Source: NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV submitted to
FOOD SYSTEMS, HEALTH, AND WELL-BEING: UNDERSTANDING COMPLEX RELATIONSHIPS AND DYNAMICS OF CHANGE
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
NEW
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1011589
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
NC01196
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
NC-1196
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Dec 8, 2016
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2021
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Kathariou, SO.
Recipient Organization
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV
(N/A)
RALEIGH,NC 27695
Performing Department
Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Sciences
Non Technical Summary
Food security is influenced by a multitude of factors that can be best understood and addressed through a systems approach. Key attributes that compromise food security include those related to food itself. For instance, microbiological or enzymatic food spoilage can result in food being wasted. Often, however, food is discarded unnecessarily and thus wasted, because of inadequate understanding of food shelf life or lack of implementation of approaches to properly preserve food so that it can be made available for use later. Contamination of food by toxins or pathogens also compromises food security, as such contaminated food may no longer be available to be consumed without adverse consequences. Besides these food-intrinsic factors, a plethora of socioeconomic and food-production related factors influences food security. The project aims to develop classroom modules and videos to facility increase in knowledge and understanding of these diverse factors by focusing on analysis of specific issues and concepts.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
70450101010100%
Knowledge Area
704 - Nutrition and Hunger in the Population;

Subject Of Investigation
5010 - Food;

Field Of Science
1010 - Nutrition and metabolism;
Goals / Objectives
Analyze best practices that have proven effective at increasing individual, household, and community food and nutrition security and identify individual and systemic strategies for the development and dissemination of initiatives designed to improve food and nutrition security. Utilize food systems approaches to assess and address nutrition, health, and wellness challenges of vulnerable population groups (e.g., children, elderly, low income, immigrant, minority) with particular focus on food availability, appropriate policy systems and environmental changes that would increase positive food decision making and improve health outcomes.
Project Methods
Modules and videos on the topics listed under Goals will be developed following research of the literature and incorporation of current trends and scientific findings. Evaluation of effectiveness will be assessed by (1) pre- and post- questionnaires that allow participants to self-assess increase in knowledge and understanding of the specific issues and concepts and (2) instructor-based evaluation of student assays or presentations on specific issues and concepts.

Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20

Outputs
Target Audience:Food Science Professionals Food Safety and Nutrition academics and researchers Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Undergraduate and graduate students in class obtained practice in critical analysis of Food Microbiology and Food Security issues. The students also obtained practice in oral presentations of topics related to microbial spoilage, fermentation, and the associated impacts on food security and preservation. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Dissemination was via oral presentations and videos delivered to the class. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Efforts will continue for further exposure of undergraduate and graduate students to issues related to the impact of microbes on Food Security. A Food Ethics class is planned to introduce students to complex, often controversial issues related to Food Safety and Security.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Students in the Food Microbiology class analyzed theimpact of microbial food spoilage on foodsecurity as well as food safety.The role of microbial fermentations on food preservation and enhanced food security was extensively discussed. Students delivered class presentations on a variety of food fermentations. The role of adequate refrigeration on spoilage, food security and food safety was also discussed via a student video. The role of fungal spoilage and associated mycotoxin production on both food security and food safety was discussed and relevant videos were prepared and delivered in the Food Microbiology class.?

Publications


    Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19

    Outputs
    Target Audience:Food Science Professionals Food Safety and Nutrition academics and researchers Agricultural stakeholders Local health departments in regions impacted by hurricane floodwaters Students in graduate and undergraduate programs Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Undergraduate and graduate students acquired training in the identification and analysis of multi-dimensional, complex issues that include socioeconomic status, vulnerable and marginalized populations, food security, microbial spoilage, gut health, malnutrition and food poisoning. Technical staff and students participating in the impact of hurricane Florence on bacterial pathogens in floodwaters had opportunities for networking with multiple collaborators from diverse disciplines, data analysis, preparation and presentation of reports. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The project's findings have been disseminated via presentations and exchanges at professional conferences, both international and regional. In addition, the regular meetings of the PI's lab include former lab members now in diverse locations and professional affiliations in the US and internationally, thus allowing dissemination of the project's findings to former lab members. The project and its results have been shared with students in Food Microbiology classes. Lastly, the PI has frequently described the lab's thrust and objectives in seminars and workshops dedicated to citizen science and science communication. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? 1.Complex issues that integrate socioeconomic vulnerability, marginalization, food security, food safety and food spoilage will be pursued in the upcoming Food Ethics class for graduate students. Case studies will be prepared on selected topics, and the students will make open presentations at the completion of the class. 2. Arcobacter from the hurricane Florence floodwaters will be characterized for the prevalence and types of antimicrobial resistance. 3. A manuscript will be prepared on antimicrobial resistance in floodwater-derived Arcobacter 4. A manuscript will be prepared on the prevalence and characteristics of Listeria in urban surface waters

