{"title":"Metatranscriptomics and HS-GC-IMS unveils the disparities in gene functions, metabolic traits, and volatile metabolites between highly-preserved and easily-spoiled soybean pastes","authors":"Fei Ren, Yanxiang Liu, Bin Tan","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111291","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111291","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Traditional fermented soybean paste samples display distinct highly-preserved (HP) and easily-spoiled (ES) characteristics. This study delves into the metatranscriptomic and volatile metabolites investigations of HP and ES samples to explore their influencing on the quality of soybean pastes. The results showed that Firmicutes were predominant in HP soybean pastes, in which genus <em>Bacillus</em> having highest abundance, while Proteobacteria was most abundant in ES ones, with <em>Citrobacter</em>, <em>Salmonella</em>, and <em>Escherichia</em> top abundant. Amino acid transport and metabolism, carbohydrate transport and metabolism, energy production and conversion held most abundant gene functions. HP and ES samples had significant differences in biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions revealed with GO functional enrichment analysis. Furthermore, ABC transporters and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis were among significantly enriched pathways in HP samples, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and chlorocyclohexane and chlorobenzene degradation in ES samples disclosed with pathway enrichment analysis with KEGG. Among ES downregulated genes, the most function-related genes belonged to <em>Bacillus.</em> The selected genes data with qRT-PCR effectively validated the metatranscriptomic results. For volatile compounds, HP had much more 1-octanal, 1-octen-3-ol, ethanol, limonene, ethyl lactate and ethyl acetate, ES soybean pastes had higher levels of propanal, hexanal, 3-methyl butanoic acid, methanol. The research furnishes a comprehension of the microbes, functional genes and volatile metabolites involved in soybean paste preservative properties, which may help improve the quality of soybean paste products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"441 ","pages":"Article 111291"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144203888","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}
Longhui Luo , Wei Tian , Qian Liu , Xiaoying Yang , Tingting Chen , Zhibo Zhao , Xiufang Yan , Chao Kang , Dongmei Chen , Youhua Long
{"title":"Rapid and quantitative detection of Botryosphaeria dothidea by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy with size-controlled spherical metal nanoparticles combined with machine learning","authors":"Longhui Luo , Wei Tian , Qian Liu , Xiaoying Yang , Tingting Chen , Zhibo Zhao , Xiufang Yan , Chao Kang , Dongmei Chen , Youhua Long","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111288","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111288","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Botryosphaeria dothidea</em> infection has become a major factor affecting the quality of postharvest fruits, so detection of <em>B. dothidea</em> infection is very important to control the spread of infection and ensure food safety. In this study, we built a monitoring platform for rapid and quantitative detection of <em>B. dothidea</em> by Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with size-controlled spherical metal nanoparticles combined with machine learning, and the platform could also detect a variety of pathogens. With spherical metal nanoparticles as the active substrate, the SERS enhanced effect was significantly size-dependent. 45–60 nm Ag@ICNPs was determined to achieve the maximum SERS signal detection of <em>B. dothidea</em>, and used as the active substrate to construct a SERS platform for rapid and quantitative detection of <em>B. dothidea</em>. This platform had potential practicability in actual sample detection. The platform was used for the detection of <em>Pseudomonas syringae pv. Actinidiae</em>, <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em>, <em>Ralstonia solanacearum</em> and <em>Pseudomonas extremorientalis</em>, and the SERS fingerprint information of these pathogens was successfully captured, and the quantitative analysis ability of these pathogens was also strong. Machine learning analysis was performed on the SERS spectra of pathogens obtained. Based on the differences between the spectral data sets of different pathogens, PCA could effectively distinguish these five pathogens into different groups. The accuracy rates of SVM, Tree, Linear discrimination analysis, Efficient logistic regression, Naive Bayes, K-Nearest Neighbors, Ensemble and Neural network test were 100 %, 96 %, 100 %, 100 %, 100 %, 100 %, 98 % and 100 % respectively, all of which had relatively high accuracy rates. Overall, this study provides a simple, efficient and accurate method for rapid quantitative detection