Inhibitory effects of lactic acid and lauricidin on spoilage organisms of chicken breast during storage at chilled temperature.

Different concentrations of lauricidin (LU, containing 1% lactic acid) and lactic acid alone (LA) were evaluated for their effectiveness in reducing naturally occurring microflora of raw chicken breasts. Chicken breasts were dipped in 0 (control), 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0% solutions of LU (w/v) or LA (v/v) for 10, 20, and 30 min and stored at 4°C for 14 d. Total Plate Counts (TPC) and populations of Pseudomonas spp. and Enterobacteriaceae were determined before and after dipping and after storing for 1, 3, 7, 10, and 14 d. Additionally, Hunter L, a, and b values and pH of the chicken breast were also determined. From the obtained results, TPC on chicken breast treated with LU was found to be decreased by 0.92 to 1.2 log CFU/g from a mean initial log 5.69 CFU/g, while those dipped in LA decreased by 0.53 to 2.36 log CFU/g. Pseudomonas population on chicken breast dipped in LU decreased by 0.79 to 1.77 log CFU/g from an initial 3.90 log CFU/g, while in LA treated it decreased by 0.39 to 1.82 log CFU/g. Enterobacteriaceae counts were also found to be reduced by 0.14 to 1.14 log CFU/g on chicken breast dipped in LU, while the reduction was from 0.59 to 2.18 log CFU/g in chicken breast dipped in LA. The major bacterial types isolated from LU treated chicken breast belonged to the Enterobacteriaceae group, which included: Enterobacter, E. coli and Citrobacter. Whereas, in the LA treated breast it belonged to: Pseudomonas, E. coli, and Kocuria rhizophila (formerly Micrococcus luteus). Dipping chicken breast in LU and LA caused a significant decrease (p ≤ 0.05) in their pH values. Also, treatment with LU and LA caused a slight darkening in color (decreased Hunter L value), increase in redness (increased Hunter a value), and increase in yellowness (increased Hunter b value). Based on the results obtained in the present study, Lactic acid and Lauricidin showed high potential to be used as a sanitizer in reducing the population of spoilage microorganisms naturally occurring on raw chicken, and can be explored commercially for extension of their shelf life

Emerging Pathogens- Challenges to Franchise and Catering Business

FOOD SAFETY is a major concern for consumers, food producers, processors and regulatory agencies. It is concerned with ensuring food that is safe or free from disease causing agents such as microorganisms, biological toxins and chemicals from the FARM TO THE TABLE, or throughout the FOOD CHAIN. Foodborne diseases are widespread and of growing public health concern problem, both in developed and developing countries. The Center for Disease Control (CDC), USA, estimates about 250 different foodborne pathogens. The global incidence of foodborne disease is difficult to estimate, but it has been reported that in the year 2000 alone, 2.1 million people died from diarrhoeal diseases. The latest edition of the WHO Quarterly Statistics indicates that, the incidence of foodborne diseases may be 300-350 times more frequent than those reported. About 1.5 billion global episodes of diarrhea occur annually, mainly in developing countries, resulting in 3 million deaths among children less than 5 years of age. The WHO estimates that 70% of diarrhoeal episodes are caused by biologically contaminated food. Epidemiological data from both developed and developing countries indicates that the incidence of food poisoning is on the increase. This increase can be attributed to globalization, changing life styles, urbanization, demographic changes, increase international trade and tourism, microbial adaptation, technology and innovation in food processing, food handling, marketing and retail. Changes in Agricultural practices such as intensive farming, use of pesticides, growth hormones and antibiotics have also contributed to the increase in the incidence of food poisoning and the emergence of food pathogens. In addition to human suffering, caused by foodborne diseases in terms of death and ill-health, substantial economic costs are involved, affecting individuals, families, industries, health care systems and entire communities. At the national level, epidemics of foodborne disease affect tourism, trade and economic development

Inhibitory Effects of oxalic acid on Listeria monocytogenes , Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli O157:H7 inoculated onto Chicken Breast stored at 4°C

Oxalic acid was evaluated for its effectiveness in inhibiting growth of selected pathogens on raw chicken breasts. Inoculated chicken breasts were dipped in oxalic acid solutions (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0% w/v) for 10, 20, and 30 min, packed in oxygenpermeable polyethylene bags, and stored at 4°C. Oxalic acid residues were determined using HPLC method. Counts of pathogens on chicken breasts were determined on days 0, 2, 5, 7, 10, and 14 after storage. Maximum oxalic acid concentration in unwashed chicken breast was 36 mg/100g. Washing of chicken reduced oxalic acid concentration by 50%. Oxalic acid concentration in cooked breast was 2mg/100g which is quite lower than levels in vegetables and herbs, used in daily diets. Chicken meat treated with oxalic acid could therefore be safe for human consumption. Reduction by 2.87, 2.02 and 4.12 log CFU/g, of L. monocytogenes, S. Enteritidis and E. coli O157:H7 respectively was observed in treated samples. Counts of the pathogens in treated samples decreased compared to untreated samples during 14 days storage. Sensory evaluation of cooked oxalic acid treated samples was acceptable to consumers after 14 days of storage. It was evident that oxalic acid has great potential for decontamination of chicken carcasses

