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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 26 - 50 of 171

  1. Research on weed identification method in rice fields based on UAV remote sensing

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Rice is the world’s most important food crop and is of great importance to ensure world food security. In the rice cultivation process, weeds are a key factor that affects rice production. Weeds in the field compete with rice for sunlight, water, nutrients, and other resources, thus affecting the quality and yield of rice. The chemical treatment of weeds in rice fields using herbicides suffers from the problem of sloppy herbicide application methods.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Pesticide residues
  2. Interaction between zinc and selenium bio-fortification and toxic metals (loid) accumulation in food crops

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Biofortification is the supply of micronutrients required for humans and livestock by various methods in the field, which include both farming and breeding methods and are referred to as short-term and long-term solutions, respectively. The presence of essential and non-essential elements in the atmosphere, soil, and water in large quantities can cause serious problems for living organisms.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  3. Zinc oxide nanoparticles improve lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) plant tolerance to cadmium by stimulating antioxidant defense, enhancing lignin content and reducing the metal accumulation and translocation

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Cadmium (Cd) contamination is a serious global concern that warrants constant attention. Therefore, a hydroponic study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different concentrations (0, 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 15 mg/l) of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) on the Cd content in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) under Cd stress conditions.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  4. Indole pyruvate decarboxylase gene regulates the auxin synthesis pathway in rice by interacting with the indole-3-acetic acid–amido synthetase gene, promoting root hair development under cadmium stress

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • This research focused on cadmium (Cd), which negatively affects plant growth and auxin hemostasis. In plants, many processes are indirectly controlled through the expression of certain genes due to the secretion of bacterial auxin, as indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) acts as a reciprocal signaling molecule in plant–microbe interaction.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Bacillus cereus
      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  5. Proteomic analysis of T. qataranse exposed to lead (Pb) stress reveal new proteins with potential roles in Pb tolerance and detoxification mechanism

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Soil lead (Pb) contamination is one of the environmental problems facing the modern world. Sources of Pb in soil include industrial activities such as mining and smelting processes, agricultural activities such as application of insecticide and municipal sewage sludges, and urban activities such as use of lead in gasoline, paints, and other materials.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
      • Pesticide residues
  6. Induction of resilience strategies against biochemical deteriorations prompted by severe cadmium stress in sunflower plant when Trichoderma and bacterial inoculation were used as biofertilizers

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Background Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic heavy metal. Its emission is suspected to be further increased due to the dramatic application of ash to agricultural soils and newly reclaimed ones. Thereby, Cd stress encountered by plants will exacerbate. Acute and chronic exposure to Cd can upset plant growth and development and ultimately causes plant death.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  7. Transcriptomic, cytological, and physiological analyses reveal the potential regulatory mechanism in Tartary buckwheat under cadmium stress

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Rapid industrialization and urbanization have caused serious cadmium (Cd) pollution in soil. Tartary buckwheat is an important pseudocereal crop with the potential ability to tolerate various stresses. However, the responses to Cd stress in this species are unclear.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  8. An amino acid fertilizer improves the emergent accumulator plant Nasturtium officinale R. Br. phytoremediation capability for cadmium-contaminated paddy soils

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Cadmium (Cd) contamination of paddy soil affects safe crop production. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of plant biostimulant amino acid fertilizer on the phytoremediation capability of an emergent accumulator plant Nasturtium officinale R. Br. for Cd-contaminated paddy soils. A pot study was carried out to study the effects of different concentrations of amino acid fertilizer on the Cd accumulation of N. officinale grown in Cd-contaminated paddy soil.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  9. Silicon-nanoparticles doped biochar is more effective than biochar for mitigation of arsenic and salinity stress in Quinoa: Insight to human health risk assessment

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • The increasing contamination of soil with arsenic (As), and salinity has become a menace to food security and human health. The current study investigates the comparative efficacy of plain biochar (BC), and silicon-nanoparticles doped biochar (SBC) for ameliorating the As and salinity-induced phytotoxicity in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) and associated human health risks.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  10. Comparative physiological and soil microbial community structural analysis revealed that selenium alleviates cadmium stress in Perilla frutescens

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Cadmium (Cd) toxicity not only affects plant growth and development, but also affects human health through the food chain. Several studies have demonstrated that Selenium (Se) alleviates Cd stress in plants; however, whether and how Se-alleviated Cd stress by regulating the structure of soil microbial community remain largely unclear.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  11. The rhizosphere microbiome improves the adaptive capabilities of plants under high soil cadmium conditions

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Cadmium (Cd) contamination of agricultural soils poses a potential public health issue for humans. Phytoremediation-based accumulating plants are an effective and sustainable technology for Cadmium remediation of contaminated agricultural soil. The rhizosphere microbiome can promote the growth and Cadmium accumulation in hyperaccumulators, but its taxonomic and functional traits remain elusive.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  12. Genome-wide identification and expression of TIFY family in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz)

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Plant-specific TIFY [TIF(F/Y)XG] proteins serve important roles in the regulation of plant stress responses. This family encodes four subfamilies of proteins, JAZ (JASMONATE ZIM-domain), PPD (PEAPOD), ZML (Zinc-finger Inflorescence-like), and TIFY. In this work, a total of 16 JAZ, 3 PPD, 7 ZML, and 2 TIFY genes were found in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) at the genome-wide level.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  13. Enhancing Rubisco gene expression and metabolites accumulation for better plant growth in Ficus deltoidea under drought stress using hydrogen peroxide

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Growth improvement of the medicinal plant, Ficus deltoidea (Mas Cotek) under drought conditions is a vital issue in Malaysia since it is a slow-growing plant and disposed to leaf damage under the stresses of drought. Therefore, investigation was done to examine the outcomes of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) application on Rubisco gene expression and metabolites accumulation of stressed F.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  14. Calliterpenone, a natural plant growth promoter from a medicinal plant Callicarpa macrophylla, sustainably enhances the yield and productivity of crops

