Search results for: fruit byproducts

Authors: Abdelrady K. Nasr, Ezzat M. A. Noweer, Mahmoud M. Ramadan

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The root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita Kofoid and White (Tylenchida: Heteroderidae), is one of the most important plant-parasitic nematodes attacking large numbers of vegetable and fruit plants in Egypt. Moreover, the soil predatory mites (Protogamasellopsisdenticus (Nasr), Gaeolaelaps longus (Hafez, El-Badry and Nasr) and Cosmolaelapskeni(Hafez, El-Badry and Nasr) are one of the excellent agents for biocontrol, this study was designed to evaluate the predation of the root-knot nematode (M. incognita) using water agar technique. The water agar medium was used as an experimental medium to rear both the mentioned mites and egg masses; these media allowed observe the development and predacious manner. The present study revealed that the predatory mites successfully developed and reproduced their egg masses. The mean life cycle of the tested mites P. denticus, G. longus, and C.keni were 10.33, 12.00, and 9.77 days, respectively. The mean total life span of the female of P. denticus, G. longus, and C. keni on egg-mases of M. incognita were obtained 63.44, 77.55 and 70.11 days, respectively, and the mean total fecundity of predatory mites, P. denticus, G.longus, and C. keni on egg-mases nematode were observed 62.66, 31.61 and 11.83 eggs, respectively. The mean total number of eggs laid by female P. denticus was significantly higher than other predatory mites, G. longus and C. keni. According to the obtained results, the tested predacious mites can be applied to combat the spreading of M. incognita in the agriculture field as a safe and effective biological control.

Keywords: biological control, plant-parasitic nematodes, predaceous mites, water agar

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Authors: Fatihin Khoirul, Muhammad Muqorrobin Ist

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Bojonegoro Regency is one of the districts that use the concept Agropolitan as the Territorial Development Policy. Three sub-district designated as Area Development District of Agropolitan are Kapas, Dander, and Kalitidu or commonly called KADEKA. Current policy has been shown results, but there was an inequality of results in some areas. One of them occurred in the Ngringinrejo village with the main commodities is Starfruit and Wedi village with the main commodities is Salak fruit. Therefore, a comparative study is used to search for causal factors of inequality result of the policy by using the 5 aspects compared, namely: (1) Management Development Agropolitan; (2) Physical Condition agropolitan Region; (3) Implementing Agency at the Village Level; (4) Village Government Support; and (5) Community support. Based on the discussion of qualitative analysis, it was found that five aspects have their respective roles in creating inequality of outcomes that occur in both villages. But beyond that, there are conditions where the two villages experienced the same condition that is when the initial implementation of the policy. The condition is referred to as 'the phenomenon of price trap.' The condition is caused by lower commodity prices, causing the village government's commitment in implementing policies too low, followed by public awareness in support of the policy is also low, so care for commodities is also low, and the quality is too low lead and eventually back causing low price. However, the difference is that the village Ngringinrejo able to get out of this condition with 'the new culture of administration' at the end of 2013. While the conditions in the village of Wedi compounded by not respected request assistance by the irrigation district.

Keywords: comparative policy analysis, qualitative comparative, inequallity, price trap, new culture of administration

Procedia PDF Downloads 260

Authors: Worku Dejene Bekele, András Marczika Csilla Sörös

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Silver nanoparticles are silver metal with a size of 1-100nm. The most common source of silver nanoparticles is inorganic salts. Nanoparticles can be ingested through our foods and constitute nanoparticles and silver ions, whether as an additive or by migrants and, in some cases, as a pollutant. Silver nanoparticles are the most widely applicable engineered nanomaterials, especially for antimicrobial function. Ag nanoparticles give different advantages in the case of food safety, quality, and overall acceptability; however, they affect the health of humans and animals, putting them at risk of health problems and environmental pollution. Silver nanoparticles have been used widely in food packaging technologies, especially in water treatments, meat and meat products, fruit, and many other food products. This is for bio-preservation from food products. The primary goal of this review is to determine the safety and health impact of Ag nanoparticles application in food packaging and analysis of the human organs more affected by this preservative technology, to assess the implications of a nanoparticle on food safety, to determine the effects of nanoparticles on consumers health and to determine the impact of nanotechnology on product acceptability. But currently, much research has demonstrated that there is cause to believe that silver nanoparticles may have toxicological effects on biological organs and systems. The silver nanoparticles affect DNA expression, gastrointestinal barriers, lungs, and other breathing organs illness. Silver particles and molecules are very toxic. During its application in food packaging, food industries used the thinnest particle. This particle can potentially affect the gastrointestinal tracts-it suffers from mucus production, DNA, lungs, and other breezing organs. This review is targeted to demonstrate the knowledge gap that industrials use in the application of silver nanoparticles in food packaging and preservation and its health effects on the consumer.

Keywords: food preservatives, health impact, nanoparticle, silver nanoparticle

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Authors: Agoun-bahar Salima

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The environmental variations to which plants are subjected require them to have a strong capacity for adaptation. Some plants are affected by pollutants and are used as pollution indicators; others have the capacity to block, extract, accumulate, transform or degrade the xenobiotic. The diversity of the legume family includes around 20 000 species and offers opportunities for exploitation through their agronomic, dietary and ecological interests. The lack of data on the bioavailability of the Aromatic Polycyclic Hydrocarbon (PAH) in polluted environments, as their passage in the food chains and on the effects of interaction with other pollutants, justifies priority research on this vast family of hydrocarbons. Naphthalene is a PAH formed from two aromatic rings, it is listed and classified as priority pollutant in the list of 16 PAH by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The aim of this work was to determinate effect of naphthalene at different concentrations on morphological and physiological responses of pea seedlings. At the same time, the behavior of the pollutant in the soil and its fate at the different parts of plant (roots, stems, leaves and fruits) were also recorded by Gas Chromatography/ Mass Spectrometry (GC / MS). In it controlled laboratory studies, plants exposed to naphthalene were able to grow efficiently. From a quantitative analysis, 67% of the naphthalene was removed from the soil and then found on the leaves of the seedlings in just three weeks of cultivation. Interestingly, no trace of naphthalene or its derivatives were detected on the chromatograms corresponding to the dosage of the pollutant at the fruit level after ten weeks of cultivating the seedlings and this for all the pollutant concentrations used. The pea seedlings seem to tolerate the pollutant when it is applied to the soil. In conclusion, the pea represents an interesting biological model in the study of phytoremediation mechanisms.

