Comprehensive reviews in food science and food safetyRafael Bianchini Fulindi, Argemiro Soares da Silva Sobrinho, Anderson S Sant'Ana
The persistence of foodborne pathogens on industrial food contact surfaces continues to challenge global food safety despite advances in sanitation technologies. A central limitation of current antimicrobial strategies lies in their validation under simplified laboratory conditions that overlook the physicochemically driven formation of food matrix conditioning films. Upon contact with food residues, organic macromolecules reorganize at the solid‒liquid interface, forming conditioning layers that mask engineered surface functionalities and facilitate microbial attachment. This review examines how such interfacial transformations constrain conventional bactericidal approaches and contribute to sanitization failures in industrial environments. Plasma surface engineering is evaluated as a matrix-aware strategy capable of tailoring surface energy, hydration behavior, and nanoscale architecture through plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and magnetron sputtering. These approaches may mitigate organic fouling and modulate bacterial surface sensing under controlled conditions. Particular attention is given to mechanotransduction pathways implicated in early biofilm formation, highlighting how nanoscale surface cues influence c-di-GMP signaling and biofilm commitment in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive foodborne pathogens, including Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes. Significant translational gaps remain, including long-term durability under repeated cleaning-in-place cycles, antimicrobial transport through complex conditioning films, and adaptive tolerance under chronic exposure. This review situates plasma surface engineering within a preventive interfacial design framework, offering an evidence-based rationale for the development of food contact materials capable of meeting the durability, safety, and regulatory demands of modern processing environments.
Comprehensive reviews in food science and food safetySara Esteghlal, Hossein Daneshgar, Navid Rabiee, Mohammadreza Khalesi
Food preservation challenges have positioned packaging as a rapidly evolving, innovation-driven field, with smart packaging offering transformative solutions. Among advanced materials, covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have attracted growing attention due to their permanent porosity, structural tunability, high surface area, and chemical stability. These features allow COFs to address critical needs in food packaging, including active barrier protection, antimicrobial action, and smart sensing of food freshness and spoilage. This review examines recent progress in applying COFs to food packaging, with particular focus on their ability to prolong shelf life and enable smart functionalities for real-time monitoring of food quality. Safety aspects, biocompatibility, recyclability, and biodegradability are also critically evaluated, as these remain key considerations for regulatory approval and industrial translation. Although current studies report minimal cytotoxicity, long-term toxicological assessments are still limited, underscoring the need for more comprehensive investigations. Looking forward, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) provide powerful tools for accelerating COF discovery and optimization. Their integration into COF design could streamline synthesis, improve scalability, and guide application-specific material development. COFs represent a promising new class of materials poised to advance the next generation of sustainable, functional, and smart food-packaging systems.
Veterinary medicine and scienceMohammad Reza Heidari, Amir Shakerian, Reza Sharafati Chaleshtori, Ebrahim Rahimi
INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is a major food pathogen that causes severe infections, especially in the susceptible population. Dairy products and milk are some of the possible vehicles through which it can be transmitted both as a threat to the health of people and as an economic issue. The study conducted was to explore the prevalence, virulence characteristics, and antimicrobial resistance patterns of L. monocytogenes along the supply chain of milk in Yazd Province, Iran. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Collection of 370 samples (raw milk, pasteurised milk, dairy equipment, transport containers and hands and gowns of workers) was done between 2022 and 2023. Identification and isolation of L. monocytogenes was done using standard biochemical, bacteriological and molecular tests. The assessment of antimicrobial susceptibility was done using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion, and the multi-antibiotic resistance (MAR) index was determined. The presence of important virulence genes and resistance determinants was identified by PCR. RESULTS: Overall, 10 isolates (2.7%) were confirmed as L. monocytogenes. Raw milk had the highest contamination rate (5.29%), while pasteurised milk and worker samples were negative. High-level resistance was observed against nalidixic acid, penicillin G, ceftazidime (100%), cefepime and ceftriaxone (90%), whereas first-line clinical drugs such as gentamicin, amikacin, levofloxacin, vancomycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and erythromycin showed full susceptibility. Virulence genes prfA, inlA and iap were universally present, with high prevalence of resistance genes including lnuA/B, ermA/B and tetA/M. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that raw milk may be a significant reservoir of multi-drug-resistant L. monocytogenes in this region and the studied supply chain. Therefore, hygiene measures and continuous monitoring are key to preventing contamination and protecting public health.
Environmental monitoring and assessmentZineb Elaboudi, Samira El Aouidi, Radouan Saadi, Azzouz Benkdad, Zineb El Mouridi, Abdelmourhit Laissaoui, Abdelaziz Madinzi, Salah Souabi
Internal exposure to ionising radiation occurs predominantly through the consumption of contaminated crops, and evaluating soil-to-plant radionuclide transfer is essential for radiological risk assessment. This study investigated radionuclide activity concentrations, soil-to-plant concentration ratios (CRs), and the potential annual effective dose from food ingestion in a semiarid agricultural region. High-resolution alpha- and gamma-spectrometry (HPGe) was used to quantify 210Po, 234Th, 226Ra, 228Th, 228Ra, 210Pb, 40 K, and 137Cs in soil and in commonly consumed crops, including coriander, red pepper, potato, onion, pomegranate, cardoon, beet, tomato, and eggplant. The soil activities ranged from 16.37 to 39.59, 6.21 to 29.15, 4.84 to 26.26, 9.37 to 46.04, 10.10 to 51.04, 5.92 to 31.39, 107.21 to 434.20, and 1.15 to 2.98 Bq/kg for 210Po,234Th, 226Ra, 228Th, 228Ra, 210Pb, 40 K, and 137Cs, respectively. In plants, activity concentrations were generally lower, varying between 0.12-4.76 Bq/kg for 210Po, 0.36-5.89 Bq/kg for 226Ra, 0.22-1.61 Bq/kg for 228Th, and 386.33-3265.53 Bq/kg for 40 K, whereas 234Th, 228Ra, 210Pb, and 137Cs were mostly below the detection limits. The concentration ratios ranged from 0.01-0.14 for 210Po, 0.02-0.43 for 226Ra, 0.01-0.17 for 228Th, and 1.02-20.03 for 40 K, with elevated values observed in cardoon and eggplant. Correlation analysis highlighted strong interrelationships among radionuclides and demonstrated that transfer processes are controlled by soil physicochemical properties, particularly organic matter content, cation exchange capacity, and exchangeable cations. In contrast, carbonate content and salinity tend to restrict radionuclide mobility. These findings enhance understanding of radionuclide behaviour under semiarid climatic conditions and support improved radiological risk assessment and environmental protection strategies.
Current microbiologySibel Derviş, Muharrem Türkkan, Göksel Özer
The arthroconidial yeast genera Geotrichum and Magnusiomyces exhibit a striking dual nature, simultaneously acting as destructive postharvest pathogens, essential agents in dairy fermentation, and life-threatening opportunistic pathogens in immunocompromised hosts. Despite extensive domain-specific research, the mechanistic basis of this functional divergence remains poorly integrated across taxonomy, plant pathology, food microbiology, and clinical mycology. This review proposes a cross-domain framework that integrates taxonomic uncertainty, conserved molecular mechanisms, ecological plasticity, and exposure dynamics to explain this functional divergence. Here, "cross-domain" is used in a non-taxonomic sense and refers to integration across disciplinary and ecological/application contexts-plant pathology, food and dairy microbiology, and clinical mycology-rather than to the formal biological taxonomic rank Domain. The functional versatility of these yeasts can be partly interpreted through the context-dependent deployment of broadly conserved fungal mechanisms-including cell wall-degrading enzymes, CYP51-mediated sterol metabolism, secreted proteins/effectors, and stress-response pathways-operating under contrasting ecological and selective pressures, rather than by fundamentally distinct biological systems. Critically, this framework distinguishes unidirectional exposure pathways linking agricultural, food, and clinical environments from bidirectional feedback systems that may contribute to the emergence and circulation of adaptive traits. Within this perspective, we identify three cross-domain connections: a putative antifungal resistance cycle driven by converging agricultural and clinical azole selection, a dairy-clinical interface shaped by host-associated transmission and strain recombination, and a diagnostic blind spot linked to cross-reactivity in fungal detection systems. These insights are translated into testable hypotheses on genome-based species delimitation, resistance evolution, and domestication stability, providing a structured research agenda for coordinated risk assessment and resistance management within a One Health framework.
