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Cechin CDF, Carvalho GG, Kabuki DY. Occurrence, genetic characterization, and antibiotic susceptibility of Cronobacter spp. isolated from low water activity functional foods in Brazil. Food Microbiol 2024; 122:104570. [PMID: 38839229 DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2024.104570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Cronobacter spp. are bacterial pathogens isolated from a wide variety of foods. This study aims at evaluating the occurrence of Cronobacter spp. in low water activity functional food samples, detect the presence of virulence genes, and determine the antibiotic susceptibility of strains. From 105 samples, 38 (36.2%) were contaminated with Cronobacter spp. The species identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing analyses (rpoB and fusA genes, respectively) were C. sakazakii (60.3%), C. dublinensis (25.4%), C. turincensis (9.5%), and C. malonaticus (4.8%). Nineteen fusA alleles were identified, including four new alleles. The virulence genes were identified by PCR and all isolates were positive for ompX and sodA genes, 60.3% to cpa gene, and 58.7% to hly gene. Using the disk diffusion method, antibiotic susceptibility to twelve antibiotics was assessed twice, separated by a 19-month period. In the first test, the isolates showed diverse antibiotic susceptibility profiles, with nineteen isolates (30.2%) being multi-drug resistant (resistant to three or more antibiotic classes), in the second, the isolates were susceptible to all antibiotics. Cronobacter spp. in functional foods demonstrates the need for continued investigation of this pathogen in foods, and further research is needed to clarify the loss of resistance of Cronobacter strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carine da Fonseca Cechin
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos, Departamento de Ciência de Alimentos e Nutrição, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Gabriela Guimarães Carvalho
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos, Departamento de Ciência de Alimentos e Nutrição, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Dirce Yorika Kabuki
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos, Departamento de Ciência de Alimentos e Nutrição, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
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2
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Efimochkina NR, Zinurova EE, Smotrina YV, Stetsenko VV, Polyanina AS, Markova YM, Sheveleva SA. Assessment of the Sensitivity of Foodborne Cronobacter spp. Strains and Other Enterobacteria to Temperature Stresses and Chlorine-Containing Biocides. Bull Exp Biol Med 2024; 177:98-103. [PMID: 38963599 DOI: 10.1007/s10517-024-06139-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
We examined the effects of elevated temperatures and biocides on survivability of food isolates of Cronobacter spp. (C. sakazakii) and concomitant enterobacteriaceae obtained in microbiological control of infant nutrition products. Increased resistance of certain strains of Cronobacter, Enterobacter cloacae, and Pantoea spp. to thermal processing was revealed. Salmonella, Pantoea, and Cronobacter bacteria were least sensitive to antimicrobial action of chlorine-containing agents. The above properties varied in the strains of the same species. Specifically, only two of three examined isolates of Cronobacter spp. demonstrated lower sensitivity to heat in comparison with the enterobacterial test-cultures of other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- N R Efimochkina
- Federal Research Centre of Nutrition and Biotechnology, Moscow, Russia.
| | - E E Zinurova
- Federal Research Centre of Nutrition and Biotechnology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Yu V Smotrina
- Federal Research Centre of Nutrition and Biotechnology, Moscow, Russia
| | - V V Stetsenko
- Federal Research Centre of Nutrition and Biotechnology, Moscow, Russia
| | - A S Polyanina
- Federal Research Centre of Nutrition and Biotechnology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Yu M Markova
- Federal Research Centre of Nutrition and Biotechnology, Moscow, Russia
| | - S A Sheveleva
- Federal Research Centre of Nutrition and Biotechnology, Moscow, Russia
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3
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Li Q, Li C, Ye Q, Gu Q, Wu S, Zhang Y, Wei X, Xue L, Chen M, Zeng H, Zhang J, Wu Q. Occurrence, molecular characterization and antibiotic resistance of Cronobacter spp. isolated from wet rice and flour products in Guangdong, China. Curr Res Food Sci 2023; 7:100554. [PMID: 37559946 PMCID: PMC10407891 DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2023.100554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
This study explored the prevalence of Cronobacter spp. in wet rice and flour products from Guangdong province, China, the molecular characteristics and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of the isolates were identified. Among 249 samples, 100 (40.16%) were positive for Cronobacter spp., including 77 wet rice and 23 wet flour products. Eleven serotypes were characterized among 136 isolates with C. sakazakii O2 (n = 32) predominating. Forty-nine MLST patterns were assigned, 15 of which were new. C. sakazakii ST4 (n = 17) was the dominant ST, which is previously reported to have caused three deaths; followed by C. malonaticus ST7 (n = 15), which is connected to adult infections. All strains presented susceptibility to ampicillin/sulbactam, imipenem, aztreonam and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. The isolates showed maximum resistance to cephalothin, and the resistance and intermediate rates were 91.91% and 3.68%, each. Two strains, croM234A1 and croM283-1, displayed resistance to three antibiotics. High contamination level and predominant number of pathogenic STs of Cronobacter in wet rice and flour products implied a potential risk to public healthiness. This survey could provide comprehensive information for establishing more targeted control methods for Cronobacter spp.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Qinghua Ye
