No abstract

We investigated the presence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in retail cheeses from Greece and the Czech Republic. We found that 31.7% and 3.6% of our samples reacted positive by PCR and culture, respectively. Consumption of these cheeses is likely to result in human exposure to M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis, albeit at a low level for viable cells.

Schlegelová J., Babák V., Holasová M., Konstantinová L., Necidová L., Šišák F., Vlková H., Roubal P., Jaglic Z. (2010): Microbial contamination after sanitation of food contact surfaces in dairy and meat processing plants. Czech J. Food Sci., 28: 450-461.The occurrence of listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus spp., enterococcus spp., and escherichia coli in raw food materials, food products, and on food contact surfaces after sanitation was investigated during the period of 2005-2006 in three dairy cattle farms (120 samples), one dairy (124 samples), and two meat processing plants (160 samples). A total of 1409 isolates were identified. The epidemiological characterisation and determination of the virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance were performed on selected isolates. The level of bacterial contamination generally decreased during the production process (the contamination of food products was lower than that of raw material). However, the contamination of food contact surfaces was relatively high even after sanitation. Moreover, specific microbiological profiles were found on the inside equipment surfaces in dairy facilities, where genetically closely related multi-resistant strains persisting in biofilm communities may occur as demonstrated for staphylococci. Although the occurrence of potentially significant pathogens was not high, the microorganisms such as l. monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and shiga-toxin positive e. coli principally contaminated the meat processing plants. B. cereus isolates, among which 76% were positive for diarrhogenic enterotoxin, typically occurred on the inside equipment surfaces and in the heat-treated products.

Abstract. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of cow breed, season and type of diet on the fatty acid (FA) profile of raw milk. A 2-year study was conducted on bulk milk samples collected from eight herds consisting of Czech Fleckvieh (CF, four herds) and Holstein (H, four herds) breeds. One half of the herds of each breed was grazed (G), while the other half was not (N). Samples were collected twice in winter (W) and twice in summer (S). Milk yield in CF (5385.50 kg) was lower than in H (7015.15 kg, P < 0.05). The effect of breed was found in odd-chain, branch-chain and hypercholesterolemic FAs (P < 0.05). The content of fat was lower in summer (S) than in winter (W), being 3.71 and 3.91 g 100 g −1 , respectively (P < 0.05). The proportion of saturated and polyunsaturated FAs was lower in S than in W (P < 0.05). The content of monounsaturated FAs was higher in S (30.69 g 100 g −1 ) than in W (27.72 g 100 g −1 , P < 0.05). Milk yield in grazing herds (G, 5197.50 kg) was lower (P < 0.05) than in non-grazing herds (N, 7203.75 kg). The sum of saturated and hypercholesterolemic FAs was lower and the sum of monounsaturated and odd-chain FAs was higher in G than in N (P < 0.05). Content of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and C18:3n3 was higher in G (0.93 and 0.64 g 100 g −1 ) than in N (0.42 and 0.39 g 100 g −1 , respectively, P < 0.001).

H������� M., F��������� V., R����� P., P�������� M. (2004): Biosynthesis of folates by lactic acid bacteria and propionibacteria in fermented milk. Czech J. Food Sci., 22: 175-181.Folate producing ability of several strains of Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Streptococcus thermophilus and Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. shermanii was evaluated. As substrate, UHT milk with 1.5% fat content treated with additional laboratory sterilisation was used. Fermentation was conducted at 37°C and 30°C in the case of Propionibacterium. 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) concentrations were determined using HPLC method. All strains of Streptococcus thermophilus tested showed 5-MTHF production. More than six-fold increase was found in the 5-MTHF content in comparison with control (increase = 3.69 µg 5-MTHF/100 g) after 12 h fermentation. Bifidobacterium longum strains were recognised as mild folate producers with max. 73% increase in the 5-MTHF content (increase = 0.48 µg 5-MTHF/100 g) after 12 h fermentation. The Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. shermanii strains tested did not basically influence the 5-MTHF levels during milk fermentation. In all cases, maximum 5-MTHF concentration was reached between 6 and 12 hours of fermentation. Large differences in the 5-MTHF production were found among individual strains within species. By a careful testing of the folate production ability of microbial strains used in the production of fermented milk, an enhancement of the natural folate content can be achieved.

The milk analyse result reliability is important for assurance of foodstuff chain quality. There are more direct and indirect methods for milk composition measurement (fat (F), protein (P), lactose (L) and solids non fat (SNF) content). The goal was to evaluate some reference and routine milk analytical procedures on result basis. The direct reference analyses were: F, fat content (Röse-Gottlieb method); P, crude protein content (Kjeldahl method); L, lactose (monohydrate, polarimetric method); SNF, solids non fat (gravimetric method). F, P, L and SNF were determined also by various indirect methods: -MIR (infrared (IR) technology with optical fi lters), 7 instruments in 4 labs; -MIR-FT (IR spectroscopy with Fourier's transformations), 10 in 6; -ultrasonic method (UM), 3 in 1; -analysis by the blue and red box (BRB), 1 v 1. There were used 10 reference milk samples. Coeffi cient of determination (R 2 ), correlation coeffi cient (r) and standard deviation of the mean of individual diff erences (MDsd, for n) were evaluated. All correlations (r; for all indirect and alternative methods and all milk components) were signifi cant (P ≤ 0.001). MIR and MIR-FT (conventional) methods explained considerably higher proportion of the variability in reference results than the UM and BRB methods (alternative).

No abstract

Under communism, the symbolic potential of the body was multiplied in the mass gymnastic displays in order to portray the society as disciplined, strong, happy and beautiful and thus to legitimize its leadership. These gymnastic rituals followed the volkisch tradition of 19th-century mass gymnastics, which aimed at mobilization and homogenization of the `imagined community' of the nation. Behind the symbolic play of the mass gymnastics, there was, as Kracauer pointed out, a deeper relationship between modernity with its mode of production and gymnastics with its mechanization of the body. The relation, however, was not a direct one, mass gymnastic displays were used to aestheticize the mass production and therefore to deny the very logic of instrumental rationality that both the gymnastics and the production were built upon.