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Background In recent years, there has been a growing interest in phage therapy as an effective therapeutic tool against colibacillosis caused by avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) which resulted from the increasing number of multidrug resistant (MDR) APEC strains. Methods In the present study, we reported the characterization of a new lytic bacteriophage ( Escherichia phage AG- MK-2022. Basu) isolated from poultry slaughterhouse wastewater. In addition, the in vitro bacteriolytic activity of the newly isolated phage ( Escherichia phage AG- MK-2022. Basu) and the Escherichia phage VaT-2019a isolate PE17 (GenBank: MK353636.1) were assessed against MDR- APEC strains ( n =  100) isolated from broiler chickens with clinical signs of colibacillosis. Results Escherichia  phage AG- MK-2022. Basu belongs to the Myoviridae family and exhibits a broad host range. Furthermore, the phage showed stability under a wide range of temperatures, pH values and different concentrations of NaCl. Genome analysis of the Escherichia phage AG- MK-2022. Basu revealed that the phage possesses no antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and any E . coli virulence associated genes. In vitro bacterial challenge tests demonstrated that two phages, the Escherichia phage VaT-2019a isolate PE17 and the Escherichia phage AG- MK-2022. Basu exhibited high bactericidal activity against APEC strains and lysed 95% of the tested APEC strains. Conclusions The current study findings indicate that both phages could be suggested as safe biocontrol agents and alternatives to antibiotics for controlling MDR-APEC strains isolated from broilers.

In the present total diet study, the dietary intake of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and sodium (Na) by healthy adults in Shiraz, Iran, was estimated from the foods as consumed. A total of 580 individual food items were collected, prepared, and pooled into 129 composite samples. The metal concentration was then evaluated using inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry. The mean intakes of Zn (12.92 mg/d), Cu (3.80 mg/d), and Mg (412.68 mg/d) exceeded the estimated average requirements (EARs), but they were well below the upper limits. A high prevalence of inadequate intake was observed for Ca (91.6%) and P (89.7%), which was mainly due to nutritionally imbalanced diets. Sodium intake for average and high consumers (97.5th percentile) was 123.6% and 237.8% of the tolerable upper intake level of 2300 mg/d, respectively, with 70% of the participants having intakes higher than this threshold value. Nutrition education, nutritional rehabilitation, Ca supplementation, food fortification, mandatory reduction of salt content in processed foods, and discretionary salt use (in home cooking or at the table) are among the possible strategies that can be adopted to combat the health problems.

This study investigated the synergistic effects of ultrasound (US) and citric acid (CA) on the microbial load and chemical quality of raw wheat sprouts, leveraging a nonthermal approach for food safety enhancement. Here, we aimed to optimize the application of combined US and CA treatments to reduce the microbial load as much as possible while preserving the desirable chemical attributes of wheat sprouts. A central composite design (CCD) within the framework of the response surface methodology (RSM) enabled the modeling and optimization of the process parameters. Twenty wheat sprout samples were treated according to an experimental design generated by design‐expert software, using an ultrasonic probe immersed in each sample container. The treatments varied in ultrasonic power (25%, 50%, and 75%), exposure time (5, 7.5, and 10 min), and CA concentration (0%, 0.5%, and 1%). All samples, including a control, were subjected to microbial analysis (total microbial count, coliforms, molds, and yeasts) and chemical analysis. Each experiment was conducted in triplicate. The combined US–CA treatment significantly reduced microbial loads, achieving reductions of 4.92, 2.58, and 1.26 log CFU/g for coliforms, molds and yeasts, and total microbial count, respectively. The optimized treatment, which involved a low CA concentration of 0.5%, effectively improved the microbial quality of raw wheat sprouts, bringing them within acceptable safety limits. These findings indicated that the combined application of US and CA is a promising approach for disinfecting wheat sprouts and enhancing their food safety.

There are a number of reports indicating correlation between outbreaks of campylobacteriosis and the consumption of raw vegetables. This study is a meta-analysis on the prevalence of Campylobacter in fresh vegetables and fruits without any location limitation, which was performed through a documented review of the available resources. Relevant literature was reviewed by trained reviewers, who examined the results for the inclusion of articles in the meta-analysis. The prevalence of Campylobacter in raw vegetables, the sample source, the Campylobacter species, and the method of detection were extracted. The prevalence of Campylobacter in vegetables, fruits, and fresh produce were estimated to be 0.53%. Analysis of the various sample groups initially showed that the bean and sprouts group was the vegetable with the highest prevalence of Campylobacter (11.08%). The rate of contamination was higher when both the molecular and conventional methods were employed. The highest prevalence of Campylobacter was found in Asia (33.4%). Despite the low prevalence, consumption of raw vegetables is inherently risky because no treatment is used to inactivate the pathogens. Therefore, proper sanitation methods are recommended to treat the raw products.

