Contaminated Food Research Articles

Frequent Dietary Multi-Mycotoxin Exposure in UK Children and Its Association with Dietary Intake.

Mycotoxins are potent fungal toxins that frequently contaminate agricultural crops and foods. Mycotoxin exposure is frequently reported in humans, and children are known to be particularly at risk of exceeding safe levels of exposure. Urinary biomonitoring is used to assess overall dietary exposure to multiple mycotoxins. This study aims to quantify multi-mycotoxin exposure in UK children and to identify major food groups contributing to exposure. Four repeat urine samples were collected from 29 children (13 boys and 16 girls, aged 2.4-6.8 years), and food diaries were recorded to assess their exposure to eleven mycotoxins. Urine samples (n = 114) were hydrolysed with β-glucuronidase, enriched through immunoaffinity columns and analysed by LC-MS/MS for deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), T-2/HT-2 toxins, zearalenone (ZEN), ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxins. Food diaries were analysed using WinDiet software, and the daily intake of high-risk foods for mycotoxin contamination summarised. The most prevalent mycotoxins found in urine samples were DON (95.6% of all samples), OTA (88.6%), HT-2 toxin (53.5%), ZEN (48.2%) and NIV (26.3%). Intake of total cereal-based foods was strongly positively associated with urinary levels of DON and T-2/HT-2 and oat intake with urinary T-2/HT-2. Average daily mycotoxin excretion ranged from 12.10 µg/d (DON) to 0.03 µg/d (OTA), and co-exposure to three or more mycotoxins was found in 66% of samples. Comparing mycotoxin intake estimates to tolerable daily intakes (TDI) demonstrates frequent TDI exceedances (DON 34.2% of all samples, T-2/HT-2 14.9%, NIV 4.4% and ZEN 5.2%). OTA was frequently detected at low levels. When mean daily OTA intake was compared to the reference value for non-neoplastic lesions, the resulting Margin of Exposure (MoE) of 65 was narrow, indicating a health concern. In conclusion, this study demonstrates frequent exposure of UK children to multiple mycotoxins at levels high enough to pose a health concern if exposure is continuous.

Polycations as Aptamer-Binding Modulators for Sensitive Fluorescence Anisotropy Assay of Aflatoxin B1.

Fluorescence induced by the excitation of a fluorophore with plane-polarized light has a different polarization depending on the size of the fluorophore-containing reagent and the rate of its rotation. Based on this effect, many analytical systems have been implemented in which an analyte contained in a sample and labeled with a fluorophore (usually fluorescein) competes to bind to antibodies. Replacing antibodies in such assays with aptamers, low-cost and stable oligonucleotide receptors, is complicated because binding a fluorophore to them causes a less significant change in the polarization of emissions. This work proposes and characterizes the compounds of the reaction medium that improve analyte binding and reduce the mobility of the aptamer-fluorophore complex, providing a higher analytical signal and a lower detection limit. This study was conducted on aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a ubiquitous toxicant contaminating foods of plant origins. Eight aptamers specific to AFB1 with the same binding site and different regions stabilizing their structures were compared for affinity, based on which the aptamer with 38 nucleotides in length was selected. The polymers that interact reversibly with oligonucleotides, such as poly-L-lysine and polyethylene glycol, were tested. It was found that they provide the desired reduction in the depolarization of emitted light as well as high concentrations of magnesium cations. In the selected optimal medium, AFB1 detection reached a limit of 1 ng/mL, which was 12 times lower than in the tris buffer commonly used for anti-AFB1 aptamers. The assay time was 30 min. This method is suitable for controlling almond samples according to the maximum permissible levels of their contamination by AFB1. The proposed approach could be applied to improve other aptamer-based analytical systems.