World journal of microbiology & biotechnologyAyodele Timilehin Adesoji, Vittoria Mattioni Marchetti, Claudia Cortimiglia, Francesca Piscopiello, Ilaria Petrizzi, Aurora Piazza, Emmanuel Dayo Alabi, Pier S…
BACKGROUND: Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) and AmpC β-lactamase-producing Enterobacter species are pathogens of public health concern. In this study, we investigated the resistome, virulome, and plasmidome of circulating Enterobacter hormaechei isolated from humans, animals, and ready-to-eat (RTE) food in Dutsin-Ma, northwest Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Enterobacter species were isolated from human, and RTE food samples using MacConkey and CHROM agar. Species identification and antibiotics susceptibility testing (AST) were performed using Microscan autoSCAN-4 and MALDI-TOF MS, respectively. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and bioinformatics analysis were performed to validate the species identities. WGS also determined sequence types (STs), resistome, plasmidome, and virulome using PubMLST, ResFinder, PlasmidFinder, and Virulence Factors Database (VFDB) via ABRicate, respectively. RESULTS: E. hormaechei subs. xiangfangensis was the dominant species isolated from humans (6/8, 75%) and animals (1/8, 12.5%), while E. hormaechei subs. oharae was exclusively found in RTE food (1/8, 12.5%). The most frequent sequence type (ST) was ST813, found solely in humans, along with ST511, ST454, and the emerging high-risk ST171. ST68 was identified in food, and novel ST (ST3186) were identified in animal and human samples, respectively. All isolates exhibited 100% resistance to ampicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, with 62.5% resistant to each of aztreonam, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, tobramycin and cefotaxime, and 25% to colistin. E. hormaechei (62.5%) isolates carried the blaCTX-M-15 gene, encoding ESBL-production, along with AmpC genes such as blaCMH-3, and also harbored resistance genes for aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, sulfonamides, tetracyclines, and trimethoprim. The IncHI2 (50%) was identified as the dominant plasmid type followed by Col (pHAD28) (25%), IncFIB (25%), and IncFII (11.1%). The most (62.5%) prevalence virulence gene among the isolates is ompA encoding adhesion while each of entA, entB and fepD encoding iron acquisition were least (12.5%) occurred. CONCLUSION: This study provides the first genomic insight into Enterobacter species in northwest Nigeria, highlighting their role in the spread of antimicrobial resistance. E. hormaechei subsp. xiangfangensis was identified as the main reservoir of ESBL and AmpC β-lactamases in this study. The discovery of novel STs with diverse virulence factors and plasmid replicon indicates potential horizontal gene transfer across different ecological niches. Our findings underscore the need for robust surveillance and control measures to combat the spread of MDR Enterobacter species across human, animal, and food niches.
Environmental monitoring and assessmentEbenezer Aquisman Asare, Dickson Abdul-Wahab, Elsie Effah Kaufmann, Rafeah Wahi, Zainab Ngaini, Peter Osei
Freshwater fish from mining-influenced rivers can transfer metal(loid)s to consumers, but risk estimates in low resource settings often ignore non-detects, chemical speciation and receptor-specific uncertainty. This study assessed water, sediment and market fish from eight stations along the Akora River, Ghana, and developed a censoring-aware hierarchical Bayesian framework to estimate dietary exposure from Oreochromis niloticus and Clarias anguillaris. Eight metal(loid)s (Hg, Zn, As, Ni, Cr, Cu, Pb and Cd) were analysed by ICP-OES and cold-vapour atomic fluorescence spectroscopy. Posterior fish concentrations were propagated through speciation priors, intake assumptions and dose-response models to estimate non-cancer HI, TCR and BLL for children, WOCBA, adults and high-consumers. Cr and Ni dominated water-column contamination, reaching 55× and 23× WHO guideline values downstream, whereas fish metal concentrations showed little species-specific separation. Median non-cancer HI remained below the screening threshold for all receptor groups, but exceedance probabilities reached approximately 15-17% for children and high-consumers. TCR exceeded 10⁻⁶ in 35-78% of receptor-specific posterior draws, driven mainly by iAs and Cr(VI) assumptions. Median BLL predictions remained below 3.5 µg/dL, although upper-tail exceedance was plausible for children and high-consumers. Sensitivity analysis showed that FIR, BW and speciation/toxicological parameters dominated uncertainty, while additional precision in total-metal concentration had limited value. The results support speciation-focused monitoring, receptor-specific consumption surveys and Ghana-specific freshwater fish consumption guidance.
Mycotoxin researchOluwawapelumi A Oyedele, Muiz O Akinyemi, Michael Sulyok, Rudolf Krska, Jos Houbraken, Chibundu N Ezekiel
This study applied a polyphasic characterization approach and LC-MS/MS analysis to elucidate fungal and mycotoxin contamination dynamics during conventional (CPRP) and improved (IPRP) postharvest processing and a 90-day storage of rice in Nigeria. Three hundred and twenty-five fungal isolates belonging to 21 genera (10 moulds, one crust fungus, 10 yeasts) and 54 species were recovered from rice across both processing chains. The CPRP chain had greater diversity of fungal genera compared to the IPRP chain. Aspergillus predominated both processing chains while yeasts occurred only in the CPRP chain. Species belonging to Aspergillus sections Aspergillus, Candidi, Flavi and Nidulantes, and Penicillium section Citrina predominated in stored rice in the two processing chains. A total of 106 extrolites including several uncommon extrolites and potential species markers were identified in agar cultures of 38 strains from 19 mould species. Fifteen mycotoxins were detected in rice along the processing and storage chains. Processing of rice in the IPRP chain and hermetic storage for 90 days reduced total aflatoxins by 9% compared to non-reduction in CPRP chain. Conventionally processed and stored rice in jute bags after 90 days recorded at least twice higher percentage reductions of total fumonisin, nivalenol and tenuazonic acid compared to hermetically stored rice from the IPRP chain. However, citrinin+dihydrocitrinone levels in rice from the two storage types increased progressively during the 90-day storage period. This study highlights the critical control points in the two rice process chains and provides insights into possible mycotoxin control approaches along the chain including in storage.
Environmental geochemistry and healthOlawale Gabriel Olowomofe, Babatope Ebenezer Faweya
Fertilizer-associated heavy metals may accumulate in edible crops, yet crop-specific transfer and dietary risks remain poorly characterized in tropical smallholder systems. This study quantified Pb, Cu, Fe, Zn, Cd and Ni in paired soil and edible tissues of okra, maize and cassava from fertilized farms across five locations in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Thirty paired samples were analysed by Flame AAS, and transfer factors, multivariate statistics and dietary risk indices were used to assess metal distribution, uptake and potential exposure. Mean soil concentrations were 20.54, 42.95, 3350.00, 116.47, 0.141 and 38.41 mg kg-1 for Pb, Cu, Fe, Zn, Cd and Ni, respectively, compared with 0.650, 15.83, 908.57, 50.07, 0.014 and 0.174 mg kg-1 in edible tissues. Maize showed greater Pb accumulation than cassava and okra, although Pb transfer remained low across all crops. Dietary screening yielded a THQ of 2.98 for maize, exceeding the non-carcinogenic screening threshold of 1 and driven mainly by Cu and Pb, while the combined Pb + Cd carcinogenic risk was highest in maize (3.17 × 10-5). Cassava also slightly exceeded the THQ threshold (1.07), whereas okra remained well below it (0.011). Overall, the findings identify maize and cassava as priority crops for continued monitoring of Cu and Pb in agricultural fields subject to routine fertilizer use.
Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology]Mayara S Tavares, Patrícia G Paulino, Daniele S Juliano, Roberto Laureano-Melo, Huarrisson A Santos, Rosa H Luchese
This research aimed to access the incidence of Listeria sp. and L. monocytogenes in frozen ready-to-eat (RTE) fish products immediately after purchasing, and after refrigerated storage. Out of 72 kani-kama samples, 17 (23,6%) and 16 out of 48 samples (33,3%) of smoked salmon samples, tested positive for Listeria sp. by the traditional culture method, whereas 45,8% and 56.2% were positive by PCR, for kani-kama and smoked salmon samples, respectively. Applying qPCR, 21 samples of kani-kama out of 72 (29.2%) and 23 out of 48 samples of smoked and sliced salmon (47.9%) were positive for L. monocytogenes. Quantification was performed by culture to account only for viable cells, and confirmation was carried out via PCR and qPCR for Listeria sp. and L. monocytogenes, respectively. The average counts of L. monocytogenes did not exceed 2 Log CFU/g, both in kani-kama or smoked salmon. However, 15.3% of individual kani-kama samples and 14,6% of smoked salmon samples showed counts of up to 3.2 Log CFU/g, some even immediately after purchasing. Higher number of positive samples was observed during refrigerated storage compared to the number of samples analysed immediately after purchasing, indicating that refrigeration for a long time can pose an additional health threat. Unlike kani-kama, which is a heat-processed product, a higher background microbiota count was detected in smoked salmon. However, this background microbiota apparently did not influence the growth of Listeria spp.
Veterinary research communicationsDeepak B Rawool, Radhakrishna Sahu, Niveditha Pollumahanti, Laxman R Chatlod, Yogesh P Gadekar, Vishnuraj M R, Jess Vergis, Nagendra Nath Barman, Sukhadeo B Ba…
In this study, a total of 2818 food samples of animal origin collected from 18 states of India using a stratified random sampling method were processed for isolation of Salmonella spp. PCR serotyping was performed to identify non-typhoidal serovars. All confirmed Salmonella isolates were screened for antibacterial susceptibility and for their virulence potential using the Galleria mellonella larvae. Microbiological screening identified 58 Salmonella spp. isolates (2.06%). Variation in isolation rate was not evident in various types of samples that were screened, and the place of isolation. On PCR serotyping, 39.65% were identified as S. Typhimurium, 32.76% as S. Enteritidis, and the remaining 27.59% were other Salmonella serovars. Notably, 44.83% of the Salmonella isolates exhibited MDR pattern with a MAR index of > 0.2. All the isolates were virulent to G. mellonella larvae. Findings of the study warrants further investigations and appropriate preventive cum control measures to ensure food safety.
Mikrochimica actaAnna Kerkula, Li Wang, Xiaohuan Gao, Lixin Xu, Wuyang Huang, Kun Zeng, Zhen Zhang
The systematic development of a multifunctional zein-stabilized Au@Pt bimetallic nanozyme (zein-Au@Pt) for highly efficient multimodal detection of tetracycline (TC) is described. We created a core-shell nanostructure using zein protein as a biomimetic template, combining the Au@Pt bimetallic interface's high peroxidase-mimicking activity with the prolamine shell's fluorescence. Zein-Au@Pt exhibited low Michaelis constants (𝐾𝑚 for H₂O₂: 0.813 mM; TMB: 0.211 mM) in steady-state kinetics, indicating high substrate affinity. A multimodal lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) platform allows traditional colorimetric screening, catalytically amplified detection, and fluorescence measurement. These three approaches had detection limits of 0.9, 0.09, and 0.014 ng/mL, respectively, demonstrating 10-fold (catalytic amplification) and 64-fold (fluorescence sensitization) increases in sensitivity over traditional colorimetric LFIA. High recoveries (89.8-109.3%) across various complex animal-derived matrices demonstrated its adaptability as a multimodal LFIA platform for on-site screening after minimal sample preprocessing for antibiotic residue surveillance. Despite these benefits, challenges remain, including potential cross-reactivity with TC analogs in complex matrices, the need to miniaturize the fluorescence readout device for true point-of-care use, and the long-term stability of the zein protein coating under different storage conditions. Engineering highly specialized recognition elements (aptamers) to overcome cross-reactivity, integrating smartphone-based detecting systems for mobility, and scaling up zein-templated nanozymes for commercial use are future priorities.
Journal of food scienceImane Boudriiya, Vicenç Martí, Imane Bakkali, Mohammed El Maadoudi, El Morabit Yassmin, Naoual Alahlah, Naima Ait Lamime, Amin Laglaoui, Mounir Hassani Zerrouk
This study proposes an integrated human health risk assessment framework combining analytical verification, regulatory compliance, deterministic dietary exposure assessment, and probabilistic modeling. Pesticide residues were determined in 100 potato samples using the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method coupled with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, targeting 130 active substances according to SANTE/11312/2021. Fifteen pesticides were quantified (≥LOQ [limit of quantification]) and included in the risk assessment. Quantifiable residues occurred in 35% of samples, with imidacloprid being the most frequently detected pesticide. Although several residues exceeded European maximum residue limits, all individual hazard quotients remained below 1. The cumulative hazard index (HI) was 0.223 for adults and 0.988 for children/adolescents, with seven pesticides accounting for nearly 90% of the HI associated with quantified residues. A middle-bound (LOQ/2) approach applied to 103 pesticides below the LOQ increased total deterministic HI values to 0.309 and 1.37 for adults and children/adolescents, respectively. Monte Carlo simulation integrating major, minor, and below-LOQ contributors showed that cumulative HI remained below 1 across the evaluated percentiles (P90-P99), reaching 0.198 for adults and 0.902 for children/adolescents at P99. Sensitivity analysis highlighted the importance of exposure and uncertainty associated with below-LOQ residues. These findings highlight the greater vulnerability of younger consumers and the value of probabilistic approaches for dietary risk assessment integrating exposure variability, analytical uncertainty, and below-LOQ residues.
Journal of separation scienceYiliu Zheng, Jingjing Li, Hua Shao, Yong Shao, Miao Wang, Juanxia Wang, Hailong Yu, Yongxin She, Jing Wang, A M Abd El-Aty
A magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer (MMIP) with high specificity for pyrethroid pesticides was successfully synthesized via a surface molecular imprinting strategy. Using fenvalerate as the template, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to systematically evaluate four candidate functional monomers: methacrylic acid (MAA), acrylic acid (AA), 4-vinylpyridine (4-VP), and allyl-β-cyclodextrin (allyl-β-CD). Computational analyses revealed that allyl-β-CD yields a significantly increased imprinting factor, underscoring its superior capacity to confer adsorption selectivity. Binding energy calculations further elucidated the molecular recognition mechanism underlying the MMIP-template interaction. Comprehensive physicochemical characterization, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning/transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), confirmed both the structural integrity and surface morphology of the resulting polymer. To demonstrate practical utility, MMIPs were employed in magnetic dispersive solid-phase extraction (MDSPE) for the simultaneous purification and enrichment of six pyrethroid pesticides (Pyrs) from apple and cabbage matrices. By coupling MDSPE with high-performance liquid chromatography‒tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC‒MS/MS), a robust analytical protocol was developed and validated for the determination of pyrethroid residues in fruits and vegetables. Recovery experiments across multiple fortification levels yielded mean recoveries of 72%-109%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 0.65%-5.04%. This validated MDSPE-HPLC-MS/MS method provides a cost-effective and time-saving reliable analytical tool for routine monitoring of pyrethroid residues in fresh produce, contributing to improved food safety surveillance and regulatory compliance, and offering practical applicability for routine food safety monitoring laboratories.
