The influence of gender and group membership on food safety: the case of meat sellers in Bodija market, Ibadan, Nigeria

We describe a study to assess the bacteriological quality and safety of meat in Bodija market in Ibadan and to investigate the influence of gender and group membership on food safety. Mixed methods were used to gather information on meat safety and related socioeconomic factors. These methods included a participatory urban appraisal, focus group discussions with eight butchers' associations, in depth discussions with six key informants, a questionnaire study of 269 meat sellers and a cross-sectional survey of meat quality (200 samples from ten associations). We found that slaughter, processing and sale of beef meat take place under unhygienic conditions. The activities involve both men and women, with some task differentiation by gender. Meat sold by association members is of unacceptable quality. However, some groups have consistently better quality meat and this is positively correlated with the proportion of women members. Women also have significantly better food safety practice than men, though there was no significant difference in their knowledge of and attitude towards food safety. Most meat sellers (85?%) reported being ill in the last 2?weeks and 47?% reported experiencing gastrointestinal illness. Eating beef, eating chicken, eating offal, consuming one's own products and belonging to a group with poor quality of meat were all strong and significant predictors of self-reported gastrointestinal illness. We include that gender and group membership influence meat quality and self-reported gastrointestinal illness and that butchers' associations are promising entry points for interventions to improve food safety.     

Evaluating a group-based intervention to improve the safety of meat in Bodija Market,Ibadan, Nigeria

We evaluated a group-based, participatory training intervention to improve food safety among meat processors and retailers in Bodija Market, Ibadan, Nigeria. An interactive training workshop was held for Butchers Associations’ representatives who were selected to pass on information and training to their group. Meat hygiene knowledge, attitude and practice was assessed before attending the workshop and afterwards (n = 63). It was also assessed for those who did not attend the workshop (n = 68) but were intended recipients of training through their association. Microbiological quality of meat was assessed before and after the workshop (n = 400 samples). After the workshop, participants significantly improved knowledge, attitude and practice in key food safety aspects; specifically, understanding sources of contamination and food-borne diseases, use of bleach and disinfectant and hand washing. Participants also shared information with an average of 18 other group members and improvements were seen in group members who did not attend the workshop but received training through their Butchers Association. Microbiological quality of meat sold also significantly improved after the intervention. In conclusion, participatory, group-based methods targeted at meat processors and retailers can improve meat hygiene knowledge, attitude and practice as well as the microbiological quality and hence safety of meat.

     

Multi-level approach for the analysis of water effects in corn flakes

The purpose of this work was to analyze the effect of water on thermal transitions, mechanical properties, and molecular mobility in corn flakes (CF), and their relationships. Commercial common (CCF) and sugar-frosted (SCF) corn flakes were studied in a water content (wc) range from 5 to 20 (% dry basis). The slope of (1)H NMR spin-spin relaxation time T 2* (determined by FID) versus temperature plot changed close to T g. Compression force showed a maximum at wc of ca. 12 and 16% (db) for SCF and CCF, respectively. (1)H NMR complemented DSC data in determining the temperature dependence of water and solid mobility, in order to assess quality of laminated corn products. The results of the present work indicate that while the compression force showed a maximum value as a function of water content, T g values determined by DSC or by spin-spin relaxation decreased progressively with increasing water content.     

Pinch-induced behavioral inhibition ('clipnosis') in domestic cats

Research has documented immobilization of rodents, rabbits, guinea pigs and dogs by mechanical means, typically using neck clips or inversion ('animal hypnosis'). In contrast, only a few studies of mechanical immobilization of cats are available, although some success has been reported in the literature. Domestic cats may be effectively immobilized by clips placed along the animal's dorsum. We use the term 'pinch-induced behavioral inhibition' (PIBI) for this behavior because it describes both the method and the response, while avoiding the more anthropomorphic term 'hypnosis'. We investigated the effectiveness of PIBI and its neurological and habituation effects in healthy cats and cats with idiopathic cystitis (IC). Although not all cats were susceptible to PIBI and effectiveness varied among individuals, PIBI was useful for gentle restraint in most cats.     

Genotyping canine distemper virus (CDV) by a hemi-nested multiplex PCR provides a rapid approach for investigation of CDV outbreaks

CDV is a highly contagious viral pathogen causing a lethal systemic disease in dogs and other carnivores. Several lineages or genotypes of CDV exist that are variously distributed throughout several continents. Legal or uncontrolled trading of animals may modify the epidemiology of CDV, introducing novel strains in CDV-na?ve areas or accounting for the resurgence of CDV in areas where vaccine prophylaxis was effective and successful to control the disease. A hemi-nested PCR system was developed to genotype strains of the major CDV lineages, America-1, Europe, Asia-1, Asia-2 and Arctic. The assay was tested using a collection of 27 laboratory and vaccine strains and of 36 field CDV strains. Distinct lineages could be differentiated by specific primers targeted to the H gene. The method could be useful for molecular epidemiological studies of CDV, providing a tool for large-scale studies, and for the diagnosis of vaccine-related disease.     

