Allergenicity of alternative proteins: research hotspots, new findings, evaluation strategies, regulatory status, and future trends: a bibliometric analysis.

As the world population rises, the demand for protein increases, leading to a widening gap in protein supply. There is an unprecedented interest in the development of alternative proteins, but their allergenicity has raised consumer concerns. This review aims to highlight and correlate the current research status of allergenicity studies on alternative proteins based on previously published studies. Current research keywords, hotspots and trends in alternative protein sensitization were analyzed using a mixed-method approach that combined bibliometric analysis and literature review. According to the bibliometric analysis, current research is primarily focused on food science, agriculture, and immunology. There are significant variations in the type and amount of allergens found in alternative proteins. A significant amount of research has been focused on studying plant-based proteins and the cross-reactivity of insect proteins. The allergenicity of alternative proteins has not been studied extensively or in depth. The allergenicity of other alternative proteins and the underlying mechanisms warrant further study. In addition, the lack of a standardized allergy assessment strategy calls for additional efforts by international organizations and collaborations among different countries. This review provides new research and regulatory perspectives for the safe utilization of alternative proteins in human food systems.

A Simplified Amplification-Free Strategy with Lyophilized CRISPR-CcrRNA System for Drug-Resistant Salmonella Detection.

Drug resistance in pathogenic bacteria has become a major threat to global health. The misuse of antibiotics has increased the number of resistant bacteria in the absence of rapid, accurate, and cost-effective diagnostic tools. Here, an amplification-free CRISPR-Cas12a time-resolved fluorescence immunochromatographic assay (AFC-TRFIA) is used to detect drug-resistant Salmonella. Multi-locus targeting in combination crRNA (CcrRNA) is 27-fold more sensitive than a standalone crRNA system. The lyophilized CRISPR system further simplifies the operation and enables one-pot detection. Induction of nucleic acid fixation via differentially charged interactions reduced the time and cost required for flowmetric chromatography with enhanced stability. The induction of nucleic acid fixation via differentially charged interactions reduces the time and cost required for flowmetric chromatography with enhanced stability. The platform developed for the detection of drug-resistant Salmonella has an ultra-sensitive detection limit of 84 CFU mL-1 within 30 min, with good linearity in the range of 102 -106 CFU mL-1 . In real-world applications, spiked recoveries range from 76.22% to 145.91%, with a coefficient of variation less than 10.59%. AFC-TRFIA offers a cost-effective, sensitive, and virtually equipment-independent platform for preventing foodborne illnesses, screening for drug-resistant Salmonella, and guiding clinical use.

Recent advances in biosynthesis of mycotoxin-degrading enzymes and their applications in food and feed.

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by fungi in food and feed, which can cause serious health problems. Bioenzymatic degradation is gaining increasing popularity due to its high specificity, gentle degradation conditions, and environmental friendliness. We reviewed recently reported biosynthetic mycotoxin-degrading enzymes, traditional and novel expression systems, enzyme optimization strategies, food and feed applications, safety evaluation of both degrading enzymes and degradation products, and commercialization potentials. Special emphasis is given to the novel expression systems, advanced optimization strategies, and safety considerations for industrial use. Over ten types of recombinases such as oxidoreductase and hydrolase have been studied in the enzymatic hydrolysis of mycotoxins. Besides traditional expression system of Escherichia coli and yeasts, these enzymes can also be expressed in novel systems such as Bacillus subtilis and lactic acid bacteria. To meet the requirements of industrial applications in terms of degradation efficacy and stability, genetic engineering and computational tools are used to optimize enzymatic expression. Currently, registration and technical difficulties have restricted commercial application of mycotoxin-degrading enzymes. To overcome these obstacles, systematic safety evaluation of both biosynthetic enzymes and their degradation products, in-depth understanding of degradation mechanisms and a comprehensive evaluation of their impact on food and feed quality are urgently needed.

Survival of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella in citrus storage waxes or on lemons held under common commercial storage conditions.

