scholarly journals Endogenous Metabolites Released by Sanitized Sprouting Alfalfa Seed Inhibit the Growth of Salmonella enterica

mSystems ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ga-Hee Ban ◽  
Yue Dai ◽  
Tao Huan ◽  
Alfred Ke ◽  
Pascal Delaquis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
The United States ◽  
Antimicrobial Treatment ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Alfalfa Seed ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Combinatorial Treatment

ABSTRACT Sprouts are the leading cause of foodborne disease outbreaks globally, mainly because the specialized conditions required to germinate seed sprouts for human consumption contribute to an environment that allows pathogenic bacteria to flourish. To reduce risk of illness, current food safety guidelines in the United States and Canada recommend hypochlorite treatment for seed sanitation. However, many growers and consumers have become wary of the impact of hypochlorite on human health and the environment and are actively seeking less caustic approaches. Here, we evaluated the effects of both the traditional hypochlorite treatment and a milder alternative on nontyphoidal Salmonella enterica colonization of germinating alfalfa seed. Moreover, we explored three biological factors as potential contributors for inhibition of S. enterica growth: colonization by indigenous bacteria, seed composition changes, and seed metabolite release. In this experimental setting, we found that a combinatorial treatment of heat, peroxide, and acetic acid was as effective as hypochlorite for inhibiting S. enterica growth. Notably, we pinpointed N-acetyl-spermidine as an endogenous metabolite exuded by treated seeds that strongly inhibits S. enterica growth. In doing so, we both elucidated one of the mechanisms of chemical sanitation and highlighted a potential seed-derived mode of antimicrobial treatment that may apply to modernized food safety protocols. IMPORTANCE Warm, humid, and nutrient-rich conditions that are used to produce sprouts encourage Salmonella enterica to proliferate. However, many disparate sanitation methods exist, and there is currently no single treatment that can guarantee pathogen-free seeds. Here, we compared the ability of traditional hypochlorite treatment against a combinatorial treatment of heat, peroxide, and vinegar (HPA) commonly used in organic farming practices to inhibit S. enterica colonization and growth during alfalfa germination and found HPA to be at least as effective. Furthermore, we explored seed-based changes following sanitization treatments using metabolomics and identified polyamines as strong inhibitors of Salmonella growth on germinating alfalfa. Our findings enable a better understanding of host-pathogen interactions in sprout microbial communities and promote in-depth, evidence-based research in seed sprout safety.

scholarly journals An Attenuated Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Strain and Galacto-Oligosaccharides Accelerate Clearance of Salmonella Infections in Poultry through Modifications to the Gut Microbiome

2017 ◽  
Vol 84 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Andrea Azcarate-Peril ◽  
Natasha Butz ◽  
Maria Belen Cadenas ◽  
Matthew Koci ◽  
Anne Ballou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Gut Microbiome ◽  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
The United States ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Salmonella Infections ◽  
Serovar Typhimurium ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Salmonella is estimated to cause one million foodborne illnesses in the United States every year. Salmonella -contaminated poultry products are one of the major sources of salmonellosis. Given the critical role of the gut microbiota in Salmonella transmission, a manipulation of the chicken intestinal microenvironment could prevent animal colonization by the pathogen. In Salmonella , the global regulator gene fnr ( f umarate n itrate r eduction) regulates anaerobic metabolism and is essential for adapting to the gut environment. This study tested the hypothesis that an attenuated Fnr mutant of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (attST) or prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) could improve resistance to wild-type Salmonella via modifications to the structure of the chicken gut microbiome. Intestinal samples from a total of 273 animals were collected weekly for 9 weeks to evaluate the impact of attST or prebiotic supplementation on microbial species of the cecum, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. We next analyzed changes to the gut microbiome induced by challenging the animals with a wild-type Salmonella serovar 4,[5],12:r:− (Nal r ) strain and determined the clearance rate of the virulent strain in the treated and control groups. Both GOS and the attenuated Salmonella strain modified the gut microbiome but elicited alterations of different taxonomic groups. The attST produced significant increases of Alistipes and undefined Lactobacillus , while GOS increased Christensenellaceae and Lactobacillus reuteri . The microbiome structural changes induced by both treatments resulted in a faster clearance after a Salmonella challenge. IMPORTANCE With an average annual incidence of 13.1 cases/100,000 individuals, salmonellosis has been deemed a nationally notifiable condition in the United States by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Earlier studies demonstrated that Salmonella is transmitted by a subset of animals (supershedders). The supershedder phenotype can be induced by antibiotics, ascertaining an essential role for the gut microbiota in Salmonella transmission. Consequently, modulation of the gut microbiota and modification of the intestinal microenvironment could assist in preventing animal colonization by the pathogen. Our study demonstrated that a manipulation of the chicken gut microbiota by the administration of an attenuated Salmonella strain or prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) can promote resistance to Salmonella colonization via increases of beneficial microorganisms that translate into a less hospitable gut microenvironment.

