Food Science Commons^™

Humanized Microbiota Mice As A Model Of Recurrent Clostridium Difficile Disease, James Collins, Jennifer M. Auchtung, Laura Schaefer, Kathryn A. Eaton, Robert A. Britton

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Clostridium difficile disease is the leading antibiotic-associated cause of diarrhea and nosocomial acquired infection in the western world. The per annum burden in the USA alone amounts to 250,000 cases with 14,000 ascribed deaths and medical costs in excess of a billion dollars. Novel models for the study of C. difficile infection are therefore pertinent.

Results: Germ free C57BL/6 mice gavaged with a healthy human fecal microbiota maintained a stable “humanized” microbiota over multiple generations when housed under specific pathogen-free (SPF) conditions. As with mice containing a conventional microbiota, treatment with a five-antibiotic cocktail followed by a single dose …

Cultivation Of Stable, Reproducible Microbial Communities From Different Fecal Donors Using Minibioreactor Arrays (Mbras), Jennifer M. Auchtung, Catherine D. Robinson, Robert A. Britton

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Continuous-flow culture models are one tool for studying complex interactions between members of human fecal microbiotas because they allow studies to be completed during an extended period of time under conditions where pH, nutrient availability, and washout of waste products and dead cells can be controlled. Because many of the existing well-validated continuous-flow models are large and complex, we were interested in developing a simpler continuous-flow system that would allow microbial community dynamics to be examined in higher throughput while still maintaining complex microbial communities. To this end, we developed minibioreactor arrays (MBRAs), small volume bioreactors (15 ml) that …

Stalk Strenght And Sugar Content Of 55 Dual-Purpose Sorghum Inbreds, S. F. Chen, M.-G. C. Danao, P. J. Brown

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

In 2012, sorghum was approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as an “advanced” bioenergy feedstock in cases where both the grain and stover are both used for energy production (USEPA, 2012). It is desirable, therefore, to develop taller varieties of sorghum to increase biomass yields. However the taller the plant gets, the more susceptible it becomes to lodging, reducing grain yield in the end. Additionally the ability to characterize the storage stability of new sorghum varieties in terms of moisture content and free sugars content is advantageous. In this study, high throughput assays to characterize stalk strength based …

Preface, Metagenomics For Microbiology, Jacques Izard, Maria C. Rivera

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

It is well known that only a small fraction of extant microbial life has been identified. Metagenomics, the direct sequencing and characterization of genes and genomes present in complex microbial ecosystems (for example, metagenomes), has revolutionized the practice of microbiology by bypassing the hurdle of pure culture isolation. Metagenomics shows promise of advancing our understanding of the diversity, function, and evolution of the uncultivated majority.

Metagenomics as a field arose in the 1990s after the application of molecular biology techniques to genomic material directly extracted from microbial assemblages present in diverse habitats, including the human body. The application of metagenomic …

Metagenomics For Bacteriology, Erika Del Castillo, Jacques Izard

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

The study of bacteria, or bacteriology, has gone through transformative waves since its inception in the 1600s. It all started by the visualization of bacteria using light microscopy by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, when he first described “animalcules.” Direct cellular observation then evolved into utilizing different wavelengths on novel platforms such as electron, fluorescence, and even near-infrared microscopy. Understanding the link between microbes and disease (pathogenicity) began with the ability to isolate and cultivate organisms through aseptic methodologies starting in the 1700s. These techniques became more prevalent in the following centuries with the work of famous scientists such as Louis Pasteur …

Promises And Prospects Of Microbiome Studies, Maria C. Rivera, Jacques Izard

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Since Anthony van Leeuwenhoek, first microscopic observations of the unseen microbiota and the more recent realization that little of the microbes in the biosphere are known, humans have developed a deep curiosity to fully understand the inner workings of the microbial realm. Our ability to characterize the complexity of microbial communities in their natural habitats has dramatically improved over the past decade thanks to advances in high-throughput methodologies. By eliminating the need to isolate and culture individual species, metagenomics approaches have removed many of the obstacles that hindered research in the ecology of mixed microbial consortia, providing valuable information about …

How Good Is Good Enough? Data Requirements For Reliable Crop Yield Simulations And Yield-Gap Analysis, Patricio Grassini, Lenny G.J. Van Bussel, Justin Van Wart, Joost Wolf, Lieven Claessens, Haishun Yang, Hendrik Boogaard, Hugo De Groot, Martin K. Van Ittersum, Kenneth Cassman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Numerous studies have been published during the past two decades that use simulation models to assess crop yield gaps (quantified as the difference between potential and actual farm yields), impact of climate change on future crop yields, and land-use change. However, there is a wide range in quality and spatial and temporal scale and resolution of climate and soil data underpinning these studies, as well as widely differing assumptions about cropping-system context and crop model calibration. Here we present an explicit rationale and methodology for selecting data sources for simulating crop yields and estimating yield gaps at specific locations that …

