Fresh Ground Research Articles

Factors affecting higher education demand in India: an interpretive review

India's higher education system is vast, diverse, complex, and experiencing growing demand which is influenced by multifarious factors. This study identifies 10 factors influencing this demand from literature review and expert opinion and develops a conceptual framework through modified total interpretive structural modelling (TISM) to interpret significant causal and hierarchical linkages. Although the findings indicate all identified factors to be critical, the variables family educational background and globalisation are found to have the most influence on higher education demand in India. The study also reveals several links that are not clearly visible using plain observation. The study breaks fresh ground considering that the existing literature has investigated the subject at the institutional or sectoral level, while this study examines it at the national level. The study provides fresh insights into the interrelationships of these factors while untangling the logic behind their linkages. The results are of value to policy planners and scholars alike.

Effect of Cinnamon and Turmeric Nanoparticles Extract in Quality Characteristics of fresh Ground Beef during cold Storage

Effect of Cinnamon and Turmeric Nanoparticles Extract in Quality Characteristics of fresh Ground Beef during cold Storage

Survival Evaluation of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes on Selective and Nonselective Media in Ground Chicken Meat Subjected to High Hydrostatic Pressure and Carvacrol

High pressure processing (HPP) and treatment with the essential oil extract carvacrol had synergistic inactivation effects on Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes in fresh ground chicken meat. Seven days after HPP treatment at 350 MPa for 10 min, Salmonella treated with 0.75% carvacrol was reduced to below the detection limit (1 log CFU/g) at 4°C and was reduced by ca. 6 log CFU at 10°C. L. monocytogenes was more sensitive to these imposed stressors, remaining below the detection limit during storage at both 4 and 10°C after HPP treatment at 350 MPa for 10 min following treatment with 0.45% carvacrol. However, pressure-injured bacterial cells may recover and lead to an overestimation of process lethality when a selective medium is used without proper justification. For HPP-stressed Salmonella, a 1- to 2-log difference was found between viable counts on xylose lysine Tergitol 4 agar and aerobic plate counts, but no significant difference was found for HPP-stressed L. monocytogenes between polymyxin-acriflavine-lithium chloride-ceftazidime-esculin-mannitol (PALCAM) agar and aerobic plate counts. HPP-induced bacterial injury and its recovery have been investigated by comparing selective and nonselective agar plate counts; however, few investigations have addressed this issue in the presence of essential oil extracts, taking into account the effect of high pressure and natural antimicrobial compounds (e.g., carvacrol) on bacterial survival in various growth media. Use of selective media may overestimate the efficacy of bacterial inactivation in food processing evaluation and validation studies, and the effects of various media should be systematically investigated.

Assisting sustainable food consumption: The effects of quality signals stemming from consumers and stores in online and physical grocery retailing

Increased fish consumption can contribute to a more sustainable food system. This paper explores how signaling affects consumer choices in fresh fish purchasing situations, both in traditional and online retail settings. We examined two different types of market signals; quality signals stemming from consumers as a social proof and authority signals coming from stores. Study 1 showed that quality signals from other consumers (product rating) had the highest importance score in an online setting when compared to traditional attributes in a conjoint experiment. Study 2 again confirmed the prominence of quality signals from consumers by extending the research over to brick and mortar retailing and top-selling items. Study 3 followed up with in-store experiments, using fresh cod fillets as the target product and fresh ground beef as a comparison. The experiments showed increased sales from both types of signaling, with an overall 41.5% increase for fish in our study.

