Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2025-12-17DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2025.105016
Xue Li , Hongman Hou
The spoilage of refrigerated aquatic products by resilient psychrotrophic bacteria like Hafnia alvei poses a major challenge to the food industry, necessitating green preservation strategies that circumvent antimicrobial resistance. This study demonstrates that theaflavin-3,3′-digallate (TF3), a major black tea polyphenol, functions as a potent anti-virulence agent that specifically disarms the quorum sensing (QS) system of H. alvei H4. Crucially, TF3 at sub-inhibitory concentrations concentration-dependently delayed spoilage in turbot fillets, significantly reducing the rise in pH and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and suppressing biogenic amine accumulation, while maintaining bacterial viability. Mechanistically, TF3 precisely targeted the LuxI synthase with high affinity (Kd = 3.15 μM), inhibiting acyl-homoserine lactone signal synthesis. Integrated multi-omics analyses revealed that QS disruption triggered a cascade of cellular dysregulation: it induced severe oxidative stress, which compromised membrane integrity and fluidity, and paralyzed energy and nucleotide metabolism. This multi-faceted attack collectively disabled the spoilage capacity of H. alvei without imposing a selective pressure for growth resistance. Our findings decipher the growth-neutral mechanism by which a natural food-derived compound achieves bio-preservation, establishing TF3 as a promising, resistance-mitigating strategy for safeguarding aquatic food quality and safety.
{"title":"Shelf-life extension of turbot using theaflavin-3,3′-digallate: A growth-neutral quorum sensing inhibitor targeting Hafnia alvei","authors":"Xue Li , Hongman Hou","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.105016","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.105016","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The spoilage of refrigerated aquatic products by resilient psychrotrophic bacteria like <em>Hafnia alvei</em> poses a major challenge to the food industry, necessitating green preservation strategies that circumvent antimicrobial resistance. This study demonstrates that theaflavin-3,3′-digallate (TF3), a major black tea polyphenol, functions as a potent anti-virulence agent that specifically disarms the quorum sensing (QS) system of <em>H. alvei</em> H4. Crucially, TF3 at sub-inhibitory concentrations concentration-dependently delayed spoilage in turbot fillets, significantly reducing the rise in pH and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and suppressing biogenic amine accumulation, while maintaining bacterial viability. Mechanistically, TF3 precisely targeted the LuxI synthase with high affinity (Kd = 3.15 μM), inhibiting acyl-homoserine lactone signal synthesis. Integrated multi-omics analyses revealed that QS disruption triggered a cascade of cellular dysregulation: it induced severe oxidative stress, which compromised membrane integrity and fluidity, and paralyzed energy and nucleotide metabolism. This multi-faceted attack collectively disabled the spoilage capacity of <em>H. alvei</em> without imposing a selective pressure for growth resistance. Our findings decipher the growth-neutral mechanism by which a natural food-derived compound achieves bio-preservation, establishing TF3 as a promising, resistance-mitigating strategy for safeguarding aquatic food quality and safety.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 105016"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145787742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2025-12-04DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2025.105001
Yaling Wang , Linan He , Xing Hu , Yuhan Guan , Xiangnan Chen , Jiahui Du , Jiayan Chen , Chensheng Ma , Lianwei Ye
Bivalves are important aquaculture products whose safety is shaped by their microbiomes. Here, we present the first comprehensive characterization of Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) microbiomes using both shotgun metagenomics (6 clams) and culture-based genomics (169 isolates, 40 draft genomes), integrating community, functional, and antimicrobial resistance profiling. Communities were dominated by Proteobacteria (99.3–99.9 %), with Pseudoalteromonas and Vibrio collectively accounting for 74.9–99.7 % and showing strong inverse correlations, defining Pseudoalteromonas-dominated, Vibrio-dominated, and mixed states. Species richness ranged from 22 to 180 per sample. Recognized human pathogens occurred at low abundance (<0.3 %), including Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio alginolyticus, and Photobacterium damselae, while opportunistic vibrios expanded in some clams (e.g., Vibrio cyclitrophicus 57.9 %). We reconstructed 34 high-quality MAGs, seven resolved to species (Pseudoalteromonas tetraodonis, V. cyclitrophicus, Shewanella aquimarina), alongside unclassified lineages. Metagenomes encoded 14 virulence-factor categories with 2281 subtypes, and isolate genomes added 93 further subtypes, including high-virulence loci in Escherichia coli and type III secretion genes in V. parahaemolyticus. Resistomes spanned 18 antibiotic classes with 511 subtypes; isolates contributed 22 additional antibiotic resistance genes(ARGs), including extended-spectrum β-lactamases (blaCTX-M-102) and blaNDM-1. Four carbapenemase-producing isolates (three Shewanella algae, one V. parahaemolyticus) carried blaNDM-1 on IncC plasmids, with the V. parahaemolyticus plasmid transferable to E. coli. Two P. tetraodonis MAGs encoded RiPP-like and terpene biosynthetic clusters plus phage-defense systems, consistent with Vibrio suppression. These findings demonstrate that clam microbiomes fluctuate between protective (Pseudoalteromonas) and pathogenic (Vibrio–Shewanella) states, providing a first integrated framework for assessing microbial risk, antimicrobial resistance, and food safety interventions in bivalve aquaculture.
