Food Science Commons^™

Elevated Fecal Ph Indicates A Profound Change In The Breastfed Infant Gut Microbiome Due To Reduction Of Bifidobacterium Over The Past Century, Bethany M. Henrick, Andra A. Hutton, Michelle C. Palumbo, Giorgio Casaburi, Ryan D. Mitchell, Mark A. Underwood, Jennifer T. Smilowitz, Steven A. Frese

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Historically, Bifidobacterium species were reported as abundant in the breastfed infant gut. However, recent studies in resource-rich countries show an increased abundance of taxa regarded as signatures of dysbiosis. It is unclear whether these differences are the product of genetics, geographic factors, or interventions such as formula feeding, antibiotics, and caesarean section. Fecal pH is strongly associated with Bifidobacterium abundance; thus, pH could be an indicator of its historical abundance. A review of 14 clinical studies published between 1926 and 2017, representing more than 312 healthy breastfed infants, demonstrated a change in fecal pH from 5.0 to 6.5 (adjusted r …

A Gut Pathobiont Synergizes With The Microbiota To Instigate Inflammatory Disease Marked By Immunoreactivity Against Other Symbionts But Not Itself, João Carlos Gomes-Neto, Hatem Kittana, Sara Mantz, Rafael R. Segura Munoz, Robert J. Schmaltz, Laure B. Bindels, Jennifer L. Clarke, Jesse M. Hostetter, Andrew K. Benson, Jens Walter, Amanda Ramer-Tait

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are likely driven by aberrant immune responses directed against the resident microbiota. Although IBD is commonly associated with a dysbiotic microbiota enriched in putative pathobionts, the etiological agents of IBD remain unknown. Using a pathobiont-induced intestinal inflammation model and a defined bacterial community, we provide new insights into the immune-microbiota interactions during disease. In this model system, the pathobiont Helicobacter bilis instigates disease following sub-pathological dextran sulfate sodium treatment. We show that H. bilis causes mild inflammation in mono-associated mice, but severe disease in the presence of a microbiota, demonstrating synergy between the pathobiont and microbiota …

Peanut Allergen Threshold Study (Pats): Novel Single-Dose Oral Food Challenge Study To Validate Eliciting Doses In Children With Peanut Allergy, Jonathan O'B. Hourihane, Katrina J. Allen, Wayne G. Shreffler, Gillian Dunngalvin, Julie A. Nordlee, Giovanni A. Zurzolo, Audrey Dunngalvin, Lyle C. Gurrin, Joseph L. Baumert, Steve L. Taylor

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Eliciting doses (EDs) of allergenic foods can be defined by the distribution of threshold doses for subjects within a specific population. The ED₀₅ is the dose that elicits a reaction in 5% of allergic subjects. The predicted ED₀₅ for peanut is 1.5 mg of peanut protein (6 mg of whole peanut).

Objective: We sought to validate the predicted peanut ED₀₅ (1.5 mg) with a novel single-dose challenge. Methods: Consecutive eligible children with peanut allergy in 3 centers were prospectively invited to participate, irrespective of previous reaction severity. Predetermined criteria for objective reactions were used …

The Host Microbiome Regulates And Maintains Human Health: A Primer And Perspective For Non-Microbiologists, Sunil Thomas, Jacques Izard, Emily Walsh, Kristen Batich, Pakawat Chongsathidkiet, Gerard Clarke, David A. Sela, Alexander J. Muller, James M. Mullin, Korin Albert, John P. Gilligan, Katherine Diguilio, Rima Dilbarova, Walker Alexander, George P. Prendergast

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Humans consider themselves discrete autonomous organisms, but recent research is rapidly strengthening the appreciation that associated microorganisms make essential contributions to human health and well being. Each person is inhabited and also surrounded by his/her own signature microbial cloud. A low diversity of microorganisms is associated with a plethora of diseases, including allergy, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases, and even neuropsychiatric disorders. Thus, an interaction of microorganisms with the host immune system is required for a healthy body. Exposure to microorganisms from the moment we are born and appropriate microbiome assembly during childhood are essential for establishing an active …

