ABSTRACT Biofilms pose significant challenges in the food processing industry. This study used plasma‐activated mist (PAM) prepared from plasma‐activated water (PAW) for surface decontamination of Escherichia coli biofilms. PAW was produced at three different temperatures (4°C ± 0.2°C, 21°C ± 0.2°C, and 35°C ± 0.2°C) for two different plasma generation times (10 and 20 min), with or without the addition of chemicals (100 ppm NaOH or 340 ppm H 2 O 2 ), named as plasma‐activated solution (PAS). The PAM treatment using 4°C PAW achieved 1.56 ± 0.04 log CFU/cm 2 microbial reduction in biofilms. This research demonstrates the potential of PAM as an industrial disinfection method to reduce reliance on chemical disinfectants, offering a promising, more sustainable alternative.

ABSTRACT The production of biofunctional protein hydrolysates from chicken meat has gained attention due to the growing demand for natural antioxidants and functional ingredients that enhance food quality. The current study aimed to optimize the fermentative hydrolysis conditions for producing biofunctional (antioxidant and antibacterial) chicken meat protein hydrolysate (CMPH) using Pediococcus pentosaceus and to evaluate its physicochemical and functional properties. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) revealed that the 10% inoculum level, 2% dextrose concentration, and 48 h fermentation time were the optimum conditions for the production of CMPH with a maximum degree of hydrolysis (48.25%), DPPH radical scavenging (27.87 μM TE/mg), ABTS radical scavenging (21.08 μM TE/mg), ferric reducing antioxidant power (24.74 μM TE/mg), and iron chelation activity (15.36 μM EDTA/mg). CMPH contained 71.94% protein with a balanced essential amino acid profile (47.53 g/100 g protein), while maintaining low bioamine levels (< 5 mg/100 g), indicating its safety for consumption. SDS‐PAGE confirmed protein hydrolysis, while FTIR analysis indicated the presence of β‐sheet structures in CMPH. The CMPH also demonstrated antibacterial activity against major foodborne pathogens and had excellent functional properties across a wide pH range, with a maximum solubility of 96.66% at a pH of 11. Furthermore, it displayed better foaming capacity, emulsification, and water/oil absorption properties. Overall, the findings highlight the strong potential of CMPH as a natural biofunctional ingredient for functional foods and nutraceutical applications.

ABSTRACT There is increasing demand for minimally processed, risk‐free fruit juices necessitating novel treatments to control foodborne pathogens while preserving physicochemical and sensory attributes. This study investigates the synergistic efficacy of Lactococcus lactis ‐derived bacteriocin (nisin) and ohmic heating (OH) treatment against Bacillus cereus , a Gram‐positive foodborne pathogen capable of forming heat‐resistant spores and producing toxins during vegetative growth. The antimicrobial effectiveness was evaluated using nisin concentrations (0.1 and 0.2 mg/mL) and OH treatments applied as high voltage‐short time (HVST) and low voltage‐long time (LVLT) combinations in apple juice as a model acidic beverage matrix. The combination of 0.2 mg/mL nisin with HVST (60 V for 90 s) achieved complete pathogen inactivation, surpassing heat‐alone treatment (90 s: 4.1 log CFU/mL reduction, p < 0.05). Synergistic treatments reduced B. cereus viability by 88.6%–93.9%, with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealing significant cell membrane damage ( p < 0.05). The mild temperature achieved during OH likely contributed to maintaining juice quality attributes, including pH, glucose and dissolved oxygen levels, which showed no statistically significant changes compared with the untreated control ( p > 0.05). Statistical analysis using ANOVA confirmed treatment significance ( p < 0.05) based on log reductions (3.2–4.1 log CFU/mL) under optimised conditions (0.2 mg/mL nisin + 60 V/30s), demonstrating superior efficacy over heat‐alone methods. These findings demonstrate the potential applicability of combining nisin and OH as a hurdle strategy to enhance microbial control in acidic beverage systems while maintaining product quality.

ABSTRACT Freshwater fish and fish products are popular and widely consumed globally, including in India. The aquatic environment has a significant influence on the gut microbiota of fish produced in it and serves as a crucial indicator of food safety and quality. This study investigated and compared the gut microbial community composition of Rohu ( Labeo rohita ) sourced locally from Kolkata, West Bengal, India (i.e., local fish) and imported from Andhra Pradesh, India (i.e., non‐local fish), as well as the prevalence of antibiotic‐resistance genes (ARGs) in both. The gut microbiota in both groups was predominantly composed of Proteobacteria (79.9% in local fish and 71.6% in non‐local fish). Species‐level analysis indicated several Aeromonas spp. dominated the fish gut, while the relative abundance of Enterococcus hermanniensis was significantly ( p < 0.05) different between local and non‐local groups. Distinct antibiotic resistance genes were identified in the gut microbiota of local and non‐local fish, suggesting that regional variations in antibiotic usage and environmental conditions may shape resistance patterns. The high abundance of pathogenic species and the prevalence of ARGs in fish gut microbiota raise serious concerns about the consumption of these fish, which might pose significant human health risks.