{"title":"Metagenomic and culture-based genomics reveal virulence and resistance risks in Manila clam microbiomes","authors":"Yaling Wang , Linan He , Xing Hu , Yuhan Guan , Xiangnan Chen , Jiahui Du , Jiayan Chen , Chensheng Ma , Lianwei Ye","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.105001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.105001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bivalves are important aquaculture products whose safety is shaped by their microbiomes. Here, we present the first comprehensive characterization of Manila clam (<em>Ruditapes philippinarum</em>) microbiomes using both shotgun metagenomics (6 clams) and culture-based genomics (169 isolates, 40 draft genomes), integrating community, functional, and antimicrobial resistance profiling. Communities were dominated by Proteobacteria (99.3–99.9 %), with <em>Pseudoalteromonas</em> and <em>Vibrio</em> collectively accounting for 74.9–99.7 % and showing strong inverse correlations, defining <em>Pseudoalteromonas</em>-dominated, <em>Vibrio</em>-dominated, and mixed states. Species richness ranged from 22 to 180 per sample. Recognized human pathogens occurred at low abundance (<0.3 %), including <em>Vibrio parahaemolyticus</em>, <em>Vibrio alginolyticus</em>, and <em>Photobacterium damselae</em>, while opportunistic vibrios expanded in some clams (e.g., <em>Vibrio cyclitrophicus</em> 57.9 %). We reconstructed 34 high-quality MAGs, seven resolved to species (<em>Pseudoalteromonas tetraodonis</em>, <em>V. cyclitrophicus</em>, <em>Shewanella aquimarina</em>), alongside unclassified lineages. Metagenomes encoded 14 virulence-factor categories with 2281 subtypes, and isolate genomes added 93 further subtypes, including high-virulence loci in <em>Escherichia coli</em> and type III secretion genes in <em>V. parahaemolyticus</em>. Resistomes spanned 18 antibiotic classes with 511 subtypes; isolates contributed 22 additional antibiotic resistance genes(ARGs), including extended-spectrum β-lactamases (<em>bla</em><sub>CTX-M-102</sub>) and <em>bla</em><sub>NDM-1</sub>. Four carbapenemase-producing isolates (three <em>Shewanella algae</em>, one <em>V. parahaemolyticus</em>) carried blaNDM-1 on IncC plasmids, with the <em>V. parahaemolyticus</em> plasmid transferable to <em>E. coli</em>. Two <em>P. tetraodonis</em> MAGs encoded RiPP-like and terpene biosynthetic clusters plus phage-defense systems, consistent with Vibrio suppression. These findings demonstrate that clam microbiomes fluctuate between protective (<em>Pseudoalteromonas</em>) and pathogenic (<em>Vibrio–Shewanella</em>) states, providing a first integrated framework for assessing microbial risk, antimicrobial resistance, and food safety interventions in bivalve aquaculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 105001"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145683502","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2025-12-11DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2025.105009
Junyan Liu , Zhenbo Xu , Tengyi Huang , Thanapop Soteyome , Yaqin Li , Yuting Luo , Yuzhu Mao , Lei Yuan , Aijuan Xu , Zhijian Zeng , Shaohong Huang , Mahesh Premarathna , Yanrui Ye
As a frequently identified foodborne pathogen, Salmonella enterica can enter into the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state and form biofilm, thereby posing high risk to food safety. In this study, 4 types of rice and flour foods, 4 microbial growth status including different biofilm formation stages in comparison with planktonic state, and 2 storage temperatures (4 °C and −20 °C), were applied to explore the VBNC state formation within S. enterica biofilms during low temperature food storage. The ability of S. enterica cells to express virulence gene invA during low temperature storage was also determined. Partial or all S. enterica cells could enter into the VBNC state depending on food type and storage temperature, leading to false negative detection results by culture-based methods. Mature biofilms acquiring high resistance were easier to enter into the VBNC state. Comparing food composition and storage conditions in different food samples, temperature and nutrient were assumed as major factors for the induction of VBNC state. In addition, decreased but continuous invA gene expression was recorded during storage, and the entry into the VBNC state did not influence invA gene expression. The combination of both biofilm and VBNC state which are hard to remove and detect and have high persistence could increase the risks posed by the contamination of S. enterica in food products. Persistence of virulence-associated gene expression in VBNC cells causes further safety issues. These findings provided risk warning for contamination of S. enterica VBNC cells within biofilms during low temperature food storage.