Lifestyle And Horizontal Gene Transfer- Mediated Evolution Of Mucispirillum Schaedleri, A Core Member Of The Murine Gut Microbiota, Alexander Loy, Carina Pfann, Michaela Steinberger, Buck Hanson, Simone Herp, Sandrine Brugiroux, João Carlos Gomes Neto, Mark V. Boekschoten, Clarissa Schwab, Tim Urich, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait, Thomas Rattei, Bärbel Stecher, David Berry

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Mucispirillum schaedleri is an abundant inhabitant of the intestinal mucus layer of rodents and other animals and has been suggested to be a pathobiont, a commensal that plays a role in disease. In order to gain insights into its lifestyle, we analyzed the genome and transcriptome of M. schaedleri ASF 457 and performed physiological experiments to test traits predicted by its genome. Although described as a mucus inhabitant, M. schaedleri has limited capacity for degrading host-derived mucosal glycans and other complex polysaccharides. Additionally, M. schaedleri reduces nitrate and expresses systems for scavenging oxygen and reactive oxygen species in vivo, …

Resistant Starch Can Improve Insulin Sensitivity Independently Of The Gut Microbiota, Laure B. Bindels, Rafael R. Segura Munoz, João Carlos Gomes-Neto, Valentin Mutemberezi, Inés Martínez, Nuria Salazar, Elizabeth A. Cody, Maria I. Quintero-Villegas, Hatem Kittana, Clara G De Los Reyes-Gavilán, Robert J. Schmaltz, Giulio G. Muccioli, Jens Walter, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Obesity-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, have reached epidemic proportions in industrialized nations, and dietary interventions for their prevention are therefore important. Resistant starches (RS) improve insulin sensitivity in clinical trials, but the mechanisms underlying this health benefit remain poorly understood. Because RS fermentation by the gut microbiota results in the formation of physiologically active metabolites, we chose to specifically determine the role of the gut microbiota in mediating the metabolic benefits of RS. To achieve this goal, we determined the effects of RS when added to a Western diet on host metabolism in mice with …

Negative Binomial Mixed Models For Analyzing Microbiome Count Data, Xinyan Zhang, Himel Mallick, Zaixiang Tang, Lei Zhang, Xiangqin Cui, Andrew K. Benson, Nengjun Yi

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Recent advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology enable researchers to collect a large volume of metagenomic sequencing data. These data provide valuable resources for investigating interactions between the microbiome and host environmental/clinical factors. In addition to the well-known properties of microbiome count measurements, for example, varied total sequence reads across samples, over-dispersion and zero-inflation, microbiome studies usually collect samples with hierarchical structures, which introduce correlation among the samples and thus further complicate the analysis and interpretation of microbiome count data.

Results: In this article, we propose negative binomial mixed models (NBMMs) for detecting the association between the microbiome and …

Profile Of Polyphenol Compounds Of Five Muscadine Grapes Cultivated In The United States And In Newly Adapted Locations In China, Zheng Wei, Jianming Luo, Yu Huang, Wenfeng Guo, Yali Zhang, Huan Guan, Changmou Xu, Jiang Lu

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Polyphenol compositions and concentrations in skins and seeds of five muscadine grapes (cv. “Noble”, “Alachua”, “Carlos”, “Fry”, and “Granny Val”) cultivated in the United States (Tallahassee-Florida, TA-FL) and South China (Nanning-Guangxi, NN-GX and Pu’er-Yunnan, PE-YN) were investigated, using ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem triple quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC Triple TOF MS/MS). Fourteen ellagitannins were newly identified in these muscadine grapes. The grapes grown in NN-GX accumulated higher levels of ellagic acid, methyl brevifolin carboxylate, and ellagic acid glucoside in skins, and penta-O-galloyl-glucose in seeds. In PE-YN, more flavonols were detected in skins, and higher contents of flavan-3-ols, ellagic acid, …

