scholarly journals Conditions to Prolonged Release of Microencapsulated Carvacrol on Alginate Films as Affected by Emulsifier Type and PH

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Matiacevich ◽  
Natalia Riquelme ◽  
María Lidia Herrera

Alginate from algal biomass is used as edible film and the incorporation of antimicrobial agents improves its performance to increase the shelf-life of fresh foods. However, environmental conditions and intrinsic properties of films influence their release. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the concentration and type of encapsulating agent and pH of emulsions on the physical and antimicrobial properties of alginate-carvacrol films. Films containing alginate, carvacrol as antimicrobial agent, and Tween 20 or trehalose (0.25 and 0.75% w/w) as encapsulating agents were obtained from suspensions at pH 4 and pH 8. Physical characterization of emulsions and films and antimicrobial properties (E. coliandB. cinerea) was evaluated. Results showed that droplets size depended on trehalose concentration, but emulsion stability depended on pH and type of encapsulating agent, being more stable samples with trehalose at pH 4. Although films with Tween 20 presented the highest opacity, they showed the best antimicrobial properties at initial time; however, during storage time, they lost their activity before samples with trehalose and relative humidity (RH) was the principal factor to influence their release. Therefore, sample formulated with 0.25% trehalose at pH 4 and stored at 75% RH had the best potential as edible film for fresh fruits.

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 2223
Author(s):  
Moises Bustamante-Torres ◽  
Victor H. Pino-Ramos ◽  
David Romero-Fierro ◽  
Sandra P. Hidalgo-Bonilla ◽  
Héctor Magaña ◽  
...  

The design of new polymeric systems for antimicrobial drug release focused on medical/surgical procedures is of great interest in the biomedical area due to the high prevalence of bacterial infections in patients with wounds or burns. For this reason, in this work, we present a new design of pH-sensitive hydrogels copolymerized by a graft polymerization method (gamma rays), intended for localized prophylactic release of ciprofloxacin and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for potential topical bacterial infections. The synthesized hydrogels were copolymerized from acrylic acid (AAc) and agar. Cross-linked hydrogel film formation depended on monomer concentrations and the degree of radiation used (Cobalt-60). The obtained hydrogel films were characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and mechanical testing. The swelling of the hydrogels was evidenced by the influence of their pH-sensitiveness. The hydrogel was loaded with antimicrobial agents (AgNPs or ciprofloxacin), and their related activity was evaluated. Finally, the antimicrobial activity of biocidal-loaded hydrogel was tested against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on in vitro conditions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 367 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuejing Yang ◽  
Yan Qi ◽  
Guoping Li ◽  
Yuying Wang ◽  
Zhengqing Lou ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Carbapenem resistance in Enterobacteriaceae members has become a major challenge, and the genetic environment of blaKPC, encoding Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemases, has not been fully clarified in China. In this study, we aimed to explore the genetic environment of blaKPC in 25 carbapenem-resistant E. coli isolates from hospitals in Hangzhou Province, China. Antimicrobial susceptibility against 22 common antimicrobial agents was tested. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was performed for screening of the resistent genes, such as blaKPC, blaCTX-M, blaTEM, blaSHV, blaNDM, qnrA, qnrB, qnrS, aac(6’)-Ib, armA and rmtB. The genetic environment of blaKPC were determinedin one isolate. blaKPC was detected by PCR in all the clinical E. coli isolates. There were no strains carrying blaNDM, qnrA and armA. The genetic environment of blaKPC showed that blaKPC dissemination is plasmid mediated and that it is located in the Tn3–Tn4401 transposon complex. Encoding of blaKPC-2 was responsible for carbapenem resistance in the 25 E. coli isolates. The genetic environment of blaKPC was characterized by the Tn3–Tn4401 complex. Our findings may provide a theoretical basis for clinical drug-resistance monitoring, anti-infection treatment and hospital infection control.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Comfort Nkogwe ◽  
Juliah Raletobana ◽  
Alva Stewart-Johnson ◽  
Sharianne Suepaul ◽  
Abiodun Adesiyun

