Journal of food protection最新文献

{"title":"Surveillance of Salmonella in Cull Boar, Sow, and Gilt Lymph Nodes and Tonsils from Six Cull Hog Processing Facilities in the United States","authors":"Sirui Zhang ,&nbsp;Reagan L. Brashears ,&nbsp;Mindy M. Brashears ,&nbsp;Marcos X. Sanchez ,&nbsp;Sara E. Gragg","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100642","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100642","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Salmonella</em> is associated with the environment, gastrointestinal tract, and lymph nodes (LNs) of pigs. Contamination in LNs of cull hogs may lead to contamination of carcasses, sausages, and other pork products. To better understand the public health risks of contaminated lymphatic tissues, a cross-sectional analysis of <em>Salmonella</em> in the LNs and tonsils of cull hogs processed at six facilities across two regions of the United States during different seasons was conducted. A total of 3,824 samples from 560 carcasses were included in this study. From each carcass, six LNs (axillary [ALN], mesenteric [MLN], subiliac [SLN], tracheobronchial [TLN], superficial inguinal [SILN], and prescapular [PLN]), and tonsils were collected. The BAX® System Real-Time <em>Salmonella</em> Assay and BAX®-System-SalQuant® methods were used to detect and estimate <em>Salmonella</em> concentration in samples, respectively. <em>Salmonella</em> prevalence was 12.3% overall, 36.9% in tonsils, 29.7% in MLNs, 8.2% in SILNs, 2.5% in PLNs, 4.5% in TLNs, 2.0% in ALNs, and 0.7% in SLNs. <em>Salmonella</em> prevalence was greatest for tonsils in the summer/fall (42.6%), though season was not significant (<em>P</em> = 0.1132). For MLNs, <em>Salmonella</em> prevalence in spring (35.2%) and summer/fall (32.5%) was significantly greater (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) than winter (18.3%). <em>Salmonella</em> prevalence was significantly higher (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) in SILNs during winter (19.2%) than spring (0.5%) and summer/fall (2.2%) in the eastern region. Of the 70 MLNs that were enumerable, estimated concentration (log <em>Salmonella</em> cells/sample) was greatest (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) during winter (2.8) in comparison to summer/fall (1.8) and spring (0.7) in the eastern region. At the carcass level, 332 (59.3%) harbored <em>Salmonella</em> in one or more samples, and prevalence did not vary by season (<em>P</em> = 0.1495) or region (<em>P</em> = 0.8669). These data suggest that seasonal factors impact <em>Salmonella</em> contamination in specific lymph nodes and can be used by the industry for risk assessment and <em>Salmonella</em> mitigation strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":"88 12","pages":"Article 100642"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145313055","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":"Bridging Barriers in Food Safety Education: An Evaluation of Current Food Safety Training Programs and Recommendations for Future Opportunities Among Small-Scale Processors","authors":"Maeve Swinehart ,&nbsp;Suyapa Fabiola Rojas Oropel ,&nbsp;Zachary Berglund ,&nbsp;Erin DiCaprio ,&nbsp;Yaohua Feng","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100651","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100651","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Small-scale processors represent a large segment of all food processors in the United States. However, they struggle in adapting to the evolving criteria for food safety management, including effective employee food safety training. This study identifies barriers that small-scale processors encounter in employee food safety training programs and assesses their perceptions of various training formats. This qualitative method study was conducted by means of semi-structured interviews of up to one hour each with 30 food safety managers from small-scale food processors. This study identified four major food safety training barriers: accessibility problems, varying baseline knowledge, lack of engagement, and time and budget insufficiencies. Small-scale processors made several recommendations to overcome barriers identified in this study. To improve learning outcomes achieved by food safety training programs, participants suggested using in-facility imagery, “real world” examples, and small training groups. Additionally, small-scale processors preferred a hybrid delivery format to improve food safety training programs and create more accessible opportunities. Small-scale processors perceived food safety regulations as ambiguous. They felt that regulations did not clearly define the food safety requirements in their facilities. Participants also identify a lack of existing resources for