Listeria monocytogenes is the cause of listeriosis, an important foodborne disease. Contaminated ready-to-eat foods are common sources of L. monocytogenes, yet no global estimates exist for ...prevalence and levels in high-risk ready-to-eat foods. Our objective was to estimate the prevalence and levels of L. monocytogenes in deli meat, soft cheese, and packaged salad. We searched Medline, Web of Science, Agricola, Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science, Science.gov, ScienceResearch.com , and OpenGREY for studies on L. monocytogenes prevalence and/or levels, with no restriction on publication date. We used a priori study selection, data extraction, and risk of biases processes. Results were synthesized with random-effects meta-analyses and meta-regressions to evaluate heterogeneity between studies. We included in the review 100 studies with a sample size restriction of ≥100, and we estimated L. monocytogenes prevalence in deli meat at 2.9% (95% confidence interval CI, 2.3 to 3.6%), in soft cheese at 2.4% (95% CI, 1.6 to 3.6%), and in packaged salad at 2.0% (95% CI, 1.2 to 3.1%). High heterogeneity was present in all food groups, and meta-regressions did not reveal consistent explanations for heterogeneity. Pathogen level was not reported consistently or in the format required for synthesis, so meta-analyses of this variable were not performed. The high heterogeneity between studies indicates that use of global summary prevalence estimates for risk assessments are not advisable, but awareness of risk and the heterogeneity of the risk is relevant for education and further risk assessment.
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria in food pose an important threat to public health. Multidrug-resistant strains in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods can be transferred to humans through diet, which increases ...their health risk. This study systematically investigated antibiotic resistance and antibiotic resistance genes in E. coli isolated from retail RTE foods and characterized plasmid-mediated colistin-resistant E. coli strains. A total of 1118 RTE food samples were collected from markets in 39 cities in China, and 126 E. coli strains, >95% of which were multidrug-resistant, were isolated. The isolates showed a high prevalence of resistance to tetracycline (95.24%), ampicillin (82.54%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (77.78%), nalidixic acid (74.60%), cephalothin (72.22%), chloramphenicol (66.67%), and streptomycin (53.97%). Twenty-two extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli and four colistin-resistant E. coli were identified. The resistance genes TEM, CTX-M, tetA, sul2, strA/strB, aadA, and qnrS were the most frequently detected. CTX-M-55 and CTX-M-14 were the predominant CTX-M types. All the four colistin-resistant E. coli isolates were positive for mcr-1. The mcr-1 gene can be transferred to E. coli C600 through conjugation and transformation. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that the mcr-1 genes were found in IncX4 and IncHI2 plasmids. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of IncHI2/IncX4 plasmid-bearing mcr-1-positive E. coli strains in RTE foods sold in markets, and the first report of the isolation of the international epidemic E. coli clone ST101 and mcr-1-carrying ESBL-producing E. coli from RTE foods. These results provide valuable information for assessing antibiotic-resistant E. coli infections and controlling antibiotic-resistant E. coli.
•Escherichia coli isolated from retail ready-to-eat (RTE) foods were genotyped.•Multidrug-resistant E. coli were highly prevalent in RTE retail foods.•IncHI2/IncX4 plasmid-carrying mcr-1 E. coli were newly detected in RTE retail foods.•Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in E. coli isolated from RTE foods is needed.•This is the first report of E. coli ST4657 with an IncX4 plasmid-carrying mcr-1 gene.
This study sought to investigate microbial quality and antimicrobial resistance of bacteria species from Ready-to-Eat (RTE) food, water, and vendor palm swab samples.
Between 2019 and 2020, RTE food, ...water and vendor palm swab samples were collected from food vending sites in Accra, Ghana. Samples were cultured and confirmed using the Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was conducted using disk diffusion method. Beta-lactamase and Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) genes were determined using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Total plate count (TPC) and Total coliform count (TCC) were performed on food and water samples.
