Daisy Pontes Netto

Hazards in non-pasteurized milk on retail sale in Brazil: prevalence of Salmonella spp, Listeria monocytogenes and chemical residues

A instabilidade do mercado de leite no Brasil forca pequenos produtores de leite a procurar alternativas de comercio de sua producao, o que inclui a venda de leite cru para individuos que dao preferencia a esse tipo de leite. Considerando a importância desse mercado e os conhecidos riscos a saude que o consumo de leite cru pode representar, este estudo avaliou a qualidade microbiologica e a presenca de Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., residuos de cloretos, antimicrobianos e inseticidas (organofosforados e carbamatos) em leite cru produzido em 210 propriedades leiteiras localizadas em quatro importantes estados produtores de leite no Brasil (Parana, Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais e Rio Grande do Sul). Em 66% das propriedades selecionadas, a ordenha era manual. Em 33% a ordenha era semi-automatica (ordenha mecânica balde ao pe) e em apenas 1% o sistema de ordenha e armazenamento era totalmente mecânico (sistema fechado). Todas as amostras de leite cru foram negativas para L. monocytogenes, Salmonella spp e residuos de cloretos. As contagens de aerobios mesofilos foram superiores a 105 UFC/mL em 75,7% das amostras. Em 80,4%, as contagens de coliformes foram superiores a 102 UFC/mL. Escherichia coli foi detectada em 36,8% das amostras. Inseticidas e residuos de antibioticos foram observados em 74,4% e 11,5% das amostras, respectivamente. Niveis inaceitaveis de microrganismos indicadores de higiene, inseticidas e residuos de antibioticos foram considerados fatores de risco mais importantes que os dois patogenos estudados.

Organofosforados e carbamatos no leite produzido em quatro regiões leiteiras no Brasil: ocorrência e ação sobre Listeria monocytogenes e Salmonella spp.

Chemical residues may be present in foods due to contamination in early stages of production, posing a potential risk to consumers. Organophosphates and carbamates are used in the control of parasites in animals and may generate residues in foods derived from these animals, like milk. This study aimed to survey the presence of these two pesticides in raw milk samples collected in four important milk-producing regions in Brazil and observe any possible relationship between presence of these compounds and the previously reported absence of Listeria monocytogenes e Salmonella spp. in the same milk samples. Organophosphates and/or carbamates were detected in 196 (93.8%) out of 209 samples. For evaluation of the interference of these products on detection of L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp., 28 milk samples containing these pesticides were boiled for 10 minutes, added of the pathogens, and their multiplication was monitored during storage at 4 °C and 25 °C. No significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed in the growth of these pathogens in the milk samples when compared to negative controls, indicating absence of interference of the compounds on the detection of L. monocytogenes or Salmonella spp. However, the high frequency of raw milk samples containing organophosphates and/or carbamates poses a potential health problem to the consumers, even after heat treatment of the milk.

Aflatoxin M1 in the urine of non-carriers and chronic carriers of hepatitis B virus in Maringa, Brazil

Exposure to aflatoxins (AFs) in the diet may favour the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the acute exacerbation of hepatitis in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers. Measurement of biomarkers such as aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), a metabolite of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), in urine allows for the assessment of populations exposed to aflatoxins. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of aflatoxin M1 in the urine of HBV carrier and non-carrier patients. One group included 43 randomly selected HBV carriers treated at two hospitals in the city of Maringa, Brazil, from March to June 2008. Control group consisted of 29 healthy adult volunteers with anti-HBs positive and HBsAg negative test results. Detection of AFM1 was performed by fluorescence using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and post-column derivation with the Kobra Cell®. Of the 72 samples analysed, 05/29 (17.2%) AFM1 positive samples were from HBV non-carriers, and 16/43 (37.2%) of samples were from chronic HBV carriers. This study showed AFM1 in the urine of the two surveyed population. However, there is evidence that the chronic HBV carriers have a higher risk of developing HCC due to additive interaction between AFs and HBV.

Determination of presence and quantification of cadmium, lead and copper in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fillets obtained from three cold storage plants in the state of Parana, Brazil

A piscicultura e uma atividade economica em pleno crescimento no Estado do Parana/Brasil, sendo a tilapia-do-nilo (Oreochromis niloticus) uma das principais especies de peixe cultivadas no Estado. A tilapia, alem de ser um alimento rico, e um importante indicador de contaminacao ambiental. O trabalho objetivou a analise dos files de tilapia para averiguacao de contaminacao pelos metais cadmio, cobre e chumbo, e a comparacao dos valores encontrados com legislacoes internacionais. Foram coletadas 135 amostras de files de tilapia, entre julho de 2006 e maio de 2007, de tres frigorificos de peixe localizados nas regioes oeste e norte do Estado do Parana. As amostras foram analisadas, utilizando-se a espectrofotometria de absorcao atomica, para averiguar a presenca dos metais chumbo, cadmio e cobre. O chumbo nao foi detectado nas analises. O cadmio foi detectado em tres amostras, uma de cada frigorifico, nas concentracoes de 0,012 µg.g-1, 0,011 µg.g-1 e 0,014 µg.g-1. O cobre foi detectado em todos os files, sendo as medias de concentracao de cada frigorifico de 0,122 µg.g-1, 0,106 µg.g-1 e 0,153 µg.g-1. As concentracoes dos metais encontradas estao de acordo como o permitido pelas legislacoes europeias e australianas.