Food Microbiology Commons^™

Impact Of Selected Infrared Wavelengths Treatment On Inactivation Of Microbes On Rough Rice, Rebecca Bowie

Food Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Formation of harmful microbes and their associated mycotoxins on rough rice during storage present negative socioeconomic impacts to producers and consumers. The objective for this study was to investigate the impact of treating rough rice with selected infrared (IR) wavelengths at different IR intensities and heating durations, followed by a tempering step for further inactivation of microbes (mold and bacteria) on the grain. Freshly-harvested long-grain, hybrid, rough rice (XL 745) with initial moisture content (IMC) of 18.4% wet basis (w.b.) was used. Two-hundred grams (200 g) of the samples were treated at different IR wavelengths (λ) which were 3.2, 4.5, …

Elucidating Basis Of Rice Discoloration And Developing Prevention Strategies, Zeinab Mohammadi Shad

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Economically, discolored rice kernels have less market value, which can seriously impact farm net profit. The reasons for rice discoloration during storage have not been studied extensively and many questions remain. Therefore, the primary goal of this study was to improve understanding of the role and contributions of storage practices on rice quality degradation and discoloration. In this study, three rice cultivars including XL753 (hybrid), Roy J (pureline), and Titan were assessed for changes in quality and microbial kinetics. The rice samples at a high moisture content (MC) of 21% w.b. and a low MC of 16% were stored at …

Microbiota Characterization Of Poultry Processing Systems And Associated Microbiological Sampling Materials Collected At Commercial Processing Facilities, Jennifer A. Wages

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The poultry industry and associated regulatory bodies use whole bird carcass (WBC) rinsates to evaluate different stages of broiler processing systems for the prevalence of food-borne pathogens, including Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. Within industry and research groups, the same sample collections are enumerated to determine E. coli, Enterobacteriaceae (EB), and Aerobic Plate Count (APC) microorganisms. Analysis of these indicator microorganisms provides numerical data that can be used to demonstrate the effects of specific process control steps where low occurrences of target pathogens hinder the exclusive use of prevalence data. With the utilization of next generation sequencing (NGS), including analysis …

Food Safety Risk In An Indoor Microgreen Cultivation System, Gina Marie Misra

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Microgreens are immature sprouts of edible plants, sharing some similarities with sprouted seeds and petite leafy greens. Since they are most often grown in containers in buildings or greenhouses, they present a new area for food safety research at the intersection of the built environment and produce farming. Contamination by human pathogens has been extensively studied in other types of produce typically eaten raw, including sprouted seeds, which have been implicated in numerous outbreaks of salmonellosis over the last several decades. There is a paucity of knowledge about the microgreen sector of the fresh-cut industry; thus, it was determined that …

Effects Of Traditional Processing Techniques On The Nutritional And Microbiological Quality Of Four Edible Insect Species Used For Food And Feed In East Africa, Dorothy N. Nyangena, Christopher Mutungi, Samuel Imathiu, John Kinyuru, Hippolyte Affognon, Sunday Ekesi, Dorothy Nakimbugwe, Komi K.M. Fiaboe

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Edible insects are increasingly being considered as food and feed ingredients because of their rich nutrient content. Already, edible insect farming has taken-off in Africa, but quality and safety concerns call for simple, actionable hazard control mechanisms. We examined the effects of traditional processing techniques—boiling, toasting, solar-drying, oven-drying, boiling + oven-drying, boiling + solar-drying, toasting + oven-drying, toasting + solar-drying—on the proximate composition and microbiological quality of adult Acheta domesticus and Ruspolia differens, the prepupae of Hermetia illucens and 5th instar larvae of Spodoptera littoralis. Boiling, toasting, and drying decreased the dry matter crude fat by 0.8–51% in the order: …

Producer Willingness To Pay For Enhanced Packaging To Prevent Postharvest Decay Of Strawberries, Brian Coffey, Valentina Trinetta, Londa Nwadike, Umut Yucel

