Some positive effects of introducing Pt4+ and Fe3+ to the MnMo-oxide anode deposited on IrO2/Ti substrate for best oxygen evolution efficiency during electrolysis in 0.5 M NaCl solution

NaCl solution (0.5 M) of pH 2 was electrolyzed at 1000 Am^?2 at room temperature. Addition of Pt⁴⁺ and Fe³⁺ to the prepared MnMo-oxide anode deposited on IrO₂/Ti substrate, significantly improves the performance of anode for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) during NaCl electrolysis. After 2000 h of electrolysis, the oxygen evolution efficiency (OEE) is in the order of MnMoPt-oxide > MnMoFe-oxide > MnMo-oxide anodes with 100%, 99%, and 93.2% OEE, respectively. The loss in weight of MnMo-oxide is reduced from about 13% to 3.2% and 0.0% by addition of iron and platinum cations, to the deposition electrolyte. The mean average grain size of MnO₂, MnMo-, MnMoFe- and MnMoPt-oxide deposits prepared in electrolytes of pH 0.0 are in the range of 25.5, 16.22, 13.5 ～ 16.5 and 13 ～ 17.5 nm, respectively. The physicochemical properties of the deposits were characterized using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical techniques. EDX analysis illustrates that IrO₂/Ti is stable during the deposition process and behaves only as conductive substrate. SEM illustrates that, all elements constituting MnMoPt- and MnMoFe-oxide deposits are homogeneously distributed in the oxide surface.     

Effect of washing and disinfecting containers on the microbiological quality of fresh milk sold in Bamako (Mali)

The present study aimed to improve the microbiological quality of the milk, from the cow’s udder to the selling point by container washing and disinfecting. The total counts (TC), Enterobacteriaceae counts (EBC) were used as quality indicators.The results showed a significant decrease of milk flora at the selling point, from 1.6 × 10⁷ ± 1.3 × 10⁷ (control) to 4.8 × 10⁵ ± 0,8 × 10⁷ (intervention) colony forming units per ml (cfu ml⁻¹) for TC and 1.2 × 10⁶ ± 1.1 × 10⁶ (control) to 0.9 × 10⁴ ± 1.1 × 10⁴ (intervention) cfu ml⁻¹ for EBC. The study suggests that in milk production area, besides udder infection and water quality, hygiene behaviour with respect to hand washing, container’s cleaning and disinfection are the key areas that remain of relevance to milk hygiene intervention.     

Investigations using potentiodynamic polarization measurements,cure durability,ultra violet immovability and abrasion resistance of polyamine cured ilmenite epoxy coating for oil and gas storage steel tanks in petroleum sector

To uphold the corrosion protection of oil and gas steel tanks in petroleum sector, different high build epoxy coating formulations cured by polyamine hardener were modified by incorporation various concentrations of processed micro-sized ilmenite particles (FeTiO₃) obtained by a solid phase milling process as a pigment to form a highly cross linked ilmenite epoxy adduct in three dimensional network. The lamellar shape of micro-sized ilmenite particles was emphasized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigation. Flaky-like nature and the arrangement in overlapping plates of ilmenite particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs. The electrochemical behavior of cured ilmenite epoxy coated steel films against unmodified conventional epoxy in oil-wells formation water has been studied by potentiodynamic polarization measurements. From the obtained electrochemical results for the coated steel films it was found that, the maximum performance was exhibited at 100% treatment of the processed ilmenite ore at which the corrosion current (I_corr) was less than the value 15 nA·cm^?2 and exhibited the highest value of the protection efficiency (η) 99%. Cure durability test was implemented for appreciation the organic solvents resistance of the investigated cured coated films to confirm their application efficiency. The recorded data ensured the improvement in cure resistance with increasing the amount (%) by weight of micro-sized ilmenite particles against softening, wrinkling and loss of adhesion in case of unmodified conventional cured epoxy. Accelerated ultra violet (UV) exposure coating test was accomplished to measure the ability of the cured coated films to resist UV weathering and sun light damage. From the obtained exposure results it was found that, there is no blistering, no rust, no cracking, no flaking and no loss in adhesion in addition to the glossy variation at 60° was from 22.9° to 21.65° in case of the cured ilmenite epoxy coated films against complete deterioration in the film properties of conventional unmodified cured epoxy. The abrasion test was performed to determine the scraping resistance of the cured coated films. The results indicated that, there is a decrease in the weight loss of the coated films as a function of abrasion resistance with increasing the loading level (%) by weight of ilmenite pigment.     