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? In Aim 1, practices that minimize spoilage in commercial and householdsettings were discussed in the Food Microbiology class. Household refrigerator infographics were presented and discussed. The interface between Food Safety and Food Security was presented in a case study with focus on mycotoxin contamination of grain. In Aim 2, undergraduate and graduate students analyzed a case study of food safety risks for vulnerable population groups, with focus on the homeless. The case study focused on food insecurity among the homeless stemming from lack of food as well as from lack of capacity to properly prepare and store food. The case study integrated socioeconomic vulnerability of marginalized populations with microbial spoilage, malnutrition, gut health and foodborne disease. An additional initiative in this aim involved the analysis of floodwaters from hurricane Florence for pathogens transmitted via food and water including Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Arcobacter. Surprisingly, we found high prevalence (>75%) of the emerging human pathogen Arcobacter butzleri, which is primarily water-borne. The floodwaters-affected region was largely rural, low-income and generally underserved. All water samples were collected from Tier 1 counties in North Carolina, i.e. counties with the highest risk for socioeconomic distress.

    Publications

    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Next generation microbiological risk assessment: opportunities of whole genome sequencing (WGS) for foodborne pathogen surveillance, source tracking and risk assessment. Rantsiou K, Kathariou S, Winkler A, Skandamis P, Saint-Cyr MJ, Rouzeau-Szynalski K, Am�zquita A. Int J Food Microbiol. 2018 Dec 20;287:3-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2017.11.007. Epub 2017 Dec 1. PMID: 29246458
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: The Listeria monocytogenes Key Virulence Determinants hly and prfA are involved in Biofilm Formation and Aggregation but not Colonization of Fresh Produce. Price R, Jayeola V, Niedermeyer J, Parsons C, Kathariou S. Pathogens. 2018 Feb 1;7(1):18. doi: 10.3390/pathogens7010018.
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Listeria monocytogenes Source Distribution Analysis Indicates Regional Heterogeneity and Ecological Niche Preference among Serotype 4b Clones. Lee S, Chen Y, Gorski L, Ward TJ, Osborne J, Kathariou S. mBio. 2018 Apr 17;9(2):e00396-18. doi: 10.1128/mBio.00396-18.
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Next generation microbiological risk assessment-Potential of omics data for hazard characterisation. Haddad N, Johnson N, Kathariou S, M�tris A, Phister T, Pielaat A, Tassou C, Wells-Bennik MHJ, Zwietering MH. Int J Food Microbiol. 2018 Dec 20;287:28-39. doi: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2018.04.015. Epub 2018 Apr 12.
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Proximity to Other Commercial Turkey Farms Affects Colonization Onset, Genotypes, and Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Campylobacter spp. in Turkeys: Suggestive Evidence from a Paired-Farm Model. Niedermeyer JA, Ring L, Miller WG, Genger S, Lindsey CP, Osborne J, Kathariou S. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2018 Aug 31;84(18):e01212-18. doi: 10.1128/AEM.01212-18. Print 2018 Sep 15. PMID: 29980555
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Niedermeyer J, Harris A, Emanuel R, Jass T, Kathariou S. Prevalence of Selected Foodborne Bacterial Pathogens in Post-Hurricane Florence Floodwaters. North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute Annual Conference 2019. Raleigh, NC.
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Lack of Evidence for erm(B) Infiltration Into Erythromycin-Resistant Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni from Commercial Turkey Production in Eastern North Carolina: A Major Turkey-Growing Region in the United States. Bolinger HK, Zhang Q, Miller WG, Kathariou S. Foodborne Pathog Dis. 2018 Nov;15(11):698-700. doi: 10.1089/fpd.2018.2477. Epub 2018 Aug 10. PMID: 30096008
