Journal of food protection最新文献

{"title":"Occurrence of Cryptosporidium sp. in fresh produce from the Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica: an update.","authors":"Nelly Murillo Salas, Johan Alvarado-Ocampo, Elizabeth Abrahams Sandí, Lissette Retana Moreira, Carolina Chaves Ulate","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100945","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100945","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Foodborne diseases represent a major global public health problem, causing significant morbidity and mortality, and substantial economic losses. Fruits and vegetables are considered among the main vehicles for transmission of infectious agents like bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, including Cryptosporidium sp. This protozoan parasite comprises many species that infect a wide range of hosts, is environmentally and geographically ubiquitous and has become one of the leading causes of diarrheal disease; in immunocompromised hosts, the infection can result in a chronic, life-threatening disease. Considering the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption in the daily diet and the need to ensure their safety, the aim of the study was to evaluate the presence of Cryptosporidium sp. in strawberries, lettuce and cilantro marketed in the Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica and to assess the degree of faecal contamination in these foods. For this purpose, 96 samples were analysed using parasitological and molecular methods that included a nested PCR to amplify Cryptosporidium sp. gp60 gene. Moreover, the presence of total and thermotolerant coliforms and Escherichia coli was also determined by culture methods and counts, for further identification using the VITEK system. Direct examination of wet mount and Ziehl-Neelsen stains revealed five Cryptosporidium sp. positive samples by microscopy and 22 positive samples by PCR; the identified species was Cryptosporidium parvum. Cilantro samples presented the highest counts of total, and thermotolerant coliforms and E. coli was identified in14 samples among 82 samples subjected to bacteriological analyses. The detection of C. parvum in raw vegetables and fruits from different provinces in Costa Rica, particularly using molecular techniques, demonstrates the need to strengthen surveillance and control in the production and marketing of these foods, to improve risk assessment and its relevance to public health.</p>","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":" ","pages":"100945"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149207010","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Foodborne Disease Outbreak Associated with Consumption of Asaana; a Local Maize Beverage in Ningo-Prampram, Ghana: A Case-Control Study.","authors":"Daniel Addotei Kpakpo, Rita Agyekumwah Asante Kusi, Vincent Arthur, Lloyd Owura Adu-Kumi, Shirley Gloria Davis, Benjamin Osei-Tutu, Magdalene Akos Odikro, Priscilla Awusi Teye, Nahshon Senanu, Philip Davor, Delia Akosua Bandoh, Joseph Asamoah Frimpong, Samuel Oko Sackey, Ernest Kenu","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100943","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100943","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>On 14 April 2025, a cluster of acute illness was reported among students in Ningo-Prampram Municipality, Greater Accra Region, Ghana. We investigated the outbreak to determine its magnitude, identify the source, and implement control measures. We conducted an unmatched 1:2 case-control study. A case was defined as any person in Olowe who developed at least one of the following symptoms on 14 April 2025: abdominal pain, dizziness, diarrhoea, nausea, fever, headache, or profuse sweating. Food and beverage exposures were compared using crude odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals, and Fisher's exact tests. Environmental assessment and laboratory investigation of food and environmental samples were also conducted. Among the 37 cases, 36 were associated with two affected schools and one was identified in the Olowe community. The community case developed symptoms at approximately 08:30 after consuming Asaana before it was transported to the schools. Among the school-associated cases, the first onset occurred at approximately 10:05, shortly after the morning break began at 10:00, with most cases developing symptoms within the subsequent 30 minutes. Asaana, a locally prepared maize-based beverage, was consumed by 73.0% (27/37) of cases compared with none of the 74 controls (Fisher's exact p<0.001). Environmental assessment identified concerns during beverage preparation and storage, food-contact materials, water storage, and hygiene. Targeted toxicological analysis of six food and environmental samples did not detect any of the compounds included in the testing panel. Although the causative agent was not identified, the epidemiological and environmental evidence implicated Asaana as the likely vehicle of the outbreak. Strengthening food vendor certification and inspection, safe food preparation and storage practices, and water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities in schools may reduce the risk of similar outbreaks.