The continued and improper use of antibiotics has resulted in the emergence of antibiotic resistance (AR). The dissemination of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms occurs via a multitude of pathways, including the food supply. The failure to comply with the regulatory withdrawal period associated with the treatment of domestic animals or the illicit use of antibiotics as growth promoters has contributed to the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in meat and dairy products. It was demonstrated that not only do animal and human pathogens act as donors of antibiotic resistance genes, but also that lactic acid bacteria can serve as reservoirs of genes encoding for antibiotic resistance. Consequently, the consumption of fermented foods also presents a potential conduit for the dissemination of AR. This review provides an overview of the potential for the transmission of antibiotic resistance in a range of traditional and novel foods. The literature data reveal that foodborne microbes can be a significant factor in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance.

The presence of yeasts in food is not unexpected, as they are part of the microbiota of raw materials, employed as starter cultures in numerous fermentation processes, and also play a role in spontaneous fermentation. Nevertheless, they have the potential to induce spoilage, which can lead to significant quality issues, and certain yeasts have the ability to cause infections in humans and animals, posing a food safety risk. The detection of yeasts in food, determination of their cell number, as well as identification and typing, are therefore often tasks during the examination of certain food categories. The methods employed to achieve these objectives are diverse, encompassing both conventional culture-based techniques and more recent, genome-based studies. The objective of this study is to provide a summary article that presents the methods suitable for testing food-derived yeasts. The article will highlight the advantages, disadvantages, and potential difficulties of their applicability. Moreover, a comprehensive review of nucleic acid-based, culture-dependent and culture-independent molecular yeast identification techniques was conducted, encompassing scientific articles from the past five years (2020–2024). The search was based on the Science Direct database using the keywords “yeast and molecular identification and food”.

In recent years, the growing consumer demand for healthier and minimally processed foods has increased the demand for natural alternatives to conventional preservatives. Among the naturally occurring antimicrobial compounds, carvacrol has attracted considerable attention due to its broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. This review provides an overview of the general properties of carvacrol and its antimicrobial activity against important foodborne pathogens and spoilage-associated microorganisms, including Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this review, the mechanisms underlying its antimicrobial activity are discussed, together with the factors that influence its efficacy. Its effectiveness in different food applications is also reviewed, with attention given to the influence of food matrices on its antimicrobial activity. The advantages and limitations of using carvacrol as a natural food preservative are further discussed. Finally, future research directions are presented, with emphasis on expanding the use of carvacrol in different food matrices and active packaging systems, as well as developing approaches to improve its stability, controlled release, and antimicrobial efficacy.