Foodborne illnesses result from inadequate food handling practices, but prevention is possible through implementing food safety principles by handlers and consumers. This paper presents an overview ...of food safety knowledge and practices among food handlers and consumers in the Gulf countries, identifies factors affecting knowledge and practice, and offers recommendations for promoting food safety among handlers and consumers. A literature search was conducted using an integrative review method. Various combinations of the following descriptors were used: (food safety, food hygiene), (knowledge, practice), and (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait). Out of 164 studies screened, 37 met the eligibility criteria. Food handler studies reported insufficient food safety knowledge, with poor translation of existing knowledge into practice. Consumer studies showed varying levels of food safety knowledge, and the translation of existing knowledge into practice was also found to be inconsistent. Training and educational level were the primary factors positively affecting food safety knowledge and practices. Overall, significant gaps in knowledge and practices were identified among food handlers and consumers in the Gulf. These gaps require urgent attention from the Gulf regulatory bodies to develop targeted food safety training and education programs to enhance awareness and implementation of food safety principles.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
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•Commercial protective cultures can act as probiotics.•Lactiplantibacillus plantarum resisted simulated gastrointestinal conditions.•Protective cultures protected human Caco-2 cells ...from pathogen infection.•Protective cultures reduced pathogen-induced mortality in Caenorhabditis elegans.
Protective bacterial cultures (PCs) are commercially available to producers to control undesirable microbes in foods, including foodborne pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes. They are generally recognized as safe for consumption and many are capable of producing bacteriocins. Yet their potential to act as probiotics and confer a health benefit on the host is not known. This study investigated the ability of three commercial PCs to survive human gastrointestinal conditions and exert anti-infective properties against L. monocytogenes. Counts of two PCs of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum remained unchanged after exposure to simulated gastrointestinal conditions, whereas counts of the PC Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis were reduced by 5.3 log CFU/mL. Cultures of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis adhered to human Caco-2 epithelial cells at ∼ 6 log CFU/mL. This pretreatment reduced subsequent L. monocytogenes adhesion and invasion by 1–1.6 log CFU/mL and 3.8–4.9 log CFU/mL, respectively, compared to control. L. monocytogenes-induced cytotoxicity was also reduced from 29.1% in untreated monolayers to ∼ 8% in those treated with PCs. Pretreatment of Caco-2 monolayers with Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and one PC of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum reduced L. monocytogenes translocation by ≥ 1.2 log CFU/mL compared to control (≥ 94.5% inhibition). All PCs significantly reduced DextranFITC permeability through Caco-2 monolayers to approximately half that of control. Pretreatment with PCs also reduced L. monocytogenes-induced mortality in Caenorhabditis elegans. These findings demonstrate the potential for commercially produced PCs to exert probiotic effects in the host through protection against L. monocytogenes infection, thus providing an additional benefit to food safety beyond inhibiting pathogen growth, survival, and virulence in foods.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Salmonella enterica is a ubiquitous and multi-host pathogen that causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Outbreaks of foodborne salmonellosis continue to occur, highlighting the need ...for additional interventions. The present study investigated the potential for the commercial protective culture Hafnia alvei B16 to provide enhanced protection against multi-drug resistant strains of S. enterica serovars Typhimurium and Newport by attenuating their virulence when cocultured in milk (as a model food) and broth, and by protecting intestinal epithelial cells from pathogen infection in vitro. Exposure to HA in milk inhibited the subsequent adhesion of S. Typhimurium by 95.23%, whereas the invasion capacity of both serovars was reduced when cocultured with HA in broth and milk. The inhibition of invasion by S. Typhimurium and S. Newport was greater when cocultured in milk (86.95% and 86.58%, respectively) compared to broth (51.64% and 79.88%, respectively). Exposure to HA in both media decreased the expression of virulence genes in S. Typhimurium and S. Newport. Pre-treatment of Caco-2 cells with HA reduced invasion of S. Newport by 89.68% compared to control. These data demonstrate the potential for HA to enhance food safety by attenuating Salmonella virulence and protecting against pathogen invasion of intestinal epithelial cells.
•Coculture with B16 in milk reduced S. Typhimurium adhesion to human Caco-2 cells.•Coculture with B16 reduced subsequent Salmonella invasion of human Caco-2 cells.•Pre-treatment of Caco-2 cells with B16 reduced invasion of S. Newport.•Coculture with B16 decreased the expression of virulence genes in Salmonella.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Staphylococcus aureus is the causative agent of staphylococcal food poisoning and is a common contaminant in milk. Despite efforts to control S. aureus, recalls and outbreaks continue to occur, ...highlighting the need for additional interventions. This study determined the potential for protective cultures (PC) that are commercially available to producers to control S. aureus growth in raw milk and attenuate virulence by impeding staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) production in raw milk and laboratory medium. Cultures of Hafnia alvei and Lactococcus lactis effectively inhibited S. aureus growth in raw milk to counts ~5 log CFU/mL lower than control when cocultured following a cheesemaking time and temperature profile; two cultures of Lactobacillus plantarum inhibited growth to ~1.5 log CFU/mL less than control. Cocultures of S. aureus with Lc. lactis, H. alvei and Lb. plantarum in raw milk reduced SE levels by 24.9%, 62.4%, and 76%, respectively. Lc. lactis also decreased SE production in raw milk in the absence of PC-mediated growth inhibition. Significant reductions in SE production in the absence of pathogen growth inhibition were also achieved in laboratory medium. Together, these results demonstrate the potential for PCs to inhibit S. aureus growth and impede SE production in the absence of growth inhibition.
