Residues In Food Research Articles

Development of a Method for the Rapid Determination of 17 Veterinary Drug Residues in Foods of Animal Origin by UPLC-MS/MS Combined with Pass-Through SPE Cartridge

Development of a Method for the Rapid Determination of 17 Veterinary Drug Residues in Foods of Animal Origin by UPLC-MS/MS Combined with Pass-Through SPE Cartridge

How knowledge, awareness and perceptions of pesticide residue risks in fruits and vegetables, influence purchase decisions across Malaysian communities

Understanding consumer perceptions and behaviours toward pesticide residues in food is vital for food safety and public health. This study examines the knowledge, awareness, and perceptions of 303 participants from rural, suburban, and urban Malaysian communities regarding pesticide residue risks in their food purchases, particularly fruits and vegetables. Participants completed adapted questionnaires via Google Forms or in-person interviews, covering sociodemographic information, food purchasing habits, and levels of knowledge, awareness, and perception of pesticide residues. Results indicate that urban communities have the highest knowledge about pesticide residues, followed by rural and suburban areas. Awareness levels are even across all community types, with rural areas slightly higher. Urban participants also show the highest perception levels, followed by rural and suburban communities. Rural communities demonstrate a strong positive correlation between knowledge and perception, while suburban areas show a moderately positive correlation. Urban communities exhibit significant correlations between knowledge awareness and perception, with a weaker relationship with awareness. These findings highlight the interplay between community settings and consumer behaviour in purchasing fruits and vegetables. The study emphasises the need for tailored educational and policy interventions to address the varying levels of knowledge and concerns about pesticide residues across different Malaysian communities.

Dual-mode strategy for glyphosate detection: Leveraging competitive interaction with iron and zinc-organic frameworks

The extensive use of glyphosate poses a potential threat to food safety, human health, and the ecological environment. Hence, detecting glyphosate residues in food is of great significance for food safety. In this work, the synthesis of zinc-organic frameworks (Zn-MOFs) was achieved through the coordination of Zn2+ with the 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalic acid (DOBDC) ligand. Upon excitation at 350 nm, these Zn-MOFs exhibited robust fluorescence emission at 533 nm. However, upon the addition of iron ions, the Zn-MOFs structure disintegrated, forming a blue Fe-DOBDC complex, resulting in fluorescence quenching. In the presence of glyphosate, the iron ions were chelated by glyphosate, causing the system to lighten in color and restore fluorescence. Further, the mechanism of this strategy was investigated, which was achieved by utilizing the competitive interaction of glyphosate and Zn-MOFs for iron ions. The binding stoichiometry and binding constant of glyphosate:Fe3+ are 1:1 and 7.59 × 103 M−1 using the Job's plot and Benesi-Hildebrand equation, respectively. To enhance glyphosate detection, this study introduced an ingenious dual-mode strategy. By analyzing the colorimetric and fluorescence changes before and after glyphosate addition, we can accurately determine its concentration in the system. The combined colorimetric and fluorescent modalities offer improved reliability and applicability, boasting simplicity, rapidity, and cost-effectiveness. This innovative method is anticipated to find widespread applications and offers novel perspectives on pesticide detection platforms based on ligand competition effects.

A simple lable-free aptasensor based on liquid exfoliated graphene modified electrode for chloramphenicol detection in milk

Antibiotic residues in animal derived foods considered as one of the most serious food contamination poses significant risks to human health. Conventional methods for antibiotic residue detection rely on expensive and bulky instruments, complicated sample pretreatment and time-consuming, thus limiting their applications. Consequently, developing miniaturized and low-cost analytical technology for ultrasensitive monitoring and accurate evaluation of antibiotic residues in foods is of great significance. Herein, a simple and label-free electrochemical sensing platform for the highly sensitive detection of chloramphenicol (CAP) in milk was demonstrated by employing aptamer specific for CAP as a biological recognition element and liquid exfoliated graphene (LEG) modified indium tin oxide electrode (LEG/ITO) as substrate. LEG is believed to be the most economic few-layer graphene with remarkable electrical properties and larger specific surface area not only promotes electron transfer but also provides a large number of binding sites for aptamers to be assembly immobilized via the π–π stacking of DNA bases. Under optimal experimental factors, the aptasensor displayed a wider linear range for detecting CAP (1 fM ∼ 100 nM), accompanied by a limit of detection (LOD) (1 fM), as well as satisfactory performance with specificity, reproducibility, and stability. In addition, the designed strategy allowed the direct analysis of actual milk samples and the recovery rates were from 97.92 % to 103.34 %, rendering a ideal sensing strategy for quantitative determination of various analytes in food by adapting the specific aptamer.

