The microbiological quality and safety of raw milk from 60 dairy farms in Madurai were determined. Milk samples were collected at 60 centers from four regions, namely northern, eastern, western and southern (NEWS) according to stratified random sampling design. Samples were analyzed for Total plate count (TPC), psychrotrophs, thermophiles, Staphylococcus aureus, coliform, Escherichia coli 0157: H7 and Salmonella. The mean counts per ml for TPC, psychrotrophs and thermophiles were 12.5x10 6 , 5x10 3 and 6.85x10 3 respectively. From the 60 milk samples tested, coliform bacteria contaminated approximately 90% and 70% were E. coli positive, with mean counts ranged from 10 3 to 10 4 cfu ml -1 . S. aureus was isolated from more than 61.7% of the samples and the mean count per ml was 6.2x10 3 . Meanwhile, E. coli 0157: H7 was also detected in 39 (65%) samples. However, Salmonella was only detected in 8 (13.3%) of the samples with the southern region having the highest frequency of isolation.

Antifeedant and larvicidal activities of hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts of Acalypha fruticosa Forssk. Leaves were studied using leaf disc no-choice method against third instar larvae of Plutella xylostella L. Chloroform extract showed maximum antifeedant activity of 92.8% at 5% concentration with a LC 50 value of 1.86%. Nine fractions were collected from the chloroform extract (30 g) by silica gel column chromatography, among which the seventh fraction (eluted by 100% ethyl acetate) recorded maximum antifeedant activity (84.3%) at 1000 ppm concentration with a LC 50 value of 385.7 ppm against the third instar larvae of P. xylostella. Preliminary phytochemical analysis of this effective fraction showed the presence of terpenoids, tannins, coumarins, anthraquinones and saponins.

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