Peggy G. Braun

Estimating the Burden of Acute Gastroenteritis, Foodborne Disease, and Pathogens Commonly Transmitted by Food: An International Review

The burden of foodborne disease is not well defined in many countries or regions or on a global level. The World Health Organization (WHO), in conjunction with other national public health agencies, is coordinating a number of international activities designed to assist countries in the strengthening of disease surveillance and to determine the burden of acute gastroenteritis. These data can then be used to estimate the following situations: (1) the burden associated with acute gastroenteritis of foodborne origin, (2) the burden caused by specific pathogens commonly transmitted by food, and (3) the burden caused by specific foods or food groups. Many of the scientists collaborating with the WHO on these activities have been involved in quantifying the burden of acute gastroenteritis on a national basis. This article reviews these key national studies and the international efforts that are providing the necessary information and technical resources to derive national, regional, and global burden of disease estimates.

Migration of Salmonella enteritidis from the albumen into the egg yolk.

Migration of Salmonella enteritidis from the albumen into the egg yolk was investigated in 860 eggs. After artificial contamination of the albumen with different doses of S. enteritidis phage-type 4 the migration and the effect of temperature on the migration process during a storage period of up to 4 weeks were studied. The experiments showed that the first cells can be detected in the yolk within a few days. The process will be relatively rare during chilled storage if the albumen is only slightly contaminated. The migration rate was positively correlated with the level of contamination, the storage temperatures and the age of the eggs.

Predictive modelling of growth and enzyme production and activity by a cocktail of Pseudomonas spp., Shewanella putrefaciens and Acinetobacter sp.

The possibility was examined of developing a predictive model that combined microbial growth (increase in cellular number) with extracellular lipolytic and proteolytic enzyme activity of a cocktail of four strains of Pseudomonas spp. and one strain each of Acinetobacter sp. and Shewanella putrefaciens. Environmental conditions within the following matrix of conditions were examined: temperature 2-20 degrees C, pH value 4.0-7.5 and water activity (a(w)) 0.95-0.995 and a model was constructed, which predicted growth based on increase in cell number. Data on lipase production and protease activity were generated and will be available as a database, but no function could be identified, which was a good fit to these data, since most enzymatic production and activity occurred, as expected, during transition from exponential to stationary phase. Even at lower cell numbers, in more unfavourable conditions, hydrolysing effects were detectable, which made it difficult to construct a model combining both microbiological and enzymatic data.

The effect of gaseous ozone treatment on egg components.

BACKGROUND Because of the salmonella problem in poultry, disinfection technologies are necessary. Ozone is a strong oxidant used for the disinfection of surfaces, drinking water and foods. However, since ozone not only destroys bacteria but may also damage eggs, it is necessary to clarify the effects of ozone treatment on hatching egg components. In this study, doses of gaseous ozone ranging from 10 to 50 mL L(-1) were tested. The vitamin A and E contents and fatty acid composition of the egg yolk were determined. To detect possible damage to the DNA of the germ disc, single-cell gel electrophoresis was used. Moreover, free SH groups were measured in the egg white. The soluble cuticula proteins were analysed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. RESULTS The yolk was not significantly affected by ozone treatment. However, the DNA of the germ disc was attacked and a significant decrease in free SH groups in the egg white was recorded at 50 mL L(-1) ozone. Even at low ozone doses the soluble cuticula proteins were completely destroyed. CONCLUSION Significant alterations of egg components were caused by 50 mL L(-1) ozone. At lower ozone doses the oxidative processes occurred mainly at the egg surface and are therefore probably harmless to the developing embryo.

Typing of Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis isolates from 51 outbreaks in Germany between 1974 and 2009 by a novel phage-typing scheme

We developed a new phage-typing method and evaluated its application in combination with XbaI macrorestriction analysis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) as a useful tool for the long-term epidemiology of Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis. In this study, we investigated 1008 S. Infantis isolates recovered from humans, various animal species and food products from 1973 to 2009. The typing scheme is based on 17 typing phages, defining 61 different patterns within the strain collection. The experiments showed that phage typing is a reliable method for differentiation of outbreaks and sporadic clinical cases as well as for elucidation of chains of transmission. The combined analysis of phage typing and PFGE revealed the existence of epidemic clones with a high stability over time like PT29/XB27 which was identified in nosocomial salmonellosis, community outbreaks as well as in broiler chickens from 2002 to 2009.