A Critical Assessment Of The “Sterile Womb” And “In Utero Colonization” Hypotheses: Implications For Research On The Pioneer Infant Microbiome, Maria Elisa Perez-Muñoz, Marie-Claire Arrieta, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait, Jens Walter

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

After more than a century of active research, the notion that the human fetal environment is sterile and that the neonate’s microbiome is acquired during and after birth was an accepted dogma. However, recent studies using molecular techniques suggest bacterial communities in the placenta, amniotic fluid, and meconium from healthy pregnancies. These findings have led many scientists to challenge the “sterile womb paradigm” and propose that microbiome acquisition instead begins in utero, an idea that would fundamentally change our understanding of gut microbiota acquisition and its role in human development. In this review, we provide a critical assessment of the …

The International Scientific Association For Probiotics And Prebiotics (Isapp) Consensus Statement On The Definition And Scope Of Prebiotics, Glenn R. Gibson, Robert W. Hutkins, Mary Ellen Sanders, Susan L. Prescott, Raylene A. Reimer, Seppo J. Salminen, Karen Scott, Catherine Stanton, Kelly S. Swanson, Patrice D. Cani, Kristin Verbeke, Gregor Reid

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

In December 2016, a panel of experts in microbiology, nutrition and clinical research was convened by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics to review the definition and scope of prebiotics. Consistent with the original embodiment of prebiotics, but aware of the latest scientific and clinical developments, the panel updated the definition of a prebiotic: a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit. This definition expands the concept of prebiotics to possibly include non-carbohydrate substances, applications to body sites other than the gastrointestinal tract, and diverse categories other than food. The requirement for selective …

Epidemiological Investigation Of Candida Species Causing Bloodstream Infection In Pediatric Small Bowel Transplant Recipients, Mallory J. Suhr, João Carlos Gomes-Neto, Nabaraj Banjara, Diana F. Florescu, David F. Mercer, Peter C. Iwen, Heather E. Hallen-Adams

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Small bowel transplantation (SBT) can be a life-saving medical procedure. However, these recipients experience high risk of bloodstream infections caused by Candida. This research aims to characterize the SBT recipient gut microbiota over time following transplantation and investigate the epidemiology of candidemia in seven pediatric patients. Candida species from the recipients’ ileum and bloodstream were identified by internal transcribed spacer sequence and distinguished to strain by multilocus sequence typing and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA. Antifungal susceptibility of bloodstream isolates was determined against nine antifungals. Twenty-two ileostomy samples harbored at least one Candida species. Fungemia were caused by Candida parapsilosis …

Subgingival Microbiome Colonization And Cytokine Production During Early Dental Implant Healing, Jeffrey B. Payne, Paul G. Johnson, Car Reen Kok, João Carlos Gomes-Neto, Amanda Ramer-Tait, Marian J. Schmid, Robert W. Hutkins

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Little is known about longitudinal development of the peri-implant subgingival microbiome and cytokine production as a new sulcus forms after dental implant placement. Therefore, the purpose of this observational study was to evaluate simultaneous longitudinal changes in the oral microbiome and cytokine production in the developing peri-implant sulcus compared to control natural teeth. Four and 12 weeks after implant placement and abutment connection, a dental implant and a natural tooth were sampled in 25 patients for subgingival plaque and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF [around teeth] and peri-implant crevicular fluid [PICF] around implants). DNA from plaque samples was extracted and sequenced …

The Impact Of The Bovine Faecal Microbiome On Escherichia Coli O157:H7 Prevalence And Enumeration In Naturally Infected Cattle, M. Kim, L. A. Kuehn, J. L. Bono, E. D. Berry, N. Kalchayanand, H. C. Freetly, A. K. Benson, J. E. Wells

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Aims: The objective of this study was to determine if the faecal microbiome has an association with Escherichia coli O157:H7 prevalence and enumeration.