Keywords: naphtalene, PAH, Pea, phytoremediation, pollution

Procedia PDF Downloads 45

Authors: Ursula Das, Manavjit Singh Dhindsa, Kshirasagar Naik, Marzia Zaman, Richard Purcell, Srinivas Sampalli, Abdul Mutakabbir, Chung-Horng Lung, Thambirajah Ravichandran

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Wildland fires, also known as forest fires or wildfires, are exhibiting an alarming surge in frequency in recent times, further adding to its perennial global concern. Forest fires often lead to devastating consequences ranging from loss of healthy forest foliage and wildlife to substantial economic losses and the tragic loss of human lives. Despite the existence of substantial literature on the detection of active forest fires, numerous potential research avenues in forest fire management, such as preventative measures and ancillary effects of forest fires, remain largely underexplored. This paper undertakes a systematic review of these underexplored areas in forest fire research, meticulously categorizing them into distinct phases, namely pre-fire, during-fire, and post-fire stages. The pre-fire phase encompasses the assessment of fire risk, analysis of fuel properties, and other activities aimed at preventing or reducing the risk of forest fires. The during-fire phase includes activities aimed at reducing the impact of active forest fires, such as the detection and localization of active fires, optimization of wildfire suppression methods, and prediction of the behavior of active fires. The post-fire phase involves analyzing the impact of forest fires on various aspects, such as the extent of damage in forest areas, post-fire regeneration of forests, impact on wildlife, economic losses, and health impacts from byproducts produced during burning. A comprehensive understanding of the three stages is imperative for effective forest fire management and mitigation of the impact of forest fires on both ecological systems and human well-being. Artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) methods have garnered much attention in the cyber-physical systems domain in recent times leading to their adoption in decision-making in diverse applications including disaster management. This paper explores the current state of AI/ML applications for managing the activities in the aforementioned phases of forest fire. While conventional machine learning and deep learning methods have been extensively explored for the prevention, detection, and management of forest fires, a systematic classification of these methods into distinct AI research domains is conspicuously absent. This paper gives a comprehensive overview of the state of forest fire research across more recent and prominent AI/ML disciplines, including big data, classical machine learning, computer vision, explainable AI, generative AI, natural language processing, optimization algorithms, and time series forecasting. By providing a detailed overview of the potential areas of research and identifying the diverse ways AI/ML can be employed in forest fire research, this paper aims to serve as a roadmap for future investigations in this domain.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, computer vision, deep learning, during-fire activities, forest fire management, machine learning, pre-fire activities, post-fire activities

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Authors: Ayaka A. Matsuo, Gweyneth Victoria I. Maranan, Shawn Mikel Hobayan

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In this study, we delve into the application of mahogany fruits as biochar for soil amendment, aiming to evaluate their effectiveness in improving soil quality and influencing the growth parameters of okra plants through a comprehensive analysis employing various multivariate tests. In a more straightforward approach, our results show that biochar derived from isn't just a minor player but emerges as a key contributor to our study. This finding holds profound implications, as it highlights the material significance of biochar derived from Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) fruits, leaves, and branches in shaping the outcomes. The importance of this discovery lies in its contribution to an enhanced comprehension of the overall effects of biochar on the variables explored in our investigation. Notably, the positive changes observed in height, number of leaves, and width of leaves in okra plants further support the premise that the incorporation of biochar improves soil quality. These findings provide valuable insights for agricultural practices, suggesting that biochar derived from Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) fruits, leaves, and branches holds promise as a sustainable soil amendment with positive implications for plant growth. The statistical results from multivariate tests serve to solidify the conclusion that biochar plays a pivotal role in driving the observed outcomes in our study. In essence, this research not only sheds light on the potential of mahogany fruit-derived biochar but also emphasizes its significance in fostering healthier soil conditions and, consequently, enhanced plant growth.

Keywords: soil amendment, biochar, mahogany, soil health

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Authors: Joanna Smoluk-Sikorska, Władysława Łuczka

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Organic farming is an important element of sustainable agriculture. It has been developing very dynamically in Poland, especially since Poland’s accession to the EU. Nevertheless, properly functioning organic market is a necessary condition justifying development of organic agriculture. Despite significant improvement, this market in Poland is still in the initial stage of growth. An important element of the market is distribution, especially retail, which offers specified product range to consumers. Therefore, there is a need to investigate retail outlets offering organic food in order to improve functioning of this part of the market. The inquiry research conducted in three types of outlets offering organic food, between 2011 and 2012 in the 8 largest Polish cities, shows that the majority of outlets offer cereals, processed fruit and vegetables as well as spices and the least shops – meat and sausages. The distributors mostly indicate unsatisfactory product range of suppliers as the reason for this situation. The main providers of the outlets are wholesalers, particularly in case of processed products, and in fresh products – organic farms. A very important distribution obstacle is dispersion of producers, which generates high transportation costs and what follows that, high price of organics. In the investigated shops, the most often used price calculation method is a cost method. The majority of the groceries and specialist shops apply margins between 21 and 40%. The margin in specialist outlets is the highest, in regard to the qualified service and advice. In turn, most retail networks declare the margin between 0 and 20%, which is consistent with low-price strategy applied in these shops. Some lacks in the product range of organics and in particular high prices cause that the demand volume is rather low. Therefore there is a need to support certain market actions, e.g. on-farm processing or promotion.

Keywords: organic food, retail, product range, supply sources

Procedia PDF Downloads 273

Authors: A. Sadowska, R. Polaniak, P. Boczarski, E. Grochowska-Niedworok

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Working in a shopping center 12 hours a day as a shop assistant is a very demanding and stressful job, which is still underestimated. Proper eating habits, including recommended fruits, vegetables, products rich in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and proper hydration, can contribute to improvement in health and make shop assistants more resistant to stress. The aim of this study was to analyze the eating habits of shop assistants working in shopping centers 12 hours a day. Participant 101 sellers from Poland filled out authorial surveys. Nearly 50% of participants consumed the recommended number of 4 to 5 meals per day. There was a slight dependence between the number of meals consumed per day and the time that employers allowed for employee mealtimes. Respondents declared that they engaged in snacking, and they generally chose fruit, chocolates, and other sweets. Survey results indicated a low liquid intake, which was about 1,05 liters daily. Mineral water was chosen most often (63%) by participants. Participant fish consumption was very low in comparison with the norms, which can pose a risk of developing omega-3 fatty acids deficiency. Shop assistants stated that a change in their eating habits was necessary. Study findings suggest a moderate dependence between being on a diet and counting calories and macronutrients contained in meals. The number of meals eaten per day is correlated with the number of meals eaten at the worksite. The percentage of snacking by shop assistants was so high that it suggested a need for more nutrition education. The topic of eating habits among shop assistants should be examined using a larger group of participants. It is necessary to note a connection between nutrition and health problems.

