Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.8
5.2
Journals
Foods
Special Issues
Microbiological Safety of Food
share announcement

Microbiological Safety of Food

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2023) | Viewed by 16590

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Chiara Fanali

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Science and Technology for Humans and the Environment, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
Interests: chromatography; mass spectrometry; HPLC; sample preparation; analytical chemistry instrumentation; liquid chromatography; analytical method development; chromatographic method development; ESI
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Giovanni Antonini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Science, Roma Tre University, viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome
2. Interuniversity Consortium Biostructures and Biosystems National Institute (INBB), 00136 Rome, Italy
Interests: molecular mechanisms of metabolic control in eukaryotes and prokaryotes and their biotechnological applications on microbial detection
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Despite the scale of food production and preservation today and the growing demand for healthy and high-quality products, food safety still represents a significant public health challenge, with 25% of all food produced for human consumption lost or wasted. A variety of bacteria, as well as viruses and parasites, can contaminate food, causing illness and death, and a high percentage of food is wasted due to microbial alteration. Contaminated food not only adversely affects people’s health but also has negative economic consequences. This stresses the importance of preventing and mitigating risks linked to food contamination by optimizing and adapting our monitoring programs and systems. Addressing this issue is a shared responsibility and requires collaboration between all the actors operating along the entire food chain, from production to consumption. Microbiological food control plays a central role in ensuring food quality and safety, and a more consistent and sustainable approach must be considered in order to allow producers to control production processes and final products throughout their entire shelf-life. In this Special Issue, attention will be focused on different food categories: dairy, meat, and deli products and ready-to-eat fresh vegetables, and different methods utilized for food microbiological monitoring: from traditional culture-based methods up to new alternative analytical methods. Several research groups are investigating the microbiological safety of these products in order to verify compliance with national and international regulations and study microbial communities during shelf-life with the final aim to prevent and control contamination ensuring higher-quality standards and protection for consumers.

Prof. Dr. Chiara Fanali
Prof. Dr. Giovanni Antonini
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • food safety
  • food chain
  • food packaging
  • food preservation
  • food storage
  • microbiological control
  • analytical methods
  • shelf-life dairy products
  • meat products
  • vegetables
  • ready to eat food

Published Papers (10 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

21 pages, 1824 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Storage Temperature and Packaging Technology on the Durability of Ready-to-Eat Preservative-Free Meat Bars with Dried Plasma
by Paweł Pniewski, Krzysztof Anusz, Ireneusz Białobrzewski, Martyna Puchalska, Michał Tracz, Radosław Kożuszek, Jan Wiśniewski, Joanna Zarzyńska and Agnieszka Jackowska-Tracz
Foods 2023, 12(23), 4372; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12234372 - 04 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1419
Abstract
Food business operators must include the results of shelf life testing in their HACCP plan. Ready-to-eat preservative-free meat products enriched with blood plasma are an unfathomable area of research in food safety. We tested modified atmosphere (80% N2 and 20% CO2 [...] Read more.
Food business operators must include the results of shelf life testing in their HACCP plan. Ready-to-eat preservative-free meat products enriched with blood plasma are an unfathomable area of research in food safety. We tested modified atmosphere (80% N2 and 20% CO2) and vacuum packaged RTE preservative-free baked and smoked pork bars with dried blood plasma for Aerobic Plate Count, yeast and mould, lactic acid bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, and Campylobacter spp., and the presence of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. during storage (temperatures from 4 to 34 °C) up to 35 days after production. The obtained data on the count of individual groups of microorganisms were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and statistically tested (Student’s t-test with the Bonferroni correction); for temperatures at which there were statistically significant differences and high numerical variability, the trend of changes in bacterial counts were visualised using mathematical modelling. The results show that the optimal storage conditions are refrigerated temperatures (up to 8 °C) for two weeks. At higher temperatures, food spoilage occurred due to the growth of aerobic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, yeast, and mould. The MAP packaging method was more conducive to spoilage of the bars, especially in temperatures over 8 °C. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiological Safety of Food)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 1374 KiB  
Article
Bio-Mapping of Microbial Indicators and Pathogen Quantitative Loads in Commercial Broiler Processing Facilities in South America
by David A. Vargas, Gabriela K. Betancourt-Barszcz, Daniela R. Chávez-Velado, Angelica Sánchez, Rossy Bueno López and Marcos X. Sanchez-Plata
Foods 2023, 12(19), 3600; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12193600 - 28 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1306
Abstract
A bio-mapping study was conducted with the aim of creating a microbiological baseline on indicator organisms and pathogens in commercial broiler processing facilities located in a country in South America. Whole chicken carcass and wing rinses were collected from five stages of the [...] Read more.
