Reprint of: Microbial food safety in the 21st century: Emerging challenges and foodborne pathogenic bacteria

Exploring the Interplay of Food Security, Safety, and Psychological Wellness in the COVID-19 Era: Managing Strategies for Resilience and Adaptation

The global population surge presents a dual challenge and opportunity in the realms of food consumption, safety, and mental well-being. This necessitates a projected 70% increase in food production to meet growing demands. Amid this backdrop, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates these issues, underscoring the need for a deeper understanding of the intricate interplay between food consumption patterns and mental health dynamics during this crisis. Mitigating the spread of COVID-19 hinges upon rigorous adherence to personal hygiene practices and heightened disease awareness. Furthermore, maintaining stringent food quality and safety standards across both public and private sectors is imperative for safeguarding public health and containing viral transmission. Drawing upon existing research, this study delves into the pandemic's impact on mental health, food consumption habits, and food safety protocols. Through a comprehensive analysis, it aims to elucidate the nuanced relationship among food, food safety, and mental well-being amid the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting synergistic effects and dynamics that underpin holistic human welfare. Our study offers a novel approach by integrating psychological wellness with food security and safety. In conceiving this review, we aimed to comprehensively explore the intricate interplay among food security, safety, and psychological wellness amid the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our review is structured to encompass a thorough examination of existing research, synthesizing insights into the multifaceted relationships among food consumption patterns, mental health dynamics, and food safety protocols during the crisis. Our findings provide valuable insights and practical recommendations for enhancing food security and psychological well-being, thus supporting both academic research and real-world applications in crisis management and policy development.

Subtractive genomics study for the identification of therapeutic targets against Cronobacter sakazakii: A threat to infants

Cronobacter sakazakii is an opportunistic pathogen that has been associated with severe infection in neonates such as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), neonatal meningitis, and bacteremia. This pathogen can survive in a relatively dry environment, especially in powdered infant formula (PIF). Unfortunately, conventional drugs that were once effective against C. sakazakii are gradually losing their efficacy due to rising antibiotic resistance. In this study, a subtractive genomic approach was followed in order to identify potential therapeutic targets in the pathogen. The whole proteome of the pathogen was filtered through a step-by-step process, which involved removing paralogous proteins, human homologs, sequences that are less essential for survival, proteins with shared metabolic pathways, and proteins that are located in cells other than the cytoplasmic membrane. As a result, nine novel drug targets were identified. Further, the analysis also unveiled that the FDA-approved drug Terbinafine can be repurposed against the Glutathione/l-cysteine transport system ATP-binding/permease protein CydC of C. sakazakii. Moreover, molecular docking and dynamics studies of Terbinafine and CydC suggested that this drug can be used to treat C. sakazakii infection in neonates. However, for clinical purposes further in vitro and in vivo studies are necessary.

Agarose Hydrogel-Boosted One-Tube RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a Assay for Robust Point-of-Care Detection of Zoonotic Nematode Anisakis

Rapid and accurate detection of the zoonotic nematode Anisakis is poised to control its epidemic. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas-associated assay shows great potential in the detection of pathogenic microorganisms. The one-tube method integrated the CRISPR system with the recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) system to avoid the risk of aerosol pollution; however, it suffers from low sensitivity due to the incompatibility of the two systems and additional manual operations. Therefore, in the present study, the agarose hydrogel boosted one-tube RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a assay was constructed by adding the CRISPR system to the agarose hydrogel, which avoided the initially low amplification efficiency of RPA caused by the cleavage of Cas12a and achieved reaction continuity. The sensitivity was 10-fold higher than that of the one-tube RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a system. This method was used for Anisakis detection within 80 min from the sample to result, achieving point-of-care testing (POCT) through a smartphone and a portable device. This study provided a novel toolbox for POCT with significant application value in preventing Anisakis infection.