•Protective cultures can inhibit Staphylococcus aureus growth in raw milk.•Two cultures inhibited S. aureus growth to ~5 log CFU/mL less than control.•Protective cultures can attenuate enterotoxin production without inhibiting growth.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Fungi can play beneficial and detrimental roles in meat products; however, the diversity and significance of fungi in meat products are poorly understood. This study aimed to isolate and characterize ...fungal species from frozen beef samples collected from retail stores in the Qena Governorate, Egypt.
A total of 70 frozen beef samples were collected from retail stores in Qena, Egypt. All samples were subjected to mycological examination. Fungal colonies were identified using conventional approaches, as well as the VITEK 2 system and DNA sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region. Analyses of enzymatic activity, biofilm formation ability, and the antimicrobial resistance profiles of the isolated yeasts were also conducted.
Molds and yeasts were isolated from 40% and 60% of meat samples, respectively. Mold isolates were dominated by
,
, and
spp., whereas yeast isolates were identified as
,
,
,
, and
. Compared to other yeast species, the highest production of lipase and protease was observed in
species. The strongest ability to form biofilms was observed in
spp., followed by
.
,
, and
. The results of antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that all yeast isolates showed notable resistance to fluconazole and itraconazole.
A significant correlation between antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation was observed in several species. This study highlights the importance of the dangers of yeasts in food products and the extent of their impact on public health.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
The documented survival of pathogenic bacteria, including Listeria monocytogenes (LM), Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), and Salmonella during the manufacture and aging of some cheeses ...highlights the need for additional interventions to enhance food safety. Unfortunately, few interventions are compliant with the Standards of Identity for cheese. Protective bacterial cultures (PCs) represent actionable, natural interventions. However, supportive data for commercially produced PCs regarding their efficacy against pathogens and potential antagonism with each other and cheesemaking cultures are scant, thereby impeding their potential use by the cheese industry. The overall objective of this study was to identify commercially produced PCs that exert antimicrobial activity toward pathogens with minimal impact on beneficial cheese microbes. Direct antagonism and agar well diffusion assays were used to determine the impact of 10 commercially produced PCs on the growth of starter cultures and cultures of ripening bacteria and fungi. Deferred antagonism was used to evaluate the potential for antimicrobial effects against LM, STEC, and Salmonella. PCs and starter cultures were cocultured in ultrahigh-temperature-processed milk to determine the effects of coculture on starter acidification profiles when incubated according to a simulated cheesemaking temperature profile (4 h at 35°C followed by 20 h at 20°C). Compatibility assays suggest that PC antagonism is microbe and strain specific. Only one PC negatively impacted the acidification of the starters tested. PC antagonism of ripening bacteria and fungi growth varied but was consistent within species. All PCs displayed deferred inhibition of LM, STEC, and Salmonella growth, but to varying degrees. These data identify commercial PCs with potential for the control of pathogens and characterize their compatibility with cheesemaking cultures for future use by cheesemakers and investigations of their efficacy in the production of cheese.
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CEKLJ, GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The World Health Organization recently recognized the Republic of Kosovo as one of the highest consumers per capita of antibiotics for human use among non-European Union Eastern European countries; ...however, data are limited regarding antimicrobial usage and antimicrobial resistance in the livestock sector for this recently formed country. The objective of this study was to conduct the first nationwide survey of antimicrobial resistance phenotypes in indicator bacteria collected from dairy farms in Kosovo. Composite fecal samples were collected from 52 farms located within all 7 administrative districts of Kosovo in the summer of 2014. Isolation and characterization of the indicator bacteria Escherichia coli (n = 165) and Enterococcus spp. (n = 153) from these samples was achieved by culturing on selective/differential media with and without select antibiotics, followed by MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight) mass spectrometry-based identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing using the disk diffusion method. When no selective pressure was applied in culture-based isolation, the majority of E. coli and Enterococcus spp. collected were resistant to ≤1 of 16 and ≤2 of 12 antibiotics tested, respectively. In contrast, E. coli and Enterococcus spp. isolated using sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations of cefoxitin, ciprofloxacin, or erythromycin were typically resistant to at least one and often multiple antibiotic types, which primarily consisted of certain β-lactams, quinolones, sulfonamides, phenicols, and tetracyclines for E. coli isolates and macrolides, tetracyclines, and rifamycins for enterococci isolates.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Protective cultures (PCs) are capable of inhibiting the growth of foodborne pathogens, including Listeria monocytogenes, in food products. However, their ability to attenuate pathogen virulence in ...food remains uninvestigated. In this study, we used an immunomagnetic separation approach to isolate the effect of pre-exposure to commercially produced PCs in milk as a model food on the subsequent ability of L. monocytogenes to survive simulated gastrointestinal conditions and infect human Caco-2 epithelial cells. Pre-exposure to two cultures of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum reduced the ability of L. monocytogenes to survive simulated gastrointestinal conditions with counts 2.7 log CFU/mL lower than control. The ability of L. monocytogenes to invade Caco-2 cells was also reduced by 1.5 and 2.3 log CFU/mL compared to control after exposure to Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and a strain of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, respectively. All Lactococcus lactis and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum cultures were able to limit the pathogen translocation across Caco-2 cells by 1.5–2.1 log CFU/mL less than that of control. When coupled with their antimicrobial activities against L. monocytogenes, these results demonstrate the ability of PCs to enhance the safety of food products by also attenuating the pathogen virulence, thereby impeding its ability to cause infection upon ingestion.
