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Practice and Progress: Updates on Outbreaks, Advances in Research, and Processing Technologies for Low-moisture Food Safety. J Food Prot 2023; 86:100018. [PMID: 36916598 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfp.2022.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Large, renowned outbreaks associated with low-moisture foods (LMFs) bring to light some of the potential, inherent risks that accompany foods with long shelf lives if pathogen contamination occurs. Subsequently, in 2013, Beuchat et al. (2013) noted the increased concern regarding these foods, specifically noting examples of persistence and resistance of pathogens in low-water activity foods (LWAFs), prevalence of pathogens in LWAF processing environments, and sources of and preventive measures for contamination of LWAFs. For the last decade, the body of knowledge related to LMF safety has exponentially expanded. This growing field and interest in LMF safety have led researchers to delve into survival and persistence studies, revealing that some foodborne pathogens can survive in LWAFs for months to years. Research has also uncovered many complications of working with foodborne pathogens in desiccated states, such as inoculation methods and molecular mechanisms that can impact pathogen survival and persistence. Moreover, outbreaks, recalls, and developments in LMF safety research have created a cascading feedback loop of pushing the field forward, which has also led to increased attention on how industry can improve LMF safety and raise safety standards. Scientists across academia, government agencies, and industry have partnered to develop and evaluate innovate thermal and nonthermal technologies to use on LMFs, which are described in the presented review. The objective of this review was to describe aspects of the extensive progress made by researchers and industry members in LMF safety, including lessons-learned about outbreaks and recalls, expansion of knowledge base about pathogens that contaminate LMFs, and mitigation strategies currently employed or in development to reduce food safety risks associated with LMFs.
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Use of a refiner conche for the decontamination of cocoa nibs. Lebensm Wiss Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2022.114130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Pathogenic potential of the surviving Salmonella Enteritidis on strawberries after disinfection treatments based on ultraviolet-C light and peracetic acid. Int J Food Microbiol 2022; 364:109536. [PMID: 35038638 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2022.109536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Fresh fruits, especially strawberries, are usually consumed raw without any step to ensure their food safety. Salmonella enterica is one of the most important etiologic agents for foodborne diseases throughout the world and its ability to respond to some stress responses makes it even more dangerous. In the present investigation, we study the survival of S. Enteritidis (CECT-4300) on strawberries after 2-min of various disinfection steps (NaClO (200 ppm), peracetic acid (PAA; 40 ppm), water-assisted UV-C (WUV-C), and the combination WUV-C and 40 ppm of PAA (WUV-C + PAA)) and after 5 days of cold storage (4 °C). Moreover, the pathogenic potential of the surviving bacteria, such as the ability to survive throughout the gastrointestinal tract (GI) and subsequently the capability to adhere to and invade Caco-2 cells, was tested at each sampling point. After 2-min of washing procedures, reductions of S. Enteritidis on strawberries were ≥1.2 log, with no significant differences among treatments. However, the use of WUV-C + PAA treatment achieved the highest reductions in washing water, in which S. Enteritidis was not detected (<DL). At the end of 5-day storage period, reductions of the WUV-C + PAA treated-samples were lower in comparison with PAA-treated samples (P < 0.05). The effect of the treatments used did not interfere with the survival of S. Enteritidis along the GI tract. After disinfection and subsequent GI simulation, all remaining populations demonstrated an elevated ability to adhere in Caco-2 cells (67.5-81.1%) compared with those obtained on untreated strawberries (61.4%). Concerning the ability of invasion, no significant differences could be observed. Remarkably, after 5 days at 4 °C, the adherence of S. Entertidis significantly decreased in the samples with the combined treatment meanwhile the invasion ability was not detected for any treatment. The results of the present study are essential for the quantitative microbial risk estimations.
