Characterization of the nitrite production of mesophilic spore-forming bacteria during the handling of reconstituted infant formula

S. W. Park; T. J. Cho; M. S. Rhee

doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111332

Characterization of the nitrite production of mesophilic spore-forming bacteria during the handling of reconstituted infant formula

S. W. Park, T. J. Cho, M. S. Rhee

Department of Biotechnology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

The microbiological safety of reconstituted infant formula (RIF) has focused on infectious pathogens, whereas the risk of spore-forming bacteria (SFB) has been limited to spoilage and toxin production. This study suggests an underrecognized niche of SFB as nitrite producers during the handling of RIF. The production of nitrite along with the bacterial growth of 133 nitrite-producing SFB isolated from infant formula processing environments and end-products (70 mesophiles and 63 thermophiles) under RIF handling conditions were analysed. Most mesophiles (68 out of 70) and two thermophiles showed nitrite production during growth at 30 °C or 40 °C. Vigorous producers of nitrite [Bacillus sp. strains (FHS-PPBM449, 481, 236, 237)] showed a rapid onset of nitrite production (within 4 h). In particular, FHS-PPBM449 (2–3 log CFU/mL) exhibited the shortest onset time (210 min) and a nitrite production level up to 521 µM in RIF with 100 ppm nitrate at 40 °C. Overall, the results of the maximum level of nitrite produced by vigorous nitrite producers indicate that infants can consume more than seven times the acceptable daily intake of nitrite (0.74 mg for 12-month-old infants with an average body weight), even via a single feeding of RIF. An analysis of the relationship of the onset time of nitrite production with the bacterial concentration based on predictive models suggests that the growth of SFB up to 5–6 log CFU/mL is regarded as a prerequisite for nitrite production. This study revealed an underreported source of nitrite from RIF handling conditions, and the rapid onset of a high level of nitrite production from SFB should be the major target in the establishment of intervention strategies against nitrite as a microbial risk.

Original language	English
Article number	111332
Journal	Food Research International
Volume	156
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111332
Publication status	Published - 2022 Jun

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (Ministry of Science and ICT, MSIT) (NRF-2020R1A2C2010591). The authors thank the School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology for BK21 PLUS Korea University, and the Institute of Biomedical Science and Food Safety, CJ-Korea University Food Safety Hall, for providing equipment and facilities. The authors are also deeply grateful to Maeil Dairies, Co. Ltd (Pyeongtaek, Korea) for providing the bacterial isolates.

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (Ministry of Science and ICT, MSIT) (NRF-2020R1A2C2010591). The authors thank the School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology for BK21 PLUS Korea University, and the Institute of Biomedical Science and Food Safety, CJ-Korea University Food Safety Hall, for providing equipment and facilities. The authors are also deeply grateful to Maeil Dairies, Co., Ltd (Pyeongtaek, Korea) for providing the bacterial isolates.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd

Keywords

Growth model
Mesophile
Nitrate-nitrite metabolism
Nitrite profile
Reconstituted infant formula
Risk
Spore-forming bacteria

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Food Science

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10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111332

Cite this

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title = "Characterization of the nitrite production of mesophilic spore-forming bacteria during the handling of reconstituted infant formula",

abstract = "The microbiological safety of reconstituted infant formula (RIF) has focused on infectious pathogens, whereas the risk of spore-forming bacteria (SFB) has been limited to spoilage and toxin production. This study suggests an underrecognized niche of SFB as nitrite producers during the handling of RIF. The production of nitrite along with the bacterial growth of 133 nitrite-producing SFB isolated from infant formula processing environments and end-products (70 mesophiles and 63 thermophiles) under RIF handling conditions were analysed. Most mesophiles (68 out of 70) and two thermophiles showed nitrite production during growth at 30 °C or 40 °C. Vigorous producers of nitrite [Bacillus sp. strains (FHS-PPBM449, 481, 236, 237)] showed a rapid onset of nitrite production (within 4 h). In particular, FHS-PPBM449 (2–3 log CFU/mL) exhibited the shortest onset time (210 min) and a nitrite production level up to 521 µM in RIF with 100 ppm nitrate at 40 °C. Overall, the results of the maximum level of nitrite produced by vigorous nitrite producers indicate that infants can consume more than seven times the acceptable daily intake of nitrite (0.74 mg for 12-month-old infants with an average body weight), even via a single feeding of RIF. An analysis of the relationship of the onset time of nitrite production with the bacterial concentration based on predictive models suggests that the growth of SFB up to 5–6 log CFU/mL is regarded as a prerequisite for nitrite production. This study revealed an underreported source of nitrite from RIF handling conditions, and the rapid onset of a high level of nitrite production from SFB should be the major target in the establishment of intervention strategies against nitrite as a microbial risk.",

keywords = "Growth model, Mesophile, Nitrate-nitrite metabolism, Nitrite profile, Reconstituted infant formula, Risk, Spore-forming bacteria",

author = "Park, {S. W.} and Cho, {T. J.} and Rhee, {M. S.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (Ministry of Science and ICT, MSIT) (NRF-2020R1A2C2010591). The authors thank the School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology for BK21 PLUS Korea University, and the Institute of Biomedical Science and Food Safety, CJ-Korea University Food Safety Hall, for providing equipment and facilities. The authors are also deeply grateful to Maeil Dairies, Co. Ltd (Pyeongtaek, Korea) for providing the bacterial isolates. Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (Ministry of Science and ICT, MSIT) (NRF-2020R1A2C2010591). The authors thank the School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology for BK21 PLUS Korea University, and the Institute of Biomedical Science and Food Safety, CJ-Korea University Food Safety Hall, for providing equipment and facilities. The authors are also deeply grateful to Maeil Dairies, Co., Ltd (Pyeongtaek, Korea) for providing the bacterial isolates. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 Elsevier Ltd",

