Journal of Food Safety最新文献

This systematic review (SR) and meta-analysis integrates the results of studies on the occurrence of staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE), the knowledge related to the profile of the foods most often involved, and the types of SE found. The study followed the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for SR and Meta-Analyses, and its protocol was registered on the PROSPERO platform (CRD42021258223). Primary cross-sectional studies that report the analysis of SEs in food contaminated by Staphylococcus spp. were selected. All stages of study selection and data extraction were performed by two researchers independently, and in cases of conflicts, a third researcher was consulted. To assess the risk of bias, we used the critical appraisal checklist of the Joanna Briggs Institute. A total of 3012 reports were listed initially and 217 after the search update. After removing the duplicates, 2535 studies were found combining all databases and manual searches. Thus, 38 studies were included in this SR. In the meta-analysis, group 1 (dairy products) showed a prevalence of positive samples for SE of 15.38%, group 2 (meat products) 1.78% and group 3 (other foods) 27.11%. The results showed a considerable prevalence of SE in food contaminated by Staphylococcus spp., especially in group 3, which included mixed and ready-to-eat foods. This SR contributes to the study of the epidemiological profile and highlights the importance of adopting more effective prevention measures and policies aimed at improving public health.

Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus are common pathogens that cause foodborne illnesses. Currently, the detection of these pathogens involves time-consuming procedures, namely isolation, cultivation, and biochemical identification, making it impossible for on-site real-time testing. In this study, we developed a compact hand-held real-time fluorescent nucleic acid testing device and specific lyophilized reagents to achieve rapid detection of Salmonella and S. aureus within 30 min. The detection sensitivity was 100 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL for Salmonella and 125 CFU/mL for S. aureus. This technique significantly reduced the detection time compared with the traditional cultivation method. Even at low initial concentrations of 5 CFU/mL for Salmonella and 15 CFU/mL for S. aureus, it demonstrated superior performance compared with traditional cultivation, detecting the target bacteria more than 2 days earlier than that method. Notably, we achieved 100% in the detection of Salmonella and S. aureus using spiked pastry samples. In addition, the proposed detection system exhibited excellent specificity when tested against 27 bacterial strains. In conclusion, the proposed nucleic acid detection system provides a viable, miniaturized solution for rapid detection of bacteria.

To ensure that food has been handled hygienically, manufacturers routinely examine the numbers of indicator bacteria, such as coliforms and Escherichia coli. Using the deep-learning algorithm YOLO, we developed a classifier that automatically counts the number of coliforms (red colonies) and E. coli (blue colonies) on a chromogenic agar plate. Using Citrobacter freundii IAM 12471^T and E. coli NBRC 3301, we trained our YOLO-based classifier with images of Petri dishes grown with each strain alone (10 images) and/or with a mixture of both strains (5 images). When the performance of the classifier was evaluated using 83 images, the accuracy rates for coliforms and E. coli reached 99.4% and 99.5%, respectively. We then investigated whether this classifier could detect other, non-trained coliform species (22 species) and E. coli strains (13 strains). The accuracy rates for coliforms and E. coli were 98.7% (90 Petri dishes) and 94.1% (46 Petri dishes), respectively. Furthermore, we verified the practical feasibility of the developed classifier using 38 meats (chicken, pork, and beef). The accuracy rates for coliforms and E. coli in meat isolates were 98.8% (80 Petri dishes) and 93.8% (35 Petri dishes), respectively. The time required to count coliforms/E. coli on a single plate was ~70 ms. This novel method should enable users to rapidly quantify coliforms/E. coli without relying on a human inspector's color vision, leading to improved assurance of food safety.

In recent decades, the consumption of tea has increased due to its various associated health benefits, prompting growing concerns regarding the safety and quality of tea products. Nevertheless, there has been a significant dearth of scientific information regarding the microbiological status of black tea leaves. This study sought to bridge this knowledge gap by investigating the microflora present in tea leaves at various processing stages of black tea production. Samples were meticulously collected during distinct processing steps, and their culturable microorganisms were identified through sequence-based methods. The results revealed that the predominant bacterial genus throughout the tea manufacturing process was Bacillus, constituting a substantial 77% of the identified bacterial population. Other leading genera included Klebsiella (8%), Lysinibacillus (4%), Escherichia (2%) with the remaining 9% comprising various other genera. Among the fungal community, Aspergillus and Penicillium species exhibited a significantly higher relative abundance, each comprising 24%. Furthermore, yeast communities included Debaryomyces, Candida, Hyphopichia, Rhodosporidiobolus, and Wickerhamomyces species. Lactobacillus fermentum was identified in the fermented tea leaves, highlighting its role in the fermentation process. Yeasts and molds were also present in the final tea product, indicating potential post-processing contamination. The study did not detect any mycotoxins in any of the samples. These findings had indicated that presence of some microorganisms is extremely common in different processing stages while alien microorganisms are being introduced during manufacturing. Thus, emphasizing the need for stringent regulations and quality assurance practices within the tea industry to ensure the safety and quality.

The consumption of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, has increased for the last decades for a healthy life and an adequate diet, but concerns regarding the microbial safety of them have been raised. The present study was conducted to develop predictive models for Salmonella spp. in grated carrots. The results showed that Salmonella spp. did not display growth at 5°C, but it grew in grated carrots at other temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25, and 37°C) for both inoculum levels. Also, the inoculum levels affected the growth of this pathogen in grated carrots when the storage temperatures ranged from 15 to 25°C. The theoretical minimum temperatures calculated using the Huang model were 3.48 and 5.79°C for inoculum levels of 10¹ and 10² CFU/g, respectively. The primary and secondary models performed well in terms of agreement between experimental and estimated values. Furthermore, compared to the Ratkowsky model, the theoretical minimum temperature was given a more reasonable value using the Huang model. The models developed in the present study will be a useful input for future quantitative microbial risk assessment to appraise the proliferation of Salmonella spp. in grated carrots throughout the production process, storage, and distribution.

