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Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria: Prevalence and Control

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A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 March 2023) | Viewed by 32754

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Chunlei Shi

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Guest Editor

MOST-USDA Joint Research Center for Food Safety, School of Agriculture and Biology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Interests: detection and subtyping of foodborne pathogenic bacteria; prevalence, persistence and stress survival of foodborne pathogenic bacteria on food chain from farm to table
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Shimo Kang

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Guest Editor

CAS Key Laboratory of Nutrition, Metabolism and Food Safety, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
Interests: antimcrobial alternatives; stress response; antibiofilm
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Foodborne pathogenic bacteria threaten the safety of the food system from farm to table. In order to enhance the safety of our food system, the first step is to know how the food system has been and could still be contaminated by pathogenic bacteria, such as pathogenic Escherichia coli, non-typhoidal Salmonella, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and other emerging and re-emerging pathogenic bacteria. On the other hand, we need to know how these bacteria could survive different processing and preservations in the food system. Nowadays, biofilm formation and antimicrobial resistance could be considered to explain the mechanisms for the bacteria’s survival. There is likely much information yet unknown. Once basic information is acquired, we are able to prevent and control the contamination of foodborne pathogenic bacteria to keep us far away from the pathogens’ attack.

Prof. Dr. Chunlei Shi
Dr. Shimo Kang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

biofilm
antimicrobial resistance
stress response
cross contamination
risk assessment
antimicrobial alternatives
antibiofilm

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

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7 pages, 1710 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

A Rapid and Visual Method for Nucleic Acid Detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Based on CRISPR/Cas12a-PMNT

by Wei Jiang, Chuan He, Lan Bai, Yifan Chen, Junwei Jia, Aihu Pan, Beibei Lv, Xueming Tang and Xiao Wu

Foods 2023, 12(2), 236; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods12020236 - 04 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1746

Abstract

Rapid, accurate and visual point-of-care testing (POCT) methods for pathogenic bacteria detection are essential for avoiding foodborne diseases caused by pathogens or their toxins. In this study, we proposed a rapid and visual detection method that we named “Cas12aVIP”. By combining recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), a CRISPR/Cas12a system and a cationic-conjugated polythiophene derivative (poly[3-(3′-N,N,N-triethylamino-1′-propyloxy)-4-methyl-2,5-thiophene hydrochloride] (PMNT) mixed with single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)), the solution turned red in the absence of the target DNA based on conformational modifications of the conjugated backbone of PMNT, whereas it displayed yellow, thus realizing the colorimetric detection of DNA. The Cas12aVIP method yielded high specificity and no interference from other nontargeted bacteria. The detection was accomplished in 40 min and the signal could be observed by the naked eye under natural light, presenting great potential for a variety of rapid nucleic acid detection applications without requiring technical expertise or ancillary equipment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria: Prevalence and Control)

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12 pages, 1921 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Correlation Analysis between GlpQ-Regulated Degradation of Wall Teichoic Acid and Biofilm Formation Triggered by Lactobionic Acid in Staphylococcus aureus

by Wanwan Hou, Shimo Kang, Jiang Chang, Xiaorong Tian and Chunlei Shi

Foods 2022, 11(21), 3438; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11213438 - 29 Oct 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1424

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus biofilms are a serious problem in the food industry. Wall teichoic acid (WTA) is crucial in S. aureus biofilm formation. Overexpression of the WTA-hydrolyzing enzyme glycerophosphoryl diester phosphodiesterase (GlpQ), induced by lactobionic acid (LBA), may be related to biofilm formation. We investigated the relationship between the regulation on GlpQ degradation of WTA by LBA and S. aureus biofilm formation. LBA minimum inhibitory concentration for S. aureus was 12.5 mg/mL. Crystal violet staining revealed the LBA-mediated inhibition of S. aureus adhesion and biofilm formation. RT-qPCR revealed the repressed expression of adhesion-related genes by LBA. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the obvious disruption of S. aureus surface structure, confirming the repression of S. aureus adhesion and biofilm formation by LBA. Native-PAGE results suggested that the WTA content of S. aureus was reduced under the inhibition of LBA. Additionally, LBA induced the overexpression of glpQ. Combined with our previous work, these results suggest that glpQ is induced in S. aureus to function in WTA degradation with the addition of LBA, resulting in decreased WTA content and subsequent reduction of adhesion and biofilm formation. The findings provide new insight into the degradation mechanism of S. aureus WTA and indicate the potential of LBA as an anti-biofilm agent. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria: Prevalence and Control)