Journal of food scienceYing Tang, Sun Liang, Huayue Li, Chenbing Tian, Ying Lei, Jiayuan Zhao, Ying Liao
Beta-cypermethrin (β-CYP) is a widely used pyrethroid insecticide, whereas ethyl carbamate (EC) is a processing-derived contaminant in fermented foods. This mechanism-oriented in vitro study examined cellular responses to EC, β-CYP, and their combination in Caco-2 cells; the concentrations were substantially higher than typical dietary exposure and were not intended for quantitative risk assessment. Cell viability, apoptosis, cell cycle, wound closure, and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) were evaluated via CCK-8, AO/EB staining, flow cytometry, wound-healing, and JC-1 assays. Network toxicology, molecular docking, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) were integrated to generate mechanistic hypotheses. EC and β-CYP each reduced cell viability, wound closure, and ΔΨm in a concentration-dependent manner. To rigorously determine the interaction type, a 2 × 2 factorial design coupled with two-way ANOVA was employed. Co-exposure exhibited an additive trend for cell viability and cell cycle (G0/G1) arrest (interaction p > 0.05), whereas significant synergistic interactions were observed for apoptosis, impaired wound closure, and loss of ΔΨm (interaction p < 0.05). Although CI values for viability were below 1, they were considered only as exploratory references due to extrapolation beyond the observed response range, and were not treated as statistically demonstrated synergism. Bioinformatic analyses implicated stress-response and cell-fate pathways, including PI3K-Akt, MAPK, FoxO, and TGF-β, but do not establish direct target engagement or colorectal cancer causation. Overall, co-exposure enhanced Caco-2 cell injury under the tested conditions. These findings support further mixture-toxicity studies at exposure-relevant concentrations but cannot be directly extrapolated to human dietary risk.
MicrobiologyOpenMd Moklesur Rahman, Awis Qurni Sazili, Siti Aqlima Ahmad, Khalilah Abdul Khalil, Mohammad Rashedi Ismail-Fitry, Md Sazedul Karim Sarker
The rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens presents a major challenge to food safety, particularly in preservation approaches. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) gain probiotic recognition by effectively controlling MDR pathogens using antimicrobial substances (AMSs) and bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances (BLISs). The study evaluated the probiotic properties and AMS production potential of five LAB strains: Lactiplantibacillus plantarum NBRC 3070 (LP), Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 (LA), Lacticaseibacillus casei ATCC 393 (LC), Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG ATCC 53103 (LGG), and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis ATCC 27673 (BAL). AMS was extracted from neutralized and concentrated cell-free supernatant and tested for antimicrobial activities against common foodborne pathogens using minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). All LAB strains showed antagonistic activity, with LP demonstrating the most substantial antagonism. Four strains are resistant to multiple antibiotics but remain susceptible to azithromycin and tetracycline, while LP is resistant to all tested antibiotics. LP and LC demonstrated the highest probiotic potential based on cell surface hydrophobicity and aggregation abilities. Optimal AMS activity (85.36%-91.29%) occurred between 24 and 36 h at 37°C or 28-48 h at 30°C. LGG exhibited the highest AMS activity with the lowest MIC against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Enzyme sensitivity confirmed the peptide nature of BLIS produced by BLIS from LP, LA, LC, and LGG. In conclusion, LAB strains demonstrated significant probiotic traits and the ability to produce AMS, especially BLIS, from four strains, with LP and LC showing the most potential. These findings support their application as natural biopreservation against MDR pathogens; however, further validation in the food system is required.
Journal of mass spectrometry : JMSEleonora Rollo, Alexandra Schamann, Maria Doppler, Alexandra Malachová, Rudolf Krska, Michele Suman
Based on previous experience and current knowledge, it is assumed that mycotoxins contaminating raw materials could be degraded or modified due to exposure to thermal and mechanical conditions during food processing, potentially resulting in degradation and/or conversion products. Nowadays, most of the information on the novel degradation products of mycotoxins is still missing; the identification and characterization of their structure and their toxicity potential is of high interest for risk assessment strategies. In the present study, the fate of aflatoxins and fumonisins during the production of gluten-free pasta made from maize flour was investigated. Gluten-free pasta was produced from both spiked dough and naturally contaminated flour, processed under pilot plant conditions that mimic the industrial conditions, resulting in a technologically feasible product. Possible degradation products of the spiked mycotoxins were identified using an untargeted stable isotope labelling liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry approach. No degradation product of aflatoxin B1 was detected above the detection limit of the experimental setup, and only one possible degradation product of fumonisin B1 or B2 at very low levels was found. The results may suggest the stability of these mycotoxins under the production conditions of gluten-free pasta.
Antonie van LeeuwenhoekMandeep Kumar, Namita Singh
The present study aimed to develop a fermented cucumber juice beverage using Lactobacillus rhamnosus NCDC-347. The fermentation procedure was optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The independent variables used for optimization were inoculum size (2-5%), pH (5-9), and incubation temperature (30-45 °C), while the responses were Total Phenolic Content (TPC), antioxidant activity, total sugar content and microbial growth. The optimized fermentation conditions were 37.5 °C, pH 7.0, and an inoculum size of 3.5%. Under these conditions, L. rhamnosus NCDC-347 reached approximately 8.0 ± 0.1 Log CFU/mL after 48 h of fermentation. Under the optimized conditions, fermentation significantly reduced the pH from 7.00 ± 00 to 3.29 ± 0.13, and total soluble solids 3.3 ± 0.15 to 1.2 ± 0.05, along with a reduction in total sugar content from 17.94 ± 1.10 g/L to 4.40 ± 0.45 g/L, confirming effective microbial metabolism. A significant increase in TPC from 1.02 ± 0.06 g GAE/L, to 1.5 ± 0.06 g GAE/L was observed which was associated with enhanced antioxidant activity as determined by DPPH (80.79 ± 1.81%), and ABTS (93.43 ± 0.90%) radical scavenging assays. The fermented cucumber juice showed significant inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase (41.66 ± 1.52%), and α-amylase (57.33 ± 2.51%), indicating potential α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity in vitro. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed for the volatile profiling of fermented and unfermented cucumber juice, which revealed the production of several fermentation-derived compounds. Cell free supernatant of cucumber juice exhibited antimicrobial activity with highest and lowest inhibition against Bacillus subtilis MTCC 441 (16 mm), and pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15692 (09 mm) respectively. The fermented cucumber juice showed cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 cells under the tested conditions. Sensory assessment using a 7-point hedonic scale showed higher mean scores for most evaluated attributes in the fermented juice than in the unfermented juice.
Residues of tetracycline antibiotics (TCs) in food pose a serious threat to human health, creating an urgent need for the development of simple, rapid, and highly sensitive detection methods. Herein, guanosine monophosphate-iron coordination nanozyme (Fe-GMP) were synthesized using the self-assembly of guanosine-5'-monophosphate and iron. Based on the peroxidase-mimicking activity of Fe-GMP nanozyme, a novel colorimetric sensor for the colorimetric detection of TCs was developed. Fe-GMP catalyzes the oxidation of chromogenic substrate 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbiphenylamine (TMB) in the presence of H2O2, producing a characteristic absorption peak at 652 nm. Interestingly, the introduction of TCs significantly enhances the peroxidase-like catalytic activity of Fe-GMP, causing the solution color to deepen from light to dark blue. Under optimized experimental conditions, the sensor exhibited a linear detection range of 0.2 µmol·L- 1 to 6 µmol·L- 1 for tetracycline, with a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 57.9 nmol·L- 1 (26.7 µg·kg- 1). The sensor has been successfully applied to determine tetracycline antibiotics in real milk and honey samples, with spiked recoveries ranging from 90% to 94%. The developed sensor exhibits a typical "signal-on" response mode, effectively avoiding the false-positive issues caused by nonspecific inhibition in traditional "signal-off" sensors. Furthermore, the sensor is cost-effective, highly efficient, and easy to operate, demonstrating great potential for rapid screening in food safety.
