Regioselective N-Trideuteromethylation of Tautomeric Polyaza Heterocycles.

Methods for regioselective N-trideuteromethylation of tautomeric polyaza heterocycles are highly sought-after. Disclosed herein is an N-trideuterated methylation reaction of imidazoles and pyrazoles with high regioselectivity and deuterium purity using easily available CF3SO3CD3 as the -CD3 source. This method enables the easy synthesis of important deuterium-labeled azoles, including dimetridazole-d3, ipronidazole-d3, hydroxy dimetridazole-d3, and ronidazole-d3.

Contamination Status and Risk Assessment of Paralytic Shellfish Toxins in Shellfish along the Coastal Areas of China.

Paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) are widely distributed in shellfish along the coast of China, causing a serious threat to consumer health; however, there is still a lack of large-scale systematic investigations and risk assessments. Herein, 641 shellfish samples were collected from March to November 2020, and the PSTs' toxicity was detected via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Furthermore, the contamination status and potential dietary risks of PSTs were discussed. PSTs were detected in 241 shellfish samples with a detection rate of 37.60%. The average PST toxicities in mussels and ark shells were considerably higher than those in other shellfish. The PSTs mainly included N-sulfonylcarbamoyl toxins (class C) and carbamoyl toxins (class GTX), and the highest PST toxicity was 546.09 µg STX eq. kg-1. The PST toxicity in spring was significantly higher than those in summer and autumn (p < 0.05). Hebei Province had the highest average PST toxicity in spring. An acute exposure assessment showed that consumers in Hebei Province had a higher dietary risk, with mussels posing a significantly higher dietary risk to consumers. This research provides reference for the green and sustainable development of the shellfish industry and the establishment of a shellfish toxin prevention and control system.

Optimization of Physical Refining Process of Camellia Oil for Reduction of 3-Monochloropropane-1,2-Diol (3-MCPD) Ester Formation Using Response Surface Methodology on a Laboratory Scale.

Refined and deodorized camellia oil has been reported to contain a high amount of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol esters (3-MCPDE) due to the high-temperature deodorization step. To reduce 3-MCPDE in camellia oil, the physical refining process of camellia oil was simulated on a laboratory scale. Response surface methodology (RSM) was designed to modify and optimize the refining process with five processing parameters (water degumming dosage, degumming temperature, activated clay dosage, deodorization temperature and deodorization time). The optimized new refining approach achieved a 76.9% reduction in 3-MCPDE contents, in which the degumming moisture was 2.97%, the degumming temperature was 50.5 °C, the activated clay dosage was 2.69%, the deodorizing temperature was 230 °C, and the deodorizing time was 90 min. A significance test and analysis of variance results demonstrated that the deodorization temperature and deodorization time contributed significantly to the reduction of 3-MCPD ester. The joint interaction effects of activated clay dosage and deodorization temperature were significant for 3-MCPD ester formation.

[Microbial contamination in dried fruit products in China in 2019].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the microbial contamination in dried fruit products in China. METHODS: In 2019, 2917 samples of dried fruit products on the market were collected, and examined for aerobic bacterial count, coliforms, molds, yeasts, Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes according to the method specified in GB 4789. RESULTS: A total of 34.42%(1004/2917)of the samples had molds above 50 CFU/g and 9.46%(276/2917)of the samples had yeast above 50 CFU/g. The occurrence of aerobic plate count above 10~4 CFU/g and coliforms above 10~2 CFU/g was 5.01%(146/2917)and 2.98%(87/2917), respectively. The detection rate of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes were 0.14%(4/2917) and 0.03%(1/2917), respectively. Microbial contamination in different kinds of dried fruit products varied widely, with dried wolfberries and dried durian having the worst overall hygiene. There were differences in microbial contamination of dried fruit products in different regions. In general, samples collected in South China, Southwest China and Central China had more serious microbial contamination. There was no significant difference in microbial contamination between dried fruit products with different packaging and sampling places. CONCLUSION: The hygienic condition of dried fruit products is generally poor in 2019.

