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Lee AWT, Ng ICF, Wong EYK, Wong ITF, Sze RPP, Chan KY, So TY, Zhang Z, Ka-Yee Fung S, Choi-Ying Wong S, Tam WY, Lao HY, Lee LK, Leung JSL, Chan CTM, Ng TTL, Zhang J, Chow FWN, Leung PHM, Siu GKH. Comprehensive identification of pathogenic microbes and antimicrobial resistance genes in food products using nanopore sequencing-based metagenomics. Food Microbiol 2024; 121:104493. [PMID: 38637066 DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2024.104493] [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: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Foodborne pathogens, particularly antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria, remain a significant threat to global health. Given the limitations of conventional culture-based approaches, which are limited in scope and time-consuming, metagenomic sequencing of food products emerges as a promising solution. This method provides a fast and comprehensive way to detect the presence of pathogenic microbes and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). Notably, nanopore long-read sequencing provides more accurate bacterial taxonomic classification in comparison to short-read sequencing. Here, we revealed the impact of food types and attributes (origin, retail place, and food processing methods) on microbial communities and the AMR profile using nanopore metagenomic sequencing. We analyzed a total of 260 food products, including raw meat, sashimi, and ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables. Clostridium botulinum, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus were identified as the top three foodborne pathogens in raw meat and sashimi. Importantly, even with low pathogen abundance, higher percentages of samples containing carbapenem and cephalosporin resistance genes were identified in chicken and RTE vegetables, respectively. In parallel, our results demonstrated that fresh, peeled, and minced foods exhibited higher levels of pathogenic bacteria. In conclusion, this comprehensive study offers invaluable data that can contribute to food safety assessments and serve as a basis for quality indicators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Wing-Tung Lee
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Iain Chi-Fung Ng
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Evelyn Yin-Kwan Wong
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Ivan Tak-Fai Wong
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Rebecca Po-Po Sze
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kit-Yu Chan
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Tsz-Yan So
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Zhipeng Zhang
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Sharon Ka-Yee Fung
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Sally Choi-Ying Wong
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Wing-Yin Tam
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Hiu-Yin Lao
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Lam-Kwong Lee
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jake Siu-Lun Leung
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Chloe Toi-Mei Chan
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Timothy Ting-Leung Ng
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jiaying Zhang
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Franklin Wang-Ngai Chow
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Polly Hang-Mei Leung
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Gilman Kit-Hang Siu
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
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Bruce-Tagoe TA, Bhaskar S, Kavle RR, Jeevanandam J, Acquah C, Ohemeng-Boahen G, Agyei D, Danquah MK. Advances in aptamer-based biosensors for monitoring foodborne pathogens. JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2024; 61:1252-1271. [PMID: 38910921 PMCID: PMC11190136 DOI: 10.1007/s13197-023-05889-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Biosensors are analytical devices for detecting a wide range of targets, including cells, proteins, DNA, enzymes, and chemical and biological compounds. They mostly rely on using bioprobes with a high binding affinity to the target for specific detection. However, low specificity and effectiveness of the conventional biosensors has led to the search for novel materials, that can specifically detect biomolecules. Aptamers are a group of single-stranded DNA or RNA oligonucleotides, that can bind to their targets with high specificity and serve as effective bioprobes for developing aptamer-based biosensors. Aptamers have a shorter production time, high stability, compared to traditional bioprobes, and possess ability to develop them for specific target molecules for tailored applications. Thus, various aptasensing approaches, including electrochemical, optical, surface plasmon resonance and chip-dependent approaches, have been investigated in recent times for various biological targets, including foodborne pathogens. Hence, this article is an overview of various conventional foodborne pathogen detection methods, their limitations and the ability of aptamer-based biosensors to overcome those limitations and replace them. In addition, the current status and advances in aptamer-based biosensors for the detection of foodborne pathogens to ensure food safety were also discussed. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05889-8.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shyju Bhaskar
- Department of Food Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9056 New Zealand
| | - Ruchita Rao Kavle
- Department of Food Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9056 New Zealand
| | - Jaison Jeevanandam
- CQM - Centro de Química da Madeira, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
| | - Caleb Acquah
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5 Canada
