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Risk Assessment and Risk Management for Foodborne Pathogens, Antimicrobial Resistance...
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Risk Assessment and Risk Management for Foodborne Pathogens, Antimicrobial Resistance and Contaminants along the Food Chain

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 9117

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ivan Nastasijevic

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Principal Research Fellow, Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: food safety; food borne pathogens; antimicrobial resistance; food (meat) inspection; food (meat) technology; Longitudinal and Integrated Food Safety Assurance (LISA)
Dr. Jelena Petrović

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Principal Research Fellow, Scientific Veterinary Institute `Novi Sad`, Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: game meat safety; food borne pathogens; food contaminants; risk Assessment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The access to sufficient, safe, nutritious and affordable food is a basic human right. To ensure that the food supply chain is in accordance with this right, the governments and food business operators should create, support and control the implementation of effective and efficient control strategies along the food production chain based on a holistic perspective. This should be based on Longitudinal and Integrated Food Safety Assurance (LISA). It includes implementation of Codex-based Appropriate Level of Protection (ALOP) and Food Safety Objectives (FSOs), including related Performance Criteria (PC) applied by the food industry, relevant guidelines and legislation, detection and control of foodborne hazards, risk-based food inspection, audit of food safety system, and training of staff.

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide evidence-based and thoughtful insights, recommendations and solutions intended to competent authorities and the food industry regarding the most effective and available risk mitigation strategies to tackle contamination along the food chain. It encompasses monitoring and surveillance of foodborne hazards addressing relevant modules in food production, epidemiology of foodborne diseases and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), prevention and control of food contamination at multiple points along the food chain, usage of novel methods and systems for tracking and detecting food borne hazards, digital technologies for food chain data processing and traceability, integration of Food Chain Information (FCI) and Harmonized Epidemiological Indicators (HEIs) along the food chain (bottom-up and top-down approach), novel food safety interventions, risk-based food safety management systems (HACCP), inspection, training of staff, as well as the One Health approach as a solution to tackle the food contamination and AMR in an integrated manner. Papers highlighting the connections between food safety systems, food chain sustainability and public health outcomes are also welcome. Different types of manuscripts will be accepted for submission, including original research, reviews and short communication papers.

Dr. Ivan Nastasijevic
Guest Editor

Dr. Jelena Petrović
Guest Editor Assistant

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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

  • food safety
  • foodborne pathogens
  • antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
  • chemical contaminants
  • food chain information (FCI)
  • harmonized epidemiological indicators (HEIs)
  • food inspection
  • novel methods
  • longitudinally integrated safety assurance (LISA)
  • one health