•In-food exposure to protective cultures attenuated Listeria monocytogenes virulence.•Coculture in milk reduced subsequent gastrointestinal survival of L. monocytogenes.•Coculture in milk reduced L. monocytogenes invasion of human Caco-2 cells.•Coculture in milk limited L. monocytogenes translocation through Caco-2 cells.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Cheeses made from unpasteurized milk are preferred by many consumers for their complex flavors and aromas among other attributes. However, the potential presence and survival of foodborne pathogens ...remain a concern. There is, therefore, a need for developing practical and science-based preventive strategies to enhance the safety of these products. The use of commercially produced protective bacterial cultures (PC) can be a practical approach. This study examined the potential of commercially produced PCs when used both individually or in combinations to control Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella, as well as O157:H7 and non-O157:H7 shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in growth medium and raw milk. The antimicrobial activity of nine individual PCs and 28 combinations thereof was first determined in growth medium using the cell-free supernatants (CFS). Following the determination of median inhibitory concentrations of individual PCs and their combinations, fractional inhibitory concentration indexes were calculated to classify combinations as synergistic, additive, or antagonistic. Overall, L. monocytogenes was inhibited by lower concentrations of CFS compared to the Gram-negative pathogens. Combinations of PCs with synergistic antimicrobial activity against each pathogen were identified. The efficacy of individual PCs was further determined in raw milk following an incubation time and temperature profile similar to that of cheesemaking and ripening. L. monocytogenes growth was inhibited to counts of ~6 log and ~3 log CFU/mL lower than control when cocultured with PCs of Lactococcus lactis or Lactobacillus plantarum, respectively. Hafnia alvei inhibited the growth of STEC O157, non-O157 STEC, and Salmonella enterica in coculture to ~2 log, ~3.5 log, and ~3 log CFU/mL lower than pathogen controls, respectively. Potential synergistic activity was noted for the combination of Lc. lactis and Pediococcus acidilactici against L. monocytogenes when cocultured in raw milk. This study provides data for the efficacy of commercially produced PCs in controlling the growth of pathogens, suggesting that the use of PCs is a promising strategy for enhancing food safety including the safety of raw milk products such as cheese.
•Synergistic combinations of protective cultures were identified.•Lactococcus lactis and Lactobacillus plantarum inhibited Listeria growth in raw milk.•Hafnia alvei inhibited shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli and Salmonella in raw milk.•Lc. lactis and Pediococcus acidilactici were synergistic against Listeria in raw milk.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Bacillus cereus is one of the foodborne pathogens that is incriminated in several outbreaks worldwide. The objectives of the current study were first to determine the prevalence of B. ...cereus-contaminated milk and dairy products retailed in Egypt. Secondly, the antimicrobial resistance profiling and virulence-associated genes of the recovered B. cereus isolates were assessed. Finally, natural and eco-friendly natural additives such as d-tryptophan and l-ascorbic acid were used for controlling the viability of Bacillus cereus spores. A total of 200 samples including market raw milk, Ultra-Heat Treated (UHT) milk, Kariesh cheese, soft white cheese (Damietta), and rice pudding, 50 of each were examined. The results of our study indicated that 31% of the examined dairy samples were contaminated with B. cereus. Surprisingly, 90% of the isolates showed multidrug-resistance against ampicillin, amoxicillin, oxacillin, and streptomycin. The molecular characterization revealed that 15 isolates harbored both hemolytic and non-hemolytic enterotoxin genes. Co-treatment of B. cereus spores-contaminated rice pudding with d-tryptophan at a concentration of 40 mM and l-ascorbic acid at a concentration of 3% revealed a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in the spore growth. Therefore, d-tryptophan and l-ascorbic acid are considered promising eco-friendly food preservatives with anti-B. cereus effects in the dairy industry.
•Bacillus cereus could be isolated from Egyptian dairy products.•B. cereus isolates had multidrug resistance profiling.•B. cereus isolates had the ability to produce enterotoxins.•Ascorbic acid, and d-tryptophan had anti-Bacillus cereus effect.•The tested additives might act as promising tools against B. cereus growth.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
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