Underrecognized niche of spore-forming bacilli as a nitrite-producer isolated from the processing lines and end-products of powdered infant formula

Tae Jin Cho; Min Suk Rhee

doi:10.1016/j.fm.2018.12.012

Underrecognized niche of spore-forming bacilli as a nitrite-producer isolated from the processing lines and end-products of powdered infant formula

Tae Jin Cho
, Min Suk Rhee^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

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

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Although nitrite in powdered milk formula (PIF) is a recognized health risk for infants, the presence of nitrite in PIF has only been investigated as a chemical contaminant during the inspection of end-products. The risk posed by microbial sources of nitrite during the PIF manufacturing process has not been considered. This is the first study to report the taxonomy and physiological characteristics of nitrite-producing bacteria isolated from PIF processing environments. All isolates identified as nitrite-producers (133 out of 501 strains collected over four years) from work-in-process and end-products of PIF were spore-forming bacilli. Nitrite-producing metabolism under PIF processing conditions was found in not only thermophilic isolates (3 Bacillus, 60 Geobacillus from 63 strains; 100%) but also in mesophilic isolates (65 Bacillus, 1 Anoxybacillus from 70 strains; 65.7%). Geobacillus was the only highly heat-resistant sporeformer and vigorous nitrite-producer exhibiting dramatic increases in nitrite over short periods of incubation (a maximum value within 3 h). High conversions of nitrate to nitrite (up to 88.8%) was also observed, highlighting bacteria as a key source of nitrite in PIF processing lines. Further research into the diversity of metabolic activity observed in this study can facilitate specialized management of nitrite-producers in PIF processing lines.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	50-61
Number of pages	12
Journal	Food Microbiology
Volume	80
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2018.12.012
Publication status	Published - 2019 Jun

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was supported by the Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture, and Forestry (iPET) through the High Value-added Food Technology Development Program, funded by Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs ( 314046-3 ). This research was also supported by a Korea University grant . 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 from processing lines and end-products of PIF.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Geobacillus
Nitrite
Powdered infant formula
Spore-forming bacilli

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Food Science
Microbiology

Access to Document

10.1016/j.fm.2018.12.012

Cite this

@article{20b465e3f65f4f2294b4e029df27f66e,

title = "Underrecognized niche of spore-forming bacilli as a nitrite-producer isolated from the processing lines and end-products of powdered infant formula",

abstract = "Although nitrite in powdered milk formula (PIF) is a recognized health risk for infants, the presence of nitrite in PIF has only been investigated as a chemical contaminant during the inspection of end-products. The risk posed by microbial sources of nitrite during the PIF manufacturing process has not been considered. This is the first study to report the taxonomy and physiological characteristics of nitrite-producing bacteria isolated from PIF processing environments. All isolates identified as nitrite-producers (133 out of 501 strains collected over four years) from work-in-process and end-products of PIF were spore-forming bacilli. Nitrite-producing metabolism under PIF processing conditions was found in not only thermophilic isolates (3 Bacillus, 60 Geobacillus from 63 strains; 100\%) but also in mesophilic isolates (65 Bacillus, 1 Anoxybacillus from 70 strains; 65.7\%). Geobacillus was the only highly heat-resistant sporeformer and vigorous nitrite-producer exhibiting dramatic increases in nitrite over short periods of incubation (a maximum value within 3 h). High conversions of nitrate to nitrite (up to 88.8\%) was also observed, highlighting bacteria as a key source of nitrite in PIF processing lines. Further research into the diversity of metabolic activity observed in this study can facilitate specialized management of nitrite-producers in PIF processing lines.",

keywords = "Geobacillus, Nitrite, Powdered infant formula, Spore-forming bacilli",

author = "Cho, \{Tae Jin\} and Rhee, \{Min Suk\}",

note = "Funding Information: This study was supported by the Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture, and Forestry (iPET) through the High Value-added Food Technology Development Program, funded by Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs ( 314046-3 ). This research was also supported by a Korea University grant . 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 from processing lines and end-products of PIF. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 Elsevier Ltd",

year = "2019",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1016/j.fm.2018.12.012",

language = "English",

volume = "80",

pages = "50--61",

journal = "Food Microbiology",

issn = "0740-0020",

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AU - Cho, Tae Jin

AU - Rhee, Min Suk

N1 - Funding Information: This study was supported by the Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture, and Forestry (iPET) through the High Value-added Food Technology Development Program, funded by Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs ( 314046-3 ). This research was also supported by a Korea University grant . 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 from processing lines and end-products of PIF. Publisher Copyright: © 2018 Elsevier Ltd

PY - 2019/6

Y1 - 2019/6

N2 - Although nitrite in powdered milk formula (PIF) is a recognized health risk for infants, the presence of nitrite in PIF has only been investigated as a chemical contaminant during the inspection of end-products. The risk posed by microbial sources of nitrite during the PIF manufacturing process has not been considered. This is the first study to report the taxonomy and physiological characteristics of nitrite-producing bacteria isolated from PIF processing environments. All isolates identified as nitrite-producers (133 out of 501 strains collected over four years) from work-in-process and end-products of PIF were spore-forming bacilli. Nitrite-producing metabolism under PIF processing conditions was found in not only thermophilic isolates (3 Bacillus, 60 Geobacillus from 63 strains; 100%) but also in mesophilic isolates (65 Bacillus, 1 Anoxybacillus from 70 strains; 65.7%). Geobacillus was the only highly heat-resistant sporeformer and vigorous nitrite-producer exhibiting dramatic increases in nitrite over short periods of incubation (a maximum value within 3 h). High conversions of nitrate to nitrite (up to 88.8%) was also observed, highlighting bacteria as a key source of nitrite in PIF processing lines. Further research into the diversity of metabolic activity observed in this study can facilitate specialized management of nitrite-producers in PIF processing lines.

AB - Although nitrite in powdered milk formula (PIF) is a recognized health risk for infants, the presence of nitrite in PIF has only been investigated as a chemical contaminant during the inspection of end-products. The risk posed by microbial sources of nitrite during the PIF manufacturing process has not been considered. This is the first study to report the taxonomy and physiological characteristics of nitrite-producing bacteria isolated from PIF processing environments. All isolates identified as nitrite-producers (133 out of 501 strains collected over four years) from work-in-process and end-products of PIF were spore-forming bacilli. Nitrite-producing metabolism under PIF processing conditions was found in not only thermophilic isolates (3 Bacillus, 60 Geobacillus from 63 strains; 100%) but also in mesophilic isolates (65 Bacillus, 1 Anoxybacillus from 70 strains; 65.7%). Geobacillus was the only highly heat-resistant sporeformer and vigorous nitrite-producer exhibiting dramatic increases in nitrite over short periods of incubation (a maximum value within 3 h). High conversions of nitrate to nitrite (up to 88.8%) was also observed, highlighting bacteria as a key source of nitrite in PIF processing lines. Further research into the diversity of metabolic activity observed in this study can facilitate specialized management of nitrite-producers in PIF processing lines.

KW - Geobacillus

KW - Nitrite

KW - Powdered infant formula

KW - Spore-forming bacilli

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85060030022

U2 - 10.1016/j.fm.2018.12.012

DO - 10.1016/j.fm.2018.12.012

M3 - Article

C2 - 30704596

AN - SCOPUS:85060030022

SN - 0740-0020

VL - 80

SP - 50

EP - 61

JO - Food Microbiology

JF - Food Microbiology

ER -

Underrecognized niche of spore-forming bacilli as a nitrite-producer isolated from the processing lines and end-products of powdered infant formula

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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