Microbial Validation of Dry Aged Beef Trim for Incorporation into Premium Ground Beef

ObjectivesDry aging treatments impart unique flavors desirable by a segment of the population. Ground beef offers flexibility of use at a lower price point. There is potential to add value to lower priced beef cuts by dry aging them and incorporating them into premium grinds. However, the long dry aging period could allow growth of key pathogens. To determine the risk, the prevalence and potential for growth must be assessed. The effect of a dry aging treatment on the population of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes was studied.Materials and MethodsAn in-plant assessment of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes was conducted by swabbing both the fat and lean sides of 25 ribeye rolls or striploins before direct plating and finally enriching samples. Beef shoulder clods were purchased and used to simulate dry aging. The product was cut into 10 cm × 10 cm blocks before inoculating both fat and lean surfaces with a cocktail mixture containing two strains of Listeria monocytogenes and five strains of Salmonella at a rate of 103 CFU/cm2. Blocks were allowed to dry for 15 min between inoculation of sides and before suspension in a refrigerator (4°C) with a circulating fan and 70–80% humidity. Surfaces were removed at a depth < 5mm for collection and plating on selective media at 0, 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 d post inoculation. Two sides of six blocks were used at each time point; the experiment was replicated a second time. Data were analyzed to test the effect of time, side, and their interaction for each pathogen; replication was a random variable.ResultsSamples collected in a commercial facility showed no occurrence of E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella, but three presumptive Listeria monocytogenes colonies were found in the quantitative analysis. The plant does not process ready-to-eat products, the main concern with Listeria monocytogenes. Since all product will be trimmed and cooked prior to consumption, and with the low amount of Listeria monocytogenes, the risk associated with Listeria monocytogenes is relatively low. To validate use of the dry aging treatment on sub-primals to be used for ground beef, the microbial population of the key pathogens used during inoculation must not increase over the treatment period. Salmonella levels on d 1 and 14 were similar (P = 0.53), but numerically less than d 0, and lower (P = 0.0028) on d 1, 21, and 28. There was an effect of side of inoculation; the fat side had significantly higher (P = 0.046) Salmonella levels over the duration of the study. This suggests that Salmonella may have had slightly better attachment to fat at inoculation, but it had no bearing on growth dynamics thereafter. There was no day by side interaction detected (P = 0.51). Listeria monocytogenes showed a similar overall trend; counts were similar on d 7, 14, and 21 (P = 0.079), and numerically less than d 0, whereas counts were lower (P = 0.014) on d 1 and 28. No effect of side (P = 0.21) or a day by side interaction (P = 0.66) were observed.ConclusionOverall, Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes did not increase during the 28d aging period, indicating that dry-aged beef trim is not higher risk than fresh beef trim. Thus, additional risk mitigation steps may not be necessary during processing of dry aged versus fresh ground beef.

Growth behaviour and thermal inactivation of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. in ground lean camel meat

This study aimed to evaluate growth behaviour of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and background microbiota in ground lean camel meat during refrigerated storage for up to 7 d, and determine thermal inactivation parameters (D and z-values) of the pathogens in the meat. Fresh ground camel meat samples were individually inoculated with two isolates of each E. coli O157:H7 strains and Salmonella serovars. Inoculated and uninoculated samples were stored aerobically at 4 °C and abusive temperature (10 °C) for 1, 4 and 7 d. Inoculated samples were also heat-treated in a circulating water bath at 55–65 °C. Upon storage for 7 d at 4 °C, the population of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella cells decreased significantly in samples. In contrast, samples stored at 10 °C showed significant increases in microbial populations. With storage, the populations of mesophilic lactic acid bacteria, mesophilic total plate counts, yeasts and molds, Pseudomonas spp., as well as Enterobacteriaceae increased significantly. E. coli O157:H7 strains showed average D-values at 57.5 to 65 °C ranging from 1.8 to 0.067 min while Salmonella spp. at 55 to 62.5 °C showed D-values ranging from 2.2 to 0.057 min. The z-values of E. coli O157:H7 strains were 4.6 and 5.0 °C and were 5.1 and 5.5 °C for Salmonella spp. This study provides information to assist food industry and retail meat processors to enhance safety and storage quality of camel meat and facilitate validation of thermal processing of camel meat products.

ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY, AMINO ACID PROFILE AND MICROBIAL QUALITY OF BEBONTOT, A BALINESE TRADITIONAL FERMENTED CHICKEN MEAT PRODUCTS

Antioxidant activity, amino acids profile and microbial quality of raw bebontot of chicken meat of spent laying henwere investigated. The samples were prepared using meat dices (1.5 x 2.0 cm) mixed with fresh ground coriander,garlic, galangal, white pepper, salt, sugar and coconut oil then wrapped in Areca catechu palm dried sheaths andfinally fermented spontaneously by drying under the sun for 5 days. The results showed there was a decreasing inpH value, moisture content and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity of final products, whileits total phenolic content was increasing. Glutamic acid was the most abundant amino acid in products after 5days fementation, followed by tyrosine, aspartic acid, lysine, leucine and histidine. The total plate count and lacticacid bacteria counts were decreasing to 9.39 log cfu/g and 8.98 log cfu/g; the Micrococcaceae was decreased to5.31 log cfu/g; the yeast and moulds counts were increased to 8.58 log cfu/g and 6.51 log cfu/g at the final stageof fermentation. It can be concluded that bebontot chicken meat in this study is a good source of natural phenolicantioxidant, and the present microorganisms will provide the source for the selection of strains well adapted to theenvironment and able to compete with contaminant bacteria.

Aroma‐Relevant Volatile Compounds as Markers for the Sensory Quality of Argan Oil

AbstractThe aim of the present work is to identify and characterize the most important aroma active compounds of argan oil from unroasted and roasted argan almonds as well as roasted almonds obtained from goat‐digested fruits by dynamic headspace GC and GC‐olfactometry with aroma dilution analysis to classify samples from the market according to their processing. While fresh ground argan almonds are characterized by only seven aroma active compounds, in argan oil from unroasted and roasted almonds, 22 and 35 aroma active compounds are found, respectively. As a result of the roasting process, 14 aroma active compounds with dilution factors >64 are detected in the oil by GC‐olfactometry. 17 aroma active compounds show significant differences between the three different argan oil qualities. These compounds are used to differentiate the quality of argan oil from the market.Practical Application: Argan oil belongs to the high‐price oils on the market but sometimes the sensory quality of the oil contradicts the positive image that has been built up for oil by unpleasant cheese‐like and fusty sensory attributes. Although some information about the composition of the volatile compounds of cold‐pressed argan oil from unroasted and roasted kernels is available, the knowledge about compounds that are typical for the aroma of argan oil is important in order to develop analytical methods for the classification of different argan oil qualities. This reduces the work for a panel group that is often time and labor consuming and sometimes the results are not reliable. The present paper demonstrates which volatile compounds show significant differences between argan oil from unroasted and roasted argan almonds as well as roasted almonds obtained from goat‐digested fruits allowing a differentiation of these oils.

Sustainable water provision in Tarakan City

Clean water provision is the sixth goal of SDGs, in which all countries are struggling to achieve those goals. Indonesia is archipelagic where only 12.38% or around 2,342 islands are inhabited by a total of 17,504 islands. Clean water provision for all inhabited islands, particularly for small islands, have been a significant issue for Government of Indonesia. Availability of fresh water, ground and surface, in a small island is often critical since the island is surrounded by the sea. Hydrological process in providing annual regional fresh water is relatively stagnant. Tarakan City is an island city, located at north-east of the mainland of Kalimantan. Water provision planning is important to close the gap between the supply and demand. The latest local statistics data of population in Tarakan (2015) was 227,200 people [1] and therefore the estimated maximum demand of fresh water was 74,158,080 liters per day or 838.3 liters/second. The capacity of Local State Own Water Enterprise was only 400 liters/second, less than half of the demand. Strategies that can be taken, apart of the efforts to maximize efficient use to save water, are to minimize storm water run-offs, promote better land use planning, and strictly preserve watershed regions to have at least 30% green area.

Physicochemical Parameters and Alarming Coliform Count of the Potable Water of Eastern Himalayan State Sikkim: An Indication of Severe Fecal Contamination and Immediate Health Risk.

