Food And Agriculture Organization Research Articles

Heavy Metal Pollution Assessment in the Agricultural Soils of Bonao, Dominican Republic

Heavy metal content in agricultural soils potentially impacts the food chain and human health. The present study assessed the levels of heavy metals in topsoil samples collected within an agricultural region situated in Bonao, Dominican Republic. The Energy-Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) technique was utilized to measure the concentrations of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As) in the samples. The assessment of soil pollution status and potential ecological risk (RI) involved the utilization of various soil pollution indices, such as the single pollution index (PI), integrated pollution index (IPI), and enrichment factor (EF). The average total concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn, Pb, and As were 103,000, 2000, 347, 36, 92, 32, 9.6, and 4.2 mg·kg−1, respectively. The results showed that the Mn, Ni, Cu, and As levels exceeded the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)’s recommended levels for healthy agricultural soils. The distribution pattern of each individual metal was different, indicating they had different sources of origin. The average pollution indices indicated low-to-moderate pollution, and the potential ecological risk obtained was low. This study emphasizes the need for soil management practices to mitigate heavy metal contamination for food safety and environmental health.

Leachate Characterization and Assessment of Soil Pollution Near Some Municipal Solid Waste Transfer Stations in Baghdad City

This study is conducted to determine the extent to which transfer stations in the Karkh neighborhood of Baghdad, Iraq, contribute to physicochemical and heavy-metal contamination of the soils in the immediate area. The concentrations of physicochemical primary indicators (pH, OC, OM, Ca+2, Mg+2, Na+1, NO3-1, Cl-1, SO4-2) and heavy metals (Pb, Cd, and Cu) were measured during July 2022 at four investigation sites that were located at distances of 5 m (Site 1), 10 m (Site 2), 15 m (Site 3), and 20 m (Site 4) from the edges of the mentioned transfer stations (Al-Rasheed, Al-Mansour, Al-Shula, and Al-Dora). The concentrations of the physico-chemicals and heavy metals were compared to the standards of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Consensus-Based Sediment Quality Guidelines (CBSQG). Based on the data collected, it was determined that Site 1 had the greatest physico-chemical and heavy metal concentrations, whereas Site 4 had the lowest. The metals tested were found to accumulate in the following order: Cu > Pb > Cd. Additionally, it was noticed that all the measured concentrations of metals were higher than the limitations of the CBSQG. The presence of Ca+2, Mg+2, Na+1, Pb, Cd, and Cu in soil suggests that leachate percolation is having a major impact on the soil.

Morphological characteristics of Aeromonas, Plesiomonas and Pseudomonas bacteria in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) cultivation in Bangli Regency

Aquaculture is a popular activity in Indonesia, with one of the leading commodities, namely tilapia. After shrimp and salmon, tilapia as a successful example of world aquaculture set by the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization). In line with the development of the cultivation business, there are also several disturbing problems such as pests and diseases that hinder the development of the cultivation business. Monitoring activities were carried out in one of the districts, namely Bangli district. Monitoring activities are carried out by identifying pathogenic bacteria found in tilapia. The steps in identification are bacterial isolation, purification, presumptive test, biochemical test and reading of the results. The bacteria identified were Aeromonas hydrophila, Plesiomonas shigelloides, Pseudomonas putida, Aeromonas sobria and Pseudomonas alkaligenes.

Examining the disparities: A cross-sectional study of socio-economic factors and food insecurity in Togo.