{"title":"Salmonella enterica biofilm is capable of VBNC state formation and virulence gene expression during low temperature food storage","authors":"Junyan Liu , Zhenbo Xu , Tengyi Huang , Thanapop Soteyome , Yaqin Li , Yuting Luo , Yuzhu Mao , Lei Yuan , Aijuan Xu , Zhijian Zeng , Shaohong Huang , Mahesh Premarathna , Yanrui Ye","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.105009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.105009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As a frequently identified foodborne pathogen, <em>Salmonella enterica</em> can enter into the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state and form biofilm, thereby posing high risk to food safety. In this study, 4 types of rice and flour foods, 4 microbial growth status including different biofilm formation stages in comparison with planktonic state, and 2 storage temperatures (4 °C and −20 °C), were applied to explore the VBNC state formation within <em>S. enterica</em> biofilms during low temperature food storage. The ability of <em>S. enterica</em> cells to express virulence gene <em>invA</em> during low temperature storage was also determined. Partial or all <em>S. enterica</em> cells could enter into the VBNC state depending on food type and storage temperature, leading to false negative detection results by culture-based methods. Mature biofilms acquiring high resistance were easier to enter into the VBNC state. Comparing food composition and storage conditions in different food samples, temperature and nutrient were assumed as major factors for the induction of VBNC state. In addition, decreased but continuous <em>invA</em> gene expression was recorded during storage, and the entry into the VBNC state did not influence <em>invA</em> gene expression. The combination of both biofilm and VBNC state which are hard to remove and detect and have high persistence could increase the risks posed by the contamination of <em>S. enterica</em> in food products. Persistence of virulence-associated gene expression in VBNC cells causes further safety issues. These findings provided risk warning for contamination of <em>S. enterica</em> VBNC cells within biofilms during low temperature food storage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 105009"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145734844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Berries are frequently implicated in outbreaks of foodborne illness due to viruses, particularly norovirus and hepatitis A virus. Compounds naturally present in berries can compromise the reliability of RT-qPCR methods, such as ISO 15216–1:2017, for detecting and quantifying viruses in foods. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory impact of seven phenolic compounds (ellagic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, and cyanidine-3-glucoside) found naturally in raspberries as well as batch effects due to different concentrations of inhibitors (e.g., associated with ripeness) when using RT-qPCR to detect HAV in raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, and mixed berries. To assess the impact of dilution on RT-qPCR inhibition, samples were diluted at four levels (1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/100). Spiking the RT-qPCR reaction mixture with each phenolic compound at its natural concentration in raspberries showed that ellagic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid and cyanidin-3-glucoside inhibited amplification, but only ellagic acid remained inhibitory in the ISO method. HAV recovery from frozen strawberries was undetectable (0 %) without additional treatment but reached 39 % with the OneStep PCR Inhibitor Removal Kit. For frozen blueberries, MobiSpin S-400 performed better, yielding about 52 % recovery compared to 23 % with OneStep. Sample dilution further enhanced HAV detection across most berry types.