The China National Foodborne Pathogen Surveillance System: Twenty Years of Experience and Achievements.

National foodborne pathogen surveillance is a system that collects data regarding food contamination by pathogenic bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other harmful microbial factors. The surveillance data are used to understand the potential microbial risks in different categories of food and to provide science-based data for risk assessment and development of reference standards in the form of maximum limits. This review introduces stepwise expansion of the foodborne pathogen surveillance in China, relevant policies, function and duties of different organizations and institutions, surveillance plans, and quality control. Achievements of the surveillance system and future challenges are also presented.

[Chloropropanol and glycidyl esters content in edible vegetable oils in China in 2015-2017].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the occurrence data for fatty acid esters of chloropropanol and glycidyl in edible vegetable oils purchased in China. METHODS: The 1309 samples of edible vegetable oil were collected and the data of chloropropanol and glycidyl were detected by the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry from 2015 to 2017. RESULTS: The detection rate of 3-monochloropropanediol esters in vegetable oils was 81. 83% with the mean level of 1. 21 mg/kg. The mean content of tea-seed oil was significantly higher than that of other varieties, followed by peanut oil(1. 36 mg/kg), rapeseed oil(1. 12 mg/kg). The sunflower seed oil has the lowest mean content(0. 54 mg/kg). The detection rate of 2-monochloropropanediol esters in vegetable oils was 82. 84% with the mean level of 0. 39 mg/kg. The content of peanut oil was significantly higher than that of other varieties, followed by blended oil(0. 30 mg/kg) and soybean oil(0. 25 mg/kg). There was no significant difference with rapeseed oil(0. 66 mg/kg). The exceeding rate of glycidyl ester was 19. 90% with the mean level of 0. 68 mg/kg. The average content of glycidyl ester in blended oil(0. 78 mg/kg) was significantly higher than that in peanut oil(0. 54 mg/kg). There was no significant difference among other varieties. CONCLUSION: The pollution of chloropropanol esters is common in edible vegetable oils in China. The contamination is different in kinds of edible oils.

[Sodium nitrite in cooked meat during 2012-2015 in China].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the contamination levels of sodium nitrite in cooked meat from parts of China during 2012-2015. METHODS: The samples were detected in accordance with the national standardization method, and were determined by the GB 2760-2014. RESULTS: The average sodium nitrite in cooked meat was 9. 7 mg/kg with the content range from not detected to 85. 3 mg/kg, and its exceeding standard rate was 4. 8%(922/19360). The average sodium nitrite in visceral products was 16. 6 mg/kg, which was the highest in all kinds of cooked meat. The exceeding standard rate of farmers' market was significantly higher than that of other sampling links. The exceeding standard rate of bulk samples was 5. 8 times of the stereotyped packaging. The exceeding standard rate was downgrade year by year. The main problem was the bulk sauce-stewed meat product in the farm product market which the exceeding standard rate was 9. 5%(327/3461). CONCLUSION: A four-year successive observation shows that the quality of cooked meat with sodium nitrite is improved. But the problem is focused on the bulk. The risk of nitrite in cooked meat is lower.

Estimated assessment of cumulative dietary exposure to organophosphorus residues from tea infusion in China.