and identification of multiple pathogens, and can be extended to practical agricultural products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"440 ","pages":"Article 111288"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144185773","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":"Endophytic Diaporthe citrichinensis as a new source to alleviate post-harvest fungal infections in apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.)","authors":"Shreya Gupta, Sanjai Saxena","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111289","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111289","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>After harvesting, Apple is susceptible to being attacked by various fungal pathogens, rendering it unconsumable and further reducing its commercial value. To mitigate these losses, biocontrol strategies utilizing endophytic fungi are gaining momentum as effective alternatives to synthetic fungicides. In the present study, 155 endophytic fungi were isolated from various parts of <em>Malus</em> x <em>domestica</em> Borkh., sourced from Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) and Pulwama (Jammu & Kashmir). The isolates were subjected to screening for antifungal activity against the primary post-harvest pathogens of apple including, <em>Alternaria alternata</em>, <em>Aspergillus niger</em>, <em>Botrytis cinerea</em>, <em>Penicillium expansum</em>, <em>Rhizopu</em>s sp., and <em>Venturia inaequalis</em>. In the dual-confrontation test, the isolates 03MDLP P3–3 and 01MDLM P1–6 exhibited the highest percentage inhibition against all target phytopathogens. The potent cultures were further scrutinized using sandwich assay, wherein 03MDLP P3–3 exhibited complete growth inhibition against all phytopathogenic fungi, indicating its antifungal efficacy, likely attributed to its capacity to release volatile organic compounds. Using morphological and molecular techniques, 03MDLP P3–3 was identified as <em>Diaporthe citrichinensis</em>. This study marks the first report of isolating <em>D. citrichinensis</em> as an endophyte from apples. Furthermore, a pathogenicity test was conducted on the potent isolate, revealing no harmful effects when introduced to apple fruits according to the Koch's postulate. The effect of <em>D. citrichinensis</em> was also examined under in vivo conditions against the major post-harvest fungal pathogens of apple fruits, revealing that no lesion development was noted on the test fruits inoculated with spore suspension of pathogens in the presence of <em>D. citrichinensis</em>. The present study offers a promising avenue for utilizing <em>D. citrichinensis</em> as a biocontrol agent to combat post-harvest fungal diseases in apple production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"440 ","pages":"Article 111289"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144195079","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":"Unexpected high prevalence of carbapenemase-producing bacteria and widely spread of blaNDM-1-positive Shewanella spp. in retail shrimp","authors":"Chao Yue , Xun Gao , Ludan Xiao, Litao Lu, Jiakuo Chen, Caiying Lin, Zhongpeng Cai, Guolong Gao, Luchao Lv, Jian-Hua Liu, Yi-Yun Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111284","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111284","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbapenems, critical last-resort antibiotics, are increasingly ineffective due to the spread of carbapenemase-producing pathogens, particularly New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM)-producing bacteria. Although NDM has been detected in a variety of environmental and clinical sources, its prevalence in seafood, especially shrimp, remains underexplored despite shrimp being a widely consumed food. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and molecular characteristics of NDM-producing bacteria in shrimp. A total of 77 non-repetitive shrimp samples were collected from 8 farmers' markets to detect NDM-producing bacteria. Among these, 38 <em>bla</em><sub>NDM</sub>-positive isolates were recovered from 34 samples (44.2 %, 34/77) and subject to whole genome sequencing (WGS). MALDI-TOF and WGS showed that these isolates were identified as <em>Shewanella</em> spp. (<em>S. indica</em>, <em>n</em> = 9; <em>S. chilikensis</em>, <em>n</em> = 12; <em>S. algae</em>, <em>n</em> = 6), <em>Vibrio fluvialis</em> (n = 6), and <em>Escherichia coli</em> (<em>n</em> = 5), with <em>S.