Search

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are synthesized via a multitude of techniques, resulting in nanoparticles of varying sizes and morphologies that directly influence their antimicrobial efficacy. The objective of this study is to ascertain the particle size and morphology of ZnO-NPs synthesised via the hydrothermal method and to evaluate their in vitro antibacterial effects against Escherichia coli O157, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes, which are important foodborne pathogens. The ZnO-NPs were examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Furthermore, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and the diameter of inhibition zones were measured against these pathogenic bacteria. The SEM images revealed that the ZnO-NPs exhibited a uniform distribution, with particle sizes ranging between 23 and 25 nm. The MIC and MBC values against the tested strains were found to range from 20.83 to 41.67 µg/mL and between 66.67- 83.33 µg/mL, respectively. In addition, the diameter of inhibition zones were ranged from 15.16 to 16.96 mm. The findings of the study demonstrated that ZnO-NPs s synthesized via the hydrothermal method exhibited antibacterial effects against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In conclusion, the use of ZnO-NPs can facilitate the improvement of the microbiological quality of foods by the inhibition of foodborne patogens.

Epiphytic yeasts represent an important source for the development of novel strategies aiming to combat food microbial contamination. The present study deals with the characterization of nine yeast strains belonging to Starmerella, Candida, Metschinikowia, Lachancea, Kodamaea and Pichia genera, isolated from the surface of plants from the Botanical Garden "Dimitrie Brandza" (Bucharest, Romania) for use as antimicrobial and probiotic agents. The tests involved the determination of the safe status, cell growth under stress conditions, and activity against pathogenic Candida and bacteria strains, respectively, as well as phytopathogenic filamentous fungi and lipolytic activity. None of the nine strains showed all the characteristics for virulence and pathogenicity, with the rare positive results being explained rather by their adaptability to the habitats of origin. The strains Lachancea thermotolerans CMGB-ST12 and Kodamaea ohmeri CMGB-ST19 grew at 37 °C; Metschnikowia reukaufii CMGB-ST21.2, M. reukaufii CMGB-ST.8.1 and M. reukaufii CMGB ST10 grew in the presence of 10% NaCl, while L. thermotolerans CMGB-ST12 and K. ohmeri CMGB-ST19 tolerated both acidic and alkaline pH values well (3.0 to 12.0). The studied yeast strains showed good antimicrobial activity against Candida krusei, Candida albicans and Gram-negative bacterial strains, with K. ohmeri CMGB-ST19 and Pichia membranaefaciens CMGB-ST53 inhibiting up to 100% the development of filamentous fungi. All the strains produced lipases for tributyrin hydrolysis, the best producer being Starmerella bombi CMGB-ST1, and only Candida magnoliae CMGB-ST8.2 tested positive against other probiotic yeasts. Overall, our nine yeast strains show high potential for industrial applications, for obtaining probiotic products and for preventing the development of a wide range of microbial food contaminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in rate of global population growth demands for the variety of nutritionally rich and functionally important food options. The elevated rate of foodborne illnesses comes along as a challenge to accomplish the goal of efficiently producing enough food. In order to deal with this problem, this research focused on analysing the antimicrobial property of a highly significant food plant i.e., Aloe vera (Barbadensismiller) against the commonly responsible microbes for food spoilage; namely Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas. A hybrid mode study was performed using disc diffusion technique for in vitro analysis of the anti-microbial activity of bitter, non-bitter and microencapsulated form of Aloe-vera. Additionally, a molecular docking study was performed for in-silico validation of the antimicrobial potential of the 12 bioactive compounds of Aloe vera against these pathogens. The results of this hybrid study indicated the inhibitory effect of Aloe vera against these foodborne pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Chinese Institute of Food Science & Technology / Zhongguo Shipin Xuebao is the property of Journal of Chinese Institute of Food Science & Technology Periodical Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Microbial cross-contamination in the food production and processing environment is one of the major factors of food contamination and foodborne illness. The use of antimicrobial textiles can be a measure to reduce the bioburden in food production settings. However, application of synthetic antimicrobial agents such as silver, copper, titanium, and zinc in food systems is limited due to issues of toxicity. Thus, this study aimed to develop a textile with natural antimicrobial finishing that meets American Association of Textiles Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) standard. The textile samples were finished with the ethanolic extract of Parkia speciosa. The extract was tested on food borne pathogens and exhibited significant inhibitory activity against all the test microorganisms with minimum inhibitory concentration ranged from 0.32 to 1.25 mg/mL. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed that 2-[2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethyl acetate is the main bioactive constituents of the extract. The finished textile showed excellent antimicrobial efficacy with growth reduction of 90% on Hohenstein Challenge Test. The wash durability of the finished textile was found good even after 30 washes with commercial detergent. Finally, the bioburden test of the developed textile in the industrial scale food-processing setting showed that it is effective in preventing the microbial contamination.