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Heavy Metal Resistance Determinants of the Foodborne Pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. Parsons C, Lee S, Kathariou S. Genes (Basel). 2018 Dec 24;10(1):11. doi: 10.3390/genes10010011. PMID: 30586907
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Validation of an ampicillin selection protocol to enrich for mutants of Listeria monocytogenes unable to replicate on fresh produce. Jayeola V, Parsons C, Gorski L, Kathariou S. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2019 Apr 1;366(7):fnz076. doi: 10.1093/femsle/fnz076. PMID: 30977785
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Effect of a direct-fed microbial and prebiotic on performance and intestinal histomorophology of turkey poults challenged with Salmonella and Campylobacter. Rahimi S, Kathariou S, Fletcher O, Grimes JL. Poult Sci. 2019 Dec 1;98(12):6572-6578. doi: 10.3382/ps/pez436. PMID: 31350998
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Strain-Specific Differences in Survival of Campylobacter spp. in Naturally Contaminated Turkey Feces and Water. Good L, Miller WG, Niedermeyer J, Osborne J, Siletzky RM, Carver D, Kathariou S. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2019 Oct 30;85(22):e01579-19. doi: 10.1128/AEM.01579-19. Print 2019 Nov 15. PMID: 31519663
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Ceftiofur formulation differentially affects the intestinal drug concentration, resistance of fecal Escherichia coli, and the microbiome of steers. Foster DM, Jacob ME, Farmer KA, Callahan BJ, Theriot CM, Kathariou S, Cernicchiaro N, Prange T, Papich MG. PLoS One. 2019 Oct 4;14(10):e0223378. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223378. eCollection 2019. PMID: 31584976
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Requirement of lmo1930, a Gene in the Menaquinone Biosynthesis Operon, for Esculin Hydrolysis and Lithium Chloride Tolerance in Listeria monocytogenes. Parsons C, Jahanafroozi M, Kathariou S. Microorganisms. 2019 Nov 8;7(11):539. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms7110539. PMID: 31717272
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Draft Genome Sequence of Multidrug-Resistant Listeria innocua Strain UAM003-1A, Isolated from a Wild Black Bear (Ursus americanus). Parsons C, Chen Y, Niedermeyer J, Hernandez K, Kathariou S. Microbiol Resour Announc. 2019 Nov 21;8(47):e01281-19. doi: 10.1128/MRA.01281-19. PMID: 31753950
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Listeria clones in the anthropocene: insights from urban wildlife and water. International Symposium on Problems of Listeria and Listeriosis (ISOPOL), Toronto, Canada
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Niedermeyer J, Miller W G, Harris A, Emanuel RE, Jass T, Kathariou S. 2019. Prevalence and characteristics of selected bacterial foodborne pathogens in post-Hurricane Florence floodwaters. International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) Annual Conference
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Jaeyola, VO, Farber J, Kathariou S. 2019. Salmonella in low-moisture foods. International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) Annual Conference
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Niedermeyer J, Stewart C, Parekh S, Kelly M, Kathariou S. Exposing undergraduate students to the microbiology of the anthropocene: analysis of urban surface water and plastic debris for the bacterial foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. North Carolina State University Teaching and Learning Annual Symposium 2019. Raleigh, NC.
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Campos A, Foster D, Kathariou S. 2019. The impact of antimicrobial treatment on prevalence and resistance of Campylobacter spp. in cattle. American Society for microbiology North Carolina Branch Meeting.
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Niedermeyer J, Harris A, Emanuel R, Jass T, Kathariou S. 2019. Arcobacter in Hurricane Florence floodwaters from North Carolina, USA. Campylobacter, helicobacter and Related Organisms (CHRO) Conference, Belfast, Northern Ireland.


    Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18

    Outputs
    Target Audience:Undergraduate and graduate students in Food Science, who participated in development of materials. Undergraduate students from the College of Agriculture Honors Programs, who come from diverse backgrounds (Animal Science-Pre-Vet, Food Science, Nutrition) Professionals in Food Science and related disciplines via access to publications and presentations Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Students in the Food Ethics and Food Microbiology classes worked in small teams with S. Kathariou as mentor to develop educational modules and videos that were subsequently presented in class for the purpose of facilitating discussion. Students in the Food Ethics class provided targeted feedback for each class module via a space in the class website, dedicated to the specific module. Feedback was related to specific queries and comments posed by the instructor on complex and often controversial themes. Students in the Food Ethics class presented their research on "Grand Challenges" related to todays' Food Systems in a seminar open to all in the Department of Food Science. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results were communicated vis presentations, facilitated class discussions, a seminar, and entries into dedicated web sites. In addition, project-related efforts were communicated via presentations in conferences and publications in journals. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The academic and curriculum-related efforts pursued in this year will continue with next year's classes. One additional class (Honors Students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences) will participate, focusing on the communication of issues related to food, water and disease via literature and film.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? Major goals of the project (1) Analyze best practices that have proven effective at increasing individual, household, and community food and nutrition security and identify individual and systemic strategies for the development and dissemination of initiatives designed to improve food and nutrition security. (2) Utilize food systems approaches to assess and address nutrition, health, and wellness challenges of vulnerable population groups (e.g., children, elderly, low income, immigrant, minority) with particular focus on food availability, appropriate policy systems and environmental changes that would increase positive food decision making and improve health outcomes. Accomplishments Undergraduate and graduate students in Food Science and Nutrition at North Carolina State university remain largely uncomfortable with the major challenges confronting society and agriculture in the United States. They lack systematic exposure to multi-dimensional, complex issues critical for today's Food System, such as Food Waste, sustainability of water and other natural resources critical for Food and Agriculture, Food Security, and Climate Change. This lack of literacy, coupled with strong and often poorly supported positions articulated by non-scientists in social media and elsewhere renders our graduate students unable and unwilling to take positions. When they do, their positions tend to closely reflect those endorsed by the industries which frequently fund their research projects. This compromises the capacity of these young scholars to engage in meaningful and effective discourse on major issues, and limits their potential for understanding of complex issues that is necessary for effective and informed communication with policy makers. In these perspectives, the impact of the efforts under this project has largely centered on assisting the students in a greater comfort with complexity, with thinking outside the prevailing in the discipline, and in enhanced Food Systems literacy that utilizes, enriches, and also informs their academic training. Upon the preparation and delivery of specific class modules on complex and often controversial issues such as GMOs, Animal Production, Antimicrobial Use and Antimicrobial Resistance, Food Waste and Food Security. The project's efforts help the students acquire greater ease in acknowledging and analyzing complexity in the food system, addressing diverse perspectives, and being able to more effectively communicate not only to their peers but to the community at large.

    Publications

    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Crespo, MD , JL Grimes, S Kathariou2 , Cox, NA, Buhr, RJ, Smith, DP. 2018. Turkey Breeder Pathogens-Evaluation of Vertical Transmission of Salmonella and Campylobacter in Breeder Turkeys. Journal of Animal Science and Research. Volume 2 - Issue 2 | DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.16966/2576-6457.112
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Niedermeyer JA, Ring L, Miller WG, Genger S, Parr Lindsey C, Osborne J, Kathariou S. 2018. Proximity to other commercial turkey farms affects colonization onset, genotypes and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Campylobacter in turkeys: suggestive evidence from a paired-farm model. Appl Environ Microbiol AEM.01212-18.
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Sicun Fan, Derek Foster, Jeffrey Niedermeyer, Sophia Kathariou. 2018. Impact of antimicrobial treatment of cattle onCampylobacter spp. NCSU CALS Graduate Student Poster Symposium. June 26, 2018.
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Stewart C, Saheli P, Niedermeyer J, Kathariou S. Impact of Plastic Pollution on the Bacterial Pathogen Listeria monocytogenes in a Local Stream, Rocky Branch Creek. NCSU Undergraduate Research Symposium. April 18, 2018.
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Parsons, C. Emerging IVb-v1 clone (CC554) of Listeria monocytogenes is highly prevalent among strains from suburban black bears (Ursus americanus). Presented at NCSU Program in Genetics 9th annual Fall Retreat
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Parsons, C. Listeria in the wild: insights into a foodborne pathogen. Presented at the NCSU Biolunch series
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Parsons, C. Chen, Y., Kucerova, Z. Kathariou, S. Emerging clone of the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is highly prevalent among strains isolated from suburban black bears (Ursus americanus). Presented at annual NCSU Postdoctoral Research Symposium.


