Search Results (1,056)

Meat serves as a prime medium for the growth of foodborne pathogens due to its rich protein content and high water activity, contributing significantly to the global burden of foodborne illnesses. This review synthesizes current advances in meat-borne bacterial pathogen detection with particular emphasis on emerging artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled applications. Major pathogens of concern, including Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, Clostridium, and Staphylococcus aureus, are examined in relation to their relevance across the meat supply chain. Recent progress in biosensors (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats), CRISPR-based assays, isothermal amplification, and metagenomics is evaluated alongside the growing role of AI in automating signal interpretation, enhancing image-based diagnostics, and supporting early contamination prediction. AI-based systems have proved 96.4–104% recovery and 100% bacterial capture ability. Embedding AI methods in a wet lab demands technical and logical modeling, as well as learning and calibration decorum. Nonetheless, AI readiness and full-scale application for meat-borne pathogens surveillance are on the way. Furthermore, additional focus is aligned on meat-borne bacterial pathogen genomic databases, i.e., (NCBI Pathogen Detection, EnteroBase, VFDB, ComBase, and GenBank), which serve as critical training resources for AI models for outbreak tracking, virulence profiling, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) prediction. By integrating molecular methods, genomic surveillance, and AI-driven analytics, this review presents a framework for strengthening meat safety systems. This will improve early detection capabilities and support data-driven public health interventions in the future. Full article

This five-month epidemiological investigation evaluated pre-slaughter welfare, carcass-processing practices, and post-mortem lesion prevalence in 1012 cattle and 413 pigs slaughtered in Enugu State, Nigeria. Direct observations and post-mortem inspections were conducted following OIE standards. Animal welfare was markedly compromised. Cattle were dragged from the lairage to kill floor, restrained in lateral recumbency for over 30 min before bleeding, and slaughtered without stunning. Pigs were transported tied to motorcycles and processed on unsanitary floors. The lairages lacked roofing, clean water, and adequate drainage. Carcass handling was unhygienic, with meat processed near maggot-infested drains and transported in open vans or motorized tricycles used to commute passengers and cement. Of all cattle examined, 45.3% (458/1012) exhibited gross lesions attributable to contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP, 15.5%), fasciolosis (18%), liver abscessation (6.6%), ascariasis (4.6%), and bovine tuberculosis (0.5%). No lesions were detected in pigs. Lesion occurrence differed significantly (p < 0.05) by sex (males = 44.1%, females = 66.7%), age (<4 years = 54.1%, ≥4 years = 45.4%), breed (White Fulani = 45.5%, others = 36.7%), slaughterhouse location, and season (rainy = 45.2%, dry = 45.5%). Temporal analysis showed the highest lesion rate in April (68.3%), declining to 37.7% in May. Lesions of CBPP and fasciolosis were significantly more frequent in young cattle and during the rainy months (p < 0.05). These findings reveal systemic welfare violations and disease endemicity within the municipal abattoirs surveyed. The combination of poor pre-slaughter welfare, unhygienic meat handling, and high prevalence of zoonotic and economically important livestock disease lesions highlights urgent public health concerns. Strengthening abattoir infrastructure, enforcing pre-slaughter animal welfare and hygiene regulations, mechanizing slaughter processes, and instituting continuous surveillance within the One Health framework are essential for ensuring meat safety and public health security in Nigeria and beyond. Full article

Background: Microbial contamination of fresh beef remains a major challenge in the meat industry, driving the need for effective natural preservation strategies that can extend shelf life while meeting consumer demand. Methods: Chitosan-based edible coatings enriched with free and nanoencapsulated Ocimum basilicum L. essential oil at concentrations of 0.25%, 0.5% and 1% were evaluated for their efficacy on fresh beef during 20 days of refrigerated storage. Microbiological parameters, including total bacterial count, lactic acid bacteria, psychrotrophic bacteria, and Pseudomonas spp., as well as physicochemical indicators such as pH and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, were monitored at regular intervals throughout storage. Results: All active coatings significantly retarded microbial growth and lipid oxidation compared to the uncoated control (p < 0.05), with effects being concentration-dependent. Nanoencapsulation was achieved with an efficiency of 74%, and all formulations consistently showed better results compared to free essential oil coatings at equivalent concentrations. Application of a chitosan coating with 1% nanoencapsulated essential oil reduced total viable count by 1.5 log CFU/g and lactic acid bacteria by 0.7 log CFU/g, with the most pronounced effect observed for Pseudomonas spp. (1.9 log CFU/g reduction). In the same sample, MDA content remained below the threshold level until the end of storage. Additionally, sensory analysis indicated that the use of nanoparticles significantly improved the overall acceptability of the coated beef. Conclusions: These findings confirm that chitosan–basil nanoparticle coatings represent a promising natural alternative to conventional preservatives for improving microbiological safety and extending the shelf life of fresh beef. Full article