The impact of pesticides: Assessing residue persistence, environmental contamination, and human health risks

The intensification of agricultural practices to meet global food demand has led to extensive pesticide use, which poses significant challenges for food safety, environmental health, and human well-being. This narrative review provides a comprehensive analysis of the global use of pesticides in agriculture, focusing on the persistence of pesticide residues in food crops, their environmental impacts, and the associated health risks. Historically, pesticides have been integral to agricultural productivity, but their adverse effects have become increasingly clear. Notably, pesticide residues in food can pose serious health risks, particularly to vulnerable populations such as children and pregnant women. This review also discusses regional disparities in pesticide-related health outcomes, with a focus on Brazil. The findings underscore the urgent need for sustainable pest management practices, including organic farming and improved regulatory measures, to mitigate the adverse effects of pesticide use. By integrating these strategies, a more balanced and sustainable agricultural system can be achieved, safeguarding both human health and environmental quality.

Organic Farming for Residue-Free Production

Organic farming has emerged as a sustainable agricultural practice aimed at producing food without synthetic chemicals, pesticides, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This approach promotes biodiversity, soil health, and environmental sustainability while ensuring residue-free food production. The key principles of organic farming include crop rotation, composting, natural pest management, and the use of organic inputs such as manure and biological controls. These practices not only enhance soil fertility and biodiversity but also contribute to mitigating climate change by sequestering carbon in soils. Residue-free production in organic farming is achieved through rigorous adherence to organic standards and certification processes. Organic certification ensures that farmers comply with strict regulations regarding inputs, practices, and traceability throughout the production chain. Consumers increasingly prefer organic products due to concerns about chemical residues in food and their potential impact on health. Organic farming promotes transparency and consumer trust by offering products that are free from synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. The global market for organic products continues to expand, driven by growing consumer awareness and demand for healthier and environmentally friendly food options. Organic farming presents opportunities for farmers to access premium markets, improve farm profitability, and contribute to sustainable agriculture. However, challenges such as certification costs, market access barriers, and competition with conventional agriculture remain significant. Future research and development in organic farming are crucial to addressing these challenges and enhancing the scalability and efficiency of residue-free production. Innovations in organic pest management, soil health management, and sustainable agriculture practices will further support the growth of organic farming worldwide. Overall, organic farming stands as a promising solution for residue-free food production, promoting human health, environmental stewardship, and sustainable development in agriculture.

Effect of Dietary Benzoic Acid and Oregano Essential Oil as a Substitute for an Anti-Coccidial Agent on Growth Performance and Physiological and Immunological Responses in Broiler Chickens Challenged with Eimeria Species.

To overcome the antimicrobial residues in food, benzoic acid (BA) and oregano essential oil (OEO) are used in the broiler chicken industry. Independently, both exerted anticoccidial and antimicrobial actions and improved growth performance in broiler chickens. Their effect may be multiplied when they are used in combination. This present study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of dietary BA and OEO alone or in combination as a substitute for a commercial coccidiostatic drug on growth performance and physiological and immunological responses in broiler chickens challenged with Eimeria species. A total of 252 unsexed 1-day-old broiler chicks were equally allotted to 36 pens, each pen containing seven chicks. The pens were randomly assigned to six treatments with six pens (replicates) for each treatment (n = 6)-(i) negative control, (ii) positive control, coccidia-challenged and non-treated, (iii) supplemented with salinomycin (an anti-coccidial drug) at 60 mg/kg of feed and coccidia-challenged, (iv) supplemented with BA at 500 mg/kg of feed and coccidia-challenged, (v) supplemented with OEOat 500 mg/kg of feed and coccidia-challenged (OEO), and (vi) supplemented with BA at 500 mg/kg of feed and OEO at 500 mg/kg of feed and coccidia-challenged (B&O). The liver enzymes and thyroxine and creatinine levels were not affected (p > 0.05) both in coccidia-challenged and supplemented chickens. The BA and OEO applied separately or in combination (B&O) significantly (p < 0.05) reduced gut pathogenic bacteria (Salmonella and Escherichia coli) and Eimeria spp., and concurrently enhanced (p > 0.05) the Lactobacillus population with better body weight gain, improved feed utilization, and superior hematological values. It also up-regulated (p > 0.05) the interferon-γ gene expression and down-regulated (p < 0.05) the interleukin-10 and Toll-like receptor-4 gene expression to protect the chickens from inflammatory reactions, which were not demonstrated in salinomycin-treated birds. The B&O supplementation increased (p < 0.05) the immune system by enhancing Eimeria-specific immunoglobulin Y titer and lymphocyte proliferation response. This study suggests that the combined application of OEO and BA can substitute for a commercial anti-coccidial agent (salinomycin) in controlling coccidiosis as well as improving growth performance, gut health, and immune responses in broiler chickens with a means of antimicrobial-resistant free food products.

