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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 39757

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Keping Ye

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Guest Editor

College of Food Science and Technology; Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Interests: food safety; bacteria; food shelf-life; food control; virulence; risk assessment; predictive models

Dr. Shuai Wei

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Guest Editor

College of Food Science and Technology, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
Interests: foodborne pathogens; rapid detection; real time PCR; bacteriophage; gene expression
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Tian Ding

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Guest Editor

College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Intelligent Food Technology and Equipment, Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-Food Processing, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: food safety; nonthermal technology; food microbiology; risk assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microbial contamination of food occurs along the food chain, contributing to human exposure to microorganisms entering the food chain during the production and processing of food, or originating from the food processing environments. These microorganisms may include human pathogens. Therefore, food microbial control plays a key role in ensuring food safety.

This Special Issue aims to compile the current advances in food microbial control, and its contributions can cover innovative and promising studies related to microbial food safety and antimicrobial systems, microbial risk assessment, rapid methods for microbial analysis and detection, shelf life, and food preservation technologies.

Based on these premises, this Special Issue, entitled “Recent Advances in Food Microbial Control”, aims to collect original works (research articles and reviews) concerning the most recent findings in these fields, which may then direct further research and provide valuable information to industries in effective measures to control the microorganisms in food.

We would be delighted and honored to receive your valuable contribution to this issue by 30 September 2023.

Dr. Keping Ye
Dr. Shuai Wei
Dr. Tian Ding
Guest Editors

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Keywords

antimicrobial systems
microbial risk assessment
food microbiological control technology
rapid methods for microbial detection
food shelf-life
food preservation technology

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 4936 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bioprotection Potential of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LRH01 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP01 against Spoilage-Associated Penicillium Strains in Yoghurt

by Ce Shi and Susanne Knøchel

Molecules 2023, 28(21), 7397; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28217397 - 2 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1283

Abstract

Penicillium spp. are considered a major spoilage fungus in dairy products. Due to the growing concerns over food safety issues and the demand for “clean label” food products from consumers, the use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as a bioprotective tool to control fungal spoilage of dairy products appears to be a promising alternative. Here, the antifungal activities of ten LAB cultures against five dairy-spoilage-associated Penicillium strains were studied in a model system, and the most potent bioprotective cultures were further tested in yoghurt. Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus) LRH01 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) LP01 exhibited potent antifungal efficacy at low concentrations. The inhibitory effects of cell-containing fermentates (C-fermentates), cell-free fermentates (CF-fermentates), and volatiles produced by the two cultures were tested in a yoghurt serum medium. The C-fermentates showed antifungal effects, while the removal of cells from C-fermentates led to decreased antifungal activities. Volatiles alone displayed some antifungal efficiency, but less than the fermentates. In a yoghurt matrix, the specific effect of manganese depletion by the bioprotective cultures on mold growth was investigated. Here, the LAB cultures could completely suppress the growth of molds, while addition of manganese partially or fully restored the mold growth, demonstrating that manganese depletion played a key role in the antifungal activity of the tested LAB cultures in the yoghurt matrix. Both L. plantarum LP01 and L. rhamnosus LRH01 showed efficient antifungal activities in the yoghurt serum, while L. rhamnosus LRH01 exhibited the most potent inhibitory effects on Penicillium strains when added during the processing of the yoghurt with subsequent storage at 7 °C for 22 days. Our findings suggested that L. rhamnosus LRH01 could be a promising bioprotective culture for yoghurt biopreservation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Food Microbiology Control)

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17 pages, 880 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Potassium Chloride, Sodium Lactate and Sodium Citrate Impaired the Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa NT06 Isolated from Fish

by Natalia Tomaś, Kamila Myszka and Łukasz Wolko

Molecules 2023, 28(18), 6654; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28186654 - 16 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1804

Abstract

Sodium chloride (NaCl) is a commonly used additive in minimally processed fish-based products. The addition of NaCl to fish products and packaging in a modified atmosphere is usually efficient with regard to limiting the occurrence of the aquatic environmental pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Given the negative effects of excess NaCl in the diet, there is a growing demand to reduce NaCl in food products with safer substituents, but the knowledge of their impact on antibiotic resistant P. aeruginosa is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the physiological and transcriptome characteristics of P. aeruginosa NT06 isolated from fish and to determine the effect of selected concentrations of alternative NaCl compounds (KCl/NaL/NaC) on the P. aeruginosa NT06 virulence phenotype and genotype. In the study, among the isolated microorganisms, P. aeruginosa NT06 showed the highest antibiotic resistance (to ampicillin, ceftriaxone, nalidixic acid, and norfloxacin) and the ability to grow at 4 °C. The Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD) and the Virulence Factor Database (VFDB) revealed the presence of 24 and 134 gene products assigned to AMR and VF in the P. aeruginosa NT06 transcriptome, respectively. KCl, KCl/NaL and KCl/NaL/NaC inhibited pyocyanin biosynthesis, elastase activity, and protease activity from 40 to 77%. The above virulence phenotypic observations were confirmed via RT–qPCR analyses, which showed that all tested AMR and VF genes were the most downregulated due to KCl/NaL/NaC treatment. In conclusion, this study provides insight into the potential AMR and VF among foodborne P. aeruginosa and the possible impairment of those features by KCl, NaL, and NaC, which exert synergistic effects and can be used in minimally processed fish-based products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Food Microbiology Control)

