Accuracy of Risk Perception of Zoonoses Due to Intensive Animal Farming and People’s Willingness to Change Their Animal Product Consumption

Zoonoses have become more frequent and intense. As intensive animal farming plays a role in the emergence of zoonoses, the increase in intensive animal farming increases the risk of future zoonotic outbreaks. This raises the question of to what extent people are aware that intensive animal farming poses a risk to zoonoses. Furthermore, if people would be made aware, would they be willing to take protective measures, such as reducing their animal food consumption? This was investigated in a representative descriptive study of 1009 Dutch citizens. We measured participants’ perception of the risk of intensive animal farming and their perception of the way animals are treated. We measured their willingness to consume fewer animal products and their opinions on governments banning intensive animal farms. Additionally, participants estimated the percentage of meat from intensive farms that they consume. The main results showed that most participants were aware that zoonoses can occur through intensive animal farming, but not where their meat comes from. The majority of participants were willing to change their animal consumption behavior if this could reduce future zoonotic outbreaks.

Contemporary issues in fisheries and aquaculture: a review on non – conventional feed ingredients for fish feed in Nigeria

In Africa, Nigeria offers the largest market for fisheries products. Fish culture is gaining importance in Nigeria as locally available raw materials such as yam, plantain, banana, cowpeas, mucuna, maize, cassava, millet, sorghum, groundnut, sunhemp seed and brewery wastes are considered as potential materials for fish feed. Non–conventional feeds are locally available feedstuff which are not standardized and the usage is not widely-spread. In most cases, they are not consumed by man. Sadly, Nigerian economy had depended on imported feedstuffs to supplement the domestic conventional feedstuffs, however, the country is currently looking into a way of improving local feedstuffs production to minimize importation. In Fisheries and Aquaculture, there are many contemporary issues but this paper focuses on the use of non–conventional feed ingredients like Typha flour in fish feed. Several parts of Typha are edible including the rhizome. Research has shown that the plant is rich in energy, carbohydrates, sugars, dietary fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals and water. The competition for the conventional feed ingredients for human and animal consumption has resulted in significant price escalations hence the need for on-going research on alternativeingredients for use in aquafeed. Thus, great attention is given to the production of effective and cheap feed that will benefit fish farmers in Africa because fish feed is very important. Despite the fact that several studies have been done in Nigeria to replace fishmeal with other proteins of plant & animal origin but the results have been range from poor to very good in terms of fish growth and fish conversion efficiency.

Light and Temperature Shape the Phenylpropanoid Profile of Azolla filiculoides Fronds

Azolla is a genus of floating freshwater ferns. By their high growth and N2 fixation rates, Azolla species have been exploited for centuries by populations of South-east Asia as biofertilizers in rice paddies. The use of Azolla species as a sustainable plant material for diverse applications, such as feeding, biofuel production, and bioremediation, has encountered a growing interest over the last few years. However, high levels of feed deterrent flavonoids in their fronds have discouraged the use of these ferns as a sustainable protein source for animal consumption. Additionally, information on how and to what extent environmental determinants affect the accumulation of secondary metabolites in these organisms remains poorly understood. Moving from these considerations, here, we investigated by an untargeted metabolomics approach the profiles of phenylpropanoid compounds in the fronds of Azolla filiculoides sampled under control and pigment-inducing stress conditions. In parallel, we assayed the expression of essential structural genes of the phenylpropanoid pathway by quantitative RT-PCR. This study provides novel information concerning A. filiculoides phenylpropanoid compounds and their temporal profiling in response to environmental stimuli. In particular, we show that besides the already known 3-deoxyanthocyanidins, anthocyanidins, and proanthocyanidins, this fern can accumulate additional secondary metabolites of outstanding importance, such as chemoattractants, defense compounds, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers, and crucial as dietary components for humans, such as dihydrochalcones, stilbenes, isoflavones, and phlobaphenes. The findings of this study open an opportunity for future research studies to unveil the interplay between genetic and environmental determinants underlying the elicitation of the secondary metabolites in ferns and exploit these organisms as sustainable sources of beneficial metabolites for human health.

VERSATILE PROFILE OF MORINGA AND ITS ROLE FOR GROWTH AS A FUNCTIONAL FOOD: A REVIEW

"Drumstick" tree is native to India, usually mentioned in literature as MORINGA. Moringa oleifera is one of the most useful trees and it has an enormous number of benefits. All the recent research shows its multipurpose use. That is why it is cultivated across the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Moringa has been used as a medicine since 150 B.C. by ancient kings and queens to ameliorate mental alertness and healthy skin. The Horseradish tree is one of the rich sources of vitamin A, B, C, D, E and K and it is also a good source of minerals like calcium, copper, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, and zinc. It also contains over 40 antioxidants that are naturally synthesized. Moringa is a very important food crop due to its high nutritive value, grows very fast, and it is also drought resistance. More than 80 countries (including India) use the tree's leaves, pods, seeds, bark, and flowers for their medicinal and neutraceutical properties to prevent mineral and vitamin deficiency, maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, regulate normal blood glucose levels, support the immune system, and have anti-inflammatory properties. Further, it neutralizes free radicals, which reduces the risk of cancer. It has potent benefits in reducing malnutrition, general weakness, menopause, depression and osteoporosis. It also contains antibacterial and anti-diabetics properties. It also improves eyesight, mental alertness and bone strength. The article with this review paper was keenly reviewed using an adapted version of established criteria to determine the adequate method for justifying the present aim of this study. This review paper will answer the following issues such as production, nutritional, functional property and utilization of moringa for human and animal consumption.

