Goodridge’s research developed new strategies to control pathogens, discovering compounds that inhibit their growth, and new understandings of their interactions with the human microbiome. This research will inform food safety practices, creating a safer food supply and improved public health policies. The findings will also support the commercialization of beneficial probiotics and antimicrobial compounds to reduce foodborne illnesses in Canada.
Foodborne illnesses pose a significant challenge for Canada and the rest of the world. In Canada, there are an estimated 4 million cases annually that lead to an annual cost of over 5 billion dollars. These cases burden public health care systems and lead to high rates of severe illness and even death. Even when not life-threatening, foodborne diseases can leave behind long-term health complications. Foodborne illnesses affect both national public health and Canada’s food systems, as diseases spread through several vectors along the supply chain. Despite the prevalence of these pathogenic diseases, we still understand little of the ecology and behavior of many of the well-known pathogens. Understanding how the pathogens interact with environmental stressors and host environments is essential for developing effective strategies to better manage foodborne illnesses and prevent outbreaks.
With experts in the fields of food safety, microbiology, and bioinformatics, Dr. Lawrence Goodridge aimed to combat human illness caused by foodborne pathogens in Canada. The team developed new strategies to control foodborne pathogens, including the identification of new compounds and probiotics to turn off or inhibit virulence genes in pathogens. The team also examined internal and external factors that contribute to the ability of pathogens to thrive in the human gastrointestinal tract and cause human disease and characterized the interactions between such pathogens and the gut microbiome within the gastrointestinal tract. The project targeted several pervasive and economically important pathogens that affect plants, livestock, and humans – including Listeria monocytogenes, Cronobacter sakazakii, Clostridium botulinum, H9N2 avian influenza, Pseudomonas syringae, Salmonella enterica, and Coronavirus 2.
This Food from Thought project explored the interactions between foodborne pathogens, potential inhibitors, and the gut microbiome to develop novel probiotics and prebiotics that could effectively fight common foodborne pathogens. Goodridge’s team tested natural substances to see if they could reduce the expression of Listeria monocytogenes, a harmful bacterium. Several different sources were examined, including flavonoid compounds (phytonutrients found in fruits and vegetables), bacteria from fruit microbiota, fermented whey, and bacterial endophytes. These substances are all derived from natural sources and contain antioxidants or antimicrobial properties, some of which have shown to be effective in directly combatting L. monocytogenes. To study their effects, the researchers used a SHIME simulator that mimics the human gut microbiome, allowing them to observe how these treatments influenced pathogen gene expression in a simulated gut environment.
Goodridge’s team also examined the potential of machine learning and big data techniques to improve food safety across the supply chain. The team demonstrated how machine learning can enhance pathogen control and outbreak response through rapid detection, accurate classification, and efficient monitoring of food safety parameters. Additionally, they applied machine learning to metagenomic and genomic research, whether using whole-genome sequencing to trace the sources of outbreak or identify virulent strains in wastewater samples.
Goodridge’s project generated several important insights on the factors that influence pathogens, particularly those transmitted through the foods we consume, paving the way for future studies. The project advanced novel approaches to tackling these diseases, ranging from beneficial bacteria and natural compounds to disease surveillance using metagenomic analysis and machine learning. Foodborne pathogens are of particular concern as rates of transmission continue to spread with increased globalization and climate change. As Canada continues to cultivate and export domestic food products, addressing foodborne illnesses with new innovative techniques like these is crucial for both economic resilience and public health.
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Ke, A., Parreira, V. R., Farber, J. M., & Goodridge, L. (2022a). Inhibition of Cronobacter sakazakii in an infant simulator of the human intestinal microbial ecosystem using a potential synbiotic. Frontiers in Microbiology, 13, 947624. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.947624
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Ke, A., Parreira, V. R., Goodridge, L., & Farber, J. M. (2021a). Current and Future Perspectives on the Role of Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics in Controlling Pathogenic Cronobacter Spp. In Infants. Frontiers in Microbiology, 12, 755083. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.755083
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Kireina, D., Parreira, V. R., Goodridge, L., & Farber, J. M. (2024a). Survival and Expression of rpoS and grxB of Cronobacter sakazakii in Powdered Infant Formula Under Simulated Gastric Conditions of Newborns. Journal of Food Protection, 87(5), 100269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2024.100269
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Li, G. (n.d.). Effect of whey protein fermentation and hydrolysis on Listeria monocytogenes virulence gene expression in the presence of the gut microbiota modelled in the Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem.
May, N. C. (n.d.). Investigating the Plasmid Uptake of Salmonella enterica in the Presence of Gastrointestinal Stressors.
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Dr. Jeff Farber, Dr. Nicole Ricker, Dr. Valeria Parreira Pinto, Dr. Jan Sargeant, Dr. Charlotte Winder, Dr. Chrystal Landgraff, Dr. Roger Lévesque, Dr. Gisèle LaPointe, Dr. Mitra Soni, Dr. Fozia Rizvi, Dr. Linkang Zhang, Dr. Rebecca Anderson, Dr. Melinda Precious, Dr. Gurleen Taggar, Dr. Yanhong Chen, Dr. Jianhong Wu
Devita Kireina, Bridget Xie, Ceylon Simon, Hailey Davidson, Yutong Wang, Dharamdeo Singh, Nikola May, Grace Li, Alfred Ka, Rylie Mitchell, Krishna Gelda, Bowornnan (Tim) Chantapakul, Matthew Dallner, Linkang Zhang, Christopher Gemmell, Thivya Naganathan, Dr. Opeyemi Lawal, Dr. Cristina Chiappe, Dr. Virginia Alves
PHAC, University of Laval