Keywords: eating habits, work during 12 hours a day, shopping center, nutrition

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Authors: Omar Ali, Adesh Ramsubhag, Jayaraj Jayaraman

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Seaweed extracts have been reported as plant biostimulants which could be a safer, organic alternative to harsh pesticides. The incentive to use seaweed-based biostimulants is becoming paramount in sustainable agriculture. The current study, therefore, screened a commercial extract of A. nodosum in tomatoes, cultivated in Trinidad to showcase the multiple beneficial effects. Foliar treatment with an A. nodosum commercial extract led to significant increases in fruit yield and a significant reduction of incidence of bacterial spots and early blight diseases under both greenhouse and field conditions. Investigations were carried out to reveal the possible mechanisms of action of this biostimulant through defense enzyme assays and transcriptome profiling via RNA sequencing of tomato. Studies into disease control mechanisms by A. nodosum showed that the extract stimulated the activity of enzymes such as peroxidase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, chitinase, polyphenol oxidase, and β-1,3-glucanase. Additionally, the transcriptome survey revealed the upregulation and enrichment of genes responsible for the biosynthesis of growth hormones, defense enzymes, PR proteins and defense-related secondary metabolites, as well as genes involved in the nutrient mobilization, photosynthesis and primary and secondary metabolic pathways. The results of the transcriptome study also demonstrated the cross-talks between growth and defense responses, confirming the bioelicitor and biostimulant value of seaweed extracts in plants. These effects could potentially implicate the benefits of seaweed extract and validate its usage in sustainable crop production.

Keywords: A. nodosum, biostimulants, elicitor, enzymes, growth responses, seaweeds, tomato, transcriptome analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 139

Authors: R. Barros, J. Azevedo, P. Padrão, M. Gregório, I. Pádua, C. Almeida, C. Rodrigues, P. Fontes, A. Coelho

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Recent evidence shows a positive association between nutritional literacy and healthy eating. Traditional nutrition education strategies for childhood obesity prevention have shown weak effect. The Nutriscience project aims to create and evaluate an innovative and multidisciplinary strategy for promoting effective and accessible nutritional information to children, their families, and educators. Nutriscience is a one-year prospective follow-up evaluation study including pre-school children (3-5 y), who attend national schools’ network (29). The project is structured around a web-based intervention, using an on-line interactive platform, and focus on increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, and reducing sugar and salt intake. The platform acts as a social network where educational materials, games, and nutritional challenges are proposed in a gamification approach that promotes family and community social ties. A nutrition Massive Online Open Course is developed for educators, and a national healthy culinary contest will be promoted on TV channel. A parental self-reported questionnaire assessing sociodemographic and nutritional literacy (knowledge, attitudes, skills) is administered (baseline and end of the intervention). We expect that results on nutritional literacy from the presented strategy intervention will give us important information about the best practices for health intervention with kindergarten families. This intervention program using a digital interactive platform could be an educational tool easily adapted and disseminated for childhood obesity prevention.

Keywords: childhood obesity, educational tool, nutritional literacy, web-based intervention

Procedia PDF Downloads 315

Authors: Mudasir Gani, Rakesh Kumar Gupta, Kamlesh Bali, Abdul Rouf Wani

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The gypsy moth (Lymantria obfuscata) and tent caterpillar (Malacosoma indicum) are serious pests that attack a wide range of fruit and forest trees in Jammu & Kashmir range of North-Western Himalayas in India. Investigations were carried out to isolate and bioprospect naturally occurring nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPVs) as potent biopesticides against these pests. The biological and molecular characterization of NPV isolates from different ecosystems was conducted, and the polh, lef-8 and lef-9 genes were sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. The L. obfuscata NPV was more closely related to the L. dispar NPV, whereas M. indicum NPV was more closely related to the M. californicum NPV in the NCBI taxonomy database. Among different isolates, Bhaderwah isolates exhibited highest virus activity (LD₅₀ = 250 POBs/larvae) and speed of kill (ST₅₀ = 6.80 days) against L. obfuscata whereas Mahor isolates proved most virulent against M. indicum, with lowest LD₅₀ (257 POBs/larva) and ST₅₀ (6.80 days). The in vivo mass production for highest productivity and quality revealed that the optimum yield was obtained when 3rd instar larvae were inoculated with a viral dose of 1.44 × 105 POBs/larva and allowed to incubate for nine days for L. obfuscata. However, for M. indicum larvae, a viral dose of 2.88 × 10⁶ POBs/larva and incubation period of 10 days were found optimum. It was found that harvesting of moribund larvae yields good quality NPV. The field application of L. obfuscata NPV and M. indicum NPV against the respective host populations on apple and willow with the pre-standardized dosage of 1 × 10¹² POBs/acre reduced the larval population density up to 25-63%.

Keywords: baculoviruses, biopesticides, Lymantria obfuscata, Malacosoma indicum

Procedia PDF Downloads 88

Authors: Kimberly Samaha

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The Bio-Hub Ecosystem model was developed to address a critical area of concern within the global energy market regarding biomass as a feedstock for power plants. Yet the lack of an economically-viable business model for bioenergy facilities has resulted in the continuation of idled and decommissioned plants. This study analyzed data and submittals to the Born Global Maine Innovation Challenge. The Innovation Challenge was a global innovation challenge to identify process innovations that could address a ‘whole-tree’ approach of maximizing the products, byproducts, energy value and process slip-streams into a circular zero-waste design. Participating companies were at various stages of developing bioproducts and included biofuels, lignin-based products, carbon capture platforms and biochar used as both a filtration medium and as a soil amendment product. This case study shows the QCA (Qualitative Comparative Analysis) methodology of the prequalification process and the resulting techno-economic model that was developed for the maximizing profitability of the Bio-Hub Ecosystem through continuous expansion of system waste streams into valuable process inputs for co-hosts. A full site plan for the integration of co-hosts (biorefinery, land-based shrimp and salmon aquaculture farms, a tomato green-house and a hops farm) at an operating forestry-based biomass to energy plant in West Enfield, Maine USA. This model and process for evaluating the profitability not only proposes models for integration of forestry, aquaculture and agriculture in cradle-to-cradle linkages of what have typically been linear systems, but the proposal also allows for the early measurement of the circularity and impact of resource use and investment risk mitigation, for these systems. In this particular study, profitability is assessed at two levels CAPEX (Capital Expenditures) and in OPEX (Operating Expenditures). Given that these projects start with repurposing facilities where the industrial level infrastructure is already built, permitted and interconnected to the grid, the addition of co-hosts first realizes a dramatic reduction in permitting, development times and costs. In addition, using the biomass energy plant’s waste streams such as heat, hot water, CO₂ and fly ash as valuable inputs to their operations and a significant decrease in the OPEX costs, increasing overall profitability to each of the co-hosts bottom line. This case study utilizes a proprietary techno-economic model to demonstrate how utilizing waste streams of a biomass energy plant and/or biorefinery, results in significant reduction in OPEX for both the biomass plants and the agriculture and aquaculture co-hosts. Economically viable Bio-Hubs with favorable environmental and community impacts may prove critical in garnering local and federal government support for pilot programs and more wide-scale adoption, especially for those living in severely economically depressed rural areas where aging industrial sites have been shuttered and local economies devastated.

