Microbiological Quality of Nuts, Dried and Candied Fruits, Including the Prevalence of Cronobacter spp.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Berthold-Pluta A
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8308658 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Edible nuts and dried fruits, usually traded together in the global market, are one of the cornerstones of the Mediterranean diet representing a source of essential nutrients and bioactives. The food industry has an interest in the selection of high-quality materials for new product development while also matching consumers' expectations in terms of sensory quality. In this study, walnuts (Juglans regia), almonds (Prunus dulcis), and dried pineapples (Ananas comosus) are selected as food models to develop an integrated analytical strategy for the informative volatile organic compounds (VOCs) quali- and quantitative profiling. The study deals with VOCs monitoring over time (12 months) and in the function of storage conditions (temperature and atmosphere).VOCs are targeted within those: (i) with a role in the product's aroma blueprint (i.e., key-aromas and potent odorants); (ii) responsible for sensory degradation (i.e., rancidity); and/or (iii) formed by lipid autoxidation process. By accurate quantitative determination of volatile lipid oxidation markers (i.e., hexanal, heptanal, octanal, nonanal, decanal, (E)-2-heptenal, (E)-2-octenal, (E)-2-nonenal) product quality benchmarking is achieved. The combination of detailed VOCs profiling by headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and accurate quantification of rancidity markers by multiple headspace-SPME (MHS-SPME) answers many different questions about shelf-life (i.e., aroma, storage stability, impact of temperature and storage atmosphere, rancidity level), while providing reliable and robust data for long-range studies and quality controls. The quantification associated with HS-SPME profiling is demonstrated and critically commented on to help the industrial research in a better understanding of the most suitable analytical strategies for supporting primary materials selection and new product development.
| S-EPMC9563258 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Certain dietary patterns, in which fruits and nuts are featured prominently, reduce risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, estimated fruit consumption historically in the U.S. has been lower than recommendations. Dried fruit intake is even lower with only about 6.9 % of the adult population reporting any consumption. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee identified a gap between recommended fruit and vegetable intakes and the amount the population consumes. Even fewer Americans consume tree nuts, which are a nutrient-dense food, rich in bioactive compounds and healthy fatty acids. Consumption of fruits and nuts has been associated with reduced risk of cardiometabolic disease. An estimated 5.5 to 8.4 % of U.S. adults consume tree nuts and/or tree nut butter. This review examines the potential of pairing nuts and dried fruit to reduce cardiometabolic risk factors and focuses on emerging data on raisins and pistachios as representative of each food category. Evidence suggests that increasing consumption of both could help improve Americans' nutritional status and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
| S-EPMC4779204 | biostudies-other
Project description:Background:Environmental changes are predicted to threaten human health, agricultural production and food security. Whilst their impact has been evaluated for major cereals, legumes and vegetables, no systematic evidence synthesis has been performed to date evaluating impact of environmental change on fruits, nuts and seeds (FN&S) - valuable sources of nutrients and pivotal in reducing risks of non-communicable disease. Methods:We systematically searched seven databases, identifying available published literature (1970-2018) evaluating impacts of water availability and salinity, temperature, carbon dioxide (CO2) and ozone (O3) on yields and nutritional quality of FN&S. Dose-response relationships were assessed and, where possible, mean yield changes relative to baseline conditions were calculated. Results:81 papers on fruits and 24 papers on nuts and seeds were identified, detailing 582 and 167 experiments respectively. A 50% reduction in water availability and a 3-4dS/m increase in water salinity resulted in significant fruit yield reductions (mean yield changes: -20.7% [95%CI -43.1% to -1.7%]; and -28.2% [95%CI -53.0% to -3.4%] respectively). A 75-100% increase in CO2 concentrations resulted in positive yield impacts (+37.8%; [95%CI 4.1% to 71.5%]; and 10.1%; [95%CI -30.0% to 50.3%] for fruits and nuts respectively). Evidence on yield impacts of increased O3 concentrations and elevated temperatures (>25°C) was scarce, but consistently negative. The positive effect of elevated CO2 levels appeared to attenuate with simultaneous exposure to elevated temperatures. Data on impacts of environmental change on nutritional quality of FN&S were sparse, with mixed results. Discussion:In the absence of adaptation strategies, predicted environmental changes will reduce yields of FN&S. With global intake already well-below WHO recommendations, declining FN&S yields may adversely affect population health. Adaptation strategies and careful agricultural and food system planning will be essential to optimise crop productivity in the context of future environmental changes, thereby supporting and safeguarding sustainable and resilient food systems.
