Food microbiology最新文献

{"title":"Exploring viral diversity in fermented vegetables through viral metagenomics","authors":"Julia Cantuti Gendre ,&nbsp;Claire Le Marrec ,&nbsp;Stéphane Chaillou ,&nbsp;Lysiane Omhover-Fougy ,&nbsp;Sophie Landaud ,&nbsp;Eric Dugat-Bony","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104733","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104733","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fermented vegetables are traditionally produced using the endogenous microorganisms present in raw ingredients. While the diversity of bacteria and fungi in fermented vegetables has been relatively well studied, phage communities remain largely unexplored. In this study, we collected twelve samples of fermented cabbage, carrot, and turnip after fermentation and analyzed the microbial and viral communities using shotgun and viral metagenomic approaches. Assessment of the viral diversity also benefited from epifluorescence microscopy to estimate viral load. The viral metagenomics approach targeted dsDNA, ssDNA, and RNA viruses. The microbiome of fermented vegetables was dominated by lactic acid bacteria and varied according to the type of vegetable used as raw material. The analysis of metagenome-assembled-genomes allowed the detection of 22 prophages of which 8 were present as free particles and therefore detected in the metaviromes. The viral community, estimated to range from 5.28 to 7.57 log virus-like particles per gram of fermented vegetables depending on the sample, was mainly composed of dsDNA viruses, although ssDNA and non-bacterial RNA viruses, possibly originating from the phyllosphere, were also detected. The dsDNA viral community, primarily comprising bacteriophages, varied depending on the type of vegetable used for fermentation. The bacterial hosts predicted for these phages mainly belonged to <em>Lactobacillaceae</em> and <em>Enterobacteriaceae</em> families. These results highlighted the complex microbial and viral composition of fermented vegetables, which varied depending on the three types of vegetables used as raw material. Further research is needed to deepen our understanding of the impact of these viruses on the microbial ecology of fermented vegetables and on the quality of the final products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 104733"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143129026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Role of post-harvest abiotic factors on interactions of Salmonella typhimurium with lettuce leaves (Lactuca sativa L. var crispa)","authors":"Daniele Bezerra Faria ,&nbsp;Carina Ulsen ,&nbsp;Daniele Fernanda Maffei ,&nbsp;Bernadette Dora Gombossy de Melo Franco","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104732","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104732","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Foodborne gastroenteritis outbreaks of <em>Salmonella</em> Typhimurium infections are often associated with leafy vegetables. In addition to biotic factors, attachment and adhesion to the vegetable leaves and subsequent survival and internalization in the tissues in the post-harvest stages are mediated by abiotic factors, mainly light, temperature and time. This study combined quantitative cultural methods and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to investigate the influence of light (dark = 0 μE m⁻²s⁻¹ and light = 100 μE m⁻²s⁻¹), temperature (4 °C, 12 °C and 25 °C) and storage time (0 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h) on the interactions of <em>Salmonella</em> Typhimurium UV-BioTag™ with experimentally contaminated lettuce leaves (<em>Lactuca sativa</em> L. var crispa), preconditioned for 20 min in the tested conditions before contamination. After 2h, an intense adhesion of <em>S</em>. Typhimurium to the leaves was observed, increasing during storage for 72 h (estimated shelf life), regardless the temperature and light conditions. SEM microphotographs indicated that the adhesion to the leaf surfaces was followed by internalization into stomata and formation of biofilm-like bacterial aggregates, in all tested conditions. The study highlighted that <em>Salmonella</em> was capable to colonize the leaf surfaces even under the absence of light. Understanding how abiotic factors influence these processes is essential to develop more effective strategies to minimize the risks associated with consumption of raw leafy vegetables.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 104732"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143129024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biofilm formation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains associated with recent reoccurring lettuce outbreaks","authors":"Yishan Yang ,&nbsp;Xianghe Yan,&nbsp;Marina Redding ,&nbsp;Ganyu Gu,&nbsp;Yaguang Luo,&nbsp;Jitendra Patel,&nbsp;Xiangwu Nou","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104728","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104728","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Genomically closely clustered <em>E. coli</em> O157:H7 strains have been implicated in several recent multistate outbreaks linked to romaine lettuce. The underlying factors contributing to their reoccurrence and persistence remain elusive. Biofilm formation and acid resistance are crucial factors for foodborne pathogens in their environmental persistence and success in host gastrointestinal invasion. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the biofilm-forming capability of outbreak strains, their resistance to antimicrobials, and their tolerance to gastric acid, by comparing O157:H7 strains associated with recent reoccurring outbreaks and those associated with previous lettuce, spinach, and hamburger outbreaks. The recent outbreak strains, which were collectively described as “reoccurring, emerging, and persistent (REP)”, exhibited significantly stronger biofilm-forming capabilities and resistance to quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) compared to other strains. They also exhibited strong tolerance to simulated gastric fluid. Their ability to form robust biofilms is likely attributed to their pronounced production of curli and cellulose, as demonstrated on Congo Red and Calcoflour White agar plates. Moreover, their exceptional resistance to sanitizers may stem from the formation of dense biofilms with higher cellulose content, as visualized using fluorescent dyes under confocal laser scanning microscopy. The findings of this study support the assertion that biofilm formation is a critical factor for the reoccurring outbreak strains for environmental persistence and provide insights for developing prevention strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 104728"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143129019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hierarchical Bayesian linear mixed model to estimate variability in the thermal inactivation parameters for Listeria species","authors":"Soundarya T. Karamcheti ,&nbsp;Gale Brightwell ,&nbsp;Phil Bremer ,&nbsp;Matthew R. Schofield","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104731","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104731","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A total of 476 D-values associated with 76 strains of <em>Listeria</em> spp. in liquid media were obtained from 27 scientific articles. Meta-analysis was carried out using hierarchical Bayesian models to assess variability, predict the D-, and estimate the <span><math><mrow><msub><mi>z</mi><mi>T</mi></msub></mrow></math></span>-, and <span><math><mrow><msub><mi>z</mi><mrow><mi>p</mi><mi>H</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>-values for <em>Listeria</em> spp. across a range of temperatures (55–70 °C) and pH values (3–8 units). Different hypotheses regarding variability between strains or studies in each model correspond to different hierarchical assumptions about the inactivation parameters. The models produced were compared based on their predictive ability, Bayes-R² and widely applicable information criterion (WAIC) values. A hierarchical model that considered random effects due to both strain and study effects on the thermal inactivation parameters was determined to be the “best” model and was subsequently used to estimate the posterior distributions for the D-, <span><math><mrow><msub><mi>z</mi><mi>T</mi></msub></mrow></math></span>-, and <span><math><mrow><msub><mi>z</mi><mrow><mi>p</mi><mi>H</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>-values. The variability introduced in the parameters due to differences between studies was higher than that of variability between strains. The parameters estimated using the model for different strains of <em>Listeria</em> species may be applicable for processing aqueous foods such as milk and liquid products such as sauces and gravies across a temperature range of 55–70 °C and pH values of 3–8 units.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 104731"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143129022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular characterization of emerging multi-drug resistant Clostridium perfringens isolated from pork production chains in Korea","authors":"Yeona Kim ,&nbsp;Hyeonwoo Cho ,&nbsp;Beomsoon Jang ,&nbsp;Miru Lee ,&nbsp;Kun Taek Park","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104729","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104729","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Clostridium perfringens</em> is a common cause of foodborne illnesses and is involved in human and animal gastrointestinal diseases. Surveillance of <em>C. perfringens</em> in the pork production chain is crucial to manage the risk of pathogen transmission. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance profile, and genomic characteristics of <em>C. perfringens</em> in pork production chains in Korea. The overall prevalence of <em>C. perfringens</em> was 23.6% (330/1397), with 48.8 (178/365), 16.6 (138/832), and 7.0% (14/200) in pig farms, slaughterhouses, and retail markets, respectively. Toxinotyping revealed 98.9% type A and 1.1% type C isolates. Among them, 29.1% carried the beta-2 toxin gene. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests identified 20 multi-drug resistant isolates, with the highest resistance against tetracycline (65.1%). Whole-genome sequencing further revealed 17 antimicrobial resistance and 12 virulence genes. Subsequent phylogenetic analysis identified three clonal clusters, two of which revealed a clonal relationship with human clinical isolates reported in China. The ST408 isolate from the retail pork meat, IJCP45, harboured the <em>optrA</em> gene in a plasmid and was identical to known <em>optrA</em>-carrying plasmids in <em>C. perfringens</em> from livestock in China, suggesting the introduction and dissemination of <em>optrA</em> by the transmission of a specific plasmid in east Asian countries. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study of <em>C. perfringens</em> in the pork meat production system as an “One Health” approach. The study findings provide baseline data for the distribution and genetic characteristics of pig-associated <em>C. perfringens</em> in Korea and indicate the zoonotic transmission potential of <em>C. perfringens</em> from pigs to humans.