Journal of Food Safety最新文献

The assurance of food safety is paramount, especially concerning ready-to-drink products like milk tea. This research sought to gauge the safety perceptions of both student and office worker demographics towards this beverage using a combination of direct and online surveys. The data reveals that 84.6% of respondents express significant concerns about hygiene and safety standards within milk tea consumption. A substantial portion of these consumers indicates a willingness to expend between 2-4 USD per serving. Alarmingly, analyses of several popular milk tea brands have identified considerable concentrations of pathogenic microorganisms: Coliform counts were observed at 10⁸, E. Coli at 10¹⁰, Pseudomonas at 10⁸, and Salmonella at 10⁴ (CFU/mL). A primary suspected avenue of this microbiological contamination appears to be ice, which exhibits levels exceeding nationally stipulated safety thresholds.

Low-energy X-rays can be used to reduce the number of pathogenic microorganisms in fresh produce, but the efficacy of this process against internalized bacteria in leafy greens has not yet been reported. The leaves of iceberg lettuce were cut into pieces and subjected to vacuum perfusion to force the foodborne pathogen cells into the intercellular spaces within the leaves. Sodium hypochlorite (200–400 ppm) washes were not effective in inactivating internalized bacterial cells from lettuce leaves. In contrast, treatment with 1.5 kGy low-energy X-rays reduced Escherichia coli O157: H7, Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes levels by 6.89, 4.48, and 3.22 log CFU/g, respectively. Additionally, the maximum dose of X-rays did not adversely affect the color or texture of lettuce. These results suggest that low-energy X-ray treatment can be used to control internalized and surface-adhering pathogens in leafy vegetables without affecting product quality.

Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) and Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) are the most commonly reported serotypes detected for the occurrence of Salmonellosis through foodborne transmission in recent years. In this study, a phagomagnetic separation in combination with qPCR (PhMS-qPCR) based on phage T102 as a recognition element was developed for rapid enrichment and detection of Salmonella in dairy products. Phage T102 was coated onto magnetic beads for capturing Salmonella from samples through magnetic separation, with a capture efficiency of ~90% demonstrated. During the subsequent qPCR process, captured Salmonella was identified by detecting the OmpC gene, and specific sdf and STM4495 genes to further distinguish the serotypes of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) and Salmonella Typhimurium (ST), respectively. The whole procedure can be performed in 2.5 h with a low detection limit of 10 CFU/mL in PBS. Subsequently, this detection strategy was successfully applied for the detection of Salmonella and serotype identification in spiked milk samples. This cell separation and detection system offers a promising alternative for rapid and accurate detection of Salmonella or Salmonella spp.

Microbial contamination in cooked rice-based foods poses a global concern due to rice's widespread consumption. This review aims to consolidate information on harmful microorganisms associated with such foods from various countries and their adverse effects on consumers. Additionally, it explores the reported causes of microbial contamination in cooked rice-based dishes and proposes an intervention strategy for safer consumption. The findings highlight that ready-to-eat cooked rice-based foods may harbor unsafe levels of microorganisms like Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Aspergillus spp. A recommended solution is the application of microwave pasteurization. This method involves cooking rice in pasteurized packaging, minimizing human contact, and effectively controlling harmful microorganisms. Microwave pasteurization emerges as a promising approach to ensure the safe consumption of cooked rice-based foods by reducing microbial contamination levels.

This study aimed to explore the antibacterial activity and mechanism of chitosan-caffeic acid graft (CS-g-CA) against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The minimum inhibitory concentration of CS-g-CA against S. aureus was assessed. The results of scanning electron microscope and confocal laser scanning microscope showed that CS-g-CA treatment could destroy the cell morphology and cause the leakage of intracellular contents, leading to bacteria death. The changes of superoxide dismutase, catalase, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and lipid peroxidation indicated that CS-g-CA stimulated the oxidative stress system of the cell, which further induced the generation of ROS, aggravated the accumulation of lipid peroxide, and destroyed the structure of the inner membrane. The electrophoresis results showed that the DNA of bacteria treated with CS-g-CA was broken led to the death of microorganisms. Overall, CS-g-CA has the potential to be a substitute for new bio-preservative with bacteriostatic effects in food industry.

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used for the rapid quantification of multiple mycotoxins, specifically aflatoxins B₁, B₂, G₁, and G₂ (AFB₁, AFB₂, AFG₁, and AFG₂), ochratoxin A (OTA), deoxynivalenol (DON), and zearalenone (ZEN), in walnuts, pistachios, peanuts, coffee beans, rice, and chickpeas from various countries. Total counts of fungi, Aspergillus flavus, and Aspergillus parasiticus were also assessed, along with the effectiveness of a decontamination treatment with inorganic selenium to reduce mycotoxin levels. Of the 78 samples tested, 69% were contaminated with mycotoxins. ZEN, the predominant mycotoxin contaminant, was detected in all the contaminated samples in concentrations often exceeding the maximum level, followed by AFG₁ (28% of the contaminated samples), DON (22%), AFG₂ (11%), and AFB₁ (5.5%). The occurrence of aflatoxins was associated with high proportions of A. flavus and A. parasiticus. Complete removal of AFB₁ from walnuts and DON from roasted coffee beans was achieved by treatment with aqueous selenium, while the levels of ZEN and AFG₁ were respectively lowered by 65% to 89% depending on the commodity and by about 56% in roasted coffee beans. While this novel treatment is a promising approach for mycotoxin decontamination, it is not intended to replace safe practices upstream.

