Pub Date : 2026-04-02Epub Date: 2026-01-17DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111648
Jinming Dai , Chenghui Zhang , Mei Bai , Tariq Aziz , Nada K. Alharbi , Fatma Alshehri , Ashwag Shami , Fahad Saad Alhodieb , Saleh A. Alsanie , Mansour Alblaji , Haiying Cui
The quorum sensing (QS) system is a critical drug target that regulates the toxins production and biofilms formation in pathogens. This study elucidates the mechanism by which the plant polyphenol gallic acid (GA) acts as a QS inhibitor targeting the LuxS/AI-2 system in Escherichia coli O157: H7, and evaluates its potential for antibiofilm applications. Results show that GA broadly interferes with the transcription of genes in the AI-2 synthesis pathway and inhibits AI-2 production. Molecular docking combined with in vitro enzymatic inhibition assays identified LuxS as a key target of GA. Thermodynamically favored, GA binds to LuxS via hydrogen bonds and van der Waals interactions, forming a stable ground-state complex that alters the enzyme's secondary structure and inhibits its activity. Further mechanistic analysis indicates that GA induces conformational changes in the protein, reduces active site volume, and restricts key catalytic residues, thereby blocking substrate access. Under simulated meat broth conditions, GA significantly enhances the biofilm-inhibitory effect of conventional disinfectants even at subinhibitory concentrations on food-contact surfaces. These findings provide theoretical support for the potential utilization of GA as a QS-targeted antibiofilm adjuvant in the food industry.
{"title":"Molecular insights into gallic acid as a quorum sensing inhibitor targeting the LuxS/AI-2 system in Escherichia coli O157: H7 and its antibiofilm applications","authors":"Jinming Dai , Chenghui Zhang , Mei Bai , Tariq Aziz , Nada K. Alharbi , Fatma Alshehri , Ashwag Shami , Fahad Saad Alhodieb , Saleh A. Alsanie , Mansour Alblaji , Haiying Cui","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111648","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111648","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The quorum sensing (QS) system is a critical drug target that regulates the toxins production and biofilms formation in pathogens. This study elucidates the mechanism by which the plant polyphenol gallic acid (GA) acts as a QS inhibitor targeting the LuxS/AI-2 system in <em>Escherichia coli</em> O157: H7, and evaluates its potential for antibiofilm applications. Results show that GA broadly interferes with the transcription of genes in the AI-2 synthesis pathway and inhibits AI-2 production. Molecular docking combined with in vitro enzymatic inhibition assays identified LuxS as a key target of GA. Thermodynamically favored, GA binds to LuxS via hydrogen bonds and van der Waals interactions, forming a stable ground-state complex that alters the enzyme's secondary structure and inhibits its activity. Further mechanistic analysis indicates that GA induces conformational changes in the protein, reduces active site volume, and restricts key catalytic residues, thereby blocking substrate access. Under simulated meat broth conditions, GA significantly enhances the biofilm-inhibitory effect of conventional disinfectants even at subinhibitory concentrations on food-contact surfaces. These findings provide theoretical support for the potential utilization of GA as a QS-targeted antibiofilm adjuvant in the food industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"450 ","pages":"Article 111648"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146029435","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 : 2026-04-02Epub Date: 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111631
Gerefa Sefu Edo , Esa Abiso Godana , Kaili Wang , Hongyin Zhang , Qiya Yang
Fungal pathogens causing deterioration in fruits and vegetables after harvest contribute significantly to the annual global economic loss of $750 billion. The use of synthetic chemical fungicides is still the main method of mitigating this huge loss, but challenges such as reduction in maximum residue limits, environmental impact, resistance development, impact on biodiversity, and human health alert to search for alternative methods. Biocontrol mechanisms that inhibit fungal pathogens using antagonistic microbes are effective, with the exception of specificity or efficiency variability and limited shelf life. Enhancing the performance of antagonistic microbes is the best approach to overcome these limitations. The objective of our recent study was to improve the performance of Debaryomyces hansenii against pear fruits blue mold decay caused by Penicillium expansum by inducing it with alginate oligosaccharides (AOS). The findings of this study revealed that AOS significantly improved the efficiency of D. hansenii by many folds. D. hansenii induced by AOS, applied to wounds and surfaces of pear fruit and stored at both room (20 °C) and cold (4 °C) temperatures, demonstrated significantly better performance and viability. Lesion diameter and disease incidence percentage are primary in vivo indicators. Physiological study such as increased activity of disease defense-related and reactive oxygen species scavenging enzymes, flavonoids, and total phenolic compounds are added as proof of the results. Furthermore, in vitro studies indicate P. expansum germination rate, germ tube length, and radial growth when treated with D. hansenii with AOS-induced were reduced. A molecular-level study will be conducted as part of this research.
