Potential Impacts of Food Borne Ill Incidence on Market Movements and Prices of Fresh Produce in the US

For many decades, fresh fruits and vegetables enjoyed a reputation as the healthiest products full of essential vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial substances for a balanced diet. However, numerous recent food outbreaks associated with fresh produce have raised concerns on the mind of the consumer. Following an outbreak, consumers reduce their immediate consumption of the affected products. Even tough fresh fruits and vegetables have unique characteristics and flavors, consumers tend to substitute affected outbreak products with other fruits and vegetables. The potential impact of food borne illness on consumption has also a longer term impact, reducing consumption of the products over a period of several months after the outbreak. This paper used historical decomposition analysis to study both, the contemporaneous and lagged effects of food borne illness in the fresh produce industry using three case studies, spinach, cantaloupes, and tomatoes.Food safety, fresh produce, historical decomposition, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Relationship between Viable Bacterial Counts and Physicochemical Properties of Cocoa Powders and Powdered Cocoa Beverages purchased in Nigerian Supermarkets

Cocoa powders (CPs) and powdered cocoa beverages (PCBs) are largely consumed as health and vitality drinks in Nigeria. In view of the recent reports that these food products supported bacterial growth, this study determined whether there could be definite relationship between viable bacterial counts and physicochemical properties of five brands of CPs and PCBs purchased from supermarkets in Ibadan and Lagos in South West, Nigeria. The pH and titratable acidity of the products were measured by using pH meter and colorimetric acidity titration respectively. The moisture contents were determined by drying method at 105ºC in oven and ash by mineralization at 550ºC using furnace. No definite type of relationship was established between viable bacterial counts and pH, titratable acidity (lactic acid, acetic acid), moisture and ash contents vis-à-vis powdery and granular natures of the cocoa food products. Only the two PCBs tightly packed in the polythene sachets had acceptable mean viable bacterial counts, which did not exceed 5.0 x 103 cfu/ml specified for cocoa powders in food industries. Also, only two of the five brands had acceptable moisture contents, which did not exceed the national specification of 3.10% for cocoa powders. Furthermore, the ash contents of all the brands exceeded the acceptable national specification of 2.60%. Significant variations (P<0.05) were obtained in the mean pH, titratable acidity, viable bacterial counts, moisture and ash contents within and between products containing only cocoa powders and those containing additives. In conclusion, the results from this study showed that the physicochemical properties of cocoa powders and powdered cocoa beverages could not be used to predict the viable bacterial counts of these food products. Key words: Cocoa Powders, Powdered Cocoa Beverages, Physicochemical Properties, Viable Bacterial Counts

Relationship between Viable Bacterial Counts and Physicochemical Properties of Cocoa Powders and Powdered Cocoa Beverages purchased in Nigerian Supermarkets.

Cocoa powders (CPs) and powdered cocoa beverages (PCBs) are largely consumed as health and vitality drinks in Nigeria. In view of the recent reports that these food products supported bacterial growth, this study determined whether there could be definite relationship between viable bacterial counts and physicochemical properties of five brands of CPs and PCBs purchased from supermarkets in Ibadan and Lagos in South West, Nigeria. The pH and titratable acidity of the products were measured by using pH meter and colorimetric acidity titration respectively. The moisture contents were determined by drying method at 105ºC in oven and ash by mineralization at 550ºC using furnace. No definite type of relationship was established between viable bacterial counts and pH, titratable acidity (lactic acid, acetic acid), moisture and ash contents vis-à-vis powdery and granular natures of the cocoa food products. Only the two PCBs tightly packed in the polythene sachets had acceptable mean viable bacterial counts, which did not exceed 5.0 x 103 cfu/ml specified for cocoa powders in food industries. Also, only two of the five brands had acceptable moisture contents, which did not exceed the national specification of 3.10% for cocoa powders. Furthermore, the ash contents of all the brands exceeded the acceptable national specification of 2.60%. Significant variations (P<0.05) were obtained in the mean pH, titratable acidity, viable bacterial counts, moisture and ash contents within and between products containing only cocoa powders and those containing additives. In conclusion, the results from this study showed that the physicochemical properties of cocoa powders and powdered cocoa beverages could not be used to predict the viable bacterial counts of these food products

Genomic blueprints of sponge-prokaryote symbiosis are shared by low abundant and cultivatable Alphaproteobacteria

Marine sponges are early-branching, filter-feeding metazoans that usually host complex microbiomes comprised of several, currently uncultivatable symbiotic lineages. Here, we use a low-carbon based strategy to cultivate low-abundance bacteria from Spongia officinalis. This approach favoured the growth of Alphaproteobacteria strains in the genera Anderseniella, Erythrobacter, Labrenzia, Loktanella, Ruegeria, Sphingorhabdus, Tateyamaria and Pseudovibrio, besides two likely new genera in the Rhodobacteraceae family. Mapping of complete genomes against the metagenomes of S. officinalis, seawater, and sediments confirmed the rare status of all the above-mentioned lineages in the marine realm. Remarkably, this community of low-abundance Alphaproteobacteria possesses several genomic attributes common to dominant, presently uncultivatable sponge symbionts, potentially contributing to host fitness through detoxification mechanisms (e.g. heavy metal and metabolic waste removal, degradation of aromatic compounds), provision of essential vitamins (e.g. B6 and B12 biosynthesis), nutritional exchange (especially regarding the processing of organic sulphur and nitrogen) and chemical defence (e.g. polyketide and terpenoid biosynthesis). None of the studied taxa displayed signs of genome reduction, indicative of obligate mutualism. Instead, versatile nutrient metabolisms along with motility, chemotaxis, and tight-adherence capacities - also known to confer environmental hardiness - were inferred, underlying dual host-associated and free-living life strategies adopted by these diverse sponge-associated Alphaproteobacteria.PTDC/MAR-BIO/1547/2014; full PhD scholarship from the Erasmus Mundus Programme/SALAM EMA2 lot7/SALA1206422info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Global Update and Trends of Hidden Hunger, 1995-2011: The Hidden Hunger Index

