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Edible processed insects from e-commerce: Food safety with a focus on the Bacillus cereus group
- Source :
- Food Microbiology. 76:296-303
- Publication Year :
- 2018
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2018.
-
Abstract
- Edible insects are increasing in popularity as a trendy new food item in many countries worldwide. However, little information is available regarding the associated foodborne pathogens, in particular, the spore-forming bacteria that may be present in these processed foods. In this study, mealworms, crickets, mole crickets and silkworms that are widely available online were investigated for microbial quality traits. Whereas water activity and pH results revealed a stable product, microbiota characterisation highlighted wide variability among the analysed insect species. Among the microbial targets considered in this study, total viable count, total aerobic spores and Bacillus cereus count were the most suitable for describing the food safety and microbial quality of these products. Endospore-forming bacteria ascribed to the B. cereus group were identified with genetic methods and putative virulence patterns. Three major clusters were delineated according to the phylogenetic analysis of the B. cereus group: B. cereus, B. thuringiensis and B. cytotoxicus, with virulence patterns particular to the enterotoxin genes found in each cluster. This work represents a first step in the hazard identification of B. cereus group bacteria isolated from edible insects. The presented results should also be considered with respect to domestic handling and rehydration of such products prior to consumption.
- Subjects :
- 0301 basic medicine
Food Safety
Insecta
030106 microbiology
Colony Count, Microbial
Bacillus cereus
Virulence
Bacillus
Total Viable Count
Microbiology
Enterotoxins
03 medical and health sciences
Animals
Humans
Food science
Phylogeny
Spores, Bacterial
biology
business.industry
fungi
biology.organism_classification
Food safety
Diet
Spore
030104 developmental biology
Cereus
Consumer Product Safety
Food Microbiology
Food processing
business
Bacteria
Food Science
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 07400020
- Volume :
- 76
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Food Microbiology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....1125ea1927167bc1e0ea883a9e21a4cf