Consumers are placing increasing importance on an environmentally friendly way of food production and are turning to organically produced fruit and vegetables. Organic farming rejects the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilisers, growth promoters, antibiotics, or transgenic organisms. However, the use of manures that replace synthetic fertilisers is associated with a risk of contamination of produce with pathogenic microorganisms. There have been a considerable number of foodborne outbreaks associated with fresh produce, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths worldwide. Accordingly, bacteriophages have gained much attention as a safe, effective, and organic method for removal of pathogenic microorganisms from fresh produce. Bacteriophage treatments for control of pathogenic E. coli and other pathogens on fresh produce have several advantages over currently used treatments, including their host specificity, safety, low impact on sensory qualities of fresh produce, and their ease of isolation over other antimicrobial agents.

In the current study, selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were biosynthesized via extract of baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) for a green, economic, and eco-friendly strategy. The biosynthesized SeNPs were characterized using UV–vis, XRD, FTIR, DLS, and TEM. The particulates showed a spherical morphology with diameters between 4 and 51 nm; FTIR studies on NPs show functional groups corresponding to metabolites (proteins), which reduces and stabilizes the nanoparticle. Antimicrobial efficacy of biosynthesized SeNPs against food borne pathogens was assessed. SeNPs showed promising antimicrobial action against food borne pathogens (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Aspergillus niger) with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 62.5, 125, 250, and 500 µg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Aspergillus niger, respectively. In conclusion, the biosynthesized SeNPs using extract of baker's yeast are promising as a safe antimicrobial agent against food pathogens. Hence, the biosynthesized SeNPs using baker's yeast extract exhibit antimicrobial activities and could be a useful efficacious antimicrobial agent in the preservation of food and medical field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Bioprocess Engineering is the property of Chinese Journal of Bioprocess Engineering Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A total of ninety random samples of some heat-treated meat meals represented by Beef cubes, Grilled Beef steak, Beef kofta (as meat meals) and grilled chicken breast, Shish Tawook, & Fried chicken breast (as chicken meat meals) (15 of each) were collected from meal's serving sites in one of steel production company, for chemical and microbiological evaluation. The mean values of FFA, TVN and TBA of meat meals beef cubes, grilled beefsteak and beef kofta were 1.03±0.11, 13.56±0.82 & 0.10±0.01; 1.17±0.18, 13.05±1.01 & 0.10±0.02 and 1.24±0.10, 14.88±1.15 & 0.14±0.03, respectively. While, in heat-treated chicken meat meals, grilled chicken, shish Tawook and fried chicken were 0.99±0.10, 12.23±0.56 & 0.17±0.06; 1.41±0.10, 13.18±0.91 & 0.08±0.003 and 1.02±0.12, 13.78±1.10 & 0.09±0.01, respectively. The mean values of aerobic plate count were 1.3×10³±0.36×10³, 4.8×10³± 1.3×10³, and 2.5×10³±1.09×10³ cfu/g in examined beef cubes, grilled beefsteak, and beef kofta, respectively. While in examined grilled chicken, shish Tawook and fired chicken were 1.25×10³ ± 0.31×10³, 1.02×10³ ± 0.18×10³ and 1.08×10³ ± 0.35×103 cfu/g, respectively. Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms and mold &yeast were detected in all examined meat meals at different incidence rate with different level. Staphylococcus aureus and E.coli were detected in 13.33 &13.33% ; 13.33 & 13.33% and 13.33 & 20% in examined beef cubes, grilled beefsteak and beef kofta, respectively. While in examined grilled chicken, shish Tawook and fried chicken were 13.33% &13.33%; 0 &13.33% and 6.67% &33.33%, respectively. On the other hand, Salmonella was not detected in all examined meat and chicken meat meals. Contaminated samples highlighted the need to implement food safety systems as HACCP in during manufacturing of meat meals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic therapy is among the most important treatments against infectious diseases and has tremendously improved effects on public health. Nowadays, development in using this treatment has led us to the emergence and enhancement of drug-resistant pathogens which can result in some problems including treatment failure, increased mortality as well as treatment costs, reduced infection control efficiency, and spread of resistant pathogens from hospital to community. Therefore, many researches have tried to find new alternative approaches to control and prevent this problem. This study, has been revealed some possible and effective approaches such as using farming practice, natural antibiotics, nano-antibiotics, lactic acid bacteria, bacteriocin, cyclopeptid, bacteriophage, synthetic biology and predatory bacteria as alternatives for traditional antibiotics to prevent or reduce the emergence of drug resistant bacteria.