</em> spp. and <em>V. fluvialis</em> exhibiting high genetic homogeneity, suggesting localized clonal spread among shrimps. Further Nanopore sequencing and molecular characterization of 11 randomly selected isolates indicated that ten <em>bla</em><sub>NDM</sub> genes were located on plasmids, including IncC (<em>n</em> = 2, from <em>S. algae</em> and <em>V. furnissii</em>), untypeable plasmids from <em>Shewanella</em> spp. (<em>n</em> = 5), and IncI1, IncHI2, and IncFII-FIA plasmids from <em>E. coli</em>. These plasmids exhibited high homology with those from other sources deposited in GenBank, and the untypeable plasmids were unique to <em>Shewanella</em> spp. This study, to the best of our knowledge, represents the first report of the high prevalence of <em>bla</em><sub>NDM</sub>-positive pathogens in shrimp, highlighting the critical public health threat posed by the widespread propagation of <em>bla</em><sub>NDM</sub> through plasmids and clonal transmission in seafood. This study contributes to the growing body of evidence highlighting the critical need for stringent food safety policies and regulations to combat the health risks posed by emerging food pollutants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"441 ","pages":"Article 111284"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144229483","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}
Lingchang Wang , Yi Shen , Bo Chen , Hongfang Nie , Langfei Gan , Aimin Luo , Qiang He , Kai Zhong , Hong Gao
{"title":"Spatial environments of stack and layer shape the quality of Chinese sauce aroma Daqu: Characteristics, functions, and relationships","authors":"Lingchang Wang , Yi Shen , Bo Chen , Hongfang Nie , Langfei Gan , Aimin Luo , Qiang He , Kai Zhong , Hong Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111287","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111287","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Chinese sauce aroma liquor <em>Daqu</em> (CSDQ) is an important raw material and starter in Baijiu processing, which is formed through solid-state fermentation in an open environment. The spatial environment influences the qualities of CSDQ. In this study, the subtypes of CSDQ were defined by types and layers. Based on multiomic methods, the nutrient substances, fermentation-related parameters, flavor compounds, microbial diversity, and bacterial function of different subtypes were comprehensively evaluated. The obtained results revealed that YQ had the most types of characteristic bacteria, WQ provided the most yeast and the highest fermentation power, and BQ had the most pyrazines and <em>Bacillales</em>. The relationships between subtypes or biochemical factors were presented. Trace bacteria exhibited temperate amplification in YQ and BQ, which may be the essential outcome of CSDQs as natural culture mediums. Our findings provided a better understanding of solid-state fermentation in the Baijiu industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"440 ","pages":"Article 111287"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144189663","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 incubation temperature, time, and freezing on diversity of Campylobacter spp. recovered from naturally contaminated retail beef livers","authors":"Rauni Kivistö, Jenna Tuononen","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111286","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111286","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Retail beef livers are often contaminated with <em>Campylobacter</em> species and represent a potential transmission route for human infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of incubation temperature and time on the isolation rate of different <em>Campylobacter</em> species from retail bovine liver juice samples, and the effect of freezing on the recovery of <em>Campylobacter</em> spp. from the naturally contaminated liver samples. Fresh retail beef liver packages (<em>N</em> = 20), packed in modified atmosphere, were purchased from local stores and examined using direct culture on mCCDA. All colonies grown under microaerobic conditions at either 37 °C or 41.5 °C were identified to genus and species levels using real-time colony polymerase chain reaction, and a representative collection of the <em>Campylobacter</em> isolates was further characterized using whole-genome sequencing by Illumina. The plates were inspected after incubation of 24, 48, and 72 h. Liver pieces were stored in the freezer at −20 °C and re-examined after thawing using both direct culture and enrichment in parallel. <em>Campylobacter</em> spp. were detected from 17 (85 %) of the fresh beef liver juice samples, compared with four (20 %) after freezing (<em>P</em> < 0.0001). <em>C. jejuni</em> was the most common species detected in all 17 <em>Campylobacter</em>-positive samples, followed by <em>C. fetus</em> detected in 6 samples prior to freezing. <em>C. coli</em>, <em>C. lari,</em> and <em>C. hyointestinalis</em> were not detected in any of the samples. The isolation rate of <em>C. fetus</em> from beef liver juice improved by lowering the incubation temperature from 41.5 °C to 37 °C and extending the incubation time from 48 to 72 h. Also, <em>C. jejuni</em> was isolated more often at 37 °C than at 41.5 °C. <em>C. fetus</em> subsp. <em>fetus</em> sequence type (ST)-6 was the most common finding from fresh liver juice samples (5/20), followed by <em>C. jejuni</em> ST-48 (4/20) and ST-58 (4/20). Several samples were contaminated with multiple STs or species. Freezing caused a 0.6–1.4 log reduction in the <em>Campylobacter</em> spp. count but did not completely eliminate the risk of transmission, particularly for samples starting with high-level natural contamination.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"440 ","pages":"Article 111286"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144170295","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}