Optical biosensors for environmental monitoring: Recent advances and future perspectives in bacterial detection

The environmental contamination due to bacterial proliferation vs their identification is the major deciding factor in the spread of diseases leading to pandemics. The advent of drug-resistant pathogenic contaminants in our environment has further added to the load of complications associated with their diagnosis and treatment. Obstructing the spread of such infections, prioritizes the expansion of sensor-based diagnostics, effectuating, a sturdy detection of disease-causing microbes, contaminating our surroundings in shortest possible time, with minimal expenditure. Among many sensors known, optical biosensors promote the recognition of pathogens befouling the environment through a comparatively intuitive, brisk, portable, multitudinous, and thrifty approach. This article reviews the recent progresses in optical biosensor-based systems for effective environmental monitoring. The technical and methodological perspectives of fundamental optical-sensing platforms are reviewed, combined with the pros and cons of every procedure. Eventually, the obstacles lying in the path of development of an effective optical biosensor device for bio-monitoring and its future perspectives are highlighted in the present work.

Antibacterial Mechanism of Rhamnolipids against Bacillus cereus and Its Application in Fresh Wet Noodles

Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) is a common foodborne pathogen causing food poisoning incidents. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity and underlying mechanism of rhamnolipids (RLs) against B. cereus. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of RLs for B. cereus were determined to be 16.0 mg/L and 32.0 mg/L, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence microscope images, as well as data of membrane potential, relative electric conductivity, and leakage of intracellular components revealed that RLs disrupted the integrity of the cell membrane. Furthermore, the reactive oxygen species content, catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity indicated that RLs activated the oxidative stress response of B. cereus in response to RLs. Fresh wet noodles (FWN) were used as a food model, and RLs showed a significant killing effect on B. cereus with a sustained inhibitory effect at the concentrations ranging from 128.0 to 1024.0 mg/kg. Additionally, RLs promoted the conversion of free water to bound water in FWN, which improved the storage of FWN and made the taste more resilient and chewy. These results suggest that RLs could be a potential alternative to antimicrobial agents and preservatives for applications in food processing.

Double bipolar electrode electrochemiluminescence color switch for food-borne pathogens detection

Color-switch electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensing platform based on a dual-bipolar electrode (D-BPE) is reported in this work. The D-BPE was composed of a cathode filled with buffer and two anodes filled with [Ru(bpy)3]2+-TPrA and luminol-H2O2 solutions, respectively. Both anodes were modified with capture DNA and served as ECL reporting platforms. After introducing ferrocene-labeled aptamer (Fc-aptamer) on both anodes, the ECL emission signal of the [Ru(bpy)3]2+ was difficult to be observed (anode 1), while luminol emitted a strong and visible ECL signal (anode 2). Ferrocene (Fc) did not only prevent the oxidation of [Ru(bpy)3]2+ due to its lower oxidation potential, its oxidation product Fc+ also quenched the [Ru(bpy)3]2+ ECL through efficient energy transfer. For luminol, Fc+ catalyzes the accelerated formation of the excited-state of the luminol anion radical, which leads to the enhancement of the luminol ECL. In the presence of food-borne pathogens, the aptamer was assembled with them, leading to the leaving of Fc from the surface of the D-BPE anodes. The ECL intensity of [Ru(bpy)3]2+ was enlarged, meanwhile, the blue emission signal of luminol became weakened. By self-calibrating the ratio of the two signals, 1-106 CFU mL-1 food-borne pathogenic bacteria can be sensitively detected with a detection limit of 1 CFU mL-1. Ingeniously, the color-switch biosensor can be used to detect S. aureus, E. coli and S. typhimurium by assembling the corresponding aptamers onto the D-BPE anodes.

Purification and characterization of a novel low-molecular-weight antimicrobial peptide produced by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum NMGL2

The present study aimed to purify and characterize a novel low-molecular-weight antimicrobial peptide (AMP) named as PNMGL2 produced by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum NMGL2. The AMP was effectively separated and purified by ethyl acetate extraction and DEAE-Sepharose anion exchange chromatography. Tricine-SDS-PAGE of the purified AMP showed a major protein band below 1.7 kDa, which was identified by MALDI-TOF MS to be a hexapeptide LNFLKK (761.95 Da), and structurally characterized to be combination of helixes and random coil by a PEP-FOLD 3 De novo approach. The antimicrobial activity of LNFLKK was confirmed by chemical synthesis of the peptide that showed clear inhibition (MIC 7.8 mg/mL) against both Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes), and Gram-negative bacteria (Enterobacter sakazakii, Escherichia coli and Shigella flexneri). PNMGL2 was pH resistant (pH 2-9), heat stable (121 °C, 30 min), and protease sensitive. Treatment of UV rays, sodium chloride and organic solvents did not decrease the activity. Sequencing of the whole genome of L. plantarum NMGL2 revealed presence of a bacteriocin gene cluster with two putative bacteriocin genes (ORF4 and ORF5) that were not expressed, confirming the significance of PNMGL2 contributing the antimicrobial activity of the strain. This study demonstrated the low-molecular-weight AMP that was uncharacterized in the relevant available databases, suggesting its potential application as a novel natural food preservative.