    Progress 12/08/16 to 09/30/17

    Outputs
    Target Audience:Undergraduate and graduate students in Food Science, who participated in development of materials. Undergraduate students from the College of Agriculture Honors Programs, who come from diverse backgrounds (Animal Science-Pre-Vet, Communications, Biology) Professionals in Food Science and related disciplines via access to publications and presentations Students and other interested stakeholders, via material posted in blogs Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Students in the Food Ethics and Food Microbiology classes worked in small teams with S. Kathariou as mentor to develop educational modules and videos that were subsequently presented in class for the purpose of facilitating discussion. Students in the Food Ethics class provided targeted feedback for each class module via a space in the class website, dedicated to the specific module. Feedback was related to specific queries and comments posed by the instructor on complex and often controversial themes. Students in the Food Ethics class presented their research on a small set of "Grand Challenges" related to todays' Food Systems in a seminar open to all in the Department of Food Science. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results were communicated vis presentations, facilitated class discussions, a seminar, blogs and entries into dedicated web sites. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The academic and curriculum-related efforts pursued in this year will continue with next year's classes. One additional class (Honors Students) will participate, with one cohort focusing on the Water, Food and Environment nexus. A second cohort will focus on Animal Welfare challenges in Agriculture In addition to the class modules and seminar, 2-3 teams of students in the food Ethics class will participate in the preparation and submission of a relevant article for peer review to the journal Food Ethics.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? The majority of the graduate students in Food Science at North Carolina State university and possibly other land-grant universities remain uncomfortable with the major challenges confronting society and agriculture in the United States. They lack systematic exposure to multi-dimensional, complex issues critical for today's Food System, such as Food Waste, sustainability of water and other natural resources critical for Food and Agriculture, Food Security, and Climate Change. This lack of literacy, coupled with strong and often poorly supported positions articulated by non-scientists in social media and elsewhere renders our graduate students unable and unwilling to take positions. When they do, their positions tend to closely reflect those endorsed by their professional society, especially the Institute of Food Technology, and the industries which frequently fund their graduate research projects. This compromises the capacity of these young scholars to engage in meaningful and effective discourse on major issues, and limits their potential for understanding of complex issues that is necessary for effective and informed communication with policy makers. In these perspectives, the impact of the efforts under this project has largely centered on assisting the students in a greater comfort with complexity, with thinking outside the prevailing in the discipline, and in enhanced Food Systems literacy that utilizes, enriches, and also informs their academic training. Upon the preparation and delivery of specific class modules on complex and often controversial issues such as GMOs, Animal Production, Antimicrobial Use and Antimicrobial Resistance, food Waste and Food Security, students emerge as more mature scholars, with greater ease in acknowledging complexity and in addressing diverse perspectives.

    Publications

    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Kathariou, S, Jayeola, V.��Foodborne Diseases.��MSN Program, North Carolina State University
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Bolinger HK, Kirchner M., Kathariou S.��2017.��Investigation and outreach to increase public awareness of campylobacteriosis.��IAFP Annual Meeting. 2017 July 06- 09.��Tampa, Fla.
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Parsons, C, Kathariou, S.��Listeria�in the wild: novel insights and�attributes��of a foodborne pathogen.��Biolunch, North carolina State University
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Stewart C., Parekh S., Niedermeyer J., Kathariou S.��2017.�Impact of plastic pollution on the bacterial pathogen�Listeria monocytogenes�in a local stream, Rocky Branch Creek.��Undergraduate Research Symposium, North Carolina State University, Aug 1, 2017.��
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Niedermeyer, J., Bolinger, H., Li, Y., Kathariou, S.��2017.��Challenges and Opportunities in Class Discussions on Complex and Controversial Issues: A Case Study on Ethics Disclosure in the Food Science Graduate Curriculum.��2017 Teaching and Learning Symposium, North Carolina State University.