Despite many interventions, Togo continues to have one of the highest rates of poverty and food insecurity in the sub-Saharan African region. Currently there is no systematic analysis of the factors associated with household food-insecurity in this country. This study aimed at exploring the factors associated with food insecurity in Togo. This was a cross-sectional study that used data from five waves (2014 to 2018) of the Gallup World Poll (GWP) for Togo. Sample size included 4754 participants, aged 15 and above. Food insecurity was measured using the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) questionnaire as per the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) guidelines. Our outcome variable was food insecurity, categorized as: 1) food secure (FIES score = 0-3), moderately food insecure (FIES score = 4-6), and severely food insecure (FIES score = 7-8). We did descriptive and multinomial regressions to analyze data using Stata version 16. Between 2014 and 2018, the percentage of severe food insecurity fluctuated-42.81% in 2014, 37.79% in 2015, 38.98% in 2016, 45.41% in 2017, and 33.84% in 2018. Whereas that of moderate food insecurity increased from 23.55% to 27.33% except for 2016 and 2017 where the percentage increased to 32.33% and 27.46% respectively. In the logistic regression analysis, we found that respondents with lower than elementary education had a higher relative risk ratio of moderate (RRR = 1.45,95%CI = 1.22-1.72) and severe (RRR = 1.72, 95%CI = 1.46-2.02) food insecurity compared to those with secondary and higher education. Rural respondents had higher RRR of severe food insecurity (RRR = 1.37, 95%CI = 1.16-1.62) compared to those who lived in the urban areas. Compared with those in the richest wealth quintile, respondents in the poorest wealth quintile had 2.21 times higher RRR of moderate (RRR = 2.21, 95%CI = 1.69-2.87) and 3.58 times higher RRR of severe (RRR = 3.58, 95%CI = 2.81-4.55) food insecurity. About two-thirds of participants experienced some level of food insecurity in 2018. Lower levels of education, rural residency and poorer household wealth index areas were associated with a higher risk of food insecurity. National food security programs should focus on promoting education and improving socioeconomic condition of people especially in rural areas.

Prevalence and predictors of food insecurity among university students – Results from the Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany

This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of food insecurity (FI) among university students in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a cross-sectional study (n = 626) between November and December 2021 at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen, Germany, using an online questionnaire. The analysis of FI was based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). We statistically validated our data using the Rasch model. Moreover, demographic, socio-economic and educational variables were collected using a questionnaire developed by the Food Insecurity among European University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic (FINESCOP) consortium. Overall, 27.5 % of the university students are food insecure. The proportion of university students experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity (FImod+sev) is 10.4 % and the proportion experiencing severe food insecurity (FIsev) 0.9 %. Results from a logistic regression showed that students have a higher chance to be food insecure if they were not born in Europe and if their parents have a secondary or lower educational level. We further found an association between age and FI. Also receiving a student loan during the pandemic and getting food assistance increased the likelihood of being food insecure. Our results show that FI is prevalent among this particularly vulnerable population group. Thus, public health, as well as policy efforts may need to become more target group-specific in accordance with the identified circumstances and specific characteristics to avoid that university students suffer from FI.

Investigating Fishing Vessel Casualties in Peru: A Technical and Scientific Review to Support New Regulations

The reporting system for fishing vessel and crew casualties in Peru needs a disruptive change in order to know what the risks in terms of marine safety are, who should manage them, and how they should be managed. According to a technical review on accidents recorded by the Peruvian Direction of Captaincies and Coast Guards (DICAPI), it is evident there is a need to process the available information on casualties of fishing vessels and crew in the fishing industry since this information is not easy to analyze. Nevertheless, this paper provides the casualties reported between 2004 and 2010, and from 2013 to 2020. In order to understand the research endeavors and trends surrounding the safety of fishing vessels, a systematic review using VOSviewer was performed. After a deep analysis and study of the information available in Peru, as well as reports and regulations from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), and the recent advances available in the scientific literature on the safety of fishing vessels and crew casualties around the world, this paper presents some proposals regarding the current Peruvian scenario that are expected to be considered in new regulations.