Continuous decline in potable water sources has raised serious concerns over human health. Developing countries are the most affected in this regard due to a lack of proper hygiene maintenance. Sikkim, an Eastern Himalayan state with mountains as the predominant topological features, harbors several perennial natural springs. Spring water is the primary source of potable water for the population in four districts of the state viz. East, West, North and South. Recent outbreaks of water-borne diseases and the relative lack of scientific studies on its potential correlation with the water quality of the area have educed this study. Physicochemical parameters of springs, community reservoirs, and household water were analyzed by ICP-MS and multi probe meter. Using the membrane filtration method, the microbial quality of the water samples during different seasons was assessed, primarily evaluating the presence of fecal indicators viz. Escherichia coli, total coliform and Enterococcus. The seasonal risk category of the water sources was also determined. Most of the physicochemical parameters of the spring water were within the permissible limits of WHO standards. However, water from four districts was recorded with traces of toxic heavy metals like mercury (0.001–0.007 mg/l), lead (0.001–0.007 mg/l), and selenium (0.526–0.644 mg/l), which are above the permissible limits of WHO. All the spring water samples were categorized as Mg-HC type and can be predicted as shallow fresh ground water based on the piper analysis. Microbial confirmatory testing indicated severe fecal contamination of water sources with high counts of total coliform (TC), Escherichia coli (EC) and Enterococcus (EN). The highest level of TC was recorded from West Sikkim (37.26 cfu/100 ml) and the lowest in North Sikkim (22.13 cfu/100 ml). The highest level of contamination of E. coli and Enterococcus was found in East Sikkim (EC = 8.7 cfu/100 ml; EN = 2.08 cfu/100 ml) followed by South Sikkim (EC = 8.4 cfu/100 ml; EN = 2.05 cfu/100 ml). There was a significant positive correlation between the contamination levels of the spring water and the community reservoir tank. As far as the seasonal variation is concerned, the rainy season showed the most contamination with coliform correlating with a high incidence of different water-borne diseases (East = 86%; West = 100%; South = 100%; North = 80%).

Ground beef microbiome changes with antimicrobial decontamination interventions and product storage.

Ground beef makes up more than half of the beef consumed in the U.S. market. Although numerous studies have been conducted on microbial safety and shelf life of ground beef limited work has been done using a culture-independent approach. While past studies have allowed for the evaluation of a few organisms of interest, there is limited work on the microbial community associated with fresh ground beef. In order to have a more complete picture of the microbial ecology of the product, a culture-independent approach utilizing 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was used. The objectives of this study were to characterize the fresh ground beef microbiome and the effect that antimicrobial interventions and antioxidants, applied to beef trim before grinding, and product storage have on community composition using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Beef trimmings were treated with antimicrobials and an antioxidant. Samples were ground, loafed, and overwrapped before being packaged in modified-atmosphere packaging. Samples were in dark storage for 21 days followed by five days in retail display. Periodically during storage, samples were collected for microbiological analysis and DNA isolation. Due to low microbial biomass, only 52 of 210 samples were included in the final analysis. These samples represented two antimicrobial treatments (peroxyacetic acid, and a sulfuric acid and sodium sulfate blend) and a control, from day-15 of dark storage and day-5 of retail display. As sample age increased, so did the number of raw reads (P < 0.001) and aerobic plate counts (P < 0.001), which were correlated (r = 0.94, P = 0.017). Across all samples, lactic acid bacteria were most abundant followed by Enterobacteriaceae; several rare taxa were also identified (namely Geobacillus, Thermus, and Sporosarcina). Antimicrobial treatment altered the bacterial alpha (P < 0.001) and beta (P = 0.001) diversity, while storage day altered alpha (P = 0.001) diversity. Enterobacteriaceae relative abundance differed (P < 0.05) among treatments and was highest in control samples. In addition to confirming previously described dominant microbial differences in culture-dependent results, these data identified genera not typically associated with ground beef and allowed for study of shifts in the entire microbiome and not just a subset of indicator organisms.