Keywords: bio-economy, biomass energy, financing, zero-waste

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Authors: K. D. Rajatha, S. Rajendra Prasad, N. Nethra

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Aeroponics is one of the advanced techniques to cultivate plants without soil with minimal water and nutrient consumption. This is the technology which could bring the vertical growth in agriculture. It is an eco-friendly approach widely used for commercial cultivation of vegetables to obtain the supreme quality and yield. In this context, to harvest potentiality of the technology, an experiment was designed to evaluate the suitability of the aeroponics method over the conventional method for hybrid seed production of tomato. The experiment was carried out under Completely Randomized Design with Factorial (FCRD) concept with three replications during the year 2017-18 at UAS, GKVK Bengaluru. Nutrients and pH were standardized; among the six different nutrient solutions, the crop performance was better in Hoagland’s solution with pH between 5.5-7. The results of the present study revealed that between TAG1F and TAG2F parental lines, TAG1F performed better in both the methods of seed production. Among the methods, aeroponics showed better performance for the quality parameters except for plant spread, due to better availability of nutrients and aeration, huge root biomass in aeroponics. Aeroponics method showed significantly higher plant length (124.9 cm), plant growth rate (0.669), seedling survival rate (100%), early flowering (27.5 days), highest fruit weight (121.5 g), 100 seed weight (0.373 g) and total seed yield plant⁻¹ (11.68 g) compared to the conventional method. By providing the best environment for plant growth, the genetically best possible plant could be grown, thus complete potentiality of the plant could be harvested. Hence, aeroponics could be a promising tool for quality and healthy hybrid seed production throughout the year within protected cultivation.

Keywords: aeroponics, Hoagland’s solution, hybrid seed production, Lycopersicon esculentum

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Authors: Gulcin Yildiz

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Drying (dehydration) is the process of removing water from food in order to preserve the food and an alternative to reduce post-harvest loss of fruits. Different pre-treatment methods have been developed for fruit drying, such as ultrasound. If no pre-treatment is done, the fruits will continue to darken after they are dried. However, the effects of ultrasound as pre-treatment on drying of apples has not been well documented. This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of ultrasound as pre-treatment before oven drying of red delicious and golden delicious apples. Red delicious and golden delicious apples were dried in different temperatures. Before performing drying experiments in an oven at 50, 75 and 100 °C, ultrasound as pretreatment was applied in 5, 10, and 15 minutes. Colors of the dried apples were measured with a Minolta Chroma Meter CR-300 (Minolta Camera Co. Ltd., Osaka, Japan) by directly holding the device vertically to the surface of the samples. Content of total phenols was determined spectrophotometrically with the FolinCiocalteau assay, and the antioxidant capacity was evaluated by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The samples (both red delicious and golden delicious apples) with longer ultrasound treatment produced higher weight loss due to the changes in tissue structure. However less phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were observed for the samples with longer ultrasound pre-treatment. The highest total phenolic content (TPC) was determined in dried apples at 75 °C with 5 minutes pre-treatment ultrasound and the lowest TPC was determined in dried apples at 50 °C with 15 minutes pre-treatment ultrasound which was subjected to the longest ultrasound pre-treatment and drying. The combination of 5 min of ultrasound pre-treatment and 75 °C of oven-drying showed to be the best combination for an energy efficient process. This combination exhibited good antioxidant properties as well. The present study clearly demonstrated that applying ultrasound as pre-treatment for drying of apples is an effective process in terms of quality of dried products, time, and energy.

Keywords: golden delicious apples, red delicious apples, total phenolic content, Ultrasound

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Authors: Wahyu Riawanti

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Food safety is the one of a prominent issue for globalization era. The more concern is paid in international food and agriculture trade; the more consumers will consider raising the standard of food safety. For this reason, the role of the issue is not only in term of added value but since then also the main requirement in import export activity, including agriculture products. Unfortunately, Indonesia and other developing countries found it difficult to fulfill some of the technical issues and end it up with the lower export activity. In this case, the technical requirements of food safety become an obstacle rather than challenging. Furthermore for local farmers’ activity, food safety is more or less a threat. The study is aimed to reveal on how Indonesian government had dealt with the certification regulation to face problem on competitiveness of Indonesian products. Local government has conducted the regulation of food certification. The study used the case of Salak Pondoh fruit (Salacca zalacca) certification process on Sleman District- Yogyakarta. Triangulation method was used to analyze the effectiveness of the certification program. The quantitative data series taken from 7 farmer groups during the certification processes were used for the research main data. The supporting qualitative data was obtained from in-depth interview with the members of farmers group. The pre-research result has shown that the impact varied from different groups. Conclusively the certification regulation has partly failed to make a significant change in local farmers’ competitiveness. Even the profit was increased, the highly amount budget of the program did not significantly increase the economic incentives for local farmers.

Keywords: economic incentive, food security, government regulation, international trade, local commodity, Salacca zalacca

Procedia PDF Downloads 259

Authors: Hiba T. Allah ALtieb Gusm ALsied, Amna Beshir Medani Ahmed, Ikram Mohamed ELtayeb, Saad Mohamed Hussein Ayoub

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This study was carried out to determine the hepatoactivity and the antioxidant activity of Coiradrum sativum L. aerial part and fruit extracts against CCL4 induced acute liver damages in Wistar rats. The aerial parts and fruits part of the plant were extracted 96% ethanol with soxhlet apparatus. Hepatic injury was achieved by subcutaneous injection of 3 ml/kg of CCL4 diluted with olive oil with ratio 1:1. The extracts were mixed together 1:1 ratio and given in different doses 100,200,400 mg/kg/day for 5 days under CCL4 induction at 3rd day. The significance of differences between means by using T-test was compared among the groups. The mixture of the two extracts didn’t show any significant result in protecting liver injury (antagonistic effects), it shows high level of liver enzyme like alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT). Serological studies further confirmed the results. The results obtained were compared with silymarin (70 mg/kg/day) orally, the standard drug for hepatoprotection which show recovery close to normalization almost like that of silymarin; therefore, further studies on this plant with different ratios especially in isolated tissue to spot more light on antagonistic effects of the two extracts. Antioxidant activity of the extracts was determined by the DPPH method. The results obtained show high anti-oxidant activity for fruits extract while slight or moderate antioxidant activity to aerial extracts.