| S-EPMC7000241 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND: Cronobacter is a recently proposed genus consisting of six genomospecies that encompass the organisms previously identified as Enterobacter sakazakii. Cronobacter are opportunistic pathogens and are known to cause serious infections in infants, particularly neonates. High case fatality rates have been associated with infections and acute sequelae can occur in survivors with severe ramifications on neurological development. Infant formula has been identified as one route of transmission for infection in infants. However, the primary reservoirs for subsequent contamination of foods with Cronobacter remain undefined due to the ubiquitous nature of these organisms. More recently, infections in adults have been reported, especially amongst the elderly and patients who are immunocompromised. To help prevent the transmission of infection, it is important to identify the main food sources for Cronobacter. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize Cronobacter isolated from dried-milk and related products available in an Egyptian food market. RESULTS: In total sixteen Cronobacter strains were isolated from 152 dairy-based products. These were identified and characterized using pheno- and genotyping experiments. Real-time PCR confirmed the detection of Cronobacter. Following antibiotic susceptibility tests, 3 strains showed resistance to trimethoprim and/or neomycin. Phenotype profiles were generated based on key biochemical distinguishing tests. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) identified 8 PFGE types amongst the collection of strains. Repetitive sequence based PCR (rep-PCR) analysis identified 3 rep-PCR types amongst the collection of strains. Sequencing of the recN gene was used to differentiate among the recently described species of Cronobacter. CONCLUSION: This study identified the presence of Cronobacter in dried milk and related products sourced from the Nile-Delta region of Egypt. Although the majority of the strains were susceptible to the antibiotics tested, resistance was observed in three isolates, highlighting the risks associated with Cronobacter contamination in foods. Phenotype and genotype analysis should be applied to further characterize Cronobacter spp. and prevent its transmission into food products.
| S-EPMC2640398 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Cronobacter spp. is a foodborne pathogen that causes life-threatening and invasive diseases, such as necrotizing enterocolitis, meningitis, and sepsis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence, molecular characteristics and antimicrobial resistance of Cronobacter spp. in raw vegetables marketed in China. Based on dietary habits in China, 403 raw vegetables that could be eaten without additional cooking were collected. Of the 403 samples tested, 122 (30.27%) were positive for Cronobacter spp., and the contamination levels exceeded 110 most probable number (MPN)/g for 16.39% (20/122) of the samples. Coriander samples had the highest contamination rate of 52.81%, and the MPN values of 19.15% of positive coriander samples exceeded 100 MPN/g. Eleven serotypes were identified among 171 isolates, with Cronobacter sakazakii serogroup O1 (41 isolates) being the dominant serotype. Molecular characterization indicated that there was quite high genetic diversity in Cronobacter spp., and multilocus sequence typing analyses yielded 106 sequence types (STs), 55 of which were newly identified. Notably, the most prevalent ST (eight isolates) was C. malonaticus ST60, which appeared in a recent clinical infectious disease study in China. Five C. sakazakii ST4, seven C. malonaticus ST7, and three C. sakazakii ST8 confirmed as pathogenic STs in other countries were also detected in this study. Furthermore, all isolates were susceptible to amikacin, amoxicillin-clavulanic, cefepime, ciprofloxacin, and imipenem, but some isolates exhibited a high ratio of resistance to cephalothin (59.65%). In this study, the high contamination rate and the detection of pathogenic and new STs in raw vegetables indicated potential hazards to customers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to provide valuable information on the contamination status of Cronobacter spp. in vegetables that can be eaten raw in China.
| S-EPMC5996200 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The growing interest in spicy foods leads to the global demand for spices, particularly dried chili. This study aimed to assay both aflatoxin (AFs) and ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination using an integrative method of morphological identification, molecular detection, and chromatography analysis on dried chili provided from traditional and modern markets in Indonesia. The results showed that total fungal infection ranged from 1-408 × 103 CFU/g. Eighty percent of the chili obtained from both the traditional and the modern markets were infected by Aspergillus spp., in which 50% of the infections were identified as A. parasiticus and A. flavus. A complete set of targeted genes involved in AF production and OTA were detected in two isolates of A. flavus and one isolate of A. carbonarius, respectively. The levels of AFs B1, B2, and OTA in the contaminated dried chilies were in the range of 39.3-139.5 µg/kg, 2.6-33.3 µg/kg, and 23.7-84.6 µg/kg, respectively. In contrast, no AFs G1 and G2 were detected. This study showed that the fungal infection of Indonesian dried chili occurs both in the field and during storage; thus, it is suggested to implement good agricultural and handling processes.
| S-EPMC7143392 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Although flies are important vectors of food-borne pathogens, there is little information to accurately assess the food-related health risk of the presence of individual flies, especially in urban areas. This study quantifies the prevalence and the relative risk of food-borne pathogens associated with the body surfaces and guts of individual wild flies. One hundred flies were collected from the dumpsters of 10 randomly selected urban restaurants. Flies were identified using taxonomic keys before being individually dissected. Cronobacter spp., Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes were detected using the PCR-based BAX system Q7. Positive samples were confirmed by culture on specific media and through PCR amplification and sequencing or ribotyping. Among collected flies were the housefly, Musca domestica (47%), the blowflies, Lucilia cuprina (33%) and Lucilia sericata (14%), and others (6%). Cronobacter species were detected in 14% of flies, including C. sakazakii, C. turicensis, and C. universalis, leading to the proposal of flies as a natural reservoir of this food-borne pathogen. Six percent of flies carried Salmonella enterica, including the serovars Poona, Hadar, Schwarzengrund, Senftenberg, and Brackenridge. L. monocytogenes was detected in 3% of flies. Overall, the prevalence of food-borne pathogens was three times greater in the guts than on the body surfaces of the flies. The relative risk of flies carrying any of the three pathogens was associated with the type of pathogen, the body part of the fly, and the ambient temperature. These data enhance the ability to predict the microbiological risk associated with the presence of individual flies in food and food facilities.