{"title":"Study on biocontrol efficacy of Debaryomyces hansenii induced with alginate oligosaccharides against blue mold caused by Penicillium expansum on pear fruit","authors":"Gerefa Sefu Edo , Esa Abiso Godana , Kaili Wang , Hongyin Zhang , Qiya Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111631","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111631","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fungal pathogens causing deterioration in fruits and vegetables after harvest contribute significantly to the annual global economic loss of $750 billion. The use of synthetic chemical fungicides is still the main method of mitigating this huge loss, but challenges such as reduction in maximum residue limits, environmental impact, resistance development, impact on biodiversity, and human health alert to search for alternative methods. Biocontrol mechanisms that inhibit fungal pathogens using antagonistic microbes are effective, with the exception of specificity or efficiency variability and limited shelf life. Enhancing the performance of antagonistic microbes is the best approach to overcome these limitations. The objective of our recent study was to improve the performance of <em>Debaryomyces hansenii</em> against pear fruits blue mold decay caused by <em>Penicillium expansum</em> by inducing it with alginate oligosaccharides (AOS). The findings of this study revealed that AOS significantly improved the efficiency of <em>D. hansenii</em> by many folds. <em>D. hansenii</em> induced by AOS, applied to wounds and surfaces of pear fruit and stored at both room (20 °C) and cold (4 °C) temperatures, demonstrated significantly better performance and viability. Lesion diameter and disease incidence percentage are primary <em>in vivo</em> indicators. Physiological study such as increased activity of disease defense-related and reactive oxygen species scavenging enzymes, flavonoids, and total phenolic compounds are added as proof of the results. Furthermore, <em>in vitro</em> studies indicate <em>P. expansum</em> germination rate, germ tube length, and radial growth when treated with <em>D. hansenii</em> with AOS-induced were reduced. A molecular-level study will be conducted as part of this research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"450 ","pages":"Article 111631"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976034","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 : 2026-04-02Epub Date: 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111663
Lou Xinhao , Zhang Jinyi , Jin Xuewu , Cai Qilong , Liu Runqi , Gang Wang , O. Olaniran Ademola , Xu Jianhong , Dong Fei
To confirm the most susceptible stage of Fusarium infection and evaluate the pathogenicity of different chemotypes of Fusarium isolates are essential for managing Fusarium head blight (FHB). Extensive research has been conducted on wheat and barley, while there has been limited studies in rice. A 2-year greenhouse experiment was conducted to reveal the effects of infection timing and chemotype of Fusarium asiaticum on FHB severity and mycotoxin accumulation in four rice varieties. The results showed that all the rice varieties could be infected at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 days after anthesis (daa) by R3 (the 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol chemotype) and R5 (the nivalenol chemotype). The area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC), total trichothecenes, and fungal biomass caused by R3 were obviously lower than that caused by R5 across all varieties. Moreover, susceptible varieties exhibited higher values for these parameters than resistant varieties following inoculation with R3 or R5. Notably, the most seriously symptoms, highest total trichothecenes accumulation, and greatest fungal biomass were observed when inoculation at 3 daa, which was significantly higher than that at other inoculation timing (P < 0.05), and tended to be 3 daa > 6 daa > 0 daa > 9 daa > 12 daa. In addition, a significantly positive correlation (P < 0.01) was observed between AUDPC and total trichothecenes, AUDPC and fungal biomass, and total trichothecenes and fungal biomass, respectively.