</p>","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":" ","pages":"100943"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149206929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Food Safety Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices among Food Handlers in the School Feeding Program in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.","authors":"Yihalem Tamiru, Abebe Ayelign, Afework Mulugeta","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100944","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100944","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Food safety is critical in school feeding programs to protect children's health. This cross-sectional study assessed food safety knowledge, attitudes, practices, and associated factors among 632 food handlers in the Addis Ababa School Feeding Program. Five sub-cities, four woredas per sub-city, and one public primary school per woreda were selected using multistage sampling; all eligible food handlers were included. Data collected through structured interviewer-administered questionnaires in April-May 2023 were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman's rank correlation, and logistic regression. Overall, 85.8% of food handlers were classified as having adequate knowledge, 79.6% as having positive attitudes, and 72.3% as having satisfactory practices; approximately 96% reported previous food safety training. Satisfactory practice was significantly associated with separate storage of raw and ready-to-eat foods (AOR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.01-0.90), water availability (AOR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.16-0.93), handwashing facilities (AOR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.36-0.95), and attitude score (AOR = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.11-0.28). Knowledge was weakly positively correlated with attitudes (ρ = 0.139, P < 0.001) and practices (ρ = 0.127, P = 0.001), while attitudes showed a stronger positive correlation with practices (ρ = 0.340, P < 0.001). Despite high reported training coverage, satisfactory practices were less prevalent than adequate knowledge and positive attitudes, indicating that training exposure alone may not translate into consistent food safety practices. Practical training, supportive supervision, routine monitoring, and adequate infrastructure may improve food safety. Given the cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported practices, causal relationships and objectively verified compliance could not be established.</p>","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":" ","pages":"100944"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149206997","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Salmonellosis outbreaks associated with pork, United States, 2012-2021.","authors":"Marta Zlotnick, Louise Francois Watkins, Meseret G Birhane, Neal Golden, Andrea Cote, Son T Hoang, Jason P Folster, Molly Leeper, Jennifer Adams, Katherine E Marshall, Misha Robyn","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100941","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100941","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nontyphoidal Salmonella causes an estimated 1.3 million domestically-acquired foodborne infections in humans annually in the United States (Scallan Walter et al., 2025). From 1998 to 2023, pork was the fourth most common food category attributed to foodborne Salmonella illnesses (Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration, 2024). We analyzed salmonellosis outbreaks associated with pork products between 2012-2021, using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Foodborne Diseases Outbreak Surveillance System, System for Enteric Disease Response, Investigation, and Coordination, PulseNet, and the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System. There were 50 Salmonella outbreaks linked to pork from 2012-2021. Twenty-one different Salmonella serotypes were identified; serotype I 4,[5],12:i:- was the most common, causing 19/50 outbreaks, followed by Typhimurium (7/50). Raw ground pork was associated with three outbreaks (6%) and 444 illnesses (23%). Pork roast or shoulder was associated with 13 outbreaks (26%) and 408 illnesses (21%). Whole pigs were associated with 11 outbreaks (22%) and 368 illnesses (19%). Among Salmonella isolates with available antimicrobial resistance information, 226/389 (58%) showed multidrug resistance and 230/389 (59%) showed clinically significant resistance; 216/222 (97%) and 22/34 (65%) of I 4,[5],12:i:- and Typhimurium isolates, respectively, exhibited any resistance. Antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella isolates from outbreaks linked to pork was more frequent than for nontyphoidal Salmonella infections in the United States overall. Preharvest disease prevention efforts that target serotypes I 4,[5],12:i:- and Typhimurium may be valuable in reducing Salmonella outbreaks and illnesses. Downstream exploration of individual- and community-level factors related to handling, preparation, and consumption of specific pork types may help reduce salmonellosis rates through targeted education.</p>","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":" ","pages":"100941"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149206960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of the growth variability of multiple Listeria monocytogenes strains on smoked salmon.","authors":"Waleed Butt, Peter Myintzaw, Máire Begley, Michael Callanan","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100940","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100940","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Listeria monocytogenes poses a significant food safety risk in ready-to-eat products like smoked salmon, which support bacterial growth during refrigerated storage and has been linked to several listeriosis outbreaks. Product manufacturers rely on challenge tests and predictive microbiology (PM) to ensure product safety and strain variability is an important consideration for both of these approaches. In this study, we reported a detailed analysis of strain variability in challenge tests and compared results to the outputs of common PM tools. Detailed growth data were generated on a commercial smoked salmon product stored at refrigeration (4.1°C), temperature abuse (9.6°C) and room temperature (19.8°C) with nine individual L. monocytogenes strains. Strains were selected based on differences in lineage, strain origin, cold/salt tolerance in laboratory media and included strains recommended in the