Research Publications (Food Safety)

by Roza Ernest, Nsiande Lema, Sued Yassin, Agricola Joachim, Mtebe Majigo

Background

Edible grasshopper, Ruspolia ruspolia, has nutritional and cherished cultural and economic importance to people from diverse cultures, particularly in over 20 African countries. It is consumed at home or commercially traded as sautéed, deep-fried, or boiled products. However, there is limited information on the hygiene practices of the vendors and the implications on the microbial safety of the final product.

Listeria monocytogenes is a concerning foodborne pathogen incriminated in soft cheese and meat-related outbreaks, highlighting the significance of applying alternative techniques to control its growth in food. In the current study, eco-friendly zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were synthesized using Rosmarinus officinalis, Punica granatum, and Origanum marjoram extracts individually.

Although more attention has been paid to microplastics (MPs) pollution in environment, research on the synthetic influence of microplastic and heavy metals remains limited. To help fill this information gap, we investigated the adsorption behavior of virgin polyvinyl chloride microplastics (PVCMPs) (≤450 µm white spherical powder) on cadmium (II).

Probiotic feed additive use in the swine industry has become increasingly popular as a substitute for antibiotic feed additives. This is due to the overuse of antibiotics in swine diets that has led to antibiotic residues in animal products and bacterial resistance. For this reason, we decided to feed a probiotic to prevent illnesses associated with the transition from the nursery to finisher phase.

This study evaluated the effects of bioactive feed ingredients on fecal microbiome of weaned pigs subjected to F18 enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) challenge. Two blocks of weaned pigs [n = 72; Yorkshire/Landrace/Duroc; initial body weight (BW) = 6.62 ± 1.37 kg] were balanced by gender and litter and randomly allocated to one of the six treatments with 12 pens/block and 6 pigs/pen.

The sheep rumen microbiome contains a vast wealth of known and unknown members, whose metabolic processes impact nutrient acquisition as well as gut and overall health of the animal. Based on previous research from our group on investigating the impact of a change in diet on the composition of the rumen microbiome in lambs, further insights into the metabolic functions of novel bacterial species represented by three Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) were pursued.

Methane is a natural product of rumen fermentation and emissions from ruminant livestock represent a major environmental concern. Methane is not only a potent greenhouse gas but also represents a loss of energy efficiency for the host. The objective of this study was to perform in vitro screening of a range of compounds with potential anti-methanogenic activity, including polyphenols, flavonoids, fatty acids, amino acids, and salts.

The objective of this research is to investigate the interactive effects of deoxynivalenol (DON) and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) on gut integrity and inflammation using porcine intestinal epithelial cell line (IPEC-J2).

This study evaluated the effects of a sulfate polysaccharide extracted from marine algae product on performance, intestinal lesion scores, and mRNA abundance of various tight junction proteins and immune response genes.

Mycotoxin contamination in pig feed is a recurring problem leading to chronic exposure of the animals, even when mycotoxin levels are below official guidance (FDA, EFSA). Deoxynivalenol (DON) and its derivates are among the main mycotoxins impacting pig production in the United States.

Several feed supplements have received interest for their potential to increase growth performance and health post weaning, including alternatives to high levels of zinc oxide (ZnO) such as short- and medium-chain fatty acids (SCFA, MCFA), and phytogenics. The objective of this study is to observe the growth performance and intestinal health effects from the supplementation of SCFA with and without the addition of MCFA and phytogenics.

The objective of this experiment was to assess the influence of arginine (Arg) supplementation in water and/or feed on the growth performance and gastrointestinal health of newly weaned pigs.

Poultry feed is often contaminated with several mycotoxins that can impair animal health and performance, even at levels below the official guidance. The incorporation of mycotoxin decontaminants in the feed can limit these adverse effects. It is necessary to test the efficacy of these supplementations in vivo, but this requires specific experimental setups.

Monensin, tylosin, and chlortetracycline (CTC) are antimicrobials frequently employed in high grain feedlot cattle diets to inhibit liver abscesses and enhance growth. However, increased public concerns regarding antibiotic resistance have created a pressing need to develop alternative strategies. A more mechanistic understanding of how antimicrobial drugs effect the microbiome in the ruminant gastrointestinal tract (GIT) may help develop effective alternatives.

The activation of the immune system reduces the nutrient availability for growth and increases the variability among pigs. Functional amino acids (AA) supplementation can reduce the negative effects of immune activation. Additionally, providing daily tailored diets using individual precision feeding (IPF) was shown to account for individual variability.

Various types and levels of mycotoxins are present in feed ingredients, thus negatively impacting swine health and productivity. Appropriate sampling and frequent testing of feed ingredients are recommended to assess the risk of mycotoxins in feed and to determine mitigation strategies for mycotoxin control. However, monitoring plans do not guarantee feed will be free of mycotoxins, so in-feed mitigation strategies are implemented to minimize production losses.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of ZnSO4 or a porous form of ZnO, at EU-authorized level, on growth performance, gut health and colon microbiota in low and normal birth body weight (BBW) piglets. At birth, 64 piglets were chosen by their BBW and divided into low BBW (LBBW < 1 kg; 32 piglets) and normal BBW (NBBW > 1 kg; 32 piglets).

The objective of this study was to assess if high dietary zinc (Zn) fed to gestating sows modulates the microbiome of the sow and that of their offspring.

The aim of this study was to evaluate different dietary level of Zinc (Zn) and Copper (Cu) supplementation according to European and non-European levels on the health and performance of pigs 14 d after weaning.

To analyze the implications of dietary zinc oxide (ZnO) with probiotic administration on productivity, fecal index, meat quality characteristics, odorous substances, and microbiome analysis in weaning-finishing pigs, 200 weaned piglets (3 barrows and 2 gilts) were radomly assigned (average body weight = 6.65 ± 0.66 kg) into four treatments with ten repetitions per treatment.

Antibiotic growth promotor (AGP) and zinc oxide (ZnO) has been shown to inhibit bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity, resulting in improved animal growth performance and reduced post-weaning diarrhea but, their usage should be minimized at pig farms.

Recent insights continue to point to a causal role of the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiome in digestion, nutrient absorption, and host metabolism. The GI microbiome may be a frequent target of perturbation since some challenges (i.e., high density, temperature and air quality fluctuations, presence of endemic enteric pathogens) faced by pigs may altogether create a spectrum of contrasting sanitary conditions.