To prolong cold storage, diluted storage waxes are applied to washed lemons after harvest and before packing, without drying steps, to reduce premature rotting and water loss. The survival of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella in undiluted and diluted storage waxes (S1-S4), and on lemon surfaces under common commercial storage were investigated. Populations of L. monocytogenes declined more slowly than Salmonella in undiluted storage waxes over 24 h of storage at 4 or 22 °C. L. monocytogenes (inoculated at ∼6 log CFU/mL) was detected by enrichment in undiluted waxes S2, S3, and S4 after 75-135 days at 4 °C but not after 30, 10, or 105 days, respectively at 22 °C. L. monocytogenes survived better in diluted than in undiluted storage waxes at 22 °C. Populations of L. monocytogenes (∼6 log CFU/lemon) declined by 0.64-1.62 log on lemon surfaces right after waxing. Populations of L. monocytogenes decreased to <1.30 log CFU/lemon after 28 days (1:9 S1) or 75 days (other treatments) at 12 °C and ≥93% RH. Except for 1:9 S1, L. monocytogenes was detected by enrichment in all lemon samples over 87 days of storage. Packinghouses should consider the survival of L. monocytogenes and Salmonella in citrus storage waxes in their food safety programs.

Exploring the impact of fungal spores from agricultural environments on the mice lung microbiome and metabolic profile.

Exposure to particulate matter (PM) from agricultural environments has been extensively reported to cause respiratory health concerns in both animals and agricultural workers. Furthermore, PM from agricultural environments, containing fungal spores, has emerged as a significant threat to public health and the environment. Despite its potential toxicity, the impact of fungal spores present in PM from agricultural environments on the lung microbiome and metabolic profile is not well understood. To address this gap in knowledge, we developed a mice model of immunodeficiency using cyclophosphamide and subsequently exposed the mice to fungal spores via the trachea. By utilizing metabolomics techniques and 16 S rRNA sequencing, we conducted a comprehensive investigation into the alterations in the lung microbiome and metabolic profile of mice exposed to fungal spores. Our study uncovered significant modifications in both the lung microbiome and metabolic profile post-exposure to fungal spores. Additionally, fungal spore exposure elicited noticeable changes in α and ß diversity, with these microorganisms being closely associated with inflammatory factors. Employing non-targeted metabolomics analysis via GC-TOF-MS, a total of 215 metabolites were identified, among which 42 exhibited significant differences. These metabolites are linked to various metabolic pathways, with amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, as well as galactose metabolism, standing out as the most notable pathways. Cysteine and methionine metabolism, along with glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, emerged as particularly crucial pathways. Moreover, these metabolites demonstrated a strong correlation with inflammatory factors and exhibited significant associations with microbial production. Overall, our findings suggest that disruptions to the microbiome and metabolome may hold substantial relevance in the mechanism underlying fungal spore-induced lung damage in mice.

Effects of 1-methylcyclopropene and gaseous ozone on Listeria innocua survival and fruit quality of Granny Smith apples during long-term commercial cold storage.

This study evaluated the impact of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), an ethylene synthesis inhibitor, followed by long-term commercial cold storage with low-dose gaseous ozone on the microbiological safety and quality of fresh apples. Granny Smith apples were inoculated with or without Listeria innocua, treated with or without 1.0 mg/L 1-MCP for 24 h, then subjected to commercial cold storage conditions including refrigerated air (RA, 0.6 °C, control), controlled atmosphere (CA, 2% O2, 1% CO2, 0.6 °C), and CA with 51-87 µg/L ozone gas for up to 36 weeks. RA storage reduced L. innocua on apples by up to 3.6 log10 CFU/apple. CA had no advantage over RA in controlling Listeria. Continuous ozone gas application resulted in an additional ∼2.0 log10 CFU/apple reduction of L. innocua (total reduction up to 5.7 log10 CFU/apple) and suppressed native bacteria and fungi. Treatment with 1-MCP had a minor impact on survival of L. innocua or background microbiota on apples, while it significantly delayed fruit ripening and reduced the incidence of superficial scald and internal browning. In summary, 1-MCP treatment followed by CA storage with low-dose continuous ozone gas can effectively control Listeria on fresh apples and delay fruit ripening.

The microbial safety of fish and fish products: Recent advances in understanding its significance, contamination sources, and control strategies.