Limosilactobacillus fermentum NCU003089 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum NCU001261, two probiotics with inhibition of Escherichia coli and Cronobacter sakazakii translocation in vitro

The subject of this study was to screen lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with pathogen translocation inhibition and investigate the potential inhibition mechanism of it. Pathogens colonized in the intestine could cross the intestinal barrier to access blood circulation, causing severe complications. This study aimed to screen LAB with favorable inhibitory effects on the translocation of enterinvasive Escherichia coli CMCC44305 (E. coli) and Cronobacter sakazakii CMCC45401 (C. sakazakii), which were two common intestinal opportunistic pathogens. After an elaborate screening procedure including adhesion, antibacterial, and translocation assay, Limosilactobacillus fermentum NCU003089 (L. fermentum NCU3089) and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum NCU0011261 (L. plantarum NCU1261) were found to inhibit 58.38% and 66.85% of pathogen translocation, respectively. Subsequently, LAB pre-treatment suppressed the decline in TEER of Caco-2 monolayers caused by pathogens. Meanwhile, L. fermentum NCU3089 significantly inhibited claudin-1, ZO-1, and JAM-1 degradation caused by E. coli, and L. plantarum NCU1261 markedly reduced claudin-1 degradation caused by C. sakazakii. Also, the two LAB strains significantly decreased TNF-α level. In addition, L. fermentum NCU3089 but not L. plantarum NCU1261 tolerated well in the gastrointestinal fluids, and they were both sensitive or intermediate to nine common clinical antibiotics without hemolytic activity. In short, the two LAB strains could inhibit pathogen translocation by competing for adhesion sites, secreting antibacterial substances, reducing inflammatory cytokines levels, and maintaining intestinal barrier integrity. This study provided a feasible solution to prevent pathogen infection and translocation, and the two LAB strains were safe and had potential in food and pharmaceutical applications.

Putative inactivation mechanism and germicidal efficacy of induced electric field against Staphylococcus aureus

Induced electric field (IEF), as an alternative non-conventional processing technique, is utilized to sterilize liquid foods. In this study, the survival and sublethal injury of S. aureus under IEF were investigated in 0.85% normal saline, and the inactivation mechanism of IEF was expounded. The plate count results showed that the sublethal injury rates remained above 90% after IEF treatment for more than 8.4 s, and 7.1 log CFU/mL of S. aureus was completely inactivated after 14 s IEF treatment. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscope images showed that IEF caused the destruction of cell membrane and internal substructure, and the damage to intracellular substructure was more severe. Altered membrane integrity or permeability was demonstrated through flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscope analysis, and the different damage to cells was quantified by propidium iodide & 5-carboxy fluorescein diacetate single and double staining. In addition, IEF treatment also decreased the membrane potential and esterase activity of S. aureus cells. Putative inactivation mechanism of IEF against S. aureus is a complex process, and its apoptosis is the result of the combination of several factors, which provide a basis for understanding the inactivation mechanism of IEF.

Conventional and advanced detection techniques of foodborne pathogens: A comprehensive review

Foodborne pathogens are a major public health concern and have a significant economic impact globally. From harvesting to consumption stages, food is generally contaminated by viruses, parasites, and bacteria, which causes foodborne diseases such as hemorrhagic colitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), typhoid, acute, gastroenteritis, diarrhea, and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Hence, early detection of foodborne pathogenic microbes is essential to ensure a safe food supply and to prevent foodborne diseases. The identification of foodborne pathogens is associated with conventional (e.g., culture-based, biochemical test-based, immunological-based, and nucleic acid-based methods) and advances (e.g., hybridization-based, array-based, spectroscopy-based, and biosensor-based process) techniques. For industrial food applications, detection methods could meet parameters such as accuracy level, efficiency, quickness, specificity, sensitivity, and non-labor intensive. This review provides an overview of conventional and advanced techniques used to detect foodborne pathogens over the years. Therefore, the scientific community, policymakers, and food and agriculture industries can choose an appropriate method for better results.

