Category Archives: Sulphite Reducing Clostridia

Research – Detection of Clostridium botulinum in Some Egyptian Fish Products, Its Control In Vitro Using Citrus Leaves Extracts, and Applicability of Citrus limon Leaf Extract in Tuna

Posted on April 1, 2023 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

kswfoodworld

Abstract

This study aims to detect Clostridium botulinum and its control using natural leaf extracts of Citrus limon, Citrus sinensis, and Citrus unshiu in Egyptian fish products, e.g., canned tuna, canned sardine, canned mackerel, fesikh, moloha, and renga, as well the application of C. limon in tuna. Moreover, the antibacterial activity of the C. limon leaf extract was also estimated. In the water extract, ascorbic acid, total flavonoid content (TFC), and total phenolic content (TPC) were determined by volumetric, aluminum chloride, and Folin–Ciocalteu approaches, respectively. The antioxidant ability of the extract was analyzed in vitro via free radical scavenging (DPPH) and Ferric reducing assays. The results showed variability in the distribution of the total number of positive C. botulinum in fish samples from three different governorates under study, which were (24) Alexandria, (16) Beheira, and (17) Gharbia, out of the 120 tested samples in each governorate. Additionally, the findings revealed that all three Citrus extracts contain an appropriate number of secondary metabolites, with a sustainable presence of saponin and tannins in the C. limon extract. Furthermore, all Citrus extracts inhibited bacterial growth by increasing the inhibition zone, with C. limon being the best extract (25 mm) compared to C. sinensis and C. unshiu. The overall results showed the high antioxidant and anti-Clostridium powers (p < 0.05) of C. limon leaf extract, indicating its preservative activity in fishery products during storage. Finally, C. limon leaf extract can fight off C. botulinum and is considered a promising natural preservation candidate in ensuring safe and fresh fishery products.

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Posted in Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Sulphite Reducing Clostridia

Research – Clostridial Neurotoxins: Structure, Function and Implications to Other Bacterial Toxins

Posted on October 30, 2021 by | Leave a comment

MDPI

Gram-positive bacteria are ancient organisms. Many bacteria, including Gram-positive bacteria, produce toxins to manipulate the host, leading to various diseases. While the targets of Gram-positive bacterial toxins are diverse, many of those toxins use a similar mechanism to invade host cells and exert their functions. Clostridial neurotoxins produced by Clostridial tetani and Clostridial botulinum provide a classical example to illustrate the structure–function relationship of bacterial toxins. Here, we critically review the recent progress of the structure–function relationship of clostridial neurotoxins, including the diversity of the clostridial neurotoxins, the mode of actions, and the flexible structures required for the activation of toxins. The mechanism clostridial neurotoxins use for triggering their activity is shared with many other Gram-positive bacterial toxins, especially molten globule-type structures. This review also summarizes the implications of the molten globule-type flexible structures to other Gram-positive bacterial toxins. Understanding these highly dynamic flexible structures in solution and their role in the function of bacterial toxins not only fills in the missing link of the high-resolution structures from X-ray crystallography but also provides vital information for better designing antidotes against those toxins. View Full-Text

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Posted in Bacterial Toxin, Biotoxin, Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium difficile, Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium Sulphite Reducer, Enterotoxin, Exotoxin, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Research, Sulphite Reducing Clostridia

Italy – Vegetable soup – Sulphite Reducing Bacteria

Posted on July 6, 2021 by | Leave a comment

Salute

Brand : Le Delizie Emiliane

Name : Vegetable soup

Reason for reporting : Recall due to microbiological risk

Publication date : 5 July 2021

Click to access C_17_PubblicazioneRichiami_1240_azione_itemAzione0_files_itemFiles0_fileAzione.pdf

Documentation

Documentation

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Posted in Clostridium Sulphite Reducer, food contamination, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Sulphite Reducing Clostridia

RASFF Alert – Sulphite Reducing Clostridia – Sheep Casings

Posted on December 31, 2020 by | Leave a comment

European Food Alerts

RASFF

Clostridium sulphite reducer (up to 72000 CFU/g) in sheep casings from Iran it Italy

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Posted in Clostridium, Clostridium Sulphite Reducer, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, RASFF, Sulphite Reducing Clostridia

Research – Detection of Psychrophilic Clostridium spp. Causing “Blown Pack” Spoilage in Meat Juice Samples from Chilled Vacuum-Packed Beef and Lamb Meat Imported from Different Countries to Switzerland

Posted on January 6, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Journal of Food Protection

ABSTRACT

“Blown pack” spoilage (BPS) of chilled vacuum-packed meat is mainly caused by anaerobic and psychrophilic Clostridium spp., including C. estertheticum, C. gasigenes, C. frigoriphilum, and C. frigidicarnis. Recently, its occurrence has been reported in several countries, especially in internationally traded meat. Therefore, this study aimed at detecting the occurrence of psychrophilic Clostridium spp. causing BPS in meat juice samples (MJS) from chilled vacuum-packed beef and lamb meat imported from other countries to Switzerland. One hundred fifty-four MJS (n = 78 from beef; n = 76 from lamb meat) were screened for psychrophilic Clostridium spp. by quantitative PCR, whereby MJS with a crossing point PCR cycle value <35 and >35 were considered positive and negative, respectively. Psychrophilic Clostridium spp. were detected in 10 MJS, of which 2 were from beef and 8 were from lamb meat. The two beef MJS originated from Spain and Lithuania, whereas the lamb MJS originated from New Zealand (six) and Australia (two). This is the first report of psychrophilic Clostridium spp. in MJS from chilled vacuum-packed beef and lamb meat imported from other countries to Switzerland and provides further evidence that the risk of BPS in lamb meat is higher than in beef.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Psychrophilic Clostridium spp. were detected in 10 of 154 meat juice samples.

