Experimental infection of sheep with ovine and bovine Dichelobacter nodosus isolates

AbstractThe aim of this study was, under experimental conditions, to investigate infection of Norwegian White sheep with ovine and bovine isolates of Dichelobacter nodosus of varying virulence. In addition, the efficacy of gamithromycin as a treatment for the experimentally induced infections was examined. The study was performed as a single foot inoculation using a boot. Four groups, each with six lambs, were inoculated with four different challenge strains (Group 1: benign bovine strain; Group 2: virulent bovine strain; Group 3: benign ovine strain; Group 4: virulent ovine strain). The main criterion to determine that infection was transferred was that D. nodosus isolate was obtained by culture. After the trial all lambs were treated with gamithromycin. Clinical symptoms of footrot developed in all groups, and when removing the boots two weeks after challenge, D. nodosus was isolated from 5 of 24 experimental lambs. All lambs tested negative for D. nodosus by PCR within six weeks after treatment with gamithromycin. This study strongly indicates that D. nodosus isolates from both sheep and cattle can be transferred to sheep under experimental conditions. The study also indicates that gamithromycin may be effective against D. nodosus

Barriers to adoption of biogenic carbonates in the food, pharmaceutical & supplement sectors

There is an increasing demand for environmentally sustainable sourcing of ingredients for the food, pharmaceutical and supplements industries. In the case of calcium carbonate (E170) as by-products from the egg and shellfish processing industries these have the potential to be sustainably sourced. In addition to their green credentials, biogenic carbonates have intrinsic benefits in terms of their chemical composition, such as a low heavy metal burden. However, their biogenic origin can potentially lead to manufacturing issues such as higher levels of co-mineralising components and the organic templates of their natural production. This contribution identifies the regulatory barriers to the adoption of biogenic eggshell calcium carbonate by assessing materials from biological sources along with commercial precipitated and ground carbonates against current regulatory standards

Digital food marketing to children: Exploitation, surveillace and rights violations

Unhealthy food marketing has long been identified as a systems factor with negative health effects on children. The data-driven, personal data extraction and behavioural design practices of 21st century media advertising in digital technology systems mean that food marketing now sits at the intersection of multiple harms, infringing not only children’s rights to health and to food, but also their rights to privacy and to be free from exploitation. This further sharpens the need for State regulation to protect children and their rights effectively