Water environment research : a research publication of the Water Environment FederationChayanika Pondit, Marzia Sultana, Samia Siddika, Md Abdul Hannan, Md Jahangir Alam, Tabarok Bhuiyan, Md Shakhawate Hossain
This study aimed to determine the concentrations of heavy metals (As, Cr, Cd, Pb, and Hg) in Macrobrachium rosenbergii from prawn farms in Khulna division, Bangladesh, and to assess the associated human health risks. Twenty-four farms in different upazilas of Khulna division were selected for sampling, and heavy metal concentrations in prawns were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Metal concentrations varied among farms, with As ranging from BDL (below detection limit) to 1.475 mg/kg, Cr from BDL to 3.5 mg/kg, Cd from BDL to 0.091 mg/kg, Pb from BDL to 0.236 mg/kg, and Hg from BDL in all samples. The highest values of As, Cr, Cd, and Pb were observed in the Bagerhat district. Comparison with national and international standards (MOFL, FAO, WHO, and EC) showed that Cd and Pb were within permissible limits across all sites, whereas As and Cr concentrations exceeded the recommended limit in several locations. The results showed clear spatial variations in heavy metal accumulation driven by local anthropogenic activities such as aquaculture practices, agricultural runoff, and environmental inputs. Estimated daily intake (EDI) values revealed that children are more vulnerable than adults, with As and Cr contributing the highest dietary intake and remaining below the recommended health-based guidance values. Tabulated values of noncarcinogenic risk assessment indicators (THQ and HI) revealed potential cumulative noncarcinogenic health risks for children compared to adults, with HI values exceeding the safety threshold (HI > 1) at seven locations for children while all HI values for adults were below this limit. Target cancer risk (TR) assessment demonstrated that As and Cr were the major contributors to the estimated carcinogenic risk, whereas Cd and Pb generally showed comparatively lower contributions. Multivariate analysis revealed associations among heavy metals and spatial patterns in metal distribution, showing similar distribution patterns among Cr, Cd, and Pb, while As exhibited a distinct spatial behavior across the study area. The findings of the study therefore emphasize the importance of continuous monitoring, improved aquaculture management, and effective regulatory interventions to ensure food safety and protect public health by minimizing heavy metal exposure.
Environmental monitoring and assessmentNitika Rani, Pooja Arora, Smita Chaudhry
The limited availability of fresh water sources across many developing countries necessitates the intake of wastewater as an alternative option for irrigation, raising worries about heavy metal contamination. The present study evaluated the accumulation of chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and nickel (Ni) in easily available and highly consumed leafy vegetables (fenugreek, spinach, and mustard) irrigated with industrial effluents (post-primary, secondary, and tertiary treatments), drain water, and groundwater in a controlled pot experiment. The concentrations of Cr, Pb, Cd, and Cu in all irrigation water sources remained within the permissible limits, whereas Ni exceeded the recommended limit in drain water. Heavy metal concentrations in soils were within safety thresholds; the concentration of Cr (5-20 mg/kg), Pb (2.5-12.5 mg/kg), and Cd (0.5-1.5 mg/kg) levels in vegetables occasionally surpassed FAO/WHO limits (Codex Alimentarius Commission, 1984), WHO, 2007), indicating potential health risks. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) indicated notable uptake of Pb and Cu (exceeding the limit of 1) in spinach. Furthermore, the daily intake of metals was higher in children than adults, with the highest intake of Ni (0.04 mg/kg in children and 0.03 mg/kg in adults) and Cu (0.015 mg/kg in children; 0.013 mg/kg in adults) in spinach. The hazard index (HI) for Ni in spinach and for Pb in mustard and fenugreek indicated a heightened risk of non-carcinogenic health effects. The novelty of the study lies in its comparative evaluation of primary, secondary and tertiary-treated wastewater, drain water, and groundwater for vegetable cultivation under controlled pot conditions. The study highlights the health implications associated with heavy metal accumulation.
In this paper, we propose a high-sensitivity metallic EIT-like terahertz metamaterial sensor for antibiotic detection, featuring a split-ring resonator coupled with a rectangular resonator. Numerical refractive-index simulations yield a sensitivity of 259 GHz/RIU. Based on the simulated EIT transparency peak, the corresponding quality factor (Q) is 7.6 and the figure of merit (FOM) is approximately 2.57. Its transparency window is strategically centered near 0.76 THz, corresponding to a reported characteristic absorption frequency of chlortetracycline, to enhance the interaction between the target analyte and the EIT-like resonance. Through systematic fabrication and characterization, we employed laser direct writing technology to manufacture the EIT-like terahertz sensor and evaluated its performance using terahertz frequency-domain spectroscopy. For quantitative chlortetracycline hydrochloride detection, we prepared concentration gradients in both aqueous and milk matrices. Within the tested concentration range, experimentally distinguishable spectral responses were observed down to 0.1 mg/L in aqueous solution and 1 mg/L in the milk matrix. Detailed analysis of the transmission spectra revealed distinct concentration-dependent spectral responses in both media, advancing the application of metamaterial sensors in biochemical detection and food safety monitoring. The observed concentration-dependent spectral responses in aqueous and milk matrices demonstrate the potential of the proposed platform for rapid antibiotic sensing in food-related environments. These findings significantly contribute to the development of practical metamaterial-based sensing platforms for food safety applications.
Milk is a vital nutrient source, playing an essential role in maintaining normal physiological functions and safeguarding human health. However, milk consumption may expose individuals to residual contaminants such as antibiotics and environmental pollutants, which pose serious threats to human health. Currently, traditional milk pretreatment technologies hinder the rapid detection of milk residues due to their cumbersome procedures, operational complexity, prolonged processing time, and high dependence on specialized personnel. Microfluidic devices have emerged as a promising tool for food safety monitoring in resource-limited settings due to their simplicity, portability, and rapid processing capabilities. Nevertheless, the lack of systematic summaries on microfluidic device development for milk pretreatment limits their widespread application. To overcome these drawbacks, this review first presents the types and preparation methods of microfluidic devices employed in milk pretreatment. Subsequently, it summarizes the emerging applications of these devices in this field. Finally, the current challenges and prospects are discussed.
Microbiology (Reading, England)Finlay Bembridge, Jack K Whitmore, Adrian M Ciesielski, John D Rodgers, Samuel A M Connelly, Aidan J Taylor
Campylobacter, the leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, routinely contaminates UK poultry products, often destined for the kitchens of the general public who risk infection through improper handling. Alongside rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the sheer abundance of Campylobacter in the food chain is undermining current intervention strategies. A novel approach to reduce surface contamination on poultry products is violet-blue photodynamic inactivation (VB-PDI), which uses 405 nm visible light to activate endogenous photosensitizers and generate bactericidal intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species. We previously demonstrated VB-PDI is effective against reference strains of Campylobacter jejuni and determined the molecular underpinnings in detail. However, the cross-species efficacy, resistance potential and performance against AMR isolates remained uncharacterized. Here, we evaluate VB-PDI efficacy against 64 Campylobacter field isolates from UK poultry surveillance programmes, comprising three Campylobacter species of various antibiotic resistance profiles. All isolates were susceptible to VB-PDI to a similar level, demonstrating broad efficacy irrespective of species or phenotype. In vitro evolution assays did not result in any detectable increase in VB-PDI tolerance after fifteen repeat exposures which, together with the lack of any notably resistant isolates in our broad screen, indicates the risk of intrinsic or evolved resistance is minimal. Consequently, VB-PDI offers a promising and robust intervention strategy for reducing Campylobacter in the food chain, and here we discuss possible modes of implementation.
Table olive fermentation is a complex microbial process in which lactic acid bacteria and yeasts contribute to the transformation of phenolic compounds, organic acids, and volatile metabolites that influence product quality, safety, and functionality. Fermentation outcomes remain variable because of cultivar characteristics, spontaneous microbial succession, and limited control over microbial and biochemical dynamics. Recent research has therefore shifted toward a more mechanistic understanding of microbial-metabolite interactions and strategies for more reproducible fermentation control. This review critically examines the microbial ecology, phenolic bioconversion, volatile compounds and metabolite formation, and their relationships with table olive quality. Emerging non-thermal technologies, including ultrasound, high hydrostatic pressure, pulsed electric fields, cold plasma, and pulsed light, are evaluated according to their demonstrated and potential roles in microbial modulation, mass transfer, phenolic transformation, and process stability, with particular attention to the strength of table-olive-specific evidence. The review further examines omics and multi-omics approaches for functional microbial characterization and metabolite profiling, together with sensor-based monitoring, artificial intelligence, and machine learning as emerging tools for data-driven fermentation assessment. The evidence indicates that technological maturity varies substantially among emerging approaches and that most omics- and AI-based applications remain more advanced in characterization and classification than in real-time fermentation control. Further development will require integration of strain-resolved microbiology, quantitative metabolite analysis, process monitoring, predictive modelling, and sensory validation under independent pilot- and industrial-scale conditions. Such approaches may support a transition from empirical fermentation toward more reproducible and evidence-based table olive bioprocessing.
