Salmonella is a major foodborne pathogen with a complex nomenclature. This genus is composed of two species, S. enterica and S. bongori. S. enterica is divided into six subspecies. S. enterica subspecies enterica is composed of more than 1500 serotypes with some of great importance, such as S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis. S. enterica subsp. enterica is responsible of more than 99% of human salmonellosis and therefore it is widely studied. However, the non-enterica subspecies of S. enterica have been little studied. These subspecies are considered to be related to cold-blooded animals and their pathogenicity is very limited. Phenotype and genotype information generated from different studies of non-enterica subspecies reveal poor ability to invade host cells and the absence or modification of important virulence factors. Also, the great majority of human infections due to non-enterica subspecies are related to a previous depressed immune system. Therefore, we propose to treat these subspecies only as opportunistic pathogens. For establish this premise, the present review evaluated, among other things, the genomic characteristics, prevalence, antimicrobial resistance and reported human cases of the non-enterica subspecies.

Gut bacteria play an important role in several metabolic processes and human diseases, such as obesity and accompanying co-morbidities, such as fatty liver disease, insulin resistance/diabetes, and cardiovascular events. Among other factors, dietary patterns, probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, antibiotics, and non-dietary factors, such as stress, age, exercise, and climatic conditions, can dramatically impact the human gut microbiota equilibrium and diversity. However, the effect of minor food constituents, including food additives and trace contaminants, on human gut microbiota has received less attention. Consequently, the present review aimed to provide an objective perspective of the current knowledge regarding the impacts of minor food constituents on human gut microbiota and consequently, on human health.

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Human gut microbiota plays an important role in several metabolic processes and human diseases. Various dietary factors, including complex carbohydrates, such as polysaccharides, provide abundant nutrients and substrates for microbial metabolism in the gut, affecting the members and their functionality. Nowadays, the main sources of complex carbohydrates destined for human consumption are terrestrial plants. However, fresh water is an increasingly scarce commodity and world agricultural productivity is in a persistent decline, thus demanding the exploration of other sources of complex carbohydrates. As an interesting option, marine seaweeds show rapid growth and do not require arable land, fresh water or fertilizers. The present review offers an objective perspective of the current knowledge surrounding the impacts of seaweeds and their derived polysaccharides on the human microbiome and the profound need for more in-depth investigations into this topic. Animal experiments and in vitro colonic-simulating trials investigating the effects of seaweed ingestion on human gut microbiota are discussed.

The present study sought to evaluate the nutritional composition and physicochemical properties of two dried commercially interesting edible red seaweeds, Gracilaria corticata and G. edulis. Proximate composition of the dried seaweeds revealed a higher content in carbohydrates (8.30 g/100 g), total crude protein (22.84 g/100 g) and lipid content (7.07 g/100 g) in G. corticata than in G. edulis. Fatty acids profile showed that G. corticata samples contain higher concentrations of saturated fatty acids, such as palmitic and stearic acids, and polyunsaturated ones such as α-linolenic and docosahexaenoic acids. Contrariwise, G. edulis contained higher amounts of monounsaturated oleic acid. Total amino acid content was 76.60 mg/g in G. corticata and 65.42 mg/g in G. edulis, being the essential amino acid content higher in G. edulis (35.55 mg/g) than in G. corticata (22.76 mg/g). Chlorophyll a was found in significantly higher amounts in G. edulis (17.14 μg/g) than G. corticata, whereas carotenoid content was significantly higher in G. corticata (12.98 μg/g) than in G. edulis. With respect to physical properties, both water- and oil-holding capacities were similar in both seaweeds, whereas swelling capacity was higher in G. edulis. In view of the results, the present study suggests that G. corticata and G. edulis contains important nutrients for human health and are possible natural functional foods.

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A modified beef hamburger patty enriched in polyunsaturated n−3 fatty acids and α-tocopherol was developed using technological procedures. Raw meat was obtained from low-cost parts of beef carcasses (brisket and flank) to which visible fat and connective tissue was manually eliminated and substituted by a mixture of preemulsified olive, corn, and deodorized fish oil. The developed product was analyzed and compared to conventional beef hamburger patties for their proximate composition, fatty acid profile, and consumer acceptability. The effects of cooking on the fat content and fatty acid profile of the developed product were investigated. Additionally, the lipid oxidation and surface color stability of modified and conventional hamburgers were investigated during 8 days of refrigerated storage while packaged in a modified atmosphere (20%/80% CO 2 /O 2 ) and subsequently cooking. The developed product showed significantly lower total fat, cholesterol, sodium, and calorie content than beef hamburger patties manufactured using conventional procedures. In addition, the polyunsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids and n−6/n−3 ratios matched nutritional recommendations more closely. No evidence of lipid oxidation was found for the modified hamburger patties during 8-day storage period, and surface color, especially redness, was more stable than in conventional ones. Additionally, consumer acceptability of the developed patty after it was cooked was acceptable and similar to that of conventional products. The modified hamburger patty developed by technological methods is viable and can be considered a useful food to preclude nutritional disorders or to assist in nutritional regimens.

It takes several steps to bring food from the farm to the fork (dining table), and contamination with food-borne pathogens can occur at any point in the process. Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. are the main microorganisms responsible for foodborne disease in the EU. These two pathogens are able to persist throughout the food supply chain thanks to their ability to form biofilms. Owing to the high prevalence of Salmonella and especially of Campylobacter in the food supply chain and the huge efforts of food authorities to reduce these levels, it is of great importance to fully understand their mechanisms of persistence. Diverse studies have evaluated the biofilm-forming capacity of foodborne pathogens isolated at different steps of food production. Nonetheless, the principal obstacle of these studies is to reproduce the real conditions that microorganisms encounter in the food supply chain. While there are a wide number of Salmonella biofilm studies, information on Campylobacter biofilms is still limited. A comparison between the two microorganisms could help to develop new research in the field of Campylobacter biofilms. Therefore, this review evaluates relevant work in the field of Salmonella and Campylobacter biofilms and the applicability of the data obtained from these studies to real working conditions. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.