BACKGROUND: China has the world's largest tea plantation area in the world. To sustain high yields of the tea, multiple pesticides are used on tea crops to control pests. Organophosphorus (OP) pesticides are among the most widely used types of agricultural pesticides in China. As tea is a significant potential source of exposure to pesticide residues, the public concern has increased in relation to pesticide residues found in tea in China. The aim of the study was to estimate cumulative dietary exposure to OP residues from tea infusion for Chinese tea consumers to determine whether exposure to OP residues from tea infusion is a cause of health concern for tea consumers in China. METHODS: OP residue data were obtained from the China National Monitoring Program on Food Safety (2013-2014), encompassing 1687 tea samples from 12 provinces. Tea consumption data were obtained from the China National Nutrient and Health Survey (2002), comprising 506 tea consumers aged 15-82 years. The transfer rates of residues from tea leaves into tea infusions were obtained from the literature. The relative potency factor (RPF) approach was used to estimate acute cumulative exposure to 20 OP residues from tea infusion using methamidophos as the index compound. Dietary exposure was calculated in a probabilistic way. RESULTS: For tea consumers, the mean and the 99.9th percentile (P99.9) of cumulative dietary exposure to OP residues from tea infusion equalled 0.08 and 1.08 µg/kg bw/d. When compared with the acute reference dose (ARfD), 10 µg/kg bw/d for methamidophos, this accounts for 0.8 and 10.8% of the ARfD. CONCLUSIONS: Even when considering OP residues from vegetables, fruits and other foods, there are no health concerns based on acute dietary exposure to OP residues from tea infusion. However, it is necessary to strengthen the management of the OP pesticides used on tea in China to reduce the risk of chronic dietary exposure to OPs from tea infusion.

Isotope dilution gas chromatography with mass spectrometry for the analysis of 4-octyl phenol, 4-nonylphenol, and bisphenol A in vegetable oils.

By the combination of solid-phase extraction as well as isotope dilution gas chromatography with mass spectrometry, a sensitive and reliable method for the determination of endocrine-disrupting chemicals including bisphenol A, 4-octylphenol, and 4-nonylphenol in vegetable oils was established. The application of a silica/N-(n-propyl)ethylenediamine mixed solid-phase extraction cartridge achieved relatively low matrix effects for bisphenol A, 4-octylphenol, and 4-nonylphenol in vegetable oils. Experiments were designed to evaluate the effects of derivatization, and the extraction parameters were optimized. The estimated limits of detection and quantification for bisphenol A, 4-octylphenol, and 4-nonylphenol were 0.83 and 2.5 µg/kg, respectively. In a spiked experiment in vegetable oils, the recovery of the added bisphenol A was 97.5-110.3%, recovery of the added 4-octylphenol was 64.4-87.4%, and that of 4-nonylphenol was 68.2-89.3%. This sensitive method was then applied to real vegetable oil samples from Zhejiang Province of China, and none of the target compounds were detected.

Determination of three kinds of banned drugs in milk powder by hybrid solid-phase extraction purification combined with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry.

A gradient clean-up method for the quantification of five kinds of banned drugs (two hormones, two sedatives, and one chloramphenicol) in milk powder was developed. We used the combination of solid-phase extraction purification with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Milk powder was initially hydrolyzed by ß-glucuronidase/arylsulfatase, and then the hydrolyzed solution was concentrated and purified using a C8 and cation resin solid-phase extraction column. To isolate hormones and chloramphenicol drugs, products from the previous step were diluted with methanol and further purified using a silica and diatomite solid-phase extraction column. After derivatization, the drugs were analyzed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry, and the hydrolyzed solution was diluted with 5% ammoniated methanol to purify sedatives before gas chromatography with mass spectrometry analysis. Results showed that after adding the banned drugs at concentrations of 0.3-10.0 µg/kg, the average recovery range was 78.2-97.3% with relative standard deviations of 5.3-12.5%. The limit of quantification of the banned drugs (S/N ≥ 10) was 0.3-5.0 µg/kg, whereas the limit of detection (S/N ≥ 3) was 0.1-2.0 µg/kg. The solid-phase extraction gradient purification system was simple, rapid, and accurate, and could satisfy the detection requirements of hormone, sedatives, and chloramphenicol drugs when used together with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry.

Identification of 19 phthalic acid esters in dairy products by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry.