Prevalence, serovars, phage types, and antibiotic susceptibilities of Salmonella strains isolated from animals in the United Arab Emirates from 1996 to 2009

The aim of this study was to give some insights into the prevalence, serovars, phage types, and antibiotic resistances of Salmonella from animal origin in the United Arab Emirates. Data on diagnostic samples from animals (n = 20,871) examined for Salmonella between 1996 and 2009 were extracted from the databases of the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory in Dubai and from typed strains (n = 1052) from the Robert Koch Institute, Wernigerode Branch in Germany and analyzed for general and animal-specific trends. Salmonella was isolated from 1,928 (9 %) of the 20,871 samples examined. Among the 1,052 typed strains, most were from camels (n = 232), falcons (n = 166), bustards (n = 101), antelopes (n = 66), and horses (n = 63). The predominant serovars were Salmonella Typhimurium (25 %), Salmonella Kentucky (8 %), followed by Salmonella Frintrop (7 %), and Salmonella Hindmarsh (5 %). When analyzed by animal species, the most frequent serovars in camels were Salmonella Frintrop (28 %) and Salmonella Hindmarsh (21 %), in falcons Salmonella Typhimurium (32 %), in bustards Salmonella Kentucky (19 %), in antelopes Salmonella Typhimurium (9 %), and in horses Salmonella Typhimurium (17 %) and S. Kentucky (16 %). Resistance of all typed Salmonella strains (n = 1052) was most often seen to tetracycline (23 %), streptomycin (22 %), nalidixic acid (18 %), and ampicillin (15 %). These data show trends in the epidemiology of Salmonella in different animal species which can be used as a base for future prevention, control, and therapy strategies.

Atmospheric pressure plasma jet treatment of Salmonella Enteritidis inoculated eggshells

Contamination of eggshells with Salmonella Enteritidis remains a food safety concern. In many cases human salmonellosis within the EU can be traced back to raw or undercooked eggs and egg products. Atmospheric pressure plasma is a novel decontamination method that can reduce a wide range of pathogens. The aim of this work was to evaluate the possibility of using an effective short time cold plasma treatment to inactivate Salmonella Enteritidis on the eggshell. Therefore, artificially contaminated eggshells were treated with an atmospheric pressure plasma jet under different experimental settings with various exposure times (15-300s), distances from the plasma jet nozzle to the eggshell surface (5, 8 or 12mm), feed gas compositions (Ar, Ar with 0.2, 0.5 or 1.0% O2), gas flow rates (5 and 7slm) and different inoculations of Salmonella Enteritidis (101-106CFU/cm2). Atmospheric pressure plasma could reduce Salmonella Enteritidis on eggshells significantly. Reduction factors ranged between 0.22 and 2.27 log CFU (colony-forming units). Exposure time and, particularly at 104CFU/cm2 inoculation, feed gas had a major impact on Salmonella reduction. Precisely, longer exposure times led to higher reductions and Ar as feed gas was more effective than ArO2 mixtures.

Modulation of the nutritional value of lupine wholemeal and protein isolates using submerged and solid‐state fermentation with Pediococcus pentosaceus strains

The influence of different factors (submerged and/or solid‐state fermentation, pediococci strain, lupine variety and protein isolation process) on the protein digestibility, total phenolic compounds (TPC) content and radical scavenging activity of Lupinus luteus and angustifolius wholemeal and protein isolates was evaluated. As safety factor, biogenic amines (Bas) formation was analysed. The Pediococcus pentosaceus strains No. 8, No. 9 and No. 10 are suitable starters for lupine wholemeal fermentation and both applied processes (fermentation and protein isolation) increase protein digestibility (by 10%). Higher TPC content in fermented wholemeal can be obtained, compare to isolates. In SMF isolates by 58.3%, 68.2%, 95.6%, 76.6%, lower content of phenylethylamine, putrescine, cadaverine and histamine, respectively was found. The highest protein digestibility and the lowest BAs content using submerged fermentation with pediococcus No. 8 in lupine variety Vilnius protein isolates can be obtained and this technology for high‐quality lupine proteins preparation can be recommended.

Fat perception in the human frontal operculum, insular and somatosensory cortex

Here, we combined magnetic resonance imaging with lesion-symptom mapping in patients with chronic brain lesions to investigate brain representations of sugar and fat perception. Patients and healthy controls rated chocolate milkshakes that only differed in sugar or fat content. As compared to controls, patients showed an impaired fat, but not sugar perception. Impairments in fat perception overlapped with the anterior insula and frontal operculum, together assumed to underpin gustatory processing. We also identified the mid-dorsal insula as well as the primary and secondary somatosensory cortex - regions previously assumed to integrate oral-sensory inputs. These findings suggest that fat perception involves a specific set of brain regions that were previously reported to underpin gustatory processing and oral-sensory integration processes.

Nutraceuticals in gummy candies form prepared from lacto‐fermented lupine protein concentrates, as high‐quality protein source, incorporated with Citrus paradise L. essential oil and xylitol

1 Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes g. 18, Kaunas LT-47181, Lithuania 2 University of Latvia, Jelgavas iela 1, Riga LV-1004, Latvia 3 Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment, Lejupes iela 3, Riga LV-1076, Latvia 4 Institute of Food Hygiene, Universit€at Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, Leipzig 04103, Germany 5 Kaunas University of Technology, Radvilenu pl. 19, Kaunas LT-50254, Lithuania