Genome collection of Shewanella spp. isolated from spoiled lamb

Combined Effect of Cold Atmospheric Plasma and Chitooligosaccharide-EGCG Conjugate on Quality and Shelf-Life of Depurated Asian Green Mussel

The combined effects of chitooligosaccharide-epigallocatechin gallate conjugate (CEC) at different concentrations (1, 2, and 3%, w/w) and cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) on the depurated Asian green mussel edible portion (AGM-EP) were investigated during refrigerated storage for 15 days. Among all the treatments, the microbial counts, total volatile bases (TMA-N and TVB-N), and lipid oxidation of AGM-EP-treated 3% CEC in conjunction with CAP (CEC-3-CAP) were lower than the other samples during 15-day storage (p < 0.05). Total viable bacteria (6.16 log CFU/g sample), psychrotrophic bacteria (3.24 log CFU/g sample), Vibrio spp. (2.47 log CFU/g sample), presumptive Pseudomonas (5.93 log CFU/g sample), and H2S-producing bacteria (5.05 log CFU/g sample) counts of the CEC-3-CAP were lower than samples treated with 1 and 2% (w/w) CEC on day 15, as well as samples solely treated using CAP during refrigerated storage, irrespective of storage time. Additionally, CEC-3-CAP had significantly lower lipid oxidation (PV: 8.36 mg cumene hydroperoxide/kg sample and TBARS: 2.65 mg MDA/kg sample) as compared to those without CEC added and other samples (p < 0.05). The incorporation of CEC effectively mitigated lipid oxidation as supported by lower reduction of PUFAs in AGM-EP. Moreover, on day 0, no significant differences were observed in cooking loss or textural parameters (firmness and toughness) among the treatments (p > 0.05). However, as storage progressed, cooking loss increased in the CEC-3-CAP sample, while a noticeable decline in firmness and toughness was recorded (p < 0.05). This further attributed to the lower likeness attained for CAP-3-CAP on day 12, but the score was higher than the acceptable limit (5.0). Therefore, CAP together with CEC is a promising technology to prolong the shelf-life of depurated AGM-EP by at least 9 days as compared to the control (3 days), but it certainly needs further studies for the retention of textural properties and sensorial attributes.

Microbiological Evaluation of Local and Imported Raw Beef Meat at Retail Sites in Oman with Emphasis on Spoilage and Pathogenic Psychrotrophic Bacteria

Determining the microbial quality and safety of meat is crucial because of its high potential to harbor pathogens. To address the critical knowledge gap and shed light on potential contamination risk in the meat supply chain, this study aimed to assess the underexplored microbial quality and safety of marketed beef meat in Oman. Thirty-three beef meat samples from six hypermarkets were analyzed for Aerobic Plate Count (APC), Psychrotrophic Bacteria Count (PBC), and coliform and Escherichia coli counts. Prevalences were 93% and 94% (means: 2.8 ± 1.1 and 2.6 ± 0.8 log CFU/g, respectively) for coliform, and 80% and 83% (means: 1.8 ± 1.4 and 1.7 ± 0.9 log CFU/g, respectively) for E. coli in imported and local samples, respectively. The mean counts of APC (6.3 ± 0.1 log CFU/g) and PBC (6.2 ± 0.2 log CFU/g) were statistically similar but different from those of coliform and E. coli. Bacterial identification using VITEK 2 compact revealed spoilage bacteria (Pseudomonas luteola, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Shewanella putrefaciens) and pathogenic bacteria (Acinetobacter bumannii complex, Aerococcus viridans, Enterococcus faecalis, and Oligella ureolytica), which demonstrates a potential for both spoilage and pathogen-related risks. It is concluded that the APC counts of all samples exceeded acceptable standards set by the G.C.C. Standardization Organization (GSO), which was established to protect food safety and public health in Oman and other Gulf countries. This suggests an increased risk of spoilage and pathogen contamination. This study provides one of the earliest reports of microbial contamination levels in meat, serving as an eye-opener for policymakers and stakeholders. It highlights a need for stricter hygiene protocols and improved meat handling and processing practices to enhance meat safety and protect public health in Oman and the Gulf region.