The study was conducted to determine the frequency of isolation ofSalmonella,CampylobacterandE. coliO157 in the faecal samples of rats trapped across the regional corporations in Trinidad and to assess their resistance to antimicrobial agents. A total of 204 rats were trapped for the detection of selected bacteria. Standard methods were used to isolateSalmonella,CampylobacterandE. coliO157. Characterization ofE. coliwas done on sorbitol MacConkey agar to determine non-sorbitol fermentation, blood agar to determine haemolytic and mucoid colonies and by usingE. coliO157 antiserum to determine O157 strain. The disc diffusion method was used to determine resistance to nine antimicrobial agents. Of the 204 rats, 4 (2.0%), 7 (3.4%) and 171 (83.8%) were positive forSalmonellaspp.,Campylobacterspp. andE. coli, respectively. Of the 171 isolates ofE. colitested 0 (0.0%), 25 (14.6%) and 19 (11.1%) were haemolytic, mucoid and non-sorbitol fermenters, respectively. All isolates were negative for the O157 strain. The frequency of resistance to the 9 antimicrobial agents tested was 75% (3 of 4) forSalmonella, 85.7% (6 of 7) ofCampylobacterspp. and 36.3% (62 of 171) forE. coli(;χ2).


2009 ◽  
Vol 72 (5) ◽  
pp. 1082-1088 ◽  
Author(s):  
AHLEM JOUINI ◽  
KARIM BEN SLAMA ◽  
YOLANDA SÁENZ ◽  
NAOUEL KLIBI ◽  
DANIELA COSTA ◽  
...  

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of antimicrobial resistance was conducted for 98 Escherichia coli isolates recovered from 40 food samples of animal origin (poultry, sheep, beef, fish, and others) obtained in supermarkets and local butcheries in Tunis during 2004 and 2005. Susceptibility to 15 antimicrobial agents was tested by disk diffusion and agar dilution methods, the mechanisms of resistance were evaluated using PCR and sequencing methods, and the clonal relationship among isolates was evaluated using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. High resistance was detected to tetracycline, sulphonamides, nalidixic acid, ampicillin, streptomycin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (29 to 43% of isolates), but all isolates were susceptible to cefotaxime, ceftazidime, cefoxitin, azthreonam, and amikacin. One-third of the isolates had multiresistant phenotypes (resistance to at least five different families of antimicrobial agents). Different variants of blaTEM, tet, sul, dfrA, aadA, and aac(3) genes were detected in most of the strains resistant to ampicillin, tetracycline, sulphonamide, trimethoprim, streptomycin, and gentamicin, respectively. The presence of class 1 and class 2 integrons was studied in 15 sulphonamide-resistant unrelated E. coli strains, and 14 of these strains harbored class 1 integrons with five different arrangements of gene cassettes, and a class 2 integron with the dfrA1 + sat + aadA1 arrangement was found in one strain. This study revealed the high diversity of antimicrobial resistance genes, some of them included in integrons, in E. coli isolates of food origin.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ain Nadirah Binti Romainor ◽  
Suk Fun Chin ◽  
Suh Cem Pang ◽  
Lesley Maurice Bilung

Cellulose films with antimicrobial property were prepared by incorporation of chitosan nanoparticles as antimicrobial agents into the cellulose films. The antimicrobial property of these chitosan nanoparticles-doped cellulose films againstEscherichia coli(E. coli) was evaluated via diffusion assay method, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method, and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) method. The effects of antimicrobial agent amount, size-related property (nanoparticles and bulk chitosan), and crosslinking by citric acid on antimicrobial activity of cellulose films were studied. It was observed that the antimicrobial activity was enhanced when chitosan nanoparticles were used as compared to when bulk chitosan was used. A maximumE. coliinhibition of 85% was achieved with only 5% (v/v) doping of chitosan nanoparticles into the cellulose films. Crosslinking of the cellulose films with citric acid was observed to have resulted in 50% reduction of water absorbency and a slight increase ofE. coliinhibition by 3% for chitosan nanoparticles-doped cellulose films.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (06) ◽  
pp. 465-472
Author(s):  
Ulises Hernández-Chiñas ◽  
Alejandro Pérez-Ramos ◽  
Laura Belmont-Monroy ◽  
María E Chávez-Berrocal ◽  
Edgar González-Villalobos ◽  
...  