Assessment of water quality and potential health risks through probabilistic approaches is fundamental in determining the uses of water and prevent health problems. This study aimed to investigate the presence of toxic/non-toxic elements, evaluate water quality and assess health risks in a arid region in Iran. Eighteen elements were detected in the drinking water and followed the order of concentration Na > Ca > Mg > Sr > K > Si > Fe > Li > Al > P > Zn > Mo > Cr > Ba > Se > V > Nb > As, with Mg most frequently exceeding the regulatory limits. Based on deterministic and probabilistic approaches, the water quality index (WQI) showed that 4.3% of the areas had unsuitable conditions (most influential parameter is Li), while the heavy metal evaluation index (HEI) was in mild classification. The geochemical origin of elements was studied. Li being predominantly correlated with Fe and Mg and a suitable model of Li occurrence was predicted using artificial neural network. The hazard quotient for all elements, except for Li, was less than 1, and cancer risk for Cr was less than 10 –4 . The hazard index for children, teens and adults was 3.4, 2.5 and 2.1, respectively, while it was only 0.38, 0.28, 0.23 in the blank water sample. The results of Sobol's sensitivity analysis showed that Li and Cr concentration in waters and interaction with body weight had the greatest effect on non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic rates. Graphical Abstract

Background and Aim: Food poisoning caused by Salmonella is among the most common gastrointestinal discomfort resulted from egg consumption which can produce various syndromes. The present study is a systematic review and metaanalysis investigation on the published studies about the prevalence of Salmonella contamination in the consumed eggs in Iran. Materials and Methods: The data were collected and analyzed from four international search databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar and four Iranian databases comprising SID, MagIran, Civilica, and IranDoc. After searching all the databases, 303 articles were found, from which 31 articles were included in the final analysis. Results: According to the data analysis, the highest rate of contamination was belonged to the industrial eggs (7.49%), however, the prevalence rate was reported 13.61% in the eggshell part. The overall prevalence of Salmonella contamination in consumed eggs of Iran using culture of microbial, molecular, molecular-serological, culture-molecular, cultureserological, and culture -molecular-serological methods was obtained 11.33%, 5.52%, 0.37%, 1.91%, 5.52%, and 0.73%, respectively. Prevalence in the 21 geographical areas, where studies have been conducted, ranged from 0% (Zahedan) to 29.06% (Tabriz). The studies have also showed that eight different serotypes were among the major cause of Salmonella contamination in eggs. The most common Salmonella serotype was Salmonella Enteritidis and the highest diversity in Salmonella contaminant serotypes was recorded in Talesh (including S. Enteritidis, Salmonella Gallinarum, Salmonella Virchow, and Salmonella Newport). Conclusion: Results of this study revealed the high prevalence of Salmonella contamination in eggs, in Iran. Therefore, disinfection and cleaning bed, cleaning of equipment and supplies, and proper maintenance temperature and humidity of the eggs are recommended. In addition, proper personal hygiene and prohibition of consuming raw egg products are essential.

The effects of methanolic pomegranate peel extract (MPPE) on the quality of gutted rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) were examined periodically during 6 months of storage at -18°C. Fresh samples were dipped (ratio of fish to liquid, 1:2 [wt/vol]) in sterile water or in sterile water containing 1, 2, or 4% (wt/vol) MPPE and packed in low-density polyethylene pouches. The control and treated samples were analyzed monthly for microbiological, chemical, sensory, and textural characteristics. Microbial growth in samples was significantly reduced by MPPE treatment (P < 0.05). Smaller increases in the values for total volatile base nitrogen, peroxide, and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and better oxidative stability were also obtained. Moreover, higher organoleptic scores were recorded. However, regarding the general acceptability, the highest score was achieved in the 1% MPPE group. Greater hardness and chewiness were obtained with 4% MPPE (P < 0.05). Therefore, dipping fish in MPPE can be considered an effective method to extend the shelf life and the overall quality of the product.