Synthesis Methods and Optical Sensing Applications of Plasmonic Metal Nanoparticles Made from Rhodium, Platinum, Gold, or Silver.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an in-depth review of plasmonic metal nanoparticles made from rhodium, platinum, gold, or silver. We describe fundamental concepts, synthesis methods, and optical sensing applications of these nanoparticles. Plasmonic metal nanoparticles have received a lot of interest due to various applications, such as optical sensors, single-molecule detection, single-cell detection, pathogen detection, environmental contaminant monitoring, cancer diagnostics, biomedicine, and food and health safety monitoring. They provide a promising platform for highly sensitive detection of various analytes. Due to strongly localized optical fields in the hot-spot region near metal nanoparticles, they have the potential for plasmon-enhanced optical sensing applications, including metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF), surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), and biomedical imaging. We explain the plasmonic enhancement through electromagnetic theory and confirm it with finite-difference time-domain numerical simulations. Moreover, we examine how the localized surface plasmon resonance effects of gold and silver nanoparticles have been utilized for the detection and biosensing of various analytes. Specifically, we discuss the syntheses and applications of rhodium and platinum nanoparticles for the UV plasmonics such as UV-MEF and UV-SERS. Finally, we provide an overview of chemical, physical, and green methods for synthesizing these nanoparticles. We hope that this paper will promote further interest in the optical sensing applications of plasmonic metal nanoparticles in the UV and visible ranges.

Prevalence and Biological Characteristics of Listeria Species Isolated from Livestock and Poultry Meat in Gansu Province, China.

Listeria monocytogenes is a widespread foodborne pathogen contaminating foods during their production or processing stages. Fresh meat is susceptible to such contamination if it is not properly preserved. Our study was conducted to reveal the level of contamination and prevalence of Listeria spp. present in livestock and poultry meat from Gansu province. A total of 1,387 samples were collected from five cities in Gansu Province according to standard sampling procedures, of which 174 samples (12.5%) were positive for Listeria species. Among them, 14 isolates of L. monocytogenes (1.0%), 150 isolates of Listeria innocua (10.8%), and ten isolates of Listeria welshimeri (0.7%) were identified by conventional bacteriological and molecular identification methods. All isolates were subjected to serological assays, antimicrobial susceptibility tests, growth curve assays, determination of biofilm-forming capacity, and cluster analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences. Four predominant serotypes of L. monocytogenes were identified, including 1/2a (35.7%, 5/14), 1/2b (14.3%, 2/14), 1/2c (42.9%, 6/14), and 4b (7.1%, 1/14). All L. monocytogenes isolates were resistant to tetracycline and cefoxitin. Most L. innocua isolates (63.6%, 14/22) and L. welshimeri (40%, 4/10) were resistant to tetracycline. The high biofilm-forming ability was observed among 1/2c and 1/2a serotype isolates. The cluster analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed a close genetic relationship between the three Listeria species. This study fills the gap in the knowledge of livestock and poultry meat that carry Listeria in slaughterhouses and markets in Gansu Province.

THE ISSUE OF THE IMPACT OF RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND COUNTERMEASURES FOR RADIATION EXPOSURE AS A GLOBAL PROBLEM

The widespread use in today's world of radioactive sources d in energy, medicine, engineering and construction, for contaminant tracking and food sterilization increases the likelihood of accidental exposure. The use of ionizing radiation and radioactive elements can directly or indirectly cause life-threatening complications, such as oncopathology, radiation burns, and impaired immunity. Pollution of the environment with radioactive elements and depletion of the ozone layer also contribute to an increase in the level of radiation exposure. To protect the health of the population living in contaminated areas and consuming locally produced products, it is necessary to organize a system for monitoring radioactive damage, as well as special anti-radiation protective measures in the field of agriculture and forestry, hunting and fishing, and providing the population with food. The purpose of the study is to analyze modern scientific data on the effect of ionizing radiation on reproductive function and modern approaches aimed at correcting its violations. Bibliographic, information-analytical methods and methods of comparative analysis were used.