Influence of Chemical Composition and Degree of Fragmentation of Millet Grain on Confused Flour Beetle (Tribolium confusum Duv.) Infestation

Owing to its wealth of nutritional values and low cultivation requirements, millet can become a key crop in global food systems. Thus, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) declared that 2023 is the International Year of Millet. The introduction of this cereal and its products into universal food circulation calls for a multidimensional approach, which would also consider threats posed by pests during the storage of cereal kernels. The aim of this study was to evaluate the development of the confused flour beetle (Tribolium confusum Duv.) on common millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) and products obtained from this cereal, and to analyze the factors which influence its development (chemical composition of kernels, degree of their fragmentation). The study was conducted under laboratory conditions in an environmental test chamber (temperature 30 °C, humidity 70%, light—complete darkness). Millet grains of the Jagna cultivar and its products were weighed at 20 g, placed in vinidur dishes, and 10 beetles were then placed on the prepared material. The experiment demonstrated that the millet grain and food products obtained from this grain (millet flour, flakes, groats) could be a suitable habitat for the development of the confused flour beetle. The key regulator for the development of this pest insect is the degree of fragmentation of the infested material. The millet grain and millet products (except millet flour) are characterized by less numerous developments of beetle progeny than wheat products, which could be another advantage of millet in an integrated international system of grain storage. Chemical analysis also showed a significant correlation between the abundance of offspring generation and the content of crude fat (especially linoleic acid—C 18:2). Knowledge of the resistance or susceptibility of millet to storage pests may be useful in implementing integrated principles of protection of stored products against pests.

A review of the dietary diversity and micronutrient adequacy among the women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries.

The dietary quality of women of reproductive age (WRA) is particularly important during preconception, conception, and pregnancy for themselves and their offspring. Poorly diversified diets resulting in inadequate micronutrient consumption may have adverse effects on their health. This narrative review summarizes the findings of studies reporting on dietary diversity and micronutrient intake by WRA in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Studies on WRA aged 15-49 years in LMICs, with a sample size of more than 150, report dietary diversity and multiple micronutrient intake based on 24-h dietary recall/food weighed record/food frequency questionnaire, and published between January 2011 and June 2021 were included. The results were compared to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recommended cut-off for dietary diversity and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recommended age- and sex-specific estimated average requirements (EARs) for micronutrient intake. This review includes 35 articles, of which 21 focused on dietary diversity and 14 on micronutrient intake. The results showed that WRA in LMICs had inadequate dietary diversity, with mean food group consumption of only 3.0-4.84, and around 42.3%-90% of women consumed inadequately diversified diets (<5 food groups). Additionally, most studies found that WRA did not consume adequate amounts of essential micronutrients, particularly calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, and vitamin B12. However, the intake of vitamin C, niacin, and vitamin B6 was above the required levels. In conclusion, this review highlights the common inadequacy of dietary diversity and multiple micronutrient intake among WRA in most LMICs. Effective measures involving improving dietary diversity, food fortification with micronutrients, and supplementation programs could help improve the dietary quality and intake of optimal micronutrients by women in LMICs.

Food waste in Indian households: status and potential solutions

According to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), India had the highest number of undernourished people in the world in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the problem of world hunger (WHO 2021). According to the Food Waste Index Report, 2021, by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), 931 million tonnes of food waste was produced in 2019, with households accounting for 61%, food services for 26%, and retail for 13%. The report estimates that Indian households generate 50 kg of food waste per capita per year, resulting in total of 68,760,163 tonnes annually. This study aimed to investigate the reasons for food waste in Indian households and potential solutions to minimize or control food waste using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Reasons for food waste include miscalculations in meal preparation, a lack of appreciation for food, and a weakening of traditional Indian value systems. The study identified two potential solutions for controlling or eliminating food waste: exploring alternative methods of food consumption and enhancing the family culture surrounding food. The study results could potentially guide policymakers and planners in designing policies to address the problem of food waste in Indian households.

