The study of fungi in drinking water

Publicada em nome de The British Mycological SocietyThe occurrence of fungi in drinking water has received increased attention in the last decades, and fungi are now generally accepted as drinking water contaminants. The knowledge about the occurrence and diversity of fungi in water has increased considerably from a low knowledge base. However, the relevance of waterborne fungi for water quality and human health is poorly understood and still conflicting. Scientific reports on effective treatment against fungi in water are also few. This article presents a review of the literature on fungal water studies, including some general results, and considerations of significance, limits, contradictions, precautions, and practical consequences.Norwegian Research Council

Legitim retrett: Hvordan arkitektur former samhandling i et valgfritt fellesskap

Artikkelen studerer forholdet mellom fysisk utforming og sosial samhandling ved å benytte introduksjonen av ny arkitektur på fjellets åpne hytter. Analysen tar empirisk utgangspunkt i den selvbetjente hytta Nye Skåpet i Rogaland, som utmerker seg ved å ha en fysisk utforming som er tenkt å sikre private opplevelser i fellesskap med fremmede. Artikkelen mobiliserer en mikrointeraksjonistisk tilnærming til samhandling og fellesskapsdannelse på hytta. Gjennom en fokusert etnografi kombinert med intervjudata, viser analysen hvordan hyttegjestene inngår i et aktivt hensynsarbeid. Artikkelens analyse dreier seg rundt fire tema: meningen med luksus, forhandlinger om fred og ro, forhandlinger om å ta plass og forhandlinger om kos. Til sammen belyser disse temaene hvordan en felles etterstreben etter fred og ro blir forhandlet frem i samspillet mellom den sosiale orden og de fysiske linjene. Den fysiske utformingen legitimerer både retrett fra og tilstedeværelse i fellesskapet og bidrar til private opplevelser i fellesskapet med de fremmede.publishedVersio

Suitability of FTIR to distinguish pure cultures of problematic mould species from closely related species in the meat industry

Aims: The aim of the study was to apply Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) as a rapid screening method for moulds in a specific food production environment (cured meat) and to evaluate whether the method was sufficiently accurate to distinguish Penicillium species that constitute a hazard for the food quality and safety (Penicillium solitum and Penicillium nordicum) from closely related species. Methods and Results: FTIR was applied to classify the indigenous mycobiota of two production sites for dried and cured meat products in Norway. Results showed that FTIR was suitable to analyse large amounts of data. While correct classification rates varied depending on the species, overall results indicated that FTIR was able to distinguish the undesired mould species P. solitum and P. nordicum from other species and may hence present an option for rapid screening of large numbers of samples to identify changes in mould composition on site. Conclusions: FTIR presents a potential method for detecting changes in levels of undesired fungi in meat-processing environments. Significance and Impact of the study: This is the first study that applies FTIR to a specific food production environment and it increases the knowledge on both possibilities and limitations of the method in classification of fungi.publishedVersio

Effect of invasive slug populations (Arion vulgaris) on grass silage. II: Microbiological quality and feed safety

AbstractThis study aimed to explore how invasive slug populations of Arion vulgaris influenced the microbiological quality and animal feed safety of grass silage, and the efficiency of silage additives and wilting to control the microbiology of slug contaminated crops. The effect of four slug contamination levels, including control, of a grass crop harvested for silage production, was evaluated in laboratory scale. The crop was wilted to two dry matter (DM) levels: low (253g DM/kg) and high (372g DM/kg). Adult slugs were applied to the low DM crop corresponding to 5 (low level), 10 (medium) and 20 (high level) seven-gram sized Arion vulgaris per m2 in an assumed harvested regrowth yield of 2.5ton DM/ha. For the high DM crop, slug weights corresponding to 6 (low level), 12 (medium) and 24 (high level) slugs per m2 were applied. At low DM level, the effect of four additive treatments; control (C), inoculation with Lactobacillus plantarum (LP), a formic, propionic and benzoic acid mixture (ACID) and a chemical additive containing benzoic acid, NaNO2, hexamethylenetetramine and propionic acid (CHEM) were tested. Slugs, slug feces, grass, soil and silages were analyzed for lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Enterobacteriaceae, Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium tyrobutyricum, molds and yeasts by cultivation methods and Clostridium botulinum type C by real-time PCR analysis.Increasing slug contamination reduced the microbial quality of silages by increasing C. tyrobutyricum levels at both silage DM levels. Only silages without slugs and silages treated with the nitrite containing additive CHEM had non-detectable mean levels of C. tyrobutyricum. Increasing slug contamination increased LAB enumerations in silages. No microbes of risk to human or animal health were detected in anaerobic silages even at the highest slug contamination

Biofilmdannelse i VAVs ledningsnett med nye Oset vannbehandlingsanlegg

Det ble i 2012 gjennomført kvalitative og kvantitative målinger av biofilmdannelse i råvann, filtrert vann, rentvann og nettvann i Osets forsyningsområde i Oslo. Målet med biofilmmålingene var å undersøke/dokumentere effekten av vannbehandling på biofilmdannelsen i ledningsnettet. Målingene viste at biofilmdannelsen ble redusert med 95-99 % fra råvann til rentvann og nettvann, noe som var en vesentlig større reduksjon enn det endringen i vannets begroingspotensial skulle tilsi. Sistnevnte ble omtrent halvert fra råvann til rentvann og nettvann. Biofilmdannelsen var noenlunde konstant utover på nettet. Mengden muggsopp i biofilmen varierte fra overvekst i biofilm fra råvann til minimal eller ingen vekst i biofilm fra filtrert vann, rentvann og nettvann. Mengden av bakterier i biofilmen var vesentlig høyere i råvann enn i filtrert vann og rentvann, noe som er i overensstemmelse med forskjellene i biofilmdannelsen. Mengden bakterier var spesielt lave i biofilm som vokste i rentvann fra Oset. Presumptiv Pseudomonas, presumptiv Aeromonas, koliforme bakterier og E. coli ble påvist i biofilm fra råvann, men ikke i biofilm fra filtrert vann, rentvann eller nettvann. Presumptiv Legionella ble påvist i biofilm fra alle prøvepunktene med unntak av i rentvann fra Oset.publishedVersio

