Assessment of safety of enterococci isolated throughout traditional Terrincho cheesemaking: virulence factors and antibiotic susceptibility

Enterococci account for an important fraction of the adventitious microflora of traditional cheeses manufactured in Mediterranean countries from small ruminants' raw milk and play an important role in the development of suitable organoleptic characteristics of the final product. It has been suggested that animals used for food or animals that supply edible products are a reservoir of antibiotic-resistant enterococci. The main purpose of this research effort was thus to identify, to the species level, a total of 73 enterococci with high tolerance to acidic pH and bile salts (as prevailing environmental conditions in the first portion of the gastrointestinal tract), which were previously isolated from the milk feedstock to the final product of Terrincho cheesemaking, and to determine their profiles of antibiotic susceptibility, coupled with the occurrence of specific virulence factors (especially in those that might eventually be claimed to exhibit suitable probiotic and technological performances). Isolates, identified by both API 20 STREP and PCR methods, were found to belong to the following Enterococcus species: E. casseliflavus, E. durans, E. faecalis, E. faecium, and E. gallinarum. Susceptibility of those isolates was observed to most antibiotics tested, whereas none harbored aminoglycoside resistance genes. PCR screenings for cytolysin genes (cylL(L), cylL(s), cylM, cylB, and cylA), surface adhesin genes (efaA(fs), efaA(fm), and esp), the aggregation protein gene (agg), and the extracellular metalloendopeptidase gene (gelE) were performed. All isolates proved negative for cylL(L), cylM, cylB, and agg genes. Both E. faecalis strains were positive for the cell wall-associated protein Esp and the cell wall adhesin efaA(fs), whereas the cell wall adhesin efaA(fm) was detected in 11 of the 12 E. faecium strains. Only one strain possessed the cylL(s) determinant, and another possessed the cylA gene. Incidence of virulence determinants was thus very low; hence, the enterococcal adventitious microflora tested is essentially safe.     

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from food and clinical cases in Navarra, Spain

The susceptibility of 440 Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from food (n=401) and clinical cases (n=39) between 1995 and 2005 was determined by standard agar dilution and E-test methods. Antimicrobial drugs currently used in veterinary and human therapy were tested, and they included penicillin G, ampicillin, cephalothin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, doxycycline, trimethoprim, erythromycin, and clindamycin. The sensitivity of strains was established using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (formerly NCCLS) breakpoints and MIC50 (the MIC for 50% of the strains) to MIC90 values. In general, isolates were susceptible to the majority of the antimicrobials tested, including beta-lactamics and aminoglycosides, which are normally used in the treatment of listeriosis. Resistance to tetracycline and doxycycline was found in five strains isolated from fresh trout belonging to the same fish farm. Molecular analysis by restriction endonuclease analysis showed a similar profile, suggesting the persistence of a strain well adapted to the presence of tetracycline in the environment of a fish farm, which is frequently used in aquaculture in order to prevent infections of fish.     

Survey of temperature and consumption patterns of fresh-cut leafy green salads: risk factors for listeriosis

Increasing demand for fresh-cut or ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables, developed to meet the consumer need for quick and convenient products, has prompted extensive research into their microbiological quality, safety, processing, and packaging. The microbial ecology of Listeria monocytogenes is recognized as a major safety concern for fresh-cut produce. A survey was performed to collect information on consumption patterns of fresh-cut leafy green salads and the temperature of domestic refrigerators. Salad consumption was low-moderate: 24.3% of respondents never purchased fresh-cut leafy green salads; of those who reported buying these products, 7.41% did so more than twice a week, 17.28% once or twice a week, 29.63% once or twice a month, and 45.68% occasionally. Saving time and convenience were the advantages most widely reported by consumers. A total of 9.9% of respondents did not always respect the "use-by" date of fresh-cut salads, a negative practice that could contribute to the risk of listeriosis. Temperatures reported in domestic refrigerators were compatible with the growth of L. monocytogenes on ready-to-eat salads. Variations in average temperature followed a normal distribution, N(6.62, 2.56), while the variability of temperature variance was described by a gamma distribution, G(2.00, 1.00). As expected, when a time of day-temperature profile was plotted over a 24-h period, changes corresponding to the transition between day and night were observed. Knowledge of consumption patterns and consumer hygiene practices is essential, first in assessing the risk of listeriosis (risk assessment) and second in taking measures to manage that risk (risk management).     