The meat is regarded as one of the major sources of food-borne diseases; and control of these pathogens is the most important thing concerns to researcher of Food Hygiene. The present study was conducted to evaluate efficacy of natural essential oils as antimicrobial agents used for preservation of meat. An experiment was designed to evaluate the effect of different concentrations (0.3, 0.5 and 1%) of Thyme, Clove and Cumin essential oils against referenced strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella Typhimurium inoculated in minced meat during cold storage at 4 ±1 0C. The obtained results revealed that all tested oils have antimicrobial effect against both S. aureus and S. Typhimurium with different degree and Thyme oil 1% showed the highest reduction % against S. aureus followed by Clove oil then Cumin oil, While Clove oil showed the highest reduction % against S. Typhimurium followed by Thyme then Cumin oil. The mixture of the three oils 0.3% more effective in growth inhibition of S. aureus than S. Typhimurium. Finally, we concluded that essential oils from plants were effective as antibacterial agents in minced meat and can be used as meat preservatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manufacture of fermented foods/products, which, apart from basic nutrition, have health-promoting effects, is flourishing. Within the field of fermented foods, rapidly expanding is the area of probiotics. Probiotic bacteria are gaining growing attention in the last two decades as a result of the constantly increasing scientific evidence of their beneficial effects on human health. In the current study, the isolate Lactobacillus plantarum MYS84 was identified by morphological, biochemical, physiological, and genetic methods. The standard in vitro techniques revealed that the isolated strain possessed good probiotic attributes. The cell-free supernatant (CFS) was active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 7903, probably due to its proteinaceous nature, and it retained activity after treatment with catalase, lysozyme, and papain. It was also heat-resistant and acid-stable. Moreover, the CFS exhibited strong biofilm inhibition (78%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is an important human pathogen causing a variety of life-threatening diseases. In recent years, the health problem caused by S. aureus contaminated food has become a global health problem. S. aureus can express various pathogenic factors, mainly used for adhesion, colonization, invasion and infection of the host. Therefore, rapid and accurate detection of virulence genes in S. aureus is necessary to prevent outbreaks caused by this pathogen. PCR is a useful tool for rapid detection of foodborne pathogens. The objective of this study was to detect the presence of major toxin genes in S. aureus, including sea, seb, sec, see, pvl and tsst, by using a PCR plate. Of the 13 strains tested, 12 (92.3%) were found to be positive for one or more toxin genes. This study realized the one-step detection of main toxin factors in S. aureus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium dif-ficile are significantly important pathogens due to their ability of causing various diseases in animals and human beings. Samples (n=100) including wa-ter (n = 50) and salad (n = 50) were collected from households and retail shops of Quetta city. The samples were processed for pathogen isolation by culturing and preliminary conformed with the help of biochemical profiling. Molecular conformation was done through PCR. Out of the total samples, 22% (22/100) were found positive for the presence of C. perfringens whereas, C. difficile was found in 11% (11/100) samples. The overall incidence of C. perfringens was higher in water samples (34%) in comparison to salad samples (10%), the difference was statistically significant (p--0.004). C. difficile was detected in 6% salad and 16% water samples. However, the difference in the prevalence of C. difficile was non-significant between the water and salad samples (p=0.110). This study reveals that the microbiological quality of drinking water and vegetables (salads) in developing countries needs improvement in order to control the food borne pathogens and associated health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Non-standard food hygiene can lead to microbial contamination in food products. Foodborne pathogens can cause more than 200 illnesses from a mild diarrhea to cancer. Cream-filled pastries are milk-based bakery products with high production and consumption rate in confectioneries of Iran with soft and spongy texture made of different ingredients. The aim of this study was to determine microbial contamination of cream filled pastries as one of the high consumer acceptance product and to evaluate the relation between microbial contamination and sanitary conditions at Zanjan confectioneries.Methods: A total number of 62 cream filled pastries were collected from confectioneries of Zanjan city, Iran. Preparation, dilution and microbiological examination of samples were conducted according to the recommended instructions of Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran, for total count enumeration, Escherichia coli, coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Bacillus cereus, Yeasts and moldswith No. 2395 and 8923-1, 2946, 2461, 6806, 1810, 2324 and 10899, respectively.Results: Microbial analysis showed that 40 specimens out of 62 samples had a total count out of the standard limit for cream-filled pastries. 20, 24, 4 and 47 samples had higher count than recommended limit of Iranian national standard for E. coli, S. aureus, Salmonella sp. and coliforms respectively. Thirty samples of cream-filled pastries had out of standard limit contamination with mold and yeasts.Conclusion: Results showed low hygienic conditions of processing, storage and distribution of cream filled pastries. Therefore, respect to all essential principles of food hygiene by confectioneries from Zanjan, Iran is necessary.