Viability of SARS-CoV-2 on lettuce, chicken, and salmon and its inactivation by peracetic acid, ethanol, and chlorine dioxide

Since the first SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in Wuhan, China, there has been continued concern over the link between SARS-CoV-2 transmission and food. However, there are few studies on the viability and removal of SARS-CoV-2 contaminating food. This study aimed to evaluate the viability of SARS-CoV-2 on food matrices, depending on storage temperature, and inactivate the virus contaminating food using disinfectants. Two SARS-CoV-2 strains (L and S types) were used to contaminate lettuce, chicken, and salmon, which were then stored at 20,4 and −40 °C. The half-life of SARS-CoV-2 at 20 °C was 3–7 h but increased to 24–46 h at 4 °C and exceeded 100 h at −40 °C. SARS-CoV-2 persisted longer on chicken or salmon than on lettuce. Treatment with 70% ethanol for 1 min inactivated 3.25 log reduction of SARS-CoV-2 inoculated on lettuce but not on chicken and salmon. ClO2 inactivated up to 2 log reduction of SARS-CoV-2 on foods. Peracetic acid was able to eliminate SARS-CoV-2 from all foods. The virucidal effect of all disinfectants used in this study did not differ between the two SARS-CoV-2 strains; therefore, they could also be effective against other SARS-CoV-2 variants. This study demonstrated that the viability of SARS-CoV-2 can be extended at 4 and −40 °C and peracetic acid can inactivate SARS-CoV-2 on food matrices.

Clostridium perfringens associated with dairy farm systems show diverse genotypes

Clostridium perfringens is a bacterial species of importance to both public and animal health. Frequently found in food system environments, it presents a risk to food animal health such as dairy herds, and may cross contaminate associated ingredients or food products, with potential to cause sporadic and outbreaks of disease in human populations, including gastroenteric illness. In this study, we characterized C. perfringens isolated from bovine, caprine, and ovine dairy farm systems (n = 8, 11 and 4, respectively). Isolates were phenotypically screened for antimicrobial sensitivity profiling, and subjected to whole genome sequencing to elucidate related genetic markers, as well as examine virulence gene markers, mobile genetic elements, and other features. Both toxin type A and type D isolates were identified (78 % and 22 % of isolates, respectively), including 20 novel sequence types. Resistance to clindamycin was most prevalent among antibiotics screened (30 %), followed by erythromycin (13 %), then penicillin and tetracycline (4 %), although an additional 3 isolates were non-susceptible to tetracycline. Most isolates harboured plasmids, which mobilised virulence markers such as etx, cpb2, and resistance markers tetA(P), tetB(P), and erm(Q), on conjugative plasmids. The presence of type D isolates on caprine farms emphasizes the need for control efforts to prevent infection and potential enterotoxemia. Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (cpe) was not identified, suggesting lower risk of gastrointestinal illness from contaminated foods, the presence of other virulence and antimicrobial resistance markers suggests farm hygiene remains an important consideration to help ensure food safety of associated dairy foods produced.

Cooking Pots: A Source of Heavy Metal Contamination of Food and Water

Introduction: Certain kitchen utensils used for food preparation can present significant risk because they are manufactured with materials such as aluminum, stainless steel and enamel that can be hazardous or contaminate food when heated.
 Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the microbial and heavy metals found in leachates from some cooking utensils subjected to heating.
 Methodology: A total of four aluminum and stainless steel cooking pots were used and seven hundred and fifty (750) millilitres of tap water was boiled for 15 minutes to 30 minutes in each of the pots at boiling point of 100°C. The analyses of the water samples for bacteria were carried out using the conventional standard procedures of isolating and identifying bacteria. The physicochemical parameters were quantified with the APHA method whereas the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) was used for the determination of heavy metals.
 Results: The results showed that Pseudomonas spp and Staphylococcus spp were isolated from some of the water samples that were not boiled while the boiled water showed no bacteria growth. The physicochemical parameters of the water samples before boiling were pH 5.36 to 7.41, temperature 30.7°C to 31.0°C, turbidity 0.04 to 1.41NTU, total dissolve solids 50.0 to 114.9 mg/l and others, while the presence of heavy metals such as Lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Cadmium (Cd) and Chromium (Cr) were detected in leachates from the pots subjected to heating. The values obtained were higher in leachates from pots that were heated for longer period. The oldest pot of thirty (30) years had a value of 0.0175±0.0007 mg/l to 0.0275±0.0021 mg/l for Zn while the value for Cd was 0.1110±0.0014 to 0.1245±0.0007 mg/l and the values for the newest pot was 0.0505±0.0021 to 0.0775±0.0035 mg/l for Pb and 0.0455±0.0248 mg/l to 0.0515±0.0191 mg/l for Cr.
 Conclusion: Cadmium values in all the pots exceeded the control and World Health Organization (WHO) recommended values. It may be concluded that heavy metals leached out into water and food from some pots when heated for longer periods and this may become one source of exposure of heavy metals into the human body that may bioaccumulate to create health problems.