A novel aptasensor for the detection of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) was developed based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) effect between gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and FAM-labeled cDNA (FAM-cDNA). Additionally, magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) were attached with AuNPs to construct a Fe3O4@AuNPs system that was easy to separate by the external magnetic field. In this aptasensor, FAM-labeled cDNA and Fe3O4@AuNPs acted as donor and acceptor, respectively. In the presence of target AFM1, the aptamer of this aptasensor specifically recognized with AFM1, resulting in a turn-on fluorescence signal due to target-induced dissociation of FAM-cDNA from the FRET pair. The morphology, size and functional group of Fe3O4@AuNPs were characterized by TEM, XRD and FT-IR. The UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to determine the construction of Fe3O4@AuNPs@Apt@FAM-cDNA aptasensor. Under optimal conditions, the linear concentration range of 1-100 ng/mL, limit of detection (LOD) of 0.20 ng/mL, and recoveries of 99%~101% of the aptasensor were obtained. Overall, this aptasensor with satisfied sensitivity and selectivity are promising to be applied in the detection of other biochemical analytes in the future.
Environmental monitoring and assessmentEric Osei Bonsu, Michael Kwabena Osei, Harry Okyere, James Korang
In Ghana, artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) and smallholder vegetable farming occupy the same landscapes, and in many communities the same households combine both livelihoods, yet no systematic account has previously quantified how much potentially toxic element (PTE) contamination travels from mine waste into food. This review addresses that gap for the pre-harvest and post-harvest stages of the value chain for the four vegetables that define Ghanaian diets: tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), pepper (Capsicum annuum), garden egg (Solanum aethiopicum), and onion (Allium cepa). Adhering to PRISMA 2020 guidelines, three databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar) were searched for peer-reviewed studies published January 2020-January 2025 reporting lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As) concentrations in the four target vegetables from Ghana's mining-affected regions. Soil-to-plant transfer factors (TF), water-to-plant bioconcentration factors (BCF, where irrigation-water data were reported), and non-carcinogenic health risk indices (hazard quotient, HQ; hazard index, HI) were extracted from 45 eligible peer-reviewed studies across 11 mining districts, supplemented by one grey-literature technical report used conservatively for site-level data unavailable elsewhere. Study quality was appraised using a four-criterion framework; inter-rater agreement was strong (Cohen's κ = 0.87). This is a narrative synthesis with descriptive, sample-size-weighted aggregation rather than a formal inverse-variance meta-analysis. Cadmium showed the highest soil-to-plant transfer of the five PTEs in tomato and garden egg (TF > 1.0), though a transfer ratio above unity describes a concentration relationship rather than, by itself, proof of an active-uptake mechanism. Chromium's soil-to-plant transfer was comparatively restricted (TF < 0.50) even where soil concentrations exceeded 300 mg/kg, but this cannot be interpreted as low toxicological risk because almost none of the reviewed studies distinguished Cr (III) from the far more toxic Cr (VI). Across the four regions studied, vegetable lead, arsenic and mercury concentrations exceeded WHO/FAO Codex limits at several sites, most markedly in Ashanti and Western Region samples (up to 200-fold for arsenic and 400-fold for mercury at the single highest-contamination sites reported); comparable regional breakdowns for Eastern and Central Region were more limited in the available literature. Cumulative HI exceeded 1.0 in every mining-adjacent community for which it could be calculated, indicating elevated non-carcinogenic risk for regular vegetable consumers. Ghana's vegetable value chain is a plausible but unevenly quantified PTE exposure pathway in mining-dependent communities; the magnitude of risk varies by metal, crop, location and the exposure assumptions used. The evidence supports targeted monitoring, source-specific risk assessment, improved post-harvest handling, and site-specific rather than uniformly prescribed agricultural buffer zones. Chromium and arsenic speciation, cumulative and synergistic risk modelling, and longitudinal human biomonitoring are identified as the priority research needs.
Mycotoxin researchVioutou E C Coffi, Kokeb Tesfamariam, Ogouyôm Herbert Iko Afé, Noël Akissoé, Sarah De Saeger, D Sylvain Dabadé
Mycotoxins threaten food safety, public health, and trade in Africa, where cereals are staple foods largely produced and consumed through informal systems. This scoping review synthesizes evidence on pre- and post-harvest mycotoxin management in African cereal systems and translates it into an integrated adaptive framework for policy and practice. A structured literature search conducted in Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus identified 9,817 records, of which 33 primary studies met the eligibility criteria. The included studies covered interventions across the cereal value chain, including biocontrol, chemical pest management, drying, storage, and processing practices. Biocontrol interventions, particularly atoxigenic Aspergillus flavus products such as Aflasafe reduced aflatoxin levels by 60-100% across the reviewed studies, with long-term field evidence showing that more than 95% of treated grains remained below 20 µg/kg in Nigeria and 75% below 4 µg/kg in Senegal. Bt maize also reduced fumonisin contamination by approximately 74% in South Africa. Post-harvest interventions, including improved drying, hermetic storage, sorting, and HACCP-based processing, achieved variable but substantial reductions, with hand sorting reducing aflatoxin B1 and fumonisin B1 to less than 6% and 5% of initial levels, respectively, and HACCP-based processing reducing aflatoxins to below 5 µg/kg. However, persistent constraints, including climate variability, limited infrastructure, low awareness, gender inequities, informal market dominance, and fragmented regulatory frameworks, continue to limit large-scale effectiveness. These findings informed an Integrated Adaptive Mycotoxin Management Framework grounded in a One Health perspective to support sustainable mycotoxin risk reduction in African cereals.
Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology]Sara Najeeb, Imran Khan, Javed Muhammad, Muhammad Jahangir, Anza Abbas, Aman Ullah, Amjad Khan, Sumaira Miskeen
Staphylococcus aureus is a major public health concern in the dairy industry. It is a well-recognized pathogen responsible for bovine mastitis and raw milk contamination; certain strains produce heat-stable enterotoxin capable of causing staphylococcal food poisoning in humans. The emergence of multiple drug-resistant strains of S. aureus has rendered ineffective the use of antibiotics for control purposes. This study determined the antibacterial activity of lytic bacteriophage UHP46 against a single, previously characterized multidrug-resistant mastitis isolate, S. aureus S46, in three dairy matrices - milk, cheese and yogurt - under storage conditions representing refrigerated storage (4 °C), ambient conditions (25 °C) and a 37 °C mechanistic reference condition. UHP46 significantly reduced S. aureus S46 counts in milk, achieving reductions of 3.2 and 3.7 log₁₀ CFU/mL after 4 and 24 h at 4 °C, 2.1 and 3.1 log₁₀ CFU/mL after 4 and 24 h at 25 °C, and 1.8 log₁₀ CFU/mL after 3 h at 37 °C. The reduction at 37 °C was accompanied by an increase in phage titer from 7.2 to 8.8 log₁₀ PFU/mL. Application of UHP46 to cheese resulted in an immediate reduction of 0.6 log₁₀ CFU/g after 5 min of treatment at room temperature. The maximum reduction observed was 2.0 log₁₀ CFU/g at 24 h, with a sustained reduction of 1.9 log₁₀ CFU/g maintained through 96 h of refrigerated storage at 4 °C. In yogurt, net reductions on day 6 were 2.8, 2.7, and 1.6 log₁₀ CFU/g at 37 °C, 25 °C, and 4 °C, respectively. The findings indicate that UHP46 exhibits significant antibacterial activity against S. aureus S46 within the tested dairy matrices and under the evaluated storage conditions. However, as all challenge experiments utilized a single host strain, its efficacy against a broader panel of S. aureus, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), remains to be determined.