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doi = "10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111332",

language = "English",

volume = "156",

journal = "Food Research International",

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AU - Park, S. W.

AU - Cho, T. J.

AU - Rhee, M. S.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (Ministry of Science and ICT, MSIT) (NRF-2020R1A2C2010591). The authors thank the School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology for BK21 PLUS Korea University, and the Institute of Biomedical Science and Food Safety, CJ-Korea University Food Safety Hall, for providing equipment and facilities. The authors are also deeply grateful to Maeil Dairies, Co. Ltd (Pyeongtaek, Korea) for providing the bacterial isolates. Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (Ministry of Science and ICT, MSIT) (NRF-2020R1A2C2010591). The authors thank the School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology for BK21 PLUS Korea University, and the Institute of Biomedical Science and Food Safety, CJ-Korea University Food Safety Hall, for providing equipment and facilities. The authors are also deeply grateful to Maeil Dairies, Co., Ltd (Pyeongtaek, Korea) for providing the bacterial isolates. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Elsevier Ltd

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N2 - The microbiological safety of reconstituted infant formula (RIF) has focused on infectious pathogens, whereas the risk of spore-forming bacteria (SFB) has been limited to spoilage and toxin production. This study suggests an underrecognized niche of SFB as nitrite producers during the handling of RIF. The production of nitrite along with the bacterial growth of 133 nitrite-producing SFB isolated from infant formula processing environments and end-products (70 mesophiles and 63 thermophiles) under RIF handling conditions were analysed. Most mesophiles (68 out of 70) and two thermophiles showed nitrite production during growth at 30 °C or 40 °C. Vigorous producers of nitrite [Bacillus sp. strains (FHS-PPBM449, 481, 236, 237)] showed a rapid onset of nitrite production (within 4 h). In particular, FHS-PPBM449 (2–3 log CFU/mL) exhibited the shortest onset time (210 min) and a nitrite production level up to 521 µM in RIF with 100 ppm nitrate at 40 °C. Overall, the results of the maximum level of nitrite produced by vigorous nitrite producers indicate that infants can consume more than seven times the acceptable daily intake of nitrite (0.74 mg for 12-month-old infants with an average body weight), even via a single feeding of RIF. An analysis of the relationship of the onset time of nitrite production with the bacterial concentration based on predictive models suggests that the growth of SFB up to 5–6 log CFU/mL is regarded as a prerequisite for nitrite production. This study revealed an underreported source of nitrite from RIF handling conditions, and the rapid onset of a high level of nitrite production from SFB should be the major target in the establishment of intervention strategies against nitrite as a microbial risk.

AB - The microbiological safety of reconstituted infant formula (RIF) has focused on infectious pathogens, whereas the risk of spore-forming bacteria (SFB) has been limited to spoilage and toxin production. This study suggests an underrecognized niche of SFB as nitrite producers during the handling of RIF. The production of nitrite along with the bacterial growth of 133 nitrite-producing SFB isolated from infant formula processing environments and end-products (70 mesophiles and 63 thermophiles) under RIF handling conditions were analysed. Most mesophiles (68 out of 70) and two thermophiles showed nitrite production during growth at 30 °C or 40 °C. Vigorous producers of nitrite [Bacillus sp. strains (FHS-PPBM449, 481, 236, 237)] showed a rapid onset of nitrite production (within 4 h). In particular, FHS-PPBM449 (2–3 log CFU/mL) exhibited the shortest onset time (210 min) and a nitrite production level up to 521 µM in RIF with 100 ppm nitrate at 40 °C. Overall, the results of the maximum level of nitrite produced by vigorous nitrite producers indicate that infants can consume more than seven times the acceptable daily intake of nitrite (0.74 mg for 12-month-old infants with an average body weight), even via a single feeding of RIF. An analysis of the relationship of the onset time of nitrite production with the bacterial concentration based on predictive models suggests that the growth of SFB up to 5–6 log CFU/mL is regarded as a prerequisite for nitrite production. This study revealed an underreported source of nitrite from RIF handling conditions, and the rapid onset of a high level of nitrite production from SFB should be the major target in the establishment of intervention strategies against nitrite as a microbial risk.

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KW - Mesophile

KW - Nitrate-nitrite metabolism

KW - Nitrite profile

KW - Reconstituted infant formula

KW - Risk

KW - Spore-forming bacteria

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Characterization of the nitrite production of mesophilic spore-forming bacteria during the handling of reconstituted infant formula

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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