Methods and Results: Pyrosequencing analysis of faecal microbiome was performed from feedlot cattle fed one of three diets: (i) 94 heifers fed low concentrate (LC) diet, (ii) 142 steers fed moderate concentrate (MC) diet, and (iii) 132 steers fed high concentrate (HC) diet. A total of 322 585 OTUs were calculated from 2,411,122 high-quality sequences obtained from 368 faecal samples. In the LC diet group, OTUs assigned to the orders Clostridiales and RF39 (placed within …

Evaluating Potential Risks Of Food Allergy And Toxicity Of Soy Leghemoglobin Expressed In Pichia Pastoris, Yuan Jin, Xiaoyun He, Kwame Andoh-Kumi, Rachel Z. Fraser, Mei Lu, Richard E. Goodman

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Scope: The Soybean (Glycine max) leghemoglobin c2 (LegHb) gene was introduced into Pichia pastoris yeast for sustainable production of a heme-carrying protein, for organoleptic use in plant-based meat. The potential allergenicity and toxicity of LegHb and 17 Pichia host-proteins each representing ≥ 1% of total protein in production batches are evaluated by literature review, bioinformatics sequence comparisons to known allergens or toxins, and in vitro pepsin digestion.

Methods and results: Literature searches found no evidence of allergenicity or toxicity for these proteins. There are no significant sequence matches of LegHb to known allergens or toxins. Eleven Pichia proteins have modest …

Review Of Nutraceuticals And Functional Properties Of Whole Wheat, Rachana Poudel, Madhav Bhatta

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most commonly cultivated and consumed cereals throughout the world. Though phytochemicals and antioxidants in the cereal grains have not been studied as in fruits and vegetables, given the role of wheat in our diet plate, it is a given of primary importance to understand the chemistry of our major food, wheat. The presence of diverse polyphenols and their action against leading cause of death, including heart diseases, cancer, obesity, and diabetes, widens the scope of wheat. Phytochemicals such as phenolic acids, alkylresorcinols, flavonoids, phytosterols, and carotenoids are present in whole wheat. …

Influence Of Foliar Fungicide Treatment On Lipolytic Enzyme Activity Of Whole Wheat, Rachana Poudel, Madhav Bhatta, Teshome Regassa, Devin J. Rose

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Lipolytic enzymes play a key role in the deterioration of whole wheat flour upon storage but may also be involved in plant disease and stress tolerance while the crop is in the field. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of foliar fungicide treatment on lipolytic activity in wheat. A significant cultivar × fungicide × year interaction for esterase (p-nitrophenyl butyrate as substrate [EA-B]) and lipoxygenase (LOX) activities was observed; however, a large portion of the variability was owing to year (environment). Fungicide influenced lipase (olive oil as substrate [LA-O]), EA-B, and LOX activities. …

Next-Generation Probiotics Targeting Clostridium Difficile Through Precursor- Directed Antimicrobial Biosynthesis, Jennifer K. Spinler, Jennifer Auchtung, Aaron Brown, Prapaporn Boonma, Numan Oezguen, Cana L. Ross, Ruth Ann Luna, Jessica Runge, James Versalovic, Alex Peniche, Sara M. Dann, Robert A. Britton, Anthony Haag, Tor C. Savidge

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Integration of antibiotic and probiotic therapy has the potential to lessen the public health burden of antimicrobial-associated diseases. Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) represents an important example where the rational design of next-generation probiotics is being actively pursued to prevent disease recurrence. Because intrinsic resistance to clinically relevant antibiotics used to treat CDI (vancomycin, metronidazole, and fidaxomicin) is a desired trait in such probiotic species, we screened several bacteria and identified Lactobacillus reuteri to be a promising candidate for adjunct therapy. Human-derived L. reuteri bacteria convert glycerol to the broad-spectrum antimicrobial compound reuterin. When supplemented with glycerol, strains carrying the pocR …