{"title":"Impacts of phenolic compounds on RT-qPCR detection of hepatitis A virus in berries","authors":"Marie-Ève Collard , Éric Jubinville , Valérie Goulet-Beaulieu , Julie Jean","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.105005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.105005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Berries are frequently implicated in outbreaks of foodborne illness due to viruses, particularly norovirus and hepatitis A virus. Compounds naturally present in berries can compromise the reliability of RT-qPCR methods, such as ISO 15216–1:2017, for detecting and quantifying viruses in foods. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory impact of seven phenolic compounds (ellagic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, and cyanidine-3-glucoside) found naturally in raspberries as well as batch effects due to different concentrations of inhibitors (e.g., associated with ripeness) when using RT-qPCR to detect HAV in raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, and mixed berries. To assess the impact of dilution on RT-qPCR inhibition, samples were diluted at four levels (1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/100). Spiking the RT-qPCR reaction mixture with each phenolic compound at its natural concentration in raspberries showed that ellagic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid and cyanidin-3-glucoside inhibited amplification, but only ellagic acid remained inhibitory in the ISO method. HAV recovery from frozen strawberries was undetectable (0 %) without additional treatment but reached 39 % with the OneStep PCR Inhibitor Removal Kit. For frozen blueberries, MobiSpin S-400 performed better, yielding about 52 % recovery compared to 23 % with OneStep. Sample dilution further enhanced HAV detection across most berry types.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 105005"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145734845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2025-12-11DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2025.105011
Nerea García , Marta Hernández , Jorge Santamaría-Palacios , Irene Martínez , Alejandro Navarro , Milagros Muñoz-Chimeno , Franco Escobar , Gislaine Fongaro , Nadine Yeramian , Monika Trząskowska , Ana Avellón , José María Eiros , Lucas Domínguez , Antonio Valero , Joaquín Goyache , David Rodríguez-Lázaro
We investigated the presence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in pigs at the moment of slaughter in Spain in years 2015 and 2017. A total of 1786 caecal content, liver, and serum samples from animals at slaughterhouses were tested by reverse transcription real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and anti-HEV antibodies were evaluated in 623 serum samples by an ELISA test. The overall seroprevalence obtained was 70.9 %. A total of 398 RT-qPCR positive samples were identified in caecal content (26.8 %; 156/583), serum (21.8 %; 136/623) and liver (18.3 %; 106/580). A total of 32 RT-qPCR positive samples were genotyped; 3f (84.4 %) and the 3c (9.4 %) being the most prevalent subgenotypes. This is the first report on detection of HEV in pigs at the moment of slaughter with a Spain nation-wide representation. The data show a large high seroprevalence (70.9 %) in pigs, while the presence of the virus (HEV RNA) was significantly lower. HEV RNA detection varied markedly between matrices, with caecal samples showing higher positivity (30–50 %) than serum (5–25 %); both simple and interaction GEE models confirmed strong effects of sample type and its interaction with year on prevalence estimates. However, the percentage of positive liver samples (18.3 %) and the concurrence between the HEV 3 subtypes identified (3f, 3m and 3c) and those identified in human patients in Spain, underscores the possibility of foodborne zoonosis. It can represent a real risk for consumers if pork products are not cooked adequately. A holistic One-Health approach, including a better understanding of HEV prevalence in the swine population, would allow implementation of control measures in the meat chain to mitigate the main transmission routes for humans.
{"title":"Hepatitis E virus in pigs at the moment of slaughter in Spain, 2015 and 2017","authors":"Nerea García , Marta Hernández , Jorge Santamaría-Palacios , Irene Martínez , Alejandro Navarro , Milagros Muñoz-Chimeno , Franco Escobar , Gislaine Fongaro , Nadine Yeramian , Monika Trząskowska , Ana Avellón , José María Eiros , Lucas Domínguez , Antonio Valero , Joaquín Goyache , David Rodríguez-Lázaro","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.105011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.105011","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We investigated the presence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in pigs at the moment of slaughter in Spain in years 2015 and 2017. A total of 1786 caecal content, liver, and serum samples from animals at slaughterhouses were tested by reverse transcription real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and anti-HEV antibodies were evaluated in 623 serum samples by an ELISA test. The overall seroprevalence obtained was 70.9 %. A total of 398 RT-qPCR positive samples were identified in caecal content (26.8 %; 156/583), serum (21.8 %; 136/623) and liver (18.3 %; 106/580). A total of 32 RT-qPCR positive samples were genotyped; 3f (84.4 %) and the 3c (9.4 %) being the most prevalent subgenotypes. This is the first report on detection of HEV in pigs at the moment of slaughter with a Spain nation-wide representation. The data show a large high seroprevalence (70.9 %) in pigs, while the presence of the virus (HEV RNA) was significantly lower. HEV RNA detection varied markedly between matrices, with caecal samples showing higher positivity (30–50 %) than serum (5–25 %); both simple and interaction GEE models confirmed strong effects of sample type and its interaction with year on prevalence estimates. However, the percentage of positive liver samples (18.3 %) and the concurrence between the HEV 3 subtypes identified (3f, 3m and 3c) and those identified in human patients in Spain, underscores the possibility of foodborne zoonosis. It can represent a real risk for consumers if pork products are not cooked adequately. A holistic One-Health approach, including a better understanding of HEV prevalence in the swine population, would allow implementation of control measures in the meat chain to mitigate the main transmission routes for humans.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 105011"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145734847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food-borne diseases caused by pathogens are a global public health concern. The positive detection rate (%) and arithmetic mean of seven pathogens in common foods were collected by the China National Foodborne Diseases Surveillance Network from 2019 to 2023, and the number of cases and population incidence were calculated by combining the pathogen concentration and food consumption data of 10,753 people in 20 townships in Zhejiang Province using a swift quantitative risk assessment model. The estimated case number was 1,504,937, and the incidence rate was 0.03 episodes per person-year. The pathogen-food product combinations with the highest number of cases were Vibrio parahemolyticus-marine fish, Staphylococcus aureus-cooked meat products, and Vibrio parahemolyticus-marine shellfish. Marine fish, Chinese salads, and cooked meat products were the top three high-risk food types. Vibrio parahemolyticus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus were the dominant pathogens. Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method presented more informative pathogen-food combinations ranking compared to the sQMRA model. Vibrio parahaemolyticusaureus-marine fishes, Vibrio parahaemolyticusaureus-fresh water products, and Vibrio parahaemolyticusaureus-marine shellfish were ranked as the top combinations. These results demonstrate that there should be a greater focus on improving the active surveillance system and quantitative risk assessment methods of related food-pathogen combinations in formulating scientific public health policy.
