A. Ariño

Salmonella incidence and distribution of serotypes throughout processing in a Spanish poultry slaughterhouse

A survey of contamination with Salmonella spp. was done at 11 sampling sites in a poultry slaughter establishment in Spain for a total of 192 samples. Samples included fecal material, utensils, water, and poultry carcasses and livers at several stages of processing. Salmonella incidence rates increased from 30% in fecal material collected from incoming birds to 60% in air-chilled carcasses and 80% in cold-stored livers, indicating that cross-contamination occurred. The rate of incidence of Salmonella organisms on carcasses averaged 56.7% through post-picking to post-air chilling and reached a maximum of 70% on carcasses at the post-spray wash site. Poultry livers were more heavily contaminated with salmonellae, as 55% and 80% samples after evisceration and cold storage, respectively, were positive for those pathogenic bacteria. From a total of 112 strains isolated, 87 (77.6%) were S. enteritidis , 7 (6.2%) Salmonella serotype 4,5,12:b:-(II), and 6 (5.4%) Salmonella serotype 4,12:b:-(II), and the remaining 12 strains were equally distributed among S. typhimurium . S. virchow , and S. blockley (3.6% each). Serotypes isolated from feces were later detected in matched carcasses and livers indicating a cross-contamination of carcasses by endogenous microflora in bird feces. The incidence of Salmonella serotype 4,5, 12:b:-(II) and that of S. typhimurium were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in samples obtained prior to evisceration than in those collected after that particular step. The situation with S. enteritidis was quite the reverse, since this serotype was more frequently detected in samples taken after the evisceration step (P < 0.01).

Quality evaluation of Spanish rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) honey

The qualities of 27 samples of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) honey from Aragon (Spain) was evaluated. Most samples showed a proper maturity considering the low moisture content. The low electrical conductivity and ash content were typical of pale honeys. Optical rotation was mostly levorotatory except for four samples with high sucrose content. Since the hydroxymethyl-furfural content was low and the diastase activity was high, a good freshness was estimated. The total acidity (below 40 meq/kg) indicated absence of undesirable fermentation; additionally the mean pH around 3·70 is usual in this kind of honey. The fructose/glucose ratio was 1·17 ± 0·01 and sucrose content averaged 1·97 ± 0·27%. The analysis of sediment showed a very low honeydew indication which explains the low trisaccharide content found in the samples by GC-FID quantitation.

Physicochemical attributes and pollen spectrum of some unifloral Spanish honeys

In the present work a total of 19 unifloral Spanish honeys were studied and botanically typified: willow (Salix sp.), sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.), chickweed (Hypecoum sp.), crucifer (Brassica type), fruiter (Prunus sp.), thyme (Thymus sp.), blueweed (Echium sp.), spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia Med.), French lavender (Lavandula stoechas L.), and vetch (Vicia sativa L.). Unifloral honeys were considered as such whenever the dominant pollen was found at over 45% of total pollen, except for lavender and thyme types of honey where a finding above 15% of Lavandula or Thymus pollen, respectively, was enough to typify them. All samples were organoleptically examined and the following determinations were carried out: moisture, optical rotation, electrical conductivity, ash, hydroxymethylfurfural, diastase activity, pH, acidity (free, lactone, and total) and carbohydrate composition. These samples were found to meet all major national and international honey specifications.

Anthropometric measurements in both sides of the body in the assessment of nutritional status in prepubertal children

Objective: To analyze the impact of choosing the left or the right side of the body on the anthropometric measurements and derived nutritional indices, in prepubertal children.Design: Cross-sectional pilot nutrition survey.Setting: General prepubertal school-age population.Subjects: One-hundred and sixty-four children (97 boys and 67 girls) aged 7–9 y.Interventions: None.Results: The agreement between anthropometric measurements in both sides of the body showed that in males and in females, suprailiac skinfold thickness and arm circumference were significantly higher in the left than in the right side of the body. The agreement between body composition assessed by anthropometric measurements in both sides of the body showed that only in males was arm muscle area significantly higher in the left than in the right side, and arm fat percentage was higher in the right than in the left side of the body. Total body fat percentage calculated from skinfold thickness did not show statistically significant differences when skinfolds were obtained in the both sides of the body, either in boys and in girls.Conclusions: Our results show that differences between the sides of the body were lower than the technical error of measurement of the anthropometric measurements obtained and seem not to be biologically significant in this age group. It is necessary to standardize the method of anthropometric assessment of the nutritional status in terms of body side.Sponsorship: Universidad de Zaragoza (216-17).