| | - Godfred Ohemeng-Boahen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, UPO, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Dominic Agyei
- Department of Food Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9056 New Zealand
| | - Michael K. Danquah
- Chemical Engineering Department, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, TN 37403 USA
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3
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Sim KH, Ho J, Lim JQ, Chan SH, Li A, Chng KR. A metagenomics-based workflow for the detection and genomic characterization of GBS in raw freshwater fish. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0327623. [PMID: 38712931 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03276-23] [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: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The unexpected foodborne outbreak in Singapore in 2015 has accentuated Group B Streptococcus (GBS, Streptococcus agalactiae) sequence type 283 as an emerging foodborne pathogen transmitted via the consumption of contaminated raw freshwater fish. Isolation-based workflows utilizing conventional microbiological and whole-genome sequencing methods are commonly used to support biosurveillance efforts critical for the control management of this emerging foodborne pathogen. However, these isolation-based workflows tend to have relatively long turnaround times that hamper a timely response for implementing risk mitigation. To address this gap, we have developed a metagenomics-based workflow for the simultaneous detection and genomic characterization of GBS in raw freshwater fish. Notably, our validation results showed that this metagenomics-based workflow could achieve comparable accuracy and potentially better detection limits while halving the turnaround time (from 2 weeks to 5 days) relative to an isolation-based workflow. The metagenomics-based workflow was also successfully adapted for use on a portable long-read nanopore sequencer, demonstrating its potential applicability for real-time point-of-need testing. Using GBS in freshwater fish as an example, this work represents a proof-of-concept study that supports the feasibility and validity of metagenomics as a rapid and accurate test methodology for the detection and genomic characterization of foodborne pathogens in complex food matrices. IMPORTANCE The need for a rapid and accurate food microbiological testing method is apparent for a timely and effective foodborne outbreak response. This is particularly relevant for emerging foodborne pathogens such as Group B Streptococcus (GBS) whose associated food safety risk might be undercharacterized. By using GBS in raw freshwater fish as a case example, this study describes the development of a metagenomics-based workflow for rapid food microbiological safety testing and surveillance. This study can inform as a working model for various foodborne pathogens in other complex food matrices, paving the way for future methodological development of metagenomics for food microbiological safety testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kae Hwan Sim
- National Centre for Food Science, Singapore Food Agency, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jiaying Ho
- National Centre for Food Science, Singapore Food Agency, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jia Qi Lim
- National Centre for Food Science, Singapore Food Agency, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sheot Harn Chan
- National Centre for Food Science, Singapore Food Agency, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Food Science & Technology, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Angela Li
- National Centre for Food Science, Singapore Food Agency, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kern Rei Chng
- National Centre for Food Science, Singapore Food Agency, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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4
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Mather AE, Gilmour MW, Reid SWJ, French NP. Foodborne bacterial pathogens: genome-based approaches for enduring and emerging threats in a complex and changing world. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024:10.1038/s41579-024-01051-z. [PMID: 38789668 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-024-01051-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Foodborne illnesses pose a substantial health and economic burden, presenting challenges in prevention due to the diverse microbial hazards that can enter and spread within food systems. Various factors, including natural, political and commercial drivers, influence food production and distribution. The risks of foodborne illness will continue to evolve in step with these drivers and with changes to food systems. For example, climate impacts on water availability for agriculture, changes in food sustainability targets and evolving customer preferences can all have an impact on the ecology of foodborne pathogens and the agrifood niches that can carry microorganisms. Whole-genome and metagenome sequencing, combined with microbial surveillance schemes and insights from the food system, can provide authorities and businesses with transformative information to address risks and implement new food safety interventions across the food chain. In this Review, we describe how genome-based approaches have advanced our understanding of the evolution and spread of enduring bacterial foodborne hazards as well as their role in identifying emerging foodborne hazards. Furthermore, foodborne hazards exist in complex microbial communities across the entire food chain, and consideration of these co-existing organisms is essential to understanding the entire ecology supporting pathogen persistence and transmission in an evolving food system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison E Mather
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK.