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14 pages, 5227 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antibacterial Activity and Mechanism of Linalool against Shigella sonnei and Its Application in Lettuce

by Ruiying Su, Peng Guo, Ziruo Zhang, Jingzi Wang, Xinyi Guo, Du Guo, Yutang Wang, Xin Lü and Chao Shi

Foods 2022, 11(20), 3160; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11203160 - 11 Oct 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2028

Abstract

Shigella sonnei (S. sonnei) infection accounted for approximately 75% of annual outbreaks of shigellosis, with the vast majority of outbreaks due to the consumption of contaminated foods (e.g., fresh vegetables, potato salad, fish, beef, etc.). Thus, we investigated the antibacterial effect and mechanism of linalool on S. sonnei and evaluated the effect of linalool on the sensory quality of lettuce. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of linalool against S. sonnei ATCC 25931 was 1.5 mg/mL. S. sonnei was treated with linalool at 1× MIC for 30 min and the amount of bacteria was decreased below the detection limit (1 CFU/mL) in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and Luria-Bertani (LB) medium. The bacterial content of the lettuce surface was reduced by 4.33 log CFU/cm² after soaking with linalool at 2× MIC. Treatment with linalool led to increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, decreased intracellular adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) content, increased membrane lipid oxidation, damaged cell membrane integrity, and hyperpolarized cell membrane potential in S. sonnei. The application of linalool to lettuce had no effect on the color of lettuce compared to the control. The sensory evaluation results showed that linalool had an acceptable effect on the sensory quality of lettuce. These findings indicate that linalool played an antibacterial effect against S. sonnei and had potential as a natural antimicrobial for the inhibition of this foodborne pathogen. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria: Prevalence and Control)

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19 pages, 1845 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cultivation Conditions of Spinach and Rocket Influence Epiphytic Growth of Listeria monocytogenes

by Paul Culliney and Achim Schmalenberger

Foods 2022, 11(19), 3056; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11193056 - 01 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1892

Abstract

Leafy vegetables are associated with Listeriosis outbreaks due to contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. To date, contradictory findings were reported on spinach, rocket, and kale, where some studies reported growth of L. monocytogenes, while others did not. Thus, the current study investigated the reason for conflicting findings by producing leafy vegetables, where cultivation factors were known for growth potential studies. Of all polytunnel produce, kale Nero di Toscana demonstrated the highest growth potential (2.56 log cfu g⁻¹), followed by spinach F1 Cello (1.84 log cfu g⁻¹), rocket Buzz (1.41 log cfu g⁻¹), spinach F1 Trumpet (1.37 log cfu g⁻¹), and finally rocket Esmee (1.23 log cfu g⁻¹). Thus, plant species and variety influenced L. monocytogenes growth potentials. Moreover, significantly lower growth potentials of 0.3 log cfu g⁻¹ were identified when rocket Buzz was cultivated in open fields (1.11 log cfu g⁻¹) instead of a polytunnel. The opposite effect was observed for spinach F1 Trumpet, where growth potentials increased significantly by 0.84 log cfu g⁻¹ when cultivated in open fields (2.21 log cfu g⁻¹). Furthermore, a significant seasonality effect between batches was found (p < 0.05). This study revealed that spinach and rocket cultivation conditions are at least co-factors in the reporting of differing growth potentials of L. monocytogenes across literature and should be considered when conducting future growth potential studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria: Prevalence and Control)

