Multi-loci gene sequencing and identification of bifidobacteria strains isolated from dairy and pharmaceutical sources in South Africa

The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of Bifidobacterium species reveals high interspecies sequence similarity in the range of 87.7–99.5%. This study illustrated the extent of superiority of a multigenic approach, involving protein-coding genes, in comparison to the 16S rRNA gene, to precisely delineate presumptive Bifidobacterium isolates obtained from probiotic milk beverages, culture collections and pharmaceutical probiotic preparations. Oligonucleotide pairs PurF-rev/PurF-uni; RpoCuni/ RpoC-rev; DnaB-uni/DnaB-rev; DnaG-uni/DnaG-rev; and ClpC-uni/ClpC-rev amplified housekeeping genes while 27F/ 1492R amplified the 16S rRNA gene of the presumptive bifidobacteria in a polymerase chain reaction. Sequences of 16S rRNA gene and some protein-coding genes effectively identified the isolates. Phylogenetic analysis together with concatenation showed that clpC, purF and dnaG genes had over 8-fold better discriminatory power than the 16S rRNA gene in discriminating between Bifidobacterium isolates. However, phylogenetic analysis involving dnaB and rpoC gene sequences or their concatenated trees showed discrepancies in clustering isolates with designated type strains.Tshwane University of Technology and the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/lfbt202017-01-31hb2016Paraclinical Science

Exoplanet detection in metal-poor stars

The game meat industry is continuing to grow in South Africa. Several stakeholders are involved in the game meat supply chain and a high level of knowledge is necessary to ensure compliance with legislation and standards. It was therefore necessary to determine the level of knowledge of the stakeholders since this has not been determined before. Information regarding the extent ofstakeholders' knowledge and the possible impact on compliance to standards was obtained through a desk-top study and an analysis of questionnaire responsesfrom industry, consumers and relevant authorities. Results have shown that consumers have a specific expectation regarding the safe production of game meat. Limitations in the knowledge of the stakeholders have been identified. Understanding these limitations can assist policy-makers, law enforcers and the game meat industry in developing strategies to alleviate the problem. The result of this study may assist in providing consumers with game meat that is safe for human consumption

Invited review : Probiotic yogurt quality criteria, regulatory framework, clinical evidence, and analytical aspects

Yogurt is a milk-based product manufactured by lactic acid fermentation enabled by symbiotic yogurt cultures. Yogurt is largely considered to be a health product, and it is employed to deliver probiotics and prebiotics to the consumer. However, not all yogurts are probiotic, neither are they all functional products. There is increasing demand for health-promoting beverages, which is prompting the dairy industry to develop functional probiotic yogurts to meet the demand. However, there seems to be a scarcity of reviews providing critical information on regulatory frameworks in regions of the world, clinical trial outcomes, and methodological approaches for enumerating multiprobiotic strains in yogurt. This review, relating to functional probiotic yogurt, covers the newest information on the topic for the period mostly between 2014 and 2019. Conformance to regulations is paramount and hence, global regulatory frameworks for probiotic yogurt and prebiotic and nonprebiotic ingredients included in yogurt are reviewed. The paper emphasizes the need for convincing clinical trial outcomes that provide the dairy industry with an opportunity to market products with substantiated beneficial claims. The paper also discusses probiotic strains in functional yogurt, which is required to have population levels above the recommended therapeutic minimum during shelf life. The multiprobiotic species added to yogurt may present challenges relating to methodological and analytical approaches needed to determine viability of each strain contained in such yogurt. Hence, the review also presents the pros and cons of the culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches for the enumeration of probiotic cells in yogurt. The review is arguably valuable to the dairy industry, functional food developers, related scientists, and researchers, as well as policy makers.http://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-dairy-scienceam2022Consumer ScienceFood Scienc

Anticandidal activity of cell extracts from 13 probiotic Lactobacillus strains and characterisation of lactic acid and a novel fatty acid derivative from one strain

This study investigated the anti-Candida activity of methanol extracts from freeze-dried probiotic cells and the isolation of some constituents in the extracts. The MIC values of the probiotic methanol cell extracts against Candida albicans ranged between 1.25 and 5 mg/ml after 48 h of incubation. However, Lactococcus latics subsp. lactis strain X and Lactobacillus casei strain B extracts had an MIC of 10 mg/ml after 48 h of incubation. The extracts had fungistatic rather than fungicidal activity. These extracts had a much higher antifungal activity than antifungal compounds isolated from the growth medium by many other authors. This indicates that probiotics may also release antifungal compounds in their cells that could contribute to a therapeutic effect. Lactic acid (1) and 6-O-(α-D-glucopyranosyl)-1,6-di-O-pentadecanoyl-α-D-glucopyranose a novel fatty acid derivative (2) were isolated from methanol probiotic extracts and the structure of these compounds were elucidated using NMR (1 and 2D) and mass spectrometry (MS).Dr. M.D. Awouafack received a Postdoctoral Fellowship from the University of Pretoria to work at the Phytomedicine Programme, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science. The Medical Research Council provided funding.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/foodchem2015-12-31hb201

Are men well served by family planning programs?