- University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
| | - Matthew W Gilmour
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK
- University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | | | - Nigel P French
- Tāuwharau Ora, School of Veterinary Science, Te Kunenga Ki Pūrehuroa, Massey University, Papaioea, Palmerston North, Aotearoa New Zealand
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Bonaldo F, Avot BJP, De Cesare A, Aarestrup FM, Otani S. Foodborne Pathogen Dynamics in Meat and Meat Analogues Analysed Using Traditional Microbiology and Metagenomic Sequencing. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 13:16. [PMID: 38275326 PMCID: PMC10812575 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13010016] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Meat analogues play an increasing role in meeting global nutritional needs. However, while it is well known that meat possesses inherent characteristics that create favourable conditions for the growth of various pathogenic bacteria, much less is known about meat analogues. This study aimed to compare the growth and survival of Escherichia coli HEHA16, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica Typhi, Cronobacter sakazakii, and a cocktail of these bacteria in sterile juices from minced chicken, pig, and beef, as well as pea-based and soy-based minced meat. Traditional microbiology and next-generation sequencing of those metagenomes were employed to analyse the pathogen variability, abundance, and survival after an incubation period. Our findings show that all the meat juices provided favourable conditions for the growth and proliferation of the studied bacteria, with the exception of E. coli HEHA16, which showed lower survival rates in the chicken matrix. Meat analogue juice mainly supported L. monocytogenes survival, with C. sakazakii survival supported to a lesser extent. A correlation was observed between the traditional culturing and metagenomic analysis results, suggesting that further work is needed to compare these technologies in foodborne setups. Our results indicate that plant-based meats could serve as vectors for the transmission of certain, but likely not all, foodborne pathogens, using two accurate detection methods. This warrants the need for additional research to better understand and characterise their safety implications, including their potential association with additional pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Bonaldo
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy;
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Italy;
| | - Baptiste Jacques Philippe Avot
- Research Group for Genomic Epidemiology, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark; (B.J.P.A.); (F.M.A.)
| | - Alessandra De Cesare
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Italy;
| | - Frank M. Aarestrup
- Research Group for Genomic Epidemiology, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark; (B.J.P.A.); (F.M.A.)
| | - Saria Otani
- Research Group for Genomic Epidemiology, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark; (B.J.P.A.); (F.M.A.)
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Afonso CL, Afonso AM. Next-Generation Sequencing for the Detection of Microbial Agents in Avian Clinical Samples. Vet Sci 2023; 10:690. [PMID: 38133241 PMCID: PMC10747646 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10120690] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Direct-targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS), with its undoubtedly superior diagnostic capacity over real-time PCR (RT-PCR), and direct-non-targeted NGS (ntNGS), with its higher capacity to identify and characterize multiple agents, are both likely to become diagnostic methods of choice in the future. tNGS is a rapid and sensitive method for precise characterization of suspected agents. ntNGS, also known as agnostic diagnosis, does not require a hypothesis and has been used to identify unsuspected infections in clinical samples. Implemented in the form of multiplexed total DNA metagenomics or as total RNA sequencing, the approach produces comprehensive and actionable reports that allow semi-quantitative identification of most of the agents present in respiratory, cloacal, and tissue samples. The diagnostic benefits of the use of direct tNGS and ntNGS are high specificity, compatibility with different types of clinical samples (fresh, frozen, FTA cards, and paraffin-embedded), production of nearly complete infection profiles (viruses, bacteria, fungus, and parasites), production of "semi-quantitative" information, direct agent genotyping, and infectious agent mutational information. The achievements of NGS in terms of diagnosing poultry problems are described here, along with future applications. Multiplexing, development of standard operating procedures, robotics, sequencing kits, automated bioinformatics, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence (AI) are disciplines converging toward the use of this technology for active surveillance in poultry farms. Other advances in human and veterinary NGS sequencing are likely to be adaptable to avian species in the future.