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14 pages, 1224 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multiple Antimicrobial Resistance and Heavy Metal Tolerance of Biofilm-Producing Bacteria Isolated from Dairy and Non-Dairy Food Products

by Hasan Ejaz, Kashaf Junaid, Humaira Yasmeen, Amina Naseer, Hafsa Alam, Sonia Younas, Muhammad Usman Qamar, Abualgasim E. Abdalla, Khalid O. A. Abosalif, Naveed Ahmad and Syed Nasir Abbas Bukhari

Foods 2022, 11(18), 2728; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11182728 - 06 Sep 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2162

Abstract

Foodborne pathogens have acquired the ability to produce biofilms to survive in hostile environments. This study evaluated biofilm formation, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and heavy metal tolerance of bacteria isolated from dairy and non-dairy food products. We aseptically collected and processed 200 dairy and non-dairy food specimens in peptone broth, incubated them overnight at 37 °C, and sub-cultured them on various culture media. Bacterial growth was identified with biochemical tests and API 20E and 20NE strips. The AMR of the isolates was observed against different antibacterial drug classes. Biofilm formation was detected with the crystal violet tube method. Heavy metal salts were used at concentrations of 250–1500 µg/100 mL to observe heavy metal tolerance. We isolated 180 (50.4%) bacteria from dairy and 177 (49.6%) from non-dairy food samples. The average colony-forming unit (CFU) count for dairy and non-dairy samples was 2.9 ± 0.9 log CFU/mL and 5.1 ± 0.3 log CFU/mL, respectively. Corynebacterium kutscheri (n = 74), lactobacilli (n = 73), and Staphylococcus aureus (n = 56) were the predominant Gram-positive and Shigella (n = 10) the predominant Gram-negative bacteria isolated. The correlation between biofilm formation and AMR was significant (p < 0.05) for most cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, and fluoroquinolones. Heavy metal tolerance tended to be higher in biofilm producers at different metal concentrations. The pathogens isolated from dairy and non-dairy food showed a high burden of AMR, high propensity for biofilm formation, and heavy metal tolerance, and pose an imminent threat to public health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria: Prevalence and Control)

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16 pages, 3191 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of ptsH in Stress Adaptation and Virulence in Cronobacter sakazakii BAA-894

by Yi Sun, Jiahui Li, Yanpeng Yang, Gaoji Yang, Yiqi Shi, Shuo Wang, Muxue Wang and Xiaodong Xia

Foods 2022, 11(17), 2680; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11172680 - 02 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1583

Abstract

Cronobacter sakazakii, an emerging foodborne pathogen that was isolated primarily from powdered infant formula, poses an important issue in food safety due to its high stress tolerance and pathogenicity. The Hpr (encoded by ptsH gene) has been shown to regulate carbon metabolism as well as stress response and virulence. However, the functional properties of ptsH in C. sakzakii have not been investigated. In this study, we clarified the role of ptsH in the C. sakzakii stress response and virulence, and explored its possible regulatory mechanism by RNA-seq. Compared with wild-type, the ΔptsH mutant showed a slower growth rate in the log phase but no difference in the stationary phase. Moreover, the resistance to heat stress (65 °C, 55 °C), simulated gastric fluid (pH = 2.5), biofilm formation and adhesion to HT-29 cells of ΔptsH mutant were significantly decreased, whereas the oxidative resistance (1, 5, 10 mM H₂O₂), osmotic resistance (10%, 15%, 20% NaCl), and superoxide dismutase activity were enhanced. Finally, RNA-seq analysis revealed the sulfur metabolism pathway is significantly upregulated in the ΔptsH mutant, but the bacterial secretion system pathway is dramatically downregulated. The qRT-PCR assay further demonstrated that the ΔptsH mutant has elevated levels of genes that are related to oxidative and osmotic stress (sodA, rpoS, cpxA/R, osmY). This study provides a great understanding of the role of ptsH in diverse stress responses and virulence in C. sakazakii, and it contributes to our understanding of the genetic determinant of stress resistance and pathogenicity of this important foodborne pathogen. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria: Prevalence and Control)