Molecular Methods for Identification and Quantification of Foodborne Pathogens

Foodborne pathogens that enter the human food chain are a significant threat worldwide to human health. Timely and cost-effective detection of them became challenging for many countries that want to improve their detection and control of foodborne illness. We summarize simple, rapid, specific, and highly effective molecular technology that is used to detect and identify foodborne pathogens, including polymerase chain reaction, isothermal amplification, loop-mediated isothermal amplification, nucleic acid sequence-based amplification, as well as gene chip and gene probe technology. The principles of their operation, the research supporting their application, and the advantages and disadvantages of each technology are summarized.

Biosensors for rapid detection of bacterial pathogens in water, food and environment

Conventional techniques (e.g., culture-based method) for bacterial detection typically require a central laboratory and well-trained technicians, which may take several hours or days. However, recent developments within various disciplines of science and engineering have led to a major paradigm shift in how microorganisms can be detected. The analytical sensors which are widely used for medical applications in the literature are being extended for rapid and on-site monitoring of the bacterial pathogens in food, water and the environment. Especially, within the low-resource settings such as low and middle-income countries, due to the advantages of low cost, rapidness and potential for field-testing, their use is indispensable for sustainable development of the regions. Within this context, this paper discusses analytical methods and biosensors which can be used to ensure food safety, water quality and environmental monitoring. In brief, most of our discussion is focused on various rapid sensors including biosensors and microfluidic chips. The analytical performances such as the sensitivity, specificity and usability of these sensors, as well as a brief comparison with the conventional techniques for bacteria detection, form the core part of the discussion. Furthermore, we provide a holistic viewpoint on how future research should focus on exploring the synergy of different sensing technologies by developing an integrated multiplexed, sensitive and accurate sensors that will enable rapid detection for food safety, water and environmental monitoring.

Construction of classification models for pathogenic bacteria based on LIBS combined with different machine learning algorithms

Bacteria, especially foodborne pathogens, seriously threaten human life and health. Rapid discrimination techniques for foodborne pathogens are still urgently needed. At present, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), combined with machine learning algorithms, is seen as fast recognition technology for pathogenic bacteria. However, there is still a lack of research on evaluating the differences between different bacterial classification models. In this work, five species of foodborne pathogens were analyzed via LIBS; then, the preprocessing effect of five filtering methods was compared to improve accuracy. The preprocessed spectral data were further analyzed with a support vector machine (SVM), a backpropagation neural network (BP), and k-nearest neighbor (KNN). Upon comparing the capacity of the three algorithms to classify pathogenic bacteria, the most suitable one was selected. The signal-to-noise ratio and mean square error of the spectral data after applying a Savitzky-Golay filter reached 17.4540 and 0.0020, respectively. The SVM algorithm, BP algorithm, and KNN algorithm attained the highest classification accuracy for pathogenic bacteria, reaching 98%, 97%, and 96%, respectively. The results indicate that, with the support of a machine learning algorithm, LIBS technology demonstrates superior performance, and the combination of the two is expected to be a powerful tool for pathogen classification.

Association of household food insecurity with dietary intakes and nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices among parents, aged ≥ 18 years in Gaza Strip, Palestine: A descriptive study