Food is necessary for survival, and contamination can shorten humans' lives on Earth in all dimensions. Real-time screening of food pollutants, such as toxins, infectious agents, and chemical contaminants, is in high demand today. Thus, a cost-effective and ecologically benign technology must be developed to detect food contamination in a rapid fashion. Nanoparticle (NP)-based paper sensors are one of the most important alternatives to traditional methods because these are simple, inexpensive, highly selective, and sensitive tools. This article provides an overview of NP-based paper sensor techniques for detecting toxic food contaminants.

Apple juice samples were treated by pulsed electric field (PEF) alone and in combination with cinnamon essential oils (CEO) at 0.0005, 0.003, and 0.06 μL mL⁻¹ concentrations as a function of treatment time. Results revealed 11 different compounds with the highest concentrations of 44.79% 3-propenal 3-phenyl, 34.98% trans-cinnamaldehyde, and 10.18% 4-propenal 3-phenyl in CEO. pH and total soluble solids of the apple juice samples significantly decreased; whereas total phenolic substance content of the samples significantly increased by added CEO. The same process parameters caused 3.26 ± 0.19 and 3.83 ± 0.16 log reductions on TAMB and TMY, revealing no detectable numbers after PEF treatment. Similarly, maximum 5.13 and 3.87 log reductions on Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes were obtained on 0.06 μL mL⁻¹ CEO added samples treated after 604 μs. Moreover, increased CEO concentration, when treatment time was constant, caused significantly more microbial inactivation. Increase in treatment time resulted in an incline on ΔH of the samples. Response optimization revealed that 604 μs treatment time and 0.06 μL mL⁻¹ concentration were the optimal treatment parameters with 0.63 composite desirability.

The meat processing industry was negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The unique conditions in meat processing plants (MPPs) were recognized to have the potential to increase SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Should SARS-CoV-2 persist for extended periods in these built environments, this may contribute to increased risk of virus transmission. To test this hypothesis, SARS-CoV-2 persistence was assessed in conditions reflective of a MPP. Different biotic/abiotic materials were inoculated with SARS-CoV-2 and recovery of viable virus measured over time. Findings showed it was possible to recover SARS-CoV-2 from beef, pork, and salmon for at least 22 days at −20°C and for at least 12 days at +4°C. SARS-CoV-2 recovery from salmon scales and salmon flesh was similar, but viable virus recovered from pork fat was significantly reduced compared to pork meat. In parallel, foods purchased from Irish supermarkets during a COVID-19 wave were contemporaneously tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA but none of the samples tested positive by RT-qPCR. Viable SARS-CoV-2 can be inactivated on food or abiotic surfaces by incubation at 56°C or 75°C but fomite transmission during MPP outbreaks cannot be ruled out due to the recovery of SARS-CoV-2 from stainless steel and work clothing fabric for up to 10 h under representative conditions. These data support a multilayered approach to reducing the risk of airborne infections such as SARS-CoV-2 that should include mitigations such as increased ventilation, mask wearing, and the disinfection of work surfaces to reduce the amount of SARS-CoV-2 in the meat processing plant environment.

The demand for healthier products by consumers has prompted research into the use of essential oils (EOs), which are known for their antimicrobial properties. This study investigated the antimicrobial properties of EOs as a potential alternative to synthetic preservatives, specifically, cinnamon, clove, and oregano EOs, as well as their majority compounds (cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, and carvacrol) on Clostridium sporogenes inoculated in hams. The findings of the study revealed that cinnamon EO and its major compound cinnamaldehyde were the most efficient in inhibiting the growth of C. sporogenes, demonstrating the lowest minimum bactericidal concentration MBC (0.1%). The combination of oregano EO, cinnamon EO, cinnamaldehyde, and carvacrol led to a significant decrease in bacterial growth (approximately 3 log) after 28 days in hams. Furthermore, the presence of spores was not observed for 14 days (at 14°C) and 21 days (at 7°C) of storage, indicating a delay in sporulation. The treatments using the combination of EOs, and their major compounds had minimal impact on the color of the hams while maintaining the physicochemical characteristics of the product. This study demonstrates that EOs and their major compounds can be applied as natural preservatives in ham, offering a potential alternative for reducing the use of nitrites in various food types. The research emphasizes the antibacterial efficacy of cinnamon, clove, and oregano EOs, along with their major compounds, in inhibiting C. sporogenes in ham. The findings indicate that these natural alternatives could be valuable in preserving food products and reducing the reliance on synthetic preservatives.