Study of the scavenger and vector roles of microplastics for polyhalocarbazoles under simulated gastric fluid conditions

Microplastics entering the digestive system of living organisms can serve as a carrier of hydrophobic organic pollutants (HOPs), increasing their exposure levels and the health risks they pose to both humans and animals. The desorption kinetics of six polyhalocarbazoles (PHCZs) from 5 mm and 0.15 mm polypropylene (PP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastic particles were assessed using a combined microplastics and food system, representing the gastric system of vertebrates and invertebrates. Results showed that the chemical transfer of PHCZs is biphasic and reversible, with rapid exchange occurring within 2–48 h, followed by a period of slow transfer, which continues for weeks to months. The desorption capacity of PHCZs loaded on 0.15 mm microplastic particles was greater than that of 5 mm particles. The bioavailability percentage of PHCZ congeners for PP (24.2%–65.3%) and PVC (43.5%–57.2%) in the vertebrate fluid system were all lower than those in the invertebrate system (34.2%–70.7% for PP and 56.3%–72.7% for PVC, respectively). These findings indicate that physiological conditions, such as polarity, ingestion fluid, and microplastic affect the desorption of PHCZs from microplastics. In addition, desorption from PP was inhibited by the presence of foodstuff loaded with PHCZs due to competition, while desorption from PVC was not significantly affected by the presence of PHCZs contaminant food. Microplastics could provide a cleaning function in gastric fluid systems containing contaminated foodstuff, especially PP, which was capable of competitive adsorption of PHCZs from food. Few investigations have focused on the adverse effects of microplastic ingestion on human health, particularly in their role as vectors for HOPs, compared to other routes of exposure and transport. Therefore, these findings provide valuable insight into the health risks associated with dietary intake of microplastics and HOPs.

Exploring Risk Factors of Recall-Associated Foodborne Disease Outbreaks in the United States, 2009-2019.

Earlier identification and removal of contaminated food products is crucial in reducing economic burdens of foodborne outbreaks. Recalls are a safety measure that is deployed to prevent foodborne illnesses. However, few studies have examined temporal trends in recalls or compared risk factors between non-recall and recall outbreaks in the United States, due to disparate and often incomplete surveillance records in publicly reported data. We demonstrated the usability of the electronic Foodborne Outbreak Reporting System (eFORS) and National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS) for describing temporal trends and outbreak risk factors of food recalls in 1998–2019. We examined monthly trends between surveillance systems by using segmented time-series analyses. We compared the risk factors (e.g., multistate outbreak, contamination supply chain stage, pathogen etiology, and food products) of recalls and non-recalls by using logistic regression models. Out of 22,972 outbreaks, 305 (1.3%) resulted in recalls and 9378 (41%) had missing recall information. However, outbreaks with missing recall information decreased at an accelerating rate of ~25%/month in 2004–2009 and at a decelerating rate of ~13%/month after the transition from eFORS to NORS in 2009–2019. Irrespective of the contaminant etiology, multistate outbreaks according to the residence of ill persons had odds 11.00–13.50 times (7.00, 21.60) that of single-state outbreaks resulting in a recall (p < 0.001) when controlling for all risk factors. Electronic reporting has improved the availability of food recall data, yet retrospective investigations of historical records are needed. The investigation of recalls enhances public health professionals’ understanding of their annual financial burden and improves outbreak prediction analytics to reduce the likelihood and severity of recalls.

