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Articles by Topic - Microbiology
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Features: Do Nanoparticles Affect Digestion?
Nanoparticles are routinely added to food products and used in food packaging, but the impact they might have on health is still not well understood.
Features: Expand Microbiological Data Progam, E. Coli Expert Urges
Rather than eliminating the 10-year-old Microbiological Data Program, which tests about 15,000 samples of produce such as sprouts, lettuce, tomatoes, and cantaloupe for pathogens annually, the USDA should expand the program, said Alfredo G. Torres, PhD, associate professor in the departments of microbiology and immunology and pathology at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in Texas.
Departments: Tools For Better Food Safety Testing
Is our food really safe? The plethora of contamination events over the past few years certainly begs the question. The first major contamination event occurred in 1998 when Sara Lee recalled 35 million pounds of various meat products. Recalls were pretty quiet for about eight years, and then…
News: New Method Detects Key Form of Botulinum Spores
Refrigerated convenience foods are growing in popularity, but they’re particularly vulnerable to a type of foodborne botulism caused by the form of the bacterium known as non-proteolytic Clostridium botulinum. That’s because, unlike the proteolytic strain, non-proteolytic C. botulinum can grow and produce toxin at refrigerated temperatures.
News: Scientists Crack Listeria Mystery
Scientists at University College in Cork, Ireland, have deciphered at least part of the puzzle behind Listeria’s virulence and unpredictability.
News: Imaging Tool Speeds Up Campylobacter Detection
Using a combination of digital imaging and spectroscopy known as hyperspectral imaging, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have found a way to distinguish Campylobacter from other microorganisms within 24 hours.
News: Antibacterial Paper Could Extend Shelf Life
A new paper that inhibits the growth of bacteria in food products could extend product shelf life and protect consumers from bacteria-causing foodborne illnesses. Overcoming the concerns associated with earlier antibacterial materials, this paper is nontoxic, environmentally friendly, and low in cost. The relatively simple processing of this antibacterial material suggests it may be commercially viable for food packaging methods in the near future.
News: Novel Mechanism Found to Affect Salmonella Virulence
Scientists at the University of Washington have discovered a mechanism that may explain part of the organism’s ability to respond to inhospitable conditions. By selectively altering its production of proteins in a manner not previously recognized, Salmonella can change both its susceptibility to antibiotics and its level of virulence.
Features: Food Microbiology Marches On
Napoleon wanted to conquer the world, but he knew, as his famous quote aptly states, “an army travels on its stomach.” To be sure his men had safe rations, he offered a 12,000-franc prize to anyone who could come up with a food preservation method. Nicolas Appert, the chef and distiller who ultimately claimed the prize, spent more than a decade discovering that boiled foods placed in airtight glass containers would not spoil. In 1810, Peter Durand, a British merchant who received a patent for...
News: Gene Boosts Shelf Life in Tomatoes
Adding a yeast gene to tomatoes increased production of a compound that slows aging and delays microbial decay, researchers at Purdue University reported. High levels of the polyamine spermidine increased the shelf life of tomatoes and may do the same for other fruits, allowing delivery of fresh fruits to areas they do not normally reach, the researchers suggested.