Excessive consumption of synthetic food dyes by children may raise concerns about their health. These dyes may aggravate the hyperactivity symptoms and exacerbate asthma in sensitive children. The purpose of this study was to determine the presence of sunset yellow and quinoline yellow dyes, as well as tartrazine in dairy‐free fruit ice cream, freeze pop, jelly, and candy. Additionally, we evaluated the amount of two food dyes consumed by children. To do so, a total of 150 food samples, including 20 dairy‐free fruit ice creams, 25 freeze pops, 57 jelly products, and 48 types of candy were randomly selected from stores in Shiraz, Iran. Then, using the high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method and an ultraviolet (UV) detector, we measured the amounts of sunset yellow and quinoline yellow dyes and identified the use of tartrazine. Also, the per capita consumption (grams per day) of the mentioned foods was calculated using a checklist in two groups of male and female primary schoolchildren aged 6–9 years and 10–13 years in Shiraz, Iran. According to the results, 11 (7.33%) samples contained only tartrazine and 107 (71.33%) samples contained quinoline yellow and sunset yellow synthetic dyes. In addition, of 107 samples that used quinoline yellow and sunset yellow, 102 (95.33%) contained unauthorized tartrazine. Only seven (6.54%) samples contained exceedingly high concentrations of authorized quinoline yellow and sunset yellow synthetic dyes. However, the exposure assessment showed that the intake of quinoline yellow and sunset yellow was at average levels and the 95th percentile in both age groups was less than the associated acceptable daily intake (ADI). For synthetic dyes, the target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI) were less than one, indicating that ingestion of these two dyes via food products does not pose a risk to children's overall health. The purpose of this study was to determine the presence of sunset yellow and quinoline yellow dyes, as well as tartrazine in dairy‐free fruit ice cream, freeze pop, jelly, and candy. A total of 150 food samples, including 20 dairy‐free fruit ice creams, 25 freeze pops, 57 jelly products, and 48 types of candy were randomly selected from stores in Shiraz, Iran. For synthetic dyes, the target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI) were less than one, indicating that ingestion of these two dyes via food products does not pose a risk to children’s overall health.

‏In this study, the production of emulsion‐type sausage by replacement of 20% to 40% KCl plus 1% or 2% yeast extract instead of NaCl was studied. The physical, chemical, microbiological, and sensory properties of the samples were analyzed up to 28 days of storage. The sample sausages were approved by the panelists. The physical, chemical, and microbiological properties of emulsion‐type sausages were not considerably influenced by these changes. The 40% replaced salt by KCl showed a similar property rather than the regular sausages. The aroma and taste of the sausages improved by using yeast extract. In addition, the adverse flavors resulted from adding KCl were excluded by adding the yeast extract. As a result, production of healthy emulsion‐type sausages (having 40% lower NaCl) with acceptable sensory qualities was introduced. The production of emulsion‐type sausage by replacement of 20% to 40% of KCl plus 1% or 2% of yeast extract instead of NaCl was studied. The 40% replaced salt by KCl showed a similar property rather than the regular sausages. As a result, production of healthy emulsion‐type sausages (having 40% lower NaCl) with acceptable sensory qualities was introduced.

Although poultry meat is considered as the main source for human Campylobacter infections, there is limited information about non-poultry sources. The present study was aimed to investigate the prevalence and the antibiotic resistance of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. in fecal samples of the cattle and sheep in Shiraz, Iran. A total of 302 fecal samples were obtained from clinically healthy, slaughtered cattle and sheep from Shiraz slaughterhouse. The animals were clinically healthy before being slaughtered. The samples were cultured according to the specific cultivation method under thermophilic conditions. The susceptibility of Campylobacter isolates were determined for 13 antimicrobial agents. All enriched samples and cultured isolates were targeted for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of 16S rRNA and multiplex PCR for determining their species. Among 302 fecal samples, 65 (21.5%) and 205 (67.8%) samples were positive for the presence of Campylobacter species with the cultivation and PCR techniques, respectively. All 65 distinct isolates were susceptible to neomycin and colistin and the isolates showed high resistance to cephalotin (83.0%) and ciprofloxacin (67.7%). After the multiplex PCR, 78.5% of total positive samples showed the simultaneous presence of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli. In conclusion, the results emphasized that non-poultry farms are important as a possible source of Campylobacter infections.