  • Prevalence of psychrophilic Clostridium spp. in lamb meat was higher than in beef.

  • Prevalence of psychrophilic Clostridium spp. was highest in meat imported from New Zealand and Australia.

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Posted in Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium difficile, Clostridium perfringens, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Research, Sulphite Reducing Clostridia, Uncategorized

Research – Microbial Status of White Asparagus Spears during Storage in Moist Packages

Posted on September 5, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Journal Food Protection

ABSTRACT

White asparagus is a high-value commodity of large economic importance in Germany. Its harvest period lasts only a limited part of the year, during which daily yield and also market demand are highly variable. Harvested asparagus is perishable; thus, quality control and shelf life must be ensured by proper handling, e.g., avoiding fresh weight losses and, at the same time, limiting microbial growth. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of moist asparagus packaging on unpeeled white asparagus (cv. Gijnlim). Water was added to some of the packages to reduce fresh weight losses and to study the consequences for microbial growth. Polythene bag packaging, lined inside with cellulose fleece, was used to hold 500-g bunches of spears, covered partly (open bag) or totally (closed bag). Storage duration was 7 days, at temperatures of 2°C, 8°C, and a combination of 2 and 22°C, simulating retail conditions. Using a standardized cultivation method for food assessment, CFU counts (5.20 to 7.95 log CFU), number of pseudomonads (4.79 to 7.90 log CFU), lactic acid bacteria (<3.00 to 3.94 log CFU), Enterobacteriaceae (4.26 to 7.15 log CFU, including Escherichia coli <1.00 log CFU), yeasts (<2.30 to 3.15 to 3.53 log CFU), and molds (<2.30 log CFU), as well as sulfite-reducing clostridia (<1 log CFU) were determined. Temperature was the most important factor for microbial growth. Additional water had no effect in most cases; it inhibited most of the fresh weight losses compared to dry treatments in this study but led to 2% weight increase in closed bags. Our results point to the conclusion that moist packaging would be a feasible alternative to dry wrapping with regard to weight retention, and it did not increase growth of the analyzed microbial groups to an unacceptable value.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Moist packaging of white asparagus does not necessarily increase microbial load after storage.

  • Microbial counts were lower after 1 week of storage in a closed versus open package.

  • Microbial growth did not exceed tolerable values.

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Posted in E.coli, Enterobacteriaceae, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Technology, lactic acid bacteria, microbial contamination, Microbiology, mold, Sulphite Reducing Clostridia, Technology, Uncategorized

Summary of the last two weeks RASFF Alerts – Clostridium Sulphite Reducer – Chilled Sheep Casings

Posted on August 20, 2019 by | Leave a comment

RASFF-Logo

RASFF – Clostridium sulphite reducer (11000 CFU/g) in chilled sheep casings from Iran in Austria

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, RASFF, Sulphite Reducing Clostridia, Uncategorized

Ireland – Recall of Octopus Branded Pacific Dried and Salted Anchovies Due to Elevated Histamine

Posted on November 8, 2018 by | Leave a comment

FSAI

Summary
Category 2: For Information
Alert Notification: 2018.45
Product: Octopus – Pazifik-Sardellen getrocknet und gesalzen (Octopus – Pacific Dried and Salted Anchovies)
Batch Code: ‘best-before date’: 18.07.2019; pack size: 40g
Country Of Origin: Viet Nam

Message:

The above batch of Octopus – Pazifik-Sardellen getrocknet und gesalzen (Octopus – Pacific Dried and Salted Anchovies) are being recalled due to elevated histamine levels in the product. In some people, elevated levels of histamine can cause symptoms which are similar to those of an allergic reaction.

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Posted in Enterobacteriaceae, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Histamine, Sulphite Reducing Clostridia, Uncategorized

Research – How bacteria play pass the parcel — and help each other evade antibiotics

Posted on October 1, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Science Daily 

CDC Clost perf

Bacteria are very sneaky in their efforts to develop resistance to antibiotics. Some strains of bacteria package up the genetic instructions for how they defend themselves and cause disease, and pass this information on to neighboring, naïve, bacteria — essentially gifting their colleagues with the defenses they need to survive against our medical armory of antibiotics. Scientists have now answered a key question about how a dangerous bacterium, Clostridium perfringens, shares its genetic information.

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Posted in Antibiotic Resistance, Clostridium perfringens, Sulphite Reducing Clostridia, Uncategorized

Research – Prevalence and Molecular Characteristics of Clostridium difficile in Retail Meats, Food-Producing and Companion Animals, and Humans in Minnesota

Posted on October 1, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Journal of Food Protection

Community-associated Clostridium difficile infection (CA-CDI) now accounts for approximately 50% of CDI cases in central Minnesota; animals and meat products are potential sources. From November 2011 to July 2013, we cultured retail meat products and fecal samples from food-producing and companion animals in central Minnesota for C. difficile by using standard methods. The resulting 51 C. difficile isolates, plus 30 archived local veterinary C. difficile isolates and 208 human CA-CDI case isolates from central Minnesota (from 2012) from the Minnesota Department of Health, were characterized molecularly, and source groups were compared using discriminant analysis. C. difficile was recovered from 0 (0%) of 342 retail meat samples and 51 (9%) of 559 animal fecal samples. Overall, the 81 animal source isolates and 208 human source isolates were highly diverse genetically. Molecular traits segregated extensively in relation to animal versus human origin. Discriminant analysis classified 95% of isolates correctly by source group; only five (2.5%) human source isolates were classified as animal source. These data do not support meat products or food-producing and companion animals as important sources of CA-CDI in the central Minnesota study region.

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Posted in Clostridium difficile, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Safety, Food Testing, Sulphite Reducing Clostridia, Uncategorized