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Advances in Risk Assessment of Emerging Foodborne Microbial Hazards and...
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Advances in Risk Assessment of Emerging Foodborne Microbial Hazards and Contaminants

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Toxicology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 July 2026 | Viewed by 3069

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Serena Santonicola

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Medicine and Health Sciences “V. Tiberio”, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy
Interests: microplastic and microfiber contamination in food; food safety and chemical contaminants; food supply chain and risk prevention
Dr. Maria Francesca Peruzy

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy
Interests: foodborne pathogens; microbial contamination; bacterial identification; antimicrobial resistance (AMR); culture techniques; PCR in food microbiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the growing complexity of food production systems and global supply chains has led to increased concern over emerging foodborne risks. New microbial hazards, antimicrobial-resistant organisms, and contaminants, which may result from practices applied in the food chain and changes in environmental conditions, are challenging traditional approaches to food safety and risk assessment. This Special Issue, titled “Advances in Risk Assessment of Emerging Foodborne Microbial Hazards and Contaminants”, aims to gather high-quality contributions that reflect the latest progress in the detection, characterization, and evaluation of these threats. We welcome original research articles, reviews, and case studies focused on microbial pathogens (e.g., Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Clostridium difficile), antimicrobial resistance (e.g., Enterobacteriaceae with ESBL (Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase) production, Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE)), food contaminants (e.g., microplastics, endocrine-disrupting compounds), and innovative approaches to exposure and risk assessment. Of particular interest are interdisciplinary studies combining microbiology, novel contaminants in food chains, and risk assessment, including those exploring potential health impacts.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions, and we thank you for your interest in this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Serena Santonicola
Dr. Maria Francesca Peruzy
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • emerging foodborne pathogens
  • antimicrobial resistance
  • microplastics in food
  • emerging chemical food contaminants
  • exposure and risk assessment
  • food safety

