In this research, we aimed to reduce the bacterial loads of Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter jejuni, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in pork and chicken meat with skin by applying cold plasma in a liquid state or liquid plasma. The results showed reductions in S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, E. coli, and C. jejuni on the surface of pork and chicken meat after 15 min of liquid plasma treatment on days 0, 3, 7, and 10. However, the efficacy of the reduction in S. aureus was lower after day 3 of the experiment. Moreover, P. aeruginosa could not be inactivated under the same experimental conditions. The microbial decontamination with liquid plasma did not significantly reduce the microbial load, except for C. jejuni, compared with water immersion. When compared with a control group, the pH value and water activity of pork and chicken samples treated with liquid plasma were significantly different (p ≤ 0.05), with a downward trend that was similar to those of the control and water groups. Moreover, the redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) values (CIELAB) of the meat decreased. Although the liquid plasma group resulted in an increase in the lightness (L*) values of the pork samples, these values did not significantly change in the chicken samples. This study demonstrated the efficacy of liquid plasma at reducing S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, E. coli, C. jejuni, and S. aureus on the surface of pork and chicken meat during three days of storage at 4–6 °C with minimal undesirable meat characteristics.

Campylobacter jejuni is one of the leading causes of foodborne illness worldwide. C. jejuni is commonly found in poultry. It is the most frequent cause of contamination and thus resulting in not only public health concerns but also economic impacts. To test for this bacterial contamination in food processing plants, this study attempted to employ a simple and rapid detection assay called loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The best cutoff value for the positive determination of C. jejuni calculated using real-time LAMP quantification cycle (Cq) was derived from the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve modeling. The model showed an area under curve (AUC) of 0.936 (95% Wald CI: 0.903–0.970). Based on Youden’s J statistic, the optimal cutoff value which had the highest sensitivity and specificity from the model was calculated as 18.07. The LAMP assay had 96.9% sensitivity, 95.8% specificity, and 93.9 and 97.9% positive and negative predictive values, respectively, compared to a standard culture approach for C. jejuni identification. Among all non-C. jejuni strains, the LAMP assay gave each of 12.5% false-positive results to C. coli and E. coli (1 out of 8 samples). The assay can detect C. jejuni at the lowest concentration of 103 CFU/mL. Our results suggest a preliminary indicator for the application of end-point LAMP assays, such as turbidity and UV fluorescence tests, to detect C. jejuni in field operations. The LAMP assay is an alternative screening test for C. jejuni contamination in food samples. The method provides a rapid detection, which requires only 9 min with a cutoff value of Cq. We performed the extraction of DNA from pure cultures and the detection of C. jejuni using the LAMP assay within 3 h. However, we were not able to reduce the time for the process of enrichment involved in our study. Therefore, we suggest that alternative enrichment media and rapid DNA extraction methods should be considered for further study. Compared to other traditional methods, our proposed assay requires less equipment and time, which is applicable at any processing steps in the food production chain.

The unfavorable effects of global climate change, which are mostly the result of human activities, have had a particularly negative effect on human health and the planet’s ecosystems. This study attempted to determine the seasonality and association of air pollution, in addition to climate conditions, with two respiratory infections, influenza and pneumonia, in Chiang Mai, Thailand, which has been considered the most polluted city on Earth during the hot season. We used a seasonal-trend decomposition procedure based on loess regression (STL) and a seasonal cycle subseries (SCS) plot to determine the seasonality of the two diseases. In addition, multivariable negative binomial regression (NBR) models were used to assess the association between the diseases and environmental variables (temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, PM2.5, and PM10). The data revealed that influenza had a clear seasonal pattern during the cold months of January and February, whereas the incidence of pneumonia showed a weak seasonal pattern. In terms of forecasting, the preceding month’s PM2.5 and temperature (lag1) had a significant association with influenza incidence, while the previous month’s temperature and relative humidity influenced pneumonia. Using air pollutants as an indication of respiratory disease, our models indicated that PM2.5 lag1 was correlated with the incidence of influenza, but not pneumonia. However, there was a linear association between PM10 and both diseases. This research will help in allocating clinical and public health resources in response to potential environmental changes and forecasting the future dynamics of influenza and pneumonia in the region due to air pollution.

Curriculum mapping provides a systematic approach for analyzing the conformity of an educational program with a given set of standards. The Chiang Mai University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine joined together in an educational twinning project to map their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine curricula against core competencies identified by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) as critically important for Day 1 veterinary graduates to meet the needs for global public good services. Details of curriculum coverage for each specific and advanced competency were collected through a review of syllabi and course descriptions, followed by in-depth interviews of key faculty members. The depth of coverage of each competency was estimated by the tabulating the number of hours assigned. The teaching methods and levels of learning were also captured. While the overall design of the curricula conformed to the OIE Guidelines for Veterinary Education Core Curricula, the mapping process identified variability in the depth and breadth of coverage on individual competencies. Coverage of the Day 1 Specific Competencies was greater early in the curricula. More gaps existed in terms of the Advanced Competencies than the specific core competencies. Discussion of the identified gaps with faculty members led to opportunities for strengthening the curricula by adjustments of individual courses throughout the curricula. Documentation of teaching methods also led to professional development of new pedagogical skills and redesign of the teaching methods for particular subjects.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected the food supply chain, retailers, and consumers owing to infection awareness. This study evaluated the impacts COVID-19 on ASF retailers’ businesses and consumers’ livelihoods, as well as their knowledge toward the disease, attitudes, and food safety practices to prevent infections. The study includes a cross-sectional component that was conducted in urban/peri-urban (U/PU) and rural areas in Chiang Mai province. In another part of the study, a structured questionnaire was developed for animal source food (ASF) retailers and consumers, with three primary parts for data analysis: general information, COVID-19 impacts, and knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) assessment. Data corresponding to three periods of interest (before the COVID-19 outbreak, during partial lockdown, and present) were gathered and analyzed. In this study, 155 retailers and 150 consumers participated, of which the majority of the respondents were female (70.3% and 82.7%, respectively) with average ages of 47.4 and 44.9 years, respectively. The most noticeable effect of COVID-19 was a decline in income for retailers and consumers. The KAP scores of consumers in both areas were not significantly different, whereas the retailer attitudes toward COVID-19 prevention and food safety practices scored more highly in rural areas than in U/PU. During the partial lockdown, food safety practices significantly improved relative to the time preceding the outbreak, and these practices have remained constant to the present day. The results revealed that gender, age group, business type, and type of ASF retailers were associated with the KAP of the retailers, whereas gender, age group, education, number of family members, and occupation were associated with the KAP of the consumers. Our findings provide in-depth information about the effects of COVID-19 on ASF retailers and consumers, as well as their KAP regarding the outbreak and food safety, which may serve as support in developing policies for improved health and food safety.