Pseudomonas aeruginosa owns a variability of virulence factors. These factors can increase bacterial pathogenicity and infection severity. Despite the importance of knowledge about them, these factors are not more characterized at level of strains derived from local food products. This study aimed to characterize the virulence potential of P. aeruginosa isolated from various animal products. Several structural and virulence genes of P. aeruginosa including lasB, exoS, algD, plcH, pilB, exoU, and nan1 were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on 204 strains of P. aeruginosa. They were isolated from bovine meat (122), fresh fish (49), and smoked fish (33). The 16S rRNA gene was detected on 91.1% of the presumptive strains as Pseudomonas. The rpoB gene showed that 99.5% of the strains were P. aeruginosa. The lasB gene (89.2%) was the most frequently detected (p < 0.05). In decreasing importance order, exoS (86.8%), algD (72.1%), plcH (72.1%), pilB (40.2%), and exoU (2.5%) were detected. The lasB gene was detected in all strains of P. aeruginosa serogroups O11 and O16. The prevalence of algD, exoS, and exoU genes in these strains varied from 51.2% to 87.4%. The simultaneous determination of serogroups and virulence factors is of interest for the efficacy of surveillance of infections associated with P. aeruginosa.

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In Africa, milk and dairy products play an important role in human nutrition but could represent a risk to human health, due to poor hygiene throughout the production chain. This study aimed firstly to assess the contamination of raw milk produced in traditional dairy farms in Abidjan with Bacillus cereus from farm to retail and secondly to assess the associated health risk for consumers in informal markets using a participatory approach. In total, 320 samples including 150 milk samples were collected in 15 purposively selected traditional dairy farms from four sites of Abidjan and analysed according to EN ISO 7932:2004 with slight modification. In addition, a survey was conducted in the three informal markets with 188 individuals who bought milk. B. cereus was found in 27% of the udder milk samples while 41% of the samples taken from seller's pooled milk contained B. cereus. Out of the 183 milk consumers, 14% reported daily consumption of unheated milk, indicating the high probability of exposure to B. cereus and other foodborne illnesses. After milk consumption, 13% of consumers reported that they contracted a foodborne illness. In conclusion, milk produced and sold in informal markets in Abidjan represents a risk

This study aims to compare the effect of three cocoa fermentation methods and their duration on raw cocoa quality. Results showed a decrease in percentage of physical quality defects on fermentation method. Cocoa fermented for 4 days presented higher percentage of purple beans reached 45% and about 10% of slaty beans than cocoa fermented for 6 days whatever the process. Fermentation duration did not influence the mouldy beans that were around 1%. Formation of brown beans increased from 16% to 50% depending on the fermentation duration and process. Using wooden boxes allowed higher percentage of 77%-90% brown beans than others materials. Acidity of cocoa decreased on fermentation duration but beans treated in boxes were significantly (P = 0.05) acidic from 1.40 and 3.07 meq of NaOH g )1 . Fungal population did not vary in number depending both on the duration and the fermentation method with rates that ranged from 3.32 · 10 7 to 8.63 · 10 7 CFU g )1 .

The aim of this study was to determine the bacteriological quality of raw mixed vegetable salads served in collective catering in Abidjan and to assess the factors likely to favor contamination. An investigation was conducted to determine the practical risk of contamination. A total of 306 samples were collected and analyzed for the detection and enumeration of Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli and Salmonella according to standard microbiology methods. The most important risk factors were lack of training (96.7%), decontamination (84.0%), cross-contamination of vegetables in contact with fresh chicken or fish (76.7%) and salads that were uncovered and unprotected, thus exposed to the air and at ambient temperature for sale (97.7%). Theprevalence was 100%, 77.8% and 2.6% respectively for Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli and Salmonella. The average load of Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli was 4.93 log 10 (CFU/g) and 1.89 log 10 (CFU/g), respectively. Unsatisfactory microbiological quality samples were 52.3%. The results showed a failure of the sanitary quality in more than half of the products. Raising awareness in all of the workers in the food chain for vegetable salads is thus necessary to protect the health of the consumers.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the antifungal potency of the essential oil of tea of savanna (Lippia multiflora) on three fungal strains. The essential oil is extracted of Lippia multiflora by steam distillation and the antifungal activity in vitro was investigated on Apergillus flavus, Asperguillus Niger and Fusarium sp species. This activity was realized by incorporation of the plant extract in Sabouraud medium prepared by a double dilution. The study revealed a sensitivity of these three species to the essential oil extracted from Lippia multiflora. It has been observed, in a descending order of sensitivity, a minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of 2.08 ± 0.58 µl / ml with Aspergillus flavus; 4.16 ± 1.17 µl / ml with Aspergillus Niger and 8.33 ± 2.35 µl / ml with Fusarium sp. The antifungal potency of the essential oil extracted from Lippia multiflora, allows considering its use as a novel approach in the field of integrated management of cereal stocks in post-harvest.

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