The species identify of 661 strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from the skin and nares of cattle, pigs, poultry, goats and sheep was determined. They belonged either to the novobiocin-sensitive species Staphylococcus hyicus, Staph. simulans, Staph. epidermidis, Staph. haemolyticus and Staph. warneri or to the novobiocin-resistant species Staph. sciuri, Staph. lentus, Staph. xylosus, Staph. cohnii, Staph. saprophyticus and Staph. gallinarum; twenty-one strains remained unidentified. The staphylococcal flora of the farm animals studied differed markedly from that associated with man; several species which do not occur in man were isolated and novobiocin-resistant strains, which occur infrequently in man, were present in large numbers in animals. Two simplified schemes for the identification of staphylococci from farm animals and man are presented.

Background Chemical exposures have been associated with a variety of health effects; however, little is known about the global disease burden from foodborne chemicals. Food can be a major pathway for the general population’s exposure to chemicals, and for some chemicals, it accounts for almost 100% of exposure.  Methods and Findings Groups of foodborne chemicals, both natural and anthropogenic, were evaluated for their ability to contribute to the burden of disease.  The results of the analyses on four chemicals are presented here - cyanide in cassava, peanut allergen, aflatoxin, and dioxin.  Systematic reviews of the literature were conducted to develop age- and sex-specific disease incidence and mortality estimates due to these chemicals.  From these estimates, the numbers of cases, deaths and disability adjusted life years (DALYs) were calculated.  For these four chemicals combined, the total number of illnesses, deaths, and DALYs in 2010 is estimated to be 339,000 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 186,000-1,239,000); 20,000 (95% UI: 8,000-52,000); and 1,012,000 (95% UI: 562,000-2,822,000), respectively.  Both cyanide in cassava and aflatoxin are associated with diseases with high case-fatality ratios.  Virtually all human exposure to these four chemicals is through the food supply.  Conclusion Chemicals in the food supply, as evidenced by the results for only four chemicals, can have a significant impact on the global burden of disease. The case-fatality rates for these four chemicals range from low (e.g., peanut allergen) to extremely high (aflatoxin and liver cancer).  The effects associated with these four chemicals are neurologic (cyanide in cassava), cancer (aflatoxin), allergic response (peanut allergen), endocrine (dioxin), and reproductive (dioxin).

The spice, Aframomum danielli, on a wet weight basis with a moisture content of 10.5%, protein content of 8.2% (dry matter basis) and caloric value of 469.7 kcal/100 g, contains in varying amounts, minerals like calcium, magnesium, sodium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc and copper. Amino acids found in varying concentrations in A. danielli include L-Threonine, L-Serine, L-Valine, L-Proline, L-Glutamic acid, glycine, L-Leucine and L-Lysine. Using minimum inhibition zone of 20-22 mm in diameter, A. danielli inhibited the growth of Salmonella enteriditis, Psudomonas fragi, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Proteus vulgaris, Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus, A. ochraceus and A. niger. The minimum concentration (MIC) determined for Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 1 in 320 whilst the MIC for S. aureus was 1 in 8,000.

Cassava tubers (Manihot esculenta) and maize grains (Zea mays) were steeped for 3 d for the preparation of fufu and ogi. The microflora of the fermenting fufu and ogi were characterized by phenotypic methods. The predominating micro‐organisms isolated from fufu were Streptococcus faecalis, coliforms, Bacillus subtilis, B. polymyxa, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lact. brevis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In the fermentation of ogi, B. subtilis, Klebsiella oxytoca, Staphylococcus aureus and Sacch. cerevisiae were isolated.

Essential oil monoterpenes (α‐terpinene, (+)‐limonene, α‐pinene, 1,8‐cineole) of the spice Aframomum danielli were tested for in vitro antifungal activities against some food spoilage yeasts (Torulopsis candida, Candida tropicalis, Kluveromyces thermotolerans, K. fragilis, Hansenula anomala and Pichia pastoris) and mycotoxigenic moulds (Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus). With α‐terpinene, the mean minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for T. candida, K. fragilis, K. thermotolerans and C. tropicalis were found to be 4.9, 39, 78 and 156 μg/ml, respectively. With (+)‐limonene, the mean MICs for T. candida, K. fragilis, K. thermotolerans and C. tropicalis were 39, 312, 39 and 312 μg/ml, respectively. The minimal fungal concentrations (MFCs) of the monoterpenes varied from 39 to 1250 μg/ml for the food spoilage yeasts examined. Within 60 min, α‐terpinene (312 μg/ml) reduced the population of C. tropicalis and H. anomala from 105 to 13 cells/ml. The MIC of (+)‐limonene for A. parasiticus was 78 μg/ml. As revealed by NMR, both α‐terpinene and (+)‐limonene caused membrane injury of C. tropicalis cells. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.