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 104729"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143129021","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quality decline of prepared dishes stored at 4 °C: Microbial regulation of nitrite and biogenic amine formation","authors":"Jiaxin Liu ,&nbsp;Yin Wang ,&nbsp;Ping Yang ,&nbsp;Hongbo Li ,&nbsp;Haizhen Mo ,&nbsp;Prince Chisoro ,&nbsp;Dong Han ,&nbsp;Chunhui Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104730","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104730","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Prepared dishes have high water content and complex nutritional composition, making them highly susceptible to microbial contamination and oxidative spoilage during storage. To elucidate the effects of microorganisms on the quality of prepared dishes and the formation of contaminants, the dishes “stewed pork with cabbage” were stored at 4 °C for 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 days. Techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), ion chromatography (IC), and 16S rRNA sequencing were used to explore changes in quality of the prepared dishes. The results showed that the total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and total viable count (TVC) consistently increased at similar rates during storage. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value reached 1 mg MDA/kg after 7 days of storage. Nitrite content and nitrate reductase activity rose as nitrate content decreased with longer storage. The contents of four free amino acids (FAAs) (Glu, His, Phe, Lys) and biogenic amines (BAs) (Putrescine, Histamine, Phenethylamine, Cadaverine) showed opposite trends. The abundance of the dominant genus, including <em>Brochothrix</em>, <em>Acinetobacter</em> and <em>Weissella</em> was significantly (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) changed after the 3rd day of storage. <em>Brochothrix</em>, <em>Acinetobacter</em>, <em>Pseudomonas</em>, and <em>Weissella</em> promoted the decarboxylation of FAAs to form (BAs). <em>Acinetobacter</em> and <em>Brochothrix</em> accelerated the conversion of nitrate to nitrite. This study elucidates degradation of the quality of prepared dishes and the effect of five genera (<em>Brochothrix</em>, <em>Acinetobacter</em>, <em>Pseudomonas</em>, <em>Weissella</em> and <em>Brochothrix</em>) on the formation of nitrite and BAs, providing important theoretical support for enhancing nutritional quality and preserving the freshness during storage of prepared dishes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 104730"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143129023","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of fermentation alcohol termination by ceramic membrane filtration on the aroma of sugarcane fruit wine","authors":"Yin-Xiao Peng ,&nbsp;Bin Feng ,&nbsp;Zi-Jie Zhang ,&nbsp;Kai Li ,&nbsp;Shuangfei Wang ,&nbsp;Debao Niu","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104724","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104724","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The study aimed to explore the impact of ceramic membrane filtration used to terminate the fermentation process on the aroma of low-alcohol sugarcane fruit wines as compared to traditional methods. The sugarcane fruit wine of termination fermentation by ceramic membrane filtration results in a more fruity character due to the higher content of some volatile compounds (hexanal, hexyl butanoate, butanoic acid butyl ester, hexanoic acid ethyl ester, and β-Damascenone). In comparison to traditional method (pasteurization), sugarcane fruit wine of termination fermentation by ceramic membrane filtration exhibits a greater abundance of the characteristic aroma compounds (hexanal, isobutyl isobutyrate, pentanal, and butanal) of sugarcane juice, resulting in a more pronounced sugarcane aroma. In addition, results showed that a total of 73 volatile compounds were identified in sugarcane wine, with 17 being identified as key differential compounds and 20 as key aroma-active compounds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 104724"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143129018","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Control of Salmonella enterica spp. enterica in milk and raw milk cheese using commercial bacteriophage preparations","authors":"Emily Everhart ,&nbsp;Audrey Worth ,&nbsp;Dennis J. D'Amico","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104725","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104725","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Outbreaks of salmonellosis linked to consumption of raw milk and cheese made from raw milk continue to occur, highlighting the need for additional controls. This study determined the susceptibility of nine selected serovars of <em>Salmonella enterica</em> spp. <em>enterica</em> to commercially available bacteriophage preparations as well as the efficacy of phage application to control <em>Salmonella</em> in pasteurized and raw milk during storage and in the production of raw milk queso fresco and Gouda cheese. Except for serovar Cerro, both SalmoFresh™ and PhageGuard S™ demonstrated high lytic efficiency. Broth microdilution assays identified multiplicities of infection (MOI) ranging from log 1.84–6.69, which varied between serovars and products. Addition of SalmoFresh™ phage product to pasteurized milk at log MOI 6 rapidly reduced <em>Salmonella</em> counts such that mean counts were 2.33–3.22 log CFU/mL lower than control after 7 d at 7 °C. Aside from serovar Cerro, SalmoFresh™ addition was also effective in raw milk with mean counts 1.12–2.27 log CFU/mL lower than control at the end of storage. Despite these observations, counts of <em>Salmonella</em> Montevideo did not differ from control during queso fresco production or storage at 7 °C for 28 d when SalmoFresh™ was added at log MOI 6. <em>Salmonella</em> counts were lower in Gouda before brining when SalmoFresh™ was added to milk at log MOI 6 and was undetectable one week earlier in aged Gouda when added at log MOI 6 or 7. These data demonstrate the potential of commercial phage products to enhance the safety of raw milk, including that used to produce cheese.