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12 pages, 3469 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preliminary Study on Rapid and Simultaneous Detection of Viable Escherichia coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella by PMA-mPCR in Food

by Yao Liu, Caijiao Wei, Hui Wan, Sarengaowa, Xiaoping Liang, Tao Jiang, Yuhe Dong, Xihong Zhao and Tian Zhong

Molecules 2023, 28(15), 5835; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28155835 - 3 Aug 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2044

Abstract

Escherichia coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella are major foodborne pathogens that are widespread in nature and responsible for several outbreaks of food safety accidents. Thus, a rapid and practical technique (PMA-mPCR) was developed for the simultaneous detection of viable E. coli O157:H7, S. aureus, and Salmonella in pure culture and in a food matrix. To eliminate false positive results, propidium monoazide (PMA) was applied to selectively suppress the DNA amplification of dead cells. The results showed the optimum concentration of PMA is 5.0 µg/mL. The detection limit of this assay by mPCR was 10³ CFU/mL in the culture broth, and by PMA-mPCR was 10⁴ CFU/mL both in pure culture and a food matrix (milk and ground beef). In addition, the detection of mixed viable and dead cells was also explored in this study. The detection sensitivity ratio of viable and dead counts was less than 1:10. Therefore, the PMA-mPCR assay proposed here might provide an efficient detection tool for the simultaneous detection of viable E. coli O157:H7, S. aureus, and Salmonella and also have great potential for the detection and concentration assessment of VBNC cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Food Microbiology Control)

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11 pages, 2016 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Control Efficacy of Salicylic Acid Microcapsules against Postharvest Blue Mold in Apple Fruit

by Yifei Wang, Jiahao Chen, Wenyi Bian, Xiaobo Yang, Lin Ye, Shoukui He and Xiaoqiu Song

Molecules 2022, 27(22), 8108; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27228108 - 21 Nov 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2206

Abstract

Salicylic acid (SA) is a natural inducer of disease resistance in fruit, but its application in the food industry is limited due to low water solubility. Here, SA was encapsulated in β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) via the host–guest inclusion complexation method, and the efficacy of SA microcapsules (SAM) against blue mold caused by Penicillium expansum in postharvest apple fruit was elucidated. It was observed that SAM was the most effective in inhibiting the mycelial growth of P. expansum in vitro. SAM was also superior to SA for control of blue mold under in vivo conditions. Enzyme activity analysis revealed that both SA and SAM enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) in apple fruit, whereas SAM led to higher SOD activities than SA. Total phenolic contents in the SAM group were higher than those in the SA group at the early stage of storage. SAM also improved fruit quality by retarding firmness loss and maintaining higher total soluble solids (TSS) contents. These findings indicate that microcapsules can serve as a promising formulation to load SA for increasing P. expansum inhibition activity and improving quality attributes in apple fruit. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Food Microbiology Control)

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11 pages, 4331 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Establishment and Application of a Predictive Growth Kinetic Model of Salmonella with the Appearance of Two Other Dominant Background Bacteria in Fresh Pork

by Ge Zhao, Tengteng Yang, Huimin Cheng, Lin Wang, Yunzhe Liu, Yubin Gao, Jianmei Zhao, Na Liu, Xiumei Huang, Junhui Liu, Xiyue Zhang, Ying Xu, Jun Wang and Junwei Wang

Molecules 2022, 27(22), 7673; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27227673 - 8 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1884