Causal tree with instrumental variable: an extension of the causal tree framework to irregular assignment mechanisms

This paper provides a link between causal inference and machine learning techniques—specifically, Classification and Regression Trees—in observational studies where the receipt of the treatment is not randomized, but the assignment to the treatment can be assumed to be randomized (irregular assignment mechanism). The paper contributes to the growing applied machine learning literature on causal inference, by proposing a modified version of the Causal Tree (CT) algorithm to draw causal inference from an irregular assignment mechanism. The proposed method is developed by merging the CT approach with the instrumental variable framework to causal inference, hence the name Causal Tree with Instrumental Variable (CT-IV). An improved version, named Honest Causal Tree with Instrumental Variable (HCT-IV), able to estimate more reliably the heterogeneous causal effects, is also proposed. As compared to CT, the main strength of CT-IV and HCT-IV is that they can deal more efficiently with the heterogeneity of causal effects, as demonstrated by a series of numerical results obtained on synthetic data. Then, the proposed algorithms are used to evaluate a public policy implemented by the Tuscan Regional Administration (Italy), which aimed at easing the access to credit for small firms. In this context, HCT-IV breaks fresh ground for target-based policies, identifying interesting heterogeneous causal effects.

Interventions Targeting Deep Tissue Lymph Nodes May Not Effectively Reduce the Risk of Salmonellosis from Ground Pork Consumption: A Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment.

The inclusion of deep tissue lymph nodes (DTLNs) or nonvisceral lymph nodes contaminated with Salmonella in wholesale fresh ground pork (WFGP) production may pose risks to public health. To assess the relative contribution of DTLNs to human salmonellosis occurrence associated with ground pork consumption and to investigate potential critical control points in the slaughter-to-table continuum for the control of human salmonellosis in the United States, a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) model was established. The model predicted an average of 45 cases of salmonellosis (95% CI = [19, 71]) per 100,000 Americans annually due to WFGP consumption. Sensitivity analysis of all stochastic input variables showed that cooking temperature was the most influential parameter for reducing salmonellosis cases associated with WFGP meals, followed by storage temperature and Salmonella concentration on contaminated carcass surface before fabrication. The input variables were grouped to represent three main factors along the slaughter-to-table chain influencing Salmonella doses ingested via WFGP meals: DTLN-related factors, factors at processing other than DTLNs, and consumer-related factors. The evaluation of the impact of each group of factors by second-order Monte Carlo simulation showed that DTLN-related factors had the lowest impact on the risk estimate among the three groups of factors. These findings indicate that interventions to reduce Salmonella contamination in DTLNs or to remove DTLNs from WFGP products may be less critical for reducing human infections attributable to ground pork than improving consumers' cooking habits or interventions of carcass decontamination at processing.

Groundwater resources mapping for small island using Geoelectrical Technique the case study of Ternate Island

The measurement of 2D geo-electrical using Wenner Alpha configuration was conducted in the shore line of northern part of Ternate island, in order to know the depth of interface and to analyze the aquifers in conjunction with estimation of ground water potential. Water quality analysis is also conducted in some dug wells, such as in situ water temperature, electrical conductivity, pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and salinity.Due to laboratory analysis, the values of measured parameters of water quality from some dug wells meets to the standards referred, especially for drinking water. The result of interpretation from geo-electrical data showed the depth of interface less than 10m. From a drilled well data near shore line, indicate about 5m deep of interface. Base on geo-electrical survey, water quality analysis and field observation can be concluded that Ternate Island has limited potential of ground water, especially related to amount of fresh ground water. Which is now days, no alternative source yet of clean water for domestic use.

