Research Publications (Food Safety)

Traditionally fermented foods and beverages are still produced and consumed at a large scale in Romania. They are rich sources for novel lactic acid bacteria with functional properties and with potential application in food industry or health.

Background Bacillus cereus is an important pathogen that causes human food poisoning, specifically diarrhea and vomiting. B. cereus can also induce mastitis in dairy cows and has a strong survival ability in milk, as it cannot be inactivated by high-temperature short-time pasteurization. Therefore, B.

Listeria monocytogenes is a common foodborne pathogen affecting public health. Thus, detecting L. monocytogenes even at low levels in food matrices is essential. However, the current culture methods used for its detection and quantification are time consuming and difficult owing to background flora and interference by food matrices. DNA-based assays depend on DNA extraction and purification techniques. No optimal DNA extraction kit has been developed for analyzing L.

An enterocin whey solution, obtained by growing Enterococcus faecalis L2B21K3 and L3A21K6 in sweet whey – enterocin whey solution (EWS), was incorporated into gelatin/glycerol films that were tested for the control of Listeria monocytogenes. The films containing enterocins produced by either strain (EWS L2 and EWS K6 films) were shown to serve as a suitable matrix for bacteriocin release, preserve the anti-listerial activity for up to 90 days.

Salmonella spp. is one of the leading causes of foodborne outbreaks worldwide. Salmonella spp. has been associated with a variety of food sources, particularly egg products. They can enter into a viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state in response to harsh stress. VBNC cells still retain membrane integrity and metabolic activity, which may pose health risks. However, the formation mechanism and resuscitation ability of VBNC cells are not understood.

A total of 1797 imported food samples collected during 2018 to 2020 were investigated for Listeria monocytogenes. Antibiotic susceptibility tests and whole genome sequencing analysis were performed for the obtained isolates. The overall prevalence of L. monocytogenes was 5.62 %; the highest prevalence was observed for pork (13.65 %), followed by fish (6.25 %), sheep casing (6.06 %), chicken (3.61 %), and beef (2.06 %).

Free-living amoebae (FLA) are widely distributed protozoa in nature, known to cause severe eye infections and central nervous system disorders. There is growing attention to the potential role that these protozoa could act as reservoirs of pathogenic bacteria and, consequently, to the possibility that, the persistence and spread of the latter may be facilitated, by exploiting internalization into amoebae.

Nanoemulsification of essential oils (EOs) is one of the common techniques that prevent the EO interaction with food components and improve its bioavailability and absorption. In this study, the EO of Froriepia subpinnata (Ledeb.) Baill (FSLB) was extracted, and its 28 compounds were identified by the GC-FID and GC–MS analysis. The EO nanoemulsion (EON) was produced using Tween 80 and Span 80 surfactants with high-intensity ultrasound.

Salmonella spp. is one of the most common food poisoning pathogens and the main cause of diarrheal diseases in humans in developing countries. The increased Salmonella resistance to antimicrobials has led to the search for new alternatives, including natural compounds such as curcumin, which has already demonstrated a bactericidal effect; however, in Gram-negatives, there is much controversy about this effect, as it is highly variable.

Zoonoses and Public Health, EarlyView. Enhanced Salmonella surveillance programmes in poultry were implemented in all European Member States, with minimum prevalence targets for a list of targeted serotypes to safeguard food and public health.

In recent decades, there has been an increase in the reports of antimicrobial resistance of Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) constituting a serious threat to the therapeutic management of listeriosis infection. Our study profiled the antibiogram fingerprint of Lm isolates (n = 194) recovered from common South African ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. Lm isolates recovered from foods were tested against a panel of 22 antibiotics using the disc diffusion techniques.

A study was undertaken to model the UV‑C inactivation kinetics and determine the fluences required for the incremental inactivation of several strains of Cronobacter  spp. suspended in clear phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). A total of 13 strains of Cronobacter  spp. were individually suspended in PBS and treated with UV‑C doses of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 mJ cm ‑2 using a collimated beam device emitting UV‑C at 253.7 nm.

Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor, causative agent of the ongoing seventh cholera pandemic, is native to the aquatic environment of the Ganges Delta, Bay of Bengal (GDBB). Recent studies traced pandemic strains to the GDBB and proposed global spread of cholera had occurred via intercontinental transmission. In the research presented here, NotI-digested genomic DNA extracted from V.

Vibrio is an important conditional pathogen in shrimp aquaculture. This research reported a dominant bacteria strain E1 isolated from a shrimp tank with the method of biofloc culture, which was further identified as Vibrio owensii. To understand the interaction between V. owensii and the host shrimp, we studied the pathogenicity of the V.

Campylobacteriosis was the most frequently reported foodborne infection in humans in the European Union in the last years. Campylobacter spp. in broiler flocks from Spain was monitored at farm level during 12-month period (2020–2021).

Bovine Genital Campylobacteriosis (BGC) is a worldwide spread venereal disease of cattle caused by Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis (Cfv). Although several real-time PCR assays were developed for Cfv identification, most target mobile genetic elements, which may lead to false-positive diagnosis. In this study, a real-time PCR assay coupled with High-Resolution Melting analysis (HRM) was developed for the identification of Campylobacter fetus subspecies and application in BGC diagnosis.

Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis are associated with life-threatening infections. Despite the best medical care, these infections frequently occur due to antibiotic resistance and the formation of biofilms of these two bacteria (i.e., clusters of bacteria embedded in a matrix). As a consequence, there is an urgent need for effective anti-biofilm treatments.

Low moisture foods (LMFs) have traditionally been recognized as safe for consumption, as most bacteria require higher water content to grow. However, outbreaks due to LMF foods are increasing, and the microbial pathogen Salmonella enterica is frequently implicated. S. enterica can survive in LMFs for years, but few serovars have been studied, and the mechanisms which underlie this longevity are not well understood. Here, we determine that S. enterica serovars S. Tennessee, S. Anatum, and S.

The Dutch ‘search and destroy’ policy consists of screening patients with an increased risk of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriership and subsequent decolonization treatment when carriership is found. Decolonization therapy of individual MRSA carriers is effective.

Multidrug resistance is commonly acquired by transferring DNA from one bacterium to another. However, the mechanisms that enhance the acquisitions of foreign genes are poorly understood, as well as the dynamics of their transmission between hosts in different environments. Here, genomic approaches were applied to evaluate the enrichment of the S.

Bacterial antibiotic resistance is rapidly growing globally and poses a severe health threat as the number of multidrug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) bacteria increases. The observed resistance is partially due to natural evolution and to a large extent is attributed to antibiotic misuse and overuse. As the rate of antibiotic resistance increases, it is crucial to develop new drugs to address the emergence of MDR and XDR pathogens.

Campylobacter jejuni is a major foodborne pathogen and the leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis, i.e., campylobacteriosis. Besides searching for novel antimicrobials, identification of new targets for their action is becoming increasingly important. Rhodiola rosea has long been used in traditional medicine. Ethanolic extracts from the roots and rhizomes of the plant contain a wide range of bioactive compounds with various pharmacological activities.

Background:Neonatal sepsis (NNS) in developing countries continues to be a diagnostic and management challenge due to the delays in identifying the aetiologic pathogens and antibiograms.Aim:To determine the predominant bacterial isolates, antibiotic susceptibility pattern and outcomes of blood culture proven sepsis in neonates.Methodology:A hospital-based cross-sectional study of 120 neonates admitted into the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi

Infection and Immunity, Ahead of Print. Gram-positive bacteria produce small autoinducing peptides (AIPs), which act to regulate expression of genes that promote adaptive traits, including virulence. The Gram-positive pathogen Staphylococcus aureus generates a cyclic AIP that controls expression of virulence factors via the accessory gene regulatory (Agr) system. S.

Journal of Food Science, EarlyView. To overcome defects of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and expand its applications in food preservation, PVA/Ag@SiO2 nanocomposite films were prepared using the solution intercalation film-casting method. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and UV-visible absorption spectra were applied to confirm the synthesis of the nanoparticles (NPs).