Detection of Potential Microbial Contaminants and Their Toxins in Fermented Dairy Products: a Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Fermented dairy products are dominant constituents of daily diets around the world due to their desired organoleptic properties, long shelf life, and high nutritional value. Probiotics are often incorporated into these products for their health and technological benefits. However, the safety and possible contamination of fermented dairy products during the manufacturing process could have significant deleterious health and economic impacts. Pathogenic microorganisms and toxins from different sources in fermented dairy products contribute to outbreaks and toxicity cases. Although the health and nutritional benefits of fermented dairy products have been extensively investigated, safety hazards due to contamination are relatively less explored. As a preventive measure, it is crucial to accurately identify and determine the associated microbiota or their toxins. It is noteworthy to highlight the importance of detecting not only the pathogenic microbiota but also their toxic metabolites so that putative outbreaks can thereby be prevented or detected even before they cause harmful effects to human health. In this context, this review focuses on describing techniques designed to detect potential contaminants; also, the advantages and disadvantages of these techniques were summarized. Moreover, this review compiles the most recent and efficient analytical methods for detecting microbial hazards and toxins in different fermented dairy products of different origins. Causative agents behind contamination incidences are also discussed briefly to aid in future prevention measures, as well as detection approaches and technologies employed. Such approach enables the elucidation of the best strategies to control contamination in fermented dairy product manufacturing processes.

A review of various methods for the detection of foodborne pathogens and toxins

“…Biosensors are the fusion of both transducers and biological elements. The bioreceptor, responsible for recognizing the target analyte, can be either biological material (enzymes, antibodies, nucleic acids, and cell receptors), biologically derived material (aptamers and recombinant antibodies), or biomimic (imprinted polymers and synthetic catalysts) [9,13,15] . The primary benefits of biosensors include rapid or realtime detection, portability, and the capability for multipathogen detection in both field and laboratory analyses.…”

“…Various enzymes can be employed in ELISA such as horseradish peroxidase (HRP), alkaline phosphatase, and beta-galactosidase. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been applied for the detection of various BoNT serotypes in a broad spectrum of milk product matrices, such as whole milk and low-fat yogurt [15] . ELISA is also widely employed for detecting toxins found in foods, including C. perfringens α, β, and ε toxins; Staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B, C, and E; botulinum toxins and E. coli enterotoxins [9] .…”

Fermented beverages among indigenous Latin American societies

“…Research indicates the presence of microbial agents and various types of toxic chemical compounds that are metabolic products of microbial origin throughout the fermentation process, causing harmful health risks for consumers (Fayyaz et al, 2022). Some microbial agents produce chemical compounds such as biogenic amines, such as Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus (El-Sayed et al, 2022). Therefore, the relevance of food safety in investigating components that harm humans is highlighted, and two types are currently being studied: biogenic and phenolic compounds (Insfran-Rivarola et al, 2020).…”

Aflatoxin Contamination: An Overview on Health Issues, Detection and Management Strategies

“…Electrochemical immunosensors have gained recognition as a simple, inexpensive, and time-saving technique for detecting AFs [49,50]. These biosensor devices incorporate antibodies on a biorecognition layer and amplify signals using biosensor amplifiers to recognize and quantify the signals generated [51].…”