A detection method for 19 kinds of phthalic acid ester compounds analyzed by n-hexane/ether/acetonitrile 1:7:8 v/v/v mixed solvent extraction, quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe purification and internal standard method of quantitative gas chromatography with mass spectrometry was established. This method can effectively remove interfering materials, such as lipids, fatty acids, and pigments, from dairy products. The 19 kinds of phthalic acid ester compounds were within a 0.025-0.2 mg/kg range, the recovery rate was 65.2-125.7%, relative standard deviation was 7.9-15.4% (n = 6), and the limit of detection was 0.005-0.02 mg/kg. Concentrations of the 19 kinds of phthalic acid ester compounds ranged between 0.01 and 0.12 mg/kg in ten dairy materials and 20 dairy products. The established method is simple, rapid, accurate, and highly sensitive.

[Dietary intake and risk assessment of diethylhexyl phthalate in Chinese populations].

OBJECTIVE: To assess dietary exposure of diethylhexyl phthalate(DEHP) among Chinese population, including general population, children aged 2-6 years, adolescent aged 7-12, young people aged 13-17, adults aged 18-59 years old as well as older people aged 60 and above and its health risk. METHODS: A total of 6 650 food samples were collected during 2011 to 2013 from 140 local markets of 14 provinces in China, which covered major foods in China. Samples were detected by GC-MS and categorized into 22 food groups. Food consumption data were taken from China National Nutrition and Health Survey performed in 2002 including 68 959 subjects. Mean concentrations of DEHP in food were combined with individual food consumption data to estimate dietary exposure, and food contributors to dietary DEHP intake were also calculated. Then, the exposure was compared with the tolerable daily intake (TDI, 50 µg·kg(-1)-d(-1)) of DEHP. RESULTS: DEHP level in foods (n = 6 650) was in the range of not detected to 43.80 mg/kg. Mean dietary intakes of DEHP in general population was 2.07 (95% CI: 0.06-4.09) µg·kg(-1)·d(-1), accounting for 4.14 percent of TDI (50 µg·kg(-1)·d(-1)). Mean dietary intake for population aged 2-6, 7-12, 13-17, 18-59 as well as elderly aged 60 and above were 3.92 (95% CI: 0.83-7.01), 3.02 (95% CI: 0.69-5.36), 2.17 (95% CI: 0.54-3.81), 1.83 (95% CI: 0.46-3.21) and 1.66 (95% CI: 0.38-2.94) µg·kg(-1)·d(-1) respectively. The 97.5 percentile intakes in the general populations was 4.73 µg·kg(-1)·d(-1), accounting for 9.46% of TDI. Main food sources of DEHP were rice (28.4% (0.59/2.07)), melon solanaceous vegetables (14.7% (0.30/2.07)) and flour (13.2% (0.27/2.07)) for the general population. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that dietary exposure to DEHP among Chinese population was lower than tolerable daily intake of DEHP and there were no health concerns based on generally accepted exposure limits. Rice, melon solanaceous vegetables and flour were main food contributors of DEHP dietary intake for Chinese populations.

[Pollution investigation of deoxynivalenol in wheat flour of China in 2013].

OBJECTIVE: To study the deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination status in wheat flour of China in 2013. METHODS: Stereotypes packaged or bulk wheat flour samples sold in 28 provinces were collected in a random sampling way. The concentration of DON in each flour wheat sample was measured by high performance liquid chromatography. The results were statistically analyzed and evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 5678 wheat flour was detected. The detection rate of DON was 58.74%. The excessive rate of the standard of DON was 4.60%. The average content of DON was 317 µg/kg. The content range of DON was 0-56.1 mg/kg. CONCLUSION: DON pollution is relatively common in wheat flour of China in 2013, but the excessive rate is not high. The degree of pollution in each area is different. The excessive rate of DON, which was associated with the local temperature and humidity conditions, in wheat flour sold in east, southwest and northwest area is relatively high. Pollution level of DON in wheat flour in 2013 is consistent with those in 2010 and 2011, but lower than the monitoring results in 2012.

[Study on detection of Salmonella in poultry samples by real-time PCR with Taqman probes].

