Neoliberalizing food safety and the 2008 Canadian listeriosis outbreak

This paper examines evidence regarding neoliberalization of the social organization of Canadian food safety from a series of documents produced in response to the Canadian listeriosis outbreak in 2008. The outbreak is described, then interpreted within a neoliberal context, where: (1) neoliberalism operates as an ideology (2) that enables a socio-political and economic strategy within (3) a project pursued by coalitions seeking to consolidate power through (4) a process of neoliberalization. Following Gramsci’s work on power, it is argued that food safety serves as an attractor, organizing consent within a neoliberal context. Testimony before a parliamentary subcommittee, official reviews, an independent investigation, food inspection records, and media reports have been examined to identify the key factors associated with the outbreak and the process of neoliberalization. The events associated with the outbreak are described first, as activities and practices in organizational settings (governance, sanitation, and production), and secondly, as components in a food production network where consent is organized around food safety.     

A comparison of the cytobrush and uterine lavage techniques to evaluate endometrial cytology in clinically normal postpartum dairy cows

This study compares cytobrush and lavage techniques for the assessment of endometrial cytology (EC) in clinically normal postpartum dairy cows. The EC samples were collected from Holstein cows (n = 35) during visit 1 (V1) at 20 to 33 d in milk (DIM) and 2 wk later during visit 2 (V2) at 34 to 47 DIM by using both techniques. A minimum of 100 cells were counted to determine the percentage of cells that were neutrophils (%PMN). The mean %PMN was significantly different between the techniques at V1 (P = 0.001), but not at V2 (P = 0.474). Overall, the %PM N decreased with time postpartum (r2 = 0.36; P = 0.001), but not within V1 (P > 0.05) or V2 (P > 0.1). Uterine diameter was negatively correlated with fluid recovery by the lavage technique (r2 = 0.41; P = 0.002). The mean %PMN was not influenced by the volume of fluid recovered in successful attempts, but 17% (12/70) of attempts yielded no fluid. In conclusion, the cytobrush technique is a consistent and reliable method for obtaining endometrial samples for cystologic examination from postpartum dairy cows.     

Marsh Soils as Potential Sinks for Bacteroides Fecal Indicator Bacteria,Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge,Georgetown, SC,USA

A soil core collected in a tidal freshwater marsh in the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge (Georgetown, SC) exuded a particularly strong odor of cow manure upon extrusion. In order to test for manure and determine its provenance, we carried out microbial source tracking using DNA markers for Bacteroides, a noncoliform, anaerobic bacterial group that represents a large proportion spectrum of the fecal population. Three core sections from 0–3 cm, 9–12 cm, and 30–33 cm were analyzed for the presence of Bacteroides. The ages of core sediments were estimated using ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs dating. All three core sections tested positive for Bacteroides DNA markers related to cow or deer feces. Because cow manure is stockpiled, used as fertilizer, and a source of direct contamination in the Great Pee Dee River/Winyah Bay watershed, it is very likely the source of the Bacteroides that was deposited on the marsh. The mid-points of the core sections were dated as follows: 0–3 cm, 2009; 9–12 cm, 1999, and 30–33 cm, 1961. The presence of Bacteroides at different depths/ages in the soil profile indicates that soils in tidal freshwater marshes are, at the least, capable of being short-term sinks for Bacteroides and, may have the potential to be long-term sinks of stable, naturalized populations.

     

Efficacy of monensin sodium for the reduction of fecal shedding of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in infected dairy cattle

Reducing the quantity of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) being shed by cows with Johne's disease should decrease the risk of spread of this disease to young stock. Previous work has suggested that monensin sodium decreases the pathologic lesions associated with Johne's disease, but the impact on shedding of viable MAP remains unknown. After serologic screening of 32 dairy herds in southwestern Ontario, 228 cows from 13 of these herds were enrolled into a randomized clinical trial. Fecal culture and PCR were used to identify 114 cows as potential fecal shedders, while another 114 cows were enrolled as ELISA negative, herd and parity matched controls. All cows were randomized to receive either a monensin controlled release capsule (CRC) or a placebo capsule. Serial fecal and blood samples were collected for fecal culture and serum ELISA testing over a 98-day period. On day 98 of the study, treatments were switched for all cows continuing in the trial. These remaining cows were followed for another 98 days with a similar sampling protocol. Mixed effect models were used to measure the impact of treatment on the number of colony forming units identified on fecal cultures over time. During the first 98 days of the study, cows treated with a monensin CRC were found to shed 3.4 cfu per tube less than placebo treated cows (P = 0.05). The serum ELISA S/P ratio was reduced by 1.39 units in cows given monensin (P = 0.06). However, treatment with monensin did not reduce the odds of testing positive on serology. Only the cows shedding MAP on day 0 were found to have a reduced odds of testing positive on fecal culture when treated with monensin (OR = 0.27; P = 0.03). Monensin sodium administered to infected animals at 335 mg/day marginally reduced fecal shedding of MAP in mature dairy cattle, but the biological significance of this reduction is unknown.     