Alternative proteins and novel processing technologies are crucial to transforming contemporary food systems into ones with lower environmental impact while meeting the rising global demand for protein. Alternative protein sources from plants, microbes, insects, and cultivated cells offer diverse nutritional and techno-functional attributes that can partially or fully replace conventional animal proteins in meat analogs and related products. This review synthesizes the current knowledge on major categories of alternative protein sources, including plant-based ingredients, microbial- and fermentation-derived proteins, insect and other emerging sources, and cultivated (cell-based) meat, with a specific focus on their suitability for structured meat analog applications. Modern structuring and processing technologies are discussed, including the traditional wet and dry extrusion to modern technologies like high-moisture extrusion, high-pressure processing, shear-cell technology, 3D printing, fermentation-based structuring, and enzymatic protein modification. Furthermore, this review critically evaluates product design and quality attributes of meat analogs, including physicochemical properties, sensory performance, nutritional aspects, and safety considerations. This review highlights technological and scale-up challenges, as well as the necessity of multi-criteria optimization in sensory quality, nutrition, sustainability, and affordability, and presents research priorities focused on combining multiple protein sources and advanced processing pathways for next-generation meat analog. This review provides an integrated framework linking protein sources, processing technologies, antioxidant functionality, and sustainability considerations to support the development of next-generation meat analogs. In addition, this review highlights the intrinsic antioxidant potential of alternative proteins, emphasizing the role of bioactive peptides, polyphenols, and structure–function relationships in enhancing oxidative stability and product quality. Full article

Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan transmitted via environmentally resistant oocysts present in food and water, as well as through the consumption of meat containing infective bradyzoites. This study evaluated the inactivation of T. gondii oocysts and bradyzoites (ME-49 strain) by Pulsed Electric Field technology (PEF). Treatment efficacy was determined by mouse bioassay combining brain qPCR and indirect immunofluorescence (IFA), with complementary qPCR in Hs27 cells. The infectious dose (ID₅₀) of T. gondii was estimated at 34.6 oocysts. PEF-treated oocysts (15 kV/cm; 50 kJ/kg; 225 µs) showed a significant reduction in infectivity compared with untreated controls; accordingly, the dose required to establish infection increased to 85.3 oocysts after PEF treatment. Brain qPCR and IFA were highly correlated, whereas heart tissue was less sensitive. Bradyzoites recovered from PEF-treated meat (3.3 kV/cm; 27 kJ/kg; 1600 µs) showed a 50% infectivity reduction compared with untreated samples. In vitro assays confirmed an in vivo reduction in infectivity, indicating that cell cultures can serve as an ethical and efficient tool for preliminary viability assessment. This is the first evidence of T. gondii inactivation by PEF, highlighting its potential as a non-thermal strategy. Further studies are needed to optimize treatment parameters. Full article

The occurrence of Escherichia coli resistant to high-priority critically important antimicrobials (HPCIA) in the food chain is a growing concern for food safety and public health. This study aimed to evaluate whether HPCIA-resistant E. coli isolated from pork and chicken meat at retail markets in La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina, exhibit source-associated genomic differentiation through whole-genome sequencing. The isolates displayed a polyclonal population structure, encompassing multiple phylogenetic groups and sequence types. Virulence gene profiles were highly diverse, with chicken-derived isolates harbouring a substantially higher number of virulence genes than pork isolates. Notably, one pork isolate carried a complete set of virulence genes characteristic of diarrheagenic E. coli. Single Nucleotide Polymorphism-based phylogenetic analysis revealed several closely related subclusters, including strains recovered from both pork and chicken meat from the same retail markets, suggesting recent clonal sharing or cross-contamination at the point of sale. These findings highlight the circulation of genetically diverse HPCIA-resistant E. coli in retail meat, underscoring the potential public health risk and the importance of monitoring resistance and virulence determinants throughout the food production chain. Full article

