Detection of Extended Spectrum ß-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli with Biofilm Formation from Chicken Meat in Istanbul.

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the major public health problems worldwide. This study aimed to detect the presence of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-(ESBL-)producing Escherichia (E.) coli in chicken meat in Istanbul, Türkiye. Raw chicken meat samples (n = 208) were collected from different sale points and analyzed for ESBL-producing E. coli. In total, 101 (48.5%) isolates were confirmed as E. coli by PCR, of which 80/101 (79.2%) demonstrated multiple antibiotic resistance. Resistance against amoxicillin-clavulanic acid was most frequent (87.1%). Eighteen isolates (17.8%) demonstrated phenotypical ESBL resistance, as assessed by the double disc synergy test (DDST). Isolates were tested for the presence of ß-lactamase genes and mobilized colistin-resistant genes. The blaTEM group was most frequently detected (97.02%), followed by blaCTX m (45.5%), blaSHV (9.9%), and blaOXA-2 (0.9%). However, mcr genes and blaNDM,blaKPC, blaVIM, and blaOXA-48 genes were not found in any isolate. E. coli strains were tested for biofilm formation in six different media [Nutrient broth, LB broth, Tryptone Soya broth (TSB), TSB containing 1% sucrose, TSB containing 0.6% yeast extract, and BHI]. Biofilm formation by E. coli isolates (44/101, 43.5%) was highest in TSB with 1% sucrose. It is worth noting that all biofilm-producing isolates were found to harbor the blaTEM-1 gene, which can indicate a high level of antibiotic resistance. This is the first report about ESBL-producing E. coli in poultry meat, the exposure of consumers in Istanbul metropolitan areas, and the ability of E. coli from this region to produce biofilms.

Probiotic Foods Are Effective on Weight Loss, Biochemical Parameters, and Intestinal Microbiota in Wistar Albino Rats with Obese Microbiota.

The positive effects of various probiotic foods on weight control, intestinal microbiota, and biochemical markers have been proven by various studies. However, there is no study on such effects of tarhana and kefir + tarhana consumption, a type of Turkish food rich in Lactobacillus spp., Pediococcus pentosaceus, Pediococcus acidilactici, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This study aimed to determine the changes caused by regular consumption of kefir and/or tarhana for 6 months on weight gain, intestinal microbiota, and biochemical parameters in Wistar albino rats with obese microbiota. Therefore, thirty-five rats were fed with five different methods of oral gavage (n = 7 per group): Normal Diet Control (NDC), High Fat Diet Control (HFDC), 6 mL/kg Kefir + High Fat Diet (Kefir + HFD), 0.2 g/kg Tarhana + High Fat Diet (Tarhana + HFD), and 6 mL/kg Kefir + 0.2 g/kg Tarhana + High Fat Diet (Kefir + Tarhana + HFD). Normality tests were evaluated using the One-Sample Kolmogorov test and Histogram graph. Multiple group comparisons were performed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's HSD post hoc test, and the statistical significances were indicated by different letters (p < 0.05). Comparisons by gender were performed using the independent samples t-test. Kefir consumption was more effective on decreasing weight gain. Obese microbiota significantly increased blood glucose level and decreased red blood cell (RBC), hematocrit (HCT), hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), platelets (PLT), and white blood cells. RBC and HCT values in Kefir + HFD, PLT value in Tarhana + HFD, and mean corpuscular volume (MCV), MCH, and MCHC values in Kefir + Tarhana + HFD were higher than those of other groups (p < 0.05). Kefir + tarhana consumption significantly showed an increase in blood glucose. Kefir and/or tarhana induced the abundance of Lactobacillus and blocked the abundances of total coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli (p < 0.05). We demonstrated that kefir was effective in decreasing weight gain, and all dietary interventions induced positive alterations on biochemical findings and intestinal microbiota.

Presence of Foodborne Pathogens in Seafood and Risk Ranking for Pathogens.