Current biology : CBVincent Somerville, Marco Meola, Abigail Nunes-Richards, Johan Bengtsson-Palme, Judith Neukamm, Kerttu Majander, Marta Pla-Díaz, Meral Turgay, Sylvain Moineau,…
The history of cheesemaking is deeply intertwined with the evolution of microbial communities, from spontaneous fermentation to modern, standardized practices. The rapid technological changes of the last century likely induced profound alterations in cheese microbial communities, yet this remains largely underexplored. Using shotgun metagenomics and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, we examined microbial community changes in Raclette du Valais, a traditional Swiss cheese, using preserved wheels from 1875 to 2017 from the same Alpine dairy. Our results reveal that significant differences in microbial community composition coincide with changes in production practices. The oldest cheese harbored a distinct bacterial community, dominated by Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum, Streptococcus thermophilus, Pseudolactococcus laudensis, and gut-associated taxa. Antibiotic-resistance genes mirrored historical antibiotic use, lactic acid bacteria domestication predated the studied period, and bacteriophage genera from 1875 were already comparable to those of modern cheese factories. These findings highlight how human practices have shaped cheese microbiomes over time.
Epidemiology and infectionEmily Dibba White, Maria João Cardoso, Alina Novacek, Felix Küffel, Norbert Handra, Christian Kornschober, Mihail Milanov, Gergana Mateva, Werner Ruppitsch, An…
Salmonella Enteritidis is typically transmitted to humans via consumption of eggs or poultry meat. In July 2023, Denmark and Austria concurrently reported two outbreaks of genetically distinct S. Enteritidis sequence type (ST) 11. In both countries, cases were identified as part of the outbreaks using core-genome Multilocus Sequence Typing (cgMLST) between 1st of January and 1st of October, 2023. Outbreak investigations were conducted and included interviews with cases, food tracing, and, using cgMLST, comparisons of human, food, and environmental isolates. In the EU, 207 cases across 11 countries were found. Patient food histories pointed towards chicken, often sold as kebab meat. Extensive traceback investigations from affected restaurants and wholesalers in Austria and Denmark identified chicken meat produced in Poland as the vehicle of the outbreaks. Due to the death of one patient in Austria, the food safety authorities initiated more food safety controls for this food product, which led to food recalls. Recalls of specific chicken products from Poland were also conducted in Denmark. Despite national interventions and regulations targeting poultry producers, the EU remains collectively vulnerable to large-scale food contamination events originating in a single member state. Effective international and cross-sector collaboration was crucial to identifying the vehicle of these outbreaks.
Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology]Jhennifer Arruda Schmiedt, Leonardo Ereno Tadielo, Emanoelli Aparecida Rodrigues Dos Santos, Vinicius Cunha Barcellos, Luiz Gustavo Bach, Victor Hugo Cortez Di…
Salmonella spp. is a globally relevant pathogen frequently associated with foodborne infections and poultry products. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence and quantification of Salmonella spp. during different stages of the broiler slaughter process and to assess the association of processing stages with reductions in contamination levels. The study was conducted in a federally inspected broiler slaughterhouse in Paraná, Brazil. A total of 2,100 analyses were performed on chicken carcasses collected at seven points along the slaughter line over 20 weeks. Salmonella detection followed the ISO 6579:2017 methodology, while quantification was performed using the miniaturized most probable number (mMPN) method with molecular confirmation by the invA gene. Subsequently, 211 isolates were serotyped, and 97 Salmonella Heidelberg isolates were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The highest occurrence of Salmonella spp. was observed at the pre-scalding stage (N = 236/78.66%). Significant reductions in Salmonella counts were observed after the scalding stage, after the post-evisceration critical control point for removal of visibly contaminated carcasses (CCP 1B), and after final washing before chilling (P < 0.05). Five serovars were identified, with Salmonella Heidelberg predominating (N = 193/91.5%). PFGE analysis revealed high genetic similarity (90%) among isolates, with highly similar profiles identified at different slaughter stages and sampling weeks. These findings demonstrate that Salmonella spp. was detected throughout the slaughter process, although reductions in contamination levels were observed at specific processing stages. In addition, the detection of highly similar isolates at different sampling points and weeks contributes to the understanding of Salmonella contamination dynamics in poultry slaughterhouses.
Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology]Natália Zorrer Dalmina, Amanda Ladeira Toigo, Kauane Rosane Kommers Krebs, Caroline Isabel Kothe, Roberta Fogliatto Mariot, Heryk Motta, Lívia Kmetzsch, Taís S…
The demand for plant-based cheese analogues has increased in recent years, driven both by the growing adoption of vegan and vegetarian diets and by consumers seeking plant-based alternatives to animal-derived products. Their production relies on diverse raw materials and often incorporates fermentation processes involving molds, yeasts, and lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Within this context, ensuring food safety, including the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) aspects, is essential due to the complex microbial communities involved in fermentation. Therefore, this study investigated the presence of bacterial species of potential public health relevance and assessed AMR profiles and genes in plant-based cheese analogues acquired in Brazil. None of the samples tested positive for Salmonella spp., coagulase-positive Staphylococcus, or Escherichia coli, while Bacillus cereus was detected in one sample. Two atypical colonies recovered on selective media for Salmonella were identified as Cronobacter malonaticus and Delftia acidovorans. Most samples exhibited high mold and yeast counts, likely associated with fermentation and maturation processes. Among 176 LAB isolates, 11 species were identified by MALDI-TOF, and twenty representative strains were selected for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Resistance was detected in a limited number of isolates, mainly to ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, and gentamicin, whereas C. malonaticus exhibited resistance to penicillin. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Levilactobacillus brevis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Enterococcus faecium, and C. malonaticus. A total of eight antimicrobial resistance genes were identified, four of which were located on plasmids in C. malonaticus and L. brevis. These findings suggest that microorganisms associated with plant-based cheese analogues may act as reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance determinants, highlighting the importance of safety assessment and microbiological surveillance of strains intended for technological or probiotic applications.
The use of microbiologically contaminated surface water for irrigation poses a significant threat to food safety and public health, particularly in regions where untreated or inadequately treated wastewater is discharged into rivers used for agricultural purposes. In northeastern Algeria, the Boumerzoug River represents an important source of irrigation water for vegetable production; however, information regarding its microbiological quality and the potential contamination of irrigated vegetables remains limited. This study aimed to assess the microbiological quality of irrigation water from the Boumerzoug River and to evaluate the microbial contamination of vegetables irrigated with this water. A total of 40 irrigation water samples and 160 vegetable samples, including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), and pepper (Capsicum annuum), were collected from 20 agricultural fields during both the dry and wet seasons. Standard culture-based methods were used to enumerate total aerobic heterotrophic bacteria, total coliforms, fecal coliforms, fecal streptococci, and Escherichia coli. The irrigation water exhibited substantial microbiological contamination, with fecal coliform concentrations exceeding the WHO reference value of 103 CFU/100 mL for unrestricted irrigation. All vegetable samples were contaminated with total and fecal coliforms, while E. coli was detected at varying concentrations among the different vegetable types. Microbial contamination varied significantly according to season and vegetable type, with lettuce generally exhibiting higher contamination levels than tomato and pepper. These findings highlight the poor microbiological quality of the Boumerzoug River and suggest that contaminated irrigation water may contribute substantially to the microbial contamination of fresh vegetables.