Against the backdrop of the full implementation of “antibiotic ban” and “zinc restriction” policies in livestock and poultry breeding, and the growing consumer demand for safe livestock and poultry products, the development of natural and efficient green feed additives has become crucial for the sustainable development of the animal husbandry industry. Curcumin, a natural polyphenolic compound extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma longa L., has attracted extensive attention in poultry production due to its various biological activities and safety. This paper thoroughly reviews the chemical structure and physicochemical properties of curcumin, and elaborates on its core molecular mechanisms of action, which mainly involve the regulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/antioxidant response element (ARE), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways to exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, immunomodulatory and lipid metabolism regulatory effects. It further clarifies the practical application value of curcumin in major poultry species including broilers, laying hens, ducks and quails, showing that curcumin can significantly improve poultry production performance, optimize meat and egg quality, protect intestinal health, and enhance the ability of poultry to resist stress and diseases. Meanwhile, the review notes curcumin’s current application limitations (low bioavailability, poor stability, unclear standardized dosage, and high industrialization cost) and proposes targeted future research directions to address these issues. In conclusion, curcumin is a promising green feed additive alternative to antibiotics, and its large-scale and standardized application in poultry production will effectively promote the green, healthy and sustainable development of the poultry industry. Full article

Foreign plastic objects (FPOs) in poultry products present significant food safety risks and cause economic losses for the industry. Conventional detection methods, including X-rays and color imaging, often struggle to identify small or low-density plastics. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) offers both spatial and spectral information but suffers from high computational cost when applied for FPO identification in industrial environments. This study introduces a parameter-efficient and computationally efficient spatial–spectral transformer framework for pixel-level classification of FPOs on broiler meat using NIR-HSI (1000–1700 nm). The framework integrates three innovations: (1) center-focused linear attention (CFLA) to reduce computational complexity from $O\left(n^2\right)$ to $O\left(n\right)$; (2) patch-local mixed-axis 2D rotary position embedding to preserve geometric relationships within hyperspectral patches; and (3) low-rank factorized projection (LRP) matrices to reduce parameters by approximately 50% within projection weight matrices. The framework was trained and evaluated on a dataset of 52 chicken fillets, comprising 295,340 labeled target hyperspectral pixels from 12 common polymer types and 1 fillet class. The model achieved 99.39% overall accuracy, 99.57% average accuracy, and a 99.31 Kappa coefficient across 248,540 test pixels. Per-class precision, recall, and F1-score exceeded 98.05%, 98.59%, and 98.76%, respectively, across all classes. Efficiency analyses showed an 83% reduction in multiply–accumulate operations (MACs), a 22% reduction in trainable parameters, and a model size reduction from 1.72 MB to 1.35 MB relative to the baseline configuration. These gains also translated into practical inference benefits, with the final model achieving a throughput of 212,971.5 hyperspectral patch cubes/s and a 4.19× speedup over the baseline. These results demonstrate that the proposed framework combines strong classification performance with high efficiency, supporting high-throughput inference for real-time monitoring and enabling contamination source traceability and preventive quality control in industrial poultry processing. The approach provides a benchmark for applying transformer-based models to food safety inspection tasks. Full article

Cultured meat represents an emerging frontier in cellular agriculture, garnering increasing interest due to its potential benefits regarding sustainability, animal welfare, and food safety. However, its development is hampered by challenges in flavor modulation and sensory quality, primarily due to the limited biosynthesis of fat-derived flavor compounds. Although adipose tissue engineering has been extensively studied, its industrial-scale production is hampered by serum dependency and low differentiation efficiency. Therefore, the establishment of serum-free, efficient strategies for regulating lipid synthesis is urgently needed. In this study, we developed a serum-free adipogenic induction system and investigated its underlying regulatory mechanisms. We demonstrated that Serum-Free Differentiation Medium 1 (SFM-1) initiated the differentiation program and induced intracellular lipid deposition in preadipocytes (~10% by Day 8). Serum-free differentiation medium 2 (SFM-2), which supplied oleic acid (OA) as a lipid substrate and signaling activator, markedly enhanced lipid droplet accumulation and differentiation efficiency. Ultimately, serum-free differentiation medium 3 (SFM-3), leveraging the synergistic action of oleic acid (OA) and transferrin (TRF), successfully activates the expression of SEPTIN4, which in turn regulates a core adipogenic network—including the master transcription factors PPARγ and CEBPα, as well as downstream functional genes. Mechanistically, the OA/TRF combination in SFM-3 upregulates SEPTIN4, unveiling a previously unrecognized regulatory axis that activates the PPARγ signaling pathway, thereby synchronizing the proliferation and differentiation of precursors and guiding them from initiation to functional maturity. Our study presents a chemically defined, scalable platform for the serum-free adipogenic differentiation of porcine adipocytes, offering a promising strategy for the controllable production of fat components in cultured meat and supporting its industrialization. Full article