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
| | - Qihui Gu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
| | - Shi Wu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
| | - Youxiong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
| | - Xianhu Wei
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
| | - Liang Xue
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
| | - Moutong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
| | - Haiyan Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
| | - Jumei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
| | - Qingping Wu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
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4
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Yin M, Wang Z, Xie P, Han L, Li L, Wang H, Qiao X, Deng Q. Fluorescence sensing platform for Cronobacter sakazakii based on the cationic metal-organic frameworks modified upconversion nanoparticles. Food Control 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.109443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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5
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Gan X, Li M, Xu J, Yan S, Wang W, Li F. Emerging of Multidrug-Resistant Cronobacter sakazakii Isolated from Infant Supplementary Food in China. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0119722. [PMID: 36173309 PMCID: PMC9603571 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01197-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter is a foodborne pathogen associated with severe infections in restricted populations and particularly with high mortality in neonates and infants. The prevalence and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) phenotype of Cronobacter cultured from powdered infant formula and supplementary food were studied. The virulence factors, AMR genes, and genomic environments of the multidrug-resistant isolates were further studied. A total of 1,055 Cronobacter isolates were recovered from 12,105 samples of powdered infant formula and supplementary food collected from 29 provinces between 2018 and 2019 in China. Among these, 1,048 isolates were from infant supplementary food and 7 were from powdered infant formula. Regarding antimicrobial resistance susceptibility, 11 (1.0%) isolates were resistant and two showed resistance to four antimicrobials (ampicillin [AMP], tetracycline [TET], sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim [SXT], and chloramphenicol [CHL]), defined as MDR. These two MDR isolates were subsequently identified as Cronobacter sakazakii sequence type 4 (ST4) (C. sakazakii Crono-589) and ST40 (C. sakazakii Crono-684). Both MDR isolates contain 11 types of virulence genes and 7 AMR genes on their genomes. Meanwhile, the IncFIB plasmids of both MDR C. sakazakii isolates also harbored 2 types of virulence genes. Results of the genomic comparative analysis indicated that food-associated C. sakazakii could acquire antimicrobial resistance determinants through horizontal gene transfer (HGT). IMPORTANCE As a foodborne pathogen, Cronobacter can cause serious infections in restricted populations and lead to death or chronic sequelae. Although a number of investigations showed that Cronobacter isolates are susceptible to most antimicrobial agents, MDR Cronobacter isolates, isolated mainly from clinical cases but occasionally from foods, have been reported in recent years. In this study, we successfully identified two MDR Cronobacter sakazakii isolates from infant foods based on nationwide surveillance and genome sequencing in China. Genomic analysis revealed that these two MDR C. sakazakii strains acquired resistance genes from other species via different evolution and transmission routes. It is important to monitor MDR C. sakazakii isolates in infant foods, and appropriate control measures should be taken to reduce the contamination with and transmission of this MDR bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Gan
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, National Health Commission, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Menghan Li
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, National Health Commission, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jin Xu
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, National Health Commission, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shaofei Yan
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, National Health Commission, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, National Health Commission, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fengqin Li
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, National Health Commission, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
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Yi M, He P, Li J, Zhang J, Lin L, Wang L, Zhao L. A portable toolbox based on time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay and immunomagnetic separation for Cronobacter sakazakii on-site detection in dairy. Int Dairy J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.idairyj.2022.105425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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7