Journal of Applied Farm Economics

We surveyed specialty crop producers in Kansas and Missouri to determine producer willingness to pay for new active packaging technology that prevents postharvest loss and increases shelf life. The survey also asked demographic questions to determine the producer and operation traits for this growing segment of production agriculture. More than half of those surveyed were female, and 60% were under 50 years of age. Smaller operations tend to utilize direct marketing and social media activity more than larger operations. Parametric willingness to pay estimates are approximately $0.39 per cardboard flat to purchase the antifungal film that increases shelf life of …

Do Lactic Acid Bacteria In Fermented Foods Persist In The Gastrointestinal Tract: An In Vitro Investigation, Chloe M. Christensen, Car Reen Kok, Robert W. Hutkins

UCARE: Research Products

It is now well established that the composition of the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota has a profound influence on intestinal and overall health. Many contemporary diseases such as type two diabetes, IBS and obesity are associated with a dysbiotic microbiota. Therefore, researchers are interested in how diet and specific dietary components can modulate the gastrointestinal microbiota and possibly repair a dysbiotic state. One approach to improve gastrointestinal health is by consuming probiotics and prebiotics or a diet rich in fermented foods containing live microbes. Fermented foods are popular because of their enhanced preservation, safety, organoleptic, functionality, and nutritional properties. These fermented …

Research Tools And Their Uses For Determining The Thermal Inactivation Kinetics Of Salmonella In Low-Moisture Foods, Soon Kiat Lau

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

The reputation of low-moisture foods as safe foods has been crumbling over the past decade due to repeated involvement in foodborne illness outbreaks. Although various pasteurization technologies exist, a majority are thermal processes and have not been well-characterized for pasteurizing low-moisture foods. In addition, the nature of a low-moisture food matrix introduces various experimental complications that are not encountered in high-moisture foods. In this dissertation, the development, building instructions, and characterization of various open source tools for studying the inactivation kinetics of microorganisms in low-moisture foods are described. The first tool is the TDT Sandwich, a dry heating device for …

Inspecting Species And Freshness Of Fish Fillets Using Multimode Hyperspectral Imaging Techniques, Jianwei Qin, Fartash Vasefi, Rosalee S. Hellberg, Alireza Akhbardeh, Rachel B. Isaacs, Ayse Gamze Yilmaz, Chansong Hwang, Insuck Baek, Walter F. Schmidt, Moon S. Kim

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

This study developed multimode hyperspectral imaging techniques to detect substitution and mislabeling of fish fillets. Line-scan hyperspectral images were collected from fish fillets in four modes, including reflectance in visible and nearinfrared (VNIR) region, fluorescence by 365 nm UV excitation, reflectance in short-wave infrared (SWIR) region, and Raman by 785 nm laser excitation. Fish fillets of six species (i.e., red snapper, vermilion snapper, Malabar snapper, summer flounder, white bass, and tilapia) were used for species differentiation and frozen-thawed red snapper fillets were used for freshness evaluation. A total of 24 machine learning classifiers were used for fish species and freshness …

Edible Films Made Of Corn Zein Protein And Cellulose Derivatives, Gloria Dukuzeyesu, Changmou Xu, Zhang Yue

UCARE: Research Products

A composite edible film made of corn zein protein (Z) and cellulose derivatives (C) was successfully fabricated. Edible films are coatings used to wrap food products to protect them against microbial deterioration, loss of moisture, and to extend the shelf life of the product. These edible films are consumed together with the product . The mechanical properties, water vapor permeability, application on fruits, and shelf life of the composite film were studied. Zein demonstrated excellent packing characteristics; due to its high no polar contents and hydrophobic nature, zein film served as a moisture barrier. Hydroproxy methylcellulose (HPM) is tasteless, odorless …

Detection Of Fish Fillet Substitution And Mislabeling Using Multimode Hyperspectral Imaging Techniques, Jianwei Qin, Fartash Vasefi, Rosalee S. Hellberg, Alireza Akhbardeh, Rachel B. Isaacs, Ayse Gamze Yilmaz, Chansong Hwang, Insuck Baek, Walter F. Schmidt, Moon S. Kim

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

Substitution of high-priced fish species with inexpensive alternatives and mislabeling frozen-thawed fish fillets as fresh are two important fraudulent practices of concern in the seafood industry. This study aimed to develop multimode hyperspectral imaging techniques to detect substitution and mislabeling of fish fillets. Line-scan hyperspectral images were acquired from fish fillets in four modes, including reflectance in visible and near-infrared (VNIR) region, fluorescence by 365 nm UV excitation, reflectance in short-wave infrared (SWIR) region, and Raman by 785 nm laser excitation. Fish fillets of six species (i.e., red snapper, vermilion snapper, Malabar snapper, summer flounder, white bass, and tilapia) were …

Towards Enhanced Chlorine Control: Mathematical Modeling For Free Chlorine Kinetics During Fresh-Cut Carrot, Cabbage And Lettuce Washing, Parthasarathy Srinivasan, Mohammadreza Dehghan Abnavi, Anthony Sulak, Chandrasekhar R. Kothapalli, Daniel Munther

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

In this study, we developed a novel produce-specific mechanistic model to predict free chlorine (FC) dynamics during washing of disk-cut carrots, cut cabbage, and cut iceberg lettuce, in 3 L and 50–100 L tanks, and of shredded iceberg lettuce in 3200 L pilot-plant trials. Ranges for two key parameters: β (L mg−1 min−1) the apparent reaction rate constant of FC with produce constituents, and γ, the fraction of the increase of chemical oxygen demand (COD) contributing to the reaction, were determined at the 3 L scale. For disk carrots β∈[0.05,0.09] and γ∈[0.054,0.078], for cut cabbage β∈[0.05,0.10] and γ∈[0.09,0.12], and for …

Inactivation Of Foodborne Pathogens During Cider Fermentation, In A Cider Model System And Commerical Cider, Kathryn K. Yamada

Master's Theses

Hard cider is an alcoholic drink made from fermented crushed fruit, typically apples. The popularity of this fermented alcoholic beverage has been on the rise within the last decade. Historically, hard cider has been deemed safe due to the presence of ethanol and the low pH. Although there is lack of scientific evidence to prove that hard cider will and can be safe from foodborne pathogens. Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes are three predominate foodborne bacterial pathogens of concern in the food and beverage industry. Escherichia coli O157:H7 in particular has been associated with fresh produce and …

Microplate Immunocapture Coupled With The 3m Molecular Detection System And Selective Plating For The Rapid Detection Of Salmonella Infantis In Dry Dog Food And Treats, Danielle K. Rosen, Miguel Gallardo, Mcclain Vail, Rosalee S. Hellberg

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

The objective of this study was to use microplate immunocapture (IC) to reduce the enrichment time required for detection of Salmonella in pet food with the 3 M Molecular Detection System (MDS) or selective plating on XLD. Dog food and pig ear treats were inoculated with Salmonella Infantis at concentrations of 10⁰–10⁴ CFU/25 g, followed by a 3-h enrichment, then microplate IC and 3 M MDS or microplate IC and selective plating on XLD. Another set of samples underwent a traditional 24-h enrichment followed by 3 M MDS or selective plating. Based on the results of three …

Ferulic Acid Incorporated Active Films Based On Poly(Lactide) /Poly(Butylene Adipate-Co-Terephthalate) Blend For Food Packaging, Shubham Sharma, Amit Jaiswal, Brendan Duffy, Swarna Jaiswal