Functional roles of root plasticity and its contribution to water uptake and dry matter production of CSSLs with the genetic background of KDML105 under soil moisture fluctuation

Soil moisture fluctuation (SMF) stress due to erratic rainfall in rainfed lowland (RFL) rice ecosystems negatively affect production. Under such condition, root plasticity is one of the key traits that play important roles for plant adaptation. This study aimed to evaluate root plasticity expression and its functional roles in water uptake, dry matter production and yield under SMF using three chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) with major genetic background of KDML105 and a common substituted segment in chromosome 8. The CSSLs showed greater shoot dry matter production than KDML105 under SMF, which was attributed to the maintenance of stomatal conductance resulting in higher grain yield. The root system development based on total root length of the CSSLs were significantly higher than that of KDML105 due to the promoted production of nodal and lateral roots. These results implied that the common substituted segments in chromosome 8 of the 3 CSSLs may be responsible for the expression of their root plasticity under SMF and contributed to the increase in water uptake and consequently dry matter production and yield. These CSSLs could be used as a good source of genetic material for drought resistance breeding programs targeting rainfed lowland condition with fluctuating soil moisture environments and for further genetic studies to elucidate mechanisms underlying root plasticity.     

Multi-electrode 3D resistivity imaging of alfalfa root zone

Information on the amount and spatial distribution of plant roots is increasingly needed for understanding and managing crop behaviour. Soil electrical resistivity (ρ) tomography has been proposed as a non-destructive method for root biomass quantification and mapping in trees but evidence is needed on the applicability of the technique at low root density and in herbaceous plants.We produced high-resolution 3D DC soil resistivity tomograms in containers with bare soil (B), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) (A1) on a silt loam soil, and alfalfa on a loam (A2). Root biomass (RMD), root length density (RLD), soil electrical conductivity (EC) and water content (θ) were measured destructively.The pattern of soil resistivity matched the spatial distribution of θ in bare soil and of RMD in rooted soil. Univariate linear relations were found between ρ and θ in bare soil and between ρ, RLD and RMD in rooted soil. Across all data RMD and soil texture (P < 0.01) explained a high proportion of variability in soil resistivity.This allows to conclude that soil resistivity is quantitatively related to root biomass in herbaceous plants even at low root density (biomass < 0.001 Mg m⁻³), providing a basis for the development of resistivity-founded methods for the non-destructive spatial detection of root mass in situ, but the response in ρ is of the same order of magnitude as the effects of grain size and water content. Therefore in field studies reciprocal masking of low-density roots and other soil features is possible, and the effect of variation in other soil properties should be explicitly addressed.     

Low Water Tensions in Defined Growth Stages of Processing Tomato Plants and their Effects on Yield and Quality

In drip irrigation experiments where water was applied daily it was found that low water tensions could be maintained in the soil to a range of 10 to 20 centibars and that these conditions had a considerable influence on yield and quality of processing tomatoes, Lycopersicon esculentum cv VF 317. The response of the plant in different growth stages to low soil water tensions was studied. Irrigation during the period of fruit set and fruit development was found to increase yield levels by 53 t ha^-1 compared with non-irrigated plants. Irrigation applied only during the period of fruit development had a favourable influence on yield as well as on the efficiency of water utilization. However, irrigation at this stage had an unfavourable influence on fruit quality characteristics, namely, total soluble solids, acidity, viscosity and vitamin C. The effects of irrigation on fruit set and fruit development are discussed.     

Validation of an ELISA method for the serological diagnosis of canine brucellosis due to Brucella canis

In the present study, the validation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for serodiagnosis of canine brucellosis is described. Two different antigenic extracts, obtained by heat or ultrasonic homogenization of microbial antigens from a wild isolate of Brucella canis bacteria, were compared by ELISA and Western blot (WB). A total of 145 canine sera were used to define sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the ELISA as follows: (1) sera from 34 animals with natural B. canis infection, confirmed by blood culture and PCR, as well as 51 sera samples from healthy dogs with negative results by the agar–gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test for canine brucellosis, were used as the control panel for B. canis infection; and (2) to scrutinize the possibility of cross reactions with other common dog infections in the same geographical area in Brazil, 60 sera samples from dogs harboring known infections by Leptospira sp., Ehrlichia canis, canine distemper virus (CDV), Neospora caninum, Babesia canis and Leishmania chagasi (10 in each group) were included in the study. The ELISA using heat soluble bacterial extract (HE-antigen) as antigen showed the best values of sensitivity (91.18%), specificity (100%) and accuracy (96.47%). In the WB analyses, the HE-antigen showed no cross-reactivity with sera from dogs with different infections, while the B. canis sonicate had various protein bands identified by those sera. The performance of the ELISA standardized with the heat soluble B. canis antigen indicates that this assay can be used as a reliable and practical method to confirm infection by this microorganism, as well as a tool for seroepidemiological studies.