OBJECTIVE: To develop a RT-PCR method for a rapid and sensitive detection of Salmonella in poultry samples. METHODS: The RT-PCR method was established and its specificity was testified on the basis of invA gene. Serial 10-fold diluted pure suspension culture of CMCC 50041 was detected by RT-PCR, the standard curve was constructed and the amplification efficiency was calculated. Artificially contaminated experiment was done, six artificially-inoculated samples containing final concentration of Salmonella CMCC 50041 (1, 10, 10(2), 10(3), 10(4), 10(5) and 10(6) CFU per 25 g poultry samples) were prepared respectively. All the samples were incubated for 0, 4, 8, 12 and 18 h and the DNA was extracted for RT-PCR detection, meanwhile by PCR detection and the traditional method. The sensitiveness and specificity were compared among the three methods. At the same time, 16 samples of retail whole poultry were collected from markets and detected by the above three methods as well, and thereby to further compare the positive detection among the three methods. RESULTS: The established RT-PCR method was specific for the detection of Salmonella. The sensitivity was 5.2×10(3) CFU/ml for pure Salmonella culture without enrichment. Correlation coefficients of standard curves constructed using the Ct versus log value of concentration of Salmonella showed good linearity over a 8-log dynamic range (5.2×10(3)-5.2×10(10) CFU/ml), with the R(2) at 0.999. RT-PCR detection limit for artificially contaminated samples after enriching for 12 h was 1 CFU/25 g sample, which was the same with the limit of PCR and 10 times more sensitive than the limit of traditional method. Standard curve of sample after enrichment for 12 h was established. Seven of 16 samples were detected positive by RT-PCR, which were also tested positive by PCR, while only five samples were positive by traditional method. The positive ones were quantitatively analyzed using standard curve of sample and determined the initial Salmonella numbers of CFU/25 g. CONCLUSION: The established RT-PCR technology was simple, rapid, sensitive and specific, which was suitable to quickly detect Salmonella in poultry samples.

[Occurrence of Bacillus cereus in infants and young children foods in 8 provinces in China].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the contamination status of infants and young children foods by Bacillus cereus. METHODS: 1716 food samples were collected from retail market in 8 provinces in China and examined for Bacillus cereus by the plate count method. RESULTS: Bacillus cereus was isolated from 9.85% of all the samples (169/1716). 14.08% of the powered formula for infants and young children were contaminated with B. cereus as well as 6.01% of the ready-to-eat cereal-based complementary foods for infants and young children. Counts higher than 100 CFU/g were found in 18 samples of the powered formula (2.20%) and 10 samples of the ready-to-eat cereal-based complementary foods (1.11%). CONCLUSION: Inspection and management of infants and young children foods should be enhanced to prevent Bacillus cereus infection.

[Rapid detection of Listeria monocytogenes in pork samples by real-time PCR with Taqman probe].

OBJECTIVE: To develop a real-time PCR method for detection Listeria monocytogenes in pork samples. METHODS: Listeria monocytogenes specific primers and Taqman probe were chosen on the basis of hlyA gene. Real-time PCR method was developed and its specificity was proved. Serial 10-fold diluted pure suspension culture of CMCC 540004 were detected by real-time PCR, and standard curve was constructed. Artificially contaminated experiment was done, six artificially-inoculated samples containing final concentration of Listeria monocytogenes CMCC 540004 (1.3 x 10(0), 1.3 x 10(1), 1.3 x 10(2), 1.3 x 10(3), 1.3 x 10(4), 1.3 x 10(5) and 1.3 x 10(6) CFU per 25 g pork samples) were preparated respectively, meanwhile one sample without inoculation was as control of background value. All the samples were incubated in LB1 enrichment for 24 h and then take 0.1 ml culture solutions to 10 ml LB2 enrichment for 18 - 24 h. All the samples were incubated for 0, 4, 8, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36 and 46 h, and detected Listeria monocytogenes bacteria by PCR, respectively. Twenty-four samples of retail pork were collected from markets in Beijing and detected by the above three methods. RESULTS: Real-time PCR method established was specific for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes. The sensitivity was 1.3 x 10(3) CFU/ml for pure culture without enrichment. Real-time PCR detection limit for artificially contaminated samples after enriching for 24 h was 1.3 CFU/ 25 g, which is the same with the limit of PCR and traditional method after enrichment for 46 h. Standard curve of sample after enrichment for 24 h was established. The positive rate out of total 24 samples was 70.83% (17/24) by real-time PCR, which is the same with the result of PCR and traditional method. The positive ones were quantitative analyzed using standard curve of sample and determined the initial Listeria monocytogenes numbers of CFU/25 g. CONCLUSION; The established real-time PCR technology was simple, rapid, sensitive and specific, which was suitable to rapid detect Listeria monocytogenes in pork samples and the process was finished in 27 h.