Articles

Active natural antibacterial blend of poly(lactide) - poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PLA-PBAT) incorporated with ferulic acid was formed by solvent casting method. The influences of FA on the structural, colour, optical, thermostability and antibacterial efficiency of PLA-PBAT blend films were studied. On the incorporation of the FA, the thickness of the film was increased by 1.5–10 %. The tensile strength (TS) of the FA incorporated blend film increased to a value of 10.78 MPa at 10 wt% as compared to the control film which has 5.42 MPa. The temperature of degradation of the film increases as the FA content increases in the …

Growing Torula Yeast (Candida Utilis) For Food Grade Fatty Acids, Zachary Christman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The focus of this article is the cultivation of a food grade yeast for the production of fatty acids without the restrictions of climate or growing season. Torula yeast (Candida utilis) was selected since it can grow on a wide variety of culture media and has over 60 years of use in the food industry. The fatty acid composition of C. utilis grown on two different media are presented in this article; the first example using completely synthetic media and another using distiller’s vinasse. Also, the effect of different culturing conditions on the percentage of various fatty …

Enhancing Produce Safety: State Estimation-Based Robust Adaptive Control Of A Produce Wash System, Vahid Azimi, Daniel Munther, Mojtaba Sharifi, Patricio A. Vela

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

The rapid introduction of fresh-cut produce into a produce wash system can dramatically decrease the free chlorine (FC) concentration level in the wash water, resulting in potential widespread cross-contamination throughout the entire wash system. To minimize such contamination, a sufficient level of FC must be maintained in the wash water. This paper presents a state estimation-based robust adaptive sliding mode (RASM) control strategy for the wash system to stabilize the FC concentration level during fresh-cut iceberg lettuce washing. This feedback control law for FC dosing is suggested to provide a sufficient FC injection rate (FCIR) to the wash system in …

Moisture Sorption Behavior And Shelf Life Prediction Of Teff Seed And Flour, Baba Abdissa, Rudrayya Math, Kodandaramreddy Desham, Srinivasulu Korra

Journal of Applied Packaging Research

Moisture sorption isotherms of Teff seed and its flour were determined over the range of relative humidity (11–92%) using a gravimetric technique at constant temperature (27°C). The results obtained showed that the moisture sorption isotherm of both is almost similar and sigmoid with increasing equilibrium water content at the constant temperature. The curves start raising high above 64% RH indicating the products deteriorates faster above 64% RH. Hence the moisture content equilibrating to 64% RH was taken as critical for both Teff seed and flour variants. The sorption isotherm fits the GAB equation as per GAB generalized equation for sorption …

Labeling Compliance And Species Authentication Of Fish Fillets Sold At Grocery Stores In Southern California, Priscila Liou, Angela Banda, Rachel B. Isaacs, Rosalee S. Hellberg

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

Seafood mislabeling has numerous consequences, including economic deception and food safety risks. The focus of this study was to investigate fish species labeling, use of acceptable market names, and Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) compliance for fresh fish fillets sold at grocery store seafood counters in Southern California. A total of 120 fillets representing 16 different categories of fish were collected from 30 Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA)-listed grocery stores. Each sample underwent DNA barcoding to identify the species. Acceptable market names were confirmed using the FDA Seafood List. Samples were determined to be compliant with COOL if both …

An Evaluation Of Sonication Pretreatment For Enhancing Saccharification Of Brewers’ Spent Grain, Shady Hassan, Rajeev Ravindran, Swarna Jaiswal, Brijesh K. Tiwari, Gwilym A. Williams

Articles

This paper deals with the investigation of ultrasound (US) pretreatment of brewer’s spent grain (BSG) as ameans of releasing fermentable sugars, and the subsequent production of ethanol from this lignocellu-losic biomass. Using response surface methodology (RSM), the influence of US power, time, temperatureand biomass loading on fermentable sugar yield from BSG was studied. The optimal conditions werefound to be 20% US power, 60 min, 26.3°C, and 17.3% w/v of biomass in water. Under these conditions,an approximate 2.1-fold increase in reducing sugar yield (325 ± 6 mg/g of biomass) was achieved, relativeto untreated BSG (151.1 ± 10 mg/g of biomass). In …

