We present a simple all-in-one paper-based sensor for E. coli detection using a composite ink made of a fluorogenic DNAzyme probe for bacterial recognition and signal generation, lysozyme that lyses whole bacterial cells, and pullulan/trehalose sugars that stabilize printed bioactive molecules. The paper sensor is capable of producing a fluorescence signal as a readout within 5 minutes upon contacting E. coli, can achieve a limit of detection of 100 cells/mL, in a variety of sample matrixes, without sample enrichment, and remains stable for at least 6 months when stored at ambient temperature. Therefore, this simple paper sensor provides rapid bacterial testing on site, and can be shipped and stored under ambient conditions to benefit users living in resource-limited regions.

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A Printed Multicomponent Paper Sensor for Bacterial Detection.

Background Infectious diseases are a leading cause of death in humans, animals, and plants globally. Pathogen infections can reduce food production and endanger biodiversity. Viruses, bacteria, and fungi are therefore scientifically and economically important in food production. Even outbreaks of a pathogen infection in plants or animals have direct consequences for the food chain and human health. Scope and approach Microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and virus invade plant cells and utilize the host resources for their survival disturbing the plant or animal metabolism leading to diseases. Advance diagnosis and effective detection of pathogens, infectious diseases, and other parameters affecting the health of animals and plants in agro-defense will assist in reducing financial costs, increasing food production, and improving the global economy. In this article, common pathogens and infectious diseases in animals and plants, along with the point-of-care technologies that address them, are reviewed. Key findings and conclusions The synthesis and discovery of novel nanomaterials and the fabrication of highly specific and sensitive biosensors have expanded the scope for effective agro-defense biosensors. Progress in biosensor development and the existing challenges are reviewed to provide future directions in this field.

Agro-defense: Biosensors for food from healthy crops and animals

Contributing Authors Allan Auclair U.S. Department of Agriculture Stacey DeGrasse U.S. Food and Drug Administration Jada F. Garofalo Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Ali S. Khan University of Nebraska Medical Center Irakli Loladze Bryan College of Health Sciences Adalberto A. Pérez de León U.S. Department of Agriculture Allan Showler U.S. Department of Agriculture Jeanette Thurston U.S. Department of Agriculture Isabel Walls U.S. Department of Agriculture

Ch. 7: Food Safety, Nutrition, and Distribution. The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment

Listeriosis is a rare but severe disease, mainly caused by Listeria monocytogenes. This study shows the results of the laboratory-based surveillance of Listeriosis in Belgium over the period 1985–2014. Besides the incidence and some demographic data we present also more detailed microbiological and molecular characteristics of human strains isolated since 2000. The strains from the latter period were compared to food and animal strains from the same period. Our study shows that different food matrices were commonly contaminated with L. monocytogenes presenting the same PFGE profile as in patient’s isolates. Since 1985, we observed a significant decrease in incidence of the Materno-Neonatal cases (from 0.15 to 0.04 cases /100,000 inhabitants-year), which is probably to be attributed to active prevention campaigns targeting pregnant women. Despite the strengthening of different control measures by the food industry, the incidence of non-Materno-Neonatal listeriosis increased in Belgium (from 0.3 to 0.7 cases /100,000 inhabitants-year), probably due to the rise of highly susceptible patients in an aging population. This significant increase found in non-Materno-Neonatal cases (slope coefficient 7.42%/year, P<0.0001) can be attributed to significant increase in incidence of isolates belonging to serovars 1/2a (n = 393, slope coefficient 6.62%/year, P<0.0001). Although resistance to antimicrobials is rare among L. monocytogenes isolates, a trend to increasing MIC values is evident with chloramphenicol, amoxicillin, tetracycline and ciprofloxacin. We show that fluoroquinolone resistance is not linked to chromosomal mutations, but caused by a variety of efflux pumps. Our study also shows that huge majority of known underlying pathologies (426 out of 785 cases) were cancers (185/426, 43.1%) and haematological malignancies (75/185, 40.5%). Moreover the risk population is susceptible to low levels of contamination in food stressing the need of prevention campaigns specifically targeting these persons.

https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8502658/file/8510954.PDF

Diversity of Listeria monocytogenes Strains of Clinical and Food Chain Origins in Belgium between 1985 and 2014.

During the past few years, food fraud has become a source of concern for consumers in many parts of the world. Major cases of food fraud have been found in Canada in recent months, including the Mucci case, in which Mexican tomatoes were sold as Canadian, as well as the case of a poultry farmer selling nonorganic chicken as organic. The authors aim to assess the level of awareness and trust among Canadian consumers in relation to fraudulent and counterfeit food products. This exploratory study is meant to establish latent determinants on consumers’ risk perception of food fraud in general. These determinants include education, income, geographical region, age, sex, and health-related predisposition such as food allergies and intolerances. To this end, a random survey was conducted across Canada in January 2017. A sample size of 1088 was used for this study. Findings indicate that older, more-educated consumers generally feel more vulnerable, to various degrees, than do other consumers. Consumers w...

Food Fraud and Risk Perception: Awareness in Canada and Projected Trust on Risk-Mitigating Agents

The World Ranking Food Safety Performance reports by Charlebois in 2008 and 2010 importantly stimulated international discussion and encouraged efforts to establish realistic international benchmarks for food safety performance among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. This paper presents the international incidence of 5 common foodborne pathogens and describes the challenges of comparing international data. Data were compiled from surveillance authorities in the countries, such as the Natl. Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System of Australia; the Canadian Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System; the European Food Safety Authority, EFSA; the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan; New Zealand Food Safety Authority; and the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The highest average rates in cases per 100000 people over the 12-y period from 2000 to 2011 for Campylobacter spp. (237.47), Salmonella spp. (67.08), Yersinia spp. (12.09), Verotoxigenic/Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (3.38), and Listeria monocytogenes (1.06) corresponded, in order, to New Zealand, Belgium, Finland, Canada, and Denmark. Comparatively, annual average rates for these 5 pathogens showed an increase over the 12-y period in 28%, 17%, 14%, 50%, and 6% of the countries for which data were available. Salmonella spp. showed a decrease in 56% of the countries, while incidence of L. monocytogenes was constant in most countries (94%). Variable protocols for monitoring incidence of pathogens among OECD countries remain. Nevertheless, there is evidence of sufficient standardization of monitoring protocols such as the European Surveillance System, which has contributed to reduce this gap.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/1750-3841.12646

Dennis Curtis

Papers

Foodborne and Waterborne Pathogenic Bacteria in Selected Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Countries