确定镰刀菌感染的最敏感阶段和评价不同化学型镰刀菌分离物的致病性是防治镰刀菌头疫病的必要条件。对小麦和大麦进行了广泛的研究，而对水稻的研究却很有限。通过2年温室试验，研究了亚洲镰刀菌侵染时间和化学型对4个水稻品种赤霉病严重程度和霉菌毒素积累的影响。结果表明，所有水稻品种均可在开花后0、3、6、9和12 d分别被3-乙酰脱氧雪腐镰刀菌醇R3和雪腐镰刀菌醇R5感染。在所有品种中，由R3引起的疾病进展曲线下面积（AUDPC）、总菌数和真菌生物量均明显低于由R5引起的。此外，接种R3或R5后，易感品种的这些参数值均高于抗性品种。值得注意的是，接种3 d时症状最严重，毛孢子总积累量最高，真菌生物量最大，显著高于其他接种时间（P < 0.05），并趋向于接种3 d >； 6 d > 0 d > 9 d > 12 d。此外，AUDPC与总菌群生物量、与真菌生物量、总菌群生物量呈极显著正相关（P < 0.01）。
{"title":"Effect of infection timing and chemotype of Fusarium asiaticum on fusarium head blight and mycotoxin accumulation in rice","authors":"Lou Xinhao , Zhang Jinyi , Jin Xuewu , Cai Qilong , Liu Runqi , Gang Wang , O. Olaniran Ademola , Xu Jianhong , Dong Fei","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111663","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111663","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To confirm the most susceptible stage of <em>Fusarium</em> infection and evaluate the pathogenicity of different chemotypes of <em>Fusarium</em> isolates are essential for managing Fusarium head blight (FHB). Extensive research has been conducted on wheat and barley, while there has been limited studies in rice. A 2-year greenhouse experiment was conducted to reveal the effects of infection timing and chemotype of <em>Fusarium asiaticum</em> on FHB severity and mycotoxin accumulation in four rice varieties. The results showed that all the rice varieties could be infected at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 days after anthesis (daa) by R3 (the 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol chemotype) and R5 (the nivalenol chemotype). The area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC), total trichothecenes, and fungal biomass caused by R3 were obviously lower than that caused by R5 across all varieties. Moreover, susceptible varieties exhibited higher values for these parameters than resistant varieties following inoculation with R3 or R5. Notably, the most seriously symptoms, highest total trichothecenes accumulation, and greatest fungal biomass were observed when inoculation at 3 daa, which was significantly higher than that at other inoculation timing (<em>P</em> < 0.05), and tended to be 3 daa > 6 daa > 0 daa > 9 daa > 12 daa. In addition, a significantly positive correlation (<em>P</em> < 0.01) was observed between AUDPC and total trichothecenes, AUDPC and fungal biomass, and total trichothecenes and fungal biomass, respectively.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"450 ","pages":"Article 111663"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074452","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 : 2026-04-02Epub Date: 2026-01-10DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111636
Lihan Wu , Yuqi Zhang , Xuan Chen, Qingfen Zhang, Shihua Wang
Aspergillus flavus is a typical filamentous fungus that poses risk to both humans and animals, as well as for crops. The secondary metabolite aflatoxin B1 produced by A. flavus is also one of the most carcinogenic and toxic natural pollutants discovered so far. Lysine benzoylation (Kbz), which participates in various life activities in different organisms, is an important post-translational modification of proteins. Cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) is a key enzyme in the maintenance of the homocysteine balance in organisms. However, the basic mechanism of CBS in the life activities of A. flavus is still unclear. By knocking out the cbs gene, it was found that compared to the wild-type and complementary strains, the cbs deficient strains had lower growth diameter, spore yield and seed colonization, while the number of sclerotia was increased, and toxin accumulation was increased by TLC. We then validated these results through RT-PCR. We also found the existence of a benzoyl site K109 on CBS by immunoprecipitation. Mutation at K109 abolishes benzoylation, resulting in reduced CBS enzymatic activity, which We found that the phenotype of point mutations is consistent with that of knockout strains. In addition, we found that benzoyltransferase GcnE catalyzes the benzoylation of CBS protein and affects enzyme activity. These results not only give theoretical support for the research of cystathionine β-synthase and benzoyl modification, but also provides fresh ideas for the prevention and control of pathogenic fungus A. flavus.
{"title":"The development and virulence of Aspergillus flavus regulated by benzoylation of CBS protein","authors":"Lihan Wu , Yuqi Zhang , Xuan Chen, Qingfen Zhang, Shihua Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111636","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111636","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Aspergillus flavus</em> is a typical filamentous fungus that poses risk to both humans and animals, as well as for crops. The secondary metabolite aflatoxin B1 produced by <em>A. flavus</em> is also one of the most carcinogenic and toxic natural pollutants discovered so far. Lysine benzoylation (Kbz), which participates in various life activities in different organisms, is an important post-translational modification of proteins. Cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) is a key enzyme in the maintenance of the homocysteine balance in organisms. However, the basic mechanism of CBS in the life activities of <em>A. flavus</em> is still unclear. By knocking out the <em>cbs</em> gene, it was found that compared to the wild-type and complementary strains, the <em>cbs</em> deficient strains had lower growth diameter, spore yield and seed colonization, while the number of sclerotia was increased, and toxin accumulation was increased by TLC. We then validated these results through RT-PCR. We also found the existence of a benzoyl site K109 on CBS by immunoprecipitation. Mutation at K109 abolishes benzoylation, resulting in reduced CBS enzymatic activity, which We found that the phenotype of point mutations is consistent with that of knockout strains. In addition, we found that benzoyltransferase GcnE catalyzes the benzoylation of CBS protein and affects enzyme activity. These results not only give theoretical support for the research of cystathionine β-synthase and benzoyl modification, but also provides fresh ideas for the prevention and control of pathogenic fungus <em>A. flavus</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"450 ","pages":"Article 111636"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146018466","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 : 2026-04-02Epub Date: 2026-01-18DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111651
Tingting Yang, Gaohao Liao, Xinming Zhang, Fazhu Li, Guanghua Xia, Li Liu, Liming Zhang, Jiamei Wang
This study developed a synergistic sterilization strategy combining cold plasma (CP) and cold stress (CS) to control Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), a major spoilage bacterium in refrigerated foods. The optimized sequence of CS pretreatment (4 °C, 24 h) followed by CP treatment (50 kV, 180 s) achieved 88.90 ± 3.85% sterilization efficiency and induced irreversible cellular damage. The synergistic effect (CSCP24) initiated with CS-induced physiological sensitization, leading to severe membrane disruption (97.92% PI-positive cells), biomolecule leakage, and ultrastructural collapse. This was accompanied by a cascade of intracellular damage: CSCP24 triggered a redox homeostasis collapse through ROS burst and inactivation of key antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GSH-PX), along with energy metabolism failure evidenced by ATP depletion and critical enzyme activity loss (Na+K+-ATPase, MDH). Molecular docking revealed that CP-generated reactive species (H₂O₂, O₃, ·OH, NO·) specifically inhibited essential bacterial targets, including DNA gyrase, dihydrofolate reductase, catalase, and cold shock proteins, thereby blocking key metabolic and stress-response pathways. The treatment also attenuated virulence by inhibiting motility, auto-aggregation, and pyocyanin production. Validation in a pasteurized milk model confirmed that CSCP24 effectively suppressed microbial recovery throughout refrigerated storage. Collectively, this work establishes the sequential CSCP synergy as a potent multi-target intervention that systematically disrupts membrane integrity, oxidative defense, and energy metabolism, demonstrating its potential as a novel non-thermal processing step to enhance microbial control in the food industry.
{"title":"A novel non-thermal hurdle strategy: Cold stress potentiated cold plasma to control Pseudomonas aeruginosa via integrated oxidative and metabolic disruption","authors":"Tingting Yang, Gaohao Liao, Xinming Zhang, Fazhu Li, Guanghua Xia, Li Liu, Liming Zhang, Jiamei Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111651","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111651","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study developed a synergistic sterilization strategy combining cold plasma (CP) and cold stress (CS) to control <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> (<em>P. aeruginosa</em>), a major spoilage bacterium in refrigerated foods. The optimized sequence of CS pretreatment (4 °C, 24 h) followed by CP treatment (50 kV, 180 s) achieved 88.90 ± 3.85% sterilization efficiency and induced irreversible cellular damage. The synergistic effect (CSCP24) initiated with CS-induced physiological sensitization, leading to severe membrane disruption (97.92% PI-positive cells), biomolecule leakage, and ultrastructural collapse. This was accompanied by a cascade of intracellular damage: CSCP24 triggered a redox homeostasis collapse through ROS burst and inactivation of key antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GSH-PX), along with energy metabolism failure evidenced by ATP depletion and critical enzyme activity loss (Na<sup>+</sup>K<sup>+</sup>-ATPase, MDH). Molecular docking revealed that CP-generated reactive species (H₂O₂, O₃, ·OH, NO·) specifically inhibited essential bacterial targets, including DNA gyrase, dihydrofolate reductase, catalase, and cold shock proteins, thereby blocking key metabolic and stress-response pathways. The treatment also attenuated virulence by inhibiting motility, auto-aggregation, and pyocyanin production. Validation in a pasteurized milk model confirmed that CSCP24 effectively suppressed microbial recovery throughout refrigerated storage. Collectively, this work establishes the sequential CSCP synergy as a potent multi-target intervention that systematically disrupts membrane integrity, oxidative defense, and energy metabolism, demonstrating its potential as a novel non-thermal processing step to enhance microbial control in the food industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"450 ","pages":"Article 111651"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146036088","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 : 2026-04-02Epub Date: 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111654
Ili Syuhada Mohd Daud , Nor Khaizura Mahmud Ab Rashid , Jon Palmer , Steve Flint
Bacillus cereus is a spore-forming, toxin-producing pathogen that poses a persistent threat to global food safety due to its resistance to heat, disinfectants, and its ability to form biofilms. This review highlights the antimicrobial potential of lemongrass essential oil (LEO) and its major compound, citral, from traditional use to its modern application through nanoemulsion systems. It critically examines how extraction methods affect citral content and bioactivity, and how nanoemulsification enhances LEO's stability, solubility, and efficacy against B. cereus spores and biofilms. Applications include dairy, meat, and fresh produce preservation, where LEO-based coatings, packaging, and sanitizers offer clean-label alternatives to synthetic preservatives. The review also explores regulatory and safety concerns and identifies gaps in sensory effects, long-term stability, and dosing optimization. Overall, citral-rich LEO nanoemulsions represent a promising, sustainable strategy to improve microbial safety and shelf life in food systems affected by B. cereus.
{"title":"From extraction to application: Nanoemulsified lemongrass oil for biofilm and spore control in food preservation","authors":"Ili Syuhada Mohd Daud , Nor Khaizura Mahmud Ab Rashid , Jon Palmer , Steve Flint","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111654","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111654","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Bacillus cereus</em> is a spore-forming, toxin-producing pathogen that poses a persistent threat to global food safety due to its resistance to heat, disinfectants, and its ability to form biofilms. This review highlights the antimicrobial potential of lemongrass essential oil (LEO) and its major compound, citral, from traditional use to its modern application through nanoemulsion systems. It critically examines how extraction methods affect citral content and bioactivity, and how nanoemulsification enhances LEO's stability, solubility, and efficacy against <em>B. cereus</em> spores and biofilms. Applications include dairy, meat, and fresh produce preservation, where LEO-based coatings, packaging, and sanitizers offer clean-label alternatives to synthetic preservatives. The review also explores regulatory and safety concerns and identifies gaps in sensory effects, long-term stability, and dosing optimization. Overall, citral-rich LEO nanoemulsions represent a promising, sustainable strategy to improve microbial safety and shelf life in food systems affected by <em>B. cereus</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"450 ","pages":"Article 111654"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074359","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}
Aspergillus flavus is among the most resilient fungi, causing significant losses in the quantity and quality of agricultural food commodities. It often produces aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a Class 1 human carcinogen that poses a serious threat to human and animal health. The present study investigated the potential of a chemically characterized essential oil-based formulation, ZTC (a synergistic mixture of Zingiber officinale (ZOEO), Trachyspermum ammi (TAEO), and Coleus aromaticus (CEO)) against the growth and aflatoxin B1 production by the toxigenic species Aspergillus flavus. The ZTC formulation demonstrated in vitro and in situ antifungal effects (0.4 μL/mL) and aflatoxin inhibition (0.3 μL/mL) against A. flavus. At the cellular level, ZTC disrupted ergosterol biosynthesis, compromised membrane integrity, impaired mitochondrial potential, and altered redox homeostasis. Integrated transcriptomic and biochemical analyses indicated coordinated downregulation of glycolysis, the TCA cycle, ATP production, and sterol and fatty acid biosynthesis. This led to energy deficiency, membrane destabilization, induction of oxidative stress, and inhibition of aflatoxin B1 biosynthesis by suppressing gene expression and disrupting key enzymes, thereby reducing AFB1 at sublethal concentrations. The findings highlight the multi-target mechanism of action of the developed formulation, ZTC, against fungal growth and aflatoxin B1 contamination, and recommend it as a promising candidate for eco-friendly and sustainable antifungal agents.
{"title":"Systematic investigation of aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus inhibition: Integrating essential oils-based formulation with mathematical modeling and transcriptomic analysis","authors":"Prem Pratap Singh , Ritu Singh , Praveen Kumar Verma , Bhanu Prakash","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111632","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111632","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Aspergillus flavus</em> is among the most resilient fungi, causing significant losses in the quantity and quality of agricultural food commodities. It often produces aflatoxin B<sub>1</sub> (AFB<sub>1</sub>), a Class 1 human carcinogen that poses a serious threat to human and animal health. The present study investigated the potential of a chemically characterized essential oil-based formulation, ZTC (a synergistic mixture of <em>Zingiber officinale</em> (ZOEO), <em>Trachyspermum ammi</em> (TAEO), and <em>Coleus aromaticus</em> (CEO)) against the growth and aflatoxin B<sub>1</sub> production by the toxigenic species <em>Aspergillus flavus</em>. The ZTC formulation demonstrated in vitro and in situ antifungal effects (0.4 μL/mL) and aflatoxin inhibition (0.3 μL/mL) against <em>A. flavus</em>. At the cellular level, ZTC disrupted ergosterol biosynthesis, compromised membrane integrity, impaired mitochondrial potential, and altered redox homeostasis. Integrated transcriptomic and biochemical analyses indicated coordinated downregulation of glycolysis, the TCA cycle, ATP production, and sterol and fatty acid biosynthesis. This led to energy deficiency, membrane destabilization, induction of oxidative stress, and inhibition of aflatoxin B<sub>1</sub> biosynthesis by suppressing gene expression and disrupting key enzymes, thereby reducing AFB<sub>1</sub> at sublethal concentrations. The findings highlight the multi-target mechanism of action of the developed formulation, ZTC, against fungal growth and aflatoxin B1 contamination, and recommend it as a promising candidate for eco-friendly and sustainable antifungal agents.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"450 ","pages":"Article 111632"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146010228","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 : 2026-04-02Epub Date: 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111660
Boqin Zhang , Mengbo Wang , Jia Zheng , Chenxi Yu , Chunhui Wei , Junyu Ren , Shouying Sun , Guoming Wang , Jinhua Wang , Yanping Lu , Liangcai Lin , Cuiying Zhang
Pichia kudriavzevii is a dominant yeast species in Chinese baijiu fermentation, yet its intraspecific diversity remains underexplored. This study used metabolomics and metagenomics analysis to investigate the impact of four distinct P. kudriavzevii strains (PK12, PK25, PK97, and PK360) on the metabolite profiles and microbial community structure in a controlled baijiu solid-state fermentation. Metabolomics analysis identified 49 key volatile compounds and 2792 non-volatile metabolites. Strain PK97 exhibited exceptional capacity for butanoic acid metabolism, inducing a 55.27-fold increase in butanoic acid and a 30.54-fold enhancement in ethyl butanoate production. Strain PK25 specialized in acetoin biosynthesis, while PK360 maximized 2-phenylethanol production. Metagenomic analysis uncovered that strains PK12, PK25, and PK360 promoted Lactobacillus acetotolerans population, increasing its relative abundance to 67.39%, 58.57%, and 71.79%, respectively. In contrast, strain PK97 orchestrated a dramatic ecological shift, elevating Enterobacter mori abundance from 0.56% to 17.60%, transforming the community from Lactobacillus-dominated to Enterobacteriaceae-enriched. Integration of metabolomic and metagenomic data revealed that strain PK97's promotion of Enterobacter mori correlated with significant upregulation of key enzymes including α-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1), enoyl-CoA hydratase (EC 4.2.1.17), and succinyl-CoA synthetase (EC 6.2.1.5), creating a metabolic environment favoring enhanced starch hydrolysis, altered TCA cycle flux, and butanoic acid accumulation. Strain PK25 specifically upregulated acetyl-CoA hydrolase (EC 3.1.2.1), facilitating acetic acid and acetoin formation. Strain PK360 enhanced glucose pyrophosphorylase (EC 2.7.7.9) and asparagine synthetase (EC 6.3.1.1) activities, accelerating galactose metabolism and amino acid transformations. These findings illustrate the impact of P. kudriavzevii intraspecific diversity on reshaping microbial ecology and flavor chemistry in Chinese baijiu, offering novel insights for targeted fermentation control and quality enhancement strategies in baijiu production.
{"title":"Strain-specific impacts of Pichia kudriavzevii on metabolite profiles and microbial community dynamics in Chinese Baijiu fermentation: Integrated metabolomics and metagenomics analysis","authors":"Boqin Zhang , Mengbo Wang , Jia Zheng , Chenxi Yu , Chunhui Wei , Junyu Ren , Shouying Sun , Guoming Wang , Jinhua Wang , Yanping Lu , Liangcai Lin , Cuiying Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111660","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111660","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Pichia kudriavzevii</em> is a dominant yeast species in Chinese baijiu fermentation, yet its intraspecific diversity remains underexplored. This study used metabolomics and metagenomics analysis to investigate the impact of four distinct <em>P. kudriavzevii</em> strains (PK12, PK25, PK97, and PK360) on the metabolite profiles and microbial community structure in a controlled baijiu solid-state fermentation. Metabolomics analysis identified 49 key volatile compounds and 2792 non-volatile metabolites. Strain PK97 exhibited exceptional capacity for butanoic acid metabolism, inducing a 55.27-fold increase in butanoic acid and a 30.54-fold enhancement in ethyl butanoate production. Strain PK25 specialized in acetoin biosynthesis, while PK360 maximized 2-phenylethanol production. Metagenomic analysis uncovered that strains PK12, PK25, and PK360 promoted <em>Lactobacillus acetotolerans</em> population, increasing its relative abundance to 67.39%, 58.57%, and 71.79%, respectively. In contrast, strain PK97 orchestrated a dramatic ecological shift, elevating <em>Enterobacter mori</em> abundance from 0.56% to 17.60%, transforming the community from <em>Lactobacillus</em>-dominated to <em>Enterobacteriaceae</em>-enriched. Integration of metabolomic and metagenomic data revealed that strain PK97's promotion of <em>Enterobacter mori</em> correlated with significant upregulation of key enzymes including α-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1), enoyl-CoA hydratase (EC 4.2.1.17), and succinyl-CoA synthetase (EC 6.2.1.5), creating a metabolic environment favoring enhanced starch hydrolysis, altered TCA cycle flux, and butanoic acid accumulation. Strain PK25 specifically upregulated acetyl-CoA hydrolase (EC 3.1.2.1), facilitating acetic acid and acetoin formation. Strain PK360 enhanced glucose pyrophosphorylase (EC 2.7.7.9) and asparagine synthetase (EC 6.3.1.1) activities, accelerating galactose metabolism and amino acid transformations. These findings illustrate the impact of <em>P. kudriavzevii</em> intraspecific diversity on reshaping microbial ecology and flavor chemistry in Chinese baijiu, offering novel insights for targeted fermentation control and quality enhancement strategies in baijiu production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"450 ","pages":"Article 111660"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146062927","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 : 2026-04-02Epub Date: 2026-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111626
Zheren Wang , Ping Wang , Lijiao Liang , Tianming Qu , Beibei Xu , Ying Chen
The contamination of multidrug-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (MDR-hvKp) has become a significant public health concern. However, its contamination rate and epidemiological characteristics in pre-cooked chicken products remain unclear, rendering research into the prevalence of MDR-hvKp in such products of urgent public health significance. From 150 pre-prepared chicken samples collected in Beijing, 45 K. pneumoniae strains were isolated, of which 10 (22.22%) were multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains. Among these 10 MDR strains, four (KP167, KP284, KP485, KP493) were identified as hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (hvKp), belonging to the high-risk sequence types ST23 and ST412. These strains harbour key virulence genes (iucA, iroB, rmpA, rmpA2) and exhibit strong biofilm-forming capabilities; among them, KP485 and KP493 simultaneously carry carbapenem resistance genes (blaIMP) alongside hypervirulent determinants, presenting a multidrug-resistant and hypervirulent phenotype. Genomic analysis revealed that the plasmids carried by these MDR-hvKp strains exhibited >90% sequence