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between household food insecurity and dietary intake and nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among parents aged ≥18 years in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. The current cross-sectional study was carried out in 2021 among adults (mothers and fathers) aged ≥18 years. A total of 614 participants were selected from all Gaza Strip governorates using a cluster random sampling method. To assess the nutrition-related KAP, we employed the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations questionnaire (Modules 5, 6, 7, and 9). Data regarding household food security status, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the study participants, anthropometric measurements, and dietary intakes were obtained using standard questionnaires and methods. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25. About 71.5% and 28.5% of the study participants were household food-insecured and household food-secured, respectively. Significant associations were found between participants from household food-secured and household food-insecured concerning several socio-demographic variables, anthropometric measures, intakes of energy, protein, carbohydrate, and calcium; nutrition-related knowledge and attitudes toward undernutrition and vitamin A deficiency; nutrition-related KAP of iron deficiency anemia; and nutrition-related attitudes and practices of food safety (P-values < 0.05 for all). In conclusion, the demographic and socioeconomic status, anthropometric measurements, and poor dietary intakes may be associated with high levels of household food insecurity, while having nutrition-related adequate KAP may be associated with low levels of household food insecurity among parents aged ≥18 years.

Plasma-Activated Water for Food Safety and Quality: A Review of Recent Developments

Plasma-activated water (PAW) has received a lot of attention lately because of its antibacterial efficacy and eco-friendly nature. Compared to traditional disinfectants, this novel and intriguing option has a high disinfectant capacity while causing little to no modifications to the foodstuffs. Until now, PAW has successfully demonstrated its effectiveness against a broad range of microorganisms on a wide variety of food items. Though the efficacy of PAW in microbial reduction has been extensively reviewed, a relatively significant issue of food quality has been largely overlooked. This review aims to summarize the current studies on the physicochemical characteristics and antimicrobial potential of PAW, with an in-depth focus on food quality and safety. According to recent studies, PAW can be a potential microbial disinfectant that extends the shelf life of various food products, such as meat and fish products, fruits and vegetables, cereal products, etc. However, the efficacy varies with treatment conditions and the food ingredients applied. There is a mixed opinion about the effect of PAW on food quality. Based on the available literature, it can be concluded that there has been no substantial change in the biochemical properties of most of the tested food products. However, some fruits and vegetables had a higher value for the enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) after PAW treatment, while only a few demonstrated a decrease in the Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value. Sensory properties also showed no significant difference, with some exceptions in meat and fish products.

Antibiotic Resistance and Molecular Characterization of Cronobacter sakazakii Strains Isolated from Powdered Infant Formula Milk

BACKGROUND

Cronobacter sakazakii is a new emerging foodborne bacterial pathogen associated with severe lethal diseases such as meningitis, necrotizing enterocolitis, and septicemia in infants and neonates. Powdered infant formula milk (PIFM) has been recognized as one of the main transmission vehicles and contaminated sources of this pathogen. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence rate, genotypic and phenotypic antibiotic resistance profile, and clonal relatedness of C. sakazakii strains isolated from 364 PIFM samples collected from Tehran city, Iran.

METHODS

Culture-based methods, Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion antibiotic resistance testing, conventional Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus PCR (ERIC-PCR) assays were used in this study to detect and characterize the C. sakazakii isolates.

RESULTS

We isolated 25 C. sakazakii strains from PIFM samples (6.86%). The isolates were highly resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, amoxicillin, ampicillin, cefoxitin, cefepime, erythromycin, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, and chloramphenicol and susceptible to gentamicin, tetracycline, norfloxacin, and azithromycin antibiotics. The blaCTX-M-1 gene was detected in 96% of the isolates. The isolates were categorized into eight distinct clonal types using the ERIC-PCR method, showing a high genetic diversity among the isolates. However, there was a significant correlation between the genotypic and phenotypic antibiotic resistance properties of the isolates.

CONCLUSIONS

Novel microbial surveillance systems for detecting multi-drug-resistant C. sakazakii are required to control the contamination of this foodborne pathogen in infant foods.

Comparative Assessment of the Antibacterial Efficacies and Mechanisms of Different Tea Extracts

Tea is a popular beverage known for its unique taste and vast health benefits. The main components in tea change greatly during different processing methods, which makes teas capable of having different biological activities. We compared the antibacterial activity of four varieties of tea, including green, oolong, black, and Fuzhuan tea. All tea extracts showed antibacterial activity and Gram-positive bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus) were more susceptible to tea extracts than Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium). Green tea extracts inhibited bacterial pathogens much more effectively in all four varieties of tea with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values at 20 mg/mL, 10 mg/mL, 35 mg/mL, and 16 mg/mL for E. faecalis, S. aureus, E. coli, and S. typhimurium, respectively. Catechins should be considered as the main antibiotic components of the four tea extracts. Total catechins were extracted from green tea and evaluated their antibacterial activity. Additional studies showed that the catechins damaged the cell membrane and increased cell membrane permeability, leading to changes in the relative electrical conductivity and the release of certain components into the cytoplasm. Tea extracts, especially green tea extracts, should be considered as safe antibacterial food additives.