scholarly journals Identification and Characterization of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella enterica Serotype Albert Isolates in the United States

2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (5) ◽  
pp. 2774-2779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason P. Folster ◽  
Davina Campbell ◽  
Julian Grass ◽  
Allison C. Brown ◽  
Amelia Bicknese ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Human Disease ◽  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
The United States ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Antimicrobial Treatment ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Extended Spectrum ◽  
Resistance Plasmids

ABSTRACTSalmonella entericais one of the most common causes of bacterial foodborne illness in the United States. Although mostSalmonellainfections are self-limiting, antimicrobial treatment of invasive salmonellosis is critical. The primary antimicrobial treatment options include fluoroquinolones or extended-spectrum cephalosporins, and resistance to these antimicrobial drugs may complicate treatment. At present,S. entericais composed of more than 2,600 unique serotypes, which vary greatly in geographic prevalence, ecological niche, and the ability to cause human disease, and it is important to understand and mitigate the source of human infection, particularly when antimicrobial resistance is found. In this study, we identified and characterized 19S. entericaserotype Albert isolates collected from food animals, retail meat, and humans in the United States during 2005 to 2013. All five isolates from nonhuman sources were obtained from turkeys or ground turkey, and epidemiologic data suggest poultry consumption or live-poultry exposure as the probable source of infection.S. entericaserotype Albert also appears to be geographically localized to the midwestern United States. All 19 isolates displayed multidrug resistance, including decreased susceptibility to fluoroquinolones and resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins. Turkeys are a likely source of multidrug-resistantS. entericaserotype Albert, and circulation of resistance plasmids, as opposed to the expansion of a single resistant strain, is playing a role. More work is needed to understand why these resistance plasmids spread and how their presence and the serotype they reside in contribute to human disease.

scholarly journals Chlortetracycline Enhances Tonsil Colonization and Fecal Shedding of Multidrug-ResistantSalmonella entericaSerovar Typhimurium DT104 without Major Alterations to the Porcine Tonsillar and Intestinal Microbiota

2018 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Devin B. Holman ◽  
Bradley L. Bearson ◽  
Heather K. Allen ◽  
Daniel C. Shippy ◽  
Crystal L. Loving ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
The United States ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Foodborne Illness ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fecal Shedding ◽  
Typhimurium Strain ◽  
Serovar Typhimurium ◽  
Collateral Effects ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTSalmonellaspp. are estimated to cause 1.2 million cases of human foodborne illness each year in the United States, and pigs can often be asymptomatically colonized withSalmonellaspp. (>50% of farms). Recent reports state that 18.3% ofSalmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium isolates are resistant to ≥3 antimicrobial classes, and multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains are associated with an increased hospitalization rate and other complications. Chlortetracycline is commonly used in swine production to prevent/treat various diseases; therefore, chlortetracycline treatment of pigs unknowingly colonized with MDRSalmonellamay have collateral effects onSalmonellaspp. (and other gut bacteria). In this study, we determined the effect of in-feed chlortetracycline (400 g/ton) on shedding and colonization of pigs challenged with the MDRS. Typhimurium strain DT104 (n= 11/group). We also assessed the impact on the fecal microbiota over the 12-day experimental period and on the ileum, cecum, and tonsil microbiota at 7 days postinoculation (dpi). In MDRS. Typhimurium-inoculated pigs, chlortetracycline administration significantly increased fecal shedding at 2 dpi (+1.4 log10CFU/g;P < 0.001) and enhanced tonsil colonization (+3.1 log10CFU/g;P < 0.001). There were few major alterations detected in the gut or tonsillar microbiota of pigs treated with MDRS. Typhimurium and/or chlortetracycline. The tonsillar transcriptome was largely unaffected despite increased colonization by MDRS. Typhimurium following inoculation of the chlortetracycline-treated pigs. These results highlight the idea that chlortetracycline administration can enhance shedding and colonization of MDRS. Typhimurium in pigs, which could increase the risk of environmental dissemination of MDRSalmonellastrains.IMPORTANCESalmonellaspp. are an important cause of foodborne illness in North America, and pork products are associated with sporadic cases and outbreaks of human salmonellosis. Isolates ofSalmonellamay be resistant to multiple antibiotics, and infections with multidrug-resistant (MDR)Salmonellaspp. are more difficult to treat, leading to increased hospitalization rates. Swine operations commonly use antimicrobials, such as chlortetracycline, to prevent/treat infections, which may have collateral effects on pig microbial populations. Recently, we demonstrated that chlortetracycline induces the expression of genes associated with pathogenesis and invasion in MDRSalmonella entericaserovar Typhimuriumin vitro. In our current study, we show increased tonsillar colonization and fecal shedding of the MDRS. Typhimurium strain DT104 from pigs administered chlortetracycline. Therefore, pigs unknowingly colonized with multidrug-resistantSalmonellaspp. and receiving chlortetracycline for an unrelated infection may be at a greater risk for disseminating MDRSalmonellaspp. to other pigs and to humans through environmental or pork product contamination.

