Introduction: This study reported the concentration of bacterial and fungal bioaerosol at an animal house and hospi- tal laboratories with the aim to compare the concentration levels at library and administrative offices. The bioaerosol levels between mid-shift (afternoon) were also compared to the concentration measured during pre-shift (morning). Methods: The NIOSH 0800 method utilising microbiological air sampler collecting airborne bacterial and fungal samples via impaction technique on Nutrient agar (NA) and Sabouraud Dextrouse agar (SDA) as culture medium, respectively. Sampling was done twice daily; before (pre-shift) and during working (mid-shift) hour. Results: The highest bacteria and fungi concentration was recorded at the animal house with median concentration of 2477 CFU/ m3 (IQR=121-2477) and 791 CFU/m3 (IQR = 379-2081), respectively. Higher-risked workplaces such as animal house and hospital laboratories have significantly higher bioaerosol concentrations compared to control workplaces such as library and administrative offices (p
Probiotics has been discovered long time ago for its beneficial effect on health when consumed especially to the people who had allergy and gastrointestinal disease. This preliminary study was conducted to find out which vehicles can allow better growth of probiotic. Lactobacillus plantarum was used in this study as choice of probiotic to be cultured in the four types of milk. The pH value was recorded for determination of growths and metabolic activity of the probiotic. Results showed that L. plantarum in soy milk can grow and had a better metabolic activity in the cultured soy milk with pH 3.46 compared to others. The highest growth was recorded at optical density of 1.137 in soy milk at 560nm. This result showed that L. plantarum in soy milk multiply rapidly compared to other milks. As conclusion, soy milk has better development of probiotic as delivery vehicles compare to cow milk, goat milk and coconut milk.
Introduction: The outbreaks of foodborne diseases have been linked to the consumption of contaminated seafood. This research aims to screen the bacteria from the sea cucumbers Acaudina molpadioides collected from Pulau Langkawi. Methods: A total of 22 sea cucumber samples were collected randomly from Pulau Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia. The samples were isolated and identified for the presence of bacteria using the conventional culture-based method. Presumptive bacteria colonies were subjected to various biochemical and antimicrobial susceptibility tests. Results: There were no bacterial growth in Hektoen Enteric (HE) agar and Thiosulphate-Citrate-Bile Salt (TCBS) agar. Positive samples were isolated from MacConkey (MAC) agar with 6 samples were Staphylococcus spp. (27.27%), 14 samples were Proteus spp. (63.63%) and 2 samples were Bacillus spp. (9.01%). Among these isolates, highest resistance was found against Ampicillin (45%) followed by Tetracycline (40%). Conclusion: The results indicate that the sea cucumbers Acaudina molpadioides were contaminated with potential bacteria. There is a need for adequate consumer protection measures.
Introduction: The use of traditional storage facilities by most of the grain farmers and traders in Nigeria promotes fungal contamination of stored grains and subsequently mycotoxins which are potent carcinogens, neurotoxic, hepatotoxic and immunotoxic when consumed. This study was conducted to determine the incidence and phenotypes of mycotoxigenic fungi associated with commonly consumed food grains in Katsina state, Nigeria. Method: Fungal population in 21 composite samples each of maize, wheat, rice and peanuts from three open markets were determined using standard mycological techniques. Aspergillus spp obtained from the sam- ples were screened for aflatoxigenicity and subsequently characterised by Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transformed Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Results: A total of 136 filamentous fungi belonging to 19 species were isolated, of which Aspergillus flavus (18.4%), Mucor racemosus (13.2%) and Aspergillus niger (10.3%), were predominant. The highest level of contamination was found in the peanuts (1.8 x 105 ± 2.5 x
105 CFU/g). All the 12 Aspergillus parasiticus and 18 (72%) of Aspergillus flavus isolates obtained from the samples produced aflatoxin B1 on solid media as observed under ultraviolet light and confirmed by Thin Layer Chromatography. The ATR-FTIR spectra of both toxigenic and atoxigenic Aspergillus spp showed similar pattern. Conclusion: The levels of the mycotoxigenic fungi in the food grains, except for rice, were above the permissible limit of 100 to 10,000 CFU/g set by ICMSF, this signifies that they are unsafe for use as food or feed ingredients and hence, the need for more stringent control measures.
Introduction: Soil pollution with heavy metals inadvertent to food contamination resulting from root-soil
heavy metal uptake is of great concern. The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of
heavy metals such as lead (Pb), iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd), in soil and vegetables.
Methods: Using systematic grid sampling, 54 soil samples and 18 vegetable samples were collected from
Kampung Binjai Manis, Kota Bharu and Kampung Aman, Kandis, Bachok, Kelantan. Soil and vegetables samples
were dried, extracted by acid digestion process and analysed using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy.
Results: The overall mean concentration of heavy metal in soil measured in descending order in
Kampung Binjai Manis was Fe (958.53 mg/kg) > Pb (26.07 mg/kg) > Cu (11.83 mg/kg) > Cd (0.66 mg/kg).
Whereas, the overall mean concentration of heavy metal measured in descending order in Kampung Aman
was Fe (461.18 mg/kg) > Cu (8.25 mg/kg) > Pb (2.48 mg/kg) > Cd (0.27 mg/kg). There were significant different
in the mean concentration of Pb, Fe and Cd between Kampung Binjai Manis and Kampung Aman.
In vegetables, only Cu shows significant different between Kampung Binjai Manis and Kampung Aman.
Significant correlations were found between soil and vegetables in Kampung Binjai Manis for
Cu (r= 0.861, p= 0.003) and Cd (r= 0.933, p= 0.001). Conclusion: The mean concentration of heavy
metal in soil and vegetables at Kampung Binjai Manis and Kampung Aman were above the permissible
limit as set by the Department of Environment and World Health Organisation.