Automatic detection of charcoal kilns on Very High Resolution images with a computer vision approach in Somalia

In Somalia’s drylands, charcoal production is a major driver of forest degradation enabled by civil conflict and institutional weakness. Up to now, the extent and exact location of charcoal production has usually been estimated by visually detecting charcoal kilns on Very High Resolution (VHR) images. Taking advantage of the availability of a dataset of charcoal kilns delineated on VHR images by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) experts, we designed a computer vision (CV) approach to automatically identify charcoal kilns on VHR images. The methodology relies on a curated subset of the expert-labeled dataset and a collection of panchromatic and pan-sharpened multispectral Natural Color (RGB) VHR for the years 2018 and 2019. Kiln delineations paired with the VHR images are visually reviewed and used with a Faster R-CNN model, an object detection deep learning method. A two-stage methodology is used to train the best models for panchromatic and RGB images, respectively. The first stage uses a small number of high quality pairs to define the best parameters of the models while the second stage uses a larger set of pairs to fine tune the previous models. The results indicates that charcoal kilns are detected with a precision of 90% in panchromatic images and of 80% in RGB images. The models are then used to predict the presence of kilns over the available VHR images. Omission errors are prioritized over commission errors to mitigate the difficulty in detecting kilns in some specific situations. Comparison between the FAO expert kiln dataset and objects predicted by the CNN model is giving encouraging results. With a visual screening complementing the proposed workflow, CV can aid charcoal kiln monitoring in Somalia while alleviating manual work.

21 Beef Cattle and Global Warming

Abstract Beef cattle production is an important contributor to global warming both nationally and globally. Through a national life cycle assessment, we have determined that the production of beef cattle in the U.S. produces about 243 Tg of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) in global warming with an intensity of 21 kg CO2e/kg of carcass weight. This is about 3.5% of the national inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Globally, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates the direct GHG emissions from all cattle other than dairy and their manure to be about 2,260 Tg or about 4.5% of the total global GHG emission. An important consideration in calculating the contribution of beef cattle is the assumed global warming potentials (GWP) used to relate the warming effect of methane and other compounds to that of CO2. Recommended values have varied over the past 20 years as we learn more about the warming potential of various gases. Values assumed affect published assessments, so it is important to consider the GWP values used when comparing studies. Methane is unique among the major compounds affecting global warming because it has a relatively short life in the atmosphere (half-life of about 8 years). Methane released by cattle and their manure oxidizes in the atmosphere returning the carbon originally fixed by growing plants back to CO2 completing a natural cycle. To better represent the warming effect of methane in the atmosphere, a model called GWP* has been introduced. To use this model, the change in emission rate over time must be quantified. Compared with 50 years ago in the U.S., we are now producing 20% more meat using about 15% fewer cattle. We estimate that the GHG intensity in cattle production has decreased 34%, and the total GHG emission related to beef cattle production has decreased 21% over this period. Considering the change that has occurred, using the GWP* model reduces the global warming impact of U.S. beef cattle by over 50% relative to the use of the commonly accepted current GWP factors. Global change is more difficult to quantify. The FAO estimates that over the past 50 years, the global number of non-dairy cattle has increased about 39% with a 78% increase in meat production and 36% increase in related methane emissions. Applying these data indicates that use of the GWP* model decreases the warming effect of global cattle by about 20%. When making policy decisions to mitigate GHG emissions, it is important to properly represent the relative warming effect of the important greenhouse gases.

Estimation of Crops Future Irrigation Water Needs in a Mediterranean Plain

Agriculture is a vulnerable sector to climate change due to its sensitivity to weather conditions. Changes in climatic parameters such as temperature and precipitation significantly affect productivity as well as the consumption of natural resources like water to meet irrigation water needs. There has been a large amount of research on regional climate change. However, this study placed specific crops at first place and considered their irrigation water needs that will arise due to evapotranspiration increase. The aim of this study was to estimate the future irrigation water needs of wheat, cotton, and alfalfa in the east part of Thessaly Plain in central Greece, where Lake Karla, a recently restored lake, is located. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was applied as a high-resolution regional climate model to simulate temperature and precipitation for two 5-year periods, namely 2046–2050 (future period) and 2006–2010 (reference period). Simulations refer to the RCP8.5 emission scenario (worst-case). A methodology proposed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations was followed to estimate the reference crop evapotranspiration, the crop evapotranspiration based on each crop factor, which was determined for each crop, the effective rainfall, and finally, the irrigation water needs for each crop, for the two 5-year periods. Based on WRF simulations, temperature was projected to be 1.1 °C higher in the future period compared to the reference period, while precipitation and effective precipitation were projected to decrease by 32% and 45%, respectively. Based on the WRF projections, by 2025, the irrigation water needs of wheat and alfalfa are expected to increase by more than 16% and more than 11%, respectively, while irrigation water needs of cotton are expected to increase by 7%. An extension of wheat’s irrigation period for one month (i.e., December) was also identified. Good practices that could be applied in the frame of precision agriculture principles in order to save irrigation water were suggested. The results of this study could be exploited by water resources and land use managers when planning short and long-term strategies to adapt to climate change impacts.