A bio-mapping study was conducted with the aim of creating a microbiological baseline on indicator organisms and pathogens in commercial broiler processing facilities located in a country in South America. Whole chicken carcass and wing rinses were collected from five stages of the poultry processing line: live receiving (LR), rehanger (R), post-evisceration (PE), post-chilling (PC), and wings (W). Rinses (n = 150) were enumerated using the MicroSnap™ system for total viable counts (TVC) and Enterobacteriaceae (EB), while the BAX®-System-SalQuant® and BAX®-System-CampyQuant™ were used for Salmonella and Campylobacter, respectively. TVC and EB were significantly different between stages at the processing line (p < 0.01). There was a significant reduction from LR to PC for both microbial indicators. TVC and EB counts increased significantly from PC to W. Salmonella counts at PC were significantly different from the other stages at the processing line (p = 0.03). Campylobacter counts were significantly higher than the other stages at PC (p < 0.01). The development of bio-mapping baselines with microbial indicators showed consistent reduction up to the post-chilling stage, followed by an increase at the wings sampling location. The quantification of pathogens demonstrates that prevalence analysis as a sole measurement of food safety is not sufficient to evaluate the performance of processing operations and sanitary dressing procedures in commercial processing facilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiological Safety of Food)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 5624 KiB  
Article
Internalization of Salmonella in Leafy Vegetables during Postharvest Conditions
by Jinnam Kim, Soeun Park, Jiyoung Lee and Seungjun Lee
Foods 2023, 12(16), 3106; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12163106 - 18 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1087
Abstract
The consumption of fresh produce is increasing due to its role in promoting a healthy and balanced diet. However, this trend is accompanied by increased foodborne disease cases associated with pathogens such as Escherichia, Listeria, and Salmonella. Previous studies provided [...] Read more.
The consumption of fresh produce is increasing due to its role in promoting a healthy and balanced diet. However, this trend is accompanied by increased foodborne disease cases associated with pathogens such as Escherichia, Listeria, and Salmonella. Previous studies provided evidence that the internalization of foodborne pathogens in fresh produce may be a potential contamination route and may pose a public health risk. This study investigates the combination effects of storage temperature and humidity on Salmonella internalization in six types of leafy greens (iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, red lettuce, green onion, spinach, and kale) during the storage stage. The results indicated that temperature plays a critical role in Salmonella internalization, with higher concentrations observed in samples stored at 25 °C compared to those stored at 7 °C. The mean concentration of internalized Salmonella in the iceberg lettuce sample was the highest and that in the green onion sample was the lowest (iceberg lettuce > red lettuce > romaine lettuce > spinach > kale > green onion). Mist conditions also had an impact on internalization. The group treated with mist showed an increase in Salmonella internalization of about 10–30% rather than the group without mist treatment. This research emphasizes the importance of understanding the factors influencing bacterial internalization in fresh produce and highlights the need for proper storage conditions to minimize the risk of contamination and ensure food safety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiological Safety of Food)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 923 KiB  
Article
Implication of Sodium Hypochlorite as a Sanitizer in Ready-to-Eat Salad Processing and Advantages of the Use of Alternative Rapid Bacterial Detection Methods
by Alyexandra Arienzo, Valentina Gallo, Federica Tomassetti and Giovanni Antonini
Foods 2023, 12(16), 3021; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12163021 - 11 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1425
Abstract
The use of disinfection agents in the washing processing of ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables, especially sodium hypochlorite, is a common industrial practice performed to enhance microbiological quality. However, some studies have reported a restart of bacterial growth and a substantial increase in bacterial load [...] Read more.