{"title":"Swift quantitative risk assessment and multi-criteria decision analysis on main food-borne pathogens in market food in Zhejiang Province, China","authors":"Yue He , Yunjiao Zhu , Hexiang Zhang , Jiang Chen , Bing Zhu , Jikai Wang , Ronghua Zhang , Lili Chen , Xiaojuan Qi , Junyan Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104988","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104988","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Food-borne diseases caused by pathogens are a global public health concern. The positive detection rate (%) and arithmetic mean of seven pathogens in common foods were collected by the China National Foodborne Diseases Surveillance Network from 2019 to 2023, and the number of cases and population incidence were calculated by combining the pathogen concentration and food consumption data of 10,753 people in 20 townships in Zhejiang Province using a swift quantitative risk assessment model. The estimated case number was 1,504,937, and the incidence rate was 0.03 episodes per person-year. The pathogen-food product combinations with the highest number of cases were <em>Vibrio parahemolyticus</em>-marine fish, <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>-cooked meat products, and <em>Vibrio parahemolyticus</em>-marine shellfish. Marine fish, Chinese salads, and cooked meat products were the top three high-risk food types. <em>Vibrio parahemolyticus</em>, <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>, and <em>Bacillus cereus</em> were the dominant pathogens. Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method presented more informative pathogen-food combinations ranking compared to the sQMRA model. <em>Vibrio parahaemolyticusaureus</em>-marine fishes, <em>Vibrio parahaemolyticusaureus</em>-fresh water products, and <em>Vibrio parahaemolyticusaureus</em>-marine shellfish were ranked as the top combinations. These results demonstrate that there should be a greater focus on improving the active surveillance system and quantitative risk assessment methods of related food-pathogen combinations in formulating scientific public health policy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 104988"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145659064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2025-11-08DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2025.104980
Chunyun Qu , Zuyue Qi , Shuochun Lin , Jianjun Li , Yu Zeng , Yiyin Xu , Weidong Bai , Gongliang Liu
For wine, higher alcohols are double-edged swords, which benefit flavors in appropriate amount but cause negative effects on aromas as well as side-effects for consumers in excessive amount. In this study, five kinds of ammonium salts were tested to reduce higher alcohols produced by Zygosaccharomyces mellis LGL-1 (LGL-1), among which, (NH4)2HPO4 exhibited most excellent effects with higher alcohols reduced by 32.79 %. Both NH4+ and HPO42− demonstrated individual capacities to reduce higher alcohol levels and transcriptome analysis was employed to investigate the synergistic mechanism. Results showed that both NH4+ and HPO42− could regulate higher alcohol biosynthesis, but with different regulators, Cat8 for the synergistic effect of NH4+ and HPO42−, and Ino80 for HPO42− specifically. Meanwhile, HPO42− reduced the activity of BCAT2, specifically and NH4+ increased the activity of BCAT1 particularly, the combination of which led to the reduction of higher alcohol biosynthesis. Both Gtr1 and TorC1 were downregulated with HPO42− or NH4+ addition, with more pronounced downregulations under their combination. Collectively, the synergistic effects of ammonium and phosphorus on higher alcohol biosynthesis in LGL-1 were existed. To amplify this effect, the molar ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus was optimized and a mole ratio of 1:1 was applied for wampee/grape winemaking with higher alcohols reduced by 24.99 %–26.76 % but with the content of ethanol, esters and organic acid unchanged significantly. Data above suggested that the combined addition of NH4+ and HPO42− could play synergistic effects on higher alcohol biosynthesis, which was an effective strategy to reduce higher alcohols in wines for improved qualities.
