogates, such as feline calicivirus (FCV‐F9) and Tulane virus (TV), during inactivation studies. Chlorine alternates used as control strategies include aqueous and gaseous ozone. This study aimed at determining the inactivation of FCV‐F9 and TV by a portable ozone‐generating device.

      • Viruses
      • Norovirus
  16. Antibacterial properties of peptides from chia (Salvia hispanica L.) applied to pork meat preservation

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract Chia‐derived peptides might represent a novel alternative to conventional preservatives in food. Despite the antibacterial potential of these molecules, their food application is still limited. This study aimed to evaluate chia‐derived peptides' antibacterial and antibiofilm potential in food preservation.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Listeria monocytogenes
      • Salmonella
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  17. Non‐destructive detection and recognition of pesticide residue levels on cauliflowers using visible/near‐infrared spectroscopy combined with chemometrics

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract In this study, two prediction models were developed using visible/near‐infrared (Vis/NIR) spectroscopy combined with partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS‐DA) and least squares support vector machine (LS‐SVM) for the detection of pesticide residues of avermectin, dichlorvos, and chlorothalonil at different concentration levels on the surface of cauliflowers.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Pesticide residues
  18. Antibiofilm mechanism of peppermint essential oil to avert biofilm developed by foodborne and food spoilage pathogens on food contact surfaces

    • Journal of Food Science
    • 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.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli
      • Escherichia coli O157:H7
      • Listeria monocytogenes
      • Salmonella
      • Vibrio
  19. Thymol‐loaded Zein–pectin composite nanoparticles as stabilizer to fabricate Pickering emulsion of star anise essential oil for improved stability and antimicrobial activity

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Abstract The aim of the present study was to prepare a new antimicrobial Pickering emulsion of which the star anise essential oil was added to the oil phase, and to investigate the effect of stabilization by bio‐based active nanoparticles consisting of zein and pectin loaded with thymol.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
  20. Occurrence of pesticide residues in honey from apiaries with incidents of honeybee poisoning in East China and a corresponding risk assessment for honeybees and Chinese consumers

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Journal of Food Science, EarlyView. We investigated the occurrence of 80 pesticide residues in 96 honey samples from apiaries with honeybee poisoning incidences by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and subsequently conducted risk assessments of exposure for in-hive honeybees and Chinese consumers. Six pesticides were detected with residue concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 130.9 µg/kg.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Pesticide residues
  21. Effect of gluconic acid rinsing on cadmium decontamination from rice protein

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Journal of Food Science, EarlyView. Cadmium (Cd) accumulation in rice protein has long been considered a significant threat to human health. In the present study, a costless and effective method based on gluconic acid (GA) rinsing of rice protein was developed to reduce Cd contamination in rice protein. Moreover, the effect of GA on the structural and functional properties of rice protein was evaluated.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  22. Survival of Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes in date palm paste and syrup at different storage temperatures

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Journal of Food Science, EarlyView. This study aimed to investigate the behavior of Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes in processed date paste and syrup at different temperatures. Commercial products were inoculated with approximately 6 log CFU/mL of S. enterica or L.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Listeria monocytogenes
      • Salmonella
  23. Preparation of a broad‐specificity antibody against zearalenone and its primary analogues and development of immunoassay of Coicis Semen and related products

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Journal of Food Science, EarlyView. The purpose of this study was to prepare a highly sensitive and specific zearalenone (ZEN) monoclonal antibody, which was then used to develop an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA) and a colloidal gold immunochromatographic assay (GICA). These techniques were used for the detection of Coicis Semen and related products (Coicis Semen flour, Yimigao, and Yishigao).

      • Natural toxins
      • Mycotoxins
  24. The effect of various washing methods on pesticide residues, toxic and essential elements removal in rice

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Journal of Food Science, EarlyView. This study examined the effects of various treatments on removing pesticide residues and toxic elements in rice. In parallel, nutritional elements, magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), and phosphorous (P), were measured to investigate the effect of these washing treatments on the nutritional value of rice.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Pesticide residues
  25. Attachment characteristics and kinetics of biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus on ready‐to‐eat cooked beef contact surfaces

    • Journal of Food Science
    • Journal of Food Science, EarlyView. Staphylococcus aureus is a food-borne pathogen that quickly forms biofilm on meat contact surfaces and thus poses a serious threat to the safety of the meat industry. This study evaluated the attachment, survival, and growth of S. aureus biofilm with exposure to environmental factors in the meat industry by simulated ready-to-eat (RTE) cooked beef product contamination scenarios.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus