Journal of Food Safety最新文献

Mato Grosso State, Brazil, is the main producing region of native farmed round fish. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of Salmonella spp. in fish farms located in the Pantanal and Cerrado biomes, across eight municipalities, focusing on the hybrid species tambatinga (Colossoma macropomum × Piaractus brachypomus); to analyze possible multicausal associations contributing to contamination during the fish farming phase; to characterize the circulating serotypes; and to assess the antimicrobial resistance profiles. A total of 184 samples were tested for Salmonella spp. following protocols from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Salmonella spp. was detected in 88% (22/25) of the fish farms and in 31.5% (58/184) of the samples. Contamination was confirmed in fish farms from all eight municipalities investigated, reinforcing the widespread circulation of the pathogen. Among the positive samples, 60.3% were from fish, with viscera showing the highest detection rate, while sediment/soil, pond water, and animal feces were the most frequent environmental sources. Serotyping revealed 10 distinct serotypes, with S. Saintpaul and S. Newport predominant, alongside S. Reading, S. Abaetetuba, and other less common serotypes of epidemiological relevance. The associations between environmental and management factors contributed to 57% of the explained variance in Salmonella spp. occurrence, and contamination was significantly higher during the dry season. Resistance was most frequent against azithromycin (44%) and sulfonamides (38%), although no multidrug-resistant strains were identified. The high occurrence of Salmonella spp. during the fish farming phase demonstrates that associated factors contribute to contamination and the persistence of strains with resistance profiles from the early production stages. These findings highlight weaknesses in on-farm biosecurity that must be addressed, while joint actions with good manufacturing practices in processing plants are also needed to mitigate risks. The circulation of diverse and epidemiologically relevant serotypes emphasizes the need for integrated surveillance under a One Health perspective in Brazilian aquaculture.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) outbreaks in Kenya are low in contrast to the United States, where the consumption of undercooked minced beef is implicated in 46% of all foodborne outbreaks. This study hypothesized that the negligible meat-borne STEC incidences in Kenya are attributed to the high-temperature long-time cooking styles of meat. For laboratory biosafety concerns, the study utilized a surrogate bacteria starter culture, Bactoferm LHP-DRY (Chr. Hansen, Denmark), as the preferred challenge organisms. Beef steak was cooked by boiling (95°C/1 h), simmering (85°C/1 h), roasting (163°C/1 h), pressure cooking (85 kPa/80°C/30 min), sous vide cooking to three degrees of doneness, that is rare (60°C), medium (71°C) and very well done (82°C) all for 1 h, and pan-broiling (163°C/6 min per side) for burger patties. The beef cooking treatments yielded endpoint core temperatures ranging from 94.3°C to 55.07°C (p < 0.05). The log reductions of the surrogate ranged from 2.83 to 5.23 cfu/g (p < 0.05). The highest lethality was observed in pressure cooking (5.23), very well done sous vide (5.13), oven roasting (4.83), medium done sous vide (4.13), and boiling (4.0 log reductions cfu/g). The conventional beef cooking methods utilized in Kenya, namely boiling, simmering, and roasting attained endpoint core temperatures greater than 71.1°C that guarantee the required instant 5-log reduction of Salmonella and STEC without requiring a dwelling or holding time. The study concluded that the high-temperature long-time beef cooking methods practiced in Kenya together with the Kenyan consumer preference for very well-done beef could explain the almost negligible reporting of meat-borne pathogenic E. coli O157:H7 human infections or outbreaks. This study recommended the sensitization of meat consumers on potential hazards in meat, with emphasis on high-temperature long-time cooking methods that assure safety. Additionally, the study recommends Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and HACCP in slaughter operations that will guarantee meat safety and possibly render undercooked meat safe.

This study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of Lavandula angustifolia essential oil (LAEO) in vitro and in the vapor phase (in situ) against selected bacteria and yeasts, and against Escherichia coli in a sous-vide potato model, while characterizing its chemical composition. GC–MS identified 40 compounds covering 99.8% of the oil, dominated by linalyl acetate (37.4%) and linalool (34.3%). By disk diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration assays on six bacterial and five yeast strains, the best inhibition zone was observed for Bacillus subtilis (17.33 mm) and the lowest for Candida parapsilosis (6.67 mm); the most favorable MIC was for Candida glabrata (MIC₅₀ 0.533 mg/mL). In situ, the highest dose (500 μg/L) yielded the strongest effects on fruit models: B. subtilis inhibition 96.55% (strawberry) and Listeria monocytogenes 86.13% (banana). On vegetable models, the lowest dose (62.5 μg/L) was most effective, with 95.93% inhibition of E. coli on potato and 96.55% of Yersinia enterocolitica on radish. Kinetic growth experiments confirmed the potential of LAEO, particularly at elevated temperatures, to suppress E. coli. In the sous vide potato food model, counts were monitored on days 1 and 7; groups treated with LAEO showed the most pronounced inhibitory effects. Across the sous-vide potato model, MALDI-TOF profiling most frequently recovered members of Enterobacteriaceae and Pectobacteriaceae, with E. coli, Pectobacterium carotovora subsp. carotovora, and Bacillus licheniformis among the dominant taxa. Overall, the data support the antimicrobial potential of LAEO, with a matrix- and dose-dependent action in the vapor phase and a modest but measurable benefit in sous-vide potatoes, indicating promise as a natural preservative for plant-based foods and SV potatoes.

The use of biodegradable packaging for food preservation is a sustainable alternative for preserving perishable foods such as chicken fillet, which has a short shelf life even under refrigerated conditions. In this context, the present study aimed to develop biodegradable films incorporated with extracts from jatobá and pomegranate fruit peels for the preservation of chicken fillet at 4°C for 21 days. The chicken fillets were wrapped with films containing chitosan (CH) with or without jatobá extract (CHJE) or pomegranate extract (CHPE) and analyzed for weight loss, color, pH, lipid oxidation, and counts of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and molds and yeasts. Weight losses were obtained in fillets with films (41%, 154%, and 181% for samples with CH, CHJE and CHPE films, respectively than without film) than without film (696%). The films promoted a significant reduction in lipid oxidation and microbial degradation on chicken. The counts of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and molds and yeasts were reduced by up to 4.0 and 2.3 log CFU/g, respectively, in chicken with films containing extracts, especially the CHPE film; the shelf life was extended by 17 days compared to chicken without film (4 days). Considering the high perishability of chicken fillet, the results indicate that this environmentally friendly primary packaging can be applied to extend the product's shelf life under refrigerated storage conditions. Furthermore, these films only containing chitosan and low concentrations of jatobá or pomegranate peel extracts considerably extended the refrigerated storage of chicken fillets, when compared to other studies with films containing natural extracts (maximum of 12 days).

A significant challenge faced by food producers is ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality food that remains natural. One promising solution is replacing synthetic chemicals in food formulations with natural alternatives. This approach helps to reduce the dependence on artificial additives. Research focused on natural food preservatives, particularly those derived from plant-based sources with functional properties such as spices, has gained considerable momentum. Among these, the essential oil of Zingiber officinalis (ZOEO) stands out as a potential antimicrobial agent. The purpose of our study was to analyze the chemical composition of this essential oil, assess its antimicrobial properties in vitro, and evaluate its effectiveness against Bacillus subtilis. Through GC–MS analysis, 42 volatile compounds in ZOEO were identified. Among them, the major constituents included α-zingiberene (33.5%), ar-curcumene (14.8%), β-bisabolene (13.6%), and β-sesquiphellandrene (11.9%). For antimicrobial testing, the disc diffusion method was employed, with B. subtilis demonstrating an inhibition zone of 17.67 mm. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined as MIC₅₀ of 0.97 mg/mL and MIC₉₀ of 1.07 mg/mL. Next, we investigated the antimicrobial impact of ZOEO on B. subtilis inoculated on vacuum-packed beetroot and subjected to sous vide cooking. The results indicated that the combination of ZOEO and sous vide treatment significantly inhibited B. subtilis, offering a promising method to enhance the shelf life of beetroot. Additionally, based on MALDI-TOF MS Biotyper identification of isolates from beetroot samples, the predominant bacterial species were identified as Rahnella aquatilis and Pantoea agglomerans.