The use of disinfection agents in the washing processing of ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables, especially sodium hypochlorite, is a common industrial practice performed to enhance microbiological quality. However, some studies have reported a restart of bacterial growth and a substantial increase in bacterial load during early storage associated with the use of disinfection agents, which might represent a risk for consumers. We evaluated the effect of sodium hypochlorite on bacterial growth trends during the shelf-life in Lactuca sativa, simulating the industrial procedures for RTE vegetable packaging. Immediately after sodium hypochlorite treatment, an effective abatement of the bacterial load was observed, followed by a restart of growth throughout storage. After 5 days, the bacterial load was close to that reached by the control samples, indicating that the net increase in bacterial load was significantly higher in the treated samples. This might be ascribed to the reduction in competitive microflora and/or to the induction of adaptive responses by resting bacteria, which might select disinfectant-resistant bacteria. These findings elicit some concerns about the actual duration of the shelf-life; products might decrease their microbiological quality earlier during storage, pointing out the need to better clarify the impact of sodium hypochlorite as a sanitizer to closer consider its use in RTE vegetable processing. Furthermore, due to the importance of the rapid estimation of bacterial load and the early detection of foodborne pathogens throughout the food chain, the accuracy of the rapid bacteria detection method, the Micro Biological Survey (MBS), and its effectiveness for microbiological analyses of RTE vegetables were evaluated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiological Safety of Food)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 1237 KiB  
Article
Longitudinal Study for the Detection and Quantification of Campylobacter spp. in Dairy Cows during Milking and in the Dairy Farm Environment
by Anna-Delia Knipper, Steven Göhlich, Kerstin Stingl, Narges Ghoreishi, Carola Fischer-Tenhagen, Niels Bandick, Bernd-Alois Tenhagen and Tasja Crease
Foods 2023, 12(8), 1639; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12081639 - 13 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1605
Abstract
Campylobacteriosis outbreaks have repeatedly been associated with the consumption of raw milk. This study aimed to explore the variation in the prevalence and concentration of Campylobacter spp. in cows’ milk and feces, the farm environment and on the teat skin over an entire [...] Read more.
Campylobacteriosis outbreaks have repeatedly been associated with the consumption of raw milk. This study aimed to explore the variation in the prevalence and concentration of Campylobacter spp. in cows’ milk and feces, the farm environment and on the teat skin over an entire year at a small German dairy farm. Bi-weekly samples were collected from the environment (boot socks), teats, raw milk, milk filters, milking clusters and feces collected from the recta of dairy cows. Samples were analyzed for Campylobacter spp., E. coli, the total aerobic plate count and for Pseudomonas spp. The prevalence of Campylobacter spp. was found to be the highest in feces (77.1%), completely absent in milking equipment and low in raw milk (0.4%). The mean concentration of Campylobacter spp. was 2.43 log10 colony-forming units (CFU)/g in feces and 1.26 log10 CFU/teat swab. Only a single milk filter at the end of the milk pipeline and one individual cow’s raw milk sample were positive on the same day, with a concentration of 2.74 log10 CFU/filter and 2.37 log10 CFU/mL for the raw milk. On the same day, nine teat swab samples tested positive for Campylobacter spp. This study highlights the persistence of Campylobacter spp. for at least one year in the intestine of individual cows and within the general farm environment and demonstrates that fecal cross-contamination of the teats can occur even when the contamination of raw milk is a rare event. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiological Safety of Food)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 268 KiB  
Article
Molecular Detection of Salmonella spp. and E. coli non-O157:H7 in Two Halal Beef Slaughterhouses in the United States
by Omar A. Al-Mahmood and Angela M. Fraser
Foods 2023, 12(2), 347; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12020347 - 11 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1490
Abstract
The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of pathogenic bacteria on halal beef carcasses and environmental surfaces in two halal beef slaughterhouses in the United States. To evaluate halal beef slaughter operations, 144 beef carcass samples (pre- and post-evisceration), and [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of pathogenic bacteria on halal beef carcasses and environmental surfaces in two halal beef slaughterhouses in the United States. To evaluate halal beef slaughter operations, 144 beef carcass samples (pre- and post-evisceration), and 24 environmental site samples (slaughter hall floor, brisket saw, and offal’s table) were collected in two halal beef slaughterhouses during June to September 2017. All carcass and environmental samples were analyzed for the presence of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and shiga toxin-producing E. coli (non-O157 STEC). Results revealed that Salmonella spp. was isolated and confirmed for the presence of invA gene in 5/36 samples (13.8%) and 5/36 samples (13.8%) at pre-evisceration in plants A and B, respectively. Salmonella spp. was isolated in 2/9 samples (5.6%) of plants A and was not detected in any sample at post-evisceration process. E. coli O157:H7 was not detected in any sample collected from plant A and B. E. coli non-O157 was isolated and confirmed for the presence of virulence genes in 4/36 samples (11.1%) and 2/36 samples (5.5%) at post-evisceration in plants A and B, respectively. Salmonella spp. was detected based on the presence of the Salmonella invA gene in the slaughter hall floor (4/4) and the offal’s table (2/4) samples using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR). In plant B, Salmonella spp. was also confirmed in the slaughter hall floor (2/4) and brisket saw (2/4) samples. On the other hand, one isolate of E. coli O157:H7 and one non-O157 STEC were obtained from the slaughter hall floor of plant A. The E. coli O157:H7 isolate was positive for stx1, stx2, eaeA, and EHEC-hly genes. Two isolates of non-O157 STEC (2/4) were detected in the environmental site samples, one from the slaughter hall floor, and one from an offal’s table sample of plant B. These data can be used to inform food safety interventions targeting halal meat operations in the southeastern United States. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiological Safety of Food)
17 pages, 2067 KiB  
Article
Shelf Life and Safety of Vacuum Packed HPP-Treated Soaked Cod Fillets: Effects of Salt Content and Multilayer Plastic Film
by Gianluigi Ferri, Carlotta Lauteri, Mauro Scattolini and Alberto Vergara
Foods 2023, 12(1), 179; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12010179 - 01 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1404
Abstract
High microbiological quality standards, food safety, and environmental sustainability represent crucial topics in food production chains. For this reason, fish industries, which import salted and seasoned fish products from supplier countries, i.e., Norway, Denmark, USA (Alaska State), etc., have tried to reduce the [...] Read more.