Introduction: Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are the main etiological agent of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Association between different serotypes and UTIs is known, however, some strains are incapable to be serotyped. The aim of this work was to study bthe phenotypical and genotypical characteristics of 113 non-typeable (NT) and auto-agglutinating (AA) E. coli strains, isolated from UTIs in children and adults. Methodology: The 113 UPEC strains were analyzed by PCR assays using specific primers to determine their serogroups, fimH, papC, iutA, sat, hlyCA and cnf1, virulence associated genes, and chuA, yjaA and TSPE4.C2 for phylogroup determination. Additionally, the diffusion disk method was performed to evaluate the antimicrobial resistance to 18 antimicrobial agents. Results: Using the PCR assay, 63% (71) of the strains were genotyped showing O25 and O75 as the most common serogroups. The virulence genes fimH (86%) and iutA (74%) were the most prevalent, in relation to the phylogroups the commensal (A and B1) and virulent (B2 and D) showed similar frequencies (P > 0.05). The antimicrobial susceptibility test showed a high percentage (73%) of multidrug-resistant strains. Conclusions: The genotyping allowed identifying the serogroup in many of the strains that could not be typed by traditional serology. The strains carried virulence genes and were multidrug-resistant in both, commensal and virulent phylogroups. Our findings revealed that, in addition to the classical UPEC serogroups, there are pathogenic serogroups not reported yet.


2021 ◽  
pp. 108201322110577
Author(s):  
Camily Aparecida Reis ◽  
Mário Guimarães Júnior ◽  
Francys Kley Vieira Moreira ◽  
José Manoel Marconcini ◽  
Lívia Elisabeth Vasconcellos de Siqueira Brandão Vaz

Edible coating can improve fruits shelf life and, consequently, reduce their waste. Chitosan, which presents a potential for chemical modifications and capacity to form films, can be an alternative for coating due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and antimicrobial properties. Chitosan film can be obtained through casting method presenting suitable mechanical properties, such as resistance to traction and elongation, ability to adhere to surfaces and selective permeability to gases, such as O2 and CO2. However, it is highly permeable to water vapor, which can limit its potential coating use. The properties of chitosan films can be improved through the formation of composites by inserting nanoclays as montmorillonite in the polymeric matrix. The objective of this study was to develop and characterize chitosan/montmorillonite nanocomposites for fruit coating aiming for future applications in the field of smart packaging. Nanocomposites were characterized by its microstructure, thermal, mechanical, and physicochemical properties. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated changes in crystallinity with the insertion of montmorillonite. Nanocomposites became more transparent and significantly reduced its water permeability rate with 0.5% w/w montmorillonite addition. Elastic rigidity and tensile strength of the films were improved. Chitosan/montmorillonite nanocomposites demonstrated the potential to improve the storage time of Williams pears.


2010 ◽  
Vol 59 (5) ◽  
pp. 592-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justine S. Gibson ◽  
Rowland N. Cobbold ◽  
Darren J. Trott