Ginger is considered as one of the promising antimicrobial natural agents and has long been used as a naturopathy medicine to treat various systemic illnesses. Ginger and its extract possess various bio-active molecules with various properties like anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antioxidant effects. The preparation of the extract is considered to be simple, cost effective with no side effects. In alternative medicine where food is considered as the best medicine, ginger can be used as a natural medication for various diseases including gastroenteritis. Many pathogens are involved in causing food - poisoning such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio cholera, Klebsiella spp, and Salmonella spp. This review thus highlights on the biocomponents of ginger and its effect against the food borne pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Food Safety & Quality is the property of Journal of Food Safety & Quality Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Efforts to exclude disease organisms from farms growing irrigated lettuce and leafy vegetables on California’s central coast are conflicting with traditionally accepted strategies to protect surface water and environmental quality. The agricultural community, scientists and producers, are caught between the requirements to safeguard water quality and efforts to ensure a safe food supply. These programs evolved independently, albeit side-by-side, leading to separate habits of thought among environmental and food safety scientists in academia, business, and non-profit programs. The potential for coordinated management of water quality and food safety on-farm management practices was the focus of a conference held in San Luis Obispo, California in April 2007. Conference presentations, discussions, farm visits, and working groups used existing technical guidance to frame research and organizational objectives. These conference products were summarized for inclusion in iterative on-line questionnaires, with conference attendees participating as respondents. This process, called a Delphi process, produced general research priorities in coordinated management. Conference participants, who self identified as having either food safety or water quality as their primary area of focus, prioritized research objectives under theme areas. There were general research objectives, which approached consensus by the whole group, including: 1) persistence and fate of pathogen in the crop and in conservation practices; 2) pathways by which pathogens move through the crop production system; and 3) identification of environmental conditions that promote pathogen survival and proliferation. Conference participants and Delphi respondents were not able to identify an existing forum for gathering and disseminating coordinated management information. Respondents placed their highest priority on the formation of a Coordinating Council, and identified those entities that ought to play specific roles within the Council. Two technical guidance documents, one emphasizing on-farm management of food safety and one stressing water quality practices, are already in use by a majority of leafy greens growers on California’s Central Coast. Used together, these technical guidance documents can be used to develop an initial framework for the evaluation and development of coordinated management practices that protect both human health and the environment. The conference final report and accompanying materials are published online at http://groups.ucanr.org/wqfsconf/.

Aim: The objective of the study was to investigate the occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella enterica Typhimurium in meat and meat products using the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Materials and Methods: The assay combined an enrichment step in tryptic soy broth with yeast extract formulated for the simultaneous growth of target pathogens, DNA isolation and multiplex PCR. A total of 1134 samples including beef (n=349), chicken (n=325), pork (n=310), chevon (n=50), and meat products (n=100) were collected from different parts of Kerala, India. All the samples were subjected to multiplex PCR analysis and culture-based detection for the four pathogens in parallel. Results: Overall occurrence of L. monocytogenes was 0.08 % by cultural method. However, no L. monocytogenes was obtained by multiplex PCR method. Yersinia enterocolitica was obtained from beef and pork samples. A high prevalence of S. aureus (46.7%) was found in all types of meat samples tested. None of the samples was positive for S. Typhimurium. Conclusion: Multiplex PCR assay used in this study can detect more than one pathogen simultaneously by amplifying more than one target gene in a single reaction, which can save time and labor cost.