Reducing single-use plastic packaging is an environmental priority and reusable packaging is often promoted as a sustainable solution, yet little is known about the feasibility of reusable packaging systems for meat delivered to food service venues. This study explored stakeholder perspectives prior to planned implementation of a reuse scheme through semi-structured interviews with food service operators and supply chain stakeholders (n = 23). The qualitative data were analysed using framework analysis informed by the COM-B model. Four key themes were identified: (1) Operational readiness in kitchens, reflecting limited understanding of reuse and resource constraints; (2) Appropriate design of reusable packaging for effective practice, relating to compatibility with workflows and food safety, (3) Power dynamics and fragmentation across the supply chain, highlighting coordination challenges and unclear responsibilities, and (4) Making a business case for reuse, with cost neutrality as a minimum condition. Overall, barriers were primarily operational and systemic rather than technical. Findings highlight the need for coordinated infrastructure, regulatory clarity and financially viable reuse models. Full article

This study investigated the technological feasibility of using a pre-structured bovine blood plasma–flaxseed composition as a functional partial substitute for beef in emulsion-type sausages. Five formulations containing 0–30% replacement were evaluated to determine effects on structural, nutritional, and microbiological properties. Incorporation of the structured composition modified the functional balance of the protein system: water-holding capacity remained stable (p > 0.05), while fat-holding and emulsifying capacities improved at higher inclusion levels (p < 0.05), indicating enhanced interfacial stabilization of the fat phase. Progressive softening of texture was observed, with significant reductions in hardness and chewiness at 30% replacement (p < 0.05). Cooking loss increased at elevated substitution levels but remained within acceptable technological limits. During refrigerated storage, microbial counts remained below safety thresholds. A 15–25% replacement level provided the most balanced performance, maintaining sensory acceptability while improving lipid stabilization. The results demonstrate that structured plasma-based systems can function as effective protein–emulsion modifiers in meat formulations, supporting sustainable valorization of slaughter by-products. Full article

This study evaluated contamination by polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDDs/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in 390 feeds and 1756 food samples collected in Latium and Tuscany (Italy, 2016–2025) using HRGC-HRMS. PCDDs/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs (dl-PCBs) are expressed as WHO 2005 toxic equivalents (WHO₀₅-TEQ). Non-dioxin-like PCBs (ndl-PCBs) lack dioxin-like toxicity mechanisms due to their non-coplanar structure and are not assigned a toxic equivalence factor. Feed results were normalised to 12% moisture content. Median levels of WHO₀₅-PCDDs/Fs+dl-PCBs TEQ at the upper limit in feed were 10–100 times lower than those reported in European monitoring data (EFSA, 2002–2010) for comparable categories, including additives, premixtures, raw materials and compound feed, with plant and animal feed materials below 0.03 ng/kg and aquaculture feed at 0.24 ng/kg. Food contamination was generally low, with the median WHO₀₅-PCDDs/Fs+dl-PCBs TEQ 2–4 times lower than Italian national data (2013–2016), considering comparable categories such as meat, fish, milk, eggs, oils, baby foods, marine oils, animal fats and liver. Higher levels were observed in game meat, sheep products and fermented milk than in pork and poultry. The contamination remained stable over time. These results indicate an improvement in food safety thanks to national and EU regulations, although continued surveillance of high-risk and undersampled categories remains essential. Full article