A general strategy to synthesis chitosan oligosaccharide-O-Terpenol derivatives with antibacterial properties

The objectives of the present study are to synthesize a series of chitosan oligosaccharide-O-Terpenol (COS-O-Ter) derivatives and their implication to evaluate in vitro antibacterial activity. Herein, a general strategy is described for preparing COS-O-Ter derivatives, including substitution and deprotection reactions. The structures of COS-O-Ter derivatives were characterized by FT-IR, ¹H NMR, XRD, TGA, and elemental analysis. COS-O-Ter derivatives revealed the excellent solubility and in vitro antibacterial activity. Moreover, their antibacterial activities were more sensitive to Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) than Escherichia coli (E. coli) indicating the effective potential application of COS-O-Ter derivatives as natural antibacterial agents. The aforementioned study opens a pave to expand the application scope of COS and its derivatives in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

The cell structure damage and embden-meyerhof-parnas pathway inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes induced by glycinin basic peptide

Glycinin basic peptide (GBP) is a natural antibacterial peptide. This study aimed to explore the antibacterial characteristics of GBP against Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) by measuring the membrane potential, membrane permeability, cell damage, morphological changes, respiration metabolism inhibition and DNA content. GBP increased the surface zeta potential and decreased the trans-membrane potential of L. monocytogenes in a dose-dependent manner. Compared with the control, the electrical conductivities of GBP-treated bacterial suspensions were significantly increased. The percentages of bacteria with damaged membrane increased from 6.40% to 70.90% with GBP from 0 to 0.8 mg/mL. Obvious rupture and deform of bacterial cells with GBP were observed by transmission electron microscope (TEM), showing the destructive effect of GBP on L. monocytogenes. GBP also inhibited the embden-meyerhof-parnas pathway of the bacterial respiration metabolism and reduced the activities of its key regulator enzymes. Besides, the content of DNA in GBP-treated L. monocytogenes was lower than that in control.

Lignin-Based Micro- and Nanomaterials and their Composites in Biomedical Applications

Lignin, as the most abundant aromatic renewable biopolymer in nature, has long been regarded as waste and simply discarded from the pulp and paper industry. In recent years, with many breakthroughs in lignin chemistry, pretreatment, and processing techniques, a lot of the inherent bioactivities of lignin, including antioxidant activities, antimicrobial activities, biocompatibilities, optical properties, and metal-ion chelating and redox activities, have been discovered and this has opened a new field not only for lignin-based materials but also for biomaterials. In this Review, the biological activities of lignin and drug/gene delivery and bioimaging applications of various types of lignin-based material are summarized. In addition, the challenges and limitations of lignin-based materials encountered during the development of biomedical applications are also discussed.

Transcriptomic Analysis, Motility and Biofilm Formation Characteristics of Salmonella typhimurium Exposed to Benzyl Isothiocyanate Treatment

Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium) is a common foodborne pathogen that not only causes diseases and contaminates food, but also causes considerable economic losses. Therefore, it is necessary to find effective and feasible methods to control S. typhimurium. In this study, changes in S. typhimurium after treatment with benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) were detected by transcriptomics to explore the antibacterial effect of BITC at subinhibitory concentration. The results showed that, in contrast to the control group (SC), the BITC-treated group (SQ_BITC) had 197 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 115 were downregulated and 82 were upregulated. We screened out eight significantly downregulated virulence-related genes and verified gene expression by quantitative Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). We also selected motility and biofilm formation to observe the effects of BITC on the other virulence related factors of S. typhimurium. The results showed that both swimming and swarming were significantly inhibited. BITC also had a significant inhibitory effect on biofilm formation, and showed an effect on bacterial morphology. These results will be helpful for understanding the mechanism of the antibacterial action of BITC against S. typhimurium and other foodborne pathogens.