Milk preservation is closely related with its microbiological quality. The spoilage may occur at any stage from production, during processing and till consumption. Many potent antimicrobials were discovered recently but, it is important to test their efficacy against undesirable bacteria inside the food materials that help to improve food safety and validity. Our research was focused on comparative antibacterial activities between chitosan, lysozyme and their different mixtures against different undesirable bacterial strains by agar well diffusion assay. Then apply the selected antibacterial substances in raw cow milk contaminated with food borne pathogens and spoilage bacteria then monitoring the bacterial growth or inhibition. Our preliminary investigation showed that, chitosan 0.5% exhibited the largest inhibition zones diameter followed by lysozyme hydrolysates with chitosan complex against Salmonella enteritidis and Bacillus subtilus in-vitro by agar well diffusion method. During application in raw cow milk, lysozyme hydrolysates and chitosan complex exhibited powerful bactericidal effect followed by chitosan especially against Clostridium perfringens, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes after 24h from cooling storage of raw cow milk. The bactericidal activity of lysozyme and lysozyme hydrolysates were greatly enhanced upon their combination with chitosan. But, the bactericidal activity of lysozyme hydrolysates with chitosan complex exhibited great killing power than the conjugation between lysozyme with chitosan complex at same concentrations. This may be attributed to chitosan oligomers and lysozyme peptides acting in a synergistic manner in penetrating and killing the undesirable bacteria. Although chitosan was effective in inhibiting the growth of spoilage microorganisms but, it is induce changes in raw milk pH. Accordingly, we suggest lysozyme hydrolysates with chitosan complex will be a promising antibacterial additive to produce a highly safe raw milk with recommendation further future studies to explore its antibacterial mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research for innovative antibiofilm drugs is essential due to the increased microbial resistance to antibiotics presently in use. Now a day's natural products wrapped nano biomaterial play an important role in the field of medicine. The aqueous bark extracts of Rhus verniciflua was used to synthesize gold nanoparticles (Rh-AuNPs) by green method. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized (optical property, crystallinity, functional groups, size, shape and purity) by UV–vis spectroscopy (UV), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Field emission transmission electron microscopy (FE-TEM) with Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). An effective antioxidant activity was observed at 100 μg/ml of Rh-AuNPs. The acridine orange, live and dead (PI-SYTO-9) staining assay using confocal laser scanning microscopic, results evidanced that the Rh-AuNPs (100 μg/ml) was effectively inhibited the biofilms of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, Rh-AuNPs also significantly inhibited the cell surface hydrophobicity of both E. coli and S. aureus at 100 μg/ml. This study reports antibacterial potency of Rh-AuNPs and that have significant therapeutic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic therapy is among the most important treatments against infectious diseases and has tremendously improved effects on public health. Nowadays, development in using this treatment has led us to the emergence and enhancement of drug-resistant pathogens which can result in some problems including treatment failure, increased mortality as well as treatment costs, reduced infection control efficiency, and spread of resistant pathogens from hospital to community. Therefore, many researches have tried to find new alternative approaches to control and prevent this problem. This study, has been revealed some possible and effective approaches such as using farming practice, natural antibiotics, nano-antibiotics, lactic acid bacteria, bacteriocin, cyclopeptid, bacteriophage, synthetic biology and predatory bacteria as alternatives for traditional antibiotics to prevent or reduce the emergence of drug resistant bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are used in a range of applications, including food packaging, preservation, and storage. In the current investigation, extracellular green synthesis of ZnO NPs through an simple, eco-friendly, and rapid approach using a novel bacterial strain (Bacillus