Category Archives: Pathogen

Research – Novel Methods for the Mitigation of Human Pathogens and Mycotoxin Contamination of High Value California Specialty Crops

Posted on January 6, 2024 by | Leave a comment

ARS USDA

Successful execution of these Objectives will contribute to field by: improving our knowledge of how microbial populations can affect and impact food safety and public health and delineating how pathogens are transmitted and disseminated in and among plant crops allowing for future development of improved/alternate interventions and control strategies

(Objectives 1-4); developing novel intervention strategies using sustainable, natural fungicide alternatives that eliminate aflatoxigenic fungi; enhancing our knowledge regarding the prevalence of azole-resistant aspergilli with enhanced aflatoxin production

(Objective 5); and developing novel methods to control invasive insect pests and reducing the need for the use of radioisotopes for irradiation

(Objective 6). These Objectives, if successful, will allow growers to produce a safer food supply and reduce the use of toxic chemicals (pesticides) and enhance environmental quality.

Objective 1: Identify and characterize agricultural soils that suppress the persistence of the human pathogenic bacteria Salmonella enterica, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7.

Objective 2: Examine the microbiomes, potential for human pathogen colonization, and effectiveness of biological control agents on lettuces grown in indoor vertical hydroponic systems.

Objective 3: Examine the effects of bacterial biocontrol candidate strains on population dynamics of black Aspergillus spp. on grapes and raisins.

Objective 4: Identification and utilization of antifungal metabolites from microbial sources as interventions. •

Sub-objective 4A: Identification of antifungal metabolites from candidate biocontrol bacteria collected from raisin grape vineyards. •

Sub-objective 4B: Isolation and characterization of bacteria with antifungal activities from pistachio orchards.

Objective 5: Development of resistance management augmenting fungal and mycotoxin elimination. •

Sub-objective 5A: Determine the prevalence of azole-resistant aspergilli (A. flavus, A. parasiticus) that produce increased levels of mycotoxins in California tree nut orchards. •

Sub-objective 5B: Develop new intervention strategies for the control of azole-resistant Aspergillus species utilizing natural products/derivatives as fungicide alternatives.

Objective 6: Investigate novel methods to address mycotoxin contamination of tree nuts through control of fungal and insect vectors. •

Sub-objective 6A: Evaluate X-ray based irradiation as an alternative to gamma irradiation for SIT. •

Sub-objective 6B: Investigate high pressure steam as a tool for orchard sanitation through destruction of overwintering NOW larvae in pistachio mummies.

Objective 7: The use of previously approved natural products as an accelerated chemical interventions strategy to inhibit food-associated mycotoxins, fungal pathogens, and their insect pest transmitters. •

Sub-objective 7A: Identify previously approved natural products that inhibit mycotoxins and fungal pathogens frequently found in food contaminations. •

Sub-objective 7B: Identify previously approved natural products that immunosuppress insect pests and increase their sensitivity to microbes.

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Aflatoxin B1, Alternaria Toxin, Animal Feed Aflatoxin, Animal Feed Mould Toxin, Aspergillus Toxin, Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Food Toxin, Fusarium Toxin, Mold Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, Ochratoxin, Ochratoxin A, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, Toxin

Canada – Factor brand Parmesan Pesto Chicken with Steamed Spinach, Roasted Green Beans & Grape Tomatoes may be unsafe due to undercooking – Microbial Contamination

Posted on December 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

CFIA

Product
Parmesan Pesto Chicken with Steamed Spinach, Roasted Green Beans & Grape Tomatoes
Issue
Food – Microbial Contamination – Other
What to do

Do not consume, use, sell, serve or distribute recalled products

Distribution
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Factor - Parmesan Pesto Chicken - 235 g - Bottom
Factor - Parmesan Pesto Chicken - 235g - Best Before Date
Factor - Parmesan Pesto Chicken - 325g - Bottom2
Factor - Parmesan Pesto Chicken - 325g - Front

The affected product is being recalled from the marketplace due to undercooking.  Undercooked food may contain bacterial pathogens which can make you sick.