In the poultry industry, the evisceration stage often sees the highest microbial load on chicken carcasses. While manual trimming has traditionally been employed to remove gastrointestinal contamination, Brazilian legislation allows the use of a carcass washing system as an alternative. This study aimed to establish and validate a protocol for the use of a chicken carcass washing system as a replacement for manual trimming in a major poultry processing facility in southern Brazil. The methodology followed international standards for microbial analysis such as total mesophilic counts and Enterobacteriaceae. Comparing contamination levels before and after treatments, significant reductions are seen. Manual trimming reduced contamination by 39.43% (gastric), 53% (fecal), and 50% (biliary). Washing achieved greater reductions, with a 96.37% drop in gastric contamination and complete elimination (100%) of fecal contamination. These results met statistical significance. Both procedures reduced contamination levels. Manual trimming maintained 50% of samples below the mean value without exceeding upper control limits (UCL). Washing increased the percentage of samples below the mean value from 46% to 54%, demonstrating its superior efficiency. For Enterobacteriaceae, trimming maintained 44% of samples below the mean value, and washing increased it from 46% to 48%. In conclusion, the carcass washing system effectively removes visible gastrointestinal contents, meeting regulatory standards and receiving authorization from the Federal Inspection Service for use in the facility.

Human activity has led to microplastic contamination throughout the marine environment. As a result of widespread contamination, microplastics are ingested by many species of wildlife, including fish, cephalopods, and shellfish. Taiwan is surrounded by oceans that offer a rich range of seafood. Taiwanese residents can easily acquire seafood as a source of dietary protein. A recent research project by Greenpeace shows that the Taiwanese eat 16,000 microplastic particles per year. There is concern regarding microplastic physical and chemical toxicity, which poses potential health risks to the local community via food chains. Thus, monitoring microplastic contamination in seafood is imperative to provide helpful information for the government and local communities. Efforts should be taken to reduce microplastic pollution at the source to minimize potential effects on ecological and health safety. This review article emphasizes the urgent need for further research on microplastic pollution in Taiwan, highlights the potential challenges to mitigate this emerging environmental threat, and analyzes food safety hazards as well as microplastic contamination in seafood.

Cleaning up biocontamination from surfaces is a critical aspect of maintaining a hygienic environment. Traditional cleaning methods often fall short when it comes to eliminating persistent biofilms and resilient bacteria. In recent years, alternative approaches utilizing antibiofilm enzymes, bacteriophages, essential oils (EOs), antibacterial peptides, and biosurfactants have emerged as promising strategies to combat biocontamination. This article explores the efficiency of these agents in targeting and eradicating biofilms, highlighting their mechanisms of action and potential applications. By leveraging the unique properties of these materials, we can enhance cleaning practices and improve public health outcomes by effectively eliminating biocontamination from various surfaces.

We assessed the antimicrobial activity of extracts prepared with four solvents (hexane, acetone, ethanol, water) from 45 medicinal plants used in Bangladesh. Food pathogenic bacteria (Gram-positive: Bacillus cereus, Listeria innocua, Streptococcus faecalis, and Gram-negative: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica, and Shigella sonnei) were tested using a broth microdilution method. The extraction yield was highest (26%) for the water extract of Carica papaya and lowest (0.4%) for the acetone extract of Cynodon dactylon. In general, acetone extracts exhibited much more antibacterial activity than those obtained with the other three solvents (hexane, ethanol, and water). Gram-positive bacteria were more sensitive than Gram-negatives. Streptococcus faecalis was the most susceptible to inhibition by examined extracts, whereas E. coli and P. aeruginosa were the most resistant. Most inhibitory concentration-50 (IC₅₀) values ranged between 101 and 500 μg/mL (64 extracts, 35.5%), followed by the range of 501–1000 μg/mL (40 extracts, 22.2%). Based on IC₅₀, the most effective plants were three species of Piper (Piper nigrum, Piper betle, and Piper chaba), followed by Nigella sativa, Psidium guajava, Syzygium cumini, C. dactylon, and Phyllanthus emblica. In addition, the toxicity of chosen extracts against normal and malignant cell lines was tested; the most effective extracts were toxic against the human lung carcinoma cell line A549, but less toxic against the human Caucasian foetal lung cell line WI26VA4. These findings suggest that some plant extracts could be employed to treat food-borne bacterial infections, or as herbal preservatives in the food sector.

Resveratrol butyrate esters (RBEs) are novel resveratrol (RSV) derivatives synthesized by esterification with butyric acid. In addition, ED2 (3,4′-di-O-butanoylresveratrol) and ED4 (3-O-butanoylresveratrol) in different structural monomers of RBEs have been shown as abundant cellular antioxidants. Therefore, this study was performed to apply RSV and its esterified derivatives in the manufacturing and preservation of Chinese sausage, investigated these ingredients' impact on the sausage's physicochemical properties and changes during storage, and evaluated the feasibility of minimizing sodium nitrite's use in sausage production. This study showed that a high dose (500 ppm) of ED2 and ED4 (with the added 25 mg/kg of sodium nitrite) were effective in maintaining the color of sausages and extending the shelf-life for at least 30 days in refrigerated storage, which was consistent with 150 mg/kg sodium nitrite. Altogether, ED2 or ED4 can potentially reduce sodium nitrite usage by 83% while preventing lipid oxidation and antimicrobial effects, thereby effectively maintaining sausage product stability. Hence, RBEs facilitate the development of natural functional food additives that provide antioxidant benefits products for all ages of people, namely widely used in any processed food that requires antioxidant functionality or as dietary supplements.