Inactivation of Enterobacter sakazakii by pulsed electric field in buffered peptone water and infant formula milk

The effect of high-intensity pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment on the survival of Enterobacter sakazakii suspended in buffered peptone water (BPW) and powdered infant formula milk (IFM) was evaluated. Reference medium and IFM samples were treated with PEF. Electric field intensity and treatment time were varied from 10 to 40 kV cm⁻¹ and from 60 to 3895 μs, respectively. Samples of buffered peptone water (3 g L⁻¹) and IFM were inoculated with E. sakazakii (CECT 858) (10⁹ cfu mL⁻¹) and then treated with PEF. The inactivation data were adjusted to the Weibull frequency distribution function and Bigelow model, and constants were calculated for both substrates. A maximum 2.7 log (cfu mL⁻¹) reduction was achieved in BPW after exposure of E. sakazakii to PEF for 360 μs (2.5 μs pulse width) at 40 kV cm⁻¹. In IFM, exposure of E. sakazakii to PEF, with the same conditions, led to a 1.2 log (cfu mL⁻¹) reduction. The greater the field strength and treatment time, the greater the inactivation achieved in both substrates. Even though further research will be necessary, according to the results, there are good prospects for the use of PEF in hospitals to achieve safe reconstituted infant formula before storage at refrigerated temperatures.     

The presence of endotoxin in powdered infant formula milk and the influence of endotoxin and Enterobacter sakazakii on bacterial translocation in the infant rat

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a heat stable endotoxin that persists during the processing of powdered infant formula milk (IFM). Upon ingestion it may increase the permeability of the neonatal intestinal epithelium and consequently bacterial translocation from the gut. To determine the level of endotoxin present in IFM, 75 samples were collected from seven countries (representing 31 brands) and analysed for endotoxin using the kinetic colorimetric Limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) assay. The endotoxin levels ranged from 40 to 5.5 x 10(4) endotoxin units (EU) per gram and did not correlate with the number of viable bacteria. The neonate rat model was used to address the risk of endotoxin-induced bacterial translocation from the gut. Purified Escherichia coli LPS was administered to rat pups followed by inoculation with Enterobacter sakazakii ATCC 12868. Bacteria were isolated from the mesentery, spleen, blood and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) of endotoxin-treated rats due to enhanced gut and blood brain barrier penetration. Histological analysis of the colon showed marked distension of the mucosal and muscular layers. It is plausible that the risk of neonatal bacteraemia and endotoxemia, especially in neonates with immature innate immune systems, may be raised due to ingestion of IFM with high endotoxin levels.     

Epoxidized soy bean oil (ESBO) migrating from the gaskets of lids into food packed in glass jars

Epoxidized soy bean oil (ESBO) was determined in foods packed in glass jars closed by lids with a poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) gasket. The methyl ester of a diepoxy linoleic acid isomer was measured, using transesterification directly in the homogenized food and on-line HPLC-GC-FID analysis. Infant foods from the Swiss market consisting of vegetables, potato and rice or muesli with fruits and berries contained less than 7 mg/kg ESBO, but meat (its fat?) strongly increased ESBO migration up to 86 mg/kg. Some 12% of the products exceeded 15 mg/kg. Austrian and Norwegian samples gave similar results. Edible oil strongly extracts the ESBO from the gasket in food contact within a few weeks. Since this part of the gasket on average contained 91 mg ESBO, the legal limit is likely to be far exceeded whenever the food contains free oil contacting the gasket, such as oily sauces or vegetables and fish in oil. In fact, the mean ESBO concentration in 86 samples was 166 mg/kg, with a maximum of 580 mg/kg.     

Prediction of dry mass glass transition temperature and the spray drying behaviour of a concentrate using a desorption method

A predictive tool (SD²P®) based on a drying by desorption method was recently developed in order to determine the key process parameters values prior to spray drying. However, the SD²P® software cannot currently take into account the risk of stickiness during the process. In the study reported here, new standardized desorption method was tested and with this new method an equation was proposed to evaluate the dry glass transition temperature (T_g) of a concentrate according to its total solid content, its viscosity and its average evaporation rate. The concentrate’s behaviour during spray drying could then be predicted on the basis of the T_g. Four validation experiments were performed using different infant formula samples; the concentrates prepared from the four infant formula powders were then spray dried using a one-stage pilot dryer. The drying parameters were predicted using the SD²P® software. The results showed that the T_g predicted using this method were 18-30 °C higher than T_g measured by DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry). The drying temperatures predicted by SD²P® corresponded well to the values measured and this new method can correctly predict the behaviour of a concentrate with regard to spray drying. The advantage of the method presented here is that it can easily and quickly evaluate a concentrate’s T_g range and spray drying behaviour by direct analysis of the fresh concentrate sample.     