subtilis NH1-8) was studied. To assess the morphological, optical, and structural properties of ZnO NPs, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were carried out. In addition, disk diffusion, minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) methods were performed to determine the antibacterial activity of ZnO NPs. The average size of biosynthesized ZnO NPs was 39 nm, exhibiting semi-spherical, which was confirmed by TEM analyses. The UV–vis spectroscopy exhibited the absorption peak at 200–800nm. The ZnO NPs have shown effective antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities against S. typhimurium. Thus, biosynthesized ZnO NPs could be exploited as a breakthrough technology in the surface coating of food containers and cans to minimize contamination by S. typhimurium. [Display omitted] • Salt Lake bacterium was used to biosynthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles. • The zinc oxide nanoparticles are found to be semi-spherical with an average size of 39 nm. • Differential action of zinc oxide nanoparticles is observed on a food-borne pathogen (S. typhimurium). • Cell constituents leakage increased in the zinc oxide nanoparticles treated bacterium. • The zinc oxide nanoparticles killed all the bacteria after 4 h. • Anti-biofilm activity of the nanoparticle on sub-lethal and lethal doses was considerable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Food Research & Development is the property of Food Research & Development Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In present study, the inhibition effect of low temperature plasma on Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella Enteritidis and B. subtilis endospores inoculated on the surface of black peppercorns was studied. Plasma was generated by Diffuse Coplanar Surface Barrier Discharge (DCSBD) at atmospheric pressure in ambient air. Plasma treatment time of 300 s led to log 10 CFU/g reduction of B. subtilis from 7.36 to 2.30 and B. subtilis endospores from 4.42 to 2.39. Plasma treatment reduced the number of E. coli and Salmonella Enteritidis to below detection level (1.0 log 10  CFU/g) from initial populations of 7.45 log 10  CFU/g and 7.60 log 10  CFU/g, respectively. The inactivation kinetics was explained by Weibull model. Decimal reduction times ( D -values) for B. subtilis, E. coli, Salmonella Enteritidis , and B. subtilis endospores were determined as 43 s, 47 s, 58 s, and 142 s, respectively. The surface morphology observed by Scanning Electron Microscopy showed no significant changes after the plasma treatment. The influence of plasma on chemical bonds on the surface and inside the peppercorns was studied by Attenuated Total Reflectance – Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli infections are a growing public health concern. This study analyzed the possibility of contamination of commercial poultry meat (broiler and free-range) with pathogenic and or multi-resistant E. coli in retail chain poultry meat markets in India. We analyzed 168 E. coli isolates from broiler and free-range retail poultry (meat/ceca) sampled over a wide geographical area, for their antimicrobial sensitivity, phylogenetic groupings, virulence determinants, extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL) genotypes, fingerprinting by Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC) PCR and genetic relatedness to human pathogenic E. coli using whole genome sequencing (WGS). The prevalence rates of ESBL producing E. coli among broiler chicken were: meat 46%; ceca 40%. Whereas, those for free range chicken were: meat 15%; ceca 30%. E. coli from broiler and free-range chicken exhibited varied prevalence rates for multi-drug resistance (meat 68%; ceca 64% and meat 8%; ceca 26%, respectively) and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) contamination (5 and 0%, respectively). WGS analysis confirmed two globally emergent human pathogenic lineages of E. coli, namely the ST131 (H30-Rx subclone) and ST117 among our poultry E. coli isolates. These results suggest that commercial poultry meat is not only an indirect public health risk by being a possible carrier of non-pathogenic multi-drug resistant (MDR)-E. coli, but could as well be the carrier of human E. coli pathotypes. Further, the free-range chicken appears to carry low risk of contamination with antimicrobial resistant and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC). Overall, these observations reinforce the understanding that poultry meat in the retail chain could possibly be contaminated by MDR and/or pathogenic E. coli.

Multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli infections are a growing public health concern. This study analyzed the possibility of contamination of commercial poultry meat (broiler and free-range) with pathogenic and or multi-resistant E. coli in retail chain poultry meat markets in India. We analyzed 168 E. coli isolates from broiler and free-range retail poultry (meat/ceca) sampled over a wide geographical area, for their antimicrobial sensitivity, phylogenetic groupings, virulence determinants, extendedspectrum-b-lactamase (ESBL) genotypes, fingerprinting by Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC) PCR and genetic relatedness to human pathogenic E. coli using whole genome sequencing (WGS). The prevalence rates of ESBL producing E. coli among broiler chicken were: meat 46%; ceca 40%. Whereas, those for free range chicken were: meat 15%; ceca 30%. E. coli from broiler and free-range chicken exhibited varied prevalence rates for multi-drug resistance (meat 68%; ceca 64% and meat 8%; ceca 26%, respectively) and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) contamination (5 and 0%, respectively). WGS analysis confirmed two globally emergent human pathogenic lineages of E. coli, namely the ST131 (H30-Rx subclone) and ST117 among our poultry E. coli isolates. These results suggest that commercial poultry meat is not only an indirect public health risk by being a possible carrier of non-pathogenic multi-drug resistant (MDR)-E. coli, but could as well be the carrier of human E. coli pathotypes. Further, the free-range chicken appears to carry low risk of contamination with antimicrobial resistant and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC). Overall, these observations reinforce the understanding that poultry meat in the retail chain could possibly be contaminated by MDR and/or pathogenic E. coli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive proteomic analysis of food borne pathogens after treatment with disinfectants based on ammonium salts of pyridinium oxime was performed. Changes in proteomes of the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis and the Gram-negative one, Escherichia coli , were evaluated. Up and down-regulated proteins in these bacteria after growth under the inhibition with four different disinfectants based on chloride and bromide salts of pyridinium oxime were identified and their cellular localizations and functions were determined by gene ontology searching. Proteome changes presented here demonstrate different mechanisms of action of these disinfectants. In the Gram-positive food pathogen Bacillus subtilis , the inhibitory substances seem to act mainly at the cell surface and cause significant alterations of membrane and cell surface proteins. On the other hand, intracellular proteins were more affected in the Gram-negative pathogen Escherichia coli . This research is a contribution to the investigation of the virulence and pathogenicity of food borne bacteria and their survival under stress conditions, and can also lead the way for further development of new inhibitors of microbial growth and studies of mechanism of their actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver nanoparticles play an integral part in the evolution of new antimicrobials against the broad ranges of pathogenic microorganisms. Recently, biological synthesis of metal nanoparticles using plant extracts has been successfully consummated. In the present study, the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was conducted using the leaf extract of plant Protium serratum, having novel ethnomedicinal. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized using UV-Visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering spectroscopy (DLS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy. The DLS study revealed the surface charge of the resulted nanoparticles that was highly negative, i.e., -25.0 μ± 7.84 mV and the size was 74.56 ± 0.46 nm. The phytochemical and FTIR analysis confirmed the role of water-soluble phyto-compounds for the reduction of silver ions to silver nanoparticles. The potential antibacterial activity of AgNPs was studied against the food borne pathogens viz. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (IC50 =74.26 ± 0.14 μg/ml), Escherichia coli (IC50=84.28 ± 0.36 μg/ml), Bacillus subtilis (IC50=94.43 ± 0.4236 μg/ml). The in vitro antioxidant potential of AgNPs was evaluated using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil (IC50= 6.78 ± 0.15 μg/ml) and hydroxyl radical assay (IC50= 89.58 ± 1.15 μg/ml). In addition, the cytotoxicity of AgNPs was performed against fibroblast cell line L-929 to evaluate their biocompatibility. The overall results of the present investigation displayed the potential use of P. serratum leaf extract as a good bio-resource for the biosynthesis of AgNPs and their implementation in diverse applications, specifically as antibacterial agent in food packaging and preservation to combat against various food borne pathogenic bacteria along with its pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small fruits are a multi-billion dollar industry in the US, and are economically important in many other countries. However, they are perishable and susceptible to physiological disorders and biological damage. Food safety and fruit quality are the major concerns of the food chain from farm to consumer, especially with increasing regulations in recent years. At present, the industry depends on pesticides and fungicides to control food spoilage organisms. However, due to consumer concerns and increasing demand for safer produce, efforts are being made to identify eco-friendly compounds that can extend the shelf life of small fruits. Most volatiles and essential oils produced by plants are safe for humans and the environment, and lots of research has been conducted to test the in vitro efficacy of single-compound volatiles or multi-compound essential oils on various microorganisms. However, there are not many reports on their in vivo (in storage) and In situ (in the field) applications. In this review, we discuss the efficacy, minimum inhibitory concentrations, and mechanisms of action of volatiles and essential oils that control microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) on small fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and grapes under the three conditions.