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Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Pathogen, pathogenic, Pet Food Recall, product recall, Recall

Research – Scientists look into Listeria risk in Costa Rica and Ecuador

Posted on December 24, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

According to researchers, mandatory reporting of Listeria infections in Costa Rica would help improve knowledge of the pathogen in the country.

Listeriosis is not a notifiable disease in the country, so its prevalence is unknown, and the diversity of Listeria monocytogenes circulating is unclear.

Previous studies found Listeria monocytogenes in various foods in Costa Rica, with contamination levels between 5 and 20 percent in processed meat products and fresh cheeses.

Researchers used whole genome sequencing (WGS) to characterize 92 isolates recovered from 2009 to 2019 from 16 clinical, 67 food, and nine production environment samples.

Isolates were from urban areas, including the capital city, San José, and from rural zones where cheese production is prevalent, including Turrialba, which accounts for 70 percent of fresh cheese made in the country.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Listeria, Listeria in Cheese, Listeria monocytogenes, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, WGS

Research – Machine learning is set to speed up the detection of contamination in food factories

Posted on December 16, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Techcrunch

The factories that process our food and beverages (newsflash: no, it doesn’t come straight from a farm) have to be kept very clean, or we’d all get very ill, to be blunt. Ensuring that usually entails deploying petri-dish-based microbiological monitoring, hardware and waiting for tests to return from labs. A new startup has plans to use deep-learning algorithms to speed up this process.

Spore.Bio is a French startup that has developed a new pathogen-detection methodology. It works by shining an optical light on surfaces where clean food has been, and doing the same with unclean food. It then compares the two datasets to detect when a surface is not clean.

Off the back of this solution, it’s now raised €8 million in pre-seed funding led by London’s LocalGlobe VC. Also participating was EmergingTech Ventures, No Label Ventures, Famille C (Clarins Family Office), Better Angle, Plug & Play Ventures, Entrepreneur First, Kima Ventures, Raise Sherpas, Fair Equity, Sharpstone Capital and angels.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Safety Management, food safety training, Food Technology, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research

USA – FDA Advises Restaurants and Retailers Not to Serve or Sell and Consumers Not to Eat Chopped Clams Illegally Harvested in Massachusetts and Distributed by Red’s Best

Posted on December 13, 2023 by | Leave a comment

FDA

Audience
Restaurants and food retailers in Connecticut (CT), Massachusetts (MA), New York (NY), and Rhode Island (RI) that have recently purchased Red’s Best chopped clams, labeled as lot numbers # 331 and # 333, with shuck dates of 23/331 and 23/333. These clams were illegally harvested from prohibited waters in MA on 11/25/2023 and 11/26/2023.
Consumers in CT, MA, NY, and RI who have recently purchased or consumed Red’s Best chopped clams, labeled as lot numbers # 331 and # 333, with shuck dates of 23/331 and 23/333, that were illegally harvested from prohibited waters in MA on 11/25/2023 and 11/26/2023.
Product
Red’s Best chopped clams illegally harvested from prohibited waters in MA on 11/25/2023 and 11/26/2023 and distributed to CT, MA, NY, and RI. It is possible that chopped clams may have been distributed to other states as well. These chopped clams can be identified by lot numbers # 331 and # 333, with shuck dates of 23/331 and 23/333 and harvest area mhb4, packed by 13027 ma-sp. All chopped clams were packed in one-gallon (8 lbs) plastic containers with “Red’s Best” printed on the sidewall. Both the lot number and shuck date should be printed on a decal label adhered to either the lid or sidewall of each container.

Purpose
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers not to eat, and restaurants and food retailers not to sell, and to dispose of Red’s Best chopped clams illegally harvested from prohibited waters in MA on 11/25/2023 and 11/26/2023 with lot numbers # 331 and # 333, and shuck dates of 23/331 and 23/333, because they may be contaminated. The chopped clams were directly distributed to distributors and retailers in CT, MA, NY, and RI and may have been distributed further from these states.