Effect of composition on the mechanical response of agglomerates of infant formulae

The objective of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the compositions of four typical infant formulae, the evolution of key quality characteristics during pneumatic conveying and the mechanical properties of individual agglomerates. Conveying experiments were conducted using a lab-scale rig. Four quality characteristics were measured before and after conveying: bulk density, volume mean diameter, wettability and percentage free fat. Relative breakages were calculated from particle size distributions. Uniaxial compression experiments were performed on individual agglomerates, giving forces and strains at failure and agglomerate stiffnesses. Coefficients of restitution of the agglomerates were obtained by video analyses of drop tests. The data indicate that bulk densities before conveying and the force and the strain of individual agglomerates at failure were related to the protein content. The force at failure and agglomerate stiffness were strongly correlated, and generally increased with increasing protein to fat ratio while the strain at failure decreased.     

Nonthermal sterilization of Listeria monocytogenes in infant foods by intense pulsed-light treatment

The purposes of this study were to determine the inactivation effects of intense pulsed light (IPL) on Listeria monocytogenes and the commercial feasibility of this sterilization method. The inactivation of L. monocytogenes at cultivated plates increased with increasing electric power and treatment time. Approximately 4–5 log reduction of the cell was achieved with IPL treatment for 5000, 600, 300, and 100 μs at 10, 15, 20, and 25 kV of voltage pulse, respectively. In the early stages of IPL treatments at 10, 15, and 20 kV, little inactivation was observed with a critical treatment time (t_c) of 360.6, 95.5, and 32.2 μs, respectively, while an abrupt inactivation without a critical treatment time was observed at 25 kV. The sterilization effects on commercial infant foods inoculated with L. monocytogenes were investigated at 15 kV, which showed higher energy efficiency for the inactivation of L. monocytogenes.     

Exposure of cadmium from infant formulas and weaning foods

Cadmium levels were determined in 59 baby food samples, including milk-based, cereal and milk-based and soy-based formulas, recommended from 0 to 18 months of age. Determinations were performed by Zeeman graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry, after dry ashing, with parallel determinations of certified reference samples. Mean cadmium levels were found to range from 1.10 to 23.5 mu g / kg fresh weight concentrated formulas. L evels were related to the composition of the diets. Formulas based on cow's milk had the lowest concentrations. Soy formulas contained approximately six times more cadmium than cow's milk formulas, and diets with a cereal content had 4-21 times higher mean levels. The mean weekly intakes of dietary cadmium were estimated to vary between 0.10 and 3 : 05 mu g / kg body weight of the child, if the recommended amount of formula were to be consumed at the recommended age, and if the child were of average weight. This estimation however does not include the contribution of cadmium from drinking water. The highest intake on a body weight basis was found in 6-month-old children, consuming the recommended amount of wheat-, oat- and milk-based formulas. This intake is below the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTW I) of 7 mu g / kg body weight, established by a W HO/FAO expert group. However, the risk assessment is based on renal effects in adults. Furthermore, preparations of a formula by adding water with cadmium concentrations at the W HO guideline level could lead to intakes at the PTW I level. Compared to breast-fed children, the exposure of dietary cadmium from weaning diets can be up to 12 times higher in children fed infant formula.     

2012—2014年江西省市售婴幼儿配方食品中蜡样芽胞杆菌调查及呕吐毒素基因分析

目的了解2012—2014年江西省市售婴幼儿配方食品中蜡样芽胞杆菌的污染情况并对呕吐毒素基因进行分析。方法在全省市县中选取13个采样点,包括超市、百货商场、便利店、农贸市场、网店、批发市场,随机抽取婴幼儿配方食品397份,对蜡样芽胞杆菌进行检测和鉴定,同时应用叠氮溴化丙锭内参多重PCR方法检测分离株的呕吐毒素基因。结果 397份食品中蜡样芽胞杆菌阳性率为13.10%(52/397),其中2013年阳性率最高。不同采样点的阳性率差异有统计学意义(P0.05),不同产地、不同流通环节和不同年龄段的阳性率差异无统计学意义(P0.05),52份阳性食品中检出呕吐型蜡样芽胞杆菌2份,呕吐毒素阳性率为3.85%。结论江西省市售婴幼儿配方食品中存在蜡样芽胞杆菌及呕吐型蜡样芽胞杆菌的污染,存在一定的安全隐患,相关监管部门应继续加强监管,预防食源性疾病的发生。     

石家庄市市售婴幼儿食品中蜡样芽胞杆菌的监测及溶血素基因的分析

了解目前市售婴幼儿配方奶粉、谷基辅助食品样品中蜡样芽胞杆菌的污染及其毒素基因的携带情况。方法 采集石家庄市23个区县市售婴幼儿配方粉、谷基辅助食品共399份,依照国家标准 GB/T 4789.14—2003《食品卫生微生物学检验 蜡样芽胞杆菌检验》和《食源性致病菌监测工作手册》进行蜡样芽胞杆菌检测并计数,应用荧光PCR方法检测蜡样分离株的溶血素基因和非溶血素基因。结果 399份样品中蜡样芽胞杆菌检出85份,其中婴幼儿配方奶粉检出36份,检出率22.8%(36/158);谷基辅助食品检出49份,检出率20.3%(49/241)。85份阳性样品中有48份呈溶血素基因阳性,检出率56.5%,非溶血素基因均为阴性。结论 婴幼儿食品中蜡样芽胞杆菌的污染较严重,存在潜在的食品风险。分析结果可为婴幼儿食品卫生学检验标准及监督管理等方面提供参考。