Highly sensitive time-resolved fluorescent microspheres lateral flow immunoassay for the quantitative detection of triadimefon and its metabolite residues in fruits and vegetables.

Ageneral one-step lateral flow immunochromatographic assay (LFIA) for the quantitative detection of triadimefon (TDF) and triadimenol(TDN) in fruit and vegetable samples was developedusing time-resolved fluorescence microspheres (TRFM) as labels. A specific anti-triadimefon monoclonal antibody (mAb) was conjugated with TRFM to fabricate LFIA test strips. A time-resolved fluorometer as an LFIA reader was applied to obtain quantitative results and assess risk ranges for the LFIA test strips. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the limits of detection (LODs) in buffer/cucumbers/tomatoes/oranges were 0.046ng/mL, 0.135µg/kg, 1.047µg/kg, and 5.811µg/kg, respectively, which are ca. 1000 times lower than that of colloidal gold-labeled strips. The recovery in cucumber/tomato/orange samples was 109.4-116.7%, 87.7-110.9%, and 88.0-111.9%, respectively, indicating that the test strips had good reliability. Coupled with the easily customizable pretreatment procedures for various samples, the LFIA results were obtained within 18min without the need for professional personnel or complicated equipment. TRFM-LFIA for TDF and TDN also shows remarkable specificity and precision. The test strips were also low-cost, portable, and convenientto use. These results indicate the test strips could be utilized as a novel strategy for on-site detection of TDF and TDN, which has the potential to expand and detect other pesticide or insecticide residues in food.

Dual signal amplification strategy-based electrochemical aptasensor utilizing redox molecule/MOF composites for multi-pesticide detection

Electrochemical aptasensor is a great tool for simultaneously assessing harmful pesticide residues in agricultural products and foods. This study ingeniously designed an electrochemical aptasensor based on dual signal amplification strategies for concurrent detection of various pesticide residues. Firstly, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)-functionalized reduced graphene oxide (PR) and Au-Pt-Pd trimetallic nanoflowers supported on HP-UiO66-NH2 were creatively employed together as substrates to load more aptamers, ascribed to the improved conductivity, abundant sites and a large electrochemical effective surface area. Secondly, ferrocene-cysteine gold nanoparticles supported on CeMOF(Ⅲ, Ⅳ) and methylene blue-loaded MOF235 were innovatively engineered to build two distinctive signal labels, which displayed comparable large and stable signal currents among other redox molecule/MOF composites. Additionally, PR contributed further signal amplification. Consequently, the constructed aptasensor showed superior performance for simultaneous detection of acetamiprid (AD) and malathion (ML), with linear ranges from 10 pM to 0.1 μM and detection limits of 4.8 pM for AD and 0.51 pM for ML. Moreover, the aptasensor performed well in the assay of AD and ML in Chinese cabbage samples with high accuracy compared with a high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. Overall, the strategies proposed herein provided a useful and potential route for general development of electrochemical aptasensors to simultaneously detect multiple pesticide residues.

