A new study at UC-Davis has identified many risky practices of consumers in their homes. The study looked at the preparation of raw poultry. The two most common mistakes were cross contamination and insufficient cooking. Christine Bruhn, director of the Center for consumer research at the university, who authored the study said in a statement, … Read more
A study published in PLOS Pathogens has discovered that Salmonella bacteria relies heavily on a single nutrient called frustose-asparagine (F-Asn) when it grows in the intestine. This nutrient is crucial to Salmonella growth in the inflamed intestine. When it doesn’t have access to this specific nutrient, the bacteria is significantly weakened. Since there are so … Read more
Scientists at the University of East Anglia may have discovered the Achilles’ heel of antibiotic resistant bacteria. The research, published in the journal Nature, has found a defensive barrier that drug-resistant bacteria form around themselves. The gram negative bacteria, which include E. coli, form an impermeable lipid-based outer membrane that protects the organisms against attacks … Read more
Researchers at Kansas State University are creating better ways to detect E. coli to improve the cattle industry and protect consumers. Lane Noll, master’s student in veterinary biomedical science, Dr. T.G. Nagaraja, and Jianfa Bai are leading the project. A USDA Coordinated Agriculture Project grant is funding the research. Noll has developed a molecular assay … Read more
A new study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania, and published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine may have discovered how Salmonella bacteria dodge the immune system. This lets them multiply and build up a presence that causes a systemic, or blood, infection. Normally, the immune system recognizes pathogens and releases molecules to kill them. … Read more
A new study funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and the U.S. National Institutes of Health found that cow manure harbors diverse new antibiotic resistance genes. This material is commonly used as a farm fertilizer. It’s worth noting that produce is one of the main sources of food poisoning in the United States; fertilizer, along … Read more
New research presented at the Society for General Microbiology’s Annual Meeting showed how E. coli O157:H7 binds with plant cells. This lets the bacterium hold on to the plant’s surface so it can multiply. And that means that washing produce is not going to easily remove this pathogenic bacteria. Between 20 to 30% of food … Read more
Research at Texas A&M is looking at E. coli contamination on leafy vegetables. The research looks at how the likelihood that a crop will be contaminated by E. coli before harvest is strongly influenced by both farm management and environmental factors. The study is published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology. Contaminated produce is … Read more
A study published in Agricultural Research magazine has found that radio waves can kill Salmonella bacteria in raw eggs without affecting taste or texture. Since one of every 20,000 eggs produced in the U.S. has a high risk of being contaminated with the Salmonella bacteria, and since many people eat raw or undercooked eggs, this … Read more
The U.S. Army is developing a handheld inspection tool to increase food safety for soldiers. The Natick Soldier Research, Development, and Engineering Center is making a small, sensitive, hand-held device that will “both capture and detect dangerous pathogens that can cause food-related illness.” Scientists at the Natick Center are collaborating with the FDA, Winchester Engineering … Read more