This study aims at examining the contamination of coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio vulnificus, and Vibrio cholerae, which carry extremely serious risks to the consumer health, in 700 seafood belonging to 4 different (raw sea fish, raw mussels, raw shrimp, and raw squid) categories. The total number of samples was determined as 700. When the obtained results were viewed in total, they were found to be 48.14%, 18.71%, 8.57%, and 3.42% for coliform bacteria, E. coli, L. monocytogenes, and V. vulnificus, respectively. V. cholerae, one of the factors studied, was not found. Conventional microbiological cultivation methods were used in the analysis stage as well as the real-time PCR method. This study aims at making a risk ranking modeling for consumer health based on product category and pathogens by interpreting the results of the analysis with statistical methods. According to the statistical analysis, significantly binary correlations were determined among some parameters that stimulate one another for reproducing. In the light of the obtained results of the study, it has been concluded that the studies of the most detailed examinations of the microbiological risks associated with seafood, forms of microbial pollution and microorganisms that cause deterioration in seafood and threaten consumer health and the path that their epidemiologies follow, are of primary importance to both protecting consumer health and obtaining safe and quality seafood.

Effect of rosemary essential oil and modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) on meat quality and survival of pathogens in poultry fillets.

The effect of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) essential oil (REO) and modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the survival of certain pathogens (Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes) in poultry fillets and on their meat quality during 7 days of refrigerated storage were investigated. Because REO at 0.05% and 0.1% had weak antibacterial activity and REO at 0.3%, 0.5% and 1.0% imparted unacceptable organoleptic properties, only REO at 0.2% was used to treat the poultry meat. The results showed that adding 0.2% REO to poultry fillets did not reduce the size of the population of S. Typhimurium and L. monocytogenes. However, REO treatment significantly decreased the L* (lightness) value and increased the a* (redness) value of stored fillets, and adding REO in combination with MAP reduced the level of lipid oxidation. In conclusion, in a suitable combination, REO can be applied to improve the quality of meat, but further studies should be conducted to determine the appropriate commercial level for different meat products.

Effect of rosemary essential oil and modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) on meat quality and survival of pathogens in poultry fillets

The effect of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) essential oil (REO) and modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the survival of certain pathogens (Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes) in poultry fillets and on their meat quality during 7 days of refrigerated storage were investigated. Because REO at 0.05% and 0.1% had weak antibacterial activity and REO at 0.3%, 0.5% and 1.0% imparted unacceptable organoleptic properties, only REO at 0.2% was used to treat the poultry meat. The results showed that adding 0.2% REO to poultry fillets did not reduce the size of the population of S. Typhimurium and L. monocytogenes. However, REO treatment significantly decreased the L* (lightness) value and increased the a* (redness) value of stored fillets, and adding REO in combination with MAP reduced the level of lipid oxidation. In conclusion, in a suitable combination, REO can be applied to improve the quality of meat, but further studies should be conducted to determine the appropriate commercial level for different meat products.

N-acetylcysteine reduced the effect of ethanol on antioxidant system in rat plasma and brain tissue.

Chronic ethanol administration is able to induce an oxidative stress in the central nervous system. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) has antioxidant properties; as a sulphydryl donor, it contributes to the regeneration of glutathione and it acts through a direct reaction with hydroxyl radicals. In this study we investigated a possible beneficial effect of NAC on some of the free radical related parameters. Twenty four male Wistar rats were divided in to three groups and were given ethanol (Group 1), ethanol and NAC (Group 2) and isocaloric dextrose (Group 3). Ethanol and NAC were given intragastrically at doses of 6 g/kg/day and 1 g/kg/day, respectively. Our results show that chronic ethanol intake elicits statistically significant increase in MDA and NO levels and decrease in SOD and GSH levels in both plasma and brain (p < 0.001). GPx levels decreased in erythrocytes (p < 0.001). CAT activity showed significant decrease only in brain samples (p < 0.001). NAC administration effectively restores the above results to nearly normal levels. Therefore we suggest that reactive free radicals are, at least partly, involved in the ethanol-induced injury of brain cells and NAC mitigate the toxic effects of ethanol on the oxidant-antioxidant system of rat plasma and brain.