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Chen C, Ao J, Wang L, Zhang J, Mo Y, Zhang Y, Zhao L. Characterisation of the molecular mechanisms of multiple antibiotic tolerance in growth‐arrested
Cronobacter sakazakii
under ampicillin exposure. Int J Food Sci Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ijfs.15714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chuxin Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods College of Food Sciences South China Agricultural University Guangzhou Guangdong 510642 China
| | - Jialu Ao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods College of Food Sciences South China Agricultural University Guangzhou Guangdong 510642 China
| | - Li Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods College of Food Sciences South China Agricultural University Guangzhou Guangdong 510642 China
| | - Jingfeng Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods College of Food Sciences South China Agricultural University Guangzhou Guangdong 510642 China
| | - Yunshao Mo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods College of Food Sciences South China Agricultural University Guangzhou Guangdong 510642 China
| | - Yehui Zhang
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture Guangzhou Guangdong 510641 China
| | - Lichao Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods College of Food Sciences South China Agricultural University Guangzhou Guangdong 510642 China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture Guangzhou Guangdong 510641 China
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8
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Posautz A, Szostak MP, Cabal Rosel A, Allerberger F, Stöger A, Rab G, Feßler AT, Spergser J, Kübber-Heiss A, Schwarz S, Forsythe SJ, Ruppitsch W, Loncaric I. Outbreak of Cronobacter turicensis in European brown hares (Lepus europaeus). Lett Appl Microbiol 2022; 74:1008-1015. [PMID: 35263446 DOI: 10.1111/lam.13685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This is the first report of acute deaths in five European brown hares (Lepus europaeus) attributed to mucoid and necrotizing typhlocolitis caused by genetically different Cronobacter (C.) turicensis strains in northeastern Austria. As this opportunistic pathogen is mainly known for causing disease in immunocompromised humans and neonates, this previously unrecognized potential for a spillover from a wildlife reservoir to humans warrants further attention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Anna Stöger
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerhard Rab
- Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management, University of Technology Vienna, Austria.,Institute for Land and Water Management Research, Federal Agency for Water Management, Petzenkirchen, Austria
| | - Andrea T Feßler
- Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research (TZR), Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Stefan Schwarz
- Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research (TZR), Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163, Berlin, Germany
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9
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First Survey about Current Practices of Environmental Monitoring Programs within French Agri-Food Industries. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11010089. [PMID: 35053086 PMCID: PMC8772832 DOI: 10.3390/biology11010089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Environmental monitoring programs (EMP) have become essential levers of action to ensure food safety. EMPs are already implemented in some food plants; however, knowledge about monitoring practices remains poorly disseminated. The present survey collected information on the monitoring practices of manufacturing environments in several sectors of the French agri-food industry. We observed that EMP strategies were based on a risk management approach. Practices are codified and transcribed in the HACCP system of some food manufacturers, which include hazards to be monitored, zones to be identified, surfaces to be sampled, tools for sampling and analysis, the number of samples collected, the frequency of sampling, monitoring contamination trends in microbial ecology, and corrective action plans for non-compliant results. EMP strategies are strongly related to food plant characteristics, and there is a lack of guidance. Therefore, a balance must be found between the harmonization of monitoring practices and the specificities of each site. Abstract Food safety is a constant challenge for stakeholders in the food industry. To manage the likelihood of microbiological contamination, food safety management systems must be robust, including food and environmental testing. Environmental monitoring programs (EMP) have emerged this last decade aiming to validate cleaning–sanitation procedures and other environmental pathogen control programs. The need to monitor production environments has become evident because of recent foodborne outbreaks. However, the boundaries of environmental monitoring are not only limited to the management of pathogens but also extend to spoilage and hygiene indicators, microorganisms, allergens, and other hygiene monitoring. Surfaces in production environments can be a source of contamination, either through ineffective cleaning and disinfection procedures or through contamination during production by flows or operators. This study analyses the current practices of 37 French agri-food industries (small, medium, or large), reporting their objectives for EMPs, microbial targets, types, numbers and frequency of sampling, analysis of results, and types of corrective actions.