Microbiological evaluation of an edible antimicrobial coating on minimally processed carrots

This work aimed to develop an edible antimicrobial coating based on a starch–chitosan matrix to evaluate its effect on minimally processed carrot by means of microbiological analyses. Coatings based on 4% yam starch (w/w) + 2% glycerol (w/w) and coatings based on 4% yam starch (w/w) + 2% glycerol (w/w) + chitosan in 0.5% and 1.5% concentrations were prepared. Samples of minimally processed carrot slices were immersed into these coatings. All the samples were placed in expanded polystyrene trays, wrapped in polyvinylchloride film and stored at 10 °C/15 days. During storage, all the samples had counting <100 CFU/g for Staphylococcus aureus and <3 MPN/g for Escherichia coli. Starch + 0.5% chitosan coating controlled the growth of mesophilic aerobes, yeasts and molds and psychrotrophs during the first five days of storage, ultimately presenting reductions of only 0.64, 0.11 and 0.16 log cycles, respectively, compared to the control. Starch + 1.5% chitosan coated samples showed reductions in mesophilic aerobes, mold and yeast and psychrotrophic counting of 1.34, 2.50 and 1.30 log cycles, respectively, compared to the control. The presence of 1.5% chitosan in the coatings inhibited the growth of total coliforms and lactic acid bacteria throughout the storage period. The use of edible antimicrobial yam starch and chitosan coating is a viable alternative for controlling microbiological growth in minimally processed carrot.     

Antimicrobial effect of acidified sodium chlorite,sodium chlorite,sodium hypochlorite,and citric acid on Escherichia coli O157:H7 and natural microflora of fresh-cut cilantro

Fresh-cut cilantro is particularly susceptible to microbial growth and, therefore, use of an effective sanitizer on this product is of great importance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of different sanitizing treatments on reducing Escherichia coli O157:H7 populations, aerobic mesophilic bacterial, yeast and mould counts on fresh-cut cilantro. Cut cilantro was treated with sodium hypochlorite (SH) at 0.2 g L^?1 free chlorine and acidified sodium chlorite (ASC) at 0.1, 0.25, 0.5 and 1 g L^?1, along with the components of ASC, i.e., citric acid (CA) at 6 g L^?1 and sodium chlorite (SC) at 1 g L^?1. In the present study, it was found that SH inactivated, at maximum, 1–1.3 log cfu g^?1 of background or pathogenic microflora present on cut cilantro. However, reductions of more than 3 log cfu g^?1 were observed after washing with 1 g L^?1 of ASC. Moreover, when lower concentrations of ASC were used (0.25 and 0.5 g L^?1), microbial populations were reduced by about 2 log cfu g^?1. SC was as effective as ASC at 1 g L^?1 in reducing aerobic mesophilic bacteria and E. coli O157:H7 populations, although it was not as effective as ASC in reducing yeast and mould populations.     

Hot air treatment for surface decontamination of table eggs

A hot air assay was set up for the surface decontamination of table eggs experimentally contaminated by Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis. A hot air apparatus was built and a treatment of two shots of 8 s at 600 °C with an interval of 30 s of cold air was chosen and applied on contaminated eggs. The S. Enteritidis load on eggshells as well as the quality traits of the egg components of 190 treated and 190 not treated eggs was investigated during 24 days of storage at 20 °C. Hot air treatment reduced the S. Enteritidis load on eggshells of up to 1.9 log. No significant changes to any of the quality traits tested were recorded. These results suggest the usefulness of hot air pasteurisation for the surface decontamination of table eggs.     

Microbiological quality of legume-based traditional fermented foods marketed in West Bengal,India