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Aminu S, Ascandari A, Laamarti M, Safdi NEH, El Allali A, Daoud R. Exploring microbial worlds: a review of whole genome sequencing and its application in characterizing the microbial communities. Crit Rev Microbiol 2023:1-25. [PMID: 38006569 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2023.2282447] [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: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
The classical microbiology techniques have inherent limitations in unraveling the complexity of microbial communities, necessitating the pivotal role of sequencing in studying the diversity of microbial communities. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) enables researchers to uncover the metabolic capabilities of the microbial community, providing valuable insights into the microbiome. Herein, we present an overview of the rapid advancements achieved thus far in the use of WGS in microbiome research. There was an upsurge in publications, particularly in 2021 and 2022 with the United States, China, and India leading the metagenomics research landscape. The Illumina platform has emerged as the widely adopted sequencing technology, whereas a significant focus of metagenomics has been on understanding the relationship between the gut microbiome and human health where distinct bacterial species have been linked to various diseases. Additionally, studies have explored the impact of human activities on microbial communities, including the potential spread of pathogenic bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes in different ecosystems. Furthermore, WGS is used in investigating the microbiome of various animal species and plant tissues such as the rhizosphere microbiome. Overall, this review reflects the importance of WGS in metagenomics studies and underscores its remarkable power in illuminating the variety and intricacy of the microbiome in different environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suleiman Aminu
- Chemical and Biochemical Sciences-Green Process Engineering, University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Ben Guerir, Morocco
- Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - AbdulAziz Ascandari
- Chemical and Biochemical Sciences-Green Process Engineering, University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Ben Guerir, Morocco
| | - Meriem Laamarti
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Ben Guerir, Morocco
| | - Nour El Houda Safdi
- AgroBioSciences Program, College for Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Science, University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Ben Guerir, Morocco
| | - Achraf El Allali
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, College of Computing, University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Ben Guerir, Morocco
| | - Rachid Daoud
- Chemical and Biochemical Sciences-Green Process Engineering, University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Ben Guerir, Morocco
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Wu J, Gathman RJ, Quintanilla Portillo J, Gaulke C, Kim M, Stasiewicz MJ. Aggregative Soil Sampling Using Boot Covers Compared to Soil Grabs From Commercial Romaine Fields Shows Similar Indicator Organism and Microbial Community Recoveries. J Food Prot 2023; 86:100177. [PMID: 37805043 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfp.2023.100177] [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: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
Aggregative boot cover sampling may be a more representative, practical, and powerful method for preharvest produce soil testing than grab sampling because boot covers aggregate soil from larger areas. Our study tests if boot cover sampling results reflect quality and safety indicator organisms and community diversity of grab sampling. We collected soil samples from commercial romaine lettuce fields spanning 5060 m2 using boot covers (n = 28, m = 1.1 ± 0.4 g; wearing boot covers and walking along the path), composite grabs (n = 28, m = 231 ± 24 g; consisting of 60 grabs of 3-5 g each), and high-resolution grabs (n = 72, m = 56 ± 4 g; taking one sample per stratum). Means and standard deviations of log-transformed aerobic plate counts (APCs) were 7.0 ± 0.3, 7.1 ± 0.2, and 7.3 ± 0.2 log(CFU/g) for boot covers, composite grabs, and high-resolution grabs, respectively. APCs did not show biologically meaningful differences between sample types. Boot covers recovered on average 0.6 log(CFU/g) more total coliforms than both grabs (p < 0.001) where means and standard deviations of log-transformed counts were 3.2 ± 1.0, 2.6 ± 0.6, and 2.6 ± 1.0 log(CFU/g) for boot covers, composite grabs, and high-resolution grabs, respectively. There were no generic E. coli detected in any sample by enumeration methods with LODs of 1.3-2.1 log(CFU/g) for boot covers and 0.5 log(CFU/g) for both grabs. By 16S rRNA sequencing, community species diversity (alpha diversity) was not significantly different within collection methods. While communities differed (p < 0.001) between soil sampling methods (beta diversity), variance in microbial communities was not significantly different. Of the 28 phyla and 297 genera detected, 25 phyla (89%) and 258 genera (87%) were found by all methods. Overall, aggregative boot cover sampling is similar to both grab methods for recovering quality and safety indicator organisms and representative microbiomes. This justifies future work testing aggregative soil sampling for foodborne pathogen detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaying Wu