Correcting Misperceptions About Genetically Modified Food on Social Media: Examining the Impact of Experts, Social Media Heuristics, and the Gateway Belief Model

2020 ◽  
pp. 107554702098137
Author(s):  
Leticia Bode ◽  
Emily K. Vraga ◽  
Melissa Tully
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Genetically Modified Food ◽  
The Public ◽  
Scientific Consensus ◽  
Gm Food ◽  
Belief Model ◽  
The Impact

We experimentally test whether expert organizations on social media can correct misperceptions of the scientific consensus on the safety of genetically modified (GM) food for human consumption, as well as what role social media cues, in the form of “likes,” play in that process. We find expert organizations highlighting scientific consensus on GM food safety reduces consensus misperceptions among the public, leading to lower GM misperceptions and boosting related consumption behaviors in line with the gateway belief model. Expert organizations’ credibility may increase as a result of correction, but popularity cues do not seem to affect misperceptions or credibility.

An industry perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne Taylor ◽  
Jean Pierre Garat ◽  
Samer Simreen ◽  
Ghida Sarieddine
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Safety Culture ◽  
Safety Management ◽  
Regulatory Compliance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Roles And Responsibilities ◽  
Management Standards ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Food Safety Culture

Purpose – This paper aims to outline the food safety roles and responsibilities within the industry that play an important role in the success of government initiatives, demonstrated using a new model of Food Safety Culture Excellence. It is the sixth article in a Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes theme issue presenting a comprehensive government strategy for improving food safety management standards across the hospitality industry. Design/methodology/approach – A case study is used to demonstrate the impact of auditing the 16 dimensions of Food Safety Culture Excellence in practice. The business selected was the first in Abu Dhabi to achieve regulatory compliance for HACCP-based food safety management, and the first to conduct a Food Safety Culture Excellence audit in the United Arab Emirates. Findings – This article demonstrates how the concept of food safety culture works in practice, using the Food Safety Culture Excellence Model with four categories and 16 dimensions. It demonstrates how the auditing of culture within a business can highlight strengths and weaknesses and facilitate continual improvement. Originality/value – The article represents the first published model of Food Safety Culture Excellence, an extensively researched and tested model developed by Taylor Shannon International Ltd. and launched in conjunction with Campden BRI in 2014. It also demonstrates the first audit of the model in practice.