Clams harvested illegally may be contaminated with human pathogens, toxic elements or poisonous or deleterious substances and can cause illness if consumed. Clams are filter feeders that remove and bioaccumulate bacteria and other pathogens from the water. It is not uncommon for shellfish to be consumed raw and whole. Contaminated clams can cause illness if eaten raw, particularly in people with compromised immune systems. Clams contaminated with pathogens may look, smell, and taste normal.

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Posted in bacterial contamination, Contaminated water, cross contamination, Decontamination Microbial, food contamination, Food Pathogen, food recall, Pathogen, pathogenic, product recall, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety

Research – Lightning sparks scientists’ design of ultraviolet-C device for food sanitization

Posted on December 10, 2023 by | Leave a comment

News Illinois

Scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a portable, self-powered ultraviolet-C device called the Tribo-sanitizer that can inactivate two of the bacteria responsible for many foodborne illnesses and deaths.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Food Technology, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, Technology, UV Microbiology, UV-C

Research – Effect of Different Pre-Growth Temperatures on the Survival Kinetics of Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes in Fresh-Cut Salad during Refrigerated Storage

Posted on December 3, 2023 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

The effect of the pre-growth temperature of bacterial cultures on their subsequent survival kinetics in fresh-cut produce during refrigerated storage was investigated in this study. Three-strain cocktails of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica, cultured at different growth temperatures (4, 21, and 37 °C) were inoculated on fresh-cut mixed salad and on individual produce in the mixed salad. The inoculated samples were stored at 4 °C and 80 ± 2% relative humidity (RH) for up to 72 h and the growth, survival, or death kinetics were determined at regular intervals. The results indicate that depending upon the type of pathogen tested, the pre-growth temperature(s) and the type of produce showed a significant (p ≤ 0.05) effect on the survival kinetics. Among the tested produce, mixed salad showed the highest reduction in L. monocytogenes pre-grown at 37 °C (1.33 log CFU/g) followed by red cabbage (0.56 log CFU/g), iceberg lettuce (0.52 log CFU/g), and carrot (−0.62 log CFU/g), after 72 h, respectively. In the case of Salmonella, carrot showed the highest reduction (1.07 log CFU/g for 37 °C pre-grown culture) followed by mixed salad (0.78 log CFU/g for 37 °C pre-grown culture), cabbage (0.76 log CFU/g for 21 °C pre-grown culture), and lettuce (0.65 log CFU/g for 4 °C pre-grown culture), respectively. Among the tested ComBase predictive models, the Baranyi–Roberts model better fitted the experimental data. These findings indicate that the appropriate selection of pre-growth environmental conditions is critical to better understand the kinetics of foodborne pathogens.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, Salmonella

Research – The Impact of High Temperature on Microbial Communities in Pork and Duck Skin

Posted on December 2, 2023 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

Pork skin and duck skin are highly favored by consumers in China, and high-temperature processing methods are widely employed in cooking and food preparation. However, the influence of high-temperature treatment on the microbial communities within pork skin and duck skin remains unclear. In this study, a high-temperature treatment method simulating the cooking process was utilized to treat samples of pork skin and duck skin at temperatures ranging from 60 °C to 120 °C. The findings revealed that high-temperature treatment significantly altered the microbial communities in both pork skin and duck skin. Heat exposure resulted in a decrease in microbial diversity and induced changes in the relative abundance of specific microbial groups. In pork skin, high-temperature treatment led to a reduction in bacterial diversity and a decline in the relative abundance of specific bacterial taxa. Similarly, the relative abundance of microbial communities in duck skin also decreased. Furthermore, potential pathogenic bacteria, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as aerobic, anaerobic, and facultative anaerobic bacteria, exhibited different responses to high-temperature treatment in pork skin and duck skin. These findings highlighted the substantial impact of high-temperature processing on the composition and structure of microbial communities in pork skin and duck skin, potentially influencing food safety and quality. This study contributed to an enhanced understanding of the microbial mechanisms underlying the alterations in microbial communities during high-temperature processing of pork skin and duck skin, with significant implications for ensuring food safety and developing effective cooking techniques.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research