Effect of co-digestion with water hyacinth, inoculum concentration and dilution on biogas production of fish waste

A report from the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) estimates that 9.1 million tons of Fish wastes (FW) are thrown away each year. Water hyacinth (WH) is the most invasive water weed that thrives in freshwater water and has impacts on the environment, ecology, and society. The waste generated is either discarded onto the open ground or disposed into pits which result in environmental pollution and health hazards. FW and WH can be used for biogas production. However, FW digests quickly and produces a lot of ammonia and Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) which inhibit the digestion when digested alone, it has also a low carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio; consequently, it is not directly suitable for anaerobic digestion (AD). In this regard, co-digestion with WH (high C/N ratio) prior to AD is necessary. To examine the effects of the operating factors: Substrate ratio (WH: FW), Inoculum concentration (IC) and Dilution, Central composite design (CCD) in Design Expert 13 software was used to design experiments of three factors at five levels which resulted in 17 runs. Laboratory scale experiments were carried out under mesophilic temperature (37 ℃). The maximum biogas with the highest methane content of 68.15% was produced at the substrate ratio of 25:75 g/ 250 mL (WH: FW), 15 g/ 250 mL of IC and dilution of 95 mL. The biogas yield increased by 16.1% and 32.4% compared to pure WH and FW respectively. This implied that the operating conditions were efficient in maximising the biogas yield. FW had a lower C/N ratio; further study needs to consider co-digestion with other higher C/N ratio substrates.

Estimation of Crop Water Requirement for Tomato Plant in Afgoye-Somalia, Using CROPWAT 8.0 Model

Crop water requirement or crop evapotranspiration is a vital parameter for irrigation, and it is necessary to determine the quantity of water to be applied for irrigation and develop an effective irrigation schedule. CROPWAT 8.0, decision-support computer software developed by the United Nations Food Agriculture Organization, is used to calculate crop water requirements. In this paper, the CROPWAT 8.0 model was used to estimate the water requirements of tomato crops in Afgoye. The model estimated that the reference evapotranspiration throughout the year reaches 1927.6 mm and the daily reference evapotranspiration is 5.29 mm. The total annual rainfall reaches 584.0 mm with an effective rainfall of 511.1 mm. The total crop evapotranspiration during the growing period was estimated at 678.2 mm and the total irrigation amount was calculated as 452.3 mm with an effective rainfall of 230.6 mm. During the growing period, the net and gross irrigation reaches 392.9 and 561.3 mm respectively. Field experiments should be conducted in the same season and cropping patterns to validate the accuracy of the crop water requirement prediction.

HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT OF PYRETHROID PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN PRODUCES AND SOILS IN A FARMLAND FROM ABEOKUTA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Despite being useful in pest control, pyrethroids have been found to bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms and in human breast milk and research has shown that pyrethroids are neurotoxic, affect reproductive health and have ability to interfere with the immunological and endocrine systems, they also function as cancer precursors. This study sought to determine the amounts of pyrethroid residue in the soils and some of the most popular food crops, yam and cassava, in order to evaluate food safety using Gas chromatography Mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Cyfluthrin, alpha cypermethrin and beta cypermethrin are pyrethroids found in all the yams and cassava and soils analysed in this study and their values ranged from 9.98mg/kg to 14.45mg/kg in yam farm soil, 8.1mg/kg to 18.46mg/kg in yam samples, 10.25mg/kg to 14.94mg/kg in cassava samples and 6.13mg/kg to 30.6mg/kg in cassava farm soils. The pyrethroid with the highest residue levels in all the samples taken was beta cypermethrin. The health risk was assessed by calculating bioaccumulation factor and comparing Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) with Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) recommendations. Bioaccumulation factor of the foods analysed ranged from 0.49 (beta cypermethrin) to 1.68 (alpha cypermethrin) in cassava and 0.56 (cyfluthrin) and 1.07 (alpha cypermethrin) in yams. The pyrethroid residues discovered in the foods in this study exceeded the ADI of pesticides established by FAO, 0.02mg/kg per day; a significant health risk indication. Care should therefore be taken when using these pesticides and consumption of food exposed to pesticides should be discouraged.