The impact of counterfeit risk management on healthcare supply chain performance: an empirical analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Falasca ◽  
Scott Dellana ◽  
William J. Rowe ◽  
John F. Kros
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
The United States ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Significant Positive Effect ◽  
Healthcare Organizations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Positive Effect

PurposeThis study develops and tests a model exploring the relationship between supply chain (SC) counterfeit risk management and performance in the healthcare supply chain (HCSC).Design/methodology/approachIn the proposed theoretical model, HCSC counterfeit risk management is characterized by HCSC counterfeit risk orientation (HCRO), HCSC counterfeit risk mitigation (HCRM) and HCSC risk management integration (HRMI), while performance is represented by healthcare logistics performance (HLP) and healthcare organization overall performance (HOP). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and survey data from 55 HCSC managers are used to test the research hypotheses.FindingsHCRO has a significant positive effect on HCRM, while HCRM has a positive impact on HRMI. With respect to HLP, HCRM has a nonsignificant effect, while HRMI has a significant impact, thus confirming the important mediating role of HRMI. Finally, HLP has a significant positive effect on the overall performance of healthcare organizations.Research limitations/implicationsAll study participants were from the United States, limiting the generalizability of the study findings to different countries or regions. The sample size employed in the study did not allow the authors to distinguish among the different types of healthcare organizations.Originality/valueThis study delineates between a healthcare organization's philosophy toward counterfeiting risks vs actions taken to eliminate or reduce the impact of counterfeiting on the HCSC. By offering firm-level guidance for managers, this study informs healthcare organizations about addressing the challenge of counterfeiting in the HCSC.

Does the second wave of COVID-19 undermine corporate immunity? International evidence

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Huy Viet Hoang ◽  
Cuong Nguyen ◽  
Khanh Hoang
Keyword(s):  
Stock Returns ◽  
Stock Price ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
The United States ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Second Wave ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis study compares the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stock returns in the first two waves of infection across selected markets, given built-in corporate immunity before the global outbreak.Design/methodology/approachThe data are collected from listed firms in five markets that have experienced the second wave of COVID-19 contagion, namely the United States (US), Australia, China, Hong Kong and South Korea. The period of investigation in this study ranges from January 24 to August 28, 2020 to cover the first two COVID-19 waves in selected markets. The study estimates the research model by employing the ordinary least square method with fixed effects to control for the heterogeneity that may confound the empirical outcomes.FindingsThe analysis reveals that firms with larger size and more cash reserves before the COVID-19 outbreak have better stock performance under the first wave; however, these advantages impede stock resilience during the second wave. Corporate governance practices significantly influence stock returns only in the first wave as their effects fade when the second wave emerges. The results also suggest that in economies with greater power distance, although stock price depreciation was milder in the first wave, it is more intense when new cases again surge after the first wave was contained.Practical implicationsThis paper provides practical implications for corporate managers, policymakers and governments concerning crisis management strategies for COVID-19 and future pandemics.Originality/valueThis study is the first to evaluate built-in corporate immunity before the COVID-19 shock under successive contagious waves. Besides, this study accentuates the importance of cultural understanding in weathering the ongoing pandemic across different markets.

Bankruptcy filings, flooding, real estate prices and Leading Index

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Billie Ann Brotman
Keyword(s):  
Housing Prices ◽  
The United States ◽  
Flood Insurance ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Personal Bankruptcy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
Flooding Event ◽  
Flooding Events ◽  
The Impact

PurposeFlood damage to uninsured single-family homes shifts the entire burden of costly repairs onto the homeowner. Homeowners in the United States and in much of Europe can purchase flood insurance. The Netherlands and Asian countries generally do not offer flood insurance protection to homeowners. Uninsured households incur the entire cost of repairing/replacing properties damaged due to flooding. Homeowners’ policies do not cover damage caused by flooding. The paper examines the link between personal bankruptcy and the severity of flooding events, property prices and financial condition levels.Design/methodology/approachA fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) regression model is developed which uses personal bankruptcy filings as its dependent variable during the years 2000 through 2018. This time-series model considers the association between personal bankruptcy court filings and costly, widespread flooding events. Independent variables were selected that potentially act as mitigating factors reducing bankruptcy filings.FindingsThe FMOLS regression results found a significant, positive association between flooding events and the total number of personal bankruptcy filings. Higher flooding costs were associated with higher bankruptcy filings. The Home Price Index is inversely related to the bankruptcy dependent variable. The R-squared results indicate that 0.65% of the movement in the dependent variable personal bankruptcy filings is explained by the severity of a flooding event and other independent variables.Research limitations/implicationsThe severity of the flooding event is measured using dollar losses incurred by the National Flood Insurance program. A macro-case study was undertaken, but the research results would have been enhanced by examining local areas and demographic factors that may have made bankruptcy filing following a flooding event more or less likely.Practical implicationsThe paper considers the impact of the natural disaster flooding on bankruptcy rates filings. The findings may have implications for multi-family properties as well as single-family housing. Purchasing flood insurance generally mitigates the likelihood of severe financial risk to the property owner.Social implicationsNatural flood insurance is underwritten by the federal government and/or by private insurers. The financial health of private property insurers that underwrite flooding and their ability to meet losses incurred needs to be carefully scrutinized by the insured.Originality/valuePrior studies analyzing the linkages existing between housing prices, natural disasters and bankruptcy used descriptive data, mostly percentages, when considering this association. The study herein posits the same questions as these prior studies but used regression analysis to analyze the linkages. The methodology enables additional independent variables to be added to the analysis.