The Gut Mycobiome Of The Human Microbiome Project Healthy Cohort, Andrea K. Nash, Thomas A. Auchtung, Matthew C. Wong, Daniel P. Smith, Jonathan R. Gesell, Matthew C. Ross, Christopher J. Stewart, Ginger A. Metcalf, Donna M. Muzny, Richard A. Gibbs, Nadim J. Ajami, Joseph F. Petrosino

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Most studies describing the human gut microbiome in healthy and diseased states have emphasized the bacterial component, but the fungal microbiome (i.e., the mycobiome) is beginning to gain recognition as a fundamental part of our microbiome. To date, human gut mycobiome studies have primarily been disease centric or in small cohorts of healthy individuals. To contribute to existing knowledge of the human mycobiome, we investigated the gut mycobiome of the Human Microbiome Project (HMP) cohort by sequencing the Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2) region as well as the 18S rRNA gene.

Results: Three hundred seventeen HMP stool samples were …

Lifestyle And Horizontal Gene Transfer- Mediated Evolution Of Mucispirillum Schaedleri, A Core Member Of The Murine Gut Microbiota, Alexander Loy, Carina Pfann, Michaela Steinberger, Buck Hanson, Simone Herp, Sandrine Brugiroux, João Carlos Gomes Neto, Mark V. Boekschoten, Clarissa Schwab, Tim Urich, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait, Thomas Rattei, Bärbel Stecher, David Berry

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Mucispirillum schaedleri is an abundant inhabitant of the intestinal mucus layer of rodents and other animals and has been suggested to be a pathobiont, a commensal that plays a role in disease. In order to gain insights into its lifestyle, we analyzed the genome and transcriptome of M. schaedleri ASF 457 and performed physiological experiments to test traits predicted by its genome. Although described as a mucus inhabitant, M. schaedleri has limited capacity for degrading host-derived mucosal glycans and other complex polysaccharides. Additionally, M. schaedleri reduces nitrate and expresses systems for scavenging oxygen and reactive oxygen species in vivo, …

Isolation And Genetic Identification Of Spore-Forming Bacteria Associated With Concentrated-Milk Processing In Nebraska, Bismarck Antonio Martinez, Jayne E. Stratton, Andreia Bianchini

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Spore-forming bacteria are heat-resistant microorganisms capable of surviving and germinating in milk after pasteurization. They have been reported to affect the quality of dairy products by the production of enzymes (lipolytic and proteolytic) under low-temperature conditions in fluid milk, and have become a limiting factor for milk powder in reaching some selective markets. The objective of this research was to isolate and identify the population of spore-forming bacteria (psychrotrophic and thermophilic strains) associated with concentrated milk processing in Nebraska. During 2 seasons, in-process milk samples from a commercial plant (raw, pasteurized, and concentrated) were collected and heat-treated (80°C/12 min) to …

Peanut Allergen Threshold Study (Pats): Novel Single-Dose Oral Food Challenge Study To Validate Eliciting Doses In Children With Peanut Allergy, Jonathan O'B. Hourihane, Katrina J. Allen, Wayne G. Shreffler, Gillian Dunngalvin, Julie A. Nordlee, Giovanni A. Zurzolo, Audrey Dunngalvin, Lyle C. Gurrin, Joseph L. Baumert, Steve L. Taylor

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Eliciting doses (EDs) of allergenic foods can be defined by the distribution of threshold doses for subjects within a specific population. The ED₀₅ is the dose that elicits a reaction in 5% of allergic subjects. The predicted ED₀₅ for peanut is 1.5 mg of peanut protein (6 mg of whole peanut).

Objective: We sought to validate the predicted peanut ED05 (1.5 mg) with a novel single-dose challenge.