In total, 179 RTE food, 72 water and 10 vendor palm swab samples were collected. Enterobacter spp. (16.8 %), Citrobacter spp. (10.1 %), Enterococcus faecalis (7.8 %), Pseudomonas spp. (6.7 %) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (4.0 %) occurred in food. Isolates from water and palm were Klebsiella pneumoniae (20.8 %), Aeromonas spp. (16.7 %) and Enterobacter cloacae (11.1 %). Resistance to Amoxicillin-clavulanate, Tetracycline, Azithromycin, Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and Nitrofurantoin were common among Enterobacterales. High mean TPC and TCC showed in some RTE food and different water types used in vending depicting their unsafe condition for consumption and usage. The blaSHV and blaTEM genes were present in some Enterobacterales from food and water. The lt gene was identified in two food samples.
AMR organisms associated with nosocomial infections in the samples investigated, calls for continuous surveillance in the food industry in Ghana. Also, the unsafe outcome of RTE food and water depicts the need for the enforcement of Ghana's food safety laws.
•Foodborne bacteria were found in Ready-To-Eat (RTE) food, water, and palms of vendors.•Antimicrobial resistance of some commonly used antibiotics showed among the foodborne bacteria.•Most of the RTE food and water were considered unsafe for consumption.•Beta-lactamase and diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) genes occurred in some food and water isolates.
Pasta hydration and cooking requirements make in‐package microwave pasteurization of pasta a processing challenge. The objective of this study was to assess instrumental and sensory attributes of ...microwave‐treated pasta in comparison to conventionally cooked pasta. Fettuccine pasta was parboiled for 0, 3, 6, 9, or 12 min, pasteurized by microwaves at 915 MHz, then stored under refrigeration for 1 week. Pastas were evaluated by a trained sensory panel and with rheometry. Total pasta heat treatment affected both rheological and sensory behaviors; these differences were attributed to ultrastructure differences. Significant nonlinear behavior and dominant fluid‐like behavior was observed in all pastas at strains >1%. Sensory results suggested microwave pasteurization may intensify the attributes associated with the aging of pasta such as retrogradation. A clear trend between magnitude of heat treatment and attribute intensity was not observed for all sensory attributes tested. The microwave pasta with the longest parboil time showed rheological behavior most similar to conventionally cooked pasta. Principal component analysis revealed that no microwave‐treated pasta was similar to the control pasta. However, pasta parboiled for 9 min before microwave treatment had the greatest number of similar sensory attributes, followed by pasta parboiled for 6 or 12 min. Further study is needed to determine overall consumer acceptance of microwave‐treated pasta and whether the differences in sensory and rheological behavior would impact consumer liking.
Practical applications
The results of this study may be applied to optimize microwave pasteurization processes for cooked pasta and similar products, such as rice. The measurement and analysis procedures can be used to evaluate processing effects on a variety of different foods to determine overall palatability.
► Consumer perception of a ready-to-eat salad was studied using three projective techniques. ► Word association, completion tasks and Haire’s shopping list provided useful information. ► Word ...association provided the largest number of categories. ► Completion tasks guided participants to focus on specific aspects of the products.
Projective techniques have been increasingly used in marketing and consumer research. Despite their potentialities, few studies have been published comparing results from different techniques in a specific food product. In this context, the aims of this study were to uncover consumer perception and motivations to buy a ready-to-eat-salad using three different projective techniques (word association, completion and Haire’s shopping list), and to compare the results obtained by the three methodologies. The three tasks were completed through online questionnaires by groups of respondents within a sample of 320 consumers. Results from the three methodologies applied in this study revealed that convenience was the main motivation for purchasing ready-to-eat-salads, as expected. However, even though the three methodologies were useful, each of them brought to light consumer perception to a different extent. Word association enabled the elicitation of the largest number of categories, but only positive characteristics of the product were salient. Thus, inferences made from this methodology would differ to a great extent to those made from completion tasks’ results, where many limitations of the product were also relevant. Meanwhile, results from Haire’s shopping list were not as rich as those from the other methodologies, suggesting that it would be more appropriate for products which have a greater impact on consumers’ values and beliefs. Completion tasks combined with pictures provided interesting results since they guided participants to focus on specific aspects of the products but were unstructured enough to allow the projection of consumers’ thoughts and feelings about the product.