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12 pages, 1096 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Persistence of Listeria monocytogenes ST5 in Ready-to-Eat Food Processing Environment

by Xin Liu, Wenjie Chen, Zhixin Fang, Ying Yu, Jing Bi, Jing Wang, Qingli Dong and Hongzhi Zhang

Foods 2022, 11(17), 2561; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11172561 - 24 Aug 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 1763

Abstract

Most human listeriosis is foodborne, and ready-to-eat (RET) foods contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes during processing are found to be common vehicles. In this study, a total of four L. monocytogens STs (ST5, ST121, ST120, and ST2) have been identified in two RTE food plants from 2019 to 2020 in Shanghai, China. The L. monocytogenes ST5 was predominant in one RTE food processing plant, and it persists in the RTE meat processing plant with continued clone transmission. The genetic features of the four STs isolates were different. ST5 and ST121 had the three genes clpL, mdrL, and lde; however, ST120 and ST2 had two genes except for clpL. SSI-1was present in ST5, ST121, and ST120. Additionally, SSI-2 was present only in the ST121 isolates. ST120 had all six biofilm-forming associated genes (actA, prfA, lmo0673, recO, lmo2504 and luxS). The ST2 isolate had only three biofilm-forming associated genes, which were prfA, lmo0673, and recO. The four ST isolates had different biofilm formation abilities at different stages. The biofilm formation ability of ST120 was significantly higher when grown for one day. However, the biofilm formation ability of ST120 reduced significantly after growing for four days. In contrast, the biofilm formation ability of ST5 and ST121 increased significantly. These results suggested that ST5 and ST121 had stronger ability to adapt to stressful environments. Biofilms formed by all four STs grown over four days can be sanitized entirely by a disinfectant concentration of 500 mg/L. Additionally, only ST5 and ST121 biofilm cells survived in sub-lethal concentrations of chlorine-containing disinfectant. These results suggested that ST5 and ST121 were more resistant to chlorine-containing disinfectants. These results indicated that the biofilm formation ability of L. monocytogenes isolates changed at different stages. Additionally, the persistence in food processing environments might be verified by the biofilm formation, stress resistance, etc. Alternatively, these results underlined that disinfectants should be used at lethal concentrations. More attention should be paid to ST5 and ST121, and stronger surveillance should be taken to prevent and control the clonal spread of L. monocytogenes isolates in food processing plants in Shanghai. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria: Prevalence and Control)

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10 pages, 929 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Ethanol at Subinhibitory Concentrations Enhances Biofilm Formation in Salmonella Enteritidis

by Shoukui He, Zeqiang Zhan, Chunlei Shi, Siyun Wang and Xianming Shi

Foods 2022, 11(15), 2237; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11152237 - 27 Jul 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3221

Abstract

The survival of Salmonella Enteritidis in the food chain is relevant to its biofilm formation capacity, which is influenced by suboptimal environmental conditions. Here, biofilm formation pattern of this bacterium was assessed in the presence of ethanol at sub-minimal inhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs) by microtiter plate assays, cell characteristic analyses, and gene expression tests. It was observed that ethanol at subinhibitory concentrations (1/4 MIC, 2.5%; 1/2 MIC, 5.0%) was able to stimulate biofilm formation in S. Enteritidis. The OD₅₉₅ value (optical density at 595 nm) used to quantify biofilm production was increased from 0.14 in control groups to 0.36 and 0.63 under 2.5% and 5.0% ethanol stresses, respectively. Ethanol was also shown to reduce bacterial swimming motility and enhance cell auto-aggregation ability. However, other cell characteristics such as swarming activity, initial attachment and cell surface hydrophobicity were not remarkedly impacted by ethanol. Reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis further revealed that the luxS gene belonging to a quorum-sensing system was upregulated by 2.49- and 10.08-fold in the presence of 2.5% and 5.0% ethanol, respectively. The relative expression level of other biofilm-related genes (adrA, csgB, csgD, and sdiA) and sRNAs (ArcZ, CsrB, OxyS, and SroC) did not obviously change. Taken together, these findings suggest that decrease in swimming motility and increase in cell auto-aggregation and quorum sensing may result in the enhancement of biofilm formation by S. Enteritidis under sublethal ethanol stress. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria: Prevalence and Control)

