FUNGI IN FOODS

1972 ◽  
Vol 35 (11) ◽  
pp. 659-660 ◽  
Author(s):  
John A. Koburger

Yeasts and molds in 25 retail food samples were enumerated by plating with antibiotic potato-dextrose agar adjusted to pH values in the range of 2 to 10. In general, counts for a given sample were similar in the pH range of 4 to 7; however, most samples showed maximum counts at pH 8. The effectiveness of antibiotics used to suppress bacteria diminished at pH 8 and above, which may account for some of the high counts obtained. Consequently, for routine laboratory analysis, adjustment of the medium to pH 5 to 6 is recommended.

1996 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 416-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
PHYLLIS ENTIS ◽  
IRINA LERNER

A 2-day yeast and mold enumeration procedure using the ISO-GRID® membrane filtration system in conjunction with a new culture medium, YM-11 agar, was compared to the conventional 5-day pour plate method using antibiotic-supplemented potato dextrose agar. Performance of the new method was evaluated using both pure cultures of yeasts and molds and 275 food samples, representing 25 different food products. The 2-day ISO-GRID® method yielded counts equivalent to or significantly higher than the 5-day pour plate method in 23 of the 25 food product categories.


2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (8) ◽  
pp. 2996-2999
Author(s):  
Viorel Gheorghe ◽  
Catalina Gabriela Gheorghe ◽  
Andreea Bondarev ◽  
Vasile Matei ◽  
Mihaela Bombos

In the experimental study was studied the malachite green colorant biodegradation in biological sludge with biological activity. The biodegradability tests were carried out in laboratory bioreactors, on aqueous solutions of green malachite contacted with microorganisms in which the dominant species is Paramecium caudatum, in a pH range between 8 and 12, temperatures in the ranges 25-350C, using pH neutralizing substances and biomass growth promoters. The colorant initial concentrations and those obtained after biological degradation depending on the contact time, at certain pH values, were established through UV-Vis spectrometry. The studies have shown the measure of possible biological degradation of some organic substances with extended uses, with largely aromatic structure, resistance to biodegradation of microorganisms, commonly used in wastewater treatment plants.


Author(s):  
Kashaf Junaid ◽  
Hasan Ejaz ◽  
Iram Asim ◽  
Sonia Younas ◽  
Humaira Yasmeen ◽  
...  

This study evaluates bacteriological profiles in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods and assesses antibiotic resistance, extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production by gram-negative bacteria, and heavy metal tolerance. In total, 436 retail food samples were collected and cultured. The isolates were screened for ESBL production and molecular detection of ESBL-encoding genes. Furthermore, all isolates were evaluated for heavy metal tolerance. From 352 culture-positive samples, 406 g-negative bacteria were identified. Raw food samples were more often contaminated than refined food (84.71% vs. 76.32%). The predominant isolates were Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 76), Enterobacter cloacae (n = 58), and Escherichia coli (n = 56). Overall, the percentage of ESBL producers was higher in raw food samples, although higher occurrences of ESBL-producing E. coli (p = 0.01) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (p = 0.02) were observed in processed food samples. However, the prevalence of ESBL-producing Citrobacter freundii in raw food samples was high (p = 0.03). Among the isolates, 55% were blaCTX-M, 26% were blaSHV, and 19% were blaTEM. Notably, heavy metal resistance was highly prevalent in ESBL producers. These findings demonstrate that retail food samples are exposed to contaminants including antibiotics and heavy metals, endangering consumers.


2003 ◽  
Vol 69 (12) ◽  
pp. 7409-7413 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. M. Colles ◽  
K. Jones ◽  
R. M. Harding ◽  
M. C. J. Maiden

ABSTRACT The genetic diversity of Campylobacter jejuni isolates from farm animals and their environment was investigated by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). A total of 30 genotypes, defined by allelic profiles (assigned to sequence types [STs]), were found in 112 C. jejuni isolates originating in poultry, cattle, sheep, starlings, and slurry. All but two of these genotypes belonged to one of nine C. jejuni clonal complexes previously identified in isolates from human disease and retail food samples and one clonal complex previously associated with an environmental source. There was some evidence for the association of certain clonal complexes with particular farm animals: isolates belonging to the ST-45 complex predominated among poultry isolates but were absent among sheep isolates, while isolates belonging to the ST-61 and ST-42 complexes were predominant among sheep isolates but were absent from the poultry isolates. In contrast, ST-21 complex isolates were distributed among the different isolation sources. Comparison with MLST data from 91 human disease isolates showed small but significant genetic differentiation between the farm and human isolates; however, representatives of six clonal complexes were found in both samples. These data demonstrate that MLST and the clonal complex model can be used to identify and compare the genotypes of C. jejuni isolates from farm animals and the environment with those from retail food and human disease.