Background: Veterinarians are pivotal to wildlife health surveillance and game-meat safety, yet these topics receive limited emphasis in many veterinary curricula. Understanding students’ perceptions can inform targeted educational improvements. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, anonymous online survey among students enrolled in the Integrated Master’s in Veterinary Medicine at ICBAS-UP (Portugal). The questionnaire covered sociodemographic, meat and game-meat consumption, perceived appeal of working with game animals, and multi-select views on hunting, game-meat consumption and the veterinary role. We computed descriptive statistics and tested associations between categorical variables using Pearson’s Chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests (Monte Carlo correction when appropriate). Results: Of the 391 eligible students, 152 responded (39%). The majority (76%) associated hunting with veterinary inspection of game meat and research in epidemiology and emerging diseases, and many (72%) recognized as core roles monitoring the health of game animals and the contribution to public health and environmental sustainability. Significant associations included: prior game-meat consumption with finding game animals appealing/interest in learning more; year of enrolment with recognising hunting as an economic activity and acknowledging veterinary inspection and public health contributions; and perceiving game animals as appealing with associating hunting with population control (all p < 0.05; Cramer’s V indicating weak–moderate effects). Conclusions: Students show awareness of veterinary roles in game-animal health and meat inspection, but interest in working with game animals is low and knowledge gaps persist (e.g., inspection of game meat). Findings support curricular integration of wildlife health, game-meat inspection and One Health. Multicenter studies and evaluation of educational interventions are warranted. Full article

Foodborne pathogens such as Klebsiella aerogenes pose a threat to food safety, highlighting the need for rapid, reliable detection methods amid rising contamination risks in production chains. In this study, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed and validated to detect the histidine decarboxylase (HDC) gene of K. aerogenes. The assay was optimized for specificity and sensitivity, tested on pure bacterial genomic DNA and artificially contaminated food matrices (vegetables and meats), and evaluated against real-time PCR (qPCR). To evaluate performance under different DNA quality conditions and simulate laboratory versus on-site workflows, two extraction approaches were compared: a standard laboratory protocol yielding high-purity DNA and a crude extraction method producing low-purity DNA, mimicking the presence of inhibitors commonly encountered in routine analysis and enabling practical on-site detection where commercial kits are not feasible. The developed LAMP assay achieved maximum specificity with no cross-reactivity to related species, limits of detection of 240 fg/reaction for pure bacterial DNA and 0.4 pg/µL in K. aerogenes artificially contaminated food samples, and a reaction time under 30 min—outperforming real-time PCR in speed and robustness. This cost-effective method provides a scalable tool for near-real-time monitoring of K. aerogenes in food production, enhancing safety and enabling early outbreak detection. Full article

The increasing occurrence of antibiotic residues in poultry meat represents a serious food safety concern associated with antimicrobial resistance and potential risks to human health. This study investigated the effects of electron beam irradiation on antibiotic residues and nutritional quality parameters of poultry meat. All experiments and data collection were carried out in 2025. Fresh poultry samples were irradiated using an ILU-10 pulsed linear electron accelerator at doses of 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 kGy. Antibiotic residues were determined by HPLC-DAD, amino acid composition was analyzed using HPLC, and fatty acid profiles were evaluated by gas chromatography. Electron beam irradiation produced significant dose-dependent changes in the chemical composition of poultry meat. Total amino acid content decreased progressively with increasing irradiation dose, with reductions of up to 60–73% at 10 kGy depending on tissue type. Branched-chain and essential amino acids showed similar trends. Fatty acid analysis revealed a shift toward higher proportions of saturated fatty acids and a decline in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The PUFA/SFA ratio decreased from 0.48 in control samples to 0.25 at 10 kGy. Tetracycline residues were not detected in any samples, whereas chloramphenicol residues were present in control meat but were progressively reduced after irradiation and became undetectable at doses ≥ 8 kGy. These results demonstrate that electron beam irradiation can effectively reduce antibiotic residues in poultry meat; however, higher irradiation doses may significantly alter amino acid and lipid composition. Therefore, optimization of irradiation parameters is necessary to balance improvements in food safety with the preservation of nutritional quality for the production of safe and sustainable food products. Optimization of irradiation parameters is therefore necessary to balance food safety benefits with preservation of nutritional quality. Furthermore, this research contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, while the obtained results also support SDG 3 by promoting safer food systems and protecting public health. Full article