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10
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Wang L, Forsythe SJ, Yang X, Fu S, Man C, Jiang Y. Invited review: Stress resistance of Cronobacter spp. affecting control of its growth during food production. J Dairy Sci 2021; 104:11348-11367. [PMID: 34364644 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2021-20591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Members of the Cronobacter genus include food-borne pathogens that can cause infections in infants, with a mortality rate as high as 40 to 80%. The high fatality rate of Cronobacter and its isolation from numerous types of food, especially from powdered infant formula, demonstrate the serious nature of this organism. The source tracking of Cronobacter spp. and the analysis of high-frequency species from different sources are helpful for a more targeted control. Furthermore, the persistence during food processing and storage may be attributed to strong resistance of Cronobacter spp. to environment stresses such as heat, pH, and desiccation. There are many factors that support the survival of Cronobacter spp. in harsh environments, such as some genes, regulatory systems, and biofilms. Advanced detection technology is helpful for the strict monitoring of Cronobacter spp. In addition to the traditional heat treatment, many new control techniques have been developed, and the ability to control Cronobacter spp. has been demonstrated. The control of this bacteria is required not only during manufacture, but also through the selection of packaging methods to reduce postprocessing contamination. At the same time, the effect of inactivation methods on product quality and safety must be considered. This review considers the advances in our understanding of environmental stress response in Cronobacter spp. with special emphasis on its implications in food processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China, 150030
| | - Stephen J Forsythe
- Foodmicrobe.com, Adams Hill, Keyworth, Nottingham, United Kingdom, NG12 5GY
| | - Xinyan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China, 150030
| | - Shiqian Fu
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China, 150030
| | - Chaoxin Man
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China, 150030.
| | - Yujun Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China, 150030.
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11
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Point-of-care and visual detection of Salmonella spp. and Cronobacter spp. by multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification label-based lateral flow dipstick in powdered infant formula. Int Dairy J 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.idairyj.2021.105022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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12
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Ling N, Jiang Y, Zeng H, Ding Y, Forsythe S. Advances in our understanding and distribution of the Cronobacter genus in China. J Food Sci 2021; 86:276-283. [PMID: 33438222 DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.15577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
This review considers how research in China has progressed our understanding and subsequent improved control of Cronobacter. This emergent bacterial pathogen is associated with neonatal infections through the ingestion of contaminated prepared feed. The review includes large-scale surveys of various sources of the organism, including infant formula production facilities. The analysis of over 20,000 samples is presented. Over 10,000 being from powdered infant formula and other infant foods as well as environmental sampling of production facilities, the remaining being from food, food ingredients, and human carriage. A major advance in China was adopting DNA-sequence-based methods (that is, multilocus sequence typing, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-cas array profiling, and single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis) for the identification and genotyping of the organism. These methods have considerably advanced our understanding of the taxonomy, ecology, and virulence of this organism. In turn, this has improved source tracking of the organism both in infant formula production facilities and epidemiological investigations. Furthermore, whole-genome sequencing has revealed a range of virulence and persistence mechanisms as well as plasmid-borne multidrug resistance traits. China now has reliable and robust methods for accurate microbial source tracking of Cronobacter for use both in the food production environment and epidemiological analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Ling
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China.,Guangdong Institute of Microbiology & Guangdong Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application & Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangzhou, 510070, China
| | - Yujun Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science and Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China
| | - Haiyan Zeng
- Guangdong Institute of Microbiology & Guangdong Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application & Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangzhou, 510070, China
| | - Yu Ding
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, College of Science & Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
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13
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Craven H, McAuley C, Hannah M, Duffy L, Fegan N, Forsythe S. Applicability of Enterobacteriaceae and coliforms tests as indicators for Cronobacter in milk powder factory environments. Food Microbiol 2020; 94:103642. [PMID: 33279068 DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2020.103642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of Cronobacter as an important potential pathogen for newborn children and its occurrence in powdered infant formulae has generated a need to develop new management practices for this food group. This includes reduction of the prevalence of Cronobacter in manufacturing environments which can be a source of Cronobacter. This study was performed to assess the suitability of qualitative and quantitative Enterobacteriaceae and coliforms indicator tests for the presence and prevalence of Cronobacter. Environmental swabs (205) from five milk powder factories were examined. The qualitative indicator tests had good sensitivity but they lacked specificity for reliable routine use. Logistic regression analyses revealed a significant relationship between the quantitative indicator tests and Cronobacter prevalence, where the Enterobacteriaceae count was a slightly stronger predictor for Cronobacter than the coliforms count. The optimum test sensitivity (81%) and specificity (66%) was obtained when the indicator count thresholds were set at ≥1 cfu/cm2. However, since 11% of samples were Cronobacter positive when counts of Enterobacteriaceae and coliforms were less than 1 cfu/cm2, specific testing for Cronobacter is advised in addition to Enterobacteriaceae testing to minimise risk of transfer of Cronobacter from the factory environment into powdered infant formulae products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Craven
- CSIRO, Agriculture and Food, Private Bag 16, Werribee, Victoria, 3030, Australia.
