Insects for Human Consumption

Objective: Owing to the habit of consuming ready food among the citizens of Malaysia a study was conducted to evaluate 20 samples of canned soya milk for the presence of possible microbial content. The samples were collected randomly from shopping malls, restaurants and kiosk in Ipoh Malaysia. Methods: All samples collected across Ipoh, were subjected to test for presence bacteria in nutrient agar, blood agar and macConkey media. The possible microbial load was swapped from surface and soya milk content with a sterile cotton and streaked on nutrient agar, blood agar and macConkey culture media. The streaked petri plates were incubated for 48 hours at 37oC. Results: The study revealed negative microbial growth in all except two samples from the surface and soya milk content collected from a restaurant in nutrient agar and blood agar medium. The presence of microbes was conformed as gram positive staphylococcus sp. through gram staining. The positive growth may be imputed to poor storage condition at the restaurant. Conclusion: It can be computed from the study that the majority of the samples were free from bacterial growth, suggesting strong in house quality control mechanism at the processing unit and exquisite storage conditions in malls and kiosk suggesting that soya milk available in malls and kiosk are fit for human consumption.

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Exposure of the Gulf of St. Lawrence grey seal Halichoerus grypus population to potentially zoonotic infectious agents

Diseases of Aquatic Organisms ◽

10.3354/dao03536 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 142 ◽

pp. 105-118

Author(s):

CC Sauvé ◽

A Hernández-Ortiz ◽

E Jenkins ◽

F Mavrot ◽

A Schneider ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Meat Products ◽

Halichoerus Grypus ◽

Human Consumption ◽

Infectious Agents ◽

Erysipelothrix Rhusiopathiae ◽

Public Health Significance ◽

Domestic Livestock ◽

Health Significance ◽

Commercial Source ◽

Polymerase Chain

The population of grey seals Halichoerus grypus in Canadian waters is currently used as a commercial source of meat for human consumption. As with domestic livestock, it is important to understand the occurrence in these seals of infectious agents that may be of public health significance and thus ensure appropriate measures are in place to avoid zoonotic transmission. This study examined the prevalence of antibodies against Brucella spp., Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, 6 serovars of Leptospira interrogans, and Toxoplasma gondii in 59 grey seals and determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) the presence of these potentially zoonotic agents in specific organs and tissues of seropositive animals. The presence of encysted Trichinella spp. larvae was also investigated by digestion of tongue, diaphragm and other muscle samples, but none were detected. Seroprevalence against Brucella spp. and E. rhusiopathiae was low (5 and 3%, respectively). All 59 seals tested had antibodies against L. interrogans, but no carrier of this bacterium was detected by PCR. Seroprevalence against T. gondii was 53%, and DNA of this protozoan was detected by PCR in 11/30 (37%) seropositive animals. Standard sanitary measures mandatory for commercialization of meat products for human consumption should greatly reduce the potential for exposure to these infectious agents. However, special consideration should be given to freezing seal meat for at least 3 d to ensure destruction of tissue cysts of T. gondii.

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Living, Again: Population and Paradox in Recent Cinema

Oxford Literary Review ◽

10.3366/olr.2016.0179 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 38 (1) ◽

pp. 47-65

Author(s):

Keith Clavin

Keyword(s):

Human Population ◽

Population Control ◽

Human Consumption ◽

Social Revolution ◽

Drastic Increase

The last several decades have witnessed a drastic increase in ecological writing, but also a substantial lack in regards to the discussion of human population control. This article argues that the deficiency has been reproduced within several recent examples of eco-cinema, Snowpiercer and Mad Max: Fury Road. Despite strong conservationist themes and narratives encouraging social revolution, the films encounter similar theoretical difficulties, and enact similar resulting absences, within their representational fields. As a consequence, the environmental topics are filtered through an anthropocentric lens that generates a set of paradoxes regarding human consumption, sacrifice and the visualisation of future sustainable states.