From pretreatment to assay: A chemiluminescence- and optical fiber-based fully automated immunosensing (COFFAI) system

Considering processing concerns regarding emerging food safety incidents and large-scale food testing, efficient and straightforward screening tools are urgently needed. The requirements for this technology include effective sample pretreatment, sensitive assay, and sample-to-answer solution that enable the detection of trace amounts of contaminants in complex food matrices. Here, we developed a chemiluminescence- and optical fiber-based fully automated immunosensing (COFFAI) system that conducts chemical contaminant food screening in a truly “sample-to-result” manner. Instead of utilizing laborious benchtop sample purification techniques followed by a time-consuming manual ELISA procedure, the user simply injects the sample of interest, and the whole procedure is automatically processed. We demonstrated that the utility of our COFFAI system can be used to detect trace amounts of chemical contamination in various milk samples within approximately 75 min. This method showed an ultrahigh sensitivity with a quinolone detection limit in the 0.022–0.065 µg/L range for skim milk, whole milk, and raw milk samples. The integration of pretreatment and assay into one automated system is an effective method for food testing. We believe that this platform provides a general method for efficient contaminant screening in foodstuffs.

Identification of the source of a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak by investigational tracing

The number of identified listeriosis outbreaks has increased since the sequence typing of Listeria monocytogenes isolates was established in Germany. Due to the nature of the disease, listeriosis outbreaks are difficult to solve. We present investigational tracing as a simple and rapid method to conduct outbreak investigations. The method was applied in 2019 to stop a prolonged listeriosis outbreak in Germany. The starting point for the investigational tracing was nine health care facilities (HCF). Single cases developed listeriosis while they were staying at the nine facilities. Data were collected from companies that delivered foods to HCF and from ready-to-eat (RTE) foods that were consumed there. Following a step-wise approach, data analysis identified similarities in the food supply of the HCF. Food data were heterogeneous and needed to be standardised. Own brands and changing article numbers were challenging aspects during the identification of manufacturers. The analysis of the delivering companies revealed no similarities. Detailed information about the consumed risk foods for Listeria contamination became available for six HCF. All facilities served a wide variety of cold cut meat products to their in-patients. Investigational tracing revealed that only meat products from one out of 29 food business operators had been consumed in all six HCF. Further activities of the authorities enabled the identification of the outbreak strain on food products and in the processing environment of this company. A product recall and the measures taken stopped the listeriosis outbreak. Thus, investigational tracing can be crucial for the clarification of listeriosis outbreaks.

Isolation of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria from Bovine Raw Lungs Bought in Butchers' Shops.

Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) can cause opportunistic disease in animals and humans, causing mycobacteriosis. In this study, bovine lungs were collected from butchers' shops and slaughterhouses after food official's inspection from the metropolitan area of Buenos Aires. All samples were cultured and then identified by molecular methods. Twelve isolates of NTM were identified being the most prevalent Mycolicibacterium insubricum. This demonstrates that viable Mycobacteria can pass food inspection and contaminate surfaces and food, making manipulation of raw organs and feeding of animals with raw lungs a potential source of infection for pets and owners.

Human risk associated with the ingestion of artichokes grown in soils irrigated with water contaminated by potentially toxic elements, Junin, Peru.

The contamination of water, air and soil with potentially toxic elements (PTE) compromises the supply of contaminant free food. Vegetables grown in contaminated soils can absorb and accumulate PTE at concentrations that are toxic to human health. In this context, the human risk associated with the intake of artichokes grown in soils irrigated with PTE contaminated water was assessed. 120 samples of surface soil and artichoke heads were collected and the concentrations of Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn and As were determined. The results showed that the concentrations of Cu, Fe and Zn in soil did not exceed the standards of the Ministry of Environment of Peru, but they did exceed those of Pb (125.45 mg kg−1) and As (28.70 mg kg−1). The decreasing order of mean PTE concentration in artichoke heads was Fe > Zn > Cu > Pb > As, exceeding the permissible levels of FAO/WHO CODEX Alimentarius. However, the concentrations of As comply with the maximum limits of inorganic contaminants in vegetables (0.3 mg kg−1) established in the MERCOSUR regulations. The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk of Pb and As indicated that the ingestion of artichoke heads does not represent a health risk.

Optimization of gamma-aminobutyric acid production by Lactobacillus brevis PML1 in dairy sludge-based culture medium through response surface methodology.

Gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a pharmaceutical, bioactive amino acid that can produce by some species of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB). For the first time, we evaluated the production of GABA by Lactobacillus brevis PML1 in the medium that contain the contaminant food bio‐product like dairy sludge and soybean meal. GABA production was analyzed by chromatography (TLC, HPLC) and the features of fermented extract which contains this amino acid were evaluated. The results of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) of Central Composite Design (CCD) at p < .05 showed 300 ppm of GABA production in optimal treatment including 14.77% dairy sludge powder, 6.27% soybean meal, and 0.49% ammonium sulfate (32°C for 120 hr fermentation). The results of fermented extract also showed the acceptable antimicrobial, antioxidant, and toxicity (against cancer cell) properties. Also, L. brevis PML1has not shown any hemolytic or DNase activity which confirm its safety aspects. According to the results, this new culture can be used as a cheap substrate to biological production of GABA, by L. brevis PML1 in various food and pharmaceutical formulations.

Monitoramento do processo produtivo de bebidas à base de leite em um hospital universitário na Cidade do Rio de Janeiro

Dentro do ambiente hospitalar, a preocupação com a produção de refeições seguras é maior, visto que a ingestão de alimentos contaminados pode alterar o estado clínico dos pacientes. O estudo teve por objetivo avaliar a qualidade microbiológica de uma bebida à base de leite com fruta oferecida aos pacientes internados em um hospital universitário na cidade do Rio de Janeiro, bem como analisar as condições higienicossanitárias da Unidade de Alimentação e Nutrição responsável pelo preparo da bebida. O objeto de estudo foi uma bebida à base de leite preparada com os seguintes ingredientes: leite desnatado em pó, leite semidesnatado, manga e maltodextrina. Foram avaliados Salmonella spp./25 g, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus coagulase positiva, coliformes a 45 °C e bactérias aeróbias mesófilas totais. Foi elaborada uma Lista de Verificação das Boas Práticas composta por 68 itens agrupados em 10 blocos que foram classificados como conforme e não conforme. Do total de 10 amostras, 40% encontravam-se impróprias para o consumo por apresentarem Staphylococcus coagulase positiva, coliformes a 45 °C e bactérias aeróbias mesófilas totais acima do limite máximo permitido. A lista de verificação permitiu constatar que 50% dos blocos apresentaram percentual de conformidade menor do que 70%. Diante disso, medidas corretivas devem ser tomadas durante o processo produtivo a fim de garantir o preparo de alimentos seguros aos pacientes.

Microbiological evaluation of minimally processed and marketed fish in popular market of the city of Tepic Nayarit, Mexico Sanitary quality of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Introduction Foodborne Diseases (FD) are considered a syndrome caused by the ingestion of contaminated food or water with etiological agents in amounts that affect the health of the consumer. These diseases are characterized by the appearance of a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms, ranging from nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever; and in some cases severe complications, such as sepsis, meningitis, abortions, Reiter's syndrome, Guillan Barre syndrome or death (51). Foodborne diseases are established as a major challenge in public health worldwide, due to their high morbidity and mortality. These diseases have, as main population target, groups affecting children, pregnant women and the elderly, leading to economic losses, high costs in health services, implementation and monitoring of food safety policies (2,42,47). Approximately 250 agents causing foodborne diseases have been described, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, prions, toxins, chemicals and metals (27,42). The most frequent FD are those of biological origin, having mainly as causative agents to bacteria: Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., Shigella spp., Vibrio spp., Yersinia spp., Escherichia coli, S. aureus, Aeromonas hydrofila, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, Listeria monocytogenes, among others (27,47,51). In recent years, the increase in these diseases has as contributing factors the commercial globalization of food, urbanization, changes in the eating habits of societ