| | - Catherine McAuley
- CSIRO, Agriculture and Food, Private Bag 16, Werribee, Victoria, 3030, Australia
| | - Murray Hannah
- Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR), 1301 Hazeldean Road, Ellinbank, Victoria, 3821, Australia
| | - Lesley Duffy
- CSIRO, Agriculture and Food, PO Box 745, Coopers Plains, Queensland, 4108, Australia
| | - Narelle Fegan
- CSIRO, Agriculture and Food, PO Box 745, Coopers Plains, Queensland, 4108, Australia
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14
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Li C, Zeng H, Zhang J, Luo D, Chen M, Lei T, Yang X, Wu H, Cai S, Ye Y, Ding Y, Wang J, Wu Q. Cronobacter spp. isolated from aquatic products in China: Incidence, antibiotic resistance, molecular characteristic and CRISPR diversity. Int J Food Microbiol 2020; 335:108857. [PMID: 32947144 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2020.108857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Cronobacter species (Cronobacter spp.) are important foodborne pathogens that can infect and cause serious life-threatening diseases in infants and immunocompromised elderly. This study aimed to acquire data on Cronobacter spp. contamination of aquatic products in China from 2011 to 2016. In total, 800 aquatic products were tested, and the overall contamination rate for Cronobacter spp. was 3.9% (31/800). The average contamination level of the positive samples was 2.05 MPN/g. Four species and nine serotypes were identified among 33 isolates, of which the C. sakazakii serogroup O1 (n = 9) was the primary serotype. The majority of Cronobacter spp. strains harbored highest resistance against cephalothin (84.8%), followed by tetracycline (6.1%), trimethoprim/sulfameth-oxazole (3.0%) and chloramphenicol (3.0%). Two isolates were resistant to three antibiotics. In total, 26 sequence types and 33 CRISPR types (including 6 new STs and 26 new CTs) were identified, which indicates the extremely high diversity of Cronobacter spp. in aquatic products. Pathogenic C. sakazakii ST4, ST1, and C. malonaticus ST7 were also observed. Overall, this large-scale study revealed the relatively low prevalence and high genetic diversity of Cronobacter spp. in aquatic products in China, and the findings provide valuable information that can guide the establishment of effective measures for the control and precaution of Cronobacter spp. in aquatic products during production processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengsi Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Haiyan Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Jumei Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Dandan Luo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Moutong Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Tao Lei
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Xiaojuan Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Haoming Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Shuzhen Cai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Yingwang Ye
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Yu Ding
- Department of Food Science &Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Juan Wang
- College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingping Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China.
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15
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Li P, Dong X, Wang XY, Du T, Du XJ, Wang S. Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Adhesion/Invasion Related Proteins in Cronobacter sakazakii Based on Data-Independent Acquisition Coupled With LC-MS/MS. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1239. [PMID: 32582128 PMCID: PMC7296052 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter sakazakii is foodborne pathogen that causes serious illnesses such as necrotizing enterocolitis, meningitis and septicemia in infants. However, the virulence determinants and mechanisms of pathogenicity of these species remain unclear. In this study, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was performed on 34 C. sakazakii strains and two strains with the same sequence type (ST) but distinct adhesion/invasion capabilities were selected for identification of differentially expressed proteins using data-independent acquisition (DIA) proteomic analysis. A total of 2,203 proteins were identified and quantified. Among these proteins, 210 exhibited differential expression patterns with abundance ratios ≥3 or ≤0.33 and P values ≤0.05. Among these 210 proteins, 67 were expressed higher, and 143 were expressed lower in C. sakazakii SAKA80220 (strongly adhesive/invasive strain) compared with C. sakazakii SAKA80221 (weakly adhesive/invasive strain). Based on a detailed analysis of the differentially expressed proteins, the highly expressed genes involved in flagellar assembly, lipopolysaccharide synthesis, LuxS/AI-2, energy metabolic pathways and iron-sulfur cluster may be associated with the adhesion/invasion capability of C. sakazakii. To verify the accuracy of the proteomic results, real-time qPCR was used to analyze the expression patterns of some genes at the transcriptional level, and consistent results were observed. This study, for the first time, used DIA proteomic to investigate potential adhesion/invasion related factors as a useful reference for further studies on the pathogenic mechanism of C. sakazakii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Xuan Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiao-Yi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Ting Du
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Xin-Jun Du
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Shuo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Food Science and Health, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
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16