A total of 105 samples of six different types of legume-based popular fermented foods, namely amriti, dhokla, dosa, idli, papad and wadi, purchased from retail outlets in West Bengal, was analysed to determine their microbiological safety status. While dhokla and idli were of high-moisture foods (62 g (100 g)⁻¹), others had a lower moisture level (14–27 g (100 g)⁻¹). Papad was alkaline (pH 8.7), whereas all the other foods were acidic (pH 4.4–5.8). Every sample was found contaminated with total aerobic mesophilic bacteria (detection limit, 10 cfu g⁻¹); 38% (40/105) of the samples contained more than 10⁶ cfu g⁻¹. Aerobic mesophilic bacterial spores were found in 88% (92/105) of the samples (detection limit, 100 cfu g⁻¹), whereas their anaerobic counterparts were present in 39% (41/105) of the samples (detection limit, 10 cfu g⁻¹). Although all the samples, excepting one, were free from Staphylococcus aureus (detection limit, 100 cfu g⁻¹), 20% (21/105) of the samples were found contaminated with Bacillus cereus (detection limit, 100 cfu g⁻¹). Enterobacteriaceae were found in 46% (48/105) of the samples (detection limit, 10 cfu g⁻¹). Of the Enterobacteriaceae isolates, 92% were coliforms and 57% were faecal coliforms. Escherichia coli (detection limit, 10 cfu g⁻¹) was found in only one sample each of wadi and idli, at a load of 10³–10⁴ g⁻¹. Salmonella (detection limit, 1 cell (25 g)⁻¹) occurred in 12 samples of wadi, idli and papad, however was absent in the other three products. Clostridium perfringens (detection limit, 10 cfu g⁻¹) and Shigella (detection limit, 1 cell (25 g)⁻¹) could not be detected. The results obtained in the present study indicated that these foods were manufactured using poor-quality starting materials, processed under unhygienic conditions, or/and temperature-abused during transportation and storage. Based on these results, a guideline is recommended for obtaining safe products.     

The occurrence of indicator bacteria on hands and aprons of food handlers in the delicatessen sections of a retail group

Despite an increase in the number of food handlers receiving food hygiene training, a high number of food poisoning outbreaks still occur as a result of improper food handling practices in the retail industry. In this study, samples were collected from the hands and aprons of food handlers in the delicatessen sections of a prominent South African retail group and analysed for the presence of total viable counts (TVC), total coliforms, Escherichia coli, members of the family Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcus aureus in order to assess the levels of contamination and to establish possible relationships. Noteworthy TVC were present on 98% of hands and 84% of aprons sampled and conformed to the national standard of 1 × 10² cfu cm⁻² without exception. Coliforms were present on 40% of food handler’s hands and on 26% of aprons and when compared to the literature which suggests a target value of <2.5 cfu cm⁻², 32% of food handlers exceeded the target with regard to hands and 8% with regard to aprons. E. coli was found to only exceed the limit in the case of one food handler. Enterobacteriaceae were present on the hands of food handlers (44%) and on aprons (16%), ranging between 5 and 1.8 × 10¹ cfu cm⁻² on hands and between 5 and 2.9 × 10¹ cfu cm⁻² on aprons. S. aureus counts were present on 88% of hands and 48% of aprons and ranged between negligible and 9.8 × 10¹ cfu cm⁻² for hands and up to 6.2 × 10¹ cfu cm⁻² for aprons. No significant statistical correlation occurred between the organisms on hands and aprons, indicating that the latter were not likely to be cross-contaminated by hands.     

Determination of cadmium in tableware leach solution by spectrophotometry using 2,6-dimethylphenyldiazoaminobenzene

A sensitive and selective spectrophotometric method has been developed for determination of trace cadmium in tableware leach solution, the method based on the reaction of cadmium(II) with new reagent 2,6-dimethylphenyldiazoaminobenzene (DMPDAAB). In 0.2 mol l⁻¹ ammonia medium, DMPDAAB reacts with cadmium(II) to form 1:3 red complex with a maximum absorption peak at 523 nm. The apparent molar absorption coefficient of the complex and Sandell’s sensitivity were 2.27 × 10⁵ l mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹ and 0.495 ng cm⁻², respectively. The detection limit for cadmium and relative standard deviation were found to be 0.18 ng/g and 1.06%, respectively. Under optimal conditions, the reaction can complete instantly and absorbance of the complex remain stable for 12 h at least. Absorbance of the complex at 523 nm obey Beer’s law in the cadmium(II) range of 0–0.48 μg/ml. Moreover, we also studied the effect of foreign ions on the determination of cadmium in detail, the results showed the method has excellent selectivity, it has been applied to determine cadmium in tableware leach solution satisfactorily.     