| S-EPMC3485945 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The study was conducted to compare the quality and shelf life of traditionally dried (collected from the local markets) Bombay duck (Harpodon nehereus) with improved dried products (produced using a newly developed fish dryer) to assess its suitability. The quality of these products was evaluated through organoleptic, water reconstitution, nutritional, chemical, and microbiological characteristics. The organoleptic quality of improved dried fish was excellent while those produced traditionally were with grayish and dark brown color, rancid odor, and soft and fragile texture with insect infestation. The water reconstitution properties of the improved dried sample were 75.71% and 89.39% at room temperature and 80 °C, respectively, which were comparatively higher than the traditional dried products. The protein, ash, and contents were significantly higher in improved dried fish products while the lipid and total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N) content were much lower than those of market-dried samples. The total viable counts (TVC) of bacteria were significantly higher in the traditional products which indicated poor quality. To find out the best storage method, dried fish was kept at three different conditions: in the open air at room temperature, in a sealed pack at room temperature, and a sealed pack at refrigeration temperature (4 °C). The shelf life of the products in different storage conditions was evaluated by estimating their moisture, protein, lipid, ash, TVB-N, and TVC values. The products kept at 4 °C temperature was found almost unaltered in terms of their nutritional properties after 4-months storage period. Results indicated that the newly developed fish dryer produced high-quality dried fish products with longer shelf life can be expected if the dried fish is stored at 4 °C refrigeration temperature. Our findings will be a valuable tool for the fish processors to ease the fish drying process and its storage that will enable them to commercially supply good quality dried Harpodon nehereus in the market chain at a low-cost.
| S-EPMC10943384 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Cronobacter spp. in commercial powdered infant formula (PIF) from nine provinces in China from March 2018 to September 2020, and to reveal the genotype, biofilm-forming ability, and antibiotic susceptibility of these isolates. A total of 27 Cronobacter strains, consisting of 22 Cronobacter sakazakii strains, 3 Cronobacter malonaticus strains, 1 Cronobacter turicensis strain, and 1 Cronobacter dublinensis strain, were isolated from 3,600 commercial PIF samples with a prevalence rate of 0.75%. Compared with the other 8 provinces, PIF from Shaanxi province had a higher prevalence rate (1.25%) of Cronobacter spp. These isolates were divided into 14 sequence types (STs), and 6 Cronobacter serotypes. The main Cronobacter STs were ST4, ST1, and ST64, and the dominant Cronobacter serotype was C. sakazakii serotype O2. Approximately 88.89% of Cronobacter isolates had a strong ability (OD595 > 1) to form biofilms on tinplate, among which the strains with ST4 were more dominant. All isolates were susceptible to ampicillin-sulbactam, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, sulfadiazine, sulfadoxine, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, gentamicin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and colistin, while 55.56 and 96.30% isolates were resistant to cephalothin and vancomycin, respectively. Taken together, our findings highlighted the contamination status and characterization of Cronobacter spp. in commercial PIF from nine provinces of China, and provided guidance for the effective prevention and control of this pathogen in the production of PIF.
| S-EPMC9197194 | biostudies-literature
Project description:There is a growing interest in therapeutically targeting the inflammatory response that underlies age-related chronic diseases including obesity and type 2 diabetes. Through integrative small RNA sequencing, we show the presence of conserved plant miR159a and miR156c in dried nuts having high complementarity with the mammalian TNF receptor superfamily member 1a (Tnfrsf1a) transcript. We detected both miR159a and miR156c in exosome-like nut nanovesicles (NVs) and demonstrated that such NVs reduce Tnfrsf1a protein and dampen TNF-? signaling pathway in adipocytes. Synthetic single-stranded microRNAs (ss-miRs) modified with 2'-O-methyl group function as miR mimics. In plants, this modification naturally occurs on nearly all small RNAs. 2'-O-methylated ss-miR mimics for miR156c and miR159a decreased Tnfrsf1a protein and inflammatory markers in hypertrophic as well as TNF-?-treated adipocytes and macrophages. miR156c and miR159a mimics effectively suppress inflammation in mice, highlighting a potential role of plant miR-based, single-stranded oligonucleotides in treating inflammatory-associated metabolic diseases.
| S-EPMC6704100 | biostudies-literature