BACKGROUND: Foodborne diseases remain a significant global public health concern, imposing substantial health and economic burdens. The COVID-19 pandemic altered health care-seeking behaviors, infection control practices, and infectious disease epidemiology; however, its association with microbial foodborne pathogens remains incompletely characterized. OBJECTIVE: This single-center retrospective study aimed to analyze changes in bacterial and viral foodborne pathogen detection using clinical and etiological data from patients at an infectious diarrhea clinic in a tertiary Beijing hospital over 6 years and to inform prevention strategies in the postpandemic era. METHODS: We collected data from patients presenting to the Infectious Diarrhea Clinic of Peking University Third Hospital (a grade A tertiary care center serving the Haidian District and surrounding areas of Beijing) from January 2018 to December 2019 (prepandemic) and from January 2022 to December 2023 (postpandemic). The years 2020 and 2021 were excluded due to major disruptions in clinical services and surveillance during the peak pandemic period. Etiological results were obtained from the Beijing Haidian District Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Diagnostic methods, laboratory protocols, specimen collection procedures, reagent kits, instrumentation, and testing criteria remained consistent throughout the study period. Cases were divided into 2 groups based on time period, and χ2 tests were used for comparisons. The positivity rate was calculated as patients with at least 1 target pathogen detected divided by all patients who provided stool specimens. RESULTS: In total, 1064 patients were included (561 in group A and 503 in group B). From 2018 to 2019, 155/561 specimens tested positive for foodborne pathogens (27.6%, 95% CI 23.9%-31.3%), including 22 Salmonella, 24 Vibrio parahaemolyticus, 66 diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC), and 43 Norovirus cases. From 2022 to 2023, 82/503 specimens tested positive (16.3%, 95% CI 13.1%-19.5%), including 13 Salmonella, 7 V parahaemolyticus, 45 DEC, and 17 Norovirus cases. The overall positivity rate was significantly lower in the postpandemic period than in the prepandemic period (27.6% vs 16.3%, P<.05). Students and males aged 16-25 years were the most represented demographic groups. DEC remained the predominant pathogen in both periods. The detection rates of V parahaemolyticus, from 24/561 (4.3%) to 7/503 (1.4%) (P=.005), and Norovirus, from 43/561 (7.7%) to 17/503 (3.4%) (P=.002), were significantly lower in the postpandemic period. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients attending a single infectious diarrhea clinic in Beijing, the detection rates of microbial foodborne pathogens were significantly lower in the postpandemic period compared with the prepandemic period. These findings may reflect changes in health care-seeking behavior, infection control practices, food consumption patterns, and/or testing practices during this period; however, this observational study cannot establish causation. Targeted surveillance and health education for students and young adults remain important. These results may not be generalizable to community-level incidence or other settings; further multicenter studies are warranted.
Ciencia & saude coletivaAna Helena Moretto Capobiango, Letícia Lopes Vieira, Dayane de Castro Morais, Elizangela da Silva Miguel, Sílvia Oliveira Lopes, Silvia Eloíza Priore, Glauce D…
The aim of this integrative review was to identify instruments for assessing good manufacturing practices for food in the literature, focusing on the methodologies used and health risk classification for food establishments. Searches were performed of PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus for documents published between 2000 and 2022. The inclusion criteria were original review articles, resolutions and standards addressing instruments assessing food GMP and presenting risk classification written in English, Portuguese and Spanish. Thirteen records from different countries were included that classified health risks in establishments handling or producing food using different instruments. The findings reveal a lack of standardization of methodologies for classifying health risks and shortcomings that can adversely affect food safety and consumer health. To improve effectiveness, it is necessary to review resolutions, developing specific standards for each type of establishment, and restructure public policies and research to validate and standardize health surveillance instruments across different levels.
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)Maurizio Cossu, Stefano Sdogati, Andrea Sanna, Serenella Orsini, Ivan Pecorelli, Tommaso Pacini, Gilberto Giangolini, Roberto Condoleo, Carlo Boselli, Valentin…
Mycotoxins, including sterigmatocystin (STC), aflatoxicol (AFL), aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), and its metabolite aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), represent a major food safety concern in the dairy industry due to their high toxicity and thermal stability. While AFM1 in milk is strictly regulated, there is a substantial lack of specific guidelines and scientific data regarding its behavior and enrichment factors (EFs) in buffalo-derived products. Furthermore, knowledge gaps persist regarding the transfer and stability of co-occurring molecules like STC and AFL. This study evaluated the distribution and fate of AFM1, STC, and AFL during traditional, laboratory-scale cheesemaking of buffalo mozzarella and ricotta. Fourteen trials were conducted using bulk tank milk naturally contaminated with AFM1, alongside an exploratory trial utilizing toxin-free milk artificially spiked with all three targets. Mass balance and specific EFs were calculated across all processing streams. AFM1 was detected in all raw milk samples, showing a strong affinity for caseins. Approximately half of the initial milk AFM1 content was retained in mozzarella (50.3 ± 3.3%), whereas ricotta retained only a minor fraction (6.9 ± 0.7%), with the majority lost in the second whey (30.7 ± 1.3%). The mean EFs were 2.3 ± 0.3 for mozzarella and 1.1 ± 0.2 for ricotta. AFL was never detected in milk samples while STC was mainly present at concentrations < 1 ng/kg. In the spiked trial, AFL demonstrated stability with an EF of 1.5 in mozzarella, while STC displayed potential degradation within the milk matrix and during sample storage. The experimental EFs determined for buffalo mozzarella and ricotta are lower than the standard factors currently applied by Italian regulations for non-bovine dairy products. These accurate, matrix-specific estimations are essential to prevent the under-reporting of non-compliant samples and to refine international consumer risk assessment models.
The kombucha symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) is a multispecies microbial consortium distributed between cell-containing fermentation liquid and a cellulose-rich pellicle. Here, "kombucha SCOBY" denotes the viable consortium delivered through either compartment or both compartments. Dominated by fermentative yeasts and acetic acid bacteria, the consortium produces ethanol and organic acids and biotransforms phenolic compounds, enabling fermentation beyond conventional sweetened teas. This review critically evaluates studies in which viable consortia directly fermented food matrices. In dairy systems, kombucha-derived inocula acidify milk and induce casein gelation, although more slowly than yogurt starters, and kombucha broth has also supported fresh cheese production. In soy-based matrices, fermentation converts isoflavone glucosides to aglycones, and fermented soy whey can coagulate tofu. Applications have also been reported in fruit and vegetable juices, agro-industrial by-products, botanical infusions and breadmaking. However, microbial composition and performance vary with the inoculum source, propagation history, and storage. Strain-defined preserved starters remain unvalidated in non-tea matrices, and potential hazards include mycotoxin formation and post-production ethanol accumulation. Therefore, standardized, comprehensively characterized, and matrix-specific starters are required for safe and reproducible translation across food matrices.
Mycotoxin contamination represents one of the most pressing food safety challenges worldwide, with millions of tons of agricultural commodities affected annually. Conventional detection methods, while accurate, are labor-intensive, destructive, and unsuitable for large-scale screening. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) has emerged as a transformative non-destructive analytical technique capable of simultaneously capturing spatial and spectral information across hundreds of contiguous wavelengths. This review critically evaluates the current state of HSI technology for mycotoxin detection in food products, covering the physical principles underlying spectral-mycotoxin interactions, systematic applications across major mycotoxin classes (aflatoxins, deoxynivalenol, ochratoxin A, fumonisins, and zearalenone), and the integration of machine learning and deep learning algorithms for spectral data analysis. The review reveals that while Vis-NIR (400-1000 nm) and SWIR (1000-2500 nm) HSI systems have achieved classification accuracies exceeding 90% for several mycotoxin-matrix combinations, fundamental challenges persist in model transferability, direct quantification at regulatory thresholds, and scalability for industrial deployment. Recent advances in transformer architectures, transfer learning, interpretable deep learning, and portable multispectral systems demonstrate encouraging progress toward practical implementation. This review concludes by identifying critical research gaps and proposing strategic directions for translating HSI-based mycotoxin detection from laboratory proof-of-concept to routine industrial application.
Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTPStefania Favilla, Eugenio Traini, Michele Ardizzone, Franco Maria Neri
The evaluation of 28- and 90-day repeated-dose toxicity studies in rodents is typically performed at the highest tier of regulatory toxicology. Despite detailed guidance from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the practical implementation and evaluation of these studies remain challenging and may lead to variability across assessments. In risk assessment of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) intended for import into the European Union, these studies primarily provide information for evidence of adverse effects. A series of structured checklists were developed and internally applied by EFSA to support consistent, transparent, and traceable evaluations of repeated-dose toxicity studies. In this paper, we presented an application to GMO risk assessment as an illustrative example. In particular, this commentary focuses on the checklist for statistical evaluation, developed in 2019 and implemented across the European regulatory framework. This checklist translates EFSA and OECD guidance into operational criteria covering study design, experimental conduct, statistical analysis and reporting, while remaining subject to revision in response to evolving regulatory and scientific developments. We discussed the added value of the EFSA checklist and highlighted its potential to enhance consistency and robustness in regulatory decision-making. Limitations and future perspectives, including the incorporation of quantitative scoring systems and digital implementation, are also discussed.