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10 pages, 2460 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

International Spread of Tet(X4)-Producing Escherichia coli Isolates

by Zengfeng Zhang, Zeqiang Zhan and Chunlei Shi

Foods 2022, 11(14), 2010; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11142010 - 07 Jul 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1845

Abstract

Tigecycline resistance in bacteria has become a significant threat to food safety and public health, where the development of which is attributed to plasmid-mediated tet(X4) genes. In this study, the genomes of 613 tet(X4)-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolates, available from public databases, are evaluated to determine their international prevalence and molecular characterization. These E. coli isolates have been disseminated in 12 countries across Asia and Europe. It was found that pigs and their products (n = 162) were the most common vehicle, followed by humans (n = 122), chickens (n = 60), and the environment (n = 49). Carbapenems-resistant genes bla_NDM-5 (1.3%) and bla_NDM-1 (0.2%) were identified, as well as colistin-resistant genes mcr-1.1 (12.6%) and mcr-3.1 (0.5%). It was noted that the tigecycline-resistant gene cluster tmexC-tmexD-toprJ1 was identified in seven (1.1%) isolates. Phylogenomic results indicated that tet(X4)-producing E. coli isolates fell into seven lineages (lineages I, II, III, IV, V, VI, and VII), and international spread mainly occurred in Asian countries, especially China, Pakistan, Singapore, and Malaysia. Four forms of tet(X4) transposon units were found, including the I-type (IS26-tet(X4)-ISCR2), II-type (ΔIS1R-tet(X4)-ISCR2), III-type (ISCR2-tet(X4)-ISCR2), and IV-type (ISCR2-tet(X4)-ΔISCR2). These findings underline further challenges for the spread of E. coli bearing tet(X4) gene. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria: Prevalence and Control)

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13 pages, 2504 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combined Anti-Biofilm Enzymes Strengthen the Eradicate Effect of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Biofilm: Mechanism on cpsA-J Expression and Application on Different Carriers

by Yuan Li, Ruyue Dong, Lei Ma, Yilin Qian and Zunying Liu

Foods 2022, 11(9), 1305; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11091305 - 29 Apr 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2224

Abstract

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a human foodborne pathogen, and it can form a mature biofilm on food and food contact surfaces to enhance their resistance to antibacterial agents. In this study, the effect of anti-biofilm enzymes (combined lipase, cellulase and proteinase K) on the inhibition and eradication of pathogen biofilm was evaluated. The biofilm content of V. parahaemolyticus showed the highest level at the incubation time of 24 h, and the combined enzymes significantly inhibited the biofilm’s development. The biofilm’s inhibition and eradication rate at an incubation time of 24 h was 89.7% and 66.9%, respectively. The confocal laser scanning microscopic images confirmed that the microcolonies’ aggregation and the adhesion of biofilm were inhibited with the combined enzyme treatment. Furthermore, combined enzymes also decreased the concentration of exopolysaccharide (EPS) and disrupted the EPS matrix network, wherein the expression of the EPS-related gene, cpsA-J, was likewise suppressed. The combined enzymes showed an excellent inhibition effect of V. parahaemolyticus biofilm on different carriers, with the highest inhibition rate of 59.35% on nonrust steel plate. This study demonstrates that the combined enzyme of lipase, cellulase and proteinase K could be a novel candidate to overcome biofilm’s problem of foodborne pathogens in the food industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria: Prevalence and Control)

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17 pages, 2848 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum and Fructooligosaccharides Combination Inhibits the Growth, Adhesion, Invasion, and Virulence of Listeria monocytogenes

by Qingli Dong, Xinxin Lu, Binru Gao, Yangtai Liu, Muhammad Zohaib Aslam, Xiang Wang and Zhuosi Li