Background Deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals–also termed hidden hunger–are pervasive and hold negative consequences for the cognitive and physical development of children. Methods This analysis evaluates the change in hidden hunger over time in the form of one composite indicator–the Hidden Hunger Index (HHI)–using an unweighted average of prevalence estimates from the Nutrition Impact Model Study for anemia due to iron deficiency, vitamin A deficiency, and stunting (used as a proxy indicator for zinc deficiency). Net changes from 1995–2011 and population weighted regional means for various time periods are measured. Findings Globally, hidden hunger improved (-6.7 net change in HHI) from 1995–2011. Africa was the only region to see a deterioration in hidden hunger (+1.9) over the studied time period; East Asia and the Pacific performed exceptionally well (-13.0), while other regions improved only slightly. Improvements in HHI were mostly due to reductions in zinc and vitamin A deficiencies, while anemia due to iron deficiency persisted and even increased. Interpretation This analysis is critical for informing and tracking the impact of policy and programmatic efforts to reduce micronutrient deficiencies, to advance the global nutrition agenda, and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). However, there remains an unmet need to invest in gathering frequent, nationally representative, high-quality micronutrient data as we renew our efforts to scale up nutrition, and as we enter the post-2015 development agenda. Funding Preparation of this manuscript was funded by Sight and Life. There was no funding involved in the study design, data collection, analysis, or decision to publish

Swine Feeding

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Food and nutrition security in Solomon Islands

This report is a literature review on Food and Nutrition Security in Solomon Islands, based on data from surveys conducted by Solomon Islands National Statistical Office, as well as from national and international organizations working in Solomon Islands. The purpose of the report is to present information outlining the current food and nutrition situation in Solomon Islands before implementation of the CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS), led by WorldFish. The aim of the AAS program is to enhance production in natural freshwater and/or coastal ecosystems to improve household livelihood, including income and food security. This report summarizes national statistics and also focuses in more detail on a subset of provinces: Guadalcanal, Malaita and Western. In 2012, the AAS program was rolled out in Guadalcanal, Central and Malaita Provinces, designated the Central Hub. In 2013, roll out is beginning in the Western Hub (Western and Isabel Provinces). The priority province for the Central Hub has been identified as Malaita

Leeds Edible Schools Sustainability Network

There is a growing interest in both urban agriculture and the issue of sustainability, as framed in terms of climate change, landscape, economic uncertainty and resource shortages, while issues around child health and wellbeing are increasingly causing concern. Education, especially in terms of sustainability teaching and the production of food by schools on school premises is key. The Leeds Edible Schools Sustainability Network is, at this date, an un-constituted, informal group of organisations and academics, all based or active within the Leeds district, who share core values around the wellbeing and sustainability agenda and who are all, in various ways, involved in supporting educational establishments and related organisations in the growing (often on school premises) and consumption of local food, the promotion of resilient and healthy practices, including outdoor work and teaching about healthy school food, and the development of effective education around the topic of sustainability

Vitamin C

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is one of the most common and essential vitamins. Due to its protective role, the supplementation of vitamin C becomes a must especially during the higher pollution levels. A day after day, scientists and researchers discover new functions for vitamin C. It was and still one of the cheapest treatment modalities that could preserve and protect human beings from infections, toxification, autoimmune diseases and cancer development. The role of vitamin C in providing better esthetics exhibits great importance. Its role as anti-aging agent preserves skin color and texture. Although it is not naturally synthesized in our bodies, our food is entirely rich of it

The Potential of Seaweeds as a Source of Functional Ingredients of Prebiotic and Antioxidant Value

Two thirds of the world is covered by oceans, whose upper layer is inhabited by algae. This means that there is a large extension to obtain these photoautotrophic organisms. Algae have undergone a boom in recent years, with consequent discoveries and advances in this field. Algae are not only of high ecological value but also of great economic importance. Possible applications of algae are very diverse and include anti-biofilm activity, production of biofuels, bioremediation, as fertilizer, as fish feed, as food or food ingredients, in pharmacology (since they show antioxidant or contraceptive activities), in cosmeceutical formulation, and in such other applications as filters or for obtaining minerals. In this context, algae as food can be of help to maintain or even improve human health, and there is a growing interest in new products called functional foods, which can promote such a healthy state. Therefore, in this search, one of the main areas of research is the extraction and characterization of new natural ingredients with biological activity (e.g., prebiotic and antioxidant) that can contribute to consumers? well-being. The present review shows the results of a bibliographic survey on the chemical composition of macroalgae, together with a critical discussion about their potential as natural sources of new functional ingredients.Fil: Gomez Zavaglia, Andrea. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; ArgentinaFil: Prieto Lage, Miguel Ángel. Universidad de Vigo; EspañaFil: Jiménez López, Cecilia. Universidad de Vigo.; EspañaFil: Mejuto, Juan Carlos. Universidad de Vigo. Facultad de Ciencias de Ourense; EspañaFil: Simal Gándara, Jesús. Universidad de Vigo; Españ