Keywords: antioxidant, aerial part, Coriadrum sativum L., fruity, hepatoprotection, Silymarin, phytochemical screening

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Authors: Aisha Liaquat Ali, Ghulam Sarwar Gachal, Muhammad Yusuf Sheikh

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The Parrot rose ringed (Psittaculla krameri) commonly known as Tota, belongs to the order ‘Psittaciformes’ and family ‘Psittacidea’. Its sub-species inhabiting Pakistan are Psittaculla borealis. The parrot rose-ringed has been categorized the least concern species, the core aim of the present study is to investigate the ecology and taxonomy of parrot (rose-ringed). Sampling was obtained for the taxonomic identification from various adjoining areas in City Mirpurkhas by non-random method, which was conducted from Feb to June 2017. The different parameters measured with the help of a vernier caliper, foot scale, digital weighing machine. Body parameters were measured via; length of body, length of the wings, length of tail, mass in grams. During present study, a total number of 36 specimens were collected from different localities of City Mirpurkhas (38.2%) were male and (62.7%) were female. Maximum population density of Psittaculla Krameri borealis (52.9%) was collected from Sindh Horticulture Research Station (fruit farm) Mirpurkhas. Minimum no: of Psittaculla krameri borealis (5.5%) collected in urban parks. It was observed that Psittaculla krameri borealis were in dense population during the months of ‘May’ and ‘June’ when the temperature ranged between 20°C and 45°C. A Psittaculla krameri borealis female was found the heaviest in body weight. The species of parrot (rose ringed) captured during study having green plumage, coverts were gray, upper beak, red and lower beak black, shorter tail in female long tail in the male which was similar to the Psittaculla krameri borealis.

Keywords: Mirpurkhas Sindh Pakistan, environmental ecology, parrot, rose-ringed, taxonomy

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Authors: Hasmadi Mamat, Noorfarahzilah Masri

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The search for lesser known and underutilized crops, many of which are potentially valuable as human and animal foods has been the focus of research in recent years. Tarap (Artocarpus odoratisimmus) is one of the most delicious tropical fruit and can be found extensively in Borneo, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak. This study was conducted in order to determine the proximate composition, mineral contents as well as to study the effect of the seed flour on the quality of bread produced. Tarap seed powder (TSP) was incorporated (up to 20%) with wheat flour and used to produce bread. The moisture content, ash, protein, fat, ash, carbohydrates, and dietary fiber were measured using AOAC methods while the mineral content was determined using AAS. The effect of substitution of wheat flour with Tarap seed flour on the quality of dough and bread was investigated using various techniques. Farinograph tests were applied to determine the effect of seaweed powder on the rheological properties of wheat flour dough, while texture profile analysis (TPA) was used to measure the textural properties of the final product. Besides that sensory evaluations were also conducted. On a dry weight basis, the TSP was composed of 12.50% moisture, 8.78% protein, 15.60% fat, 1.17% ash, 49.65% carbohydrate and 12.30% of crude fiber. The highest mineral found were Mg, followed by K, Ca, Fe and Na respectively. Farinograh results found that as TSP percentage increased, dough consistency, water absorption capacity and development time of dough decreased. Sensory analysis results showed that bread with 10% of TSP was the most accepted by panelists where the highest acceptability score were found for aroma, taste, colour, crumb texture as well as overall acceptance. The breads with more than 10% of TSP obtained lower acceptability score in most of attributes tested.

Keywords: tarap seed, proximate analysis, bread, sensory evaluation

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Authors: Sylwia K. Naliwajko, Justyna Moskwa, Patryk Nowakowski, Renata Markiewicz-Zukowska, Krystyna Gromkowska-Kepka, Anna Puscion-Jakubik, Maria H. Borawska

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Amygdalin is found in many fruit seeds, including apricot, peach, quince, apples, and almonds. Amygdalin (also named vitamin B17), as well as its sources, are commonly used as an alternative therapy or prevention of cancer. The potential activity of amygdalin is related to its enzymatic degradation to the hydrogen cyanide. Hydrogen cyanide is a toxic substance that causes liver and nerves damage, fever, coma or even death. Amygdalin is much better tolerated after intravenous than oral administration. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of amygdalin on glioblastoma multiforme cell lines. Three glioblastoma multiforme cell lines – U87MG, T98, LN18 were incubated (48 h) with amygdalin in concentrations 100, 250, 500, 1000 and 2000 µg/mL. The MTT (Thiazolyl Blue Tetrazolium Bromide) test and DNA binding test by [3H]-thymidine incorporation were used to determine the anti-proliferative activity of amygdalin. The secretion of metalloproteinases (MMP2 and MMP-9) from U87MG cells was estimated by gelatin zymography. The statistical analysis was performed using Statistica v. 13.0 software. The data was presented as a % of control. Amygdalin did not show significant inhibition of viability of all the glioblastoma cells in concentrations 100, 250, 500, 1000 µg/mL. In 2000 µg/mL there were significant differences compared to the control, but inhibition of viability was less than 20% (more than 80% of control). The average viability of U87MG cells was 92,0±4%, T98G: 85,8±3% and LN18: 94,7±2% of the control. There was no dose-response viability, and IC50 value was not recognized. DNA binding in U87MG cells was not inhibited (109,0±3 % of control). After treatment with amygdalin, we observed significantly increased secretion of MMP2 and MMP9 in U87MG cells (130,3±14% and 112,0±5% of control, respectively). Our results suggest that amygdalin has no anticancer activity in glioblastoma cell lines.