Methods: Consecutive eligible children with peanut allergy in 3 centers were prospectively invited to participate, irrespective of previous reaction severity. Predetermined criteria for objective reactions were used …

Eugenol Nanoencapsulated By Sodium Caseinate: Physical, Antimicrobial, And Biophysical Properties, Yue Zhang, Kang Pan, Qixin Zhong

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

To improve the application of essential oils as natural antimicrobial preservatives, the objective of the present study was to determine physical, antimicrobial, and biophysical properties of eugenol after nanoencapsulation by sodium caseinate (NaCas). Emulsions were prepared by mixing eugenol in 20.0 mg/mL NaCas solution at an overall eugenol content of 5.0–137.9 mg/mL using shear homogenization. Stable emulsions were observed up to 38.5 mg/mL eugenol, which had droplet diameters of smaller than 125 nm at pH 5–9 after ambient storage for up to 30 days. The encapsulated eugenol had similar minimal inhibitory and minimal bactericidal concentrations as free eugenol against Escherichia …

A Real-Time Pcr Assay For Accurate Quantification Of The Individual Members Of The Altered Schaedler Flora Microbiota In Gnotobiotic Mice, João Carlos Gomez-Neto, Sara Mantz, Kyler Held, Rohita Sinha, Rafael R. Segura Munoz, Robert Schmaltz, Andrew K. Benson, Jens Walter, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Changes in the gastrointestinal microbial community are frequently associated with chronic diseases such as Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. However, understanding the relationship of any individual taxon within the community to host physiology is made complex due to the diversity and individuality of the gut microbiota. Defined microbial communities such as the Altered Schaedler Flora (ASF) help alleviate the challenges of a diverse microbiota by allowing one to interrogate the relationship between individual bacterial species and host responses. An important aspect of studying these relationships with defined microbial communities is the ability to measure the population abundance and dynamics of each member. …

Endurance Exercise Increases Intestinal Uptake Of The Peanut Allergen Ara H 6 After Peanut Consumption In Humans, Lonneke M. Janssenduijghuijsen, Klaske Van Norren, Sander Grefte, Stef J. Koppelman, Kaatje Lenaerts, Jaap Keijer, Renger F. Witkamp, Harry J. Wichers

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Controlled studies on the effect of exercise on intestinal uptake of protein are scarce and underlying mechanisms largely unclear. We studied the uptake of the major allergen Ara h 6 following peanut consumption in an exercise model and compared this with changes in markers of intestinal permeability and integrity. Ten overnight-fasted healthy non-allergic men (n = 4) and women (n = 6) (23 +/- 4 years) ingested 100 g of peanuts together with a lactulose/rhamnose (L/R) solution, followed by rest or by 60 min cycling at 70% of their maximal workload. Significantly higher, though variable, levels of Ara h 6 …

Stable Engraftment Of Bifidobacterium Longum Ah1206 In The Human Gut Depends On Individualized Features Of The Resident Microbiome, María X. Maldonado-Gómez, Inés Martínez, Francesca Bottacini, Amy O’Callaghan, Marco Ventura, Douwe Van Sinderen, Benjamin Hillmann, Pajau Vangay, Dan Knights, Robert W. Hutkins, Jens Walter

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Live bacteria (such as probiotics) have long been used to modulate gut microbiota and human physiology, but their colonization is mostly transient. Conceptual understanding of the ecological principles as they apply to exogenously introduced microbes in gut ecosystems is lacking. We find that, when orally administered to humans, Bifidobacterium longum AH1206 stably persists in the gut of 30% of individuals for at least 6 months without causing gastrointestinal symptoms or impacting the composition of the resident gut microbiota. AH1206 engraftment was associated with low abundance of resident B. longum and underrepresentation of specific carbohydrate utilization genes in the pre-treatment microbiome. …

Comparison Of Hermetic Storage Of Wheat With Traditional Storage Methods In India, Pavel Somavat, Haibo Huang, Sunil Kumar, Mukesh K. Garg, Mary-Grace C. Danao, Vijay Singh, Marvin R. Paulsen, Kent D. Rausch