Comparison Of Six Commercial Elisa Kits For Their Specificity And Sensitivity In Detecting Different Major Peanut Allergens, Shyamali Jayasena, Mieke Smits, Daniëlle Fiechter, Aard De Jong, Julie A. Nordlee, Joe Baumert, Steve L. Taylor, Raymond H. Pieters, Stef J. Koppelman

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Six commercial peanut enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits were assessed for their ability to recover peanut from the standard reference material 2387 peanut butter and also for their specificity in detecting four major peanut allergens, Ara h 1, Ara h 2, Ara h 3, and Ara h 6. The percentage recovery of peanut from peanut butter differed across different kits as well as at different sample concentrations. The highest recovery was observed with the Romer and R-Biopharm kits, while four other kits were found to underestimate the protein content of the reference peanut butter samples. Five of the kits were most …

Characterization Of The Ecological Role Of Genes Mediating Acid Resistance In Lactobacillus Reuteri During Colonization Of The Gastrointestinal Tract, Janina A. Krumbeck, Nathan L Marsteller, Steven Frese, Daniel A. Peterson, Amanda Ramer-Tait, Robert W. Hutkins, Jens Walter

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Rodent-derived strains of Lactobacillus reuteri densely colonize the forestomach of mice and possess several genes whose predicted functions constitute adaptations towards an acidic environment. The objective of this study was to systematically determine which genes of L. reuteri 100-23 contribute to tolerance towards host gastric acid secretion. Genes predicted to be involved in acid resistance were inactivated, and their contribution to survival under acidic conditions was confirmed in model gastric juice. Fitness of five mutants that showed impaired in vitro acid resistance were then compared through competition experiments in ex-germ-free mice that were either treated with omeprazole, a proton-pump inhibitor …

Steps In Metagenomics: Let’S Avoid Garbage In And Garbage Out, Jacques Izard

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Is metagenomics a revolution or a new fad? Metagenomics is tightly associated with the availability of next-generation sequencing in all its implementations. The key feature of these new technologies, moving beyond the Sanger-based DNA sequencing approach, is the depth of nucleotide sequencing per sample.Knowing much more about a sample changes the traditional paradigms of “What is the most abundant?” or “What is the most significant?” to “What is present and potentially sig­nificant that might influence the situation and outcome?” Let’s take the case of identifying proper biomarkers of disease state in the context of chronic disease prevention. Prevention has been …

Molecular Targets Of Antihypertensive Peptides: Understanding The Mechanisms Of Action Based On The Pathophysiology Of Hypertension, Kaustav Majumder, Jianping Wu

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

There is growing interest in using functional foods or nutraceuticals for the prevention and treatment of hypertension or high blood pressure. Although numerous preventive and therapeutic pharmacological interventions are available on the market, unfortunately, many patients still suffer from poorly controlled hypertension. Furthermore, most pharmacological drugs, such as inhibitors of angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE), are often associated with significant adverse effects. Many bioactive food compounds have been characterized over the past decades that may contribute to the management of hypertension; for example, bioactive peptides derived from various food proteins with antihypertensive properties have gained a great deal of attention. Some …

Host Genetics And Diet, But Not Immunoglobulin A Expression, Converge To Shape Compositional Features Of The Gut Microbiome In An Advanced Intercross Population Of Mice, Larry J. Leamy, Scott A. Kelly, Joseph Nietfeldt, Ryan M. Legge, Fangrui Ma, Kunjie Hua, Rohita Sinha, Daniel A. Peterson, Jens Walter, Andrew K. Benson, Daniel Pomp

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Individuality in the species composition of the vertebrate gut microbiota is driven by a combination of host and environmental factors that have largely been studied independently. We studied the convergence of these factors in a G₁₀ mouse population generated from a cross between two strains to search for quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that affect gut microbiota composition or ileal Immunoglobulin A (IgA) expression in mice fed normal or high-fat diets.

