Efficacy of sodium hypochlorite and peracetic acid in reducing cross-contamination during washing of baby spinach at different water quality levels.

We evaluated the antimicrobial performance of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and peracetic acid (PAA) during washing of baby spinach in water of varying levels of organic load, as measured by its chemical oxygen demand (COD). Escherichia coli TVS353 was spot inoculated onto one unwashed leaf. Sanitizers were added into water with preadjusted COD (300 or 2500 ppm) to achieve concentrations from 20 to 80 ppm.

Exploring the Nexus Between Emulsifier Characteristics and Typhimurium Viability in Oil-in-Water Emulsions.

Molecular characteristics of emulsifiers such as their molecular weight (MW) and surface charge, not only affect the stability of the emulsion but also can have an impact on its capacity to either inhibit or promote microbial proliferation. These characteristics can affect the behavior of pathogens such as Typhimurium in emulsion systems. The growth and thermal resistance of .

Effects of Organic Soil Amendments on Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria in Urban Agriculture Environments.

Biological soil amendments of animal origin (BSAAOs) are widely used in urban agriculture to improve soil quality. Although BSAAO use is regulated due to risks for introducing foodborne pathogens, effects on antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria are not well established. Here, we aimed to explore the impacts of BSAAOs on levels of resident AMR bacteria in leafy vegetable production environments (i.

Rain splash-mediated dispersal of from fecal deposits to field-grown lettuce in the mid- and south Atlantic U.S. regions is affected by mulch type.

Introduction: Wildlife feces can contaminate vegetables when enteric bacteria are released by rain and splashed onto crops. Regulations require growers to identify and not harvest produce that is likely contaminated, but U.S.

The effect of emulsifier type and oil inclusion on stress-related gene expression of Salmonella typhimurium in oil-in-water emulsion.

Salmonella has been associated with numerous outbreaks from contaminated food products, including emulsions. Emulsions are influenced by emulsifier type and oil presence, which can have varying degrees of stress or protection on bacteria. Although our previous research has shown that emulsifier solutions, rather than emulsions, provide a protective effect on Salmonella typhimurium after thermal treatment, the underlying mechanism remains unclear.

The effect of emulsifier type and oil fraction on Salmonella Typhimurium growth and thermal inactivation in oil-in-water emulsion.

High water activity oil-in-water emulsions can promote survival and growth of Salmonella Typhimurium. Nevertheless, the precise effect of emulsifier type and oil content on bacterial growth and inactivation is not fully understood. Here, emulsions were prepared using different emulsifiers (Tween 20, Tween 80, and Triton X-100) and different oil fractions (20%, 40%, and 60% (v/v)).

Emulsion matrixes affect survival during simulated gastric digestion.

subsp. serovar Typhimurium is an emerging prominent foodborne pathogen worldwide. While its acid resistance and pathogenicity have been investigated over the years, there is a necessity to systematically study how food matrices impact 's resistance to environmental stresses and survivability in the digestive tract.

Genetic response of Salmonella Typhimurium to trans-cinnamaldehyde assisted heat treatment and its correlation with bacterial resistance in different low moisture food components.

Our previous study found that water activity (a)- and matrix-dependent bacterial resistance wasdeveloped in Salmonella Typhimurium during antimicrobial-assisted heat treatment in low moisture foods (LMFs) matrices. To better understand the molecular mechanism behind the observed bacterial resistance, gene expression analysis was conducted on S. Typhimurium adapted to different conditions with or without the trans-cinnamaldehyde (CA)-assisted heat treatment via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).

Assessment of trans-cinnamaldehyde and eugenol assisted heat treatment against Salmonella Typhimurium in low moisture food components.

Increased thermal resistance of Salmonella at low water activity (a) is a significant food safety concern in low-moisture foods (LMFs). We evaluated whether trans-cinnamaldehyde (CA, 1000 ppm) and eugenol (EG, 1000 ppm), which can accelerate thermal inactivation of Salmonella Typhimurium in water, can show similar effect in bacteria adapted to low a in different LMF components. Although CA and EG significantly accelerated thermal inactivation (55 °C) of S.