food safety management and challenges in prioritizing food safety training topics among management personnel as barriers to robust food safety plan development. This study’s findings will inform food safety educators and extension specialists about ways to create more effective training for small-scale food processors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":"88 12","pages":"Article 100651"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145370341","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":"Survival of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli in an In Vitro Contamination Model of Eggs","authors":"Arisa Mezawa ,&nbsp;Toshiyuki Murase ,&nbsp;Hiroichi Ozaki","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100658","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100658","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Laying chickens infected with avian pathogenic <em>Escherichia coli</em> (APEC) may lay eggs contaminated with this organism. However, whether APEC has a superior ability than non-APEC strain to survive and proliferate in egg contents remains unknown. Here, an <em>in vitro</em> egg contamination model was used to assess this matter. A total of 10 APEC and 11 non-APEC <em>E. coli</em> strains, determined according to the results of an embryo lethality assay, were used. A total of 35–190 colony-forming units (CFU) of one of the <em>E. coli</em> strains were experimentally inoculated onto the vitelline membrane of eggs collected from specific-pathogen-free chickens, following which the albumen from a single egg was poured into a plastic beaker to surround the yolk and incubated at 25 °C for three days. Albumen samples from the egg contamination model were enriched using buffered peptone water, and 10 μl of the culture was spread onto a DHL agar plate. Percentage of the albumen samples inoculated with APEC strains that yielded growth was significantly higher (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) than that of those inoculated with non-APEC <em>E. coli</em> strains. When <em>E. coli</em> strains were inoculated in separated albumen samples, percentage of the samples inoculated with APEC strains that yielded growth was significantly higher than that of those inoculated with non-APEC <em>E. coli</em> strains. Treatment of strains with suspension containing lysozyme and ovotransferrin, which simulates the properties of albumen postoviposition, resulted in a decrease in viable cell counts in both the non-APEC <em>E. coli</em> and APEC strains. Several adhesin-associated genes were significantly prevalent in APEC strains than in non-APEC <em>E. coli</em>. The results of this study suggest that APEC strains associated with the vitelline membrane are capable of surviving in albumen in the egg contamination model. These findings lay a foundation for studying the mechanisms of survival of APEC strains in the albumen, which may help in controlling colibacillosis in chickens.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":"88 12","pages":"Article 100658"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145401058","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":"Effects of Sanitation Practices on Microbial Dynamics in Meat Processing Environment","authors":"Barun Yadav ,&nbsp;Yi Fan ,&nbsp;Scott Hrycauk ,&nbsp;Tim McAllister ,&nbsp;Claudia Narvaez-Bravo ,&nbsp;Tyson Brown ,&nbsp;Xianqin Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100647","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100647","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the effects of a multistage sanitation process on the microbial populations associated with conveyor belts, drains, and air within a large commercial beef processing facility. Total aerobic counts in samples from conveyor belts, drain, and air increased after a pressurized warm water wash (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), decreased after foaming and degreasing (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), and were not affected (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05) by application of peracetic acid (500 ppm) or quat−based (200 ppm) no-rinse sanitizers at recommended in-use concentrations with a 5−min contact time. <em>Enterobacteriaceae</em> and coliforms counts on conveyor belts and drains largely followed the same pattern as those of total aerobic counts. However, the <em>Enterobacteriaceae</em> counts in air samples were below the detection limit (1 CFU/100 L). <em>Escherichia coli</em> were not recovered from belts before cleaning or after sanitation, but were detected only sporadically during sanitation. In drain samples where <em>E. coli</em> were recovered, counts were not affected by cleaning or sanitation steps. Sequencing results revealed