{"title":"The synergistic effects of ammonium and phosphorus on higher alcohol biosynthesis in Zygosaccharomyces mellis LGL-1 and its application for wampee/grape winemaking","authors":"Chunyun Qu , Zuyue Qi , Shuochun Lin , Jianjun Li , Yu Zeng , Yiyin Xu , Weidong Bai , Gongliang Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104980","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104980","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>For wine, higher alcohols are double-edged swords, which benefit flavors in appropriate amount but cause negative effects on aromas as well as side-effects for consumers in excessive amount. In this study, five kinds of ammonium salts were tested to reduce higher alcohols produced by <em>Zygosaccharomyces mellis</em> LGL-1 (LGL-1), among which, (NH<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>HPO<sub>4</sub> exhibited most excellent effects with higher alcohols reduced by 32.79 %. Both NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup> and HPO<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup> demonstrated individual capacities to reduce higher alcohol levels and transcriptome analysis was employed to investigate the synergistic mechanism. Results showed that both NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup> and HPO<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup> could regulate higher alcohol biosynthesis, but with different regulators, Cat8 for the synergistic effect of NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup> and HPO<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup>, and Ino80 for HPO<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup> specifically. Meanwhile, HPO<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup> reduced the activity of BCAT2, specifically and NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup> increased the activity of BCAT1 particularly, the combination of which led to the reduction of higher alcohol biosynthesis. Both <em>Gtr1</em> and <em>TorC1</em> were downregulated with HPO<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup> or NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup> addition, with more pronounced downregulations under their combination. Collectively, the synergistic effects of ammonium and phosphorus on higher alcohol biosynthesis in LGL-1 were existed. To amplify this effect, the molar ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus was optimized and a mole ratio of 1:1 was applied for wampee/grape winemaking with higher alcohols reduced by 24.99 %–26.76 % but with the content of ethanol, esters and organic acid unchanged significantly. Data above suggested that the combined addition of NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup> and HPO<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup> could play synergistic effects on higher alcohol biosynthesis, which was an effective strategy to reduce higher alcohols in wines for improved qualities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 104980"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145526227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2025-11-04DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2025.104975
T.L. Harrell , S. Alvarez-Narvaez , A.C.S. Porto-Fett , P.G. Vinayamohan , J.B. Luchansky , A. Shwani , D.L. Suarez
In March 2024, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAIV) H5N1 was first detected in U.S. dairy cattle and has since spread to herds across at least 17 states. Infected cows typically present with mastitis, decreased milk production, and poor milk quality with high viral loads in milk. While commercial pasteurization of milk effectively inactivates avian influenza virus (AIV), growing consumer interest in raw milk and derived products raises public health concerns due to the risk of zoonotic transmission. Standard yogurt production includes an initial heating step at 82 °C for 30 min to denature milk proteins which also inactivates AIV. However, some home yogurt recipes omit this initial heating step. This project determined whether AIV present in raw milk could remain viable through fermentation and persist in the final yogurt product. Raw milk (ca. pH 6.7) was spiked with AIV (ca. 6.6 log10 50 % egg infectious doses (EID50) per mL and inoculated with a commercial starter culture to produce yogurt. The viability of the virus was determined before and after fermentation (ca. 7.3 h) at 42 °C with resultant pH drop ≤4.4. A significant (p < 0.05) reduction of viable AIV (≥4.1 log10 EID50) was observed in both the yogurt and the control samples of raw milk incubated at 42 °C but without starter culture (ca. pH 6.63). Viral inactivation was likely due to a combination of incubation at a sublethal temperature, pH below 4.4, and microbial degradation. Thus, properly fermented yogurt has a negligible risk of transmitting AIV to humans.