Microorganisms play a crucial and unique role in fish and fish product safety. The presence of human pathogens and the formation of histamine caused by spoilage bacteria make the control of both pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms critical for fish product safety. To provide a comprehensive and updated overview of the involvement of microorganisms in fish and fish product safety, this paper reviewed outbreak and recall surveillance data obtained from government agencies from 1998 to 2018 and identified major safety concerns associated with both domestic and imported fish products. The review also summarized all available literature about the prevalence of major and emerging microbial safety concerns, including Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Aeromonas hydrophila, in different fish and fish products and the survival of these pathogens under different storage conditions. The prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs), two emerging food safety concerns, is also reviewed. Pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms as well as ARB and ARGs can be introduced into fish and fish products in both preharvest and postharvest stages. Many novel intervention strategies have been proposed and tested for the control of different microorganisms on fish and fish products. One key question that needs to be considered when developing and implementing novel control measures is how to ensure that the measures are cost and environment friendly as well as sustainable. Over the years, regulations have been established to provide guidance documents for good farming and processing practices. To be more prepared for the globalization of the food chain, harmonization of regulations is still needed.

Practical in-storage interventions to control foodborne pathogens on fresh produce.

Although tremendous efforts have been made to ensure fresh produce safety, various foodborne outbreaks and recalls occur annually. Most of the current intervention strategies are evaluated within a short timeframe (less than 1 h), leaving the behavior of the remaining pathogens unknown during subsequent storages. This review summarized outbreak and recall surveillance data from 2009 to 2018 obtained from government agencies in the United States to identify major safety concerns associated with fresh produce, discussed the postharvest handling of fresh produce and the limitations of current antimicrobial interventions, and reviewed the intervention strategies that have the potential to be applied in each storage stage at the commercial scale. One long-term (up to 12 months) prepacking storage (apples, pears, citrus among others) and three short-term (up to 3 months) postpacking storages were identified. During the prepacking storage, continuous application of gaseous ozone at low doses (≤1 ppm) is a feasible option. Proper concentration, adequate circulation, as well as excess gas destruction and ventilation systems are essential to commercial application. At the postpacking storage stages, continuous inhibition can be achieved through controlled release of gaseous chlorine dioxide in packaging, antimicrobial edible coatings, and biocontrol agents. During commercialization, factors that need to be taken into consideration include physicochemical properties of antimicrobials, impacts on fresh produce quality and sensory attributes, recontamination and cross-contamination, cost, and feasibility of large-scale production. To improve fresh produce safety and quality during storage, the collaboration between researchers and the fresh produce industry needs to be improved.

microRNA-143-3p attenuated development of hepatic fibrosis in autoimmune hepatitis through regulation of TAK1 phosphorylation.

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic liver disease due to autoimmune system attacks hepatocytes and causes inflammation and fibrosis. Intracellular signalling and miRNA may play an important role in regulation of liver injury. This study aimed to investigate the potential roles of microRNA 143 in a murine AIH model and a hepatocyte injury model. Murine AIH model was induced by hepatic antigen S100, and hepatocyte injury model was induced by LPS. Mice and AML12 cells were separated into six groups with or without the treatment of miRNA-143. Inflammation and fibrosis as well as gene expression were examined by different cellular and molecular techniques. The model was successfully established with the elevation of ALT and AST as well as inflammatory and fibrotic markers. Infection or transfection of mir-143 in mice or hepatocytes significantly attenuated the development of alleviation of hepatocyte injury. Moreover, the study demonstrated phosphorylation of TAK1-mediated miRNA-143 regulation of hepatic inflammation and fibrosis as well as hepatocyte injury. Our studies demonstrated a significant role of miRNA-143 in attenuation of liver injury in AIH mice and hepatocytes. miRNA-143 regulates inflammation and fibrosis through its regulation of TAK1 phosphorylation, which warrants TAK1 as a target for the development of new therapeutic strategy of autoimmune hepatitis.