that the microbial composition varied by different sampling trips. Overall, <em>Acinetobacter</em> was predominant throughout the sanitation process in conveyor belt, drain, and air samples, with overall relative abundance of 46.06%, 51.18%, and 55.83%, respectively. Prediction models based on sequencing data indicated that the drain surface was a significant contributor to the initial microbiota on conveyor belts, but was replaced by air at the step of pressurized water washing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":"88 12","pages":"Article 100647"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145318358","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":"Letter to the editor regarding “Testing Program Critical Control Points (TP-CCP): Characterizing and Optimizing Decision-making Power in Food Safety Testing (Mosso et al., 2025)”","authors":"Robert L. Buchanan ,&nbsp;Darrell W. Donahue ,&nbsp;Marcel H. Zwietering ,&nbsp;on behalf of ICMSF","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100663","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100663","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":"88 12","pages":"Article 100663"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145471018","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":"Microbial Contamination on Kitchen Surfaces in University Student Housing: Insights from Swab Analysis and Behavioral Surveys","authors":"Gustavo Guimarães Fernandes Viana ,&nbsp;Ana Julia Pereira Mello ,&nbsp;Beatriz da Apresentação ,&nbsp;Danilo dos Santos Gonçalves ,&nbsp;Eduarda Yamauti Gerolamo ,&nbsp;Giulya Monteiro de Castro ,&nbsp;Guilherme Cardoso da Silva ,&nbsp;Henrique de Rezende Corá ,&nbsp;Izabella Regina da Silva Marcelino ,&nbsp;Kaedra Piva Busch ,&nbsp;Luana Kleinubing Aguiar ,&nbsp;Luiza Mattos Mendonça ,&nbsp;Max Sândalo Ferreira da Silva ,&nbsp;Mayara de Sousa Canute ,&nbsp;Miguel Sionti de Medeiros Paulino ,&nbsp;Pedro Barasnevicius da Silva ,&nbsp;Pedro Caldeira de Araújo ,&nbsp;Talita Duran Semedo ,&nbsp;Victoria Ribeiro Silvestre ,&nbsp;Vinicius Guilherme de Araújo ,&nbsp;Juliano Gonçalves Pereira","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100624","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100624","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Shared kitchens are potential hotspots for microbial contamination due to frequent use and poor hygiene. In student residences, these risks are heightened by diverse hygiene behaviors and limited oversight. This study aimed to evaluate microbial contamination and hygiene-related behaviors in university student residences. Thirty student households in Botucatu, Brazil, were investigated through microbiological sampling of kitchen surfaces (refrigerator, sink, dish towels, and sponge). Samples were analyzed to assess the counts of mesophilic aerobic bacteria and <em>Enterobacteriaceae</em>, and the detection of <em>Salmonella</em> spp. and <em>L. monocytogenes</em>. In addition, a structured questionnaire was applied to gather data on hygiene routines and food handling practices. Feedback sessions were held to communicate the results to each household. No samples tested positive for <em>Salmonella</em> spp. or <em>L. monocytogenes</em>. Sponges exhibited the highest levels of microbial contamination, with median counts of 8.63 log CFU/cm² for mesophiles and 5.72 log CFU/cm² for <em>Enterobacteriaceae</em>, followed by dish towels (4.11 and 3.60 log CFU/cm²), sinks (1.27 and 0.24 log CFU/cm²), and refrigerators (−0.25 and −0.18 log CFU/cm²). Some associations between hygiene behaviors and microbial load were observed, including differences linked to dishwashing habits and the number of residents using the refrigerator. The descriptive trends suggest that certain behaviors, such as the frequency of dish towel sanitization and refrigerator cleaning, may influence microbial risks. These findings emphasize the importance of consistent hygiene practices in shared kitchen environments and support the development of educational and preventive strategies aimed at improving food safety among young adults living in communal housing, such as promoting proper dish towel and sponge replacement, clear cleaning responsibilities, and separation of utensils for raw and cooked foods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":"88 11","pages":"Article 100624"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145113421","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 Standards Requirement Setting and GAP Audit Program Acceptance Decision-making by U.S. Buyers","authors":"Jelili Adegboyega Adebiyi ,&nbsp;Leslie D. Bourquin","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100620","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100620","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA AMS) developed suites of voluntary fee-for-service Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) audit verification programs, which, for reasons not well understood, are underwhelmingly accepted by produce buyers. To explore this low acceptance, this study conceptualized that buyers set food quality and safety requirements that their suppliers must meet to access their markets. These requirements likely influence which audit programs buyers deem acceptable. To date, no study has examined how buyers set these requirements or how such decisions shape their acceptance of GAP audit schemes. Therefore, this study surveyed and interviewed buyers to understand their food safety requirements for various types of produce, suppliers, and operations, as well as how these factors influence their selection of audit programs. The resulting information was used to understand the implications of buyers’ food safety requirements for the low acceptance of USDA GAP audit schemes. The findings revealed that buyers’ decisions regarding food safety requirements and audit acceptance are complex, shaped by numerous contextual factors, including regulatory demands, supplier and their operation types, operation scale and location, brand types, retailer reputation, produce risk profiles, and the type, scope, and stringency of audit schemes. The primary factors were the buyers’ customers’ requirements. Beyond fostering food safety, the requirements were set to strengthen buyers’ reputation and competitiveness, enhance quality assurance, and help them capture a share of the produce market. The study concludes by discussing the implications of these findings for expanding acceptance of USDA GAP audit schemes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":"88 11","pages":"Article 100620"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145058546","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":"Validation of Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354 as a Surrogate for Listeria on Apples During Cold Storage and Gaseous Ozone Treatments","authors":"Mei-Jun Zhu ,&nbsp;Xiaoye Shen ,&nbsp;Yuan Su ,&nbsp;Qian Luo ,&nbsp;Zi Hua ,&nbsp;To Chiu ,&nbsp;Yuanhao Wang ,&nbsp;Manoella Mendoza ,&nbsp;Ines Hanrahan","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100615","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100615","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Listeria monocytogenes</em> poses a serious food safety risk due to its ability to survive and grow on produce during cold storage. This study evaluates <em>Enterococcus faecium</em> NRRL B-2354 as a nonpathogenic surrogate for <em>L. monocytogenes</em> during up to 24 weeks of simulated lab storage and 36 weeks of commercial storage, including refrigerated air (RA), controlled atmosphere (CA), CA with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), with or without gaseous ozone treatment. Results indicate that <em>E. faecium</em> exhibited die-off patterns comparable to <em>L. monocytogenes</em>, with 2.7–2.8 log CFU/apple reduction during 18 weeks of ambient storage, 2.7–2.8 log reduction over 24 weeks at 4 °C, and 3.2–3.5 log reduction after 36 weeks of RA and CA storage. <em>E. faecium</em> exhibited greater stability under CA storage with ozone treatment. These findings suggest that <em>E. faecium</em> NRRL B-2354 is a suitable surrogate for <em>L. monocytogenes</em> in cold storage environments. A 24-week low-dose continuous gaseous ozone application followed by 12 weeks of CA storage resulted in ∼5 log CFU/apple reduction of <em>Listeria</em>, reflecting both the treatment effects and natural die-off under CA storage. These results demonstrate gaseous ozone as a viable intervention strategy for <em>Listeria</em> control during commercial storage and support the use of <em>E. faecium</em> NRRL B-2354 in validating cold storage practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":"88 11","pages":"Article 100615"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145015520","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":"Mitigating Gluten Cross-Contact in Shared Frying Oil through Passive and Active Filtration","authors":"Xingyi Jiang ,&nbsp;Robert Beverly ,&nbsp;Aravind Kumar Bingi ,&nbsp;Qinchun Rao ,&nbsp;Jeremiah Kidd ,&nbsp;Karen Swajian ,&nbsp;Jane Cluster ,&nbsp;Lauren Jackson","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100618","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100618","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Food manufacturers commonly use filtration with or without filter aids to extend the shelf life of frying oil by removing undesirable substances that form during frying. However, limited research has evaluated the effectiveness of these methods in