The study describes the characterization of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from the general 2017–2019 national official control and monitoring sampling program. A total of 60,928 of ready-to-eat ...(RTE) food products were collected in retail in Poland, while the number of L. monocytogenes contaminated samples was 67 (0.1%). The majority of the strains belonged to molecular serotype IVb followed by IIa, frequently associated with human listeriosis. Furthermore, 61.2% of the isolates were resistant at least to one of the tested antimicrobials: penicillin, ampicillin, meropenem, erythromycin, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, vancomycin, tetracycline and rifampicin. Virulence genes inlA, inlC, inlJ and lmo2672 were detected in all of the isolates. In our study the llsX gene (encoding LLS) exhibited 11.6% positivity. The 32 strains were grouped into 12 clonal complexes (CCs) which belong to the major clones that are in circulation in Europe. Among them, seven strains with the cgMLST close relatedness (CC2) were isolated from diverse food sectors, underlining a large circulation of this clone in Poland, most likely from multiple introduction sources. Additionally, two RTE strains CC6 and one CC37 were identified as closely related by cgMLST to two publicly available genomes of clinical strains isolated in Poland in 2012–2013. These results indicate the large strain circulation and point to RTE food products as a potential source of human listeriosis.
The present study provided data to capture the contamination status of L. monocytogenes in foods at the retail level in Poland and assess the potential risk of this pathogen for human safety.
•L. monocytogenes was isolated from 0.1% of the RTE food samples.•The most frequently identified molecular serogroups were IVb (51%) and IIa (42%).•48% strains belonged to the major clonal complexes (CCs) circulating in Europe.•Seven strains (CC2) close relatedness were isolated from diverse food sectors.•Two strains CC6 and one C37 were closely related to clinical strains in Poland.
•We investigate consumer preferences and WTP for saving time in food preparation.•We detect a strong heterogeneity in preferences for time-saving in cooking.•A segment (quickies) is willing to pay a ...premium in order to save time in cooking.•Italians, young people and large families prevail among quickies.•Opposite preferences for time-saving in cooking calls for targeted marketing strategies.
Time scarcity is an important driver for food choices. Despite this, little research has been conducted on the preferences of consumers and their willingness to pay for reduced food preparation times. We have explored consumer preferences with respect to saving time in cooking, using a payment card technique with an online survey on a sample of German (486 in number) and Italian (494) consumers. Our findings differ from those of other studies on the same context of daily duties, such as commuting, which note a general willingness to pay for time-saving. Indeed, latent class analysis shows three segments: the ‘quickies’, who are willing to pay a premium for saving time; the ‘foodies’, who receive utility in cooking; and the ‘indifferent’, for whom the time needed to prepare meals is not a choice factor. Profiling within our sample indicates that Italians, young people, and large families show a higher willingness to pay for saving time in cooking. Consumer heterogeneity calls on convenience food producers for targeted marketing strategies to create value, from product development to communication and distribution.
The microbiological quality of chicken- and pork-based street-food samples from Taichung, Taiwan's night markets (50) and Laguna, Philippines' public places (69) was evaluated in comparison to a ...microbiological guideline for ready-to-eat foods. Different bacterial contamination patterns were observed between ‘hot-grilled’ and ‘cold cooked/fried’ food types from the two sampling locations with ‘hot grilled’ foods generally showing better microbiological quality. Several samples were found to be unsatisfactory due to high levels of aerobic plate count, coliform, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. The highest counts obtained were 8.2 log cfu g−1, 5.4 log cfu g−1, 4.4 log cfu g−1, and 3.9 log cfu g−1, respectively, suggesting poor food hygiene practices and poor sanitation. Salmonella was found in 8% and 7% of Taichung and Laguna samples, respectively, which made the samples potentially hazardous. None of the samples was found to be positive for Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli O157, but Bacillus cereus was detected at the unsatisfactory level of 4 log cfu g−1 in one Laguna sample. Antimicrobial resistance was observed for Salmonella, E. coli, and S. aureus isolates. Food preparation, cooking, and food handling practices were considered to be contributors to the unacceptable microbiological quality of the street foods. Hence, providing training on food hygiene for the street vendors should result in the improvement of the microbiological quality of street foods. The data obtained in this study can be used as input to microbial risk assessments and in identifying science-based interventions to control the hazards.