{"title":"Inactivation of avian influenza virus in yogurt made from raw milk","authors":"T.L. Harrell , S. Alvarez-Narvaez , A.C.S. Porto-Fett , P.G. Vinayamohan , J.B. Luchansky , A. Shwani , D.L. Suarez","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104975","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104975","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In March 2024, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAIV) H5N1 was first detected in U.S. dairy cattle and has since spread to herds across at least 17 states. Infected cows typically present with mastitis, decreased milk production, and poor milk quality with high viral loads in milk. While commercial pasteurization of milk effectively inactivates avian influenza virus (AIV), growing consumer interest in raw milk and derived products raises public health concerns due to the risk of zoonotic transmission. Standard yogurt production includes an initial heating step at 82 °C for 30 min to denature milk proteins which also inactivates AIV. However, some home yogurt recipes omit this initial heating step. This project determined whether AIV present in raw milk could remain viable through fermentation and persist in the final yogurt product. Raw milk (ca. pH 6.7) was spiked with AIV (ca. 6.6 log<sub>10</sub> 50 % egg infectious doses (EID<sub>50</sub>) per mL and inoculated with a commercial starter culture to produce yogurt. The viability of the virus was determined before and after fermentation (ca. 7.3 h) at 42 °C with resultant pH drop ≤4.4. A significant (<em>p</em> < 0.05) reduction of viable AIV (≥4.1 log<sub>10</sub> EID<sub>50</sub>) was observed in both the yogurt and the control samples of raw milk incubated at 42 °C but without starter culture (ca. pH 6.63). Viral inactivation was likely due to a combination of incubation at a sublethal temperature, pH below 4.4, and microbial degradation. Thus, properly fermented yogurt has a negligible risk of transmitting AIV to humans.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 104975"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145526276","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2025-11-04DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2025.104976
Edson Douglas Silva Pontes , Donald W. Schaffner , Raquel Taynan Cunha Vieira , Emilio de Castro Miguel , Geany Targino de Souza Pedrosa , Fabiano André Narciso Fernandes , Sueli Rodrigues , Marciane Magnani
This study evaluated the survival of Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli O157:H7 on watercress (Nasturtium officinale R.Br), mint (Mentha spicata L.), and basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) during refrigerated storage. The efficacy of non-thermal technologies in inactivating these pathogens on basil leaves was investigated, using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) cold plasma (15 min at 50, 500, and 1000 Hz), glow discharge plasma (15 min at gas flows of 10, 20, and 30 mL/min; and 20 or 30 min at gas flow 20 mL/min), and pulsed UV-light (PL) at doses of 758, 1,516, and 2280 mJ/cm2 (all below FDA-maximum PL dose of 12 J/cm2). Morphological alterations in bacterial cells following DBD and PL treatments were examined using scanning electron microscopy. Basil showed significantly higher survival of S. enterica and E. coli O157:H7 during storage (p < 0.05). DBD 500 Hz treatment caused the higher reduction (∼2.30 log CFU/g) of both pathogens, compared to 50 and 1000 Hz. Glow discharge plasma was more effective at a gas flow rate of 20 mL/min compared to 10 and 30 mL/min after 15 min (p < 0.05) for either pathogen. Treatment with glow discharge plasma at 20 mL/min for 20 min achieved reductions of >5.0 log CFU/g for E. coli O157:H7 and 3.46 log CFU/g for S. enterica. The highest PL dose tested resulted in reductions of 3.60 and 3.10 log CFU/g for E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of glow discharge plasma, particularly for targeting E. coli O157:H7 on basil leaves.
{"title":"Efficacy of cold plasma and pulsed UV-light against Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 on fresh basil leaves","authors":"Edson Douglas Silva Pontes , Donald W. Schaffner , Raquel Taynan Cunha Vieira , Emilio de Castro Miguel , Geany Targino de Souza Pedrosa , Fabiano André Narciso Fernandes , Sueli Rodrigues , Marciane Magnani","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104976","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104976","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluated the survival of <em>Salmonella enterica</em> and <em>Escherichia coli</em> O157:H7 on watercress (<em>Nasturtium officinale</em> R.Br), mint (<em>Mentha spicata</em> L.), and basil (<em>Ocimum basilicum</em> L.) during refrigerated storage. The efficacy of non-thermal technologies in inactivating these pathogens on basil leaves was investigated, using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) cold plasma (15 min at 50, 500, and 1000 Hz), glow discharge plasma (15 min at gas flows of 10, 20, and 30 mL/min; and 20 or 30 min at gas flow 20 mL/min), and pulsed UV-light (PL) at doses of 758, 1,516, and 2280 mJ/cm<sup>2</sup> (all below FDA-maximum PL dose of 12 J/cm<sup>2</sup>). Morphological alterations in bacterial cells following DBD and PL treatments were examined using scanning electron microscopy. Basil showed significantly higher survival of <em>S. enterica</em> and <em>E. coli</em> O157:H7 during storage (p < 0.05). DBD 500 Hz treatment caused the higher reduction (∼2.30 log CFU/g) of both pathogens, compared to 50 and 1000 Hz. Glow discharge plasma was more effective at a gas flow rate of 20 mL/min compared to 10 and 30 mL/min after 15 min (p < 0.05) for either pathogen. Treatment with glow discharge plasma at 20 mL/min for 20 min achieved reductions of >5.0 log CFU/g for <em>E. coli</em> O157:H7 and 3.46 log CFU/g for <em>S. enterica</em>. The highest PL dose tested resulted in reductions of 3.60 and 3.10 log CFU/g for <em>E. coli</em> O157:H7 and <em>S. enterica</em>, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of glow discharge plasma, particularly for targeting <em>E. coli</em> O157:H7 on basil leaves.