Statin and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus infection: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Statin may confer anticancer effect. However, the association between statin and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C (HCV) virus infection remains inconsistent according to results of previous studies. A meta-analysis was performed to summarize current evidence. METHODS: Related follow-up studies were obtained by systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane's Library, and Embase databases. A random-effect model was used to for the meta-analysis. Stratified analyses were performed to evaluate the influences of study characteristics on the outcome. RESULTS: Thirteen studies with 519,707 patients were included. Statin use was associated with reduced risk of HCC in these patients (risk ratio [RR]: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.44 to 0.66, p < 0.001; I2 = 86%). Stratified analyses showed that the association between statin use and reduced HCC risk was consistent in patients with HBV or HCV infection, in elder (≥ 50 years) or younger (< 50 years) patients, in males or females, in diabetic or non-diabetic, and in those with or without cirrhosis (all p < 0.05). Moreover, lipophilic statins was associated with a reduced HCC risk (RR: 0.52, p < 0.001), but not for hydrophilic statins (RR: 0.89, p = 0.21). The association was more remarkable in patients with highest statin accumulative dose compared to those with lowest accumulative dose (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Satin use was independently associated with a reduced risk of HCC in patients with HBV or HCV infection.

The efficacy of sodium acid sulfate on controlling Listeria monocytogenes on apples in a water system with organic matter.

During fresh apple packing, wash water in the dump tank and flume systems is reused during daily production, resulting in high levels of organic matter in the wash water. This study evaluated the antimicrobial efficacy of sodium acid sulfate (SAS), a Generally Recognized as Safe compound, against Listeria monocytogenes on fresh apples in a water system with high organic load. SAS at 1.0% reduced L. monocytogenes population in water with 1000 ppm chemical oxygen demand (COD) by more than 5.0 Log10 CFU/ml in 5 min, 2.0-3.0% SAS reduced L. monocytogenes to undetectable levels (10 CFU/ml) within 2 min regardless of organic levels. When applied on apples, a 2-min wash with SAS at 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 3.0% reduced L. monocytogenes by ~1.3, 1.9, 2.3, and 3.0 Log10 CFU/apple in clean water, respectively. High organic load in wash water up to 4000 ppm COD had no impact on the bactericidal effect of SAS against L. monocytogenes on fresh apples regardless of SAS concentrations. Shortening the contact time from 2 min to 30 s significantly reduced the antimicrobial efficacy of 25 ppm chlorine and 1.0-2.0% SAS but not that of 3.0% SAS. In addition, SAS at 1.0% demonstrated a better efficacy than 25 ppm chlorine in reducing fruit-to-water cross-contamination regardless of organic matter. SAS also showed a comparable efficacy as 25 ppm chlorine in reducing fruit-to-fruit cross-contamination in water with organic matter. The collective data indicate that SAS, as an enviroment-friendly compound, has the potential to be used as an alternative antimicrobial washing aid in dump tank process water intervention in apple packing facilities.

Survival of Listeria innocua on Fuji apples under commercial cold storage with or without low dose continuous ozone gaseous.

This study evaluated the fate of Listeria innocua, a non-pathogenic species closely related to Listeria monocytogenes, on Fuji apple fruit surfaces during commercial cold storage with and without continuous low doses of gaseous ozone. Unwaxed Fuji apples of commercially acceptable maturity were inoculated with 6.0-7.0 Log10 CFU L. innocua/apple, and subjected to refrigerated air (RA, 33 °F), controlled atmosphere (CA, 33 °F, 2% O2, 1% CO2), or CA with low doses of ozone gas (50.0 -87.0 ppb ) storage in a commercial facility for 30 weeks. A set of uninoculated apples was simultaneously subjected to the above storage conditions for total plate count and yeasts and molds enumeration. L. innocua survival under RA and CA storage was similar, which led to 2.5-3.0 Log10 CFU/apple reduction during storage. Continuous gaseous ozone application decreased L. innocua population on Fuji apples to ∼1.0 Log10 CFU/apple after 30-week storage, and suppressed apple native flora. CA storage delayed apple fruit ripening through reduction of apple firmness and titratable acidity loss, and low dose gaseous ozone application had no negative influence on apple visual quality, including both external and internal disorders. In summary, L. innocua decreased on Fuji apple surfaces during commercial long-term RA and CA storage. Ozone gas has the potential to be used as a supplemental intervention method to control Listeria spp. and to ensure fresh apple safety.