Holzforschung ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Granholm ◽  
Pingping Su ◽  
Leo Harju ◽  
Ari Ivaska

Abstract Chelation of thermomechanical pulp (TMP) was studied in this work. The desorption of Mn, Fe, and Mg due to their impact on peroxide bleaching was investigated. The desorption experiments were performed with EDTA, citric acid, oxalic acid, and formic acid as chelating agents at different pH. Chelation experiments with EDTA were carried out at pH 3–11. Sodium dithionite was used as the reducing agent in studying chelation with EDTA in a reducing environment. Mn was very effectively desorbed with EDTA from TMP at pH <10 and the reducing environment further improved the removal of all the studied metal ions from TMP with EDTA. Citric acid also removed Mn effectively from TMP at pH 5. The thermodynamic stability constants of different metal chelates do not present the correct picture of how strongly the metal ions are bound by the chelating agents in different conditions. But by means of the side reaction coefficients (α M(L)-coefficients) it is also theoretically possible to evaluate and compare the real binding strengths between the metal ions and different chelating agents at varying pH values and other solution conditions. In this study, a theory is given for the calculation of side reaction coefficients. Values of the α M(L)-coefficients, for the pH range 0–14, are presented for EDTA, DTPA, and also for some other new potential environmentally friendly chelating agents.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 123-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fakher Ayed ◽  
Hayfa Jabnoun-Khiareddine ◽  
Rania Aydi-Ben-Abdallah ◽  
Mejda Daami-Remadi

Sclerotium rolfsii is one of the devastating soilborne fungus responsible for significant plant losses. The effects of pH and aeration on pathogen mycelial growth, sclerotial production and germination were investigated for three Tunisian isolates. Optimal mycelial growth occurred at pH 6 for Sr2 and Sr3 isolates and at pH 6-7 for Sr1. Dry mycelial growth was optimum at pH values ranging between 4 and 7. Sclerotial initiation started on the 3rd day of incubation at all pH values tested and mature sclerotia were formed after 6 to 12 days. Optimal sclerotial production was noted at pH 5. The dry weight of 100 sclerotia varied depending on isolates and pH and occurred at pH range 4-7. At pH 9, mycelial growth, sclerotial production and dry weight of 100 sclerotia were restricted. The optimum sclerotial germination, noted after 24 h of incubation, varied depending on isolates and pH and occurred at pH 4-9. Mycelial growth was optimum in aerated plates with a significant isolates x aeration treatments interaction. Sclerotial initiation occurred at the 3rd day of incubation and mature sclerotia were observed after 6-9 days. Sclerotial development was very slow in completely sealed plates and dark sclerotia were produced only after 15 days of incubation. The highest sclerotial yields were noted in aerated plates. The highest dry weight of 100 sclerotia for Sr1 isolate was recorded in ½ sealed, no sealed and completely sealed plates, while for Sr2, it was noted in ½ and ⅔ sealed plates. For Sr3, the maximum dry weight of 100 sclerotia was recorded in ½, ⅔ and completely sealed plates. Germination of S. rolfsii sclerotia, after 24 h of incubation, did not vary significantly depending on aeration treatments and ranged from 90 to 100% for all isolates.