Results: We found 42 microbiota-specific QTLs in 27 different genomic regions that affect the relative abundances of 39 taxa, including four QTL that were shared between this G …

Beneficial Effects Of Simulated Gastro-Intestinal Digests Of Fried Egg And Its Fractions On Blood Pressure, Plasma Lipids And Oxidative Stress In Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats, Forough Jahandideh, Kaustav Majumder, Subhadeep Chakrabarti, Jude S. Morton, Sareh Panahi, Susan Kaufman, Sandra T. Davidge, Jianping Wu

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: We have previously characterized several antihypertensive peptides in simulated digests of cooked eggs and showed blood pressure lowering property of fried whole egg digest. However, the long-term effects of this hydrolysate and its fractions on blood pressure are not known. Therefore, the objectives of the study were to determine the effects of long term administration of fried whole egg hydrolysate and its fractions (i.e. egg white and egg yolk) on regulation of blood pressure and associated factors in cardiovascular disease such as plasma lipid profile and tissue oxidative stress.

Methods and Results: We used spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), an …

Improving The Health Impacts Of Whole Grains Through Processing: Resistant Starch, Dietary Fiber Solubility, And Mineral Bioaccessibility, Jennifer A. Arcila Castillo

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Whole grains are good sources of starch, dietary fiber, and mineral elements. Starch is an important source of energy but also can be transformed to resistant starch to impart lower caloric value and increase total dietary fiber. Dietary fibers impart physiological benefits to human body once they are fermented by the gut microbiota. Mineral elements are important co-factors of a wide range of enzymes involved for instance in glucose and lipid metabolism. In general human body is capable of absorbing only 21-28% of most mineral elements, and gut bacteria are only able to ferment 34% of the dietary fiber from …

The Unseen World: Environmental Microbial Sequencing And Identification Methods For Ecologists, Naupaka Zimmerman, Jacques Izard, Christian Klatt, Jizhong Zhou, Emma Aronson

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Archaea, bacteria, microeukaryotes, and the viruses that infect them (collectively “microorganisms”) are foundational components of all ecosystems, inhabiting almost every imaginable environment and comprising the majority of the planet’s organismal and evolutionary diversity. Microorganisms play integral roles in ecosystem functioning; are important in the biogeochemical cycling of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), phosphorus (P), and various metals (eg Barnard et al. 2005); and may be vital to ecosystem responses to large-scale climatic change. Rarely found alone, microorganisms often form complex communities that are dynamic in space and time. For these and other reasons, ecologists and environmental scientists have become …

Biosafety: Evaluation And Regulation Of Genetically Modified (Gm) Crops In The United States, Richard E. Goodman

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

This review of the safety assessment of genetically modified (GM) crops is focused primarily on the process and progress in the United States (US). It reviews the development of the safety evaluation process from the Asilomar conference in 1975 considering issues relevant to recombinant DNA technology, to discussions between the US government, academic and industrial scientists between 1984 and 1994 when the first GM crops were being field tested and evaluated commercial release for food and feed production. International guidelines were also reviewed for consistency with the US system. The overall process includes consideration of information relating to history of …

Advancing The Microbiome Research Community, Curtis Huttenhower, Rob Knight, C. Titus Brown, J. Gregory Caporaso, Jose C. Clemente, Dirk Gevers, Eric A. Franzosa, Scott T. Kelley, Dan Knights, Ruth E. Ley, Anup Mahurkar, Jacques Ravel, Scientists For Advancement Of Microbiome Research, Owen White, Jacques Izard

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

The human microbiome has become a recognized factor in promoting and maintaining health. We outline opportunities in interdisciplinary research, analytical rigor, standardization, and policy development for this relatively new and rapidly developing field. Advances in these aspects of the research community may in turn advance our understanding of human microbiome biology.

It is now widely recognized that disturbances in our normal microbial populations may be linked to acute infections such as Clostridium difficile and to chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, obesity, and autoimmune disorders. This has prompted substantial interest in the microbiome from both basic and clinical perspectives. …

生物安全:美国转基因作物的评价与管理, Richard E. Goodman

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

本篇综述侧重于介绍美国本土的转基因作物安全评价的过程和进展。回顾了安全评价程序的建 立过程,从1975年阿西洛马(Asilomar)会议上关于重组DNA技术的问题,自1984-1994年间第一例转基因作 物进行田间试验到评估作为食物和饲料商业化生产时,美国政府、学术界和产业界科学家之间的讨论。此外,一 同回顾国际上的指南与美国的系统。整体过程还要考虑人类接触基因来源和表达蛋白是否有安全的或不安全 的历史。食用蛋白安全性首要考虑因素为某些消费者是否对其过敏或者拥有转基因编码蛋白的IgE抗体,或者 转基因食品会诱发乳糜泻,同时考虑表达蛋白的潜在毒性效果和对人或动物营养的影响。在美国,该过程与国 际食品法典委员会的建议是一致的,它是基于科学的并应用合理的假设。迄今为止,没有证据证明在美国获得 批准的转基因作物危害人或动物的健康。评价要考虑遗传和环境上的变化对植物新品种产物的影响,并坚持转 基因植物食品和非转基因相似物种同样安全的评价原则。