Reinventing the Retailer: Retaining Relevance and Customer Access

Abstract The retail sector is evolving from a structurally rather rigid and somewhat un-emotional mainstay in the economy to a most dynamic field where old business models cease to exist, and new business models and players are bustling. As more and more customers prefer the convenience of internet-based shopping and direct-to-home delivery, many traditional retailers are forced to break fresh ground. Today, retailers must achieve relevance and meaning in the daily life of consumers and develop significance beyond the interaction in the store. They have to be easily accessible both physically and digitally. Retailers still need to fulfill the classic retail functions but on top they need to develop digitally-enabled value creation sources. How well they succeed in implementing automation, individualization, life-embeddedness, interaction as well as transparency and control will determine whether they will persist in the new retailing environment. Only those retailers will survive who are able to translate the new value adds into meaningful and positive experiences that last beyond the purchase itself.

7, 8-Dichlorobenzo[ghi]perylenetriimide: A versatile synthon for bay-substituted π-extended perylene dyes

Bay-substituted perylene diimide (PDI) dyes are a subject of great interest in both industrial and academic domains in the past decades. As important laterally extended derivatives of PDI dyes, benzo[ghi]perylenetriimides (BPTIs) have attracted much attention as non-fullerene acceptors, but their scope for applications has been limited by the lack of substitutions at the remaining two bay positions. Herein, we reported a facile synthesis of a novel, highly valuable synthon, 7, 8-dichlorobenzo[ghi]perylenetriimide (2), with two easy leaving chlorine groups at the remaining bay area, which can be further substituted by other functionalized groups through various synthetic strategies. Due to foreseeable applications of core-functionalized BPTIs, this unique synthon is anticipated to open up a fresh ground for optoelectronic materials.

Combined antioxidant and sensory effects of corn starch films with nanoemulsion of Zataria multiflora essential oil fortified with cinnamaldehyde on fresh ground beef patties

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of corn starch films containing Zataria multiflora essential oil (ZEO) and cinnamaldehyde (CIN) in conventional, nanoemulsion (NZEO) and fortified nanoemulsion (NZEOC) forms, on pH value, oxidative stability and sensory properties of ground beef patties during 20 days of storage at 4 ± 1 °C. Results of mechanical evaluation indicated that all treated films exhibited lower tensile strength (P ≤ .05) and higher elongation at break (P ≥ .05) than control samples. Also, film containing NZEO showed the best results at the end of storage with the following scores: Peroxide value (3.70 meq/kg of lipid), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (1.03 mg MDA/kg sample), carbonyl content (0.83 nmol/mg protein) and sensory analysis (overall acceptibility: 5.85). Furthermore, NZEOC had no positive effect on the antioxidant activity compared with NZEO+CIN. The results of the study can be applied to food packaging industry for particularly meat and meat products.

Microbial Validation of Dry Aged Beef Trim for Incorporation into Premium Ground Beef

ObjectivesDry aging treatments impart unique flavors desirable by a segment of the population. Ground beef offers flexibility of use at a lower price point. There is potential to add value to lower priced beef cuts by dry aging them and incorporating them into premium grinds. However, the long dry aging period could allow growth of key pathogens. To determine the risk, the prevalence and potential for growth must be assessed. The effect of a dry aging treatment on the population of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes was studied.Materials and MethodsAn in-plant assessment of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes was conducted by swabbing both the fat and lean sides of 25 ribeye rolls or striploins before direct plating and finally enriching samples. Beef shoulder clods were purchased and used to simulate dry aging. The product was cut into 10 cm × 10 cm blocks before inoculating both fat and lean surfaces with a cocktail mixture containing two strains of Listeria monocytogenes and five strains of Salmonella at a rate of 103 CFU/cm2. Blocks were allowed to dry for 15 min between inoculation of sides and before suspension in a refrigerator (4°C) with a circulating fan and 70–80% humidity. Surfaces were removed at a depth < 5mm for collection and plating on selective media at 0, 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 d post inoculation. Two sides of six blocks were used at each time point; the experiment was replicated a second time. Data were analyzed to test the effect of time, side, and their interaction for each pathogen; replication was a random variable.ResultsSamples collected in a commercial facility showed no occurrence of E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella, but three presumptive Listeria monocytogenes colonies were found in the quantitative analysis. The plant does not process ready-to-eat products, the main concern with Listeria monocytogenes. Since all product will be trimmed and cooked prior to consumption, and with the low amount of Listeria monocytogenes, the risk associated with Listeria monocytogenes is relatively low. To validate use of the dry aging treatment on sub-primals to be used for ground beef, the microbial population of the key pathogens used during inoculation must not increase over the treatment period. Salmonella levels on d 1 and 14 were similar (P = 0.53), but numerically less than d 0, and lower (P = 0.0028) on d 1, 21, and 28. There was an effect of side of inoculation; the fat side had significantly higher (P = 0.046) Salmonella levels over the duration of the study. This suggests that Salmonella may have had slightly better attachment to fat at inoculation, but it had no bearing on growth dynamics thereafter. There was no day by side interaction detected (P = 0.51). Listeria monocytogenes showed a similar overall trend; counts were similar on d 7, 14, and 21 (P = 0.079), and numerically less than d 0, whereas counts were lower (P = 0.014) on d 1 and 28. No effect of side (P = 0.21) or a day by side interaction (P = 0.66) were observed.ConclusionOverall, Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes did not increase during the 28d aging period, indicating that dry-aged beef trim is not higher risk than fresh beef trim. Thus, additional risk mitigation steps may not be necessary during processing of dry aged versus fresh ground beef.