Enhancement of Thermal Inactivation of Cronobacter sakazakii in Apple Juice at 58°C by Inclusion of Butyl Para-Hydroxybenzoate and Malic Acid.

Abstract: After studies with powdered infant formula indicated that the enhancement of thermal inactivation of Cronobacter sakazakii by butyl para-hydroxybenzoate (BPB) was blocked by high protein concentrations, we hypothesized that BPB would retain its synergistic activity in foods with limited protein and lipid concentrations. This hypothesis was tested by examining the ability of BPB to enhance the thermal inactivation of C. sakazakii 607 at 58°C in commercial apple juice, including examining the effects of pH and possible synergistic effects with malic acid.

Evaluation of Potential for Butyl and Heptyl Para-Hydroxybenzoate Enhancement of Thermal Inactivation of Cronobacter sakazakii during Rehydration of Powdered Infant Formula and Nonfat Dry Milk.

Abstract: In previous studies, parabens in model systems enhanced the thermal inactivation of foodborne pathogens, including Cronobacter sakazakii, Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes. However, few studies have been conducted to evaluate this phenomenon in actual food systems. In the present study, the potential enhancement of thermal inactivation of C.

Genomic evidence of environmental and resident Salmonella Senftenberg and Montevideo contamination in the pistachio supply-chain.

Pistachios have been implicated in two salmonellosis outbreaks and multiple recalls in the U.S. This study performed an in-depth retrospective data analysis of Salmonella associated with pistachios as well as a storage study to evaluate the survivability of Salmonella on inoculated inshell pistachios to further understand the genetics and microbiological dynamics of this commodity-pathogen pair.

Assessment of butylparaben (4-hydroxybenzoic acid butyl ester)-assisted heat treatment against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium in meat and bone meal.

Heat-resistant foodborne pathogens have been a concern in low-moisture foods and ingredients (LMFs). Due to low thermal conductivity of low moisture materials, thermal treatment is not efficient and may cause nutritional loss. This study investigated the enhancement of thermal treatment of meat and bone meal (MBM) at low water activity (a ) by inclusion of butylparaben (BP) as a model antimicrobial compound.

Synergistic inactivation of bacteria based on a combination of low frequency, low-intensity ultrasound and a food grade antioxidant.

This study evaluated a synergistic antimicrobial treatment using a combination of low frequency and a low-intensity ultrasound (LFU) and a food-grade antioxidant, propyl gallate (PG), against a model gram-positive (Listeria innocua) and the gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli O157:H7). Bacterial inactivation kinetic measurements were complemented by characterization of biophysical changes in liposomes, changes in bacterial membrane permeability, morphological changes in bacterial cells, and intracellular oxidative stress upon treatment with PG, LFU, and a combination of PG + LFU. Combination of PG + LFU significantly (>4 log CFU/mL, P < 0.

Inactivation of foodborne pathogens by the synergistic combinations of food processing technologies and food-grade compounds.

There is a need to develop food processing technologies with enhanced antimicrobial capacity against foodborne pathogens. While considering the challenges of adequate inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms in different food matrices, the emerging technologies are also expected to be sustainable and have a minimum impact on food quality and nutrients. Synergistic combinations of food processing technologies and food-grade compounds have a great potential to address these needs.

Screening of antimicrobial synergism between phenolic acids derivatives and UV-A light radiation.

The objective of this study was to investigate synergistic antibacterial activity based on a combination of UV-A light and three classes of food grade compounds: benzoic acid derivatives, cinnamic acid derivatives, and gallates. By using Escherichia coli O157:H7 as the model strain, it was observed that three cinnamic acid derivatives (ferulic acid, coumaric acid, and caffeic acid) and one benzoic acid derivative (2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid) presented strong synergistic antibacterial activity with UV-A light radiation, where 1 mM levels of these compounds plus with 15 min of UV-A light (total light dose of 6.1 cm) led to more than 7-log CFU mL of bacterial inactivation.