The Trehalose Pathway In Maize: Conservation And Gene Regulation In Response To The Diurnal Cycle And Extended Darkness, Clémence Henry, Samuel W. Bledsoe, Allison Siekman, Alec Kollman, Brian M. Waters, Regina Feil, Mark Stitt, L. Mark Lagrimini

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Energy resources in plants are managed in continuously changing environments, such as changes occurring during the day/night cycle. Shading is an environmental disruption that decreases photosynthesis, compromises energy status, and impacts on crop productivity. The trehalose pathway plays a central but not well-defined role in maintaining energy balance. Here, we characterized the maize trehalose pathway genes and deciphered the impacts of the diurnal cycle and disruption of the day/night cycle on trehalose pathway gene expression and sugar metabolism. The maize genome encodes 14 trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) genes, 11 trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase (TPP) genes, and one trehalase gene. Transcript abundance of most …

Genome Wide Association Study Of Cholesterol And Poly- And Monounsaturated Fatty Acids, Protein, And Mineral Content Of Beef From Crossbred Cattle, C. M. Ahlberg, Lauren N. Schiermiester, J. T. Howard, Chris R. Calkins, Matthew L. Spangler

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The objectives were to determine the variation explained by the BovineSNP50v2 BeadChip for cholesterol (CH), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), protein, and minerals in beef cattle, and to identify chromosomal regions that harbor major allelic variants underlying the variation of these traits. Crossbred steers and heifers (n = 236) segregating at the inactive myostatin allele on BTA2 were harvested and steaks were sampled from the M. semitendinosus and the M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum for nutrient analysis. A Bayes C algorithm was employed in genome-wide association analysis. The resulting posterior heritability (SD) estimates ranged from 0.43 (0.10) …

Characterization Of Commercial Probiotics: Antibiotic Resistance, Acid And Bile Resistance, And Prebiotic Utilization, Carmen Lucia Cano Roca

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Probiotics, live microorganisms that beneficially affect the health of their host, must undergo extensive research to ensure they are safe for consumption and possess certain functional properties. Antibiotic resistance in probiotics has raised concern due to the possibility of its transfer to pathogens. Acid and bile tolerance ensures that organisms will survive passage into the intestines. Prebiotic utilization indicates ability to ferment specific carbohydrates for enhanced growth. The objective of this study was to characterize a group of commercial probiotics for their suitability as probiotics.

Nine commercial probiotic strains (7 Lactobacillus, 1 Lactococcus lactis, and 1 Bifidobacterium longum …

Feeding Condensed Distillers’ Solubles To Feedlot Finishing Steers And The Effects Of Feed Additives In Adaptation Diets, Marie Elizabeth Harris

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

By-products from the dry-milling ethanol process can be used in cattle diets to replace corn. There is a significant interaction between corn processing methods as CCDS concentration increases in the diet. Improvements are observed for SFC in final BW, ADG, and G:F over DRC. An experiment was conducted to determine if greater concentrations of CCDS could be fed in SFC based diets and maintain or improve performance. Performance and carcass characteristics were evaluated with increasing concentrations of CCDS at 0, 9, 18, 27, or 36% in place of SFC in feedlot finishing diets. As CCDS concentration increased, DMI decreased quadratically. …

Adherence Inhibition Of Human Pathogens Campylobacter Jejuni And Campylobacter Coli By Non-Digestible Oligosaccharides, Alejandra Ramirez-Hernandez

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Adherence is the first and one of the most important steps of bacterial pathogenesis. Natural derived components that inhibit the adherence of pathogens to the surface of epithelial cells have received considered interest. The goal of this research was to assess the anti-adherence activity of mannan oligosaccharides (MOS), pectic oligosaccharides (POS) and cranberry high molecular weight component (HMW) against Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli. First the anti-adherence activity of MOS and their purified fraction (pMOS) was tested against three strains of C. jejuni and two strains of C. coli. Results shown significant reductions in adherence (up to 70%) …

Understanding The Factors Affecting Microbiological Quality Of Wheat Milled Products: From Wheat Fields To Milling Operations, Luis E. Sabillón Galeas