Research And Innovation As A Catalyst For Food System Transformation, A.C.L. Den Boer, K.P.W. Kok, M. Gill, J. Breda, Jean Cahill, C. Callenius, P. Caron, Z. Damianova, M. Gurinovic, L. Lähteenmäki, T. Lang, R. Sonnino, G. Verburg, H. Westhoek, T. Cesuroglu, B.J. Regee, J. E. W. Broerse

Research and Innovation - Articles

Background: Food systems are associated with severe and persistent problems worldwide. Governance approaches aiming to foster sustainable transformation of food systems face several challenges due to the complex nature of food systems. Scope and Approach: In this commentary we argue that addressing these governance challenges requires the development and adoption of novel research and innovation (R&I) approaches that will provide evidence to inform food system transformation and will serve as catalysts for change. We first elaborate on the complexity of food systems (transformation) and stress the need to move beyond traditional linear R&I approaches to be able to respond to …

Characterization And Use Of Pathogen Specific Bacteriophages To Reduce The Viability Of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 Contamination On Fresh Produce, Badrinath Vengarai Jagannathan

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Fresh produce is one of the most common sources of food-borne outbreaks, involving various pathogenic microorganisms such as Escherichia coli. Recent outbreaks have clearly shown that post-harvest washing has limited effectiveness on decontaminating produce and may contribute to cross-contamination of produce due to various limitations. Excessive use of sanitizers and antibiotics has also led to the development of many antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria that have made the food industry more vulnerable.

Bacteriophages are a bacterial viruses that can selectively infect and replicate within bacteria leading to cell lyse and death. Bacteriophages have become widely recognized due to their ability …

Anti-Hypochlorite, Antioxidant, And Catalytic Activity Of Three Polyphenol-Rich Super-Foods Investigated With The Use Of Coumarin-Based Sensors, Karolina Starzak, Tomasz Świergosz, Arkadiusz Matwijczuk, Bernadette Creaven, Janusz Podleśny, Dariusz Karcz

Articles

The anti-hypochlorite activity of açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.), goji (Lycium barbarum L.) and schisandra (Schisandra chinensis) fruit extracts were assessed by determining the reactive chlorine species (RCS)-scavenging ability of these three “super-food” berries. In addition, the aqueous extracts obtained were employed as both the media and the catalyst in a green chemistry approach to the synthesis of a coumarin-based fluorescence turn-off sensor, which was then used for anti-hypochlorite activity testing. The aqueous extracts were also assessed for total phenolic content (TPC), using the Folin–Ciocalteu method, and the antioxidant activity using the ABTS+• assay. Moreover, the main water-soluble polyphenolic constituents of …

The Parmesan Cheese Model System: Alleviation Of Browning Defect In Parmesan Cheese, Megan Huegli Aubrey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In cold temperature storage, Parmesan cheese can develop an undesirable browning defect. Certain pyrazine compounds converted from methylglyoxal have been identified and associated with the brown pigmentations in Parmesan cheese samples. This study focused on creating a cheese model system to study variables that caused browning and variables that helped reduce or alleviate browning. The cheese making steps for the cheese model system were monitored by measuring pH and TA and the final composition for % fat, % moisture, % salt and pH. Additionally, the cooling curve was studied to ensure all wheels of cheese made were cooled similarly. Cheese …

A Natural Antimicrobial From Bacillus Subtilis As A Biosanitizer For Resilient Membrane Biofilms, Pratishtha Verma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The microbial attachment and colonization on separation membranes lead to biofilm formation. Some selective isolates within the biofilm constitutive microflora acquire resistance and emerge predominant over prolonged use of the membrane. Thus, proving the cleaning and sanitization protocols to be ineffective in adequately removing resilient biofilms. This subsequently leads to selecting microbial resistance within the constitutive microflora to almost all antimicrobial treatments and hence, creates a need to develop novel alternative strategies to control biofilm formation on membrane surfaces. The first research project under this study was designed to understand the microbial interactions and emergence of predominance within biofilm constitutive …

