ABSTRACT
Cronobacter spp. are bacterial pathogens isolated from a wide variety of foods. This study aims at evaluating the occurrence of Cronobacter spp. in low water activity functional food samples, detect the presence of virulence genes, and determine the antibiotic susceptibility of strains. From 105 samples, 38 (36.2%) were contaminated with Cronobacter spp. The species identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing analyses (rpoB and fusA genes, respectively) were C. sakazakii (60.3%), C. dublinensis (25.4%), C. turincensis (9.5%), and C. malonaticus (4.8%). Nineteen fusA alleles were identified, including four new alleles. The virulence genes were identified by PCR and all isolates were positive for ompX and sodA genes, 60.3% to cpa gene, and 58.7% to hly gene. Using the disk diffusion method, antibiotic susceptibility to twelve antibiotics was assessed twice, separated by a 19-month period. In the first test, the isolates showed diverse antibiotic susceptibility profiles, with nineteen isolates (30.2%) being multi-drug resistant (resistant to three or more antibiotic classes), in the second, the isolates were susceptible to all antibiotics. Cronobacter spp. in functional foods demonstrates the need for continued investigation of this pathogen in foods, and further research is needed to clarify the loss of resistance of Cronobacter strains.
Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents , Cronobacter , Functional Food , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Cronobacter/genetics , Cronobacter/drug effects , Cronobacter/isolation & purification , Cronobacter/classification , Brazil , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Food Microbiology , Virulence Factors/genetics , Bacterial Proteins/genetics , Food Contamination/analysis , Water , Drug Resistance, Bacterial/geneticsABSTRACT
Cronobacter is an emerging bacterial pathogen associated with infections such as necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis, and meningitis in neonates and infants, related to the consumption of powdered infant formula. In addition, this bacterium can also cause infections in adults by the ingestion of other foods. Thus, this review article aims to report the occurrence and prevalence of Cronobacter spp. in foods of plant origin, as well as the possible sources and routes of contamination in these products, and the presence of pathogenic strains in these foods. Cronobacter was present in a wide variety of cereal-based foods, vegetables, herbs, spices, ready-to-eat foods, and foods from other categories. This pathogen was also found in cultivation environments, such as soils, compost, animal feces, rice and vegetable crops, as well as food processing industries, and domestic environments, thus demonstrating possible contamination routes. Furthermore, sequence types (ST) involved in clinical cases and isolates resistant to antibiotics were found in Cronobacter strains isolated from food of plant origin. The identification of Cronobacter spp. in plant-based foods is of great importance to better elucidate the vehicles and routes of contamination in the primary production chain and processing facility, until the final consumption of the food, to prevent infections.
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: Enzymatic hydrolysis (pepsin) assisted with or without ultrasound in the functional properties of hydrolyzates from different collagens were analyzed. Degree of hydrolysis, antioxidant activity (DPPH) and antimicrobial activity (MIC) were assessed. The treatment that resulted in greater antioxidant activity for the fiber sample was with the use of 4% of enzyme and concomitant ultrasound (40.7%), leading to a degree of hydrolysis of 21.7%. For the powdered fiber sample the hydrolysis treatment with use of 4% of enzyme resulted in lower protein content (6.97mg/mL), higher degree of hydrolysis (19.9%) and greater antioxidant activity (38.6%). The hydrolyzates showed inhibitory capacity against gram-negative bacteria Salmonella choleraesuis and gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. It can be concluded that enzymatic hydrolysis concomitant or not with the use of ultrasound increased the functionality of the fiber and powdered fiber samples, for the other samples its use as supplementary treatment was not productive, due to the worse results of antioxidant activity (DPPH) reported. However, it provided greater hydrolysis degree.
RESUMO: Foram avaliados os efeitos da hidrólise enzimática (pepsina) assistida com ou sem ultrassom nas propriedades funcionais de hidrolisados de diferentes colágenos. Foi analisado o grau de hidrólise, a atividade antioxidante (DPPH) e a atividade antimicrobiana (MIC). O tratamento que possibilitou maior atividade antioxidante para a amostra fibra foi com a utilização de 4% de enzima e ultrassom concomitante (40,7%), levando a um grau de hidrólise de 21,7%. Para a amostra fibra pó o tratamento de hidrólise com uso de 4% de enzima resultou em menor teor de proteína (6,97mg/mL), maior grau de hidrólise (19,9%) e maior atividade antioxidante (38,6%). Os hidrolisados mostraram capacidade inibitória contra a bactéria gram-negativa Salmonella choleraesuis e gram-positiva Staphylococcus aureus. Pode-se concluir que a hidrólise enzimática concomitante, ou não, ao uso do ultrassom apresentou aumento da funcionalidade das amostras fibra e fibra pó. Para as demais amostras, sua utilização como tratamento complementar, a hidrólise não foi interessante, devido aos piores resultados de atividade antioxidante (DPPH) encontrados. Porém, proporcionou maior grau de hidrólise.