Synergistic Effects of Butyl Para-Hydroxybenzoate and Mild Heating on Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria.

Abstract: Although high-temperature heat treatments can efficiently reduce pathogen levels, they also affect the quality and nutritional profile of foods and increase the cost of processing. The food additive butyl para-hydroxybenzoate (BPB) was investigated for its potential to synergistically enhance thermal microbial inactivation at mild heating temperatures (54 to 58°C). Four foodborne pathogenic bacteria, Cronobacter sakazakii, Salmonella enterica Typhimurium, attenuated Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes, were cultured to early stationary phase and then subjected to mild heating at 58, 55, 57, and 54°C, respectively, in a model food matrix (brain heart infusion [BHI]) containing low concentrations of BPB (≤125 ppm).

Inactivation of foodborne pathogens based on synergistic effects of ultrasound and natural compounds during fresh produce washing.

Ultrasound has potential to be used for disinfection, and its antimicrobial effectiveness can be enhanced in presence of natural compounds. In this study, we compared the antimicrobial effects of ultrasound at 20 kHz (US 20 kHz) or 1 MHz (US 1 MHz) in combination with carvacrol, citral, cinnamic acid, geraniol, gallic acid, lactic acid, or limonene against E. coli K12 and Listeria innocua at a constant power density in water.

Antimicrobial action of octanoic acid against Escherichia coli O157:H7 during washing of baby spinach and grape tomatoes.

We investigated the antimicrobial efficacy of octanoic acid (OA) against Escherichia coli O157:H7 inoculated on the surface of baby spinach and grape tomatoes during simulated washing processes. 3 mM OA at 45 °C achieved >6 log CFU/g reduction from the surface of tomatoes within 2 min. However, washing baby spinach with 6 mM OA at 5 °C resulted in <1 log CFU/g reduction, highlighting the role of surface properties in inactivation efficacy.

UV-C irradiated gallic acid exhibits enhanced antimicrobial activity via generation of reactive oxidative species and quinone.

A novel light-enhanced antimicrobial treatment was developed by exposing gallic acid (GA) to UV-C light. GA (15 mM) solution was exposed to UV-C for 30 min and subsequently incubated with E. coli O157:H7 for 30 min to achieve a 3.

Impact of metal nanoparticles on biogas production from poultry litter.

The effects of metal nanoparticle (NP) addition during anaerobic digestion (AD) of poultry litter was tested using two sequential experiments: Exp. A) four NPs (Fe, Ni, Co, and FeO) at three concentrations; and Exp. B) NP combinations (Fe, Ni, and Co) at four concentrations.

Combination of aerosolized curcumin and UV-A light for the inactivation of bacteria on fresh produce surfaces.

There is a critical unmet need to improve microbial safety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Current sanitation approaches cannot achieve >2 log inactivation of bacteria on fresh produce. Thus, there is a need to develop antimicrobial strategies that can consistently achieve >2 logs of bacterial inactivation on the surface of diverse fresh produce.

Fog, phenolic acids and UV-A light irradiation: A new antimicrobial treatment for decontamination of fresh produce.

This study evaluates synergistic interactions of food grade phenolic acids (gallic and ferulic acid) and UV-A light to achieve decontamination of fresh produce using a fog to improve dispersion of the phenolic acids on produce surface. Nonvirulent strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria innocua were used as model bacteria and spinach was selected as a model fresh produce. Synergistic combination of a fog deposited phenolic acid and a UV-A light treatment achieved reduction in bacterial plate count up to 2 log CFU/cm independently of the initial load of the bacteria (10 or 10 CFU/cm).

Photoirradiated caffeic acid as an antimicrobial treatment for fresh produce.

The antimicrobial efficacy of 400 nm photoirradiated caffeic acid (CA, 5 mM) was evaluated against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria innocua. A stronger antimicrobial effect was observed on E. coli than on L.