High microbiological quality standards, food safety, and environmental sustainability represent crucial topics in food production chains. For this reason, fish industries, which import salted and seasoned fish products from supplier countries, i.e., Norway, Denmark, USA (Alaska State), etc., have tried to reduce the salt content of each carton during transportation (reducing carbon emissions and the weight of major quantities of transported fish). In the present study, 360 differently processed fish fillet samples, belonging to the species Gadus macrocephalus caught in FAO zone 67, were microbiologically and chemically screened. This study aimed to provide original data concerning the applicability of sustainable solutions investigating the combined effects of salt content reduction combined with new recyclable multilayer plastic film packaging (vacuum skin packaging with two different oxygen transmission rate values). The microbiological results showed no substantial changes comparing the two differently salted products, highlighting their high hygienic characteristics which were also observed in their chemical analysis. The shelf life evolutions (comparing the two different studied plastic films) highlighted that, after 35 days from HPP treatments, bacterial loads gained high values, over 6 log cfu/g. This study highlights that, compared to the currently used plastic films, the results of the new and sustainable multilayer plastic films show that they can provide safe food matrices in combination with HPP technologies. Therefore, this preliminary investigation brings closer attention to alternative and environmentally sustainable production systems with their designs based on the multidisciplinary approach of food production systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiological Safety of Food)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 2396 KiB  
Article
Quantitative Bio-Mapping of Salmonella and Indicator Organisms at Different Stages in a Commercial Pork Processing Facility
by Rossy Bueno López, David A. Vargas, Reagan L. Jimenez, Diego E. Casas, Markus F. Miller, Mindy M. Brashears and Marcos X. Sanchez-Plata
Foods 2022, 11(17), 2580; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11172580 - 25 Aug 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2312
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to develop a quantitative baseline of indicator organisms and Salmonella by bio-mapping throughout the processing chain from harvest to final product stages within a commercial conventional design pork processing establishment. Swab samples were taken on the harvest [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study was to develop a quantitative baseline of indicator organisms and Salmonella by bio-mapping throughout the processing chain from harvest to final product stages within a commercial conventional design pork processing establishment. Swab samples were taken on the harvest floor at different processing steps, gambrel table, after polisher, before final rinse, after the final rinse, post snap chill, and after peroxyacetic acid (PAA) application, while 2-pound product samples were collected for trim and ground samples. The samples were subjected to analysis for indicator microorganism enumeration, Aerobic Count (AC), Enterobacteriaceae (EB), and generic Escherichia coli (EC), with the BioMérieux TEMPO®. Salmonella prevalence and enumeration was evaluated using the BAX® System Real-Time Salmonella and the SalQuant™ methodology. Microbial counts were converted to Log Colony-forming units (CFU) on a per mL, per g or per sample basis, presented as LogCFU/mL, LogCFU/g and LogCFU/sample, prior to statistical analysis. All indicator microorganisms were significantly reduced at the harvest floor (p-value < 0.001), from gambrel table to after PAA cabinet location. The reduction at harvest was 2.27, 2.46 and 2.24 LogCFU/mL for AC, EB and EC, respectively. Trim sample values fluctuated based on cut, with the highest average AC count found at neck trim (2.83 LogCFU/g). Further process samples showed the highest AC count in sausage with a mean of 5.28 LogCFU/g. EB counts in sausage (3.19 LogCFU/g) showed an evident increase, compared to the reduction observed at the end of harvest and throughout trim processing. EC counts showed a similar trend to EB counts with the highest value found in sausage links (1.60 LogCFU/g). Statistical microbial process control (SPC) parameters were also developed for each of the indicator microorganisms, using the overall mean count (X=), the Lower control limit (LCL) and Upper control limit (UCL) at each sampling location. For Salmonella prevalence, a total of 125/650 samples were found positive (19%). From those positive samples, 47 samples (38%) were suitable for enumeration using the BAX® System SalQuant™, the majority detected at the gambrel table location. From those enumerable samples, 60% were estimated to be between 0.97 and 1.97 LogCFU/sample, while the rest (40%) were higher within the 2.00–4.02 LogCFU/sample range. This study provides evidence for the application of indicator and pathogen quantification methodologies for food safety management in commercial pork processing operations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiological Safety of Food)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 303 KiB  
Article
Is SARS-CoV-2 a Concern for Food Safety? A Very Low Prevalence from a Food Survey during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Northern Italy
by Sara Arnaboldi, Lucia Mangeri, Elisa Galuppini, Francesco Righi, Michela Tilola, Annalisa Scarazzato, Barbara Bertasi, Guido Finazzi, Giorgio Varisco, Virginia Filipello and Marina-Nadia Losio
Foods 2022, 11(14), 2096; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11142096 - 14 Jul 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1866
Abstract
In 2019, SARS-CoV-2 was identified as the cause of an easily transmissible disease that was declared as a world pandemic. Foodborne transmission was never reported. However, early studies suggested that food could be involved in SARS-CoV-2 entry in the human gastrointestinal tract leading [...] Read more.