Cinnamon Oil Inhibits Shiga Toxin Type 2 Phage Induction and Shiga Toxin Type 2 Production in Escherichia coli O157:H7.

This study evaluated the inhibitory effect of cinnamon oil against Escherichia coli O157:H7 Shiga toxin (Stx) production and further explored the underlying mechanisms. The MIC and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of cinnamon oil against E. coli O157:H7 were 0.025% and 0.05% (vol/vol), respectively. Cinnamon oil significantly reduced Stx2 production and the stx2 mRNA expression that is associated with diminished Vero cell cytotoxicity. Consistently, induction of the Stx-converting phage where the stx2 gene is located, along with the total number of phages, decreased proportionally to cinnamon oil concentration. In line with decreased Stx2 phage induction, cinnamon oil at 0.75× and 1.0× MIC eliminated RecA, a key mediator of SOS response, polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase), and poly(A) polymerase (PAP I), which positively regulate Stx-converting phages, contributing to reduced Stx-converting phage induction and Stx production. Furthermore, cinnamon oil at 0.75× and 1.0× MIC strongly inhibited the qseBC and luxS expression associated with decreased AI-2 production, a universal quorum sensing signaling molecule. However, the expression of oxidative stress response genes oxyR, soxR, and rpoS was increased in response to cinnamon oil at 0.25× or 0.5× MIC, which may contribute to stunted bacterial growth and reduced Stx2 phage induction and Stx2 production due to the inhibitory effect of OxyR on prophage activation. Collectively, cinnamon oil inhibits Stx2 production and Stx2 phage induction in E. coli O157:H7 in multiple ways. IMPORTANCE: This study reports the inhibitory effect of cinnamon oil on Shiga toxin 2 phage induction and Shiga toxin 2 production. Subinhibitory concentrations (concentrations below the MIC) of cinnamon oil reduced Stx2 production, stx2 mRNA expression, and cytotoxicity on Vero cells. Subinhibitory concentrations of cinnamon oil also dramatically reduced both the Stx2 phage and total phage induction in E. coli O157:H7, which may be due to the suppression of RNA polyadenylation enzyme PNPase at 0.25× to 1.0× MIC and the downregulation of bacterial SOS response key regulator RecA and RNA polyadenylation enzyme PAP I at 0.75× or 1.0× MIC. Cinnamon oil at higher levels (0.75× and 1.0× MIC) eliminated quorum sensing and oxidative stress. Therefore, cinnamon oil has potential applications as a therapeutic to control E. coli O157:H7 infection through inhibition of bacterial growth and virulence factors.

Multispectral pathogens detection in food using multiplex hyperbranched saltatory rolling circle amplification.

Foodborne illnesses caused by Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus are a significant public health concern, leading to societal and economic repercussions. It is important to develop a simple and straightforward bacteria detection and identification method. A triple-probe multiplex rolling circle amplification technique has been developed to simultaneously detect Salmonella Typhimurium and S. aureus. This method utilizes fluorophore-labeled long padlock probes targeting S. Typhimurium invA and S. aureus glnA specific genes, along with a pH-based detection approach for direct visual identification. The multiplex hyperbranched saltatory rolling circle amplification assay at 30 °C has showed promising results with synthetic targets within 30 min and real bacteria within 2 h after establishing the detection settings. The assay is specific for S. aureus and S. Typhimurium, with a limit of detection of 39 µM for fluorescence and 78 µM for colorimetric. In the simulative test of this method for the detection of S. Typhimurium and S. aureus in milk, the limit of detection for the fluorescence signal after 2 h of amplification was 10 CFU/mL and 5 CFU/mL, respectively. The detection method was evaluated to be stable enough to detect pathogen for 3.29 months. Consequently, this triple-probe-multiplex rolling circle amplification method displays notable specificity, sensitivity, as well as ease of interpretation when testing food samples for harmful pathogens.

PI3K/Akt/FoxO Pathway Mediates Antagonistic Toxicity in HepG2 Cells Coexposed to Deoxynivalenol and Enniatins.

