Methods for strictly aseptic making of cheese and effect of some bacteria on its ripening

To study the influence of different enzymes on ripening of cheese, such as Gouda, a method was developed for making cheese strictly aseptically, including equipment for aseptic cheesemaking and aseptic milking of selected cows. In aseptically drawn milk only heat-labile micrococci and coryneforms were present. Nutrients needed for their growth were determined. Starter bacteria proved essential for the ripening process of Gouda cheese, including breakdown of protein, and production of taste and flavour substances, but strains differed widely. Lactobacilli proved to be not necessary for ripening and the strains tested caused off-flavours

Preface to the special issue of Food and Chemical Toxicology on the outcomes of the MARLON project on veterinary epidemiology of potential health impacts of genetically modified feeds in livestock

peer-reviewedPreface to the special issue of Food and Chemical Toxicology on the outcomes of the MARLON project

Rapid genotyping of hepatitis C virus RNA-isolates obtained from patients residing in Western Europe

Two rapid genotyping methods for hepatitis C virus (HCV), the line probe assay (Inno‐LiPA) and the subtype‐specific core amplification system [Okamoto et al., (1992b) Journal of General Virology 73:673‐679], were applied to 58 HCV isolates which were typed as type 1 (n=37) and type 2 (n=21) by sequence analysis of the 5′ untranslated region (5′UTR). The line probe assay targets the 5′UTR and recognized 12 subtype 1a, 25 subtype 1b, 18 subtype 2a, 2 subtype 2b and 1 subtype 2d in accordance with sequence analysis of this region. Subtype‐specific core amplification revealed 7 discrepancies among the 37 type 1 isolates when compared to LiPA. A different subtype was observed in 3 isolates (la versus 1b), 2 isolates remained untyped and 2 isolates showed a coinfection of subtype la and 1b. The first 5 discrepancies were confirmed by sequence analysis of the core region whereas the coinfection could not be confirmed. Of the 21 type 2 isolates only one could be typed by subtype‐specific core amplification. HCV RNA was detected in all 21 cases after the general first round of polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Direct sequencing of the core region indicated sequence variation as a source of failure. It is concluded that LiPA results are conclusive for typing of HCV. However, LiPA is hampered occasionally for subtyping by lack

Worldwide food recall patterns over an eleven month period: A country perspective.

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Following the World Health Organization Forum in November 2007, the Beijing Declaration recognized the importance of food safety along with the rights of all individuals to a safe and adequate diet. The aim of this study is to retrospectively analyze the patterns in food alert and recall by countries to identify the principal hazard generators and gatekeepers of food safety in the eleven months leading up to the Declaration.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The food recall data set was collected by the Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC, UK) over the period from January to November 2007. Statistics were computed with the focus reporting patterns by the 117 countries. The complexity of the recorded interrelations was depicted as a network constructed from structural properties contained in the data. The analysed network properties included degrees, weighted degrees, modularity and <it>k</it>-core decomposition. Network analyses of the reports, based on 'country making report' (<it>detector</it>) and 'country reported on' (<it>transgressor</it>), revealed that the network is organized around a dominant core.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Ten countries were reported for sixty per cent of all faulty products marketed, with the top 5 countries having received between 100 to 281 reports. Further analysis of the dominant core revealed that out of the top five transgressors three made no reports (in the order China > Turkey > Iran). The top ten detectors account for three quarters of reports with three > 300 (Italy: 406, Germany: 340, United Kingdom: 322).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Of the 117 countries studied, the vast majority of food reports are made by 10 countries, with EU countries predominating. The majority of the faulty foodstuffs originate in ten countries with four major producers making no reports. This pattern is very distant from that proposed by the Beijing Declaration which urges all countries to take responsibility for the provision of safe and adequate diets for their nationals.</p

Coexisting high-grade glandular and squamous cervical lesions and human papillomavirus infections

Contains fulltext : 144469.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)The frequency of high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) genotypes in patients with adenocarcinoma in situ (ACIS) with coexisting cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), ACIS without coexisting CIN, and high-grade CIN (CIN II/III) was studied, in order to gain more insight into the relation between hr-HPV infections and the development of coexisting squamous and glandular lesions. The SPF(10) LiPA PCR was used to detect simultaneously 25 different HPV genotypes in biopsies obtained from 90 patients with CIN II/III, 47 patients with ACIS without coexisting CIN, and 49 patients with ACIS and coexisting CIN. hr-HPV was detected in 84 patients (93%) with CIN II/III, 38 patients (81%) with ACIS without CIN, and in 47 patients (96%) with ACIS and coexisting CIN. A total of 13 different hr-HPV genotypes were detected in patients with CIN II/III, and only five in patients with ACIS with/without coexisting CIN. HPV 31, multiple hr-HPV genotypes, and HPV genotypes other than 16, 18, and 45 were significantly more often detected in patients with CIN II/III, while HPV 18 was significantly more often detected in patients with ACIS with/without CIN. There were no significant differences in the frequency of specific hr-HPV genotypes between patients with ACIS with or without coexisting CIN. In conclusion, the frequency of specific hr-HPV genotypes is similar for patients with ACIS without CIN and patients with ACIS and coexisting CIN, but is significantly different for patients with CIN II/III without ACIS. These findings suggest that squamous lesions, coexisting with high-grade glandular lesions, are aetiologically different from squamous lesions without coexisting glandular lesions