In 2019, SARS-CoV-2 was identified as the cause of an easily transmissible disease that was declared as a world pandemic. Foodborne transmission was never reported. However, early studies suggested that food could be involved in SARS-CoV-2 entry in the human gastrointestinal tract leading to possible infection, and highlighting the importance of further studies to inspect possible issues linked to food consumption. In this perspective, this work aimed at monitoring SARS-CoV-2 presence in some food and mains water samples in Northern Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022). A total of 1806 foods, 112 mains water samples, and 580 swabs on meat and dairy product surfaces were analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection by Real-time PCR. All the analyzed samples were negative to viral RNA detection with the exception of one vegetable sample. Even if data on foodborne coronavirus transmission suggested a limited importance of this pathway, the impact of the current pandemic in Northern Italy deserved a rigorous investigation to rule out such possibility. Indeed, gaining insight on all SARS-CoV-2 possible transmission pathways, including the foodborne route, seemed of interest to maintain consumers’ confidence and trust in food safety, and for the effective management of the current, and future, possible pandemics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiological Safety of Food)
11 pages, 1299 KiB  
Article
Correlation between Multilocus Sequence Typing and Antibiotic Resistance, Virulence Potential of Campylobacter jejuni Isolates from Poultry Meat
by Xiang Wang, Qiyun Zhuo, Yi Hong, Yufan Wu, Qiang Gu, Dawei Yuan, Qingli Dong and Jingdong Shao
Foods 2022, 11(12), 1768; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11121768 - 15 Jun 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1659
Abstract
Campylobacter jejuni is a major foodborne pathogen and can be transmitted to human beings via the consumption of poultry products. This study aimed to determine antibiotic resistance and virulence potential of one hundred C. jejuni isolates from poultry meat and to explore the [...] Read more.
Campylobacter jejuni is a major foodborne pathogen and can be transmitted to human beings via the consumption of poultry products. This study aimed to determine antibiotic resistance and virulence potential of one hundred C. jejuni isolates from poultry meat and to explore the correlation between them and the multilocus sequence types (MLST). A total of 29 STs and 13 CCs were identified by MLST, of which 8 STs were first identified. The dominant ST was ST583 (21%), followed by ST42 (15%), ST61 (12%), and ST2276 (10%). Eighty-eight isolates showed resistance to at least one antibiotic. The resistance rate to fluoroquinolones was the highest (81%), followed by tetracycline (59%), whereas all the isolates were susceptible to erythromycin and telithromycin. Multi-antibiotic resistance was detected in 18 C. jejuni isolates. Great variability in the adhesion and invasion ability to Caco-2 cells was observed for the 100 isolates, with adhesion rates varying between 0.02% and 28.48%, and invasion rates varied from 0 to 6.26%. A correlation between STs and antibiotic resistance or virulence was observed. The ST61 isolates were significantly sensitive to CIP, while the TET resistance was significantly associated with ST354 and ST6175 complex. ST11326 showed substantially higher resistance to gentamicin and higher adhesion and invasion abilities to Caco-2 cells. The results helped improve our understanding of the potential hazard of different genotypes C. jejuni and provided critical information for the risk assessment of campylobacteriosis infection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiological Safety of Food)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-10
Back to TopTop