Louise Vermote , Byung Hee Chun , Shehzad Abid Khan , Luc De Vuyst , Che Ok Jeon , Stefan Weckx
{"title":"Metagenomic and meta-metabolomic analysis of traditional Korean rice vinegar productions shows a large variability between producers","authors":"Louise Vermote , Byung Hee Chun , Shehzad Abid Khan , Luc De Vuyst , Che Ok Jeon , Stefan Weckx","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111283","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111283","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cereal vinegars have been used for thousands of years, especially in Asian countries. These vinegars are still produced in a traditional way by a spontaneous, consecutive, alcoholic and acetic acid fermentation process in open vats under non-sterile conditions, which can lead to an unstable and inconsistent flavor and quality. The present study characterized the microbial diversity of complete, traditional Korean rice vinegar productions at two producers (A and B), from steamed rice to rice vinegar, applying high-throughput amplicon-based and shotgun metagenomic sequencing, in combination with meta-metabolomic analysis. Functional analysis based on metagenome-assembled genomes provided insights into the genetic potential of the different microorganisms involved. Producer A used <em>nuruk</em>, a traditional starter, and seed vinegar to start the alcoholic and acetic acid fermentation phases, respectively, which resulted in highly controlled productions even when different fermentation vessels were used. Producer B used only <em>nuruk</em> to start the vinegar productions, and the spontaneous inoculation of acetic acid bacteria did fail in one of the productions. The addition of <em>nuruk</em> resulted in a simultaneous rice starch saccharification and alcoholic fermentation phase characterized by producer-specific moulds, yeasts, and lactic acid bacteria (LAB). During the acetic acid fermentation phase at both producers (a) novel <em>Acetobacter</em> species, related to <em>A. pasteurianus</em> was found. The simultaneous presence of several LAB species made it hard to link them with the production of specific metabolites. Also, the species contributing to ester formation, important for the flavor, was not clear and requires further research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"440 ","pages":"Article 111283"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144195078","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":"Impact of autoinducer-2 activity on quality characteristics and bacterial community of fermented sausage","authors":"Jiangyang Zhai , Wenjing Zhen , Mirco Corazzin , Jianjun Tian , Yue Gu","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111285","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111285","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The quality of fermented sausages is significantly influenced by microbial metabolism, with quorum sensing serving a crucial regulatory role. This study investigated the impact of exogenous autoinducer-2 (AI-2) activity on the functional properties of <em>Limosilactobacillus fermentum</em> 332 and the quality of fermented sausages. The results showed that adding AI-2 at concentrations up to 100 μmol/L enhanced the hydroxyl radical scavenging and anti-lipid peroxidation abilities of L. <em>fermentum</em> 332, while decreasing AI-2 activity increased the nitrite degradation rate. Elevated AI-2 activity enhanced sausage texture, reduced water activity, and increased lightness (L<sup>⁎</sup> values), whereas reduced AI-2 activity promoted the enrichment of <em>Limosilactobacillus</em> and <em>Lactiplantibacillus</em>, activating metabolic pathways related to carbohydrate, lipid, and amino acid metabolism. This resulted in increased levels of key volatile flavor compounds, including ethyl hexanoate, linalyl acetate, and ethyl oleate. These findings underscore AI-2's critical role in regulating lactic acid bacteria metabolism, providing insights into improving the quality and sensory characteristics of fermented sausages.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"440 ","pages":"Article 111285"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144170294","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}
Nunzio Alberto Fazio , Warren Albertin , Isabelle Masneuf-Pomarede , Cinzia L. Randazzo , Cinzia Caggia