Keywords: amygdalin, anticancer, cell line, glioblastoma

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Authors: Arun Jyothi Bheemagani, Chakrapani Pullagummi, Anupalli Roja Rani

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Exploration of the chemical constituents of the plants and pharmacological screening may provide us the basis for the development of novel agents. Plants have provided us some of the very important life saving drugs used in the modern medicine. The aim of our work was to screen the phytochemical constituents and antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of methanol extract of leaves of Annona cherimola Mill plant from Tirumala forest, Tirupathi. It was originally called Chirimuya by the Inca people who lived where it was growing in the Andes of South America, is an edible fruit-bearing species of the genus Annona from the family Annonaceae. Annona cherimola Mill is a multipurpose tree with edible fruits and is one of the sources of the medicinal products. The antibacterial activity was measured by agar well diffusion method; the diameter of the zone of bacterial growth inhibition was measured after incubation of plates. The inhibitory effect was studied against the pathogenic bacteria (Klebsiella pneumonia, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Antioxidant assays were also performed for the same extracts by spectrophotometric methods using known standard antioxidants as reference. The studied plant extracts were found to be very effective against the pathogenic microorganisms tested. The methanolic extract of Annona cherimola Mill from showed maximum activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and the least concentration required showing the activity was 0.5mg/ml. Phytochemical screening of the plants revealed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids and carbohydrates. Good presence of antioxidants was also found in the methanolic extracts.

Keywords: annona cherimola, phytochemicals, antioxidant and antibacterial activity, methanol extract

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Authors: Nur Azreena Idris, Soh Kheang Loh, Harrison Lau Lik Nang, Yuen May Choo, Eminour Muzalina Mustafa, Vijaysri Vello, Cheng Yau Tan, Siew Moi Phang

Abstract:

It is estimated that about 0.65-0.67 m3 of palm oil mill effluent (POME) is generated when one tonne of fresh fruit bunches is processed. Owning to the high content of nutrients in POME, it has high potential as a medium for microalgae growth. This study attempted determining the growth rate, biomass productivity and biochemical composition of microalgae (Chlorella sp.) grown in different POME concentrations i.e. 6.25%, 12.5%, 25% and 50% at outdoor conditions using a 200-mL capacity high rate algae pond (HRAP) and 2 closed photobioreactors (PBRs) i.e. annular and flat panel. The strain, Chlorella sp. grown on 12.5% of POME in flat panel PBR exhibited the highest specific growth rate of 0.32/day and biomass productivity (27.1 mg/L/day) followed by those in HRAP and annular PBR. It further showed that a good growth of Chlorella sp. in 12.5% of POME could sufficiently reduce the nutrients of POME such as phosphate (PO4), nitrate (NO3), nitrite (NO2) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). The extracted algal oil from POME culture showed that the saturated fatty acids decreased while polyunsaturated fatty acids increased compared to those cultured in standard culture medium (Bold’s Basal medium). The biochemical compositions of the algae grown in flat panel PBR were the highest with lipid, protein and carbohydrate productivity of 17.91 mg/L/day, 34.65 mg/L/day and 21.44 mg/L/day, respectively. The microalgae cultivation in diluted POME had not only shown potential as biodiesel feedstock based on the fatty acids profile but also the ability to reduce pollutants e.g. PO4, NO3, NO2 and COD in biological wastewater treatment.

Keywords: wastewater treatment, photobioreactors, biomass productivity, specific growth rate

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Authors: Ajay Krishnamurthy, Mariyappan Mahesh Kumar, Sellamuthu Periyar Selvam

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Fruits are considered as functional foods due to the presence of various bioactive compounds available such as polyphenols, which are beneficial to health when consumed as part of our diet. The primary objective of this study was to analyze the various functional groups present in ethanolic extracts of Hylocereus undatus and Garcinia indica and also measure their antibacterial and antioxidant potential respectively thereby affirming its nutraceutical potential. To fulfill our objective, a Fourier - transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was conducted for functional group analysis, Total Phenolic Content and DPPH free radical scavenging activity for measuring it anti-oxidant potential and agar-well diffusion assay for antibacterial potential. On careful observation and analysis of the spectrum it was found that both the fruit extracts contain similar compounds viz. Phenols, Alkanes, Alkenes, Aldehydes, Ketones, Carboxylic Acid and Amines. Total phenolic content of H.undatus and G.indica was estimated to be (26.85 ± 1.84 mg GAE/100g) and (32.84 ± 1.63 mg GAE/100g) respectively which corresponds to an inhibition of 84% and 81% respectively. H.undatus shows an inhibition of (3.4 ± 2.1mm) in gram-positive and (4.2 ± 2.24mm) in gram-negative organism on the other hand G.indica shows (2.1 ± 0.98mm) in gram-positive and (3.1 ± 1.44mm) in gram negative. The presence of such diverse compounds in the fruits helps us to understand the necessity for the inclusion of fruits in our daily diet and also helps the pharmaceutical industry in realizing the importance of exotic fruits as a potential nutraceutical.

Keywords: DPPH, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Hylocereus undatus, Garcinia indica

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Authors: Emad A. Shalaby

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Cancer is a disease that causes abnormal cell proliferation and invades nearby tissues. Lung cancer is the second most frequent cancer worldwide. Natural anti-cancer drugs have been developed with low side effects and toxicity. Citrus peels and extracts have been demonstrated to have significant pharmacological and physiological effects as a result of the high concentration of phenolic compounds found in citrus fruits, particularly peels. Tangerine peels can serve as an effective source of bioactive substances such as phenolics, flavonoids, and catechins, which have antioxidant, antibacterial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. Consequently, this work aims to determine the anticancer activity of ethanol extract of Tangerine peels against the A549 cell line and identify the phenolic compound profile (19 compounds) by using HPLC. Anticancer and antioxidant potentials of the extract were evaluated by MTT assay and TLC- TLC-bioautography sprayed with DPPH reagent, respectively. The obtained results revealed that tangerine peel extract showed significant activity against the A549 cell line with IC50 of 97.66 μg/mL. HPLC analysis proved that the highest concentration is naringenin 464.05 mg/g. More studies indicate that naringenin has significant anticancer potential on A549 cancer cells. The results showed that naringenin binds t0 EGFR protein in A549 with high binding affinity and thus may reduce lung cancer cell migration and enhance the apoptosis of cancer cells. From the obtained results it could be concluded that tangerine peel extract is an effective anti-cancer agent that may potentially serve as a natural therapeutic option for lung cancer treatment.

Keywords: tangerine peel, A549 cell line, anticancer, naringenin, HPLC analysis, naringenin, TLC bioautography

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Authors: Sebaa H., Cherifi F., Djabeur Abderrezak M.

