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According to the Regulation on the Quality of Fresh Raw Milk, up to 100,000 microorganisms/mL are allowed in milk obtained by the hygienic milking of healthy cows, which represents the natural microbiota of milk and has no negative impact on the overall quality of milk. However, with unprofessional handling during and after milking, milk is easily contaminated and becomes a potential medium for the growth and reproduction of microorganisms, some of which can be harmful to human health. Since the number of aerobic mesophilic bacteria in milk is one of the indicators of the hygienic quality of milk, their number and identification are fundamental in the control of raw milk from milk vending machines. From five different milk vending machines, 35 samples were collected, from which the total number of aerobic mesophilic bacteria was determined using the flow cytometry method and the classic method of counting colonies on a nutrient medium. Randomly selected colonies based on morphological differences (n = 700) were identified by comparing MALDI-TOF mass spectra with reference spectra stored in the microorganism library and processing using the MALDI Biotyper computer program. Thirty-eight genera and eighty-one bacterial species and five genera and seven fungal species were successfully identified. The species that predominate are Lactococcus lactis, Hafnia alvei, Escherichia coli, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, and Kluyveromyces lactis. By integrating advanced methods like flow cytometry and MALDI-TOF MS for precise microbial identification, this study highlights the need for enhanced monitoring and adherence to hygienic standards in raw milk vending machines. This approach not only safeguards public health but also supports consumer confidence in milk quality from vending machines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how Chesapeake-based watermen and seafood processors may experience occupational harm from microbial hazards like Vibrio spp. Fishing industry research primarily focuses on musculoskeletal injury, even though microbial hazards present risks to Total Worker Health® that clinicians should consider. This paper provides qualitative insights to address that gap. Commercial fishing is a dangerous profession with known hazards for musculoskeletal injuries, yet minimal examination of microbiological or attendant psychosocial hazards from water- and food-borne pathogens like Vibrio vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus exists. Improving knowledge of Vibrio -related hazards addresses Total Worker Health® concerns for commercial fisheries workers. Methods: Following a grounded theory approach, we conducted semistructured interviews with watermen and related workers who fish and harvest shellfish in the Chesapeake Bay, USA, to investigate risk perceptions and understanding, and compliance with regulations intended to reduce worker and consumer illnesses and injuries from pathogen exposures. Results: Worker and consumer illnesses and injuries, and threat of fishery closures—with regulatory and organizational factors—influence this workforce. Conclusions: Our findings support interventions that promote monitoring, surveillance, and awareness of Vibrio- related risk among watermen, regulatory officials, medical professionals, and the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultured meat, which involves growing meat in a laboratory rather than breeding animals, offers potential benefits in terms of sustainability, health, and animal welfare compared to conventional meat production. However, the cultured meat production process involves several stages, each with potential hazards requiring careful monitoring and control. Microbial contamination risks exist in the initial cell collection from source animals and the surrounding environment. During cell proliferation, hazards may include chemical residues from media components such as antibiotics and growth factors, as well as microbial issues from improper bioreactor sterilization. In the differentiation stage where cells become muscle tissue, potential hazards include residues from scaffolding materials, microcarriers, and media components. Final maturation and harvesting stages risk environmental contamination from nonsterile conditions, equipment, or worker handling if proper aseptic conditions are not maintained. This review examines the key microbiological and chemical hazards that must be monitored and controlled during the manufacturing process for cultured meats. It describes some conventional and emerging novel techniques that could be applied for the detection of microbial and chemical hazards in cultured meat. The review also outlines the current evolving regulatory landscape around cultured meat and explains how thorough detection and characterization of microbiological and chemical hazards through advanced analytical techniques can provide crucial data to help develop robust, evidence‐based food safety regulations specifically tailored for the cultured meat industry. Implementing new digital food safety methods is recommended for further research on the sensitive and effective detection of microbiological and chemical hazards in cultured meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and changing consumer demand are the main factors driving the protein transition. This shift toward more sustainable protein sources as alternatives to animal proteins is also reflected in the rapid upscaling of meat and dairy food analogues. Such changes could challenge food safety, as new food sources could result in new and unexpected food safety risks for consumers. This review analyzed the current knowledge on chemical and microbiological contamination of emerging alternative protein sources of plant origin, including soil‐based (faba bean, mung bean, lentils, black gram, cowpea, quinoa, hemp, and leaf proteins) and