Re-Imagining Urban Wetlands: Watery heritage and food policies in the Albufera de València

Urban food policies require interdisciplinary research and action. Based on a holistic vision, these policies aim to facilitate the transformation of the food systems of cities in a sustainable, equitable and resilient manner. Food availability is key to urban food policies and involves recognition of the widespread disconnect between agriculture and consumers and the central role that food-related practices can play in the transition towards sustainable and resilient cities. This article addresses this topic by investigating the strategic role of one area of urban wetlands that has fostered new positive and shared attitudes towards watery heritage. The recovery of waterscapes in the Albufera, in close proximity to one of the most rapidly expanding Spanish urban areas, València, has allowed for a remarkable improvement of both traditional fisheries and paddy fields that has facilitated the regeneration of sustainable food practices. In 2019, the Horta de València, comprising a system of fields extending over a 28 km² area that is irrigated by the Túria River, was recognised by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS). The area includes the historic Huerta and a section of the Albufera National Park that still maintains elements of traditional Arab heritage. The Albufera is thereby a significant repository of watery memories related to fisher people, peasants and sailors that an increasing number of environmentalists and seaside tourists interact with, and it thereby exemplifies the nature of wetlands as knowledge resources that can inspire sustainable food practices and policies.

Economic impacts and mitigation strategies of African Swine Fever in China: a systematic review

Abstract Background African Swine Fever (ASF) and food safety issues present significant challenges to the global food industry. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) notes that food safety issues can result in economic losses in the food industry. The impact of ASF has been particularly harsh, affecting over half of China's provinces. However, few study has examined its specific economic impact on China. This study aims to explore ASF's economic impacts from 2018 to 2022 and analyze existing mitigation strategies in China. Methods This study used a systematic review methodology to synthesize journal articles published in English between 2018 and 2022 from four databases (Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase). Journals are included in the study if they discuss the economic impact of ASF in China or provide strategies for mitigation. Results Our search yielded 49 results, with 11 papers included in the final review. On average, ASF causes about 108 billion losses in 2018, and this figure is increasing to 127 billion in 2019. Current interventions are divided into three types: reforming food manufacturing companies (n = 5), promoting advanced agricultural techniques like vertical farming (n = 4), and adopting a new food supervision system (n = 2). Although these strategies have provided relief, the effectiveness of these strategies remain to be investigated in the future. Conclusions ASF's economic loss is substantial and increasing. The study concludes three main strategies for addressing food safety concerns: reforming food manufacturing companies, promoting advanced agricultural techniques like vertical farming, and adopting a new food supervision system. However, future studies should focus on the effectiveness analysis regarding these strategies. Key messages • This study highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to address global food safety issues. • Implementing the proposed strategies can promote a healthier and more sustainable food system.

