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

摘要 Ascribe Bioscience正在开发一种新技术，以防止由细菌引起的食源性疫情。 食用豆芽。豆芽极易受到人类肠道细菌的感染 种子期的病原体。然后这些病原体在所用的温暖潮湿的条件下呈指数增长 用于发芽。即使种子上的初始细菌计数较低，也会导致发芽结束时的不安全微生物负荷 生产和加工。此外，污染细菌内化到种子组织中， 从内部污染芽组织，使抗菌剂的应用基本无效。 豆芽已成为食源性疾病的重要来源，并已成为公共卫生危害。 在1996年至2017年期间，美国经历了58起与豆芽有关的食源性疾病爆发， 包括至少1，953人患病，212人住院，5人死亡。根据FDA的数据， 到目前为止，治疗已被证明可以消除种子或豆芽上的病原体， 病Ascribe Bioscience将使用一种天然的微生物分子来激活和/或引发植物 在种子阶段的防御，从而赋予芽对污染的增强的抵抗力， 致病的细菌病原体。Ascribe提出的处理技术有可能 通过解决外部和内部细菌， 污染.在第一阶段，Ascribe已经确定了该技术用于预防疾病爆发的可行性 与人类食用豆芽有关，证明用我们的分子治疗可以预防 苜蓿发芽过程中沙门氏菌的生长。在第二阶段，我们将完成发芽种子的处理 制定和扩大测试范围，以更广泛的萌芽病原体系统。支持 商业化，我们将进行毒性和残留物测试，以获得监管部门的批准，并完善合成 能够大规模生产活性成分的方法。第二阶段项目的具体目标 1）细化处理配方，包括优化配方开发，确定最低 有效剂量和治疗持续时间，制剂与芽的有效性比较 工业标准处理，并测量制剂对发芽、生长和发芽的影响 质量; 2）在各种芽类型上测试针对其他致病病原体的处理的功效， 并评估其在改变细菌形成生物膜能力方面的作用; 3）通过毒理学研究证明安全性 和残留物测试，以支持EPA批准; 4）开发方法，以扩大活性成分的合成， 中试规模，和5）研究该分子为绿叶蔬菜提供收获后保护的能力。的 拟议的研究预计将产生商业产品，将防止或大大减少 与芽有关的食源性疫情的发生率。

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.