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Prevalence, genetic analysis and CRISPR typing of Cronobacter spp. isolated from meat and meat products in China. Int J Food Microbiol 2020; 321:108549. [PMID: 32062304 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2020.108549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Cronobacter spp. are important foodborne pathogens that infections occur in all age groups, especially cause serious life-threatening diseases in infants. This study aimed to acquire data on Cronobacter spp. contamination of meat and meat products (n = 588) in China during 2011 to 2016, and investigated the use of CRISPR typing technology as an approach for characterizing the genetics of Cronobacter spp. The overall contamination rate for Cronobacter spp. was determined to be 9.18% (54/588). Of the positive samples, 90.74% (49/54) had <10 MPN/g, with duck samples had a relatively high contamination rate (15.69%, 8/51) and highest contamination level (28.90 MPN/g). Four species and nine serotypes were identified among 69 isolates, of which C. sakazakii was the major species (n = 50) and C. sakazakii serogroup O1 and O2 (n = 17) were the primary serotypes. The majority of Cronobacter spp. strains were found to be susceptible to most antibiotics except exhibited high resistance to cephalothin (76.81%, 53/69), and total two multi-drug resistant C. sakazakii strains were isolated from duck. The genetic diversity of Cronobacter spp. was remarkably high, as evidenced by the identification of 40 sequence types (STs) and 60 CRISPR types (CTs). C. sakazakii ST64 (n = 7) was the predominant genotype and was further divided into two sub-lineages based on CRISPR diversity, showing different antibiotic resistance profile. These results demonstrate that CRISPR typing results have a good correspondence with bacterial phenotypes, and it will be a tremendously useful approach for elucidating inter-subtyping during molecular epidemiological investigations while interpreting the divergent evolution of Cronobacter. The presence of Cronobacter spp. in meat and meat product is a potential threat to human public health.
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17
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Li C, Zeng H, Zhang J, He W, Ling N, Chen M, Wu S, Lei T, Wu H, Ye Y, Ding Y, Wang J, Wei X, Zhang Y, Wu Q. Prevalence, Antibiotic Susceptibility, and Molecular Characterization of Cronobacter spp. Isolated From Edible Mushrooms in China. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:283. [PMID: 30863374 PMCID: PMC6399401 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter spp. are foodborne pathogens that can infect and cause life-threatening diseases in all age groups, particularly in infants and immunocompromised elderly. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, antibiotic susceptibility, and molecular characteristics of Cronobacter spp. isolates in edible mushrooms collected from 44 cities in China. In total, 668 edible mushrooms were collected from traditional retail markets and supermarkets and were analyzed by quantitative methods, PCR-based serotyping, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and antibiotic susceptibility testing. Among the 668 samples tested, 89 (13.32%) were positive for Cronobacter spp., and the contamination levels exceeded the 110 most probable number (MPN)/g in 13.48% (12/89) of the samples. Flammulina velutipes samples had the highest contamination rate of 17.54% (37/211), whereas Hypsizygus marmoreus samples had the lowest contamination rate of 3.28% (2/61). Ten serotypes were identified among 115 isolates, of which the C. sakazakii serogroup O1 (n = 32) was the primary serotype. MLST indicated that there was quite high genetic diversity in Cronobacter spp. and 72 sequence types were identified, 17 of which were new. Notably, C. sakazakii ST148 (n = 10) was the most prevalent, followed by C. malonaticus ST7 (n = 5). Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed that the majority of Cronobacter spp. strains were susceptible to the 16 antibiotics tested. However, a portion of isolates exhibited relatively high resistance to cephalothin, with resistance and intermediate rates of 93.91 and 6.09%, respectively. One isolate (cro300A) was multidrug-resistant, with resistance to five antibiotics. Overall, this large-scale study revealed the relatively high prevalence and high genetic diversity of Cronobacter spp. on edible mushrooms in China, indicating a potential public health concern. To our knowledge, this is the first large-scale and systematic study on the prevalence of Cronobacter spp. on edible mushrooms in China, and the findings can provide valuable information that can guide the establishment of effective measures for the control and precaution of Cronobacter spp on edible mushrooms during production processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengsi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haiyan Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jumei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenjing He
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Na Ling
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Moutong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shi Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tao Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haoming Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingwang Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Ding
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Juan Wang
- College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianhu Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Youxiong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingping Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
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18
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Pei X, Li Y, Zhang H, Zhan L, Yu X, Lan G, Jia H, Li N, Yang D, Mei L. Surveillance and characterisation of Cronobacter in powdered infant formula processing factories. Food Control 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2018.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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