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of fruits extracts of M. nigra prepared in methanol, ethanol, acetone, chloroform and diethyl ether solvent. Significant growth inhibition of all tested bacteria was recorded by M. nigra extracts as compared to fungal microbes. The phytochemical analysis showed that glycosides, tannins, saponins, and alkaloids were present in all extracts of M. nigra whereas free amino acids were absent. It was observed that phenolic and flavonoid contents were higher in ethanolic and acetone extracts as compared to others. Thin layer chromatography was employed to enumerate the antioxidants and phytochemical constituents in most active solvent extracts. The compounds contained in these extracts over silica gel were also evaluated through bioautography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Honey has been extensively studied in the treatment of wounds but its efficacy in clinical practice is not fully understood. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been used as bio-preservative in fermented foods. Tins work was carried out to evaluate the antagonistic effect of LAB present in fresh honey and its comb against some pathogens. LAB were isolated from five replicate samples of freshly harvested honey and its comb and identified as Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus lactis. Lactic acid, Diacetyl atid Hydrogen peroxide (g/l) production were determined for 5 days. L. plantarum and L. brevis exhibited the highest and the lowest antimicrobials production, respectively. Agar well diffusion method was used to monitor the antagonistic activities against some pathogens. L. plantarum and L. brevis gave the highest zones of inhibition ranging from l5- 23mm on P. aeruginosa and S. aureus from food samples. They compete favourably with standard antibiotics set up as controls. Lactic acid bacteria demonstrated a significant antimicrobial activity; this shows its potential as probiotics in food preservation and its therapeutic effect in wound treatment. This also justifies the efforts directed by individuals in using honey to treat diabetic wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild animal meat harvesting and processing is signifi cantly different from classical livestock meat production and represents a challenge by itself. Implementation of concept “from forest to fork” encompasses influence of hunting ground ecology, type of hunting, fi eld evisceration of hunted game, meat inspection aft er shooting or transport etc. The objective of this paper was to propose a model for monitoring and control of food born pathogens in wild boar´s meat. Hazard analysis emphasized the importance of several pathogens: Mycobacterium spp., Salmonella spp., Trichinella spp., and a fi ve-step control program were proposed. The program includes management of microbial contamination of wild boar meat, control measures for live animals, control measures during hunting and aft er shooting, guidelines for offi cial meat inspection with specific details for control of identifi ed hazardous pathogens and control measures for wild boar carcasses processing. Th e research on presence of food born pathogens in wild boar meat is still scarce, while the Trichinella spp. live cycle is well described and there are relevant data about epidemiology and natural reservoirs of the parasite in this part of Europe, little is known about tuberculosis and salmonellosis prevalence in wild boar population. Thus, implementation of control program, with strictly defi ned control measures cannot be overemphasized, and should include veterinary offi cials as well as hunters and others involved in game meat chain.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is one of the most significant causes of food-borne infections capable of causing serious health complications in humans. Even though ruminants are known to be the major reservoirs of STEC, other non-ruminant food producing animals may also harbour pathogenic E . coli strains. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of E. coli serogroups O26, O111, O121, O145, and O157 and their associated virulence genes ( stx 1, stx 2, eae , and ehx A) in swine faecal samples obtained from the two major commercial farms located in the Nkonkobe Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The proportions of serogroups detected were O26; 35 (7%), O145; 14 (2.8%), and O157:H7; 43 (8.6%) of the total animals sampled. Out of the 500 animals sampled, 22 isolates of E . coli (1.4%) tested positive for the stx 2 gene, and 7 of these isolates belonged to E. coli O26 serogroup, while the remaining 15 most likely belonged to serogroups untargeted in this study. Other virulence genes ( stx 1, eae , and ehx A) that we screened for were not detected. These findings reveal that pigs within the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa can harbour Shiga toxin-producing E . coli . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of antibiotic resistance among food borne pathogens has become a serious problem worldwide. The present study reports antibiotic resistance profile of some food borne bacterial pathogens recovered from retail meat of bovine origin and their relevant resistance genes carried on class I integron in Egypt. Thirty-two Escherichia coli, 15 salmonella and 25 Staphylococcus aureus isolates were assayed for their antimicrobial susceptibilities. Frequent resistances to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and erythromycin were observed in E. coli and Salmonella species. Moreover, all S. aureus isolates were methicillin-resistant and 52% of the isolates were resistant to each of clindamycin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. This is the first report of the comprehensive identification and confirmation of vancomycin resistant S. aureus (VRSA) from meat specimens in Egypt. Interestingly, 31.25, 40 and 48% of E. coli, Salmonella species and S. aureus exhibited features of MDR , respectively. Class 1 integrons were commonly found in 66.67 and 50% of MDR salmonella and E. coli, respectively; while, VRSA isolates were negative. Three different gene cassette arrays encoding resistance to aminoglycoside (aadA2), beta- lactames (blaPSE-1) and trimethoprim and aminoglycosides (dfrA15- aadA1) were characterized among the integrase-positive strains. These findings illustrated the role of retail meat as a potential source for the dissemination of MDR E. coli, salmonella and VRSA in Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]