Immunosensors speed rapid detection.
Processors can use several techniques to rapidly determine whether
their products contain pathogenic bacteria. The problem is that
"rapid" can mean a matter of hours. A research team at . . .
Mustard flour kills E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef.
The consumption of undercooked ground beef contaminated with E.
coli O157:H7 has been a major cause of hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic
uremic syndrome in North America. One approach to killing E. . . .
Ensuring the safety of frankfurters with thermal
processing.
L. monocytogenes has occasionally compromised the safety of
ready-to-eat (RTE) foods such as frankfurters. The occurrence of this
organism in fully cooked products is not caused by bacterial cells . . .
Thermally inactivate Salmonella on cantaloupe using hot
water.
Cantaloupes have been implicated in several outbreaks of
salmonellosis in the United States over the years. The FDA has issued an
import alert detaining all cantaloupes originating in Mexico. . . .
Foodborne pathogens.
Traditional techniques for identifying foodborne pathogens take
several days. Rapid, cost-effective detection techniques are needed to
successfully monitor pathogens in the food supply. Scientists . . .
Antimicrobial treatments.
The prudent use of decontaminants, sanitizers and other
antimicrobial treatments in processing foods appears to generate no
bacterial resistance of concern to our health. Researchers recommend
that . . .
Making Campylobacter easier to count.
Imagine trying to count the raindrops on your car's windshield
after a light rain. That's what it can be like for scientists to
count colonies of Campylobacter that are growing in round petri . . .
Impact of ionizing radiation enhanced when used to treat biofilm
bacteria.
Biofilm-associated bacteria are more resistant to antimicrobial
treatments than their planktonic counterparts. Far greater
concentrations of chemical sanitizers, such as chlorine, . . .
Chlorine dioxide cuts levels of pathogenic bacteria.
Contamination of fresh produce with pathogenic bacteria is a major
concern in the food industry. Government agencies in the past have
recommended at least a 2-log unit reduction from initial . . .
Antimicrobial protein protects against mastitis-causing
bacteria.
A USDA-ARS-led team has combined specific DNA segments from two
different sources to produce a novel antimicrobial protein. The
resulting fusion antimicrobial protein degrades the cell walls . . .
E. coli can survive in a dormant state.
Lactic and acetic acids are widely used as food preservatives to
inhibit microbial growth and extend a product's shelf life.
However, little is known about whether these acids, at the commonly . . .
Developing and validating processes for fermented food.
Acidified and fermented foods have enjoyed an excellent safety
record, with few or no cases of foodborne disease reported from
consuming these products. However, there have been reports of . . .
Optimize packaging transmission rates to extend product shelf
life.
Package wraps, or films, that cover precut produce offer protection
against various bacteria and extend a product's shelf life. Often,
the choice of film depends on the produce being wrapped.
. . .
Novel approaches quantify attachment strength of foodborne
pathogens.
The majority of techniques used to determine the existence of
viable cells in biofilms involve swabbing, shaking, using mild
sonication or enumerating the pathogens in relation to the . . .
Harness predictive models for C. perfringens growth.
The ability of C. perfringens to form heat-resistant spores and
grow rapidly at relatively high temperatures is a major issue that leads
to the onset of foodborne illness. The short generation . . .
Beneficial bacteriophages.
Scientists have collected and partially characterized beneficial
bacteriophages that could help control Salmonella. The investigators
have devised ways to collect, isolate and identify . . .
High hydrostatic pressure.
Applying high hydrostatic pressure on a commercial basis to
inactivate bacterial spores requires a knowledge of pressure-induced
adiabatic heating and an understanding of the potential . . .
Competitive exclusion bacteria control Listeria.
Controlling L. monocytogenes in processing facilities has been a
formidable challenge. Floor drains in particular are an important
harborage for Listeria. Listeriae can become entrapped on drain . . .
Examine growth of bacterial colonies.
The growth of bacteria in foods is frequently predicted using data
derived from their growth in liquid cultures. While this is relevant to
the growth of bacteria in most types of foods, it does not . . .
Carbon monoxide, high-oxygen packaging may impact beef strip loin
quality.
Carbon monoxide (CO), which can be used as a modified atmosphere
packaging (MAP) gas, has the potential to extend the color shelf life of
case-ready beef. Scientists at the University of Illinois . . .
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