Although the range of contraceptives includes methods for men, namely condoms, vasectomy and withdrawal that men use directly, and the Standard Days Method (SDM) that requires their participation, family planning programming has primarily focused on women. What is known about reaching men as contraceptive users? This paper draws from a review of 47 interventions that reached men and proposes 10 key considerations for strengthening programming for men as contraceptive users. A review of programming shows that men and boys are not particularly well served by programs. Most programs operate from the perspective that women are contraceptive users and that men should support their partners, with insufficient attention to reaching men as contraceptive users in their own right. The notion that family planning is women’s business only is outdated. There is sufficient evidence demonstrating men’s desire for information and services, as well as men’s positive response to existing programming to warrant further programming for men as FP users. The key considerations focus on getting information and services where men and boys need it; addressing gender norms that affect men’s attitudes and use while respecting women’s autonomy; reaching adolescent boys; including men as users in policies and guidelines; scaling up successful programming; filling gaps with implementation research and monitoring & evaluation; and creating more contraceptive options for men

Essential food safety management points in the supply chain of game meat in South Africa

Although the game industry is expanding in all areas, the most essential food safety management points in the supply chain of South African game meat has not yet been described. In order to determine the management points it was necessary to determine the supply chain and then to identify the most essential food safety management points. Information to better understand the supply chain and relevant food safety management aspects was obtained through a desk top study, observation of processes from farm to consumer in the local market as well as during export activities and analysis of questionnaire responses from game farmers, hunters, butcheries and municipalities. The description of essential food safety management points in the supply chain can assist policy-makers; law enforcers and the industry to establish and implement management programmes that will ensure a safe game meat product to the consumer

Wildlife-associated zoonotic diseases in some southern African countries in relation to game meat safety : a review

CITATION: Bekker, J. L., Hoffman, L. C. & Jooste, P. J. 2012. Wildlife-associated zoonotic diseases in some southern African countries in relation to game meat safety : a review. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 79(1), Art. #422, doi:10.4102/ojvr.v79i1.422.The original publication is available at http://www.ojvr.orgWith on-going changes in land use practices from conventional livestock farming to commercial, wildlife-based activities, the interface or interaction between livestock and wildlife is increasing. As part of the wildlife-based activities of ecotourism, breeding and hunting, game farmers are also exploring the utilisation of meat from hunted or harvested game. The expanding interface or increased interaction between livestock and wildlife increases the risk of disease incidence and the emergence of new diseases or the re-emergence of previously diagnosed diseases. The risk is not only related to domestic and wild animal health, but also to the occupational hazards that it poses to animal handlers and the consumers of game meat. This review endeavours to highlight the role that game plays in the spreading of zoonotic diseases to other animals and humans. Examples of zoonotic diseases that have occurred in wild animals in the past, their relevance and risk have been summarised and should function as a quick reference guide for wildlife veterinarians, ecologists, farmers, hunters, slaughter staff, processors and public health professionals.http://www.ojvr.org/index.php/ojvr/article/view/422Publisher's versio

Spoilage potential of a novel group of bacteria isolated from dairy products

Cold-tolerant bacteria, also known as psychrotrophic bacteria, are notorious contaminants of milk in the refrigerated dairy food chain. These organisms, especially the pseudomonads, may produce heat-resistant enzymes that are responsible for the breakdown of proteins and lipids in milk and dairy products. Such reactions result in a variety of defects in the raw or unprocessed milk that may affect the suitability of such milk for further processing. The enzymes produced may cause defects in long-life dairy products such as cheese, butter and long-life milk. In the present study, a range of 18 yellow pigmented psychrotrophic bacteria, collectively known as flavobacteria, were isolated from local dairy products. One aim of this study was to identify these bacteria to species level using molecular techniques. A second aim was to determine the spoilage potential of these organisms based on profiles generated by the BIOLOG system (that may relate to hydrolytic enzymes produced). Of the 18 isolates, 14 belonged to the genus Chryseobacterium while 4 were identified as Empedobacter isolates. The most active spoilage organisms in this group were shown to be C. bovis, C. shigense and E. brevis. These findings illustrate that enzymatically catalysed defects in dairy products should not be attributed solely to acknowledged psychrotrophic bacteria such as the pseudomonads, but that flavobacterial species may also be actively involved

Spoilage potential of a novel group of bacteria isolated from dairy products

Cold-tolerant bacteria, also known as psychrotrophic bacteria, are notorious contaminants of milk in the refrigerated dairy food chain. These organisms, especially the pseudomonads, may produce heat-resistant enzymes that are responsible for the breakdown of proteins and lipids in milk and dairy products. Such reactions result in a variety of defects in the raw or unprocessed milk that may affect the suitability of such milk for further processing. The enzymes produced may cause defects in long-life dairy products such as cheese, butter and long-life milk. In the present study, a range of 18 yellow pigmented psychrotrophic bacteria, collectively known as flavobacteria, were isolated from local dairy products. One aim of this study was to identify these bacteria to species level using molecular techniques. A second aim was to determine the spoilage potential of these organisms based on profiles generated by the BIOLOG system (that may relate to hydrolytic enzymes produced). Of the 18 isolates, 14 belonged to the genus Chryseobacterium while 4 were identified as Empedobacter isolates. The most active spoilage organisms in this group were shown to be C. bovis, C. shigense and E. brevis. These findings illustrate that enzymatically catalysed defects in dairy products should not be attributed solely to acknowledged psychrotrophic bacteria such as the pseudomonads, but that flavobacterial species may also be actively involved