European Union Reference Laboratory for L. monocytogenes (EURL-Lm) technical guidance document. The growth rates were compared to predictions from well-established PM tools (ComBase, Food Spoilage and Safety Predictor, Pathogen Modeling Program) as well as a smoked salmon specific secondary model. Growth rates of all strains were below predictions of tertiary models at 9.6°C and 19.8°C but some strains had higher estimated growth rates than predicted rates at 4.1°C. Cluster analysis also demonstrated no significant correlation between growth rates and strain origin or salt/cold tolerance although strains from lineage II were clearly associated with higher growth rates at 4.1°C and 19.8°C. Overall, this study presents detailed strain-specific growth rate data of genetically diverse L. monocytogenes strains on a smoked salmon product and highlights the importance of considering strain variability when designing challenge tests and interpreting predictive microbiology outputs.</p>","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":" ","pages":"100940"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149182380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Self-Reported Sanitation, Moisture Management, and Microbial Testing Practices Among Low-Moisture Food Safety Survey Respondents.","authors":"Grace Buechner, Calvin Slaughter, Abigail Snyder","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100938","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100938","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In low-moisture food (LMF) processing environments, sanitation and uncontrolled water events can introduce moisture that supports pathogen growth. However, commercial practices for sanitation, lot segregation, moisture management, and microbial monitoring remain poorly characterized. This study surveyed food safety and quality professionals with LMF production experience to describe these practices. A 56-question online survey distributed from October 2025 to January 2026 yielded 40 eligible responses. Sanitation break definitions varied, with 47% of respondents defining breaks by sanitation method. Respondents generally reported practices to limit water introduction. Wiping, brushing, or scraping and vacuuming were performed at least weekly by 95% and 84%, respectively; 68% reported never using flood cleaning. Equipment buildup reduction was the most common factor influencing dry-cleaning frequency (74%), while pathogen control was the most common factor influencing wet-cleaning frequency (82%). Among respondents using wet sanitation, 81.1% used at least one active drying measure afterward. However, uncertainty about relative humidity (RH) was common: 32.5% of eligible respondents were unsure of their dry-zone target RH, and 47.5% were unsure of the highest RH during normal operations. More than 20% reported condensation, equipment leaks, or water puddling at least monthly. Environmental monitoring for pathogens and hygiene indicators was most commonly performed weekly, while finished-product testing varied by analyte and facility size. These exploratory findings indicate that LMF manufacturers are monitoring microbial populations and limiting moisture introduction during sanitation, but opportunities remain to strengthen moisture management and improve consistency in sanitation break classification.</p>","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":" ","pages":"100938"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149136963","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica, and Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354 in Oil-Fried Potato Pellets.","authors":"Abdullatif Tay, Rico Suhalim, Erdogan Ceylan","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100899","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100899","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigated the thermal inactivation kinetics of three pathogens, Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes, and a surrogate microorganism, Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354, during oil frying of potato pellets at varying moisture contents of 5.4, 10.6, and 14.4%. Thermal treatments were conducted across temperatures ranging from 80 to 108 °C to establish comparative heat resistance profiles. Experimental results demonstrated that Salmonella enterica exhibited superior thermal resistance compared to both E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes. At 14.4% moisture content, Salmonella enterica D-values were determined to be 1.05, 0.47, and 0.24 min at 80, 85, and 90 °C, respectively. When moisture content was reduced to 5.4%, Salmonella enterica displayed increased thermal resistance, with D-values of 2.38, 1.20, and 0.72 min at 89, 92, and 98 °C. Notably, E. faecium NRRL B-2354 was the most heat-resistant microorganism, exhibiting D-values of 1.06, 0.65, and 0.31 min at 98, 103, and 108 °C in 5.4% moisture samples. E. faecium NRRL B-2354 demonstrated at least 1.6-fold greater heat resistance than Salmonella enterica at all moisture and temperature conditions. Verification testing at 129 °C with 10.6% moisture content resulted in population reductions of 4.73 and 5.6 log CFU/g for E. faecium NRRL B-2354 and Salmonella enterica, respectively, after 6 s of treatment. These findings provide a scientific foundation for validation protocols in similar fried, low-moisture food products and substantiate the potential application of E. faecium NRRL B-2354 as a suitable surrogate organism for in-plant validation studies of oil-fried, low-moisture products such as potato pellets.