Natural Occurrence of Fusarium Species, Fumonisin Production by Toxigenic Strains, and Concentrations of Fumonisins B1 and B2 in Conventional and Organic Maize Grown in Spain

Sixty samples of corn from both conventional and organic farms were tested for internal fungal contamination. Molds were identified to genus, and those belonging to the genus Fusarium were identified to species. Twenty isolates of Fusarium verticillioides were tested with a high-performance liquid chromatography-naphthalene dicarboxaldehyde-fluorescence method for their ability to produce fumonisins B1 and B2. The internal fungal infection in organic maize (63.20%) was significantly higher than that in conventional maize (40.27%) (P < 0.05). However, the distribution of fungal genera indicated a significantly higher prevalence of Fusarium in conventional (34.93%) than in organic (18.15%) maize, making Fusarium the predominant fungus in conventional maize. This difference in mold distribution between organic and conventional maize was attributed to the difference in cultivation system. The dominant Fusarium species in both conventional and organic samples was F. verticillioides. There were no significant differences in the ability of 20 selected isolates of F. verticillioides to produce fumonisins on conventional or organic corn. Up to 13.3% of the conventional corn samples contained fumonisins B1 and B2 at mean concentrations of 43 and 22 ng/g, respectively. Organic corn samples had somewhat lower levels of contamination: 35 ng/g fumonisin B1 and 19 ng/g fumonisin B2 (P > 0.05). The organic farming system, with well-balanced crop rotation, tillage, and compost fertilization, produced corn that was less likely to be contaminated with Fusarium species, although no significant difference in fumonisin concentrations was found between the two types of contaminated corn.

High Prevalence of Multiple Resistance to Antibiotics in 144 Listeria Isolates from Spanish Dairy and Meat Products

The resistance to 12 commonly used antimicrobial agents of 144 foodborne isolates belonging to the genus Listeria (23 L. monocytogenes , 54 L. innocua , 66 L. seeligeri , and 1 L. welshimeri ) was tested by using the agar disc-diffusion assay. The Listeria strains were isolated from dairy products (different varieties of unripened fresh and bacteria-ripened hard cheeses made from ewes, cows, and goats milk) and meat products ( longaniza , a type of pork sausage). A total of 84 (93%) and 54 (100%) Listeria strains isolated from cheese and pork sausage, respectively, were resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents. More than 80% of the Listeria strains of both food origins were found to be susceptible to penicillin G and ampicillin, whereas the proportion of isolates resistant to the cephalosporins cefotaxime and cefoxitin was nearly 100%. The prevalence of resistance was much higher for isolates from pork sausage (73.8% on average) than for isolates from cheese (20.9%). This marked difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05; chi-square test) for all antibiotics except ampicillin, cefotaxime, and cefoxitin. The strains of the foodborne pathogen L. monocytogenes isolated from cheese were all susceptible to 9 of the 12 antimicrobial agents evaluated. In contrast, more than 80% of the L. monocytogenes strains isolated from pork sausage exhibited resistance to cefotaxime, cefoxitin, tobramycin, amikacin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, and erythromycin. The appearance of substantial resistance to antibiotics in foodborne Listeria isolates suggests the need for more prudent use of antibiotics by farmers, veterinarians, and physicians.