Abstract

To better guide microbial risk management and control, growth kinetic models of Salmonella with the coexistence of two other dominant background bacteria in pork were constructed. Sterilized pork cutlets were inoculated with a cocktail of Salmonella Derby (S. Derby), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), and Escherichia coli (E. coli), and incubated at various temperatures (4–37 °C). The predictive growth models were developed based on the observed growth data. By comparing R² of primary models, Baranyi models were preferred to fit the growth curves of S. Derby and P. aeruginosa, while the Huang model was preferred for E. coli (all R² ≥ 0.997). The secondary Ratkowsky square root model can well describe the relationship between temperature and μ_max (all R² ≥ 0.97) or Lag (all R² ≥ 0.98). Growth models were validated by the actual test values, with B_f and A_f close to 1, and MSE around 0.001. The time for S. Derby to reach a pathogenic dose (10⁵ CFU/g) at each temperature in pork was predicted accordingly and found to be earlier than the time when the pork began to be judged nearly fresh according to the sensory indicators. Therefore, the predictive microbiology model can be applied to more accurately predict the shelf life of pork to secure its quality and safety. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Food Microbiology Control)

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11 pages, 2123 KiB

Open AccessArticle

LC-MS and Transcriptome Analysis of Lipopeptide Biosynthesis by Bacillus velezensis CMT-6 Responding to Dissolved Oxygen

by Qi Deng, Haisheng Lin, Meifang Hua, Lijun Sun, Yuehua Pu, Jianmeng Liao, Zhijia Fang, Saiyi Zhong and Ravi Gooneratne

Molecules 2022, 27(20), 6822; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27206822 - 12 Oct 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2071

Abstract

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is an key factor for lipopeptide fermentation. To better understand the link between oxygen supply and lipopeptide productivity in Bacillus velezensis CMT-6, the mechanism of DO on the synthesis of antimicrobial lipopeptides by Bacillus velezensis CMT-6 was examined. The production of surfactin and iturin of CMT-6 was detected by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometer (LC-MS) under different DO conditions and transcriptome analysis was performed. At 100 and 200 rpm, the lipopeptides productions were 2753.62 mg/L and 3452.90 mg/L, respectively. There was no significant change in the yield of iturin but that of surfactin increased by 64.14%. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the enriched differential genes were concentrated in the GO term of oxidation–reduction process. The marked enrichment of the lipopeptides synthesis pathway, including microbial metabolism in diverse environments and carbon metabolism in the two-component system, were observed. More importantly, the expression levels of the four surfactin synthetase genes increased at higher DO, however, the iturin synthetase gene expression did not. Furthermore, modular surfactin synthetase was overexpressed (between 9- and 49-fold) at 200 rpm but not at 100 rpm, which is suggestive of efficient surfactin assembly resulting in surfactin overproduction. This study provides a theoretical basis for constructing engineering strains with high lipopeptide production to adapt to different DO. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Food Microbiology Control)

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23 pages, 2826 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Processing Treatment and Modified Atmosphere Packing on Carrot’s Microbial Community Structure by Illumina MiSeq Sequencing

by Katarzyna Ratajczak, Justyna Staninska-Pięta, Jakub Czarny, Paweł Cyplik, Łukasz Wolko and Agnieszka Piotrowska-Cyplik

Molecules 2022, 27(9), 2830; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27092830 - 29 Apr 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1675

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the microbiome of carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) subjected to minimal pre-treatment (rinsing in organic acid solution) and packaging in a high-oxygen modified atmosphere, and then stored for 17 days under refrigeration conditions (4 °C). The highest levels of bacteria in the carrot microbiome were characterized, at almost 78%, by bacteria belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae families. Rinsing in a solution of ascorbic and citric acids resulted in the improvement of microbiological quality in the first day of storage. However, the use of a high-oxygen modified atmosphere extended the shelf life of the minimally processed product. Compared to carrots stored in air, those stored in high oxygen concentration were characterized by a greater ratio of bacteria belonging to the Serratia and Enterobacter genera, and a lower ratio belonging to the Pseudomonas and Pantoea genera. Moreover, the β-biodiversity analysis confirmed that the oxygen concentration was the main factor influencing the differentiation of the metabiomes of the stored carrots. The bacterial strains isolated from carrots identified by molecular methods were mostly pathogenic or potentially pathogenic microorganisms. Neither the minimal pre-treatment nor packaging in high-oxygen atmosphere was able to eliminate the threat of pathogenic bacteria emerging in the product. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Food Microbiology Control)

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Review

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18 pages, 1188 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Comprehensive Mini-Review on Lignin-Based Nanomaterials for Food Applications: Systemic Advancement and Future Trends

by Ramachandran Chelliah, Shuai Wei, Selvakumar Vijayalakshmi, Kaliyan Barathikannan, Ghazala Sultan, Shucheng Liu and Deog-Hwan Oh

Molecules 2023, 28(18), 6470; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28186470 - 6 Sep 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2697