Multiple genome sequences of lactic acid bacteria, Carnobacterium divergens and Carnobacterium maltaromaticum strains, isolated from vacuum-packaged lamb meat

Here, we report the whole-genome sequences of 11 Carnobacterium divergens and 2 Carnobacterium maltaromaticum bacteria isolated from vacuum-packed chill-stored lamb meat in New Zealand. Examination of these lactic acid bacteria (LAB) genomes will improve our knowledge of their potential antimicrobial activities and spoilage mechanisms of importance to the meat industry.

Multi-Omic Profiling, Structural Characterization, and Potent Inhibitor Screening of Evasion-Related Proteins of a Parasitic Nematode, Haemonchus contortus, Surviving Vaccine Treatment

The emergence of drug-resistant parasitic nematodes in both humans and livestock calls for development of alternative and cost-effective control strategies. Barbervax^® is the only registered vaccine for the economically important ruminant strongylid Haemonchus contortus. In this study, we compared the microbiome, genome-wide diversity, and transcriptome of H. contortus adult male populations that survived vaccination with an experimental vaccine after inoculation in sheep. Our genome-wide SNP analysis revealed 16 putative candidate vaccine evasion genes. However, we did not identify any evidence for changes in microbial community profiling based on the 16S rRNA gene sequencing results of the vaccine-surviving parasite populations. A total of fifty-eight genes were identified as significantly differentially expressed, with six genes being long non-coding (lnc) RNAs and none being putative candidate SNP-associated genes. The genes that highly upregulated in surviving parasites from vaccinated animals were associated with GO terms belonging to predominantly molecular functions and a few biological processes that may have facilitated evasion or potentially lessened the effect of the vaccine. These included five targets: astacin (ASTL), carbonate dehydratase (CA2), phospholipase A2 (PLA2), glutamine synthetase (GLUL), and fatty acid-binding protein (FABP3). Our tertiary structure predictions and modelling analyses were used to perform in silico searches of all published and commercially available inhibitor molecules or substrate analogs with potential broad-spectrum efficacy against nematodes of human and veterinary importance.

An Insight into Goat Cheese: The Tales of Artisanal and Industrial Gidotyri Microbiota

The purpose of this study was to determine for the first time the microbiota in artisanal-type and industrial-type Gidotyri cheeses and investigate the influence of the cheese-making practices on their composition using culture-independent techniques. The microbiota present in artisanal with commercial starters (Artisanal_CS, n = 15), artisanal with in-house starters (Artisanal_IHS, n = 10) and industrial (Ind., n = 9) Gidotyri cheese samples were analyzed using a targeted metagenomic approach (16S rRNA gene). The Ind. Gidotyri cheese microbiota were less complex, dominated by the Streptococcaceae family (91%) that was more abundant compared to the artisanal Gidotyri cheeses (p < 0.05). Artisanal cheeses were more diverse compositionally with specific bacterial species being prevalent to each subtype. Particularly, Loigolactobacillus coryniformis (OTU 175), Secundilactobacillus malefermentans (OTU 48), and Streptococcus parauberis (OTU 50) were more prevalent in Artisanal_IHS cheeses compared to Artisanal_CS (p ≤ 0.001) and Ind. (p < 0.01) Gidotyri cheeses. Carnobacterium maltaromaticum (OTU 23) and Enterobacter hormaechei subsp. hoffmannii (OTU 268) were more prevalent in Artisanal_CS cheeses compared to Artisanal_IHS cheeses (p < 0.05) and Ind. cheeses (p < 0.05). Hafnia alvei (OTU 13) and Acinetobacter colistiniresistens (OTU 111) tended to be more prevalent in Artisanal_CS compared to the other two cheese groups (p < 0.10). In conclusion, higher microbial diversity was observed in the artisanal-type Gidotyri cheeses, with possible bacterial markers specific to each subtype identified with potential application to traceability of the manufacturing processes’ authenticity and cheese quality.