Isolation and molecular characterization of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in Malaysia

Nineteen strains of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolated from 10 of 75 (13·3%) tenderloin beef samples were examined for resistance to selected antibiotics, presence of plasmids, and genetic diversity by random amplification of polymorphic DNA analysis. All strains showed multiple resistant to the antibiotics tested. Multiple antibiotic indexing of the vancomycin-resistant E. faecium strains showed that all (100%) originated from high risk contamination environments where antibiotics were often used. Plasmids ranging in size from 1·5 to 36 megadalton were detected in 15 of 19 (79%) strains. Thus, three plasmid profiles and eight antibiotypes were observed among the E. faecium strains. A high degree of polymorphism was obtained by combining the results of the two primers used; with the 19 E. faecium strains being differentiated into 19 RAPD-types. These preliminary results suggest that RAPD-PCR has application for epidemiologic studies and that resistance patterns and plasmid profiling could be used as an adjunct to RAPD for the typing of E. faecium in the study area

Application of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis and plasmid profiles to the differentiation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from coastal waters

Plasmid profiles and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) techniques were used to analyse the genetic differentiation of 57 isolates of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from coastal water. Among the isolates, 16 plasmid patterns were observed, with plasmid sizes ranging from 1.5 to 7.6 megadalton. The two primers (Gen1-50-01, 5'-GTGCAATGAG-3' and Gen1-50-02, 5'-CAATGCGTCT-3') generated reproducible profiles of genomic DNA fingerprints producing bands ranging from 0.25 to 5.0 kb. The RAPD types profiles revealed a high level of DNA sequence diversity within the Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates tested, as 48 RAPD types were observed for each primer respectively. Hence, plasmid profiles and RAPD-PCR analysis proved useful in discriminating the isolates. The later method proved to be more sensitive. Our data show that Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates can be divided into at least 56 epidemiological subgroups on the basis of the plasmid profiles and RAPD-PCR results

Molecular analysis of Dichelobacter nodosus isolated from footrot in sheep in Malaysia

Pulsed field gel electrophoresis analysis of genomic DNA was used to investigate genetic diversity among Dichelobacter nodosus from footrot in sheep in Malaysia. Twelve Dichelobacter nodosus strains isolated from lesion materials from infected sheep were confirmed as Dichelobacter nodosus by polymerase chain reaction technique using the species-specific Dichelobacter nodosus 16S RNA sequence Ac and C as primers. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis banding profiles using restriction enzymes ApaI (5′GGGCCC3′), SfiI (5′GGCCNNNNNGGCC3′)and SmaI (′5CCCGGG3′) enabled the 12 Dichelobacter nodosus strains to be differentiated into eight different PFGE patterns and thus genome-types, with F (coefficient of similarity) values ranging from 0.17 to 1.0 (ApaI), 0.14 to 1.0 (SfiI) and 0.22 to 1.0 (SmaI). Strains with origin in different farms were shown to have different PFGE patterns (two strains, M7 and M8 were the only exception). On the basis of their PFGE, all field strains used in the study differed from the reference strains. Our data revealed that there are several clonal types of Dichelobacter nodosus isolates and indicated that there is probably more than one source of this pathogen on the farms studied. The study showed that strains of D. nodosus exhibited considerable genetic diversity using this method and that genomic analysis by pulsed field gel electrophoresis was useful in discriminating the D. nodosus strains

Use of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis to differentiate isolates of Vibrio parahaemolyticus from cockles (Anadara granosa)

A total of 35 Kanagawa-negative strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from cockles (Anadara granosa) were investigated by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA fingerprinting with three primers and their plasmid profiles. Eighteen strains carried small plasmid(s) of 2.4 to 7.3 kb that enabled the V. parahaemolyticus to be grouped into eight plasmid patterns. The three primers generated polymorphisms in all 35 strains of V. parahaemolyticus tested, producing bands ranging from 0.25 to 3.9 kb. The RAPD profiles revealed a high level of DNA sequence diversity within the Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains tested, and that cockles in the study area are populated by genetically polymorphic strains of V. parahaemolyticus

Description of Paralactobacillus selangorensis gen. nov., sp nov., a new lactic acid bacterium isolated from chili bo, a Malaysian food ingredient.

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Isolation and molecular characterization of vancomycinresistant Enterococcus faecium in Malaysia

Nineteen strains of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolated from 10 of 75 (13·3%) tenderloin beef samples were examined for resistance to selected antibiotics, presence of plasmids, and genetic diversity by random amplification of polymorphic DNA analysis. All strains showed multiple resistant to the antibiotics tested. Multiple antibiotic indexing of the vancomycin-resistant E. faecium strains showed that all (100%) originated from high risk contamination environments where antibiotics were often used. Plasmids ranging in size from 1·5 to 36 megadalton were detected in 15 of 19 (79%) strains. Thus, three plasmid profiles and eight antibiotypes were observed among the E. faecium strains. A high degree of polymorphism was obtained by combining the results of the two primers used; with the 19 E. faecium strains being differentiated into 19 RAPD-types. These preliminary results suggest that RAPD-PCR has application for epidemiologic studies and that resistance patterns and plasmid profiling could be used as an adjunct to RAPD for the typing of E. faecium in the study area