Abstract

The shift to an environmentally friendly material economy requires renewable resource exploration. This shift may depend on lignin valorization. Lignin is an aromatic polymer that makes up one-third of total lingo-cellulosic biomass and is separated into large amounts for biofuel and paper manufacture. This renewable polymer is readily available at a very low cost as nearly all the lignin that is produced each year (90–100 million tons) is simply burned as a low-value fuel. Lignin offers potential qualities for many applications, and yet it is underutilized. This Perspective highlights lignin-based material prospects and problems in food packaging, antimicrobial, and agricultural applications. The first half will discuss the present and future studies on exploiting lignin as an addition to improve food packaging’s mechanical, gas, UV, bioactive molecules, polyphenols, and antioxidant qualities. Second, lignin’s antibacterial activity against bacteria, fungi, and viruses will be discussed. In conclusion, lignin agriculture will be discussed in the food industries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Food Microbiology Control)

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18 pages, 506 KiB

Open AccessReview

Research Progress and Future Trends of Low Temperature Plasma Application in Food Industry: A Review

by Jiacheng Zhang, Qijing Du, Yongxin Yang, Jing Zhang, Rongwei Han and Jun Wang

Molecules 2023, 28(12), 4714; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28124714 - 12 Jun 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3116

Abstract

Food nutrition, function, sensory quality and safety became major concerns to the food industry. As a novel technology application in food industry, low temperature plasma was commonly used in the sterilization of heat sensitive materials and is now widely used. This review provides a detailed study of the latest advancements and applications of plasma technology in the food industry, especially the sterilization field; influencing factors and the latest research progress in recent years are outlined and upgraded. It explores the parameters that influence its efficiency and effectiveness in the sterilization process. Further research trends include optimizing plasma parameters for different food types, investigating the effects on nutritional quality and sensory attributes, understanding microbial inactivation mechanisms, and developing efficient and scalable plasma-based sterilization systems. Additionally, there is growing interest in assessing the overall quality and safety of processed foods and evaluating the environmental sustainability of plasma technology. The present paper highlights recent developments and provides new perspectives for the application of low temperature plasma in various areas, especially sterilization field of the food industry. Low temperature plasma holds great promise for the food industry’s sterilization needs. Further research and technological advancements are required to fully harness its potential and ensure safe implementation across various food sectors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Food Microbiology Control)

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19 pages, 1954 KiB

Open AccessReview

Biofilm Formation and Control of Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria

by Xiaoli Liu, Huaiying Yao, Xihong Zhao and Chaorong Ge

Molecules 2023, 28(6), 2432; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28062432 - 7 Mar 2023

Cited by 70 | Viewed by 13067

Abstract

Biofilms are microbial aggregation membranes that are formed when microorganisms attach to the surfaces of living or nonliving things. Importantly, biofilm properties provide microorganisms with protection against environmental pressures and enhance their resistance to antimicrobial agents, contributing to microbial persistence and toxicity. Thus, bacterial biofilm formation is part of the bacterial survival mechanism. However, if foodborne pathogens form biofilms, the risk of foodborne disease infections can be greatly exacerbated, which can cause major public health risks and lead to adverse economic consequences. Therefore, research on biofilms and their removal strategies are very important in the food industry. Food waste due to spoilage within the food industry remains a global challenge to environmental sustainability and the security of food supplies. This review describes bacterial biofilm formation, elaborates on the problem associated with biofilms in the food industry, enumerates several kinds of common foodborne pathogens in biofilms, summarizes the current strategies used to eliminate or control harmful bacterial biofilm formation, introduces the current and emerging control strategies, and emphasizes future development prospects with respect to bacterial biofilms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Food Microbiology Control)

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24 pages, 6877 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances in PLA-Based Antibacterial Food Packaging and Its Applications

by Linying Shao, Yuewei Xi and Yunxuan Weng

Molecules 2022, 27(18), 5953; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27185953 - 13 Sep 2022

Cited by 36 | Viewed by 4727

Abstract

In order to reduce environmental pollution and resource waste, food packaging materials should not only have good biodegradable ability but also effective antibacterial properties. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is the most commonly used biopolymer for food packaging applications. PLA has good physical properties, mechanical properties, biodegradability, and cell compatibility but does not have inherent antibacterial properties. Therefore, antibacterial packaging materials based on PLA need to add antibacterial agents to the polymer matrix. Natural antibacterial agents are widely used in food packaging materials due to their low toxicity. The high volatility of natural antibacterial agents restricts their application in food packaging materials. Therefore, appropriate processing methods are particularly important. This review introduces PLA-based natural antibacterial food packaging, and the composition and application of natural antibacterial agents are discussed. The properties of natural antibacterial agents, the technology of binding with the matrix, and the effect of inhibiting various bacteria are summarized. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Food Microbiology Control)

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