Foods 2022, 11(2), 170; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11020170 - 10 Jan 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2055

Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen responsible for many food outbreaks worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the single and combined effect of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum CICC 6257 (L. plantarum) on the growth, adhesion, invasion, and virulence of gene expressions of Listeria monocytogenes 19112 serotype 4b (L. monocytogenes). Results showed that L. plantarum combined with 2% and 4% (w/v) FOS significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited the growth of L. monocytogenes (3–3.5 log₁₀ CFU/mL reduction) at the incubation temperature of 10 °C and 25 °C. Under the same combination condition, the invasion rates of L. monocytogenes to Caco-2 and BeWo cells were reduced more than 90% compared to the result of the untreated group. After L. plantarum was combined with the 2% and 4% (w/v) FOS treatment, the gene expression of actin-based motility, sigma factor, internalin A, internalin B, positive regulatory factor A, and listeriolysin O significantly (p < 0.05) were reduced over 91%, 77%, 92%, 89%, 79%, and 79% compared to the result of the untreated group, respectively. The inhibition level of the L. plantarum and FOS combination against L. monocytogenes was higher than that of FOS or L. plantarum alone. Overall, these results indicated that the L. plantarum and FOS combination might be an effective formula against L. monocytogenes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria: Prevalence and Control)

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Review

Jump to: Research

15 pages, 2267 KiB

Open AccessReview

Current Perspectives on Viable but Non-Culturable Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria: A Review

by Jiawen Zhang, Haoqing Yang, Jing Li, Jiamiao Hu, Guanyuan Lin, Bee K. Tan and Shaoling Lin

Foods 2023, 12(6), 1179; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods12061179 - 10 Mar 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3276

Abstract

Foodborne diseases caused by foodborne pathogens pose risks to food safety. Effective detection and efficient inactivation of pathogenic bacteria has always been a research hotspot in the field of food safety. Complicating these goals, bacteria can be induced to adopt a viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state under adverse external environmental stresses. When in the VBNC state, pathogens cannot form visible colonies during traditional culture but remain metabolically active and toxic. The resulting false negative results in growth-related assays can jeopardize food safety. This review summarizes the latest research on VBNC foodborne pathogens, including induction conditions, detection methods, mechanism of VBNC formation, and possible control strategies. It is hoped that this review can provide ideas and methods for future research on VBNC foodborne pathogenic bacteria. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria: Prevalence and Control)

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22 pages, 3770 KiB

Open AccessReview

Peanut Butter Food Safety Concerns—Prevalence, Mitigation and Control of Salmonella spp., and Aflatoxins in Peanut Butter

by Tapiwa Reward Sithole, Yu-Xiang Ma, Zhao Qin, Xue-De Wang and Hua-Min Liu

Foods 2022, 11(13), 1874; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11131874 - 24 Jun 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 5864

Abstract

Peanut butter has a very large and continuously increasing global market. The food safety risks associated with its consumption are also likely to have impacts on a correspondingly large global population. In terms of prevalence and potential magnitude of impact, contamination by Salmonella spp., and aflatoxins, are the major food safety risks associated with peanut butter consumption. The inherent nature of the Salmonella spp., coupled with the unique chemical composition and structure of peanut butter, present serious technical challenges when inactivating Salmonella spp. in contaminated peanut butter. Thermal treatment, microwave, radiofrequency, irradiation, and high-pressure processing all are of limited efficacy in inactivating Salmonella spp. in contaminated peanut butter. The removal of aflatoxins in contaminated peanut butter is equally problematic and for all practical purposes almost impossible at the moment. Adopting good manufacturing hygiene practices from farm to table and avoiding the processing of contaminated peanuts are probably some of the few practically viable strategies for minimising these peanut butter food safety risks. The purpose of this review is to highlight the nature of food safety risks associated with peanut butter and to discuss the effectiveness of the initiatives that are aimed at minimising these risks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria: Prevalence and Control)

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