In this paper there are presented the results of mycologic and mycotoxicologic analysis of seven spices which are being used for production of meat products. Using standard mycologic methods, in all the tested samples, we noticed a presence of moulds. By quality and quantity, most represented are genera: Aspergillus and Penicillium. With smaller occurrence there are presented genera: Rhizopus, Mucor, Paecylomyces and Absydia. Mycotoxins - ochratoxin, aflatoxins and zearalenon, are detected in samples of ground white pepper, ginger, cloves and ground caraway.

Biosensors as advanced analytical tools have found various applications in food safety, healthcare, and environmental monitoring in rapid and specific detection of target analytes in small liquid samples. Up to now, planar electrochemical electrodes have shown the highest potential for biosensor applications due to their simple and compact construction and cost-effectiveness. Although a number of commercially available electrodes, manufactured from various materials on different substrates, can be found on the market, their high costs for single use and low reproducibility persist as major drawbacks. In this study, we present an innovative, cost-effective approach for the rapid fabrication of electrodes that combines lamination of 24-karat gold leaves with low-cost polyvinyl chloride adhesive sheets followed by laser ablation. Laser ablation enables the creation of electrodes with customizable geometries and patterns with microlevel resolutions. The developed electrodes are characterized by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, scanning electronic microscopy, and 3D profiling. To demonstrate the manufacturing and biosensing potential, different geometries and shapes of electrodes were realized as the electrochemical transducing platform and applied for the realization of magnetic bead (MB)-labeled biosensors for quantitative detection of food-borne pathogens of Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium) and Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes).

The goal of this study conducted in Serbia was to detect HEV in pig liver samples from slaughterhouses, retail outlets, and environmental swabs over the course of a year. All positive HEV samples were measured and expressed as HEV gene copy numbers per gram of sample, and a representative number of samples were sequenced using the Sanger approach. A total of 45 HEV-positive samples were re-amplified using nested RT-PCR employing CODEHOP primers targeting ORF2 (493 nucleotides). The average prevalence of the HEV genotype 3 in all pig liver samples from the slaughterhouses was 29%, while HEV prevalence was 44% in liver samples from animals younger than 3 months. HEV RNA was found in thirteen out of sixty (22%) environmental swab samples that were taken from different surfaces along the slaughter line. Our findings confirmed seasonal patterns in HEV prevalence, with two picks (summer and winter periods) during the one-year examination. Among HEV-positive samples, the average viral particles for all positive liver samples was 4.41 ± 1.69 log₁₀ genome copies per gram. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the majority of HEV strains (43/45) from Serbia were grouped in the HEV-3a subtype, while two strains were classified into the HEV-3c subtype, and one strain could not be classified into any of the HEV-3 subtypes.

Different types of food, among them meat, can be the cause of food-borne diseases, and infections are commonly caused by Campylobacter, Salmonella, Yersinia enterocolitica, verotoxic Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes. All these bacteria, depending on a number of factors, including animal species, geographical origin, climatic factors, methods of animal breeding and meat production, could cause disease. Here, we summarise results on production of different groups of sausages produced with or without added starter culture, and contaminated with Y.enterocolitica (control sausages were not contaminated). During the ripening, changes in the microbiological status of the fermented sausages and their physical and chemical properties were monitored. For all tests, standard methods were used. In these fermented sausages, the number of Y. enterocolitica decreased during ripening. The number of Y. enterocolitica was statistically significantly lower in sausages with added starter culture on all days of the study Zoonotic pathogens in meat should be controlled through the complete production chain, from the farms to consumers, in order to reduce the probability of disease in humans. However, the necessary controls in the production chain are not the same for all bacteria.