ObjectiveFood-borne pathogens are a major cause of illnesses, death and expenses. Their occurrence in meat and other food is considered a global health problem. The burden of food-borne disease is increasing due to antimicrobial resistance which represents a greater risk of treatment failure. However, very little is known about the antibiotic resistance profile of food-borne pathogens in Nepal. This study was conducted to examine the antibiotic resistance profile of common food-borne bacterial pathogens isolated from raw meat sold in Nepal. A total of 83 meat samples were collected from the market and analyzed.ResultsThe prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella, and Vibrio were 68%, 53%, 35%, 6%, and 6% respectively. The resistance of Salmonella was most frequently observed to amoxicillin (100%), tetracycline (24%), chloramphenicol (11%), and nalidixic acid (11%). S. aureus was resistant to amoxicillin (100%) followed by tetracycline (63%), nalidixic acid (17%), and cefotaxime (13%) respectively. Vibrio isolates resisted amoxicillin (100%), tetracycline (40%) and chloramphenicol (20%). Shigella expressed the highest resistance to amoxicillin (100%), followed by chloramphenicol (80%), tetracycline (60%) and nalidixic acid (20%). E. coli exhibited the highest resistance to amoxicillin (100%), followed by tetracycline (93%), nalidixic acid (25%) and cefotaxime (19%).

Fresh Aloe vera leaves were collected from Itahari, Sunsari district Nepal and were well washed with distilled water and subjected to cabinet drying at 50°C until constant weight of sample was obtained. Thus, obtained dry powder was extracted using Soxhlet apparatus in two different solvents i.e. methanol and ethanol and further concentrated using rotatory vacuum evaporator that was used for Total Phenol Content (TPC), Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) and tannin content determination. The mean values of methanolic and ethanolic extract were then statistically analyzed at 5% level of significance by paired t-test. Fresh Aloe vera leaves were extracted in 96% methanol to determine chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll- b and total carotene content. Similarly, 99% methanol was used to determine Total Antioxidant Capacity (TOAC), DPPH radical scavenging activity and reducing power assay of fresh Aloe vera leaves. Keywords: Aloe-Vera; Total Phenol Content; Total Flavonoid Content; Total Tannin Content; Antioxidant Activity

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Realizing an increasing need for a novel antibiotic, this study was carried out to screen antibacterial metabolites producing actinomycetes from 15 soil samples collected from Taplejung. Antibacterial metabolites producing actinomycetes were confirmed by primary screening and secondary screening. Macroscopic, microscopic, and biochemical characteristics were used for presumptive identification of probable actinomycetes genera. The potential isolate was cultured in starch casein broth for production of possible antibacterial compound. The antibacterial compound was extracted from fermented broth using organic solvents like ethyl acetate, n-butanol, chloroform, dichloromethane, and methanol. Among 24 isolates, only one (T18) showed antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhi and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) test-bacteria. The isolate was considered as Streptomyces spp based on microscopy and various biochemical, and physiological characteristics. Extracted antibacterial metabolite showed antibacterial activity with a MIC value of 1.2 mg/mL against E. coli (ATCC 25922). The chromatogram in Thin Layer Chromatography showed only one spot exhibited by extract with Rf value 0.87 suggested that the isolate produced a compound that was completely different from the spot with Rf value 0.94 produced by gentamicin (standard). This study revealed the distribution of the potent antibacterial metabolite producing actinomycetes in the soils of Taplejung.

The effect of microwave power levels on the drying attributes of Jaya fish ( Aspidoparia jaya) in a microwave dryer was investigated in this study. Microwave power levels of 100, 180, 300, and 450 W were used to dry 50 g of fish samples, and the drying kinetics were evaluated. Higher microwave power levels resulted in faster drying when increased from 100 to 450 W. The moisture ratio of fish during drying was calculated, and the data obtained were applied to 5 well known thin-layer mathematical models of drying, namely Approximate diffusion, Modified Henderson and Pabis, Two-Term, Logarithmic, and Midilli et al. model. Model constants and coefficients were calculated by nonlinear regression techniques. All the models were validated using statistical parameters namely; Coefficient of determination (R2), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Chi-square (χ2), and Standard Sum of Error (SSE). The Midilli et al. model gave an excellent fit to the experimental data of all the models evaluated. The effective diffusivity was calculated using Fick’s diffusion equation, and the value varied from 1.40 × 10−9 to 1.08 × 10−8 m2/s. The activation energy and the diffusivity constant were found to be 4.656W/g and 1.22 × 10−8 m2/s, respectively.