Antimicrobial susceptibility and genomic characterization of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from aquatic foods in 15 provinces, China, 2020.

Prevalent in marine, estuarine and coastal environments, Vibrio parahaemolyticus is one of the major foodborne pathogens which can cause acute gastroenteritis through consumption of contaminated food. This study encompassed antimicrobial resistance, molecular characteristics and phylogenetic relationships of 163 V. parahaemolyticus isolated from aquatic foods across 15 provinces in China. The isolates showed high resistance rates against ampicillin (90.80 %, 148/163) and cefazolin (72.39 %, 118/163). Only 5 isolates demonstrated multi-drug resistance (MDR) phenotypes. A total of 37 different antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in correlation with seven antimicrobial categories were identified. tet(34) and tet(35) were present in all 163 isolates. Other most prevalent ARGs were those conferring resistance to ß-lactams, with prevalence rate around 18.40 % (30/163). The virulence genes tdh and trh were found in 17 (10.43 %) and 9 (5.52 %) isolates, respectively. Totally 121 sequence types (STs) were identified through whole genome analysis, among which 60 were novel. The most prevalent sequence type was ST3 (9.20 %, 15/163), which shared the same genotype profile of trh_, tdh+ and blaCARB-22+. Most of the tdh+V. parahaemolyticus isolates was clustered into a distinctive clade by the phylogenetic analysis. Our study showed that the antimicrobial resistance of V. parahaemolyticus in aquatic foods in China was moderate. However, the emerging of MDR isolates implicate strengthened monitoring is needed for the better treatment of human V. parahaemolyticus infections. High genetic diversity and virulence potential of the isolates analyzed in this study help better understanding and evaluating the risk of V. parahaemolyticus posed to public health.

Concentration and health risk assessment of 16 rare earth elements in six types of tea in China.

Rare Earth Elements (REEs) have been implicated in potential health effects. However, the health risk of REE exposure among tea drinkers in China remains poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize the concentration of REEs in different tea categories and evaluate the associated health risks for tea consumers in China. By analyzing the content of 16 REEs in 4326 tea samples from China, the exposure level of REEs to the general population was estimated. The content of these 16 REEs was similar across six types of tea, with oolong tea exhibiting the highest levels. The concentration of light rare earth elements (LREEs) in six types of tea was higher than that of heavy rare earth elements (HREEs). The daily mean and 95th percentile (P95) exposure to REEs from tea for the general population in China were 0.0328 µg/kg BW and 0.1283 µg/kg BW, respectively, which are significantly lower than the temporary acceptable daily dose (tADI). Our findings suggest that REEs from tea do not pose a known health risk to Chinese consumers.

Prevalence, antibiotic susceptibility, and genomic analysis of Vibrio alginolyticus isolated from seafood and freshwater products in China.