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 5013 KiB  
Article
A Novel Protein Demonstrating Antibacterial Activity Against Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli Purified from Bacillus velezensis CB6
by Nan Jiang, Tajin Wang, Yue Fang, Xiaoyu Liu, Nan Dai, Hongling Ruan, Huining Dai, Lili Guan, Chengguang He, Lingcong Kong, Weixue Meng, Hongxia Ma and Haipeng Zhang
Foods 2025, 14(7), 1255; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14071255 - 3 Apr 2025
Viewed by 368
Abstract
In recent years, multidrug resistance in pathogenic bacteria has become increasingly serious, causing serious harm to the livestock and poultry breeding industries and posing severe challenges to its clinical prevention and treatment; therefore, the development of new antibacterial agents is urgently needed. We [...] Read more.
In recent years, multidrug resistance in pathogenic bacteria has become increasingly serious, causing serious harm to the livestock and poultry breeding industries and posing severe challenges to its clinical prevention and treatment; therefore, the development of new antibacterial agents is urgently needed. We previously isolated Bacillus velezensis CB6, which exhibits broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, from Changbaishan in China. In this study, multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli B2(MDR E. coli B2) was used as an indicator bacterium. Ammonium sulfate precipitation, dextran gel chromatography, and Diethylaminoethyl Bestarose High Performance was used to isolate antibacterial protein with strong activity against MDR E. coli B2. SDS–PAGE combined with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to obtain the antibacterial protein CB6-E, which has a molecular weight of 54.537 kDa. Our study found that CB6-E has a strong inhibitory effect on Gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa Z1, Salmonella H9812, and Shigella castellani Z1; among them, the minimum inhibitory concentration for MDR E. coli B2 was 32 µg/mL. In addition, CB6-E is stable under various conditions including exposure to various temperatures, organic reagents, pH values, and proteolytic enzymes. The hemolytic activity test and cytotoxicity test also showed that CB6-E is safe. Research on antibacterial mechanisms showed that CB6-E destroys cell membranes in a dose-dependent manner and can inhibit the growth of MDR E. coli B2 by targeting lipopolysaccharides on the cell membrane, showing good therapeutic effects in model animals. In summary, CB6-E is a newly discovered antibacterial protein with a high therapeutic index that is safe, nontoxic, and stabile, and is expected to be an effective antibacterial agent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk Assessment and Risk Management for Foodborne Pathogens, Antimicrobial Resistance and Contaminants along the Food Chain)
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13 pages, 2530 KiB  
Article
Using Pathogenic Escherichia coli Type III Secreted Effectors espK and espV as Markers to Reduce the Risk of Potentially Enterohemorrhagic Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli in Beef
by Joseph M. Bosilevac, Tatum S. Katz, Leslie E. Manis, Lorenza Rozier and Michael Day
Foods 2025, 14(3), 382; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14030382 - 24 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1053
Abstract
Contamination of beef by certain strains of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) called enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) can lead to outbreaks of severe disease. Therefore, accurate monitoring tests are needed to identify high risk beef products and divert them from consumers. Most EHEC [...] Read more.
Contamination of beef by certain strains of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) called enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) can lead to outbreaks of severe disease. Therefore, accurate monitoring tests are needed to identify high risk beef products and divert them from consumers. Most EHEC testing focuses on the detection of their key virulence factors Shiga toxin (stx) and intimin (eae). However, these two factors can occur separately in lower risk nonpathogenic E. coli (STEC and enteropathogenic E. coli; EPEC) and confound testing if both are present. Accessory virulence factors like the Type III secreted effectors espK and espV may aid in increasing the specificity of EHEC testing. This work first evaluated collections of EHEC (n = 83), STEC (n = 100) and EPEC (n = 95), finding espK and/or espV in 100%, 0%, and 60% of each, respectively. Next, an inoculation study of beef trim samples (n = 118) examined the ability of including espK and espV in the monitoring test scheme to distinguish samples inoculated with EHEC from those inoculated with mixtures of STEC and EPEC (non-EHEC). Test accuracy was calculated as Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (AUC) and found to be significantly (p < 0.05) different, increasing from 68.0% (stx/eae) to 76.8% by including espK and espV. Finally, 361 regulatory agency beef samples that had been identified as suspect for EHEC (stx+/eae+) were examined with the addition of espK and espV, and results compared to culture isolation. Culture isolation identified 42 EHEC, 82 STEC, and 67 EPEC isolates in 146 of the samples. In the case of these naturally contaminated samples, inclusion of espK and espV increased test accuracy compared to culture isolation from an AUC of 50.5% (random agreement) to 69.8% (good agreement). Results show that the inclusion of espK and espV can increase the specificity of identifying high risk EHEC contaminated beef and release beef contaminated with nonpathogenic or low risk E. coli. Further, use of espK and espV identified samples contaminated by common EHEC of serogroups O157, O26, and O103, as well as of less common serogroups O182, O177, and O5. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk Assessment and Risk Management for Foodborne Pathogens, Antimicrobial Resistance and Contaminants along the Food Chain)
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Review

