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Advance and Future Challenges to Microbial Food Safety

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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 (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 32901

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maria Lavilla

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Guest Editor

AZTI, Food Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Derio, Spain
Interests: food safety; food microbiology; fermented foods; LAB; yeast; microbial isolation; bacteriophages; food-borne pathogens; high pressure processing; emerging technologies; Immunochemical methods; bacterial cell culture; biotechnology; protein purification; project management; SDS-PAGE; western blot analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Félix Amárita

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Guest Editor

AZTI, Food Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Derio, Spain
Interests: food safety; food control; food identity; biotechnology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Consumers’ growing demand for products with adequate nutritional, physicochemical and sensory characteristics has challenged both the food industry and the academic sector, necessitating a constant effort in the development of innovative strategies to produce new products with optimal characteristics that assure microbial food safety.

Recent advances in food processing technologies, as well as rapid detection methods, are limiting foodborne disease emergences. The development and application of novel preservatives and functional/active food packaging for the biocontrol of foodborne pathogens are also under study.

However, despite significant efforts by all parties involved, there is still a considerable burden of foodborne illness, in which microorganisms play a prominent role. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a reference publication to show the recent ground-breaking developments, potential applications and future trends that complement those already in use.

Consequently, we invite contributions to this Special Issue dealing with a wide range of fields, such as new developments in microbial monitoring, predictive microbiology, or novel strategies for pathogen control (e.g., technologies, natural preservatives, and hurdle strategies), regarding the main drivers of the future of food safety.

Dr. Maria Lavilla
Dr. Félix Amárita
Guest Editors

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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

food safety
foodborne pathogens
natural preservatives
biocontrol
microbial detection
microbial inactivation
emerging technologies
active packaging

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 5137 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Development Control and Inactivation of Byssochlamys nivea Ascospores by Hyperbaric Storage at Room Temperature

by Carlos A. Pinto, Diogo Galante, Edelman Espinoza-Suarez, Vítor M. Gaspar, João F. Mano, Francisco J. Barba and Jorge A. Saraiva

Foods 2023, 12(5), 978; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12050978 - 25 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2217

Abstract

This study tested hyperbaric storage (25–150 MPa, for 30 days) at room-temperature (HS/RT, 18–23 °C) in order to control the development of Byssochlamys nivea ascospores in apple juice. In order to mimic commercially pasteurized juice contaminated with ascospores, thermal pasteurization (70 and 80 °C for 30 s) and nonthermal high pressure pasteurization (600 MPa for 3 min at 17 °C, HPP) took place, and the juice was afterwards placed under HS/RT conditions. Control samples were also placed in atmospheric pressure (AP) conditions at RT and were refrigerated (4 °C). The results showed that HS/RT, in samples without a pasteurization step and those pasteurized at 70 °C/30 s, was able to inhibit ascospore development, contrarily to samples at AP/RT and refrigeration. HS/RT for samples pasteurized at 80 °C/30 s evidenced ascospore inactivation, especially at 150 MPa, wherein an overall reduction of at least 4.73 log units of ascospores was observed to below detection limits (1.00 Log CFU/mL); meanwhile, for HPP samples, especially at 75 and 150 MPa, an overall reduction of 3 log units (to below quantification limits, 2.00 Log CFU/mL) was observed. Phase-contrast microscopy revealed that the ascospores do not complete the germination process under HS/RT, hence avoiding hyphae formation, which is important for food safety since mycotoxin development occurs only after hyphae formation. These findings suggest that HS/RT is a safe food preservation methodology, as it prevents ascospore development and inactivates them following commercial-like thermal or nonthermal HPP pasteurization, preventing mycotoxin production and enhancing ascospore inactivation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance and Future Challenges to Microbial Food Safety)

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15 pages, 948 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Systematic Quantitative Determination of the Antimicrobial Efficacy of Grape Seed Extract against Foodborne Bacterial Pathogens

by Melina Kitsiou, Lisa Purk, Jorge Gutierrez-Merino, Kimon Andreas Karatzas, Oleksiy V. Klymenko and Eirini Velliou

Foods 2023, 12(5), 929; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12050929 - 22 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2968