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Argania spinosa, Sapotaceae sole representative in Algeria and Morocco; hence it is endemic in these regions. However, it is a recognised oil, forage, and timber tree highly adapted to aridity. The exploitation of the argan fruits produces considerable amounts of under or related products. These products, such as the endocarps of a fruit, recuperated after the use of kernels to extract oil. This research studies in detail the contents of total phenolic content was determined by Folin Ciocalteu reagent and Flavonoids by aluminum chloride colorimetric assay). Antioxidant activity of extracts was expressed as the percentage of DPPH radical inhibition and IC50 values (μg/mL). Antimicrobial activity evaluated using agar disk diffusion method against reference Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATTC 27453, Escherichia coli ATCC 23922. Immature endocarps showed a higher polyphenol content than mature endocarps. The total phenolic content in immature endocarps was found to vary from 983,75+ /- 0.45 to 980,1 +/- 0.43 mg gallic acid equivalents/g dry weight, whereas in mature endocarps, the polyphenol content ranged from 100,58 mg/g +/- 0.42 to 105 +/- 0.55% mg gallic acid equivalent / g dry weight. The flavonoid content was 16.5 mg equivalent catechin/g dry weight and 9.81mg equivalent catechin /g dry weight for immature and mature endocarp fruits, respectively. DPPH assay of the endocarps extract yielded a half-maximal effective concentration (IC50) value in the immature endocarps (549.33 μg/mL) than in mature endocarps (322 μg/mL). This result can be attributed to the higher phenolics and flavonoid compounds in the immature endocarps. Methanol extract of immature endocarps exhibited antibacterial activity against E.colie (inhibition zone, 11mm).

Keywords: antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity, total phenolic content, DPPH assay

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Authors: M. M. Wickramasinghe

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Cholesterol and triglycerides are lipids, mainly essential to maintain the cellular structure of the human body. Cholesterol is also important for hormone production, vitamin D production, proper digestion functions, and strengthening the immune system. Excess fats in the blood circulation, known as hyperlipidemia, become harmful leading to arterial clogging and causing atherosclerosis. Aim of this research is to develop a treatment protocol to efficiently break down and maintain circulatory lipids by improving blood circulation without strenuous physical exercises while immersed in a tub of water. To achieve the target of strong exercise effect, this method involves generating powerful ozone bubbles to spin, collide, and burst in the water. Powerful emission of air into water is capable of transferring locked energy of the water molecules and releasing energy. This method involves water and air-based impact generated by pumping ozone at the speed of 46 lts/sec with a concentration of 0.03-0.05 ppt according to safety standards of The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, BfArM, Germany. The direct impact of ozone bubbles on the muscular system and skin becomes the main target and is capable of increasing the heart rate while immersed in water. A total time duration of 20 minutes is adequate to exert a strong exercise effect, improve blood circulation, and stimulate the nervous and endocrine systems. Unstable ozone breakdown into oxygen release onto the surface of the water giving additional benefits and supplying high-quality air rich in oxygen required to maintain efficient metabolic functions. The breathing technique was introduced to improve the efficiency of lung functions and benefit the air exchange mechanism. The temperature of the water is maintained at 39c to 40c to support arterial dilation and enzyme functions and efficiently improve blood circulation to the vital organs. The buoyancy of water and natural hydrostatic pressure release the tension of the body weight and relax the mind and body. Sufficient hydration (3lts of water per day) is an essential requirement to transport nutrients and remove waste byproducts to process through the liver, kidney, and skin. Proper nutritional intake is an added advantage to optimize the efficiency of this method which aids in a fast recovery process. Within 20-30 days of daily treatment, triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and total cholesterol reduction were observed in patients with abnormal levels of lipid profile. Borderline patients were cleared within 10–15 days of treatment. This is a highly efficient system that provides many benefits and is able to achieve a successful reduction of triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol within a short period of time. Supported by proper hydration and nutritional balance, this system of natural treatment maintains healthy levels of lipids in the blood and avoids the risk of cerebral stroke, high blood pressure, and heart attacks.

Keywords: atherosclerosis, cholesterol, hydrotherapy, hyperlipidemia, lipid management, ozone therapy, triglycerides

Procedia PDF Downloads 67

Authors: Jin Young Kim, Kwon Kyoo Kang

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The SGR1 (STAYGREEN1) protein is a critical regulator of plant leaves in chlorophyll degradation and senescence. The functions and mechanisms of tomato SGR1 action are poorly understood and worthy of further investigation. To investigate the function of the SGR1 gene, we generated a SGR1-knockout (KO) null line via clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9-mediated gene editing and conducted RNA sequencing and gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) analysis to identify the differentially expressed genes. The SlSGR1 (Solanum lycopersicum SGR1) knockout null line clearly showed a turbid brown color with significantly higher chlorophyll and carotenoid content compared to wild-type (WT) fruit. Differential gene expression analysis revealed 728 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between WT and sgr1 #1-6 line, including 263 and 465 downregulated and upregulated genes, respectively, for which fold change was >2, and the adjusted p-value was <0.05. Most of the DEGs were related to photosynthesis and chloroplast function. In addition, the pigment, carotenoid changes in sgr1 #1-6 line was accumulated of key primary metabolites such as sucrose and its derivatives (fructose, galactinol, raffinose), glycolytic intermediates (glucose, G6P, Fru6P) and tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) intermediates (malate and fumarate). Taken together, the transcriptome and metabolite profiles of SGR1-KO lines presented here provide evidence for the mechanisms underlying the effects of SGR1 and molecular pathways involved in chlorophyll degradation and carotenoid biosynthesis.

Keywords: tomato, CRISPR/Cas9, null line, RNA-sequencing, metabolite profiling

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Authors: Do Su Park, Sang Jun Park, Cheon Soon Jeong

Abstract:

This study was performed in order to investigate the optimum ripening conditions for the marketing of Squash. Research sample 'Bochang' was grown at Hongcheonin in Gangwon province in August 2014. Ripening the samples were stored under the conditions of 25℃, 30℃, and 35℃ with the humidity RH70 ± 5%. They were checked every 3 days for 21 days. The respiration rate, water loss, hardness, coloration, the contents of soluble solids, starch, total sugar were evaluated after storage. Respiration rate was reduced in all treatments with longer storage period. Water loss was increased in the higher temperature. The 13% water loss was found at 35℃ on 21st storage day. The store initially 25℃ and 30℃ Hardness 47N and the ripening 21 days decreased slightly. On the other hand, in the case of 35℃ showed a large reduction than 25℃ and 30℃. Soluble solid contents were increased with longer ripening period. 30℃ and 35℃ was highest ripening 15 days. In the case of 25℃, it was highest on 21th day. The higher the temperature, the higher the soluble solids content are. 25℃ and 30℃ Coloration was increased rapidly until the ripening 12 days. In case of 35℃, continued increase up to 21 days. 25℃ and 30℃ showed no differences. Meanwhile, in case of 35℃, appearance quality was reduced in Occurrence of yellowing phenomenon of pericarp occurs from after ripening for 9 days. The coloration of fruit flesh is increase until after ripening for 9 days and decrease from after ripening for 9 days. There was no significant difference depending on the conditions of temperature. The higher the temperature, the lower the content of the starch. In case of 30℃ and 35℃, was reduced with longer storage period. 25℃ was minimal content change. Total sugar was increased in all treatments with longer storage period. The higher the temperature, the higher the amount of total sugar content is. Therefore, at 25℃ for 18-21 days and at 30℃ for 12-15 days is suitable for ripening.