{"title":"Structure of culturable indigenous yeast population and genetic diversity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and non-Saccharomyces yeasts during spontaneous fermentation of Etna vineyards grapes","authors":"Nunzio Alberto Fazio , Warren Albertin , Isabelle Masneuf-Pomarede , Cinzia L. Randazzo , Cinzia Caggia","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111282","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111282","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The microbial diversity of indigenous yeasts plays a fundamental role in the spontaneous fermentation of wines, contributing to the concept of <em>microbial terroir</em> and potentially influencing the sensory profile of the final product. This study explores the yeast ecology and genetic diversity of <em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</em> and non-<em>Saccharomyces</em> yeasts in four wineries located on two different sides of Mount Etna, a region of unique viticultural significance due to its volcanic soils and diverse microclimatic conditions. A total of 454 yeast isolates were obtained from spontaneous fermentations of different grape varieties, and identified as belonging to 18 distinct species. The spontaneous fermentation was characterized by an initial dominance of non-<em>Saccharomyces</em> yeasts, especially <em>Hanseniaspora uvarum</em> and <em>Metschnikowia pulcherrima,</em> followed by a gradual dominance of <em>S. cerevisiae</em> at later stages. Microsatellite genotyping revealed significant genetic diversity among <em>S. cerevisiae</em> strains, with some distinct genetic patterns associated with Italian winery environments. Additionally, <em>H. uvarum</em> exhibited significant genetic variation but lacked clear geographic clustering, suggesting complex ecological and enological interactions. Statistical analyses of microbial diversity indices indicated that vineyard-specific factors, including altitude, soil composition, and agronomic practices, may influence yeast community structure among the four wineries. These findings provide new insights into the microbial ecology of Etna wines and highlight the potential of indigenous yeast populations for maintaining and enhancing regional wine identity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"440 ","pages":"Article 111282"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144146958","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":"Dynamics of mono and dual-species biofilms of Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhimurium: Interspatial interactions and novel inhibition strategies","authors":"Abhishek Kaushik , Neetu Kumra Taneja , Komal Chauhan , Harinder Singh Oberoi","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111280","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111280","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Multi-species biofilms in the food industry present significant global health risks, contributing to frequent outbreaks, diseases, and fatalities. This study aimed to characterize the mono- and dual-species biofilms formed by invasive food isolates <em>Escherichia coli</em> EMC17 and <em>Salmonella typhimurium</em> SMC25, focusing on microbial load variations, interspecies interactions, and the exploration of a combinatorial inhibition strategy for biofilm disruption. The highest biofilm density was observed in dual-species cultures at equal inoculum after 96 h, as confirmed by Crystal Violet assay and exopolysaccharide (EPS) production (72 μg/ml). Dual-species biofilms showed total bacterial counts of 7.29 log<sub>10</sub> CFU/cm<sup>2</sup> for <em>E. coli</em> EMC17 and 5.95 log<sub>10</sub> CFU/cm<sup>2</sup> for <em>S</em>. Typhimurium SMC25, with both strains exhibiting strong multidrug resistance (MDR), as indicated by MAR indices of 0.46 and 0.38, respectively. Epifluorescence and confocal laser microscopy revealed synergistic interactions during dual-species biofilm development, further supported by principal component analysis, which highlighted distinct growth patterns between mono- and dual-species biofilms. Specifically, mono-species biofilms of <em>E. coli</em> EMC17 had a biovolume of 56.70 ± 1.36 μm<sup>3</sup>/μm<sup>2</sup> at 96 h, whereas dual-species biofilms reached 62.61 ± 1.38 μm<sup>3</sup>/μm<sup>2</sup>. Additionally, dual-species biofilm-associated cells exhibited significantly enhanced adhesion (16.40 %) and invasion (2.07 %) potential compared to the mono-species biofilms. Furthermore, a combinatorial inhibition strategy using quercetin and citric acid demonstrated synergistic activity against the MDR strains, with fractional inhibitory concentration index (FIC) of <0.5. These findings offer new insights into the dynamics of dual-species biofilms, emphasizing the potential of phytochemical-citric acid combinations as promising alternatives to traditional antibiotics in biofilm management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"440 ","pages":"Article 111280"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144146959","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}