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 1272 KB  
Article
Occurrence and Dietary Exposure Assessment of Quinolone Antibiotics in Animal-Derived Foods and Associated Health Risks Among Different Population Groups in Guangzhou, China
by Zexian Xie, Yanyan Wang, Yonglin Chen, Yan Li, Yuhua Zhang, Lan Liu, Rongfei Peng, Weiwei Zhang and Yu-Heng Mao
Foods 2026, 15(5), 848; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15050848 - 3 Mar 2026
Viewed by 421
Abstract
Quinolone antibiotics (QNs) are widely used in animal production and may pose potential health risks through dietary exposure. A total of 1612 animal-derived food samples covering 10 food categories were collected in Guangzhou, China, from 2016 to 2023. Residues of six QNs were [...] Read more.
Quinolone antibiotics (QNs) are widely used in animal production and may pose potential health risks through dietary exposure. A total of 1612 animal-derived food samples covering 10 food categories were collected in Guangzhou, China, from 2016 to 2023. Residues of six QNs were determined using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Dietary exposure among different age groups was assessed using a probabilistic approach based on local food consumption data, and non-carcinogenic health risks were characterized using hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) methods. QN residues were detected in 7.75% of samples, with an exceedance rate of 2.23%. Aquatic products, particularly fish and crustaceans, exhibited the highest detection frequencies and contributed most to overall dietary exposure. Enrofloxacin (ENR) was the most frequently detected compound, while sporadic samples showed extremely high residue concentrations (1003 unit/g in eggs). Children aged 3–6 years had the highest HI (mean is 1.94 × 10−2). All HQ and HI values were below 1, indicating low non-carcinogenic health risks under current exposure scenarios. Although dietary exposure to QNs among Guangzhou residents is unlikely to pose appreciable non-carcinogenic health risks, elevated exposure in children and sporadic high-residue events highlight the need for continued risk-based monitoring and targeted food safety management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Risk Assessment of Emerging Foodborne Microbial Hazards and Contaminants)
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20 pages, 2298 KB  
Article
Sensitivity of Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification in Comparison to Digital Droplet PCR for Identification of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in Raw Goat Milk
by Tanya Chan Kim, Maya Margaritova Zaharieva and Hristo Miladinov Najdenski
Foods 2026, 15(4), 767; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15040767 - 19 Feb 2026
Viewed by 543
Abstract
According to the EFSA Report on Zoonoses (2024), yersiniosis was classified as the fourth most commonly reported zoonosis in humans in 2023, with a 13.5% increase in yersiniosis infections compared to 2022. In 2024, the findings were consistent with the 2020–2023 trend. Isolation [...] Read more.
According to the EFSA Report on Zoonoses (2024), yersiniosis was classified as the fourth most commonly reported zoonosis in humans in 2023, with a 13.5% increase in yersiniosis infections compared to 2022. In 2024, the findings were consistent with the 2020–2023 trend. Isolation and identification of enteropathogenic Yersinia is difficult and time consuming, especially when examining food and environmental samples. Among them, Y. pseudoturbeculosis poses a challenge due to the lack of a single selective medium for all bioserotypes. Therefore, faster methods for the detection of Yersinia spp. need to be implemented into the praxis. Rapid identification of pathogens in food or at the time and location of the epidemiological outbreak (point-of-care testing) enables either prevention of the outbreak or early stage diagnosis and prompt decisions. The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is increasingly coming to scientists’ attention as a robust and rapid methodology for pathogen detection in laboratories with limited resources and equipment. The aim of current study is to evaluate, for the first time, the sensitivity of the LAMP protocol based on colorimetric detection in the visible spectrum in comparison with that of the digital droplet PCR (ddPCR). For this aim, a series of decimal logarithmic dilutions of the pathogen Y. pseudotuberculosis in artificially contaminated raw goat milk was used. One commercial LAMP kit with two different dyes (one dsDNA-binding and one Mg2+-sensitive) was compared to the sensitivity of the detection to ddPCR. The results obtained revealed a high sensitivity of the kit for detection of DNA isolated from artificially contaminated milk samples in the following range: visible detection based on visible color change—3.1 × 104 mL (violet dye) and 3.4 × 103/mL (blue dye); detection with gel electrophoresis—2.0 × 101/mL (violet dye) and 3.4 × 102/mL (blue dye). The enumeration of the DNA copies in the same samples was performed with ddPCR, with a detection limit of 2.0 × 101/mL. Our results indicate the potential and the possible applicability of the LAMP method for rapid and sensitive visual detection of Y. pseudotuberculosis in raw goat milk. The presented ddPCR protocol can be used for highly sensitive identification and enumeration of Y. pseudtuberculosis in raw goat milk. In conclusion, the conducted comparison is of importance for future implementation of LAMP protocols for on-field analysis near the sampling site and point-of-care or laboratory diagnostics of Y. pseudtuberculosis after the successful validation procedure of an appropriate LAMP protocol. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Risk Assessment of Emerging Foodborne Microbial Hazards and Contaminants)
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20 pages, 1264 KB  
Article
Impact of Climate Change on the Presence of Ochratoxin A in Red and White Greek Commercial Wines
by Dimitrios Evangelos Miliordos, Lamprini Roussi, Stamatina Kallithraka, Efstathios Z. Panagou and Pantelis I. Natskoulis
Foods 2025, 14(23), 4157; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14234157 - 3 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1227
Abstract
Wine samples (72) of different types (white, rose and red), dry, originating from different regions of Greece (Northern Greece, Central Greece, Peloponnese, Aegean Islands, and Crete), were analyzed for Ochratoxin A (OTA) presence. Wine samples, originating from Greek (Assyrtiko and Xinomavro) and international [...] Read more.
Wine samples (72) of different types (white, rose and red), dry, originating from different regions of Greece (Northern Greece, Central Greece, Peloponnese, Aegean Islands, and Crete), were analyzed for Ochratoxin A (OTA) presence. Wine samples, originating from Greek (Assyrtiko and Xinomavro) and international (Syrah and Sauvignon blanc) noble grapevine varieties vintaged from 2020 to 2023, were analyzed using a modified QuEChERS extraction protocol followed by HPLC with a fluorescence detector to detect and quantify OTA. Moreover, conventional oenological parameters were measured according to OIV official methods, and climatic conditions of the regions of concern were retrieved. Interestingly, in general, OTA contaminated wines showed low concentrations (<2.0 μg/L). The highest concentrations of OTA were detected in Sauvignon blanc (7.5 μg/L) regarding the white wines and Xinomavro (2.07 μg/L) regarding the red ones. In addition, the highest OTA concentrations were recorded in wines produced in areas either with high mean annual temperatures, like Viotia (24.16 °C) for white and Larissa (23.9 °C) for red wines, or with high rainfall between May and September (Larissa 69.76 mm) for white wines. Consequently, it was observed that concentrations of OTA in wine are relatively higher in the warmer regions of Greece compared to the cooler areas. The effect of climate change on vines and mycotoxin presence in wine needs urgent consideration by well-constructed modelling studies and efficient interpretation of existing data. The evaluation of OTA presence in grape products originating from various cultivars and regions is imperative not only for providing crucial data to predict its fate under climate change, but also to ascertain the potential risk of human exposure to this chemical compound. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Risk Assessment of Emerging Foodborne Microbial Hazards and Contaminants)
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