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18 pages, 2733 KiB  
Review
Insight into the Prevalence of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae in Vegetables: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Sebolelo Jane Nkhebenyane, Ntelekwane George Khasapane, Kgaugelo Edward Lekota, Oriel Thekisoe and Tsepo Ramatla
Foods 2024, 13(23), 3961; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13233961 - 8 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1497
Abstract
The occurrence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae in vegetables is an escalating global problem. This study aimed to document the global prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in vegetables using a comprehensive meta-analysis. A web-based search of electronic databases such as ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and [...] Read more.
The occurrence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae in vegetables is an escalating global problem. This study aimed to document the global prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in vegetables using a comprehensive meta-analysis. A web-based search of electronic databases such as ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and PubMed was conducted using studies published between 2014 and 2024. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were followed for the systematic review and meta-analysis. The Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) Ver 4.0 software was used to analyse the data. The pooled prevalence estimate (PPE) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated using the random effects model. After reviewing 1802 articles, 63 studies were carefully analyzed and were part of the comprehensive meta-analysis. The overall PPE of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) was 11.9% (95% CI: 0.091–0.155), with high heterogeneity (I2 = 96.8%, p < 0.001) from 2762 isolates. The blaSHV ESBL-encoding gene was the most prevalent, showing a PPE of 42.8% (95% CI: 0.269–0.603), while the PPE of blaampC-beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae was 4.3% (95% CI: 0.025–0.71). Spain had a high ESBL-E PPE of 28.4% (0.284; 95% CI: 0.057–0.723, I2 = 98.2%), while China had the lowest PPE at 6.4% (0.064; 95% CI: 0.013–0.259, I2 = 95.6%). Continentally, the PPE of ESBL-E was significantly higher in reports from South America at 19.4% (95% CI: 0.043–0.560). This meta-analysis showed that ESBL-E in vegetables increased by 9.0%, 9.8%, and 15.9% in 2018–2019, 2020–2021, and 2022–2024, respectively. The findings emphasize the potential risks of consuming raw or inadequately cleaned produce and the importance of vegetables as ESBL-E reservoirs. Our work calls for immediate attention to food safety procedures and more thorough surveillance as antibiotic resistance rises to reduce antimicrobial resistance risks in food systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk Assessment and Risk Management for Foodborne Pathogens, Antimicrobial Resistance and Contaminants along the Food Chain)
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32 pages, 2199 KiB  
Review
Antimicrobial Resistance in Aquaculture: Risk Mitigation within the One Health Context
by Milan Milijasevic, Slavica Veskovic-Moracanin, Jelena Babic Milijasevic, Jelena Petrovic and Ivan Nastasijevic
Foods 2024, 13(15), 2448; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13152448 - 2 Aug 2024
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5400
Abstract
The application of antimicrobials in aquaculture primarily aims to prevent and treat bacterial infections in fish, but their inappropriate use may result in the emergence of zoonotic antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the subsequent transmission of resistant strains to humans via food consumption. The aquatic [...] Read more.
The application of antimicrobials in aquaculture primarily aims to prevent and treat bacterial infections in fish, but their inappropriate use may result in the emergence of zoonotic antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the subsequent transmission of resistant strains to humans via food consumption. The aquatic environment serves as a potential reservoir for resistant bacteria, providing an ideal breeding ground for development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The mutual inter-connection of intensive fish-farming systems with terrestrial environments, the food processing industry and human population creates pathways for the transmission of resistant bacteria, exacerbating the problem further. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of the most effective and available risk mitigation strategies to tackle AMR in aquaculture, based on the One Health (OH) concept. The stringent antimicrobial use guidelines, promoting disease control methods like enhanced farm biosecurity measures and vaccinations, alternatives to antibiotics (ABs) (prebiotics, probiotics, immunostimulants, essential oils (EOs), peptides and phage therapy), feeding practices, genetics, monitoring water quality, and improving wastewater treatment, rather than applying excessive use of antimicrobials, can effectively prevent the development of AMR and release of resistant bacteria into the environment and food. The contribution of the environment to AMR development traditionally receives less attention, and, therefore, environmental aspects should be included more prominently in OH efforts to predict, detect and prevent the risks to health. This is of particular importance for low and middle-income countries with a lack of integration of the national AMR action plans (NAPs) with the aquaculture-producing environment. Integrated control of AMR in fisheries based on the OH approach can contribute to substantial decrease in resistance, and such is the case in Asia, where in aquaculture, the percentage of antimicrobial compounds with resistance exceeding 50% (P50) decreased from 52% to 22% within the period of the previous two decades. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk Assessment and Risk Management for Foodborne Pathogens, Antimicrobial Resistance and Contaminants along the Food Chain)
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