Research – Control of Salmonella in Chicken Meat by a Phage Cocktail in Combination with Propionic Acid and Modified Atmosphere Packaging

Posted on November 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

Salmonella contamination in poultry meat is an important food safety issue as this pathogen can lead to serious illness and economic losses worldwide. In poultry meat processing, a variety of strong bacteriostatic agents has been introduced for controlling Salmonella including bacteriophages (phages), organic acids, and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). In our study, two selected phages including vB_SenM_P7 and vB_SenP_P32 were used in combination with propionic acid (PA) and MAP for controlling Salmonella of multiple serovars on chicken meat under storage at 4 °C. The two phages showed strong lytic activity against over 72 serovars of Salmonella tested (25.0 to 80.6%). Phages, vB_SenM_P7 and vB_SenP_P32 showed 40% and 60% survival rates, respectively, after the exposure to temperatures up to 70 °C. Both phages remained active, with nearly 100% survival at a wide range of pH (2 to 12) and 15% NaCl (w/v). The available chlorine up to 0.3% (v/v) led to a phage survival rate of 80–100%. A combination of Salmonella phage cocktail and 0.5% PA could reduce Salmonella counts in vitro by 4 log CFU/mL on day 3 whereas a phage cocktail and 0.25% PA showed a 4-log reduction on day 5 during storage at 4 °C. For the phage treatment alone, a 0.3-log reduction of Salmonella was observed on day 1 of storage at 4 °C. In the chicken meat model, treatment by a phage cocktail and PA at both concentrations in MAP conditions resulted in a complete reduction of Salmonella cells (4–5 log unit/g) on day 2 of storage whereas each single treatment under MAP conditions showed a complete cell reduction on day 4. For the meat sensory evaluation, chicken meat treated with a phage cocktail-PA (0.5%) in MAP condition showed the highest preference scores, suggesting highly acceptability and satisfactory. These findings suggest that a combined treatment using a phage cocktail and PA in MAP conditions effectively control Salmonella in poultry meat during storage at low temperature to improve the quality and safety of food.

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Posted in Bacteriophage, Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Modified Atmosphere Packaging, Pathogen, pathogenic, Phage, Research, Salmonella

Research – Microbial Pathogens in Aquaponics Potentially Hazardous for Human Health

Posted on November 25, 2023 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

The union of aquaculture and hydroponics is named aquaponics—a system where microorganisms, fish and plants coexist in a water environment. Bacteria are essential in processes which are fundamental for the functioning and equilibrium of aquaponic systems. Such processes are nitrification, extraction of various macro- and micronutrients from the feed leftovers and feces, etc. However, in aquaponics there are not only beneficial, but also potentially hazardous microorganisms of fish, human, and plant origin. It is important to establish the presence of human pathogens, their way of entering the aforementioned systems, and their control in order to assess the risk to human health when consuming plants and fish grown in aquaponics. Literature analysis shows that aquaponic bacteria and yeasts are mainly pathogenic to fish and humans but rarely to plants, while most of the molds are pathogenic to humans, plants, and fish. Since the various human pathogenic bacteria and fungi found in aquaponics enter the water when proper hygiene practices are not applied and followed, if these requirements are met, aquaponic systems are a good choice for growing healthy fish and plants safe for human consumption. However, many of the aquaponic pathogens are listed in the WHO list of drug-resistant bacteria for which new antibiotics are urgently needed, making disease control by antibiotics a real challenge. Because pathogen control by conventional physical methods, chemical methods, and antibiotic treatment is potentially harmful to humans, fish, plants, and beneficial microorganisms, a biological control with antagonistic microorganisms, phytotherapy, bacteriophage therapy, and nanomedicine are potential alternatives to these methods.

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Posted in Food Microbiology Research, Food Pathogen, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research