Investigation of probable Salmonella outbreak in the National Cancer Institute, Sri Lanka

Abstract Background An outbreak is the occurrence of case of disease in excess of what would normally be expected in a defined community. Outbreaks in immune compromised population can lead to devastating morbidity and mortality. Infection prevention and control (IPC) team has a pivotal role in both averting and managing outbreaks in health care settings. There were 7 cases of Salmonella spp, isolated from blood and stools since 12th July 2023 up to 11th August. Assuming of a possible outbreak, IPC team decided to investigate in order to find a possible source for the outbreak. Methods As soon as the outbreak was confirmed, immediate relevant control measures were taken after studying the available information. Working case definitions was constructed with clinical criteria and laboratory criteria with restrictions by time, place and person. Different categories of case definitions were used as the diagnosis was uncertain, such as “confirmed”, “probable” and “possible”. Active surveillance was conducted to collect information on additional case. Data collection tool was prepared with demographic information, clinical information and risk factor information. Then more cases were detected and line listing was created to organize important information for the investigation. Epidemic curve was drawn to see the pattern of spread and it was an irregularly jagged curve which interprets as intermittent common source epidemic. Specific control and prevention measures were implemented. Inquiries were made regarding the dietary intake of the patients over the last seven days and it was difficult to find a common source of food item however, all patients have consumed food prepared in the hospital kitchen. Therefore an audit was conducted in the hospital kitchen to identify probable source. Kitchen staff was educated about the food safety measures and personal hygiene. Kitchen staff was screened for Salmonella carrier state in their stool. Quality of the water from the kitchen and wards was checked for fecal contamination. No residual food was available for microbiological testing. Hypothesis was formulated to gather information after discussion with patients and staff. Findings were communicated to all relevant parties including Director and clinicians in the hospital. Salmonella isolates were sent to the Enteric Reference Laboratory, Medical Research Institute, Colombo for serotype identification. Results It was difficult find a common source. There were some malpractices in the kitchen and those were corrected immediately. Water quality in the hospital was satisfactory. Kitchen staff were not colonized with salmonella. However egg supplier to the kitchen was changed recently and eggs were supplied last minute and the eggs were not washed prior to cooking. Three isolates sent to the reference laboratory were identified as Salmonella Weltevreden, one as Salmonella Enteritidis, while the remaining three isolates could not be identified to serotype level with the available resources. Conclusion The exact contributory factor to the outbreak remained elusive. However, numerous food safety issues which can lead to cross contamination during the preparation of food were identified. Consequently, prompt investigation and control measures are essential to prevent further food borne outbreaks.

Glyphosate detection based on Eu coordination polymer through competitive coordination

Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide in agriculture, leading to residues in food and water environments. These residues have been associated with heart disease and neurotoxicity. Therefore, it is urgent to develop new types of sensors for the detection of glyphosate residues. Here, a new coordination polymer, named as HNU-89, is synthesized by the assembly of Eu3+ and coumarin-3-carboxylic acid (HCCA). Benefiting from the hydrophobic ligands, HNU-89 can maintain its structure at pH 2–11. In view of that phosphoric groups in glyphosate molecules can coordinate with Eu3+ and compete with the HCCA ligand, according to the competitive coordination, the interaction weakens the red fluorescence of HNU-89 simultaneously enhancing the blue fluorescence of HCCA, which achieves the ratio fluorescence response for glyphosate detection. The limit of detection (LOD) is 0.08 ppm, meeting the requirements as a sensor. Furthermore, HNU-89 was utilized to detect glyphosate in soybean, corn, rice and tap water.

Construction of fluorescent aptasensor based on graphene oxide for the detection of metronidazole in food

Aiming at the detection of metronidazole (MNZ) residues in food, a high sensitivity fluorescent aptasensor was designed, which carboxyfluorescein (FAM)-labeled nucleic acid aptamer (FAM-MNZ) as the core probe and graphene oxide (GO) as an efficient fluorescence quencher. The principle is that GO adsorbs the aptamer onto the surface, causing short-range contact between the fluorescent group of the aptamer and GO. Due to its sp2 hybridized domains, GO undergoes fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Thus, the fluorescence is quenched. When MNZ is added, it preferentially forms a stable complex with the aptamer without FRET. Under optimized conditions, milk samples can be accurately detected with a detection limit of 0.033 μM. In addition, molecular docking, lumo electron orbital simulations, and experimental methods were used to explore the effect of different average radial sizes of single-layer GO on sensing performance. It is shown that GO with a larger average size makes it easy for aptamers to be regularly arranged on its surface. This also provides a basis for electron transfer, resulting in higher fluorescence quenching ability through the FRET mechanism. Therefore, the constructed fluorescent aptamer sensor has a significant application value in food detection.