Abstract

Concerns regarding the role of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in disease outbreaks are growing due to the excessive use of antibiotics. Moreover, consumers are demanding food products that are minimally processed and produced in a sustainable way, without the use of chemical preservatives or antibiotics. Grape seed extract (GSE) is isolated from wine industry waste and is an interesting source of natural antimicrobials, especially when aiming to increase sustainable processing. The aim of this study was to obtain a systematic understanding of the microbial inactivation efficacy/potential of GSE against Listeria monocytogenes (Gram-positive), Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhimurium (Gram-negative) in an in vitro model system. More specifically, for L. monocytogenes, the effects of the initial inoculum concentration, bacterial growth phase and absence of the environmental stress response regulon (SigB) on the GSE microbial inactivation potential were investigated. In general, GSE was found to be highly effective at inactivating L. monocytogenes, with higher inactivation achieved for higher GSE concentrations and lower initial inoculum levels. Generally, stationary phase cells were more resistant/tolerant to GSE as compared to exponential phase cells (for the same inoculum level). Additionally, SigB appears to play an important role in the resistance of L. monocytogenes to GSE. The Gram-negative bacteria under study (E. coli and S. Typhimurium) were less susceptible to GSE as compared to L. monocytogenes. Our findings provide a quantitative and mechanistic understanding of the impact of GSE on the microbial dynamics of foodborne pathogens, assisting in the more systematic design of natural antimicrobial-based strategies for sustainable food safety. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance and Future Challenges to Microbial Food Safety)

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15 pages, 2847 KiB

Open AccessArticle

β-Lactamase Producing Escherichia coli Encoding bla_CTX-M and bla_CMY Genes in Chicken Carcasses from Egypt

by Elham Elsayed Abo-Almagd, Rana Fahmi Sabala, Samir Mohammed Abd-Elghany, Charlene R. Jackson, Hazem Ramadan, Kálmán Imre, Adriana Morar, Viorel Herman and Khalid Ibrahim Sallam

Foods 2023, 12(3), 598; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12030598 - 1 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2690

Abstract

Escherichia coli with multidrug resistance and β-lactamase genes may constitute a great public health hazard due to the potential for their transmission to humans through the food chain. This study determined the prevalence, antibiotic resistance profiles, phylogroups, and β-lactamase genes of E. coli isolates from chicken carcasses marketed in Mansoura, Egypt. Interestingly, E. coli was detected in 98% (98/100) of the chicken carcasses examined, which seemed among the highest contamination rates by E. coli worldwide. From the 425 genetically verified uidA gene-positive E. coli, 85 isolates were further studied for antimicrobial resistance profiles, phylogroups, and β-lactamase genes. Interestingly, 89.41% of E. coli (76/85) strains tested against 24 different antibiotics were multidrug-resistant. Of the examined 85 E. coli isolates, 22 (25.88%) isolates harbored bla_CTX-M and were resistant to ampicillin, cefazoline, and ceftriaxone, while three of them were resistant to ceftazidime besides. Nine (10.59%) E. coli strains harbored AmpC- β-lactamase bla_CMY and were resistant to ampicillin. One isolate co-carried bla_CMY and bla_CTX-M genes, though it was negative for the bla_TEM gene. Of the 35 isolates that harbored either extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and/or AmpC β-lactamase genes, six strains (17.14%) were assigned to pathogenic phylogroup F and one to phylogroup E, whereas 28 (80%) isolates belonged to commensal phylogenetic groups. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance and Future Challenges to Microbial Food Safety)

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8 pages, 714 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Incidence of Drug-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Strains in Organic and Conventional Watermelons Grown in Tennessee

by Onyekachukwu Akaeze, Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge, Dilip Nandwani, Abdullah Ibn Mafiz, Maureen Nzomo and Tobenna Aniume

Foods 2022, 11(21), 3316; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11213316 - 22 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1729

Abstract

The production and consumption of organic fresh produce have constantly increased since the 1990s. Consumers prefer organic produce because it does not contain synthetic chemical residues that are often implicated in health problems. The contamination of fresh produce by pathogenic Enterobacteriaceae strains remains a major challenge, and is responsible for frequent foodborne disease outbreaks. The use of antibiotics has proved an effective treatment, but the increase in occurrences of antibiotic resistance is becoming a health challenge. This study seeks to establish the presence of antimicrobial resistance in Enterobacteriaceae on organic and conventional watermelon fruits. Watermelons used for this study were cultivated at the Tennessee State University Certified Organic Farm, Nashville. At harvest, nine fruits were selected from among fruits lying on plastic mulch, and nine from fruits lying on the soil of both organic and conventional plots. These were placed in sterile sample bags for microbial analysis. Spread plating technique, API 20E, and apiweb software were used for microbial isolation and identification. Identified strains were tested for antimicrobial resistance against 12 common antibiotics. Seventeen Enterobacteriaceae strains were isolated and identified. Isolates were susceptible to gentamycin, ciprofloxacin, and chloramphenicol, but were resistant to cefoxitin. Citrobacter freundii showed a 14.3% resistance to Streptomycin. Pantoea spp. and Providencia rettigeri showed 50% and 100% resistance to tetracycline. Findings from this study confirm the presence of antibiotic-resistant Enterobacteriaceae strains on organic watermelons in Nashville, TN. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance and Future Challenges to Microbial Food Safety)