</p>","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":" ","pages":"100899"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148794092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The enhancing effects of locust bean gum and xanthan gum on the digestibility of potato starch under thermal treatments","authors":"Xiaopei Hu, Yidi Zhang, Fenshu Zhang, Chunyan Wang, Qiyue Zhao, Suhong Li, Tuoping Li","doi":"10.1002/fob2.70072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fob2.70072","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Locust bean gum (LBG) and xanthan gum (XG) played regulatory roles in the digestibility of potato starch (PS) during thermal treatments. The relative physicochemical characteristics were investigated through an in vitro digestibility test, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and rapid viscosity analyzer, as well as scanning electron microscopy. PS combined with LBG and XG was heated successively under normal pressure and high pressure to obtain the AT‐PLX sample. Compared to PS, the AT‐PLX sample had a lower hydrolysis rate, larger resistant starch content, decreased viscosity, and partly covered microscopic morphology. The changes might be attributed to the network formed via hydrogen bonds between PS and LBG/XG. Besides, the fluctuation rates of breakdown and setback values (FRBD and FRSB, respectively) were proposed as novel indicators of stability under heat and retrogradation to evaluate the pasting property comprehensively and accurately. The AT‐PLX sample likely belonged to the stable soft gel with a stronger cross‐linking ability due to the lower FRSB and higher FRBD values, which also contributed to its lowest digestibility. These findings would provide an alternative and friendly strategy for the development of starch‐based soft food or material and have the potential to be utilized in nutrient delivery or special diets.","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/fob2.70072","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148305598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Development and Validation of an Evaporative, Low-Flammability, and Low-Moisture Antimicrobial Liquid for Dry Cleaning and Sanitization of Food Processing Equipment","authors":"Shihyu Chuang,&nbsp;Galaxie Story,&nbsp;Lynne McLandsborough","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100716","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100716","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Environmentally persistent organisms such as <em>Salmonella</em> spp. and <em>Cronobacter</em> spp. have caused several high-profile outbreaks associated with the consumption of low-moisture foods. Sanitary operations in dry food-processing environments are challenging as excess moisture elevates the risk of microbial harborage and transfer. In this work, the evaporation kinetics of selected polar and nonpolar solvents was characterized with dynamic vapor sorption. A low-moisture, volatile antimicrobial liquid was formulated using 3% v/v water-in-cyclomethicone emulsion as the carrier for 200 mM acetic acid, which had a closed-cup flashpoint of 80 °C and a rate of bacterial-killing by greater than 7 log CFU/coupon in 10 min at 22 °C against <em>Salmonella</em> and <em>Cronobacter</em> cocktails desiccated (33% ERH) on a stainless-steel surface. Hand-cleaning validation involving inoculated-and-equilibrated milk films suggested that decontamination of the underlying substratum required prior, extensive scrubbing. Collectively, the developed system showed potential as an alternative to alcohol-based agents for dry cleaning and sanitization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":"89 4","pages":"Article 100716"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146165684","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the use of Safety-Assessed Bacteriocin-Producing Enterococci as Starters for Production of Soy Yoghurt Analogues","authors":"Belay Tilahun Tadesse ,&nbsp;Jennifer C. Molloy ,&nbsp;Shuangqing Zhao ,&nbsp;Liuyan Gu ,&nbsp;Carsten Jers ,&nbsp;Ivan Mijakovic ,&nbsp;Christian Solem","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100715","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100715","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant-based yoghurt analogs have gained significant popularity recently. Key driving factors are lactose intolerance and the perception that plant-based foods are more sustainable than dairy alternatives. When preparing plant-based yoghurt analogs, often conventional yoghurt cultures are used, despite the fact that plant-based substrates differ significantly from milk. Enterococci are known for their broad carbohydrate utilization repertoire, and many strains are considered safe and are used as probiotics. In this study, we explored the potential of enterococci for fermenting soymilk. Out of four strains tested, <em>Enterococcus faecium</em> BT0194, <em>Enterococcus lactis</em> B0167_2, <em>E. lactis</em> BT0173_2, and <em>E. lactis</em> CS4674, three strains acidified plain soymilk to a pH below 4.7 using an initial inoculum of 10⁶ cells/ml (standard inoculum when preparing yoghurt). <em>Enterococcus</em> is renowned for producing bacteriocins; all strains harbored multiple bacteriocin genes. Thus, we investigated whether the four strains could confer a bioprotective effect, and indeed, a strong antimicrobial effect was observed against the tested pathogens. Three strains demonstrated α-galactosidase activity, which is necessary for degrading the indigestible and flatulence−inducing α-galactosides raffinose, stachyose, and verbascose, which are undesirable in soymilk. Additionally, all tested strains had the ability to degrade phytic acid, an unwanted antinutrient found in many plant-based foods, including soymilk. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the <em>Enterococcus</em> strains tested exhibit considerable potential for use in plant-based fermentations, due to efficient acidification capacity and a capacity to degrade phytic acid in soymilk.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":"89 4","pages":"Article 100715"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146137347","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}