Human papillomavirus 16 is an aetiological factor of scrotal cancer

Background: Squamous cell scrotal carcinoma (SCSC) is an infrequent skin cancer associated historically with occupational carcinogens. Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA has been associated with SCSC but there is no definitive proof of its oncogenic role. Methods: Human papillomavirus-DNA and -E6*I mRNA were analysed in six invasive histologically typed SCSC. LCM-PCR was used to localise HPV DNA to tumour cells. P16(INK4a)and p53 expression were studied by immunohistochemistry. Results: In three warty or basaloid SCSC HPV16-DNA and E6*I-mRNA were detected. LCM-PCR confirmed HPV16 was in p16(INK4a)-positive malignant cells. However, of three usual-type SCSC, all were HPV-negative and two expressed p53 protein but not p16(INK4a). Conclusions: Human papillomavirus 16 was present in tumour cells and oncogenically active in basaloid and warty SCSC, whereas usual SCSC was HPV-negative and showed immunostaining, suggesting p53 mutation. The dual pathways of oncogenesis and relation between histological type of SCSC and HPV are similar to that in penile cancers

Assessment of Human Papillomavirus in Lung Tumor Tissue

Background Lung cancer kills more than 1 million people worldwide each year. Whereas several human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers have been identified, the role of HPV in lung carcinogenesis remains controversial. Methods We selected 450 lung cancer patients from an Italian population-based case-control study, the Environment and Genetics in Lung Cancer Etiology. These patients were selected from those with an adequate number of unstained tissue sections and included all those who had never smoked and a random sample of the remaining patients. We used real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to test specimens from these patients for HPV DNA, specifically for E6 gene sequences from HPV16 and E7 gene sequences from HPV18. We also tested a subset of 92 specimens from all never-smokers and a random selection of smokers for additional HPV types by a PCR-based test for at least 54 mucosal HPV genotypes. DNA was extracted from ethanol- or formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor tissue under strict PCR clean conditions. The prevalence of HPV in tumor tissue was investigated. Results Specimens from 399 of 450 patients had adequate DNA for analysis. Most patients were current (220 patients or 48.9%) smokers, and 92 patients (20.4%) were women. When HPV16 and HPV18 type-specific primers were used, two specimens were positive for HPV16 at low copy number but were negative on additional type-specific HPV16 testing. Neither these specimens nor the others examined for a broad range of HPV types were positive for any HPV type. Conclusions When DNA contamination was avoided and state-of-the-art highly sensitive HPV DNA detection assays were used, we found no evidence that HPV was associated with lung cancer in a representative Western population. Our results provide the strongest evidence to date to rule out a role for HPV in lung carcinogenesis in Western populations

Sexual Behaviour and HPV Infections in 18 to 29 Year Old Women in the Pre-Vaccine Era in the Netherlands

Contains fulltext : 71058.pdf ( ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Infection with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a necessary event in the multi-step process of cervical carcinogenesis. Little is known about the natural history of HPV infection among unscreened young adults. As prophylactic vaccines are being developed to prevent specifically HPV 16 and 18 infections, shifts in prevalence in the post vaccine era may be expected. This study provides a unique opportunity to gather baseline data before changes by nationwide vaccination occur. METHODS AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This cross-sectional study is part of a large prospective epidemiologic study performed among 2065 unscreened women aged 18 to 29 years. Women returned a self-collected cervico-vaginal specimen and filled out a questionnaire. All HPV DNA-positive samples (by SPF(10) DEIA) were genotyped using the INNO-LiPA HPV genotyping assay. HPV point prevalence in this sample was 19%. Low and high risk HPV prevalence was 9.1% and 11.8%, respectively. A single HPV-type was detected in 14.9% of all women, while multiple types were found in 4.1%. HPV-types 16 (2.8%) and 18 (1.4%) were found concomitantly in only 3 women (0.1%). There was an increase in HPV prevalence till 22 years. Multivariate analysis showed that number of lifetime sexual partners was the most powerful predictor of HPV positivity, followed by type of relationship, frequency of sexual contact, age, and number of sexual partners over the past 6 months. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: This study shows that factors independently associated with HPV prevalence are mainly related to sexual behaviour. Combination of these results with the relative low prevalence of HPV 16 and/or 18 may be promising for expanding the future target group for catch up vaccination. Furthermore, these results provide a basis for research on possible future shifts in HPV genotype prevalence, and enable a better estimate of the effect of HPV 16-18 vaccination on cervical cancer incidence