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Abstract
This project was undertaken to determine the kinetic parameters of thermal inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes on pecans, macadamia nuts, and sunflower seeds subjected to heat treatments simulating industry processes. Five strains were grown in nonselective medium, mixed, and resuspended before inoculating macadamia nuts, pecans, and sunflower seeds (6 to 9 Log CFU/g). Redried inoculated pecans and macadamia nuts were heated in an oven at a temperature range of 90 to 140°C. Unshelled sunflower seeds were heated in sunflower seed oil. The thermal inactivation was determined by measuring viable cell counts using standard microbiological methods. Average count data were fit to the log-linear model, and thermal-death kinetics were calculated. On pecans, the viable Listeria counts were reduced by 3 and 3.5 Log CFU/g after 40 min at 110°C and 8 min at 140°C, respectively. On macadamia nuts, the L. monocytogenes population was reduced by 5 Log CFU/g after 20 min at 120°C. Unshelled sunflower seeds were subjected to heat treatment via a hot-oil bath. On sunflower seeds, >7 Log CFU/g reductions were observed after 15 min at 120°C. The thermal resistance (D value) for inactivation on pecans at 140°C was 3.1 min and on macadamia nuts at 120°C was 4.4 min. The inactivation of L. monocytogenes was influenced by the kind of nut or seed. These results suggest that L. monocytogenes has a relatively high thermal tolerance. The findings from this study will contribute to the assessment of the effectiveness of heat treatment for control of this pathogen on nuts and seeds. IMPORTANCE Listeria monocytogenes is a major concern for the food industry in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. In recent years, large-scale recalls have occurred with contaminated sunflower seeds and macadamia nuts that triggered product withdrawals. These events stress the importance of understanding Listeria's ability to survive heat treatments in these low-water activity foods. Nuts and seeds are subjected to a variety of thermal treatments typically referred as roasting. To date, no listeriosis outbreak has been linked to nuts and seeds, but the recent recognition that this pathogen can be detected in commercial products stresses the need for research on thermal treatments. The characterization of heat inactivation kinetics at temperatures typically used during roasting processes will be very beneficial for validation studies. This manuscript reports inactivation rates of L. monocytogenes strains inoculated onto macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, and pecan halves subjected to temperatures between 90 and 140°C.
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Bourdichon F, Betts R, Dufour C, Fanning S, Farber J, McClure P, Stavropoulou DA, Wemmenhove E, Zwietering MH, Winkler A. Processing environment monitoring in low moisture food production facilities: Are we looking for the right microorganisms? Int J Food Microbiol 2021; 356:109351. [PMID: 34500287 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2021.109351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Processing environment monitoring is gaining increasing importance in the context of food safety management plans/HACCP programs, since past outbreaks have shown the relevance of the environment as contamination pathway, therefore requiring to ensure the safety of products. However, there are still many open questions and a lack of clarity on how to set up a meaningful program, which would provide early warnings of potential product contamination. Therefore, the current paper aims to summarize and evaluate existing scientific information on outbreaks, relevant pathogens in low moisture foods, and knowledge on indicators, including their contribution to a "clean" environment capable of limiting the spread of pathogens in dry production environments. This paper also outlines the essential elements of a processing environment monitoring program thereby supporting the design and implementation of better programs focusing on the relevant microorganisms. This guidance document is intended to help industry and regulators focus and set up targeted processing environment monitoring programs depending on their purpose, and therefore provide the essential elements needed to improve food safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Bourdichon
- Food Safety, Microbiology, Hygiene, 16 Rue Gaston de Caillavet, 75015 Paris, France; Facoltà di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentarie Ambientali, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza-Cremona, Italy.
| | - Roy Betts
- Campden BRI, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
| | - Christophe Dufour
- Mérieux NutriSciences, 25 Boulevard de la Paix, 95891 Cergy Pontoise, France
| | - Séamus Fanning
- UCD - Centre for Food Safety, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin D04 N2E5, Ireland
| | - Jeffrey Farber
- Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Peter McClure
- Mondelēz International, Bournville Lane, Birmingham B30 2LU, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Marcel H Zwietering
- Food Microbiology, Wageningen University, PO Box 17, 6700AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Anett Winkler
- Cargill Germany GmbH, Cerestar str. 2, D-47809 Krefeld, Germany
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Bouju-Albert A, Saltaji S, Dousset X, Prévost H, Jaffrès E. Quantification of Viable Brochothrix thermosphacta in Cold-Smoked Salmon Using PMA/PMAxx-qPCR. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:654178. [PMID: 34335490 PMCID: PMC8316974 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.654178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to develop a rapid and accurate PMA-qPCR method to quantify viable Brochothrix thermosphacta in cold-smoked salmon. B. thermosphacta is one of the main food spoilage bacteria. Among seafood products, cold-smoked salmon is particularly impacted by B. thermosphacta spoilage. Specific and sensitive tools that detect and quantify this bacterium in food products are very useful. The culture method commonly used to quantify B. thermosphacta is time-consuming and can underestimate cells in a viable but not immediately culturable state. We designed a new PCR primer set from the single-copy rpoC gene. QPCR efficiency and specificity were compared with two other published primer sets targeting the rpoC and rpoB genes. The viability dyes PMA or PMAxx were combined with qPCR and compared with these primer sets on viable and dead B. thermosphacta cells in BHI broth and smoked salmon tissue homogenate (SSTH). The three primer sets displayed similar specificity and efficiency. The efficiency of new designed rpoC qPCR on viable B. thermosphacta cells in SSTH was 103.50%, with a linear determination coefficient (r2) of 0.998 and a limit of detection of 4.04 log CFU/g. Using the three primer sets on viable cells, no significant difference was observed between cells treated or untreated with PMA or PMAxx. When dead cells were used, both viability dyes suppressed DNA amplification. Nevertheless, our results did not highlight any difference between PMAxx and PMA in their efficiency to discriminate viable from unviable B. thermosphacta cells in cold-smoked salmon. Thus, this study presents a rapid, specific and efficient rpoC-PMA-qPCR method validated in cold-smoked salmon to quantify viable B. thermosphacta in foods.