Marcy: A chipping variety with resistance to common scab and the golden nematode

‘Marcy’ is a white-skinned, white-fleshed potato cultivar notable for its high yield, good chip color, and resistance to common scab and race Ro1 of the golden cyst nematode. It was selected from a cross made at Cornell University in 1990 between ‘Atlantic’ and Q155-3. Full-season marketable yields of Marcy have averaged 15% to 20% greater than Atlantic in 83 trials across New York, Maine, and Pennsylvania. Specific gravity of Marcy has averaged 0.008 less than Atlantic. Chip color out of 7 C storage in New York has been similar to ‘Pike’, but not as light as ‘Snowden’. Marcy tubers have an attractive oval shape, shallow eyes, and highly textured skin. Marcy was jointly released by the New York and Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Stations in 2002.     

Development of a high-throughput field phenotyping rover optimized for size-limited breeding fields as open-source hardware

Phenotyping is a critical process in plant breeding, especially when there is an increasing demand for streamlining a selection process in a breeding program. Since manual phenotyping has limited efficiency, high-throughput phenotyping methods are recently popularized owing to progress in sensor and image processing technologies. However, in a size-limited breeding field, which is common in Japan and other Asian countries, it is challenging to introduce large machinery in the field or fly unmanned aerial vehicles over the field. In this study, we developed a ground-based high-throughput field phenotyping rover that could be easily introduced to a field regardless of the scale and location of the field even without special facilities. We also made the field rover open-source hardware, making its system available to public for easy modification, so that anyone can build one for their own use at a low cost. The trial run of the field rover revealed that it allowed the collection of detailed remote-sensing images of plants and quantitative analyses based on the images. The results suggest that the field rover developed in this study could allow efficient phenotyping of plants especially in a small breeding field.     

蚕蛹油等7种油脂对吉富罗非鱼生长、体组成及脂质代谢影响的比较

为研究蚕蛹油在吉富罗非鱼饲料中应用的可行性,在饲料中分别添加5.0%的蚕蛹油(SPO)、海水鱼油(MFO)、罗非鱼油(TO)、猪油(PL)、鸡油(CO)、亚麻籽油(LO)和大豆油(SO),配制成7种等氮等脂实验饲料,饲喂初始均重为(47.51±0.52)g的实验鱼。每个处理设置3个重复,每个重复放鱼20尾,进行56 d的养殖实验。结果显示,罗非鱼终末均重、增重率和特定生长率均为LO和SO组显著高于SPO和MFO组,与TO、PL和CO组差异不显著。饲料系数SPO组显著高于除MFO组外的其余各组,而蛋白质效率与之相反。摄食量SPO组最低,SO组最高。TO组罗非鱼脏体比、体长/体高和腹脂率均为最低,而肥满度最高。肝体比PL组显著高于除LO组外的其他各组。腹脂率MFO组显著高于除CO组外的其余各组。同其他组相比,SPO可降低罗非鱼全鱼、组织粗脂肪及血清甘油三酯(TG)、葡萄糖和丙二醛的含量;MFO可降低全鱼粗脂肪的含量和提高肝脏乙酰辅酶A羧化酶(ACC)的活性;PL组罗非鱼血清TG和总胆固醇(TC)含量均较低,而肝脏肉碱脂酰转移酶-I和ACC活性均较高;CO组血清TG、TC、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)含量和谷草转氨酶活性均为最高;LO和SO可显著提高罗非鱼对饲料脂肪的沉积率和全鱼、肌肉粗脂肪的含量,SO还可显著提高血清高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)和降低LDL-C、TC的含量;SPO、LO和SO可分别显著提高罗非鱼肌肉中高不饱和脂肪酸、α-亚麻酸和亚油酸的含量。研究表明,SPO作为吉富罗非鱼饲料的单一脂肪源,虽会影响其生长性能,但具有降体脂、血脂和血糖,保护鱼体健康和优化肌肉脂肪酸组成等优点。     

Possibility for decreasing of mercury content in bluefin tuna <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thunnus orientalis</Emphasis> by fish culture

ABSTRACT:   The bluefin tuna tested were reared for 22 months from eggs before the beginning of the experiment, and sampling was performed every 3 months over the following year. The experimental results showed that the mercury concentration in the muscle ranged from 0.32 to 0.85 μg/g, which is lower than that found in wild bluefin tuna of a similar size. Increase in the mercury concentration corresponding to the increase in body weight was not shown, and it was quite different with wild bluefin tuna. Furthermore, no significant relationship was found between the lipid concentration and the mercury concentration in muscle. Among the internal organs of cultured bluefin tuna, the heart (0.32–0.66 μg/g), liver (0.43–0.99 μg/g) and spleen (0.59–1.0 μg/g) contained higher concentrations of mercury. It was estimated that the full-cycle cultured bluefin tuna had been fed small fish containing lower concentrations of mercury, and that the mercury concentration of tuna would be almost equal throughout the year because the effect of mercury accumulation would be weakened by body growth. Therefore, it was concluded that selecting diet fish species might decrease mercury contents in cultured bluefin tuna.