The chickpea genotype, CSG-8962 was raised in screenhouse to study salinity induced changes in ethylene evolution, antioxidative defence system and membrane integrity in relation to changes in plant water and mineral content. At vegetative stage (60 d after sowing), the plants were exposed to single saline irrigation (0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 dS m -1 ). Sampling was done 3 d after saline treatments. The other sets of treated plants were re-irrigated with water and sampled after further 3 d. The Ψ w of leaf and Ψ s of leaf and roots decreased from -0.47 to -0.61 MPa, -0.67 to -1.23 MPa and from -0.57 to -0.95 MPa, respectively, with increasing salinity. Similarly, RWC of leaf and roots reduced from 87.5 to 72.3 % and 96.7 to 84.35 %, respectively. The decline in Ψs of roots was mainly due to accumulation of proline and total soluble sugar. With salinity, increase in ethylene evolution, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) content and ACC oxidase activity was reported. Similarly, marked increase in H 2 O 2 content (20 -182 %) and lipid peroxidation (43 -170 %) was observed. The defense mechanism activated in roots was confirmed by the increased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POX), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione transferase (GTase), glutathione reductase (GR) and catalase (CAT) but ascorbic acid (AA) content was decreased. About 3-fold increase in Na + /K + ratio and 2.5 fold increase in Cl -content was observed. Upon desalinization, a partial recovery was observed in most of the parameters studied.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global public health issue. In India, access to medicines is poorly regulated and therefore antibiotics in dairy cattle are commonly used by farmers without consulting with veterinarians. This study was conducted to understand practices and knowledge related to antibiotic use and AMR among dairy farmers and veterinary professionals in selected urban and peri-urban areas of India. Methods: A total of 28 focus group discussions with farmers and 53 interviews with veterinary professionals were carried out. Results: Mastitiswas identified as the main animal health challenge. Antibiotic consultation behavior of farmers depended on the availability of veterinarians. Except in Bangalore, farmers were found to often treat animals on their own. They were found unaware of the concept of AMR, but knew the importance of vaccination. Veterinarians included in the study had a good understanding of antibiotics, AMR, and zoonotic diseases. Conclusion: The knowledge level and practices observed in the study related to the use/ abuse of antibiotics can potentially increase the risk of development of AMR and its transfer in the community. Our findings can help support AMR-mitigation efforts in the country, including the design of better policies on antibiotic use in dairy.

Cholesterol is an important constituent of animal food products and has

The use and misuse of antibiotics in both humans and animals contributes to the global emergence of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria, a threat to public health and infection control. Currently, India is the world’s leading milk producer but antibiotic usage within the dairy sector is poorly regulated. Little data exists reflecting how antibiotics are used on dairy farms, especially on small-scale dairy farms in India. To address this lack of data, a study was carried out on 491 small-scale dairy farms in two Indian states, Assam and Haryana, using a mixed method approach where farmers were interviewed, farms inspected for the presence of antibiotics and milk samples taken to determine antibiotic usage. Usage of antibiotics on farms appeared low only 10% (95% CI 8–13%) of farmers surveyed confirmed using antibiotics in their dairy herds during the last 12 months. Of the farms surveyed, only 8% (6–11%) had milk samples positive for antibiotic residues, namely from the novobiocin, macrolides, and sulphonamide classes of antibiotics. Of the farmers surveyed, only 2% (0.8–3%) had heard of the term “withdrawal period” and 53% (40–65%) failed to describe the term “antibiotic”. While this study clearly highlights a lack of understanding of antibiotics among small-scale dairy farmers, a potential factor in the emergence of AMR bacteria, it also shows that antibiotic usage on these farms is low and that the possible role these farmers play in AMR emergence may be overestimated.

Food safety has been an important issue globally due to increasing foodborne diseases and change in food habits. To inactivate foodborne pathogens, various novel technologies such as biopreservation systems have been studied. Bacteriocins are ribosomally synthesized peptides or proteins with antimicrobial activity produced by different groups of bacteria, but the bacteriocins produced by many lactic acid bacteria offer potential applications in food preservation. The use of bacteriocins in the food industry can help reduce the addition of chemical preservatives as well as the intensity of heat treatments, resulting in foods that are more naturally preserved. However, the development of highly tolerant and/or resistant strains may decrease the efficiency of bacteriocins as biopreservatives. Several mechanisms of bacteriocin resistance development have been proposed among various foodborne pathogens. The acquiring of resistance to bacteriocins can significantly affect physiological activity profile of bacteria, alter cell-envelope lipid composition, and also modify the antibiotic susceptibility/resistance profile of bacteria. This article presents a brief review on the scientific research about the various possible mechanisms involved in the development of resistance to nisin and Class IIa bacteriocins among the foodborne pathogens.

Abstract:The cholesterol oxidation products (COP) in fat-rich dairy products were identified and quantified. Fresh cream contained no COP whereas fresh butter contained trace levels of 78-hydroxy-and 5,6a-epoxycholestero1. Low levels of various major COP were present in ghee (clarified butter fat). Intermittent heating and frying of ghee induced severe oxidation of cholesterol and a number of COP were detected by GC and TLC. Most atherogenic COP, viz 25-hydroxycholesterol and cholestantriol, were formed more in intermittently heated ghee (8.1-9,2% of the total COP) than in fried ghee samples (7.1 %).

The spore forming Bacillus cereus (66) was screened for the induction of β-lactamase in presence of an inducer using iodometric assay. A significant induction in marker enzyme was observed in B. cereus 66 at maximum residual limit (MRL) of penicillin, ampicillin, cloxacillin, amoxicillin, cefalexin, and cephazolin belonging to β-lactam group of antibiotics. A microbial based assay, where enzyme induction was optimized at pH 7.0, temperature 30°C, and whey powder (0.25%) after 4 h of incubation. The spore based assay was tested with milk samples spiked with 6 different β-lactam antibiotics. The results were 100 and 83.33% in correlation with microbial receptor and inhibition based assay, respectively. Overall, spore based assay can be a useful and cost effective tool for the specific detection of β-lactam group of antibiotics in milk.

Tomato is a climacteric fruit susceptible to rapid softening and ripening after harvest. In this study, the changes of physicochemical characters, cell wall‐degrading enzymes, cell wall compositions and ethylene production of ‘Hisar Arun’ and ‘BSS‐488’ tomato fruits were investigated under the influence of salicylic acid treatment. Salicylic acid treatment effectively delayed firmness decline and increase in PLW, TSS and lycopene content. The treated fruits maintained the integrity of cell wall composition by delay in increase in activities of cell wall‐degrading enzymes (pectin methylesterase, polygalacturonase and cellulose) and cell wall components (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and pectin) decline. Moreover, salicylic acid treatments significantly suppress expression level of ethylene‐producing genes (ACO1 and ACS2) and inhibited ethylene production during storage. Overall, the salicylic acid‐induced delay in the ripening process occurs via the strong inhibition of ethylene biosynthesis, lowered cell wall‐degrading enzyme activities and slowed cell wall degradation.