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • The global population is rising at an alarming rate, which is threatening food and nutritional security. Although chemical fertilizers and pesticides are important for achieving food security, their excessive usage critically affects soil health and adds up residues in the food chain. There is an increasing interest in identifying eco-friendly farm inputs that can improve crop productivity through sustainable agricultural practices.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Pesticide residues
  15. Combined effects of Bacillus sp. M6 strain and Sedum alfredii on rhizosphere community and bioremediation of cadmium polluted soils

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Concerns regarding inevitable soil translocation and bioaccumulation of cadmium (Cd) in plants have been escalating in concomitance with the posed phytotoxicity and threat to human health. Exhibiting a Cd tolerance, Bacillus sp. M6 strain has been reported as a soil amendment owing to its capability of reducing metal bioavailability in soils. The present study investigated the rhizospheric bacterial community of the Cd hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  16. The regulatory role of abscisic acid on cadmium uptake, accumulation and translocation in plants

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • To date, Cd contamination of cropland and crops is receiving more and more attention around the world. As a plant hormone, abscisic acid (ABA) plays an important role in Cd stress response, but its effect on plant Cd uptake and translocation varies among plant species.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  17. Influence of biochar and microorganism co-application on stabilization of cadmium (Cd) and improved maize growth in Cd-contaminated soil

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Cadmium (Cd) is one the leading environmental contaminants. The Cd toxicity and its potential stabilization strategies have been investigated in the recent years. However, the combined effects of biochar and microorganisms on the adsorption of Cd and maize plant physiology, still remained unclear.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  18. Morpho-physiological growth performance and phytoremediation capabilities of selected xerophyte grass species toward Cr and Pb stress

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Being sessile organisms, plants cannot escape unwanted changes in the environment. The rapid human population explosion caused significant environmental problems. Heavy metals produced through various sources can cause severe damage to living organisms. The study was planned to evaluate four grass species’ morpho-physiological growth characteristics and phytoremediation capabilities under chromium (Cr) and lead stress (Pb) in the arid climate.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  19. Tandem application of endophytic fungus Serendipita indica and phosphorus synergistically recuperate arsenic induced stress in rice

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • In the context of eco-sustainable acquisition of food security, arsenic (As) acts as a deterring factor, which easily infiltrates our food chain via plant uptake. Therefore, devising climate-smart strategies becomes exigent for minimizing the imposed risks. Pertinently, Serendipita indica (S. indica) is well reputed for its post-symbiotic stress alleviatory and phyto-promotive potential.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  20. ZAT10 plays dual roles in cadmium uptake and detoxification in Arabidopsis

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Cadmium (Cd) is a harmful heavy metal that is risky for plant growth and human health. The zinc-finger transcription factor ZAT10 is highly conserved with ZAT6 and ZAT12, which are involved in Cd tolerance in plants. However, the definite function of ZAT10 in Cd tolerance remains uncertain. Here, we demonstrated that ZAT10 negatively regulated Cd uptake and enhanced Cd detoxification in Arabidopsis. The expression of ZAT10 in plants is induced by Cd treatment.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  21. Impact of foliar application of syringic acid on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under heavy metal stress-insights into nutrient uptake, redox homeostasis, oxidative stress, and antioxidant defense

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Soil contamination with toxic heavy metals [such as lead (Pb)] is becoming a serious global problem due to the rapid development of the social economy. However, accumulation of Pb in plant parts is very toxic for plant growth and decreases crop yield and productivity.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  22. Linkage mapping and association analysis to identify a reliable QTL for stigma exsertion rate in rice

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • The commercialization of hybrid rice has greatly contributed to the increase in rice yield, with the improvement of its seed production capacity having played an important role. The stigma exsertion rate (SER) is a key factor for improving the outcrossing of the sterile line and the hybrid rice seed production.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  23. Exogenous tryptophan application improves cadmium tolerance and inhibits cadmium upward transport in broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica)

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Cadmium (Cd) pollution not only reduces crop yields, but also threatens human health and food safety. It is of great significance for agricultural production to improve plant Cd resistance and reduce Cd accumulation. In Arabidopsis, tryptophan (Trp) has been found to play a role in Cd resistance. However, studies on the role of exogenous Trp on Cd tolerance in crops are limited.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals
  24. Protein Engineering of a Germacrene A Synthase From Lactuca sativa and Its Application in High Productivity of Germacrene A in Escherichia coli

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Germacrene A (GA) is a key intermediate for the synthesis of medicinal active compounds, especially for β-elemene, which is a broad-spectrum anticancer drug. The production of sufficient GA in the microbial platform is vital for the precursors supply of active compounds. In this study, Escherichia coli BL21 Star (DE3) was used as the host and cultivated in SBMSN medium, obtaining a highest yield of FPP. The GA synthase from Lactuca sativa (LTC2) exhibited the highest level of GA production.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Antibiotic residues
  25. Synergistic Effect of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and Moringa oleifera Leaf Extract Alleviates Cadmium Toxicity in Linum usitatissimum: Antioxidants and Physiochemical Studies

    • Frontiers in Plant Science
    • Among heavy metals, cadmium (Cd) is one of the toxic metals, which significantly reduce the growth of plants even at a low concentration. Cd interacts with various plant mechanisms at the physiological and antioxidant levels, resulting in decreased plant growth. This research was conducted to exploit the potential of synergistic application of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and Moringa oleifera leaf extract in mitigation of Cd stress in linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) plants.

      • Chemical contaminants
      • Heavy Metals