Influence of ilmenite ore particles as pigment on the anticorrosion and mechanical performance properties of polyamine cured epoxy for internal coating of gas transmission pipelines

In the present work, Different high build epoxy coating formulations cured by polyamine hardener were modified by incorporation various concentrations (50, 75 and 100%) of processed micro-sized ilmenite ore (FeTiO₃) as pigment to replace all inorganic solids content to form a highly cross linked ilmenite epoxy adduct in three dimensional network. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was implemented to assure the phase identification of the crystalline ilmenite particles. Dielectric light scattering measurements were accomplished to measure the particle size distribution of micro-sized ilmenite particles. The lamellar shape of the prepared ilmenite pigment particles (FeTiO₃) was illustrated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigation. Flaky-like nature and the arrangement in overlapping plates of ilmenite particles were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique. The anticorrosion behavior of the considered ilmenite epoxy coating formulations against unmodified blank coating were studied by accelerated corrosion experiment (salt spray chamber) after 500 h exposure in 5% NaCl solution. To confirm the previous concept, the electrochemical behavior of cured ilmenite epoxy coated steel films against unmodified epoxy in oil-wells formation water has been studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) investigation. The mechanical performance properties for these films were investigated via adhesion pull-off, bend and impact coating tests to confirm their application efficiency. From the recorded results it was found that, the inhibition effect of various coating formulations was attributed to the flaky-like character of dispersed ilmenite particles which aligned parallel to the steel surface through the epoxy base matrix producing a shield of overlapping plates. This alignment enhanced protection by providing a protective barrier, increasing the film reinforcement and enhancing the inter-coat adhesion.     

Incidence and level of patulin contamination in pure and mixed apple juices marketed in Italy

A survey on the occurrence of patulin was conducted during 2005 on commercial pure apple juices (53 samples) and mixed apple juices (82 samples) marketed in Italy. The current study was undertaken to investigate the possible influence of the agro-food production process employed (conventional or organic), of the fruit percentage in the commercial product (higher or lower than 50%) and of the type of apple juice (clear or cloudy) on the occurrence and level of patulin contamination. Patulin could be quantified in 34.8% of the samples ranging from 1.58 to 55.41 μg kg⁻¹. With the exception of one sample, the level of patulin was lower than 50 μg kg⁻¹, the maximum permitted threshold in fruit juices according to the European legislation. Mean levels of patulin were significantly lower in mixed apple juices (4.54 μg kg⁻¹) than in pure apple juices (9.32 μg kg⁻¹). Levels of patulin contamination were comparable in clear and cloudy juices. A similar incidence of positive samples was found in conventional and organic apple based juices, and the magnitude between the mean contamination levels, although higher in organic (10.92 μg kg⁻¹) than in conventional juices (4.77 μg kg⁻¹), was not statistically significant (p = 0.771; Mann–Whitney test). The magnitude between the means of patulin contamination in juices containing more than 50% fruit (11.26 μg kg⁻¹) and in juices with 50% or less fruit (3.35 μg kg⁻¹) was statistically significant (p = 0.016; Mann–Whitney test).     

Microflora of traditional starter made from cassava for “attiéké” production in Dabou (Côte d’Ivoire)

Attiéké is a food made from cassava in Côte d’Ivoire by fermentation. The process uses a traditional starter. Studies on 81 starter samples from 3 villages showed that the dominant microflora consists of lactic acid bacteria (5.7 × 10⁷ cfu/g), yeasts (5.5 × 10⁷ cfu/g), Bacillus (3.8 × 10⁷ cfu/g), Enterococcus (3.0 × 10⁶ cfu/g), total coliforms (3.0 × 10⁶ cfu/g), thermotolerant coliforms (8.0 × 10³ cfu/g) and mould (2.0 × 10⁶ cfu/g). Lactic acid bacteria, Bacillus spp, yeasts, faecal Enterococci and moulds are organisms which could play a role in the cassava fermentation. Coliforms may indicate contamination from the environment during production.     

Determination of 3-chloro-1,2-propanediol in soy sauces by capillary electrophoresis with electrochemical detection

A capillary electrophoresis technique with electrochemical detection (CE-ED) for determination of 3-chloro-1,2-propanediol (3-MCPD) in soy sauces was described. Effects of several factors, such as the pH value and the concentration of the running buffer, separation voltage, injection time and the potential applied to the working electrode, were investigated to find the optimum conditions. With a 50 cm length of 25 μm diameter fused-silica capillary, well-defined separation of 3-chloro-1,2-propanediol from propanediol and glycerol was achieved in 30 mmol/L borate (pH 9.24) within 13 min. Operated in a wall-jet configuration, a 0.45 mm copper-disk electrode used as the working electrode exhibits good response at 0.65 V (vs. SCE) for the analyte in 0.05 mol/L sodium hydroxide solution. The linear range for 3-MCPD was from 2 × 10⁻⁴ g/mL to 6.6 × 10⁻⁶ g/mL. Notably, the detection limit (S/N = 3) of 1.3 × 10⁻⁷ g/mL for 3-chloro-1,2-propanediol coincides with the criterion of food safety. This method was successfully used in the rapid analysis of 3-MCPD in soy samples. The average recoveries of 93.8–106.8% indicated that the experimental results were satisfactory.     

A versatile splitless injection GC-FID method for the determination of mineral oil paraffins in vegetable oils and dried fruit

A splitless injection GC-FID method for determining mineral paraffins in food was set up. The method has been developed on vegetable oils and subsequently adjusted and applied to dried fruits, a food matrix not yet investigated from this point of view. The method avoids the saponification step foreseeing only a clean-up on silica gel SPE, and allows the quantification of mineral paraffins with a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 15 mg kg⁻¹ and a detection limit (LOD) of 5 mg kg⁻¹ in the oils. LOQ and LOD for the analysis of dried fruit samples are respectively 1.0 and 0.3 mg kg⁻¹.Eighteen samples of dried fruit were analysed (apricots, plums, raisins, coconut, dates, mango, pineapple). Two samples of apricots showed high values of contamination, 23.0 and 28.2 mg kg⁻¹ of mineral paraffins, while all the other samples contained less than 6.4 mg kg⁻¹ of mineral paraffins and in four samples mineral paraffins were undetectable.     

Effects of Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil and nisin on Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778

The effects of different concentrations of Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil (EO, 0.0%, 0.005%, 0.015%, 0.03% and 0.045%) and nisin (N, 0.0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 μg ml⁻¹), pH values (7.4, 6.5 and 6.0), temperatures (Ts, 10, 20 and 30 °C) and storage times (Ds, up to 43 days) on log₁₀ probability percentage of growth initiation (log P%) of one vegetative cell of Bacillus cereus in brain heart infusion broth were evaluated in a factorial design study. The log P% of the organism was significantly affected (P < 0.01) by the values of EO, N, pH, T and D.The combinations of T ⩾ 20 °C, EO ⩽ 0.03% and pH values (7.4, 6.5 and 6.0) could not obviously affect the growth of the organism in this study. Whereas, the strong inhibitory action was observed by increasing EO concentration to 0.045 at T ⩾ 20 °C and selected pH values (7.4, 6.5 and 6.0) and by decreasing temperature to 10 °C at EO ⩾ 0.015% and pH values used in this study. The inhibitory effect of N also was enhanced by decreasing storage temperature to 10 °C at the selected pH values (7.4, 6.5 and 6.0) in this study.The growth of the organisms was strongly affected by increasing EO concentration to 0.03% in combination with N concentrations used at the selected temperatures in this study. The growth of the organism was completely inhibited at combinations EO ⩾ 0.015%, N ⩾ 1.5 μg ml⁻¹, T ⩽ 30 °C and pH ⩽ 7.4 during 43 days of storage in this study. This synergistic effect of EO and N was enhanced in lower pH values (6.5 and 6.0) in the present study. The growth of organism was completely inhibited at combinations of EO ⩾ 0.005 and N ⩾ 1.5 μg ml⁻¹ at pH = 6.0, and EO ⩾ 0.03 and N ⩾ 0.5 μg ml⁻¹ at pH ⩽ 6.5 during the study at the selected Ts (30, 20 and 10 °C).     

Biological control of postharvest diseases of peach with Cryptococcus laurentii

Cryptococcus laurentii was evaluated for its activity in reducing postharvest gray mold decay, blue mold decay and Rhizopus decay of peach caused by Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium expansum and Rhizopus stolonifer respectively, and in reducing natural decay development of peach fruits. The concentrations of antagonist had significant effects on biocontrol effectiveness: the higher the concentrations of the antagonist, the lower the disease incidence. At concentrations of C. laurentii at 1 × 10⁹ CFU ml⁻¹, the gray mold decay was completely inhibited after 4 days incubation at 25 °C, while the control fruit had 50% decay, when inoculated with B. cinerea spores suspension of 1 × 10⁵ spores ml⁻¹; no complete control of the blue mold or Rhizopus mold was observed, when peach fruits were stored at 25 °C for 4 days (challenged with P. expansum) or 5 days (challenged with R. stolonifer) respectively, but the decay was distinctly prevented, the incidence of blue mold or Rhizopus mold was reduced by 78.6% or 80% respectively, compared with control, at challenged with P. expansum or R. stolonifer spores suspension of 5 × 10⁴ spores ml⁻¹, respectively. C. laurentii significantly reduced the natural development of decay and did not impair quality parameters of fruit following storage at 2 °C for 30 days followed by 20 °C for 7 days.     