Key Global Actions for Mycotoxin Management in Wheat and Other Small Grains

Mycotoxins in small grains are a significant and long-standing problem. These contaminants may be produced by members of several fungal genera, including Alternaria, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Claviceps, and Penicillium. Interventions that limit contamination can be made both pre-harvest and post-harvest. Many problems and strategies to control them and the toxins they produce are similar regardless of the location at which they are employed, while others are more common in some areas than in others. Increased knowledge of host-plant resistance, better agronomic methods, improved fungicide management, and better storage strategies all have application on a global basis. We summarize the major pre- and post-harvest control strategies currently in use. In the area of pre-harvest, these include resistant host lines, fungicides and their application guided by epidemiological models, and multiple cultural practices. In the area of post-harvest, drying, storage, cleaning and sorting, and some end-product processes were the most important at the global level. We also employed the Nominal Group discussion technique to identify and prioritize potential steps forward and to reduce problems associated with human and animal consumption of these grains. Identifying existing and potentially novel mechanisms to effectively manage mycotoxin problems in these grains is essential to ensure the safety of humans and domesticated animals that consume these grains.

Animal consumption and social change: the vertebrates from Ditch 7 in the context of a diachronic approach to the faunal remains at Perdigões enclosure (3400-2000 BC)

The results from the study of the faunal assemblage from ditch 7 of the Perdigões enclosure (Reguengos de Monsaraz, Portugal) are presented. Dated to the Chalcolithic and the transition to the early Bronze Age it comprises a total of 3380 remains. Results show the rele- vance of swine, caprines, cervids, bovines and equids and their diachronic oscillation. Indicators of butchering and consumption were recorded, comprising cutmarks, anthropogenic breakage, thermo-alterations and tooth marks, the latter mainly of a carnivore origin. The spectra obtained were compared within the scope of the Perdigões chronology, from the late Middle Neolithic to the transition to the early Bronze Age (3400-2000 BC), thus representing a first approach to the diachronic behaviour of vertebrate consumption at the site. Domesticated species are prevalent but changes in the domesticated/wild ratio are evident with a wild input, mainly from red deer, of significance in the late Middle Neolithic and in the transition to the early Bronze Age, whereas the Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods have a growth in the domesticated component.

A systems approach to understanding the connection between farm systems resilience and pasture resilience

Farm systems resilience in New Zealand pasture-based farming is influenced by external drivers such as environmental regulation, and internal drivers such as existence, expressed as profitability. We examine ten published case studies of farm systems change to provide insight into management interventions to these drivers and their impacts on pasture resilience. Nutrient supply was key to increasing pasture longevity, water use efficiency and animal feed supply. Manipulating water use efficiency through irrigation and legume (predominantly lucerne) use increased nitrogen use efficiency and added pasture supply for animal consumption. Monitoring the pasture supply and animal response ensured both animal feed requirements and pasture conditions for future growth were met. Theresilience of pastures was improved when monitoring guided adaptive management application to ensure whole-farm resilience.

Emissions from Animal Agriculture—16.5% Is the New Minimum Figure

Knowledge production within the climate sciences is quickly taken up by multiple stakeholders, reproduced in scientific citation and the broader culture, even when it is no longer accurate. This article accomplishes two goals: firstly, it contributes to the clarification of the quantification of emissions from animal agriculture, and secondly, it considers why the dominant framing of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) on this subject focuses on maximizing production efficiency. Specifically, analysing the FAO’s own work on this topic shows that the often-used FAO estimate that emissions from animal agriculture amount to 14.5% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is now out of date. In returning to the FAO’s own explanation of its data sources and its more recent analysis of emissions from animal agriculture, this article finds that the figure of minimum estimate should be updated to 16.5%. The tendency of the FAO to prioritize a technological approach focused on making animal production more “eco-efficient” is critically examined in light of many other evidence-based calls for reductions in animal consumption. An explanation for this FAO approach is offered in terms of a type of epistemological bias.

Development of Enzymatic Biosensors to Detect Biocide Disinfectants to Strengthen Self-Monitoring in Industry

Biocide disinfectants are used in agro-food industries in order to limit the development of pathogens present in environment or on surfaces in contact with food for human or animal consumption. Biocide residues remaining on food surfaces may constitute a toxicological risk for the consumer. Very little feedback from the field on the rates of biocide residues in the industry exist due to a lack of simple, fast and responsive self-checking methods. The development of biosensors for the detection of biocide disinfectants represents a promising way to explore this, but most of this research remains limited.