Evaluating biosolutions for sustainable food systems: A review of safety, quality, regulatory and sustainability considerations within the European Union.

Biosolutions, such as food cultures and fermentates, are emerging alternatives to classical food preservation methods, offering multiple benefits, including food quality and safety enhancement, and waste reduction, with limited sensory and nutritional modification of the product and higher consumer acceptance. This study explores the potential of biosolutions to address critical challenges in sustainable food systems through their application in food production. Evaluation criteria of focus include impacts on food quality and safety, environmental sustainability, and compliance with European regulatory frameworks.

Early detection and population dynamics of in naturally contaminated drains from a meat processing plant.

, a significant foodborne pathogen, often contaminates ready-to-eat foods through cross-contamination in food processing environments, and floor drains represent one of the most common sites of persistence. Subtyping of from food processing plants for the purpose of source tracking is usually performed on a single colony obtained after selective enrichment. This study investigates the temporal variation and population dynamics of in drains, focusing on the diversity of and the impact of the resident microbiota.

Large-scale phenotypic and genomic analysis of reveals diversity in the sensitivity to quaternary ammonium compounds but not to peracetic acid.

Unlabelled: presents a significant concern for the food industry due to its ability to persist in the food processing environment. One of the factors contributing to its persistence is decreased sensitivity to disinfectants. Our objective was to assess the diversity of sensitivity to food industry disinfectants by testing the response of 1,671 .

Occurrence of Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase Escherichia coli in slaughterhouses before and after cleaning and disinfection.

To prevent foodborne illness, adequate cleaning and disinfection (C&D) is essential to remove pathogenic bacteria from the slaughter environment. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of Campylobacter spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL E.

A novel metagenomic approach uncovers phage genes as markers for increased disinfectant tolerance in mixed Listeria monocytogenes communities.

Listeria monocytogenes is an important human pathogen with a high mortality rate. Consumption of contaminated ready-to-eat food is the main mode of transmission to humans. Disinfectant-tolerant L.

Assessment of ATP-Bioluminescence and Dipslide Sampling to Determine the Efficacy of Slaughterhouse Cleaning and Disinfection Compared with Total Aerobic and Enterobacterales Counts.

Inadequate cleaning and disinfection (C&D) in slaughterhouses can cause bacterial contamination of meat, resulting in foodborne disease and reduced meat quality. Different methods for monitoring the efficacy of C&D procedures are available, but few studies have assessed their reliability. This study examined C&D efficacy in slaughterhouses and evaluated the diagnostic performance of methods for measuring surface hygiene.

Hand hygiene practices during meal preparation-a ranking among ten European countries.

Background: The aim of this paper was to map consumers' food hygiene practices from 10 European countries and evaluate which demographic groups are more likely to be exposed to foodborne pathogens and establish a ranking of adherence to food hygiene practices in 10 European countries.

Methods: The research design consisted of a cross-national quantitative consumer survey regarding food safety and hygiene practices during meal preparation (SafeConsume project) and was conducted in ten European countries (France, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain and UK). The survey questions were based on recommended hand hygiene practices and on observed practices from a field study performed in 90 European households from six of the countries covered by the survey (France, Hungary, Norway, Portugal, Romania, and UK).

Mapping the Kitchen Microbiota in Five European Countries Reveals a Set of Core Bacteria across Countries, Kitchen Surfaces, and Cleaning Utensils.

The residential kitchen is often heavily colonized by microbes originating from different sources, including food and human contact. Although a few studies have reported the bacterial composition in cleaning utensils and surface samples there is limited knowledge of the bacterial diversity across different sample types, households, and countries. As part of a large European study, we have identified the microbiota of 302 samples from cleaning utensils (sponges and cloths), kitchen surfaces (sinks, cutting boards, countertops, tap handles, and a pooled sample of other handles) in 74 households across 5 countries (France, Hungary, Norway, Portugal, and Romania).

Deciphering the virulence potential of Listeria monocytogenes in the Norwegian meat and salmon processing industry by combining whole genome sequencing and in vitro data.

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of foodborne pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes is globally on the rise in the food industry. It provides an improvement for proactive surveillance and source-tracking and allows in-depth genetic characterization of the pathogen. In the present study, the virulence gene profile including 99 virulence genes of 767 L.

Pervasive Is Common in the Norwegian Food System and Is Associated with Increased Prevalence of Stress Survival and Resistance Determinants.

To investigate the diversity, distribution, persistence, and prevalence of stress survival and resistance genes of Listeria monocytogenes clones dominating in food processing environments in Norway, genome sequences from 769 L. monocytogenes isolates from food industry environments, foods, and raw materials (512 of which were sequenced in the present study) were subjected to whole-genome multilocus sequence typing (wgMLST), single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and comparative genomic analyses. The data set comprised isolates from nine meat and six salmon processing facilities in Norway collected over a period of three decades.

Bacterial levels and diversity in kitchen sponges and dishwashing brushes used by consumers.

Aims: The purpose of the work was to investigate bacterial levels and diversity as well as survival of Salmonella in used dish washing sponges and brushes and identify consumer practices that can potentially explain bacterial status of these items.

Methods And Results: Used washing up utensils were collected from consumers. The bacterial numbers (TVC) were very variable with an extremely high median level (10.

Whole-Genome Sequencing Analysis of Listeria monocytogenes from Rural, Urban, and Farm Environments in Norway: Genetic Diversity, Persistence, and Relation to Clinical and Food Isolates.

Listeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous environmental bacterium associated with a wide variety of natural and human-made environments, such as soil, vegetation, livestock, food processing environments, and urban areas. It is also among the deadliest foodborne pathogens, and knowledge about its presence and diversity in potential sources is crucial to effectively track and control it in the food chain. Isolation of L.

Kitchen layouts and consumers' food hygiene practices: Ergonomics versus safety.

Our paper emphasizes the importance of the kitchen layout in facilitating consumers' food hygiene practices. A significant correlation was found between the sink placement (inside or outside the kitchen) and hygienic practices during food handling based on a survey performed on consumers from ten European countries, indicating that those who had the sink in the kitchen were more likely to perform proper hygiene practices than those who have not. The self-reported practices were supported by observed practices in 64 households from five European countries.

Surveillance of Listeria monocytogenes: Early Detection, Population Dynamics, and Quasimetagenomic Sequencing during Selective Enrichment.

In this study, we addressed different aspects regarding the implementation of quasimetagenomic sequencing as a hybrid surveillance method in combination with enrichment for early detection of Listeria monocytogenes in the food industry. Different experimental enrichment cultures were used, comprising seven L. monocytogenes strains of different sequence types (STs), with and without a background microbiota community.

Data on European kitchen layouts belonging to vulnerable consumers (elderly people and young families with children or pregnant women) and risk-takers (young single men).

The data presented here capture the structure of kitchen layouts belonging to consumers vulnerable to foodborne diseases and food risk-takers. Data were collected in the frame of the SafeConsume project by multidisciplinary research teams that visited consumers during preparing a meal and had the possibility to examine their cooking routines. Distances between sink and stove, sink and refrigerator, stove and refrigerator, sink and working place (countertop or table), stove and working place were analyzed to correlate food safety practices applied during cooking with kitchen arrangements.

Efficacy of Removing Bacteria and Organic Dirt from Hands-A Study Based on Bioluminescence Measurements for Evaluation of Hand Hygiene When Cooking.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of dirt removal (bacteria and organic matter) of several hand-cleaning procedures. The results from the hand hygiene experiment indicated that washing hands with warm water and soap for 20 s is the most effective method investigated when hands are either dirty or greasy. Even if not proper washing, rinsing under running water for 5 s is a cleaning procedure that may significantly reduce the probability of cross-contamination, as it removes 90% of the hands' dirt.

High Oxygen Packaging of Atlantic Cod Fillets Inhibits Known Spoilage Organisms, but Sensory Quality Is Not Improved Due to the Growth of .

Improved quality control and prolonged shelf life are important actions in preventing food waste. To get an overview of the bacterial diversity of fillets from live stored mature Atlantic cod, bacterial isolates were identified before and after storage (air and vacuum) and freezing/thawing. Based on the load of dominating bacteria, the effect of different packaging methods and a short freezing/thawing process on prolonged shelf-life was evaluated (total viable counts, bacteriota, sensory attributes, and volatile components).

Cross-contamination of lettuce with Campylobacter spp. via cooking salt during handling raw poultry.

Campylobacter spp. are the most common bacterial pathogens associated with human gastroenteritis in industrialized countries. Contaminated chicken is the food vehicle associated with the majority of reported cases of campylobacteriosis, either by the consumption of undercooked meat or via cross- contamination of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods during the handling of contaminated raw chicken parts and carcasses.

Salmonella in eggs: From shopping to consumption-A review providing an evidence-based analysis of risk factors.

Nontyphoidal salmonellae are among the most prevalent foodborne pathogens causing gastrointestinal infections worldwide. A high number of cases and outbreaks of salmonellosis are associated with the consumption of eggs and egg products, and several of these occur at the household level. The aim of the current study is to critically evaluate the current status of knowledge on Salmonella in eggs from a consumer's perspective, analyzing the hazard occurrence and the good practices that should be applied to reduce salmonellosis risk.

Anti-listerial properties of chemical constituents of Eruca sativa (rocket salad): From industrial observation to in vitro activity.

The frequency of foodborne outbreaks epidemiologically associated with Listeria monocytogenes in fresh produce has increased in recent years. Although L. monocytogenes may be transferred from the environment to vegetables during farming, contamination of food products most commonly occurs in food processing facilities, where L.

Consumer practices and prevalence of Campylobacter, Salmonella and norovirus in kitchens from six European countries.

About 40% of foodborne infections are acquired in the home. The aim of the present study was to track contamination of pathogens during domestic food preparation and link the contamination to preparation practices. Research participants from 87 households in six European countries were observed and interviewed during shopping and preparation of a chicken and vegetable meal.

Antibiotic Resistance and Phylogeny of spp. Isolated over Three Decades from Chicken Meat in the Norwegian Food Chain.

is ubiquitous in nature and a predominant genus in many foods and food processing environments, where it primarily represents major food spoilage organisms. The food chain has also been reported to be a potential reservoir of antibiotic-resistant . The purpose of the current study was to determine the occurrence of antibiotic resistance in psychrotrophic spp.

Efficient Reduction of Food Related Mould Spores on Surfaces by Hydrogen Peroxide Mist.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the fungicidal effect of a HO mist generating system for disinfection of spores of six food-related moulds (, , , , , and ) dried on stainless steel. Exposure to HO mist for 2 or 4 h lead to >3 log reduction in mould spores in the majority of the tests. The presence of the soils 2% skim milk or 3% BSA did not significantly alter the fungicidal effect, while the presence of raw meat juice had an adverse fungicidal effect against and in two out of three tests.