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Rachel J Gathman
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jorge Quintanilla Portillo
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Christopher Gaulke
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802, USA; Personalized Nutrition Initiative, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802, USA; Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802, USA
| | - Minho Kim
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Matthew J Stasiewicz
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
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Ong KJ, Tejeda-Saldana Y, Duffy B, Holmes D, Kukk K, Shatkin JA. Cultured Meat Safety Research Priorities: Regulatory and Governmental Perspectives. Foods 2023; 12:2645. [PMID: 37509737 PMCID: PMC10379195 DOI: 10.3390/foods12142645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
As with every new technology, safety demonstration is a critical component of bringing products to market and gaining public acceptance for cultured meat and seafood. This manuscript develops research priorities from the findings of a series of interviews and workshops with governmental scientists and regulators from food safety agencies in fifteen jurisdictions globally. The interviews and workshops aimed to identify the key safety questions and priority areas of research. Participants raised questions about which aspects of cultured meat and seafood production are novel, and the implications of the paucity of public information on the topic. Novel parameters and targets may require the development of new analytical methods or adaptation and validation of existing ones, including for a diversity of product types and processes. Participants emphasized that data sharing of these efforts would be valuable, similar to those already developed and used in the food and pharmaceutical fields. Contributions to such databases from the private and public sectors would speed general understanding as well as efforts to make evaluations more efficient. In turn, these resources, combined with transparent risk assessment, will be critical elements of building consumer trust in cultured meat and seafood products.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Dwayne Holmes
- Stichting New Harvest Netherlands, 1052 Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kora Kukk
- Vireo Advisors, LLC, Boston, MA 02130, USA
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10
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Zinno P, Perozzi G, Devirgiliis C. Foodborne Microbial Communities as Potential Reservoirs of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes for Pathogens: A Critical Review of the Recent Literature. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1696. [PMID: 37512869 PMCID: PMC10383130 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11071696] [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: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global and increasing threat to human health. Several genetic determinants of AMR are found in environmental reservoirs, including bacteria naturally associated with widely consumed fermented foods. Through the food chain, these bacteria can reach the gut, where horizontal gene transfer (HGT) can occur within the complex and populated microbial environment. Numerous studies on this topic have been published over the past decades, but a conclusive picture of the potential impact of the non-pathogenic foodborne microbial reservoir on the spread of AMR to human pathogens has not yet emerged. This review critically evaluates a comprehensive list of recent experimental studies reporting the isolation of AMR bacteria associated with fermented foods, focusing on those reporting HGT events, which represent the main driver of AMR spread within and between different bacterial communities. Overall, our analysis points to the methodological heterogeneity as a major weakness impairing determination or a causal relation between the presence of AMR determinants within the foodborne microbial reservoir and their transmission to human pathogens. The aim is therefore to highlight the main gaps and needs to better standardize future studies addressing the potential role of non-pathogenic bacteria in the spread of AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Zinno
- Institute for the Animal Production System in the Mediterranean Environment (ISPAAM), National Research Council, Piazzale Enrico Fermi 1, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Giuditta Perozzi
- Research Centre for Food and Nutrition, CREA (Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria), Via Ardeatina 546, 00178 Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Devirgiliis
- Research Centre for Food and Nutrition, CREA (Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria), Via Ardeatina 546, 00178 Rome, Italy