Role of pathogen-derived cell wall carbohydrates and prostaglandin E2 in immune response and suppression of fish immunity by the oomycete Saprolegnia parasitica

Se adjunta el PDF de errata del artículo publicado en 2015. Belmonte, R., Wang, T., Duncan, G. J., Skaar, I., Mélida, H., Bulone, V., van West, & Secombes, C. J. (2015). Erratum to Role of pathogen-derived cell wall carbohydrates and prostaglandin E2 in immune response and suppression of fish immunity by the oomycete Saprolegnia parasitica [Infection and Immunity 82, 11, (2014) 4518-4529]. En Infection and Immunity (Vol. 83, Número 1, p. 454). American Society for Microbiology. https://doi.org/10.1128/IAI.02821-14[EN] Saprolegnia parasitica is a freshwater oomycete that is capable of infecting several species of fin fish. Saprolegniosis, the disease caused by this microbe, has a substantial impact on Atlantic salmon aquaculture. No sustainable treatment against saprolegniosis is available, and little is known regarding the host response. In this study, we examined the immune response of Atlantic salmon to S. parasitica infection and to its cell wall carbohydrates. Saprolegnia triggers a strong inflammatory response in its host (i.e., induction of interleukin-1β1 [IL-1β1], IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha), while severely suppressing the expression of genes associated with adaptive immunity in fish, through downregulation of T-helper cell cytokines, antigen presentation machinery, and immunoglobulins. Oomycete cell wall carbohydrates were recognized by fish leukocytes, triggering upregulation of genes involved in the inflammatory response, similar to what is observed during infection. Our data suggest that S. parasitica is capable of producing prostaglanding E2 (PGE2) in vitro, a metabolite not previously shown to be produced by oomycetes, and two proteins with homology to vertebrate enzymes known to play a role in prostaglandin biosynthesis have been identified in the oomycete genome. Exogenous PGE2 was shown to increase the inflammatory response in fish leukocytes incubated with cell wall carbohydrates while suppressing genes involved in cellular immunity (gamma interferon [IFN-γ] and the IFN-γ-inducible protein[γ-IP]). Inhibition of S. parasitica zoospore germination and mycelial growth by two cyclooxygenase inhibitors (aspirin and indomethacin) also suggests that prostaglandins may be involved in oomycete development.S

Health and environmental risk evaluation of microorganisms used in bioremediation. Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Microbial Ecology of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety

In 2015, The Norwegian Environment Agency requested the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (VKM) to collate an overview of bioremediation of polluted ground based on bioaugmentation described in literature for the degradation of various types of pollutants, (including hydrocarbons, heavy metals, chlorinated compounds, explosives etc.).The assessment of genetically modified microorganisms (GMO), phytoremediation, bioremediation based on natural attenuation, bio-stimulation or biodegradation, including composting, are not included in this report

Research needs and data gaps of importance for food safety and protection of biodiversity. Summary report from VKM’s scientific opinions in the period 2005 - 2015.

Related version: VKM Report 2016: 48 : https://vkm.no/download/18.7e19596115dabec04172717/1501849448865/30664700ba.pdfThe aim of the present report is to highlight research needs and data gaps that are of future importance for food safety and protection of biodiversity. The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (VKM) produces and communicates scientific opinions, i.e. risk-and risk-benefitassessments, with the main goal of securing food safety and protection of biodiversity

Research needs and data gaps of importance for food safety and protection of biodiversity. From VKM’s scientific opinions in the period 2005 - 2015

Source at https://vkm.no/The aim of the present report is to highlight research needs and data gaps that are of future importance for food safety and protection of biodiversity. The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (VKM) produces and communicates scientific opinions, i.e. risk-and risk-benefitassessments, with the main goal of securing food safety and protection of biodiversity.Food safety is one of the prerequisites for good health, and is on the agenda both nationally and internationally. Since food production, food products on the market and dietary habits as well as the presence of potentialhazardsare constantly changing, there is a continuous need for new knowledge to ensure safe foodMålet med denne rapporten er å synliggjøre kunnskapsbehov som er viktige for å sikre trygg mat og opprettholdelse avbiologisk mangfold i årene som kommer.Vitenskapskomiteen for mattrygghet (VKM) utarbeider og kommunisereruavhengige, vitenskapelige uttalelser, blant annet risikovurderinger og nytte-risikovurderinger. Hovedmålet til VKM er å sikre trygg mat og opprettholdelse av biologisk mangfold.Trygg mat er en av forutsetningene for god helseog vies mye oppmerksomhetbåde nasjonalt og internasjonalt. Stadige endringer i hvordan maten produseres, hvilke matvarer som er tilgjengelige, hva befolkningen spiser og hvilke potensielle farer som følger med maten skaper et kontinuerlig behov for ny kunnskap for å sikre at maten er trygg