Keywords: marketing, ripening, temperature, winter squash

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Authors: Eun Young Park, Jongwon Park

Abstract:

A physical touch of a product can provide ample diagnostic information about the product attributes and quality. However, consumers’ product judgments and purchases can be erroneously influenced by non-diagnostic haptic information. For example, consumers’ evaluations of the coffee they drink could be affected by the heaviness of a cup that is used for just serving the coffee. This important issue has received little attention in prior research. The present research contributes to the literature by identifying when and how non-diagnostic haptic information can have an influence and why such influence occurs. Specifically, five studies experimentally varied the content of non-diagnostic haptic information, such as the weight of a cup (heavy vs. light) and the texture of a cup holder (smooth vs. rough), and then assessed the impact of the manipulation on product judgments and decisions. Results show that non-diagnostic haptic information has a biasing impact on consumer judgments. For example, the heavy (vs. light) cup increases consumers’ perception of the richness of coffee in it, and the rough (vs. smooth) texture of a cup holder increases the perception of the healthfulness of fruit juice in it, which in turn increases consumers’ purchase intentions of the product. When consumers are cognitively distracted during the touch experience, the impact of the content of haptic information is no longer evident, but the valence (positive vs. negative) of the haptic experience influences product judgments. However, consumers are able to avoid the impact of non-diagnostic haptic information, if and only if they are both knowledgeable about the product category and undistracted from processing the touch experience. In sum, the nature of the influence by non-diagnostic haptic information (i.e., assimilation effect vs. contrast effect vs. null effect) is determined by the content and valence of haptic information, the relative impact of which depends on whether consumers can identify the content and source of the haptic information. Theoretically, to our best knowledge, this research is the first to document the empirical evidence of the interplay between cognitive and affective processes that determines the impact of non-diagnostic haptic information. Managerial implications are discussed.

Keywords: consumer behavior, haptic information, product judgments, touch effect

Procedia PDF Downloads 139

Authors: Nausheen Irshad

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Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) exists in both developed and developing countries though it is more serious in developing nations. Knowledge of species ecology and species sensitivity to anthropogenic pressures is an important prerequisite for conservation/management. Therefore, three districts (Poonch, Bagh, and Muzaffarabad) of Azad Jammu and Kashmir were selected to highlight the wildlife hunting practices from January 2015 to November 2018. The study area was thoroughly explored to recover dead animals. Moreover, the local community was investigated (questionnaire survey) to catch on motives of killing. The results showed HWC mainly arises due to feeding habits of wild animals as some are frugivorous (small Indian civet and small Kashmir flying squirrel) who damaged human cultivated fruit trees. Besides, Indian crested porcupine and wild boar act as serious crop pests. The feeding upon domestic animals (common leopard) and poultry (Asiatic Jackal and Red fox) were also reported as factors of conflict. Hence numerous wild animals and birds (N=120) were found killed by natives in revenge. Despite protected status in Pakistan, the killed mammals belonged to categories of critically endangered (Panthera pardus) and near threatened (Viverricula indica) species. The important birds include critically endangered (Falco peregrines) and endangered (Lophura leucomelanos) species. It was found that mammals were primarily killed due to HWC (60%) followed by recreation (20%) and trade (15%) Whereas, the foremost hunting reasons for birds are recreation (50%), food (25%) and trade (25%). The drastic hunting/killing of the species needs our immediate attention. This unwarranted killing must be stopped forthwith otherwise these animals become extinct.

Keywords: Azad Jammu and Kashmir, anthropogenic pressures, endangered species, human-wildlife conflicts

Procedia PDF Downloads 138

Authors: Magdalena Twaruzek, Karolina Ropejko

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Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of molds. Ochratoxin A (OTA) is the most common in the Polish climate. It is produced by fungi of the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium. It is produced as a result of improper food storage. It is present in many products that are consumed both by humans and animals: cereals, wheat gluten, coffee, dried fruit, wine, grape juice, spices, beer, and products based on them. OTA is nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic, potentially carcinogenic, and teratogenic. OTA mainly enters an organism by oral intake. The aim of the study was to detect the presence of OTA in milk, urine, and serum of lactating women. A survey was also conducted regarding the daily diet of women. The research group consisted of 32 lactating women (11 were the donors from the Milk Bank in Toruń, the other 21 were recruited for this study). Results of the analysis showed the occurrence of OTA only in 3 milk samples (9.38%). The minimum level was 0.01 ng/ml, while the maximum 0.018 ng/ml and the mean 0.0013 ng/ml. Twenty-six urine samples (81.25%) were OTA positive, with minimum level 0.013 ng/ml, maximum level 0.117 ng/ml and mean 0.0192 ng/ml. Also, all 32 serum samples (100%) were contaminated by OTA, with a minimum level of 0.099 ng/ml, a maximum level of 2.38 ng/ml, and a mean of 0.4649 ng/ml. In the case of 3 women, OTA was present in all tested body fluids. Based on the results, the following conclusions can be drawn: the breast-milk of women in the study group is slightly contaminated with ochratoxin A. Ten samples of urine contained ochratoxin A above its average content in tested samples. Moreover, serum of 8 women contains ochratoxin A at a level above the average content of this mycotoxin in tested samples. The average ochratoxin A level in serum in the presented studies was 0.4649 ng/ml, which is much lower than the average serum ochratoxin A level established in several countries in the world, i.e., 0.7 ng/ml. Acknowledgment: This study was supported by the Polish Minister of Science and Higher Education under the program 'Regional Initiative of Excellence' in 2019 - 2022 (Grant No. 008/RID/2018/19).

Keywords: breast-milk, urine, serum, contamination, ochratoxin A

Procedia PDF Downloads 114