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

India is among the countries experiencing high postharvest losses. Four hermetic bags, two metallic bins, and two gunny bag (also known as jute or burlap bag) piles each containing 1 tonne of wheat were instrumented with temperature, relative humidity, and carbon dioxide sensors. Representative samples from each structure were collected each month and tests for moisture, germination, insect-damaged grain, and milling yield were performed. After nine months, wheat stored in hermetic bags had higher germination (87%) and lower insect-damaged grain percentages (0% to 0.33% with a mean value of 0.2%). Hermetic bags with deliberately introduced Rhyzopertha dominica successfully eliminated the …

Fungi In The Healthy Human Gastrointestinal Tract, Heather E. Hallen-Adams, Mallory J. Suhr

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Many species of fungi have been detected in the healthy human gut; however, nearly half of all taxa reported have only been found in one sample or one study. Fungi capable of growing in and colonizing the gut are limited to a small number of species, mostly Candida yeasts and yeasts in the family Dipodascaceae (Galactomyces, Geotrichum, Saprochaete). Malassezia and the filamentous fungus Cladosporium are potential colonizers; more work is needed to clarify their role. Other commonly-detected fungi come from the diet or environment but either cannot or do not colonize (Penicillium and Debaryomyces species, which are …

Fecal Microbiome In Epidemiologic Studies [Letter], David A. Drew, Paul Lochhead, Galeb Abu-Ali, Andrew T. Chan, Curtis Huttenhower, Jacques Izard

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

We congratulate Sinha and colleagues on their recent report comparing fecal sample collection methods for epidemiologic studies of the gut microbiome. These data contribute to the increasing body of literature describing robust methodological frameworks for specimen collection and processing. However, their claim that fixation of stool using RNAlater® results in “considerable changes to the microbiome diversity” contrasts with previous findings, including those from their earlier reports. We have previously demonstrated that self-collected stool stabilized with RNAlater® or other fixatives yields high fidelity and reproducibility in compositional profiling of DNA and RNA from shotgun sequence data, compared to immediately-frozen specimens. Additionally, …

Prebiotics: Why Definitions Matter, Robert W. Hutkins, Janina A. Krumbeck, Laure B. Bindels, Patrice D. Cani, George C. Fahey, Yong Jun Goh, Bruce R. Hamaker, Eric C. Martens, David A. Mills, Robert A. Rastal, Elaine Vaughan, Mary Ellen Sanders

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

The prebiotic concept was introduced twenty years ago, and despite several revisions to the original definition, the scientific community has continued to debate what it means to be a prebiotic. How prebiotics are defined is important not only for the scientific community, but also for regulatory agencies, the food industry, consumers and healthcare professionals. Recent developments in community-wide sequencing and glycomics have revealed that more complex interactions occur between putative prebiotic substrates and the gut microbiota than previously considered. A consensus among scientists on the most appropriate definition of a prebiotic is necessary to enable continued use of the term.

Revisiting The Stec Testing Approach: Using Espk And Espv To Make Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia Coli (Ehec) Detection More Reliable In Beef, Sabine Delannoy, Byron D. Chaves, Sarah A. Ison, Hattie E. Webb, Lothar Beutin, Jose Delaval, Isabelle Billet, Patrick Fach

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Current methods for screening Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157 and non-O157 in beef enrichments typically rely on the molecular detection of stx, eae, and serogroup-specific wzx or wzy gene fragments. As these genetic markers can also be found in some non-EHEC strains, a number of “false positive” results are obtained. Here, we explore the suitability of five novel molecular markers, espK, espV, ureD, Z2098, and CRISPRO26:H11 as candidates for a more accurate screening of EHEC strains of greater clinical significance in industrialized countries. Of the 1739 beef enrichments tested, 180 were positive for both stx and eae genes. Ninety (50%) …