Cytotoxicity induced by three commercial neonicotinoid insecticide formulations in differentiated human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.

Neonicotinoid insecticides are used worldwide for crop protection. They act as agonists at postsynaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), disrupting normal neurotransmission in target insects. Human exposure is high due to the widespread use of neonicotinoids and their residues in food. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro neurotoxicity of three neonicotinoid commercial formulations Much 600 FS® (imidacloprid 600gL-1), Evidence 700 WG® (imidacloprid 700gkg-1), and Actara 250 WG® (thiamethoxam 250gkg-1) in differentiated human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line. Cells were incubated with the pesticides for 96h, and the cytotoxicity was evaluated through the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium·bromide (MTT) reduction and neutral red (NR) uptake assays. Toxicological pathways such as reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen species (RNS) production, mitochondrial membrane potential, cell death mode, and the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax were also evaluated. EC50 values of 266.4, 4,175, and 653.2mgL-1 were found for Much®, Evidence® and Actara®, respectively. Significant increases in ROS and RNS generation were observed for all pesticides, while mitochondrial membrane potential and Bax protein expression showed no significant changes. Analysis of cell death mode revealed an increase in early apoptotic cells. Therefore, neonicotinoid insecticides are potentially neurotoxic, reinforcing concerns about human exposure to these commercial formulations.

Mesoporous carbon nanospheres doped with rich non-metallic and metallic catalytic active sites: A high-performance electrochemical platform for sensing of chloramphenicol in food samples

The development of a low-cost, accurate sensing strategy for trace levels of chloramphenicol (CAP) residues in food is crucial but remains challenging. In this study, a high-performance electrochemical platform was developed to detect CAP in animal-derived foods using Ni2P embedded N, P-co-doped mesoporous carbon nanospheres (Ni2P@N,P-MCS). The Ni2P@N,P-MCS material, with a unique mesoporous structure and large specific surface area, exhibited excellent adsorption properties. The N, P-co-doped heteroatoms enhanced the electric conductivity and active centers of MCS, facilitating fast mass transport and electron transfer. The introduction of Ni2P increased the active sites and enhanced the electrocatalytic activity. Leveraging these advantages, the electrochemical sensor based on Ni2P@N,P-MCS demonstrated outstanding detection performance with a wide linear range from 0.04 to 250 μM and a low limit of detection of 12 nM. The sensor also showed good reproducibility, stability, and anti-interference properties. Furthermore, the sensor was successfully tested in milk and pork samples, showing satisfactory recovery rates and indicating its feasibility for real sample analysis.

Development of a nanobody-horseradish peroxidase fusion-based competitive ELISA to rapidly and sensitively detect Enrofloxacin residues in animal-derived foods

The ability to reliably detect enrofloxacin in animal-derived food products has important health implications. In the present study, a nanobody-horseradish peroxidase fusion specific for ENR was generated to enable a sensitive and rapid competitive ELISA suitable for detecting enrofloxacin in samples of milk and animal tissue. An enrofloxacin hapten generated via the glutaraldehyde method was initially used to immunize an adult Bactrian camel as a means of constructing a phage library. Enrofloxacin−specific nanobodies were then selected through three rounds of biopanning, and HRP-fused versions of these nanobodies were then expressed. Lastly, these nanobodies were used to develop a sensitive cELISA for enrofloxacin detection in milk and animal tissues, with the resultant assay exhibiting an IC50 of 37.41 ng/mL and a linear detection range (IC20-IC80) of 10.89 to 244.34 ng/mL. The limit of detection for this cELISA was 6.48 ng/mL, with 4.66 % cross-reactivity with ciprofloxacin, and recovery rates that ranged from84.99 % to 107.72 % together with an RSD below 10.70 %.

Nurse honey bees filter fungicide residues to maintain larval health.