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 104725"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143129083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multi-laboratory validation of a modified real-time PCR assay (Mit1C) for the detection of Cyclospora cayetanensis in fresh produce","authors":"Sonia Almeria ,&nbsp;John Grocholl ,&nbsp;Jeremi Mullins ,&nbsp;Mauricio Durigan ,&nbsp;Laura Ewing-Peeples ,&nbsp;Ellie Lauren Rogers ,&nbsp;Kirsten Hirneisen ,&nbsp;Shauna Madson ,&nbsp;Shizhen Steven Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104727","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104727","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Cyclospora cayetanensis</em> is a foodborne protozoan parasite that causes the human diarrheal disease cyclosporiasis. Recently, the US FDA developed a modified real-time PCR method based on a specific mitochondrial target gene (Mit1C) to detect <em>C. cayetanensis</em> in fresh produce. The method was validated by single laboratory validation (SLV) studies in Romaine lettuce, cilantro, and raspberries. The present study aimed to evaluate the performance of the new real-time Mit1C (Mit1C qPCR) method by comparing it with the current BAM Chapter 19b qPCR (18S qPCR) as the reference method for the detection of the protozoan parasite C. cayetanensis in fresh produce in a multi-laboratory validation (MLV) setting with the participation of 13 collaborating laboratories. Each laboratory analyzed twenty-four blind-coded Romaine lettuce DNA test samples that included: two unseeded samples, three samples seeded with five oocysts, and one sample seeded with 200 oocysts in the first round and five unseeded samples, eight samples seeded with five oocysts, and five samples seeded with 200 oocysts in the second round. The overall detection rates across laboratories for Romaine lettuce samples inoculated with 200 and 5 oocysts and un-inoculated samples were 100% (78/78), 69.23% (99/143), and 1.1% (1/91), respectively, for Mit1C qPCR, and 100% (78/78), 61.54% (88/143) and 0% (0/91), respectively, for 18S qPCR. The relative level of detection (RLOD = LOD₅₀, _Mit1C/LOD₅₀, _18S) was 0.81 with a 95% confidence interval (0.600, 1.095), which included 1. Thus, Mit1C qPCR and 18S qPCR had statistically similar levels of detection. Mit1C qPCR was highly reproducible as the between-laboratory variance in the test results was nearly zero (0) and showed a high specificity at 98.9%. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the new, more specific Mit1C qPCR method is an effective alternative analytical tool for detection of <em>C. cayetanensis</em> in fresh produce.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 104727"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143129088","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Variability of growth parameter estimates - The role of rescaling and reparametrization","authors":"Maha Rockaya,&nbsp;József Baranyi","doi":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104726","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fm.2025.104726","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The focus of this paper is to analyze the reliability of the error estimation when well-known primary models of predictive microbiology are used to fit growth parameters. We also demonstrate the application of rescaling and reparametrization to improve this reliability. We highlight that the technique can be useful for achieving linearity and homoscedasticity, reducing the complexity of the model, generating initial parameter estimates when fitting experimental data by non-linear regression, and obtaining realistic standard errors for the parameter estimates, which are crucial for decision-making in food safety.</div><div>We classify the sources of the total variability and correlation of the parameter estimates as \"wet\" and \"dry\". We point out that, rescaling and reparametrization do not change the model in a mechanistic sense but they can reduce the variances of (and/or the correlation between) the parameter estimates, thus mitigate the effects of such “dry” (i.e. statistical) relationships.</div><div>We analyze the reliability of the error estimation when the model of Baranyi and Roberts (BRM) and the Gompertz function (GF) are used to fit data. The comparison is based on the distribution of the standard error of the maximum specific growth rate estimates. The results show that the error structure of the BRM-fit is closer to that of the linear regression, making BRM more reliable for constructing confidence intervals by conventional means, using the t-distribution assumption for the parameter estimates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12399,"journal":{"name":"Food microbiology","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 104726"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143129020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}