Complete and Unabridged

Complete and Unabridged Michelle Lekas (bio) AMERICAN PULP: HOW PAPERBACKS BROUGHT MODERNISM TO MAIN STREET BY PAULA RABINOWITZ Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2014 And so we come to what is really what we write what we write is really a crime story. —Gertrude Stein, The Geographical History of America This extended moment of print media digitization and retreading over what counts as cultural education while assigning pedagogical status to figures from Bill Gates to Brad Troemel and beyond welcomes Paula Rabinowitz’s acute materialist history of the American paperback book, American Pulp: How Paperbacks Brought Modernism to Main Street. In American Pulp, Rabinowitz, a longtime English professor, political activist, and feminist-materialist historical theorist, picks up from memories of her mother’s bedside table heaped with paperback books from which she borrowed and devoured Pasternak’s Dr. Zhivago to relieve an early summer’s boredom. She goes on to trace that sort of intimate reading experience into a story that templates reading practice onto a market revolution that annotated American social life from the Great Depression to postwar decentralization. In this journey that interlaces retail, marginalization, and aesthetics with Marshall McLuhan’s conception of “interface,”1 Rabinowitz wisely does not attempt a sweeping chronicle of American cultural change from 1939 to 1960. That project that would echo one of her [End Page 189] more ambitious best-selling paperback authors such as James Michener rather than the pulp subjects she revitalizes. Instead, she employs a strategy more resembling that used by Walter Benjamin in his classic work, “Paris, Capital of the Nineteenth Century,” which she cites throughout her text. She contextualizes pulp as material (inexpensive, grainy, “pulpy” paper) in keeping with her literary studies, such as Labor and Desire: Women’s Revolutionary Fiction in Depression America in particular. American Pulp’s reading thus functions to summon the pulp novel phenomenon as a revolutionary social form rather than as a series of documents demanding analysis. Rabinowitz’s wide lens allows her to frame her discussion in terms of what the paperback revolution helped to capacitate: the popularization of public reading, which allowed for flaneur-esque private subjectivity in public spaces. This demotizing of literacy agitated both the marketplace and the practices of everyday life. Here, books became cheap, but not always easy: they allowed an accessible forum for African American voices to discuss the toll of racism on everyday, not excluding sexual, life; they provided “survival literature” (187) and some relief to proto-lesbian or simply dissatisfied women; offered trenchant commentary on the Cold War and US policy; and pushed the limits of censorship. But possibly above but including all else, they brought people to books that they most likely would not have otherwise even considered reading and to people who lived far from libraries, bookstores, or schools: after all, every town has a drugstore. Rabinowitz’s reconception of the demotic as allowing reading in previously unread spaces and across class boundaries (parsed in her title’s coda, Modernism to Main Street), proves crucial to her rethinking of cultural education as a revolutionary force that exceeds academe. Following this last point, and as is appropriate both to this volume’s title and for a history that culminates with the first graduates who benefited from the GI Bill, American Pulp asserts a place for these “pocket books” as marketing sleaze and high modernist fiction on the same carousels and often packaged in the same lurid cover art (267). This observation, illustrated by sumptuous color cover reproduction plates, lends Rabinowitz’s text some genuine humor, as in her recounting of Robert Jonas’s B-movie-style cover art for the George Garnow’s physics text The Birth and Death of the Sun, John Faulkner’s bawdy cornpone pulps on the sale rack next to his brother William’s novels, [End Page 190] and the saucy covers of Emile Zola’s Nana and Nana’s Mother, all posed to appeal to horny servicemen. The story begins by tracing the popular dime-store novel’s story to two of the its primary market innovators: the English publishing executive Allen Lane, who founded Penguin Press in 1935, and the American Robert De Graff, who launched Pocket Books...