The emerging mycotoxins enniatins (ENNs) and the traditional mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) often co-contaminate various grain raw materials and foods. While the liver is their common target organ, the mechanism of their combined effect remains unclear. In this study, the combined cytotoxic effects of four ENNs (ENA, ENA1, ENB, and ENB1) with DON and their mechanisms were investigated using the HepG2 cell line. Additionally, a population exposure risk assessment of these mycotoxins was performed by using in vitro experiments and computer simulations. The results showed that only ENA at 1/4 IC50 and ENB1 at 1/8 IC50 coexposed with DON showed an additive effect, while ENB showed the strongest antagonism at IC50 (CI = 3.890). Co-incubation of ENNs regulated the signaling molecule levels which were disrupted by DON. Transcriptome analysis showed that ENB (IC50) up-regulated the PI3K/Akt/FoxO signaling pathway and inhibited the expression of apoptotic genes (Bax, P53, Caspase 3, etc.) via phosphorylation of FoxO, thereby reducing the cytotoxic effects caused by DON. Both types of mycotoxins posed serious health risks, and the cumulative risk of coexposure was particularly important for emerging mycotoxins.

Biochemical Characterization and Application of Zearalenone Lactone Hydrolase Fused with a Multifunctional Short Peptide.

Zearalenone (ZEN) is an estrogenic mycotoxin causing reproductive toxicity in livestock. Currently, lactone hydrolases are used in the enzymatic degradation of ZEN. However, most lactone hydrolases suffer from low degradation efficiency and poor thermal stability. ZHD518, as a documented neutral enzyme for ZEN degradation, exhibits high enzymatic activity under neutral conditions. In this study, a multifunctional peptide S1v1-(AEAEAHAH)2 was fused to the N-terminus of ZHD518. Compared with the wild-type enzyme, the peptide fusion significantly enhanced protein expression by 1.28 times, enzyme activity by 9.27 times, thermal stability by 37.08 times after incubation at 45 °C for 10 min and enzyme stability during long-term storage. Moreover, ZEN concentrations in corn bran, corn germ meal, and corn gluten powder decreased from 5.29 ± 0.04, 5.31 ± 0.03, and 5.30 ± 0.01 µg/g to 0.48 ± 0.05, 0.48 ± 0.06, and 0.21 ± 0.04 µg/g, respectively, following a 60 min treatment with S1v1-GS-ZHD518, resulting in degradation rates of 90.98, 91.00, and 95.32%, respectively. In conclusion, the properties of S1v1-GS-ZHD518, such as its efficient degradability, high temperature resistance and storage resistance, offer the possibility of its application in food or feed.

Reduction Foodborne Pathogens and Surrogate Microorganism on Citrus Fruits after Lab- and Pilot-scale Finishing Wax Application.

After finishing waxes are applied, citrus fruits are typically dried at 32-60°C for 2-3 min before final packing. The survival of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, and Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354 was evaluated under laboratory conditions on lemons after applying one of four finishing waxes (F4, F6, F8, and F15) followed by an ambient hold or heated (50 or 60°C) drying step. The reduction of inoculated microorganisms during drying was significantly influenced by wax type and temperature, with greater reductions at higher temperatures. Greater reductions after waxing and drying at 60°C were observed with L. monocytogenes (2.84-4.44 log) than with Salmonella (1.65-3.67 log), and with Salmonella than with E. faecium (0.99-2.93 log). The survival of Salmonella inoculated at 5.8-5.9 log/fruit on lemons and oranges after applying wax F6 and drying at 60°C was evaluated during storage at 4 and 22°C. The reductions of Salmonella after waxing and drying were 1.7 log; additional reductions during storage at 4 or 22°C were 1.40-1.43 or 0.18-0.29 log, respectively, on waxed lemons, and 0.56-1.02 or 0.54-0.57 log, respectively, on waxed oranges. Under pilot-scale packinghouse conditions with wax F4, mean and minimum reductions of E. faecium ranged from 2.15 to 2.89 and 1.64 to 2.12 log, respectively. However, E. faecium was recovered by whole-fruit enrichment (limit of detection: 0.60 log CFU/lemon) but not by plating (LOD: 1.3 log CFU/lemon) from uninoculated lemons run with or after the inoculated lemons. The findings should provide useful information to establish and implement packinghouse food safety plans.