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Determination of natural radionuclides in waste generated in the potable water treatment plants of the Zona da Mata of the state of Pernambuco- Brazil

Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences ◽

10.15392/bjrs.v7i2a.763 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (2A) ◽

Author(s):

Adriana Muniz De Almeida Albuquerque

Keyword(s):

Water Treatment ◽

Potable Water ◽

Natural Radionuclides ◽

The United States ◽

Radioactive Material ◽

Human Consumption ◽

Radiological Protection ◽

Natural Occurrence ◽

Water Treatment Plants ◽

Potable Water Treatment

The water purification procedure aims to obtain a product appropriate for human consumption, minimizing the presence of contaminants and toxic substances present in the water. Among these contaminants, some radionuclides of natural origin, such as uranium, thorium and their descendants, have been identified. Studies have shown that the stages of purification are quite effective in removing the radionuclides contained in water. The removal is due to co-precipitation of the radionuclides with the suspended materials and the precipitated material is accumulated and characterized as a Technologically Concentrated Natural Occurrence Radioactive Material (TENORM) by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). This residue can present significant levels of radioactivity and, when discarded in the environment without any treatment, can generate a problem of environmental impact and a risk to the health of the population. In this way, some gamma emitters of the series of U, Th and the K-40 were determined in the residues generated at the Potable Water Treatment Plants – PWTPs in six municipalities of Pernambuco. The results obtain corroborate the classification of the residues generated in the PWTPs as concentrators of the radioactive components contained in the water supplied to the system and reinforce the need for the release to the environment, which is the usual way of disposal of this waste, to be carried out only after considering the radiological protection standards established.

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Basic principles for assessing the safety of fish products from the ponds exposed to the influence of nuclear fuel cycle enterprises

Medico-Biological and Socio-Psychological Problems of Safety in Emergency Situations ◽

10.25016/2541-7487-2019-0-1-106-114 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 106-114

Author(s):

A. V. Trapeznikov ◽

V. N. Trapeznikova ◽

A. V. Korzhavin ◽

V. N. Nikolkin ◽

A. P. Plataev

Keyword(s):

Fuel Cycle ◽

Specific Activity ◽

River System ◽

Food Product ◽

Human Consumption ◽

Basic Principles ◽

Fish Products ◽

Permissible Levels ◽

Irtysh River

Relevance. In connection with the development of nuclear energy, many aquatic ecosystems have been exposed to radioactive substances. Fish, as an element of biota, is capable to accumulate radionuclides. However, fish is a traditional food. The control of the technogenic radionuclides accumulation level in the ichthyofauna is an important link in ensuring human security.Intention. To analyze the long-term data on the content of long-lived technogenic radionuclides 90Sr and 137Cs in the ichthyofauna of the Ob-Irtysh river system for the period from 2004 to 2016 and Beloyarsky pond for the period from 1977 to 2018.Methodology. Fish as a food product was assessed according to two criteria: a) permissible levels of specific activity of radionuclides (SanPiN 2.3.2.1078-01); b) using the indicator of conformity B and the uncertainty of its definition В (GOST 32161-2013 and GOST 32163-2013).Results and Discussion. Fish of all species that live in the river Tetcha, is not suitable for food use according to the criteria of SanPiN 2.3.2.1078-01, GOST 32161-2013 and GOST 32163-2013. The fish of the Ob-Irtysh river system, the habitat of which is located outside the Tetcha, meets the requirements for fish products. In the period from 1977 to 1989 in the Beloyarsk pond the accumulations of technogenic radionuclides in fish in quantities exceeding sanitary and hygienic standards were possible. Currently, the fish of the Beloyarsky pond fully complies with the sanitary and hygienic requirements for the radiation factor and is safe for human consumption.Conclusion. In the ponds exposed to the atomic energy enterprises, it is necessary to continuously monitor the content of long-lived technogenic radionuclides in fish and assess their amount in accordance with the requirements of SanPiN 2.3.2.1078-01 and using the conformity indicator В and the uncertainty of its determination В.

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