Sinkholes as a source of life in the Dead Sea region

In recent decades, the Dead Sea region has suffered greatly from anthropogenic activities that have resulted in a massive decrease of the Dead Sea water level. This decrease has allowed the penetration of fresh ground water into the underground layer, which dissolved the salt layer and created sinkholes. Presently there are over 5000 sinkholes spread across the west bank of the Dead Sea, some of which are filled with water originating from rainfall, flash floods and spring water. Although sinkholes are detrimental to road infrastructure and tourist sites, they have dramatically increased the number of aquatic habitats surrounding the Dead Sea. In a cross-sectional study of 94 sinkholes along the north-west bank of the Dead Sea, coupled with a longitudinal study of six sinkholes, we examined how the community of invertebrates in the sinkholes is affected by environmental and geographic variables and how biological succession occurs in the sinkholes. We found that sinkholes are populated mainly by aquatic insects, which have high tolerance of a variety of environmental conditions. We also found that the community of invertebrates in the sinkholes is shaped by environmental variables such as salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen concentration, water temperature and the size of the sinkhole. We further found that the geographic distance between the sinkholes increases spatial species turnover and that species turnover across time was high. Patterns of species composition were similar in all the sinkholes, with the community structure during the wet season changing from early to mid-season, and then again from mid-season to late season. Interestingly, despite the extreme conditions of the water of the sinkholes, their seasonal succession processes were similar to those of temporary water bodies along the Mediterranean coast of Israel.

Bioactivity of clove (Syzygium aromaticum) against some taxa of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from fresh ground beef

INVESTIGATION of antibacterial activity of some spices against some enteric bacterial species isolated from fresh ground beef was the aim of this study as well as the identification of the active metabolites of the selected active spice. A number of morphologically varied 90 enteric bacterial isolates were recovered on MacConkey agar from 20 fresh ground beef (cows) samples collected from butcher shops located at Suez City, Egypt. The collected 90 bacterial isolates were characterized into six groups based on their phenotypic characteristics according to Bergey’s manual and were identified genetically using 16S rRNA gene sequencing to Serratia nematodiphila, Proteus penneri, Enterobacter cloacea, Shigella sonnei, Providencia rettgeri and Escherichia fergusonii and deposited in GenBank with accession numbers KY712436, KY712438, KY712439, KY712440, KY712441 and KY712442, respectively. The aqueous extracts of seven spices: Cloves, thyme, cinnamon, ginger, anise, red pepper and curry were tested for their antibacterial activity against the isolated bacteria and the obtained results indicated that clove extract was the most active antibacterial among the other tested spices. The GC-MS analysis of the clove extract metabolites revealed that the active compound was the eugenol.