Unexpected antagonism of deoxynivalenol and enniatins in intestinal toxicity through the Ras/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a kind of widespread traditional Fusarium mycotoxins in the environment, and its intestinal toxicity has received considerable attention. Recently, the emerging Fusarium mycotoxin enniatins (ENNs) have also been shown to frequently coexist with DON in animal feed and food with large consumption. However, the mechanism of intestinal damage caused by the two mycotoxins co-exposure remains unclear. In this study, Caco-2 cell line was used to investigate the combined toxicity and potential mechanisms of four representative ENNs (ENA, ENA1, ENB, and ENB1) and DON. The results showed that almost all mixed groups showed antagonistic effects, particularly ENB at 1/4 IC50 (CI = 6.488). Co-incubation of ENNs mitigated the levels of signaling molecule levels disrupted by DON, including reactive oxygen species (ROS), calcium mobilization (Ca2+), adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the mixed and ENB groups were significantly enriched in the Ras/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, including 28 up-regulated genes and 40 down-regulated genes. Quantitative real-time PCR further confirmed the lower expression of apoptotic gene in the mixed group, thereby reducing the cytotoxic effects caused by DON exposure. This study emphasizes that co-exposure of ENNs and DON reduces cytotoxicity by regulating the Ras/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Our results provide the first comprehensive evidence about the antagonistic toxicity of ENNs and DON on Caco-2 cells, and new insights into mechanisms investigated by transcriptomics.

Double phage displayed peptides co-targeting-based biosensor with signal enhancement activity for colorimetric detection of Staphylococcus aureus.

The development of simple, fast, sensitive, and specific strategies for the detection of foodborne pathogenic bacteria is crucial for ensuring food safety and promoting human health. Currently, detection methods for Staphylococcus aureus still suffer from issues such as low specificity and low sensitivity. To address this problem, we proposed a sensitivity enhancement strategy based on double phage-displayed peptides (PDPs) co-targeting. Firstly, we screened two PDPs and analyzed their binding mechanisms through fluorescent localization, pull-down assay, and molecular docking. The two PDPs target S. aureus by binding to specific proteins on its outer membrane. Based on this phenomenon, a convenient and sensitive double PDPs colorimetric biosensor was developed. Double thiol-modified phage-displayed peptides (PDP-SH) enhance the aggregation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), whereas the specific interaction between the double PDPs and bacteria inhibits the aggregation of AuNPs, resulting in an increased visible color change before and after the addition of bacteria. This one-step colorimetric approach displayed a high sensitivity of 2.35 CFU/mL and a wide detection range from 10-2 × 108 CFU/mL. The combination with smartphone-based image analysis improved the portability of this method. This strategy achieves the straightforward, highly sensitive and portable detection of pathogenic bacteria.

Antimicrobial carbon dots/pectin-based hydrogel for promoting healing processes in multidrug-resistant bacteria-infected wounds.

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections have become a significant threat to global healthcare systems. Here, we developed a highly efficient antimicrobial hydrogel using environmentally friendly garlic carbon dots, pectin, and acrylic acid. The hydrogel had a porous three-dimensional network structure, which endowed it with good mechanical properties and compression recovery performance. The hydrogel could adhere closely to skin tissues and had an equilibrium swelling ratio of 6.21, indicating its potential as a wound dressing. In particular, the bactericidal efficacy following 24-h contact against two MDR bacteria could exceed 99.99 %. When the hydrogel was applied to epidermal wounds infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on mice, a remarkable healing rate of 93.29 % was observed after 10 days. This was better than the effectiveness of the traditionally used antibiotic kanamycin, which resulted in a healing rate of 70.36 %. In vitro cytotoxicity testing and hemolysis assay demonstrated a high biocompatibility. This was further proved by the in vivo assay where no toxic side effects were observed on the heart, liver, spleen, lung, or kidney of mice. This eco-friendly and easy-to-prepare food-inspired hydrogel provides an idea for the rational use of food and food by-products as a wound dressing to control MDR bacterial infections.