Preventing outbreaks of foodborne pathogenic bacteria in edible sprouts via novel resistance-conferring seed treatments

摘要 归因于生物科学公司正在开发一种新技术，以防止由 食用豆芽。芽菜极易受人类肠道细菌感染。 种子阶段的病原体。然后，这些病原体在使用的温暖潮湿的条件下呈指数级增长 用来发芽。即使种子上的初始细菌数量很低，也会在萌芽结束时导致不安全的微生物负载 生产加工。此外，污染细菌内化到种子组织中 从内部污染发芽组织，使抗菌剂的应用在很大程度上无效。 芽菜已成为食源性疾病的一个重要来源，并已成为公共卫生危害。 1996至2017年间，美国经历了58起与豆芽有关的食源性疾病疫情， 包括至少1,953例疾病，212例住院治疗，5例死亡。根据FDA的说法，没有单一的 到目前为止，治疗方法已经被证明可以消除种子或芽上引起食源性疾病的病原体。 生病了。Ascribe Bioscience将使用一种来自微生物组的天然分子来激活和/或启动植物 在种子阶段进行防御，从而增强对污染的抵抗力 致病细菌病原体。Ascribe提出的治疗技术有可能 通过解决外部和内部细菌问题，极大地提高食用豆芽的安全性 污染。在第一阶段，Ascribe已经确定了该技术预防疫情的可行性 通过证明用我们的分子治疗可以防止人类食用豆芽 紫花苜蓿发芽过程中沙门氏菌的生长。在第二阶段，我们将最终确定萌芽种子处理 配方，并将测试扩大到更广泛的芽苗-病原菌系统。支持 商业化，我们将进行毒性和残留测试以获得监管部门的批准，并改进合成 使有效成分能够大规模生产的方法。二期工程的具体目标 1)精制处理配方，包括优化配方开发、确定最低用量 有效剂量和治疗时间，配方与萌芽的有效性比较 行业标准处理，并测量配方对种子萌发、生长和萌发的影响 质量；2)对各种萌芽类型的其他致病病原体的治疗效果进行测试， 评价其在改变细菌形成生物被膜能力方面的作用；3)通过毒理学研究证明其安全性 和残留物测试，以支持EPA的批准；4)开发方法，将活性成分的合成规模扩大到 中试规模，以及5)调查该分子为绿叶蔬菜提供收获后保护的能力。这个 预计拟议的研究将产生商业产品，这些产品将防止或显著减少 与芽苗相关的食源性暴发的发生率。

Abstract Ascribe Bioscience is developing a novel technology to prevent foodborne outbreaks caused by the consumption of edible sprouts. Sprouts are highly vulnerable to infection with human enteric bacterial pathogens at the seed stage. These pathogens then grow exponentially in the warm and humid conditions used for sprouting. Even low initial bacterial counts on seeds can result in unsafe microbial loads by the end of sprout production and processing. Moreover, the internalization of contaminating bacteria into seed tissues contaminates the sprout tissues from inside, rendering the application of antimicrobials largely ineffective. Sprouts have emerged as a significant source of foodborne illness and have become a public health hazard. Between 1996 and 2017, the U.S. experienced 58 foodborne illness outbreaks associated with sprouts, encompassing at least 1,953 illnesses, 212 hospitalizations, and 5 deaths. According to the FDA, no single treatment so far has been shown to eliminate pathogens on seeds or sprouts that cause foodborne illness. Ascribe Bioscience will use a natural, microbiome-derived molecule that activates and/or prime plant defenses at the seed stage, thereby conferring to sprouts an enhanced resistance against contamination by disease-causing bacterial pathogens. Ascribe's proposed treatment technology has the potential to dramatically improve the safety of edible sprouts by addressing both external and internal bacterial contamination. In Phase I, Ascribe has established the feasibility of the technology for the prevention of outbreaks related to human consumption of sprouts by demonstrating that treatment with our molecule can prevent Salmonella growth during the sprouting process in alfalfa. In Phase II, we will finalize the sprout seed treatment formulation and expand testing to a broader spectrum of sprout-pathogen systems. To support commercialization, we will perform toxicity and residue testing for regulatory approval, and refine synthesis methodologies to enable large-scale production of the active ingredient. The specific aims of this Phase II project are 1) Refine treatment formulation, including optimized formulation development, determination of the minimum effective dose and treatment duration, comparison of the effectiveness of the formulation versus the sprout industry-standard treatments, and measuring the effects of the formulation on germination, growth and sprout quality; 2) Test the efficacy of treatments against other illness-causing pathogens on a variety of sprout types, and evaluate it's role in altering bacterial abilities to form biofilm; 3) Demonstrate safety via toxicology studies and residue testing to support EPA approval; 4) Develop methods to scale the synthesis of active ingredient to pilot scale, and 5) Investigate the ability of the molecule to provide post-harvest protection to leafy greens. The proposed research is expected to yield commercial products that will prevent or dramatically reduce the incidence of sprout-related foodborne outbreaks.