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Although regarded as a low-risk commodity, wheat flour-based mixes have been implicated in several food safety incidents. The present thesis is a compilation of five scientific manuscripts on the effect of weather variation, milling steps and implementation of pre-milling interventions on the microbiological quality and safety of wheat and milled products. The first manuscript is a review of the microbiological quality and safety of wheat-based products. Despite the low water activity, wheat flour may harbor dormant but viable microorganisms, which could lead to safety concerns when flour is used to produce refrigerated dough products. The second manuscript illustrates the effect …

Non-Digestible Oligosaccharides: Anti-Adherence And Other Biological Properties, Maria I. Quintero-Villegas

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Bacterial adherence is the first and one of the most important steps in bacterial pathogenesis. Adherence to host cell surfaces requires that the bacteria recognize specific receptors in the surface of epithelial cells. Therefore, agents that act as molecular decoys to interfere with adherence could be useful prophylactic treatments to prevent or mitigate the onset of infections. The goal of this research was to assess the ability of several food grade non-digestible oligosaccharides (NDOs) to act as molecular decoys and prevent bacterial adherence in vitro as well as in vivo. First, the antiadherence effect of specific species chitooligosaccharides (CHOS) …

Gmos: Are They A Regulatory Or Food Safety Issue?, Richard E. Goodman

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Most of the genetic diversity that has improved agricultural production throughout the history of farming was developed through natural mutations and selective breeding. However, since the early 1900s plant scientists have used chemical and radiation mutagenesis to increase genetic diversity (18). We know that the majority of mutations are harmful, and plant breeders work hard to select only those that are beneficial. This process has helped feed a growing human population, which is estimated to have been 300 million 2,000 years ago and is now more than 7 billion. However, methods used in the past to improve agricultural production are …

Feeding Alkaline Treated And Processed Crop Residue To Feedlot Cattle, Sarah Jean Peterson

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Chemical treatment and decreased particle size are methods used to improve digestibility and utilization of the available nutrients in low quality forages. Previous research has indicated that chemically treated corn residue can take the place of corn when included in finishing rations containing distillers grains. Also, decreasing particle size utilizing methods such as pelleting has been shown to improve DMI and ADG. However, limited research has been completed on use of chemical treatment and pelleting in growing and receiving rations. Also, an ideal distillers inclusion has not yet been identified when including alkaline treated stalks in finishing rations. Therefore, a …

Harvest Incentives: A Tool For Managing Aquatic Invasive Species, Bob Wiltshire, Nathan Stone, Marshall Meyers, Bill Hyatt, Lori Williams, Jason Goldberg, Susan Pasko, Leah Elwell

National Invasive Species Council

Conclusion

The success of any harvest incentive program to address aquatic invasive species will depend upon numerous biological, socioeconomic, and legal considerations. Programs that encourage harvest may be a successful management tool in targeting small, distinct populations; in high priority areas within a larger invasion; or they may play a supplementary role within larger control programs. Their use, however, will require careful review, planning, and monitoring to ensure success and that they do not unintentionally lead to further spread of invasive species, cause additional harm to native species, or waste valuable resources.

Investigating Antibiotic Resistance Levels Of Salmonella Internalized In Lettuce Leaves, Jason B. Thomas

McNair Scholars Research Journal

Contamination of food crops by the human pathogen Salmonella is a food safety threat worldwide. Though using treated wastewater for irrigation is a sustainable practice, it may introduce trace levels of Salmonella that may contaminate food crops. Salmonella could develop resistance to antibiotics present in wastewater. The overall goal of the project is to increase the understanding of the public health risk associated with the use of treated wastewater to irrigate food crops. The objective of this particular study is to determine the antibiotic resistance level of Salmonella internalized in lettuce leaves. In this experiment, thirty-six plants of the lettuce …

Starch-Pectin Matrices For Encapsulation Of Ascorbic Acid, Yiwei Liu

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Starch and pectin are two food-grade carbohydrates widely utilized in the food industry. Starch and pectin polymers have been investigated in encapsulating functional food ingredients and in pharmaceutical applications. Resistance to enzyme hydrolysis, differential solubilities, depending on the pH, and the ability to ‘protect’ unstable molecules are considered some of the beneficial properties of starch and pectin polymers, for encapsulation applications. Food ingredients could be delivered in a controlled manner to a specific target by encapsulating in micro-scale particles, i. e., microencapsulation. Two studies were conducted to investigate the ability of selected starch-pectin blends in microencapsulating ascorbic acid (vitamin C) …