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Rumore J, Walker M, Pagotto F, Forbes JD, Peterson CL, Tyler AD, Graham M, Van Domselaar G, Nadon C, Reimer A, Knox N. Use of a taxon-specific reference database for accurate metagenomics-based pathogen detection of Listeria monocytogenes in turkey deli meat and spinach. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:361. [PMID: 37370007 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09338-w] [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: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The reliability of culture-independent pathogen detection in foods using metagenomics is contingent on the quality and composition of the reference database. The inclusion of microbial sequences from a diverse representation of taxonomies in universal reference databases is recommended to maximize classification precision for pathogen detection. However, these sizable databases have high memory requirements that may be out of reach for some users. In this study, we aimed to assess the performance of a foodborne pathogen (FBP)-specific reference database (taxon-specific) relative to a universal reference database (taxon-agnostic). We tested our FBP-specific reference database's performance for detecting Listeria monocytogenes in two complex food matrices-ready-to-eat (RTE) turkey deli meat and prepackaged spinach-using three popular read-based DNA-to-DNA metagenomic classifiers: Centrifuge, Kraken 2 and KrakenUniq. RESULTS In silico host sequence removal led to substantially fewer false positive (FP) classifications and higher classification precision in RTE turkey deli meat datasets using the FBP-specific reference database. No considerable improvement in classification precision was observed following host filtering for prepackaged spinach datasets and was likely a consequence of a higher microbe-to-host sequence ratio. All datasets classified with Centrifuge using the FBP-specific reference database had the lowest classification precision compared to Kraken 2 or KrakenUniq. When a confidence-scoring threshold was applied, a nearly equivalent precision to the universal reference database was achieved for Kraken 2 and KrakenUniq. Recall was high for both reference databases across all datasets and classifiers. Substantially fewer computational resources were required for metagenomics-based detection of L. monocytogenes using the FBP-specific reference database, especially when combined with Kraken 2. CONCLUSIONS A universal (taxon-agnostic) reference database is not essential for accurate and reliable metagenomics-based pathogen detection of L. monocytogenes in complex food matrices. Equivalent classification performance can be achieved using a taxon-specific reference database when the appropriate quality control measures, classification software, and analysis parameters are applied. This approach is less computationally demanding and more attainable for the broader scientific and food safety communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian Rumore
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
- Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, MB, Winnipeg, Canada.
| | - Matthew Walker
- Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, MB, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Franco Pagotto
- Food Directorate, Health Canada, Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Jessica D Forbes
- Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Christy-Lynn Peterson
- Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, MB, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Andrea D Tyler
- Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, MB, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Morag Graham
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, MB, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Gary Van Domselaar
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, MB, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Celine Nadon
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, MB, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Aleisha Reimer
- Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, MB, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Natalie Knox
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, MB, Winnipeg, Canada
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The power, potential, benefits, and challenges of implementing high-throughput sequencing in food safety systems. NPJ Sci Food 2022; 6:35. [PMID: 35974024 PMCID: PMC9381742 DOI: 10.1038/s41538-022-00150-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The development and application of modern sequencing technologies have led to many new improvements in food safety and public health. With unprecedented resolution and big data, high-throughput sequencing (HTS) has enabled food safety specialists to sequence marker genes, whole genomes, and transcriptomes of microorganisms almost in real-time. These data reveal not only the identity of a pathogen or an organism of interest in the food supply but its virulence potential and functional characteristics. HTS of amplicons, allow better characterization of the microbial communities associated with food and the environment. New and powerful bioinformatics tools, algorithms, and machine learning allow for development of new models to predict and tackle important events such as foodborne disease outbreaks. Despite its potential, the integration of HTS into current food safety systems is far from complete. Government agencies have embraced this new technology, and use it for disease diagnostics, food safety inspections, and outbreak investigations. However, adoption and application of HTS by the food industry have been comparatively slow, sporadic, and fragmented. Incorporation of HTS by food manufacturers in their food safety programs could reinforce the design and verification of effectiveness of control measures by providing greater insight into the characteristics, origin, relatedness, and evolution of microorganisms in our foods and environment. Here, we discuss this new technology, its power, and potential. A brief history of implementation by public health agencies is presented, as are the benefits and challenges for the food industry, and its future in the context of food safety.
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