The Effects of Shading and Organic Domestic Waste on Brazilian Spinach Growth

The use of household waste in the form of rice washing water, pineapple skin waste, and leftover rice as liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) has the potential to create a good growing medium so as to increase plant growth. Brazilian Spinach (Alternanthera sissoo) is a leafy vegetable that has the potential to diversify vegetable consumption in urban areas where it is expected to grow well in tight spaces, particularly under shading. This study aimed to find out the effects of applying liquid organic fertilizer made of household waste and the shading on the growth of the Brazilian spinach plant. The study used a split plot design with a main plot consisted of 0%, 50% and 70% shading, while subplot consisted of LOF washing water (20 ml/l), pineapple peel waste (30 ml/l) and leftover rice (50ml/l). Each treatment was repeated 3 (three) times. The results of the study showed that the SPAD value of Brazilian spinach under shading treatment and LOF treatment of rice washing water linearly continued to increase until 8 (eight) weeks after planting. Regarding the vegetative growth of Brazilian spinach, the 0% shading treatment was the best treatment in terms of increasing the non-edible leaf fresh weight and root dry weight. Meanwhile, the LOF had an insignificant effect on all treatments. In conclusion, Brazilian spinach can grow more optimally in no-shade conditions

Effect of Food Residues on Norovirus Survival on Stainless Steel Surfaces

Background: In households and food processing plants, minute food residues left behind from improper cleaning may influence the survivability of human norovirus on surfaces. In this study, the survivability of norovirus on desiccated food residue-attached stainless steel coupons was investigated. Methodology/Principal Findings: Using murine norovirus-1 (MNV-1) as a surrogate of human norovirus, the survivability of norovirus was investigated on lettuce, cabbage, or ground pork-attached stainless steel coupons. A 6.2 log MPN/ml of MNV-1 infectivity was completely lost at day 30 in residue-free coupons, whereas only a 1.4 log MPN/ml reduction was observed in coupons with residues. Moreover, the disinfective effect of sodium hypochlorite was reduced when residues were present on the coupons. Conclusions/Significance: This study revealed that the food residues increased the survivability and the resistance to chemicals of norovirus, indicating the need of thorough cleaning in food processing plants and household settings

Monitoring substratum hygiene using an everyday complex organic soil: the human fingerprint

Human fingerprint residue is an example of a specific and complex organic-material/microorganism soil which is often present in a variety of environments that are required to be hygienic. When applied onto surfaces a fingerprint may affect cleanability and influence bacterial retention, alter topography and in some cases, may even compromise the aesthetic qualities of the material. One of the most common modes of cross contamination in hygienic environments is via the human hand but this soil/microorganism matrix is rarely studied in controlled conditions. Modifications were made to published sweat and sebum standard formulations to allow a gram positive organism (Staphylococcus aureus) and a gram negative representative (Escherichia coli) to survive in a synthetic fingerprint soil for subsequent hygienic assessment of a range of surfaces. Alongside this, a method has been developed for depositing a range of organic soils in specific quantities and arrangements (e.g., the synthetic fingerprint soil in a fingerprint pattern) onto a range of substrata to allow surfaces to be more accurately assessed for cleanability