•‘Hot-grilled’ and ‘cold cooked/fried’ foods showed varied contamination patterns.•‘Hot grilled’ foods generally showed better microbiological quality.•Unsatisfactory levels of bacteria were found in some street foods.•Antimicrobial resistance was noted for Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus isolates.
The effects of edible coatings, Semperfresh™ (SF), acid-soluble chitosan (ACH), water-soluble chitosan (WCH), calcium caseinate (CC), and sodium alginate (SA) on the fruit quality of fresh ...blueberries during storage was studied in 2006 and 2008. Fruit were washed in 200
μL
L
−1 chlorinated water before applying coatings, packaged in vented or non-vented clam-shell containers, and then stored at 2
°C for 1 week, followed by storage at room temperature (20
°C) for up to 15
d for quality evaluation. The ACH, WCH, and WCH
+
SA coatings helped reduce the decay rate of ‘Duke’ or ‘Elliott’ fruit during room temperature storage. Results from 2006 showed that SF coating decreased weight loss of ‘Duke’ after 6
d of room temperature storage, CC-coated ‘Elliott’ fruit had delayed fruit ripening as evidenced by higher TA, lower pH, and greater firmness than control during storage, and washing and coating did not significantly affect antioxidant capacity and total phenolics content of ‘Duke’ and ‘Elliott’. Fruit in non-vented containers had reduced weight loss and increased firmness than those in vented containers as demonstrated in 2008 study. Our results suggest that edible coatings have potential for retaining quality of pre-washed, ready-to-eat fresh blueberries under commercial storage conditions, when appropriate coating material, container, and method of applying the coatings are used.
Disasters cause diseases, disrupt food supply systems, and expose people to food and nutritional instability. Malnutrition issues, recurrent infections, contaminated food, and inadequate access to ...essential resources make an already vulnerable population more vulnerable. For the first 15 days, emergency food assistance is of the utmost importance. Nutritional challenges become critical for vulnerable groups and patients for their specific dietary requirements. In addition, infections, foodborne illness, poor immunity is yet another challenge faced by affected population after any disaster.
Relevant literature was searched using Google Scholar, PubMed and other international organization databases using keywords such as “disaster and public health”, “nutrition during disaster”, “food selection in disaster”, “biscuits or food bars for disaster”, “phytochemicals”.
The current manuscript emphasizes on an analytical discussion of already available ready-to-eat foods that are now on the market as disaster relief products. Mortality during disaster is high in vulnerable groups due to their compromised immunity. These populations could be benefitted by providing a disaster relief food with additional immune-boosting nutraceutical properties such as phytochemicals, probiotics, and prebiotics. By providing disaster specific foods rich in probiotics, prebiotics and phytonutrients to the immune-compromised population, health consequences associated with disasters such as digestive issues, respiratory illnesses, and chronic diseases can be reversed.
Inclusion of phytochemicals and immunity boosting foods into the disaster relief program will help the population having compromised immunity or metabolic disorders to have better coping strength to the adverse disaster conditions. Although providing adequate amounts of macronutrients is the first practical consideration, phytonutrients and probiotics would be helpful to alleviate a variety of health complications during crises. Phytochemical-enriched ready-to-eat products can be used for additional immunomodulatory benefits in disaster relief. Food products having additional health benefits for disease-specific population should be developed and provided to them for better survival.
•Mortality during disaster is high in vulnerable groups due to their compromised immunity.•Vulnerable population could be benefitted by providing nutraceutical compounds enriched disaster relief foods.•Phytochemical-enriched ready-to-eat products can be used for additional immunomodulatory benefits in disaster relief.
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