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli causes extraintestinal infections in both humans and animals. This study aimed to determine whether MDR E. coli isolates cultured from extraintestinal infections in several animal species were clonal and crossed host-species boundaries, as suggested by initial characterization of a subset of canine and human isolates, or whether they represented a diverse group of host-specific strains. Isolates were obtained either from The University of Queensland Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory or from an independent diagnostic laboratory between October 1999 and December 2007. Ninety-six MDR E. coli isolates cultured from extraintestinal clinical infections in 55 animals comprising dogs (n=45), cats (n=5), horses (n=4) and a koala (n=1) were analysed by phylogenetic grouping, antimicrobial susceptibility testing and PFGE. The isolates were cultured from the urinary tract (n=61), reproductive tract (n=11), wounds (n=11), surgical site infections (n=4) and other sites (n=9). Isolates from the same E. coli phylogenetic group with 100 % PFGE similarity and the same antimicrobial susceptibility pattern were considered to be repeat clones and excluded from further analysis. Three of the four E. coli phylogenetic groups (A, n=19; B1, n=8; and D, n=49) were represented. Analysis of PFGE similarity identified clusters of related phylogenetic group A isolates [clonal group (CG) 1] and group D isolates (CG2 and CG3), with the remainder of the isolates demonstrating diversity. The majority of CG2 isolates contained a plasmid-borne AmpC β-lactamase, imparting resistance to cefoxitin and third-generation cephalosporins, and were obtained between 2000 and 2003. CG3 isolates were sensitive to these antimicrobial agents and appeared to replace CG2 isolates as the dominant clones from 2003 to 2007. Apart from several canine and feline isolates that demonstrated clonality, PFGE profiles tended to be divergent across species. Whilst MDR E. coli isolates from extraintestinal infections in different animal species are diverse, some dominant CGs may persist over several years.


2016 ◽  
Vol 1817 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daiane Tomacheski ◽  
Michele Pittol ◽  
Vanda F. Ribeiro ◽  
Ruth M. C. Santana

ABSTRACTDevelopment of polymers with antimicrobial characteristics can avoid deterioration and assist in containing spread of pathogens harmful to human health. This study aimed to compare the antimicrobial and mechanical properties of polymeric matrices containing organic antimicrobial additives. Silver organomodified bentonite (Ag_bentonite) and organochlorine molecule in a masterbatch based polyethylene (Cl_PE) were tested in proportion of 2% in a thermoplastic elastomeric formulation. The polymeric matrices were prepared by melt mixing and evaluated in tensile and antimicrobial properties against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains. The additives were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The nanoscale of Ag_bentonite was verified by SEM. TGA assay showed that Cl_PE is more sensitive to heat than Ag_bentonite. As a result of this lower thermal stability, the addition of Cl_PE reduced the tensile properties of the compound. The sample with Cl_PE was effective against both bacterial strains, reducing the populations of S. aureus and E. coli in 99 and 96%, respectively. The addition of Ag_bentonite did not affect the tensile strength and decreased in 97 and 40% S. aureus and E. coli populations, respectively. The results indicate that the use of organic additives is promissory, but further modifications in processing must be necessary.


2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (07) ◽  
pp. 527-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Casmir Ifeanyichukwu Cajetan Ifeanyi ◽  
Nkiruka Florence Ikeneche ◽  
Bassey Enya Bassey ◽  
Stefano Morabito ◽  
Caterina Graziani ◽  
...  

Introduction: Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) causes infectious diarrhea among children in developing countries. However, in Nigeria, due to limited laboratory resources, the genetic diversity of its virulence factors, which include intimin subtypes, remains undefined. Methodology: EPEC isolates from diarrheic children 60 months of age and younger in Abuja, Nigeria, were analyzed. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for EPEC virulence gene, Hep-2 cell adherence, and serotyping were performed. EPEC strains were further subtyped by PCR for the identification of intimin subtype genes α (alpha), β (beta), γ1 (gamma-1), and έ (epsilon). Antibiotic resistance and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production was determined by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Results: Overall, 18 (4.5%) out of 400 children with acute diarrhea had EPEC infection.  Typical EPEC (tEPEC) strains were detected in 14 (3.5%), whereas 4 (1.1%) were atypical EPEC (aEPEC). A total of 15 (83.3%) of the EPEC isolated belonged to β intimin subtype gene, while the remaining 3 EPEC isolates possessed the intimin έ subtype. No α and γ intimin subtypes were detected. Traditional EPEC serotypes O114:H14 were detected only in tEPEC strains. Marked resistance to β-lactam agents were observed but no ESBL-producing tEPEC or aEPEC was detected. Conclusions: This is the first report of intimin subtype genes in Abuja, Nigeria. EPEC isolates of diverse serotypes resistant to β-lactam antimicrobial agents were observed. These data will be useful in facilitating the characterization of intimin variants of EPEC and some Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in humans and other animal species.


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