Applications Of Hydrodynamic Cavitation In Dairy Manufacturing: Process Development And Standardization, Jae Young Sim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The phenomenon of hydrodynamic cavitation involves the formation, growth, and subsequent collapse of bubbles when a given liquid experienced a reduction of pressure below its vapor pressure. The presence of cavitation limits the performance and the safe operation of many machinery and pumps. However, innovation in the design of the hydrodynamic cavitation devices has offered promising applications in the food and dairy industry. Upon collapse of the cavities, the fluid experiences significant mechanical effects (shear and turbulence) as well as instantaneously elevation of the fluid temperature. All these effects can be put to work for mixing, dispersion, particle size reduction, …

A Review Of Technologies For Malt Flour And Sourdough From Brewery Spent Grain, Zachary Christman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The utilization of brewer's spent grain for the production of malt flour is the focus of this article. The reader is presented with superheated steam and extrusion as technologies to reduce mycotoxin contamination and improve shelf life. Another option is the fermentation of brewer's spent grain with a cereal grade lactic acid bacteria for the production of sourdough bread. Milling of the brewer's spent grain for the production of bread is also covered.

Associations Between The Home Environment, Feeding Practices And Children’S Intakes Of Fruit, Vegetables And Confectionary/Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, Carolina Bassu, Clare Corish, John Kearney

Articles

Within the home environment, parents influence their children’s dietary intakes through their parenting and dietary practices, and the foods they make available/accessible. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the associations between home environmental characteristics and children’s dietary intakes. Three hundred and thirty-two children aged three–five years and their parents participated in the study. Home environmental characteristics, including parental control feeding practices, were explored using validated and standardized questionnaires such as the Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ), the Physical and Nutritional Home Environment Inventory (PNHEI) and the Healthy Home Survey (HHS). Parent and child food consumption was also measured. …

Computational Modelling Approach For The Optimization Of Apple Juice Clarification Using Immobilized Pectinase And Xylanase Enzymes, Shady Hassan, Gwilym Williams, Amit Jaiswal

Articles

Apple juice is typically marketed as a clear juice, and hence enzymatic treatments are common practices in juice industry. However, enzymatic treatments have been shown to face some challenges when process efficiency, and cost effectiveness are concerned. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the enzymatic treatment process to maximize efficiency, and reuse enzymes to minimize the overall cost via immobilization. In this context, the present work features the immobilization of pectinase and xylanase from M. hiemalis on genipin-activated alginate beads, with subsequent evaluation of its efficacy in apple juice clarification. A central composite rotatable design (CCRD), coupled with artificial neural …

Salcaprozate Sodium (Snac) Enhances Permeability Of Octreotide Across Isolated Rat And Human Intestinal Epithelial Mucosae In Ussing Chambers, Sarinj Fattah, Mohamed Ismaiel, Brenda Murphy, Aleksandra Rulikowska, Jesus Maria Frias, Desmond C. Winter, David J. Brayden

Articles

Octreotide is approved as a one-month injectable for treatment of acromegaly and neuroendocrine tumours. Oral delivery of the octapeptide is a challenge due mainly to low intestinal epithelial permeability. The intestinal permeation enhancer (PE) salcaprozate sodium (SNAC) has Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) status and is a component of an approved oral peptide formulation. The purpose of the study was to examine the capacity of salcaprozate sodium (SNAC), to increase its permeability across isolated rat intestinal mucosae from five regions and across human colonic mucosae mounted in Ussing chambers. Apical-side buffers were Kreb's-Henseleit (KH), fasted simulated intestinal fluid (FaSSIF-V2), rat …