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 104976"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145463923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2025-11-22DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2025.104985
Haiying Chen, Mengyao Yang, Tao Wang, Min Zhou, Lingjun Wei
This study pioneered an integrated investigation of superheated steam (SHS) sterilization by quantifying kinetics and unraveling dual-action mechanisms against foodborne pathogens (Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus) on pork belly surfaces. Sterilization kinetics of SHS with different treatment temperature (160–200 °C) and flow rates (20–30 kg h−1) during 60 s were modeled using Weibull and Logistic equations. Comparatively, the Logistic equation was rigorously validated as superior (R2 ≥ 0.998, RMSE ≤ 0.097, Af ≤ 1.183), enabling precise prediction of microbial inactivation dynamics. Kinetic analysis revealed a novel biphasic pattern: rapid pathogen reduction (≤20 s) followed by a distinct tailing phase (20–60 s), challenging conventional single-phase sterilization assumptions. Mechanistically, SHS induced immediate disruption of cell wall/membrane integrity, evidenced by a decline from 2.07 to 2.25 to 0.52–0.75 King units·(100 mL)−1 in AKP activity, an increase from 2.88 to 2.98 to 3.93–4.18 mS cm−1 in conductivity, and concurrent surges in nucleic acid/protein leakage within 20 s. Critically, ATPase activity plummeted 68–77 %, from 3.46 to 3.53 to 0.8–1.1 U·mg prot−1, directly linking membrane destabilization to energy metabolism collapse. These findings established SHS as a multi-modal intervention, synergizing thermal inactivation with targeted biochemical disruption of microbial homeostasis (cellular ion balance disruption, material exchange, and ATPase activity interference). By providing mechanistic insights and predictive modeling tools, this research validated SHS as a scalable, eco-friendly alternative to chemical sanitizers, reducing antimicrobial resistance risks and environmental footprint in meat processing.
{"title":"Superheated steam sterilization of foodborne pathogens on pork belly: Biphasic kinetics, dual-action mechanisms, and logistic model validation","authors":"Haiying Chen, Mengyao Yang, Tao Wang, Min Zhou, Lingjun Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104985","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104985","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study pioneered an integrated investigation of superheated steam (SHS) sterilization by quantifying kinetics and unraveling dual-action mechanisms against foodborne pathogens (<em>Salmonella</em> Typhimurium, <em>Listeria monocytogenes</em> and <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>) on pork belly surfaces. Sterilization kinetics of SHS with different treatment temperature (160–200 °C) and flow rates (20–30 kg h<sup>−1</sup>) during 60 s were modeled using Weibull and Logistic equations. Comparatively, the Logistic equation was rigorously validated as superior (<em>R</em><sup><em>2</em></sup> ≥ 0.998, <em>RMSE</em> ≤ 0.097, <em>Af</em> ≤ 1.183), enabling precise prediction of microbial inactivation dynamics. Kinetic analysis revealed a novel biphasic pattern: rapid pathogen reduction (≤20 s) followed by a distinct tailing phase (20–60 s), challenging conventional single-phase sterilization assumptions. Mechanistically, SHS induced immediate disruption of cell wall/membrane integrity, evidenced by a decline from 2.07 to 2.25 to 0.52–0.75 King units·(100 mL)<sup>−1</sup> in AKP activity, an increase from 2.88 to 2.98 to 3.93–4.18 mS cm<sup>−1</sup> in conductivity, and concurrent surges in nucleic acid/protein leakage within 20 s. Critically, ATPase activity plummeted 68–77 %, from 3.46 to 3.53 to 0.8–1.1 U·mg prot<sup>−1</sup>, directly linking membrane destabilization to energy metabolism collapse. These findings established SHS as a multi-modal intervention, synergizing thermal inactivation with targeted biochemical disruption of microbial homeostasis (cellular ion balance disruption, material exchange, and ATPase activity interference). By providing mechanistic insights and predictive modeling tools, this research validated SHS as a scalable, eco-friendly alternative to chemical sanitizers, reducing antimicrobial resistance risks and environmental footprint in meat processing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 104985"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145620315","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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