similarity to the classical virulence plasmid pK2044. Conjugation experiments confirmed that the resistance-virulence plasmids from KP485 and KP493 could be successfully transferred and possessed transmissible properties. Comparative genomic analysis indicates that the foodborne plasmids of these four strains share an evolutionary distance ≤0.01 with clinical isolates (such as strain K186 from Chinese pneumonia patients), suggesting a potential “food-to-human” transmission pathway. This study indicates that pre-prepared chicken products may constitute a significant reservoir for MDR-hvKp. Upon entering the food chain via foodborne transmission, this pathogen poses a direct and serious threat to public health. Consequently, priority monitoring and risk management of such foodstuffs are urgently required.
{"title":"Co-evolution of virulence and drug resistance of transmissible multidrug-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae in pre-cooked chicken and food-borne health risks","authors":"Zheren Wang , Ping Wang , Lijiao Liang , Tianming Qu , Beibei Xu , Ying Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111626","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111626","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The contamination of multidrug-resistant hypervirulent <em>Klebsiella pneumoniae</em> (MDR-hvKp) has become a significant public health concern. However, its contamination rate and epidemiological characteristics in pre-cooked chicken products remain unclear, rendering research into the prevalence of MDR-hvKp in such products of urgent public health significance. From 150 pre-prepared chicken samples collected in Beijing, 45 <em>K. pneumoniae</em> strains were isolated, of which 10 (22.22%) were multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains. Among these 10 MDR strains, four (KP167, KP284, KP485, KP493) were identified as hypervirulent <em>K. pneumoniae</em> (hvKp), belonging to the high-risk sequence types ST23 and ST412. These strains harbour key virulence genes (<em>iucA, iroB, rmpA, rmpA2</em>) and exhibit strong biofilm-forming capabilities; among them, KP485 and KP493 simultaneously carry carbapenem resistance genes <em>(bla</em><sub>IMP</sub>) alongside hypervirulent determinants, presenting a multidrug-resistant and hypervirulent phenotype. Genomic analysis revealed that the plasmids carried by these MDR-hvKp strains exhibited >90% sequence similarity to the classical virulence plasmid pK2044. Conjugation experiments confirmed that the resistance-virulence plasmids from KP485 and KP493 could be successfully transferred and possessed transmissible properties. Comparative genomic analysis indicates that the foodborne plasmids of these four strains share an evolutionary distance ≤0.01 with clinical isolates (such as strain K186 from Chinese pneumonia patients), suggesting a potential “food-to-human” transmission pathway. This study indicates that pre-prepared chicken products may constitute a significant reservoir for MDR-hvKp. Upon entering the food chain via foodborne transmission, this pathogen poses a direct and serious threat to public health. Consequently, priority monitoring and risk management of such foodstuffs are urgently required.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"450 ","pages":"Article 111626"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145950258","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 : 2026-04-02Epub Date: 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111656
Guoli Chang , Jun Zhang , Xiaoyue Fang , Shenchenyu Zhang , Haixia Lu , Yipeng Jiang , Junli Zhu
{"title":"Corrigendum to “environmental microorganisms as heterogeneous sources and shapers of the fermentation microbiome in Zhejiang rosy vinegar” [Int. J. Food Microbiol. 447 (2026) 111554]","authors":"Guoli Chang , Jun Zhang , Xiaoyue Fang , Shenchenyu Zhang , Haixia Lu , Yipeng Jiang , Junli Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111656","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111656","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"450 ","pages":"Article 111656"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146062857","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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