Effects of pulsed electric field treatments on quality of peanut oil

The effects of pulsed electric fields (PEF) treatment on physicochemical properties of peanut oil were investigated in this paper. Compositions of fatty acid, acid value (AV), peroxide value (PV), as well as carbonyl group value (CGV) of various PEF-treated peanut oil samples with different storage time were determined by GC/MS and AOCS standard methods. GC/MS analysis showed that little change of the oil composition was observed after PEF treatment. However, after being treated by various PEF treatments and stored at 40 °C for 100 days, the biggest increment of AV was 0.69 mg g⁻¹, which was lower than that of untreated peanut oil (0.79 mg g⁻¹). The PV significantly increased from 4.8 meq kg⁻¹ untreated oil to 11.5 meq kg⁻¹ PEF treated oil (50 kV cm⁻¹). And the increase extent of CGV of oil samples during the 100 d’ storage period was decreased with increasing electric field strength. During the storage period, the differences of AV, PV, and CGV of PEF-treated sample during storage period were less than that of untreated oil, which implied that the PEF treatment could restrain the speed of lipid oxidation reaction thus extending the shelf-life of oil rich products.     

Variation among strains of Listeria monocytogenes: differences in survival on packaged vegetables and in response to heat and acid conditions

The survival of different serotypes and strains of Listeria monocytogenes during storage on packaged vegetables (lettuce, dry coleslaw mix) was examined and their resistance to acid (pH 3.5), heat (55 °C) and antibiotics investigated. Survival and growth patterns on vegetables depended on strain, product type and package atmosphere. In general, most of the strains examined grew well on shredded lettuce, with populations increasing during storage. In the case of coleslaw mix, there were significant differences (P < 0.05) in survival of the various strains; populations of most strains decreased during storage but to different extents. However, populations of serotype 1/2a strain 269 increased (P < 0.05) on coleslaw. There was significant variation (P < 0.05) among strains in their resistance to heat and acid conditions; however, all strains responded similarly to antibiotics. In conclusion, there were significant differences observed among the various strains in terms of their ability to survive in heat and acidic conditions and on packaged vegetables.     

Occurrence of aflatoxin M1 in pasteurised,UHT milk and milk powder from goat origin

In the present study, 36 samples of pasteurised, ultra-high-temperature (UHT) treated and goat milk powder traded in the city of Campinas, Brazil, were analysed for aflatoxin M₁ (AFM₁), from October to December 2004 and March to May 2005. Results showed 25 (69.4%) positive samples for AFM₁ at levels of 0.011–0.161 μg L⁻¹ of milk, which were below the tolerance limit of 0.500 μg L⁻¹ as adopted for AFM₁ in milk by Brazilian regulations. Mean levels of AFM₁ in pasteurised, UHT and goat milk powder were 0.072 ± 0.048, 0.058 ± 0.044 and 0.056 ± 0.031 μg L⁻¹, respectively. It is concluded that the incidence of AFM₁ in goat milk traded in Campinas is high, but at levels that probably leads to a non-significant human exposure to AFM₁ by consumption of goat milks.     

Evaluation of 10 pesticide residues in oranges and tangerines from Valencia (Spain)

One hundred and sixteen orange and tangerine samples from an agricultural cooperative of the Valencian Community (Spain) were analyzed for bitertanol, carbendazim, hexythiazox, imazalil, imidacloprid, methidathion, methiocarb, pyriproxyfen, thiabendazole, and trichlorfon by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) after a conventional multiresidue extraction procedure. Of 52 samples that contained pesticide residues, carbendazim was detected in 27 (51.9%) in the concentration range of 0.02–0.04 mg kg⁻¹, hexythiazox in 22 (42.3%) in the concentration range of 0.02–0.05 mg kg⁻¹, imazalil in 8 (15.0%) in the concentration range of 0.02–1.2 mg kg⁻¹, imidacloprid in 5 (9.6%) in a concentration range of 0.02–0.07 mg kg⁻¹ methidathion in 17 (32.6%) in the concentration range of 0.06–1.3 mg kg⁻¹, and methiocarb in 1 (2%) at a concentration of 0.02 mg kg⁻¹. Bitertanol, pyriproxyfen, thiabendazole and trichlorfon were not detected in any sample. Although 19 samples contained residues of two or three of the studied pesticides, no sample exceeded the European Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs). The results show that despite a high occurrence of pesticide residues in oranges and tangerines from Valencian Community, the contamination levels of these residues could not be considered a serious public health problem according to European Union (EU) regulations.