1983 ◽  
Vol 40 (11) ◽  
pp. 1905-1911 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. Nero ◽  
D. W. Schindler

The population size of Mysis relicta in Lake 223 of the Experimental Lakes Area, northwestern Ontario, decreased from 6 700 000 ± 1 330 000 (± 95% confidence limits) during August of 1978, to 270 000 ± 75 000 during August of 1979, a 96% decrease. Because Mysis, a cold stenotherm, is restricted to the metalimnion and hypolimnion of lakes during summer, the pH range encountered by the population was 5.51 to 6.32 in 1978 and 5.23 to 6.10 in 1979, even though mean pH values in epilimnion waters for the 2 yr were 5.84 and 5.60. A decrease in pH of its habitat from 6.2 to 5.6 during fall overturn in 1979 caused the elimination of the remaining 4% of the population. Comparisons with four control lakes suggested that the decline and disappearance were not normal occurrences in unstressed lakes. Concentrations of Zn, Al, Mn, Fe, Cd, Cu, Ni, and Hg in Lake 223 water were low, and concentrations in Mysis were less than or equal to those in animals from five control lakes, suggesting that the decline in this species was not due to the toxic effects of metals. All size classes were affected, so that direct toxicity of hydrogen ion may be responsible for this abrupt population collapse. These results suggest that Mysis may be a useful early indicator of acidification damage to Precambrian Shield lakes.


Soil Research ◽  
1976 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 197 ◽  
Author(s):  
MDA Bolland ◽  
AM Posner ◽  
JP Quirk

The surface charge of several natural kaolinites was measured in the pH range 3-10 using an exchange technique. The positive charge was found to increase with decreasing pH and sometimes to increase with increasing ionic strength; it occurred on the kaolinites at pH values as high as 9 and 10 and was particularly evident at high ionic strengths. The positive surface charge on kaolinites is thought to be due to exposed alumina such as is found on oxide surfaces. Aluminium was found to dissolve from kaolinite at pH values beiow about 6.5. Aluminium dissolution increased with decreasing pH and time. When the proportion of dissolved aluminium ions balancing negative surface charge was taken into account, the negative and net negative surface charge on kaolinite was concluded to be largely due to pH independent charge resulting from isomorphous substitution, together with some pH dependent charge due to exposed SiOH sites. If Na+ was the index cation, dissolved aluminium ions from the clay replaced some of the Na+ balancing the negative surface charge. However, when Cs+ was the index cation, less Cs+ balancing the negative surface charge on the clay was replaced by dissolved aluminium. As the concentration of either Na+ or Cs+ was increased, less dissolved aluminium replaced the index cation as a counteraction to the negative surface charge.


2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 465-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamilla M. S. Hansen ◽  
Hans-Jørgen Albrechtsen ◽  
Henrik R. Andersen

In order to identify the optimal pH range for chlorinated swimming pools, the formation of trihalomethanes, haloacetonitriles and trichloramine was investigated in the pH-range 6.5–7.5 in batch experiments. An artificial body fluid analogue was used to simulate bather load as the precursor for by-products. The chlorine-to-precursor ratio used in the batch experiments influenced the amounts of by-products formed, but regardless of the ratio the same trends in the effect of pH were observed. Trihalomethane formation was reduced by decreasing pH, but haloacetonitrile and trichloramine formation increased. To evaluate the significance of the increase and decrease of the investigated organic by-products at the different pH values, the genotoxicity was calculated based on literature values. The calculated genotoxicity was approximately at the same level in the pH range 6.8–7.5 and increased when pH was 6.7 or lower. An optimal pH range for by-products formation in swimming pools was identified at pH 7.0–7.2. In the wider pH range (pH 6.8–7.5), the effect on by-product formation was negligible. Swimming pools should never be maintained at lower pH than 6.8 since formation of both haloacetonitriles and trichloramine increase significantly below this value.


1962 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack McLachlan ◽  
P. R. Gorham

Microcystis aeruginosa Kütz. (strain NRC-1) grew equally well throughout the pH range 6.5 to 10 when provided with suitable media. Toxicity of tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (TRIS) towards the alga was found to decrease as the pH decreased and could be correlated with the degree of ionization of the TRIS molecule. Other organic buffers examined were either toxic at all concentrations and pH values tested or promoted lysis. When TRIS was used as a buffer, higher concentrations of cesium chloride and potassium nitrate were tolerated without growth inhibition at pH 6.5 than at 7.5. In the presence of TRIS, Microcystis grew equally well with nitrate, ammonium, or urea as nitrogen sources. Eight out of 20 amino compounds examined served as nitrogen sources in TRIS-buffered medium, but growth was poorer than with nitrate nitrogen.


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