aquatic‐based (microalgae and duckweeds) proteins. Moreover, findings on commercial analogues from known alternative protein sources were included. Overall, the main focus of the investigations is on the European context. The review aimed to enable foresight approaches to food safety concerning the protein transition. The results indicated the occurrence of multiple chemical and microbiological hazards either in the raw materials that are the protein sources and eventually in the analogues. Moreover, current European legislation on maximum limits does not address most of the "contaminant‐food" pairs identified, and no legislative framework has been developed for analogues. Results of this study provide stakeholders with a more comprehensive understanding of the chemical and microbiological safety of alternative protein sources and derived analogues to enable a holistic and safe approach to the protein transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the Regulation on the Quality of Fresh Raw Milk, up to 100,000 microorganisms/mL are allowed in milk obtained by the hygienic milking of healthy cows, which represents the natural microbiota of milk and has no negative impact on the overall quality of milk. However, with unprofessional handling during and after milking, milk is easily contaminated and becomes a potential medium for the growth and reproduction of microorganisms, some of which can be harmful to human health. Since the number of aerobic mesophilic bacteria in milk is one of the indicators of the hygienic quality of milk, their number and identification are fundamental in the control of raw milk from milk vending machines. From five different milk vending machines, 35 samples were collected, from which the total number of aerobic mesophilic bacteria was determined using the flow cytometry method and the classic method of counting colonies on a nutrient medium. Randomly selected colonies based on morphological differences (n = 700) were identified by comparing MALDI-TOF mass spectra with reference spectra stored in the microorganism library and processing using the MALDI Biotyper computer program. Thirty-eight genera and eighty-one bacterial species and five genera and seven fungal species were successfully identified. The species that predominate are Lactococcus lactis, Hafnia alvei, Escherichia coli, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, and Kluyveromyces lactis. By integrating advanced methods like flow cytometry and MALDI-TOF MS for precise microbial identification, this study highlights the need for enhanced monitoring and adherence to hygienic standards in raw milk vending machines. This approach not only safeguards public health but also supports consumer confidence in milk quality from vending machines.

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Microbial-based cleaning products (MBCPs) are an emerging class of cleaning products that contain viable microorganisms, often bacteria or bacterial endospores, as intentionally added formulation ingredients for cleaning and/or odor control. Although several well-established methodologies exist to support risk analysis for conventional chemical-based cleaning products, at present there are no widely recognized methods or commonly utilized frameworks to support risk analysis for use of microbial ingredients present in MBCPs, specifically. The purpose of this work is to provide information to MBCP manufacturers and regulators that can be used to assist in developing their own approaches to MBCP risk assessment. As part of this assessment, potential hazards associated with use of bacterial or bacterial endospore ingredients of MBCPs can be adequately characterized, assessed, and managed as part of both product development and ongoing product stewardship. Accordingly, this document summarizes potential approaches to support strain-level identification of microbial ingredient(s), evaluate their hazards and potential for human exposure, and assess their potential effects following such exposures to different human populations. Recommendations for both hazard and risk characterization are discussed. Additionally, guidance is provided to support decision-making by risk managers, including guidance for the development of risk communication strategies, where appropriate, to mitigate the identified risks. Properly applied, the conceptual approaches described herein may facilitate the standardization and more consistent application of appropriate risk analysis procedures tailored to suit microbial ingredients present in MBCPs. Beyond their utility in assessing microbial ingredients commonly used in MBCPs today, these same approaches may help companies and regulators consider and manage risks for new microbial ingredients that may be utilized in future MBCP formulations., (© 2025 The Author(s). Risk Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Risk Analysis.)

Pathogens-in-Foods (PIF) is a dynamic database constructed using systematic literature searches of occurrence data (prevalence and enumeration) of important pathogenic agents (Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter spp., Clostridium perfringens, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Yersinia enterocolitica, Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia spp., Toxoplasma gondii, Hepatitis A virus, Hepatitis E virus and Norovirus) in foods randomly surveyed across Europe. After filtering the primary studies, these were screened for relevance and methodological quality, and the data were extracted into the PIF database following a systematic categorisation of microbiological methods, food types and outcomes. The database is freely accessible through a web application that facilitates data retrieval according to several relevant variables. The PIF spans data published from 2000 onwards and is intended for use by researchers and food authorities after meta-analysis, in microbiological risk assessment.