removing proteins that transfer into frying oil from fried foods. The objective of this study was to assess the efficiency of different filtration methods for removing gluten residues from frying oil. For passive filtration, oil spiked with isolated gluten at a level of 1,000 µg gluten/g oil and oil used for frying 10 batches of breaded shrimp (75 g/batch) were filtered under gravity through metal sieves (pore sizes: 25 µm-2 mm) and cellulose filter papers (pore sizes: 11–25 µm). For active filtration condition selection, gluten-spiked oil (5,000 µg gluten/g oil) was heated (180 °C for 3 min), cooled to 105 °C, and then treated with filter aids – diatomaceous earth (Celite 535) and perlite (Harborlite 900) – at concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 1%, with mixing times of 5–30 min at 1,000 rpm. Subsequently, the oil was filtered through metal sieves (pore sizes: 0.15, 0.6, and 2 mm). Response surface methodology was employed to identify optimal conditions based on their ability to minimize residual gluten. The optimal condition (0.5% filter aid concentration, 30 min mixing time, and 0.15 mm pore size) was then applied to a total of six filter aids. Under these conditions, passive filtration resulted in over 80% reduction in gluten content of oil while the filtration efficiency of active filtration methods was greater than 99.7%. Removal efficiency varied among the six filter aids, with magnesium silicate and diatomaceous earth-based filter aids demonstrating the best performance. Overall, this study highlighted both passive and active filtration as a promising strategy to significantly minimize gluten cross-contact risks associated with reused frying oil, providing practical guidance for gluten management during frying operations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":"88 11","pages":"Article 100618"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145053990","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":"Commercial Bacteriophage Cocktail Treatment Reduces Salmonella Infantis Levels in Pre-harvest Agricultural Water","authors":"Alan Gutierrez ,&nbsp;Zirui Ray Xiong ,&nbsp;Shayla B. Johnson ,&nbsp;Ajani A. Brooks ,&nbsp;Ellen Gabriel ,&nbsp;Adib Adnan ,&nbsp;Amit Vikram ,&nbsp;Mary Theresa Callahan ,&nbsp;Manan Sharma","doi":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100605","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jfp.2025.100605","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Contaminated irrigation water in the preharvest environment can lead to outbreaks associated with fruits and vegetables. The potential of microbial contamination in preharvest waters by bacterial pathogens has created an ongoing demand for effective water treatment methods to mitigate this risk. This study sought to evaluate the efficacy of a commercial bacteriophage cocktail against <em>Salmonella</em> Infantis in agricultural water. A test agricultural water (TAW) medium prepared at different pH (6.5 and 8.4) and turbidity levels (4, 20, 50, and 100 NTU) was inoculated with a nalidixic acid resistant strain of <em>S</em>. Infantis (∼6 log CFU/mL), in triplicate trials, and treated with a bacteriophage cocktail (SalmoFresh™) at a phage titer of 8 log PFU/mL. Water samples were taken after a 5-minute contact time, with shaking (250 rpm), at 25 °C. Additionally, collected pond water, natural (nonsterile) and autoclaved, was inoculated with <em>S</em>. Infantis (∼4 log CFU/mL) and treated with bacteriophage cocktail (7 log PFU/mL or 8 log PFU/mL) at either 12 °C or 32 °C for 5, 10, or 30 min in triplicate trials. Samples were enumerated by plating onto XLD or TSA supplemented with 50 μg/mL Nalidixic acid. In TAW, <em>S</em>. Infantis levels were reduced by an average of 1.0 log CFU/mL after the 5-minute phage treatment, with no significant differences in reductions across all pH and turbidity levels tested (<em>p</em> &gt; 0.05). In pond water (natural and autoclaved), <em>S</em>. Infantis reductions only occurred when the phage titer was 8 log PFU/mL, with average reductions of 1.04, 1.50, and 1.67 log CFU/mL after 5, 10, and 30 min, respectively, at 32 °C. At 12 °C, average reductions were 0.90, 1.15, and 1.36 log CFU/mL after 5, 10, and 30 min, respectively. These results demonstrate that commercial lytic phage cocktail specific for <em>Salmonella</em> are effective in water across various conditions (pH, turbidity, temperature) and may be considered with other technologies to reduce <em>Salmonella</em> levels in agricultural water.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15903,"journal":{"name":"Journal of food protection","volume":"88 11","pages":"Article 100605"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144956992","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}