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17 pages, 5361 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of Pinhole Plasma Jet Activated Water against Escherichia coli, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, and Decontamination of Pesticide Residues on Chili (Capsicum annuum L.)

by Choncharoen Sawangrat, Yuthana Phimolsiripol, Komgrit Leksakul, Sa-nguansak Thanapornpoonpong, Phanumas Sojithamporn, Maria Lavilla, Juan Manuel Castagnini, Francisco J. Barba and Dheerawan Boonyawan

Foods 2022, 11(18), 2859; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11182859 - 15 Sep 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2746

Abstract

Plasma activated water (PAW) generated from pinhole plasma jet using gas mixtures of argon (Ar) and 2% oxygen (O₂) was evaluated for pesticide degradation and microorganism decontamination (i.e., Escherichia coli and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) in chili (Capsicum annuum L.). A flow rate of 10 L/min produced the highest concentration of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) at 369 mg/L. Results showed that PAW treatment for 30 min and 60 min effectively degrades carbendazim and chlorpyrifos by about 57% and 54% in solution, respectively. In chili, carbendazim and chlorpyrifos were also decreased, to a major extent, by 80% and 65% after PAW treatment for 30 min and 60 min, respectively. E. coli populations were reduced by 1.18 Log CFU/mL and 2.8 Log CFU/g with PAW treatment for 60 min in suspension and chili, respectively. Moreover, 100% of inhibition of fungal spore germination was achieved with PAW treatment. Additionally, PAW treatment demonstrated significantly higher efficiency (p < 0.05) in controlling Anthracnose in chili by about 83% compared to other treatments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance and Future Challenges to Microbial Food Safety)

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16 pages, 1080 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of High Hydrostatic Pressure and Pulsed Electric Fields Processes on Microbial Safety and Quality of Black/Red Raspberry Juice

by Génesis V. Buitimea-Cantúa, Iván Alejandro Rico-Alderete, Magdalena de Jesús Rostro-Alanís, Jorge Welti-Chanes, Zamantha J. Escobedo-Avellaneda and Mayra Cristina Soto-Caballero

Foods 2022, 11(15), 2342; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11152342 - 5 Aug 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2512

Abstract

Black and red raspberries are fruits with a high phenolic and vitamin C content but are highly susceptible to deterioration. The effect of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP 400–600 MPa/CUT-10 min) and pulsed electric fields (PEF, frequency 100–500 Hz, pulse number 100, electric field strength from 11.3 to 23.3 kV/cm, and specific energy from 19.7 to 168.4 kJ/L) processes on black/red raspberry juice was studied. The effect on the inactivation of microorganisms and pectin methylesterase (PME) activity, physicochemical parameters (pH, acidity, total soluble solids (°Brix), and water activity (a_w)), vitamin C and phenolic compounds content were also determined. Results reveal that all HHP-treatments produced the highest (p < 0.05) log-reduction of molds (log 1.85 to 3.72), and yeast (log 3.19), in comparison with PEF-treatments. Increments in pH, acidity, and TSS values attributed to compounds’ decompartmentalization were found. PME activity was partially inactivated by HHP-treatment at 600 MPa/10 min (22% of inactivation) and PEF-treatment at 200 Hz/168.4 kJ/L (19% of inactivation). Increment in vitamin C and TPC was also observed. The highest increment in TPC (79% of increment) and vitamin C (77% of increment) was observed with PEF at 200 Hz/168.4 kJ/L. The putative effect of HHP and PEF on microbial safety, enzyme inactivation, and phytochemical retention is also discussed in detail. In conclusion, HHP and PEF improve phytochemical compounds’ content, microbial safety, and quality of black/red raspberry juice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance and Future Challenges to Microbial Food Safety)

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13 pages, 1583 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multiplex PCR Identification of Aspergillus cristatus and Aspergillus chevalieri in Liupao Tea Based on Orphan Genes

by Zhong Wang, Qifang Jin, Qin Li, Xingchang Ou, Shi Li, Zhonghua Liu and Jian’an Huang

Foods 2022, 11(15), 2217; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11152217 - 26 Jul 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2169