Influence of Agricultural Practices on the Contamination of Maize by Fumonisin Mycotoxins

The objective of the present work was to investigate the effect of different agricultural practices on the contamination of maize by fumonisin mycotoxins. Corn samples were collected from 16 maize fields located in Aragón (northeastern Spain) during the 2007 crop year. Corn samples were collected from each field five times at different maturation stages: F1, day 0 (milky corn); F2, day 15; F3, day 30 (yellow corn); F4, day 45; and F5, ripe corn at harvest. The agricultural practices evaluated were type of seed (conventional and transgenic), planting method (dry and wet planting), tillage system (plowing and minimum tillage), type of irrigation (flood and sprinkler), residue management of preceding crop (removal and burial), nitrogen fertilization level (kg N per ha), and harvest date. Mycotoxin analysis was carried out with the ROSA Fumonisin test, which measures both fumonisin B1 and B2 by lateral flow immunoassay. No fumonisins were detected in milky corn (F1 and F2 stages). Only one field had fumonisins in F3 yellow corn (1,037 microg/kg); this field was part of the only farm affected by borer insects. One-third of fields had fumonisins at the F4 stage (363 microg/kg), and 62.5% of the fields were positive for fumonisins at the F5 harvest stage (520 microg/kg). Wet planting and the removal of debris from the previous crop significantly lowered the risk of fumonisin in corn. The use of insect-resistant maize seeds tended to reduce fumonisin levels. However, higher levels of nitrogen fertilizer had a tendency to increase fumonisin levels in corn. Tillage system, type of irrigation, and harvest date had no clear effect on fumonisin levels.

Aflatoxin M1 contamination in cow and buffalo milk samples from the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Punjab provinces of Pakistan

A total of 178 milk samples (94 of buffalo and 84 of cow) were randomly taken from Punjab and the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan (n = 89 in each province) and analysed for the presence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) by HPLC-FLD. From Punjab about 46% of buffalos and 49% of cows milks were contaminated with AFM1 as compared with 52% and 51% for milk samples from NWFP, respectively. Overall, the mean AFM1 concentration was 0.046 µg kg−1 with a maximum of 0.350 µg kg−1. All samples complied with the Codex Alimentarius limit of 0.50 µg kg−1 for AFM1 in milk, but 16.3% of samples exceeded the European Union maximum level of 0.05 µg kg−1. Another set of 415 buffalos and cows milk samples (213 morning milks and 202 evening milks) were analysed. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences (p < 0.05) between mean AFM1 concentrations in milk during the morning (0.043 µg kg−1) and the evening (0.028 µg kg−1) lactation times.

Fungal colonization of corn grown in Nebraska in relation to year, genotype and growing conditions

Kernels of several corn hybrids, grown in test plots and harvested in 1990 and 1991, were assayed for internal fungal infection on DGl8 and CZID agars. Acremonium spp. And Fusarium spp. were the predominant fungi isolated from the kernels. Fusarium moniliforme was the Fusarium spp. most frequently detected (nearly 80% of isolates), followed by Fusarium proliferatum (c.a. 15% of isolates). Fusarium subglutinans , Fusarium gaminearum and other Fusarium spp. showed very low frequencies of isolation. Corn harvested in 1990 and analyzed after 1-year storage showed higher infection by Fusarium spp. than corn collected in 1991. The incidence of Acremonium spp. and Fusarium spp. differed significantly (p<0.01) among corn hybrids, and consistently higher kernel colonization by Fusarium spp. occurred in corn hybrids planted in dry-land plots.

Estimation of dietary intake of ochratoxin A from liquorice confectionery

Ochratoxin A (OTA) was analyzed from 44 liquorice confectionery samples using immunoaffinity cleanup and liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection. The presence of OTA was confirmed by methyl-ester derivatization. Liquorice confectionery samples were purchased from different retail outlets and supermarkets in Spain during 2007-2008, 16 of hard candies and 28 of soft candies. The incidence of OTA varied between 75% and 39% and mean ranged from 2.96 to 0.34 microg/kg for hard and soft candies, respectively. Assuming a total mean value of 1.29 microg OTA/kg sweet and a consumption of about 1.2g liquorice sweets per day, an OTA weekly uptake of 11 ng was obtained, or, based on a total body weight of 30 kg for a child consuming these sweets regularly, a weekly intake of 0.37 ng/kg body weight. This corresponds to 0.31% of the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) established by the European Food Safety Authority based of toxicological studies. Risk assessment in a worst case scenario (children high consumers and maximum content of OTA) represented 8.94% TWI by liquorice confectionery alone.