Complete and Unabridged

Complete and Unabridged Michelle Lekas (bio) AMERICAN PULP: HOW PAPERBACKS BROUGHT MODERNISM TO MAIN STREET BY PAULA RABINOWITZ Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2014 And so we come to what is really what we write what we write is really a crime story. —Gertrude Stein, The Geographical History of America This extended moment of print media digitization and retreading over what counts as cultural education while assigning pedagogical status to figures from Bill Gates to Brad Troemel and beyond welcomes Paula Rabinowitz’s acute materialist history of the American paperback book, American Pulp: How Paperbacks Brought Modernism to Main Street. In American Pulp, Rabinowitz, a longtime English professor, political activist, and feminist-materialist historical theorist, picks up from memories of her mother’s bedside table heaped with paperback books from which she borrowed and devoured Pasternak’s Dr. Zhivago to relieve an early summer’s boredom. She goes on to trace that sort of intimate reading experience into a story that templates reading practice onto a market revolution that annotated American social life from the Great Depression to postwar decentralization. In this journey that interlaces retail, marginalization, and aesthetics with Marshall McLuhan’s conception of “interface,”1 Rabinowitz wisely does not attempt a sweeping chronicle of American cultural change from 1939 to 1960. That project that would echo one of her [End Page 189] more ambitious best-selling paperback authors such as James Michener rather than the pulp subjects she revitalizes. Instead, she employs a strategy more resembling that used by Walter Benjamin in his classic work, “Paris, Capital of the Nineteenth Century,” which she cites throughout her text. She contextualizes pulp as material (inexpensive, grainy, “pulpy” paper) in keeping with her literary studies, such as Labor and Desire: Women’s Revolutionary Fiction in Depression America in particular. American Pulp’s reading thus functions to summon the pulp novel phenomenon as a revolutionary social form rather than as a series of documents demanding analysis. Rabinowitz’s wide lens allows her to frame her discussion in terms of what the paperback revolution helped to capacitate: the popularization of public reading, which allowed for flaneur-esque private subjectivity in public spaces. This demotizing of literacy agitated both the marketplace and the practices of everyday life. Here, books became cheap, but not always easy: they allowed an accessible forum for African American voices to discuss the toll of racism on everyday, not excluding sexual, life; they provided “survival literature” (187) and some relief to proto-lesbian or simply dissatisfied women; offered trenchant commentary on the Cold War and US policy; and pushed the limits of censorship. But possibly above but including all else, they brought people to books that they most likely would not have otherwise even considered reading and to people who lived far from libraries, bookstores, or schools: after all, every town has a drugstore. Rabinowitz’s reconception of the demotic as allowing reading in previously unread spaces and across class boundaries (parsed in her title’s coda, Modernism to Main Street), proves crucial to her rethinking of cultural education as a revolutionary force that exceeds academe. Following this last point, and as is appropriate both to this volume’s title and for a history that culminates with the first graduates who benefited from the GI Bill, American Pulp asserts a place for these “pocket books” as marketing sleaze and high modernist fiction on the same carousels and often packaged in the same lurid cover art (267). This observation, illustrated by sumptuous color cover reproduction plates, lends Rabinowitz’s text some genuine humor, as in her recounting of Robert Jonas’s B-movie-style cover art for the George Garnow’s physics text The Birth and Death of the Sun, John Faulkner’s bawdy cornpone pulps on the sale rack next to his brother William’s novels, [End Page 190] and the saucy covers of Emile Zola’s Nana and Nana’s Mother, all posed to appeal to horny servicemen. The story begins by tracing the popular dime-store novel’s story to two of the its primary market innovators: the English publishing executive Allen Lane, who founded Penguin Press in 1935, and the American Robert De Graff, who launched Pocket Books...

Rapid detection of aflatoxin -associated genes in Aspergillus species using colony PCR based method

Monitoring and controlling of food healthy is an indicator of scientific progress and social health in every country. Food contamination is caused by aflatoxin of saprophyte fungus associated with a number of pathological conditions including cancer and chromosomal anomalies. Aspergillus is defined as a group of fungi with various species. Identification of these fungi is of importance in terms of pathogenicity, toxicity and industry application. There are a number of laboratory methods for differentiation between Aspergillus species including physical macro and microscopic characteristics of colony. These methods are time-consuming and require highly trained personnel. In the present study, 27 samples of contaminated food and 15 samples of intact food were collected. Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus were selected as positive controls and examined using colony PCR reaction. All samples were re-cultured on medium culture of potato dextrose agar. Initial identification was performed based on microscopic features. Genomes of all strains were extracted using lyticase enzyme and lysis buffer containing: EDTA, Tris HCL, and NaCl. Then, aflatoxin genes of each sample were amplified through PCR. The results of colony PCR in intact food samples demonstrated that there is no used primer related to aflatoxin genes. In suspected contamination food samples, one sample with aflr and two samples with omt-1 were observed. The results of our study demonstrated that lyticase enzyme and lysis buffer are potential candidates for extraction of Aspergillus DNA.