Abstract

“Golden flower” fungi in dark tea are beneficial to human health. The rapid identification method of “golden flower” fungi can verify the quality of dark tea products and ensure food safety. In this study, 6 strains were isolated from Liupao tea. They were respectively identified as A. cristatus, A. chevalieri, and A. pseudoglaucus. A. pseudoglaucus was reported as Liupao tea “golden flower” fungus for the first time. It was found that the ITS and BenA sequences of A. cristatus and A. chevalieri were highly conserved. It is difficult to clearly distinguish these closely related species by ITS sequencing. To rapidly identify species, multiplex PCR species-specific primers were designed based on orphan genes screened by comparative genomics analysis. Multiplex PCR results showed that orphan genes were specific and effective for the identification of A. cristatus and A. chevalieri isolated from Liupao tea and Fu brick tea. We confirmed that orphan genes can be used for identification of closely related Aspergillus species. Validation showed that the method is convenient, rapid, robust, sequencing-free, and economical. This promising method will be greatly beneficial to the dark tea processing industry and consumers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance and Future Challenges to Microbial Food Safety)

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Review

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21 pages, 1769 KiB

Open AccessReview

Protective Cultures in Food Products: From Science to Market

by Sebastian W. Fischer and Fritz Titgemeyer

Foods 2023, 12(7), 1541; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12071541 - 5 Apr 2023

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4745

Abstract

An ultimate goal in food production is to guarantee food safety and security. Fermented food products benefit from the intrinsic capabilities of the applied starter cultures as they produce organic acids and bactericidal compounds such as hydrogen peroxide that hamper most food pathogens. In addition, highly potent small peptides, bacteriocins, are being expelled to exert antibiotic effects. Based on ongoing scientific efforts, there is a growing market of food products to which protective cultures are added exclusively for food safety and for prolonged shelf life. In this regard, most genera from the order Lactobacillales play a prominent role. Here, we give an overview on protective cultures in food products. We summarize the mode of actions of antibacterial mechanisms. We display the strategies for the isolation and characterization of protective cultures in order to have them market-ready. A survey of the growing market reveals promising perspectives. Finally, a comprehensive chapter discusses the current legislation issues concerning protective cultures, leading to the conclusion that the application of protective cultures is superior to the usage of defined bacteriocins regarding simplicity, economic costs, and thus usage in less-developed countries. We believe that further discovery of bacteria to be implemented in food preservation will significantly contribute to customer’s food safety and food security, badly needed to feed world’s growing population but also for food waste reduction in order to save substantial amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance and Future Challenges to Microbial Food Safety)

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23 pages, 1005 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Natural Killers: Opportunities and Challenges for the Use of Bacteriophages in Microbial Food Safety from the One Health Perspective

by Maria Lavilla, Pilar Domingo-Calap, Sandra Sevilla-Navarro and Amaia Lasagabaster

Foods 2023, 12(3), 552; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12030552 - 26 Jan 2023

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5373

Abstract

Ingestion of food or water contaminated with pathogenic bacteria may cause serious diseases. The One Health approach may help to ensure food safety by anticipating, preventing, detecting, and controlling diseases that spread between animals, humans, and the environment. This concept pays special attention to the increasing spread and dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which are considered one of the most important environment-related human and animal health hazards. In this context, the development of innovative, versatile, and effective alternatives to control bacterial infections in order to assure comprehensive food microbial safety is becoming an urgent issue. Bacteriophages (phages), viruses of bacteria, have gained significance in the last years due to the request for new effective antimicrobials for the treatment of bacterial diseases, along with many other applications, including biotechnology and food safety. This manuscript reviews the application of phages in order to prevent food- and water-borne diseases from a One Health perspective. Regarding the necessary decrease in the use of antibiotics, results taken from the literature indicate that phages are also promising tools to help to address this issue. To assist future phage-based real applications, the pending issues and main challenges to be addressed shortly by future studies are also taken into account. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance and Future Challenges to Microbial Food Safety)

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21 pages, 2621 KiB

Open AccessReview

Systematic Review of Actinomycetes in the Baijiu Fermentation Microbiome

by Cong Chen, Haiquan Yang, Jie Liu, Huibo Luo and Wei Zou

Foods 2022, 11(22), 3551; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11223551 - 8 Nov 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4046

Abstract

Actinomycetes (a group of filamentous bacteria) are the dominant microbial order in the Daqu (DQ) fermentation starter and in the pit mud (PM) of the Baijiu fermentation microbiome. Actinomycetes produce many of the key enzymes and flavor components, and supply important precursors, which have a major influence on its characteristic aroma components, to other microorganisms during fermentation. This paper reviews the current progress on actinomycete research related to Baijiu fermentation, including the isolation and identification, distribution, interspecies interactions, systems biology, and main metabolites. The main metabolites and applications of the actinomycetes during Baijiu fermentation are also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance and Future Challenges to Microbial Food Safety)

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