ABSTRACT Consuming food contaminated with harmful microorganisms poses a significant public health risk, often occurring on indoor food contact surfaces like cutting boards in home kitchens. The study aimed to experimentally determine the survival of Salmonella on commonly used cutting board surfaces (glass, wood, polyethylene) and its potential to cause cross‐contamination of food samples (salami) over varying intervals and contact times. Salmonella bacteria persisted on polyethylene and glass cutting boards for up to 4 h, whereas on wooden surfaces, they were detected only up to 2 h. The transfer rates of bacteria to salami were found to vary depending on the type of board material and bacterial strain, with wooden boards demonstrating the lowest transfer rates. Additionally, the transfer rate increased proportionally with longer contact times. The study highlights that all types of cutting boards have the potential to transfer bacteria to food, although wooden boards showed lower transfer rates compared to polyethylene and glass surfaces.

ABSTRACT Flurogestone acetate (FGA) is a highly effective synthetic progesterone analog extensively utilized to regulate estrus synchronization, enhance superovulation, and improve the economic productivity of female livestock. However, FGA is associated with potential toxicity, and its improper application can lead to environmental residues, resulting in adverse effects on both humans and animals. These residues pose a significant threat to human health, underscoring the critical need for the development of rapid and accurate detection methods. In this study, the complete antigen of FGA was successfully synthesized, and a high‐affinity monoclonal antibody against FGA was developed. Utilizing this antibody, a direct competitive ELISA (dc‐ELISA) method based on HRP and monoclonal antibody coupling was established for the efficient detection of FGA residues in milk. The assay exhibits a validated quantitation range of 0.0034–0.97 ng mL −1 (IC 50 = 0.058 ng mL −1 ; LOD = 0.0013 ng mL −1 ). In milk (20‐fold dilution to mitigate matrix effects), recoveries at 0.2, 0.5, and 0.8 ng mL −1 were 95.63%–116.44%. The anti‐FGA monoclonal antibody displayed no cross‐reactivity ≥ 10% ( n = 6) among tested analogs (highest: medroxyprogesterone acetate, 7.46%). Samples whose calculated concentrations exceed the upper limit of 0.97 ng mL −1 are reported as positive (above range) without assigning a numeric value. These attributes support the use of this HRP‐labeled dc‐ELISA as a rapid screening method for FGA residues in milk. In conclusion, this study presents a simple and effective method for detecting residual flurogestone acetate in animal‐derived foods. Compared to indirect competitive ELISA (ic‐ELISA), the developed method significantly reduces the reaction time and enhances the detection efficiency.

ABSTRACT Cronobacter sakazakii is a food‐borne pathogen with infections notifiable in those under 12 months old. Current inhibition methods rely on manufacture and reconstitution guidelines. Fatty acids (FA) are a possible method of control, with reports showing FAs can be bactericidal and regulate virulence mechanisms such as biofilm formation. This research explores the efficacy of the long‐chain FA α‐linolenic (ALA) to reduce C. sakazakii virulence in vivo. Galleria mellonella larvae were injected with FA pre‐treated C. sakazakii and viability monitored every 24 h over a total of 96 h. To show the interaction between the host immune system and C. sakazakii , haemocytes and bacterial cells were mixed and enumerated following incubation. To investigate the impact on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), 24 antibiotics were tested against C. sakazakii pretreated with ALA. Kaplan–Meier survival curves generated showed a dose‐dependent increase in larval survival upon increased FA concentration. Regarding the immune evasion assay, data generated show increased C. sakazakii and decreased haemocyte counts in the same sample. From the AMR results, there was no statistically significant difference in inhibition zones when compared to the control, indicating no contraindications for current treatment options. α‐linolenic acid is a common component of the human diet and is shown here to directly reduce virulence mechanisms including immune system evasion. Pre‐treatment with ALA reduces the virulence of C. sakazakii , resulting in increased survival of G. mellonella larvae. This suggests that ALA may serve as a candidate for further evaluation as a potential agent against C. sakazakii .

ABSTRACTA Poultry Food Assess Risk Model (PFARM) for Salmonella and chicken gizzards was developed and published in four steps because of its complexity. In the present study, outputs from the first three steps were combined to predict consumer responses of no response, infection, illness, hospitalization, and death. The PFARM found that salmonellosis (illness, hospitalization, or death) was a rare event (15 cases per 100,000 consumers) that occurred by random chance when multiple risk factors occurred together. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the risk factors for salmonellosis were cross‐contamination and growth on lettuce, Salmonella serotype and number at consumption, buffering capacity of the meal, and consumer health and immunity. Scenario analysis indicated that initial Salmonella prevalence, number, and serotype changed (p ≤ 0.05) over time in the simulated production chain but were poor indicators of salmonellosis because they did not consider the identified risk factors for salmonellosis. Based on lessons learned in the COVID‐19 pandemic, the economics of salmonellosis, and the results of the current study, it was concluded that the best indicator of poultry food safety was the PFARM prediction of the cases of severe salmonellosis (hospitalization and death) per lot (1000 kg) of chicken gizzards. Interestingly, cases of severe salmonellosis per lot of chicken gizzards did not change across time in the production chain despite significant changes in Salmonella prevalence, number, and serotype at final product testing. This may explain why the current approach to poultry food safety is not reducing rates of foodborne salmonellosis.