Isolation and characterization of a psychrotolerant toxin producer, Bacillus weihenstephanensis, in liquid egg products

A psychrotolerant bacteria of the Bacillus cereus group was found responsible for the spoilage of whole liquid egg products. By sequencing a 16S rRNA region and performing a PCR amplification of specific 16S rRNA and cspA signatures, a Bacillus weihenstephanensis was identified. Characterization of this strain shows its ability to grow in defined medium as well as in whole liquid egg at refrigerated temperatures. The strain isolated possesses genes encoding for hemolysin BL, nonhemolytic enterotoxin, and B. cereus enterotoxins and produces enterotoxins with cytotoxic activity in whole liquid egg, even at refrigerated temperatures. The isolate exhibits a clear ability to stick and form biofilms on stainless steel, the most common material used in egg breaking factories, as well as on model hydrophilic (glass) and hydrophobic (polytetrafluoroethylene) materials. These findings show the necessity to monitor for Bacillus contamination in egg products that are often used in the composition of particularly susceptible finished products such as cream, dessert, dairy, meat, and seafood.     

Influence of processing on the levels of amines and proline and on the physico-chemical characteristics of concentrated orange juice

The influence of processing on the levels of bioactive amines and proline as well as on some physico-chemical characteristics of concentrated orange juice was investigated. Samples were collected at seven points of a production line on three non-consecutive days, and analysed for the levels of 12 bioactive amines, proline, and reducing and non-reducing sugars, and for some physico-chemical characteristics. Among the amines analysed, only putrescine, spermidine and synephrine were found in the samples at all processing stages. Significant differences were observed for spermidine and total amine levels throughout processing. Synephrine and putrescine were resistant to processing. Proline levels changed significantly throughout processing, as did levels of reducing and non-reducing sugars. The pH varied from 3.59 to 3.72, acidity from 0.873 to 0.918 g citric acid/100 mL, and density from 1.0378 to 1.0970 g/mL. Among these parameters, pH, acidity and density were significantly affected by processing.     

Quantitative fit of a model for proving of bread dough and determination of dough properties

The early stages of bread dough proving were modeled following the diffusion theory and using a newtonian constitutive equation to account for dough rheology. The model was fitted, by constrained minimization of the sum of squared errors function, to experimental growth curves of common dough formulations. Values for the dough viscosity, a first order fermentation rate constant and the bubble size at the beginning of proving were chosen as the degrees of freedom in the fitting procedure. The viscosity value obtained for a plain dough formulation was 30 × 10⁶ Pa s, this value is in the range of viscosity values determined by Rouillé et al. (2005), for wheat dough through creep-recovery and lubricated squeezing flow tests. The results obtained were plotted as a function of dough formulation composition and the trends were observed and analyzed. The observed tendencies and correlations between dough properties and dough formulation follow the trends observed in experimental data reported in the literature for dough systems.     

阳离子改性剂WLS改性棉织物活性染料无盐染色

用自制阳离子改性剂WLS对棉织物进行阳离子化改性,然后采用活性染料无盐染色.确定了阳离子改性剂WLS改性棉织物的最佳工艺条件及其染色工艺条件,评价了改性织物的染色性能,结果表明:改性棉织物采用活性染料无盐染色,可获得比未改性棉织物常规加盐染色更高的K/S值和染色牢度.阳离子改性剂WLS改性的棉织物可实现活性染料无盐染色,并适用于不同的活性染料.     

木工高速电主轴表面温度检测系统标定模块设计

实现木工高速电主轴表面温度测量,需对温度传感器进行精确标定。本文介绍了基于LabVIEW的表面温度检测系统标定模块。标定对象为Pt100型热电偶传感器。分别采用线性、二次、三次、四次最小二乘法对实验结果拟合且得出误差结果。实验证明利用二次最小二乘法拟合标定获得较好效果。本标定模块预留与其他模块连接接口。实验证明本标定模块具有精度较高、可靠、稳定、操作简单、实用、可移植性强等优点。     

腈纶毛衫线圈长度与面密度的关系

采用腈纶纱线,在普通横机上编织毛衫织物常见的3种基本组织,通过改变弯纱深度,对3种组织的线圈长度与面密度之间的关系进行了研究。通过系统的试验分析,得到了纬平针组织、1+1罗纹组织、2+2罗纹组织等3类腈纶毛衫织物的线圈长度与面密度的线性回归方程。研究结果表明,随着线圈长度逐渐增大,3种组织的面密度逐渐减小;在线圈长度相同时,3种组织织物中,2+2罗纹织物的面密度最大,纬平针织物的面密度最小。