Introduction: This study characterized Vibrio alginolyticus isolated from seafood and freshwater products in China (2020). Methods and Results: In total, 122 (95.31%) V. alginolyticus isolates were resistant to at least 1 antibiotic category, and 2 (1.56%) isolates were resistant to at least 3 antibiotic categories and belong to multi-drug resistance (MDR) isolates. A high prevalence rate was observed to be blaCARB (98.04%) encoding beta-lactam resistance, followed by tet (97.06%) encoding tetracycline resistance and fos (4.90%) encoding resistance to fosfomycin. Among the 57 V. alginolyticus isolates, the commonest virulence genes were type III secretion system translocated gene vopD, vopB, and vcrH (54.4%, 31/57), type III secretion system regulated gene tyeA (54.39%), followed by vscI and vscF (50.88%) encoded type III secretion system inner rod protein and needle protein, respectively. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) showed considerable genetic diversity, with 34 distinct sequence types (STs) identified among 55 isolates. ST421 (n = 5), ST166 (n = 4), ST523 (n = 3), ST516 (n = 3), and ST507 (n = 3) were dominant STs among 55 V. alginolyticus isolates. Discussion: These findings highlight the widespread occurrence of V. alginolyticus in both freshwater and seafood products, underscoring the critical need for vigilant monitoring of these bacteria. Such measures are essential for ensuring effective food safety management and safeguarding public health.

Relevance of genetic causes and environmental adaptation of Cronobacter spp. isolated from infant and follow-up formula production factories and retailed products in China: A 7-year period of continuous surveillance based on genome-wide analysis.

The possible contamination routes, environmental adaptation, and genetic basis of Cronobacter spp. in infant and follow-up formula production factories and retailed products in mainland China have been determined by laboratory studies and whole-genome comparative analysis in a 7-year nationwide continuous surveillance spanning from 2012 to 2018. The 2-year continuous multicenter surveillance of the production process (conducted in 2013 and 2014) revealed that the source of Cronobacter spp. in the dry-blending process was the raw dry ingredients and manufacturing environment (particularly in the vibro sieve and vacuum cleaner), while in the combined process, the main contamination source was identified as the packing room. It is important to note that, according to the contamination control knowledge obtained from the production process surveillance, the contamination rate of retail powdered infant formula (PIF) and follow-up formula (FUF) products in China decreased significantly from 2016 onward, after improving the hygiene management practices in factories. The prevalence of Cronobacter spp. in retailed PIF and FUF in China in 2018 was dramatically reduced from 1.55 % (61/3925, in 2012) to an average as low as 0.17 % (13/7655 in 2018). Phenotype determination and genomic analysis were performed on a total of 90 Cronobacter spp. isolates obtained from the surveillance. Of the 90 isolates, only two showed resistance to either cefazolin or cefoxitin. The multilocus sequence typing results revealed that C. sakazakii sequence type 1 (ST1), ST37, and C. malonaticus ST7 were the dominant sequence types (STs) collected from the production factories, while C. sakazakii ST1, ST4, ST64, and ST8 were the main STs detected in the retailed PIF and FUF nationwide. One C. sakazakii ST4 isolate (1.1 %, 1/90) had strong biofilm-forming ability and 13 isolates (14.4 %, 13/90) had weak biofilm-forming ability. Genomic analysis revealed that Cronobacter spp. have a relatively stable core-genome and an increasing pan-genome size. Plasmid IncFIB (pCTU3) was prevalent in this genus and some contained 14 antibacterial biocide- and metal-resistance genes (BMRGs) including copper, silver, and arsenic resistant genes. Plasmid IncN_1 was predicted to contain 6 ARGs. This is the first time that a multi-drug resistance IncN_1 type plasmid has been reported in Cronobacter spp. Genomic variations with respect to BMRGs, virulence genes, antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), and genes involved in biofilm formation were observed among strains of this genus. There were apparent differences in copies of bcsG and flgJ between the biofilm-forming group and non-biofilm-forming group, indicating that these two genes play key roles in biofilm formation. The findings of this study have improved our understanding of the contamination characteristics and genetic basis of Cronobacter spp. in PIF and FUF and their production environment in China and provide important guidance to reduce contamination with this pathogen during the production of PIF and FUF.