A novel sandwich-type electrochemical immunosensor for sensitive detection of zearalenone using NG/PDDA/HNTs and Ti-MOF-KB composites for signal amplification

In this work, a novel sandwich-type electrochemical immunosensor based on signal amplification was developed for the ultrasensitive detection of zearalenone (ZEA). The composite consisting of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) functionalized nitrogen doped graphene, halloysite nanotubes and toluidine blue (Tb/NG/PDDA/HNTs), was synthesized for the first time. Then it was modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to bind the secondary antibody (Ab2, 10 μg mL−1) and form the tracer label. In addition, ketjen black (KB) was doped into titanium-based metal–organic framework (Ti-MOF), which provided large specific surface area and employed as the sensing platform to increase the immobilization of the primary antibody (Ab1, 10 μg mL−1). This immunosensor showed a wide linear range for ZEA from 10 fg mL−1 to 100 ng mL−1 with a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 0.57 fg mL−1, which was below the maximum tolerable levels (50∼100 µg kg−1) set by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Feeding patterns and dietary diversity practices of caregivers with children (0 to 24 months) admitted with acute malnutrition in hospitals in Mpumalanga province, South Africa

Malnutrition is a global public health problem more prominent among infants under five years of age, and South Africa is no exception. Caregivers’ poor infant feeding practices, including lower exclusive breastfeeding rates, dietary diversity, and meal frequency, are the main causes of malnutrition during the first two years of life. Improving mother practices on infant and young children is crucial for growth and development and prevention of malnutrition. This study aimed to assess feeding patterns and dietary diversity practices of caregivers with children admitted with malnutrition in hospitals in Bushbuckridge Sub-District, Mpumalanga Province. A quantitative study design was applied. Data were collected among 151 caregiver-child pairs using an interviewer-administered questionnaire adapted from the Food Agriculture Organization publication guidelines for assessing nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes and practices using closed-ended multiple choice questions. Descriptive and ANOVA statistics were analysed using STATA 13 statistical software. The results showed that the majority, 90.0% (n=66) of infants &lt; 6 months, were not exclusively breastfed. Most, 34.6% (n= 27) of the children aged 6-24 months had a lower dietary diversity score (DDS) (&lt;5) and 65.0% (n=51) consumed less than the recommended meals for age (4 times a day). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the effect of continuing breastfeeding was significant for gender [F (1, 71) = 3.90, p=.05] and the diagnosis of the child [F (1, 71) = 8.19, p = .00]. The effect of minimum feeding frequency was significant for residence areas (F (3,74) = 5.23, p =.00) and caregiver education levels [F (3, 74) =3.71, p = .01]. The findings indicated that the majority (90.0%) of mothers did not practise exclusive breastfeeding, the diet lacked diversity, and the children consumed meals less than 4 times a day as recommended for age. Therefore, there is need for targeted infant feeding nutrition interventions, such as nutrition education and promotion of breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices, which will subsequently lead to an improvement of the nutritional status of infants. Key words: exclusive breastfeeding, dietary diversity, meal frequency, acute malnutrition, complementary feeding

Density of wild honey bee, Apis mellifera, colonies worldwide.

The western honey bee, Apis mellifera, lives worldwide in approximately 102 million managed hives but also wild throughout much of its native and introduced range. Despite the global importance of A. mellifera as a crop pollinator, wild colonies have received comparatively little attention in the scientific literature and basic information regarding their density and abundance is scattered. Here, we review 40 studies that have quantified wild colony density directly (n = 33) or indirectly using genetic markers (n = 7) and analyse data from 41 locations worldwide to identify factors that influence wild colony density. We also compare the density of wild and managed colonies at a regional scale using data on managed colonies from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Wild colony densities varied from 0.1 to 24.2/km2 and were significantly lower in Europe (average of 0.26/km2) than in Northern America (1.4/km2), Oceania (4.4/km2), Latin America (6.7/km2) and Africa (6.8/km2). Regional differences were not significant after controlling for both temperature and survey area, suggesting that cooler climates and larger survey areas may be responsible for the low densities reported in Europe. Managed colony densities were 2.2/km2 in Asia, 1.2/km2 in Europe, 0.2/km2, in Northern America, 0.2/km2 in Oceania, 0.5/km2 in Latin America and 1/km2 in Africa. Wild colony densities exceeded those of managed colonies in all regions except Europe and Asia. Overall, there were estimated to be between two and three times as many wild colonies as managed worldwide. More wild colony surveys, particularly in Asia and South America, are needed to assess the relative density of wild and managed colonies at smaller spatial scales.