scholarly journals Antimicrobial Susceptibility to Azithromycin among Salmonella enterica Isolates from the United States

2011 ◽  
Vol 55 (9) ◽  
pp. 3985-3989 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Sjölund-Karlsson ◽  
Kevin Joyce ◽  
Karen Blickenstaff ◽  
Takiyah Ball ◽  
Jovita Haro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility ◽  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
The United States ◽  
Outcome Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Susceptibility Data ◽  
Retail Meat ◽  
Clinical Breakpoints

ABSTRACTDue to emerging resistance to traditional antimicrobial agents, such as ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and chloramphenicol, azithromycin is increasingly used for the treatment of invasiveSalmonellainfections. In the present study, 696 isolates of non-TyphiSalmonellacollected from humans, food animals, and retail meats in the United States were investigated for antimicrobial susceptibility to azithromycin. Seventy-twoSalmonella entericaserotype Typhi isolates from humans were also tested. For each isolate, MICs of azithromycin and 15 other antimicrobial agents were determined by broth microdilution. Among the non-TyphiSalmonellaisolates, azithromycin MICs among human isolates ranged from 1 to 32 μg/ml, whereas the MICs among the animal and retail meat isolates ranged from 2 to 16 μg/ml and 4 to 16 μg/ml, respectively. AmongSalmonellaserotype Typhi isolates, the azithromycin MICs ranged from 4 to 16 μg/ml. The highest MIC observed in the present study was 32 μg/ml, and it was detected in three human isolates belonging to serotypes Kentucky, Montevideo, and Paratyphi A. Based on our findings, we propose an epidemiological cutoff value (ECOFF) for wild-typeSalmonellaof ≤16 μg/ml of azithromycin. The susceptibility data provided could be used in combination with clinical outcome data to determine tentative clinical breakpoints for azithromycin andSalmonella enterica.

Could new information influence attitudes to foods supplemented with edible insects?

2017 ◽  
Vol 119 (9) ◽  
pp. 2027-2039 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fanny Barsics ◽  
Rudy Caparros Megido ◽  
Yves Brostaux ◽  
Catherine Barsics ◽  
Christophe Blecker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
A Priori ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Edible Insects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Edible Insect ◽  
Information Session ◽  
Organoleptic Characteristics ◽  
New Information ◽  
Gender Information ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Broader acceptance of entomophagy (i.e. human consumption of insects) will depend on factors that impact consumers’ perceptions of edible insects. The purpose of this paper is to examine how a broad-based information session would affect consumers’ perceptions and attitudes about an edible insect product. Design/methodology/approach During a taste testing session, preceded or followed by an information session about entomophagy, participants rated the organoleptic characteristics of two bread samples on nine-point hedonic scales. The two bread samples were identical, though one was faux-labelled as containing an insect product. Findings Generalised linear model (GLM) analysis showed effects of gender, information session exposure, entomophagy familiarity, and entomophagy experience on participants’ ratings of the samples. Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney ranked sum tests showed that appearance, flavour, and overall liking were significantly better rated for the bread sample labelled as insect free by participants who attended the presentation a priori. Potential ways to improve information content and delivery in favour of encouraging dietary shifts are discussed. Practical implications This study shows that information about insect-based products could change consumers’ perceptions of such products. The results provide clues regarding how the food industry can adapt communication for target audiences. Originality/value Actual edible insect products were not used in this study. Paradoxically, it is the first to show the impact of an information session on the acceptability of edible insect products, by revealing participants’ perceptual expectations.

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