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Nasheri N, Harlow J, Chen A, Corneau N, Bidawid S. Survival and Inactivation by Advanced Oxidative Process of Foodborne Viruses in Model Low-Moisture Foods. FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL VIROLOGY 2021; 13:107-116. [PMID: 33501613 PMCID: PMC7882587 DOI: 10.1007/s12560-020-09457-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Enteric viruses, such as human norovirus (NoV) and hepatitis A virus (HAV), are the major causes of foodborne illnesses worldwide. These viruses have low infectious dose, and may remain infectious for weeks in the environment and food. Limited information is available regarding viral survival and transmission in low-moisture foods (LMF). LMFs are generally considered as ready-to-eat products, which undergo no or minimal pathogen reduction steps. However, numerous foodborne viral outbreaks associated with LMFs have been reported in recent years. The objective of this study was to examine the survival of foodborne viruses in LMFs during 4-week storage at ambient temperature and to evaluate the efficacy of advanced oxidative process (AOP) treatment in the inactivation of these viruses. For this purpose, select LMFs such as pistachios, chocolate, and cereal were inoculated with HAV and the norovirus surrogates, murine norovirus (MNV) and feline calicivirus (FCV), then viral survival on these food matrices was measured over a four-week incubation at ambient temperature, by both plaque assay and droplet-digital RT-PCR (ddRT-PCR) using the modified ISO-15216 method as well as the magnetic bead assay for viral recovery. We observed an approximately 0.5 log reduction in viral genome copies, and 1 log reduction in viral infectivity for all three tested viruses following storage of select inoculated LMFs for 4 weeks. Therefore, the present study shows that the examined foodborne viruses can persist for a long time in LMFs. Next, we examined the inactivation efficacy of AOP treatment, which combines UV-C, ozone, and hydrogen peroxide vapor, and observed that while approximately 100% (4 log) inactivation can be achieved for FCV, and MNV in chocolate, the inactivation efficiency diminishes to approximately 90% (1 log) in pistachios and 70% (< 1 log) in cereal. AOP treatment could therefore be a good candidate for risk reduction of foodborne viruses from certain LMFs depending on the food matrix and surface of treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neda Nasheri
- National Food Virology Reference Centre, Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada.
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - Jennifer Harlow
- National Food Virology Reference Centre, Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Angela Chen
- National Food Virology Reference Centre, Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Nathalie Corneau
- National Food Virology Reference Centre, Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Sabah Bidawid
- National Food Virology Reference Centre, Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada
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Cuzzi R, Ly V, Parreira VR, Sanchez-Maldonado AF, Farber JM. Survival of Listeria monocytogenes during storage on dried apples, strawberries, and raisins at 4 °C and 23 °C. Int J Food Microbiol 2020; 339:108991. [PMID: 33341685 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2020.108991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The survival of Listeria monocytogenes was assessed during long-term storage on three dried fruits: dried apples, raisins and dried strawberries. Using sand as a carrier, the dried fruits were dry-inoculated with a four-strain cocktail of L. monocytogenes to achieve numbers of 4.0 to 4.6 log CFU/g. The inoculated foods were stored at 4 °C, 25-81% relative humidity (RH) and 23 °C, 30-35% RH for 336 days. Colonies of L. monocytogenes could not be recovered from the dried apples after inoculation, i.e., day 0. Concentrations of L. monocytogenes decreased rapidly on the raisins and dried strawberries during storage at 23 °C, with enhanced survival observed at 4 °C. Linear rates of decline for populations of L. monocytogenes during storage at 4 °C on the raisins and dried strawberries were 0.1 and 0.2 log CFU/g/month, respectively. The relative distribution of the four L. monocytogenes strains making up the cocktail was determined by multiplex PCR at the beginning of storage and after 336 days on the dried fruits. At day 0, L. monocytogenes populations were predominantly composed of the serotype 1/2a and 3a strains on both the raisins and dried strawberries. After long-term storage at 4 °C, a relative decrease in serotype 1/2a was observed on both fruits, coupled with relative increases in the serotype 3a strain during storage on both fruits, in addition to the serotype 1/2b strain on the raisins. These results demonstrate that L. monocytogenes is rapidly inactivated during storage on raisins and dried strawberries at 23 °C, but it is capable of long-term survival at 4 °C. Improved knowledge on the survival of L. monocytogenes on these commodities is important for predictive modeling and can be used to better inform microbial health risk assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Cuzzi
- Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety, Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vivian Ly
- Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety, Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Valeria R Parreira
- Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety, Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
| | | | - Jeffrey M Farber
- Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety, Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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