Residues of plant protection products (PPPs) are frequently detected in bee matrices1,2,3,4,5,6 due to foraging bees collecting contaminated nectar and pollen, which they bring back to their hive. The collected material is further used by nurse bees to produce glandular secretions for feeding their larvae.7 Potential exposure to PPPs occurs through direct oral ingestion, contact during foraging, or interaction with contaminated hive material.8,9 Contaminants can pose health risks to adult worker bees,10,11 queens,12,13 drones (males),14 or larvae,15,16 potentially impacting colony health and productivity. However, residue concentrations can vary significantly between analyzed matrices, and potential accumulation or dilution steps have not been widely investigated. Although research has provided valuable insights into contamination risks, there remain gaps in our understanding of the entire pathway from field, via foragers, stored products, nurse bees, and finally to food jelly, i.e., royal, worker, and drone jelly, and the larvae, including all possible processing steps.17 We collected samples of bee-relevant matrices following the in-field spray application of the product Pictor Active, containing the fungicides boscalid and pyraclostrobin. The samples were analyzed for residues along this entire pathway. Fungicide residues were reduced by a factor of 8-80 from stored product to nurse bees' heads, suggesting a filtering function of nurse bees. Furthermore, detected residues in larval food jelly resulted from added pollen and not from nurse bee secretions. Calculated risk quotients were at least twice as low as the threshold values, suggesting a low risk to honey bee colonies from these fungicides at the tested application rate.

Responsive release of guest aqueous droplet in liquid crystal droplet assists the detection of organophosphorus using commercial pregnancy test strip

Here, we report a liquid crystal (LC) double-emulsion based system for organophosphorus (OPs) sensing by controllable release of guest aqueous droplets (GADs) cargo. First, double liquid crystal emulsion, water in liquid crystal in water (W/LC/W), with size between 4∼ 20 μm was prepared with GADs loaded at the center of liquid crystal droplet (LCD) through elasticity trap. The LCDs were monodispersed and response sensitively to amphiphilic surfactant with opposite charge. With the capability of ejecting GADs with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) as cargo located in LCD to continuous aqueous phase, responsive vehicles are obtained and applied in the repurposing of commercial pregnancy test strip (PTS). With hydrophobic alkyl chain and hydrophilic head, myristoylcholine (Myr) is a good amphiphilic surfactant to trigger the release of hCG, and substrate for the enzymatic hydrolysis of acetylcholine esterase (AChE). Provided with the inhibition effect of OPs to the hydrolysis ability of AChE, OPs correlate positively with the concentration of Myr, thus correlate well with the release of hCG in W/LC/W emulsion. Thus, OPs residue in river or food is readily visualized using commercial PTS.

Virtues of routine suprahyoid release during tracheal resection and anastomosis in patients with post intubation stenosis.

Postintubation tracheal stenosis is the most common cause of benign tracheal stenosis. Surgical treatment is more challenging in long-segment stenosis. Suprahyoid release can increase tracheal length resected without anastomotic tension in patients with post-intubation tracheal stenosis. Its effect on swallowing has not been objectively studied and this article aims to explore its virtues and potential complications in a tertiary center for airway surgery. A prospective cohort study was conducted on forty consecutive patients from June 2020 till December 2023. Patients of both genders had tracheal resection anastomosis surgery with routine suprahyoid muscle release for resected tracheal segment of more than 2.5 cm in length aiming to decrease the anastomotic tension. Within two weeks postoperatively, a video naso-laryngoscope was done on all the patients to detect any vocal cord disorders, then they were examined by video fluoroscopy swallowing study VFSS to detect swallowing problems. Follow up was done for 6 months postoperatively. 40 patients were studied. Twenty-five patients (62.5%) were males. 21 patients (52.5%) had a cricotracheal resection. VFSS was performed on 38 patients (two patients excluded for serious morbidity). Six (15.7%) and four (10.5%) patients had residual semisolid and solid food in the vallecula and pyriform fossa respectively during swallowing. Five patients (13%) out of eight patients with abnormal VFSS had aspiration and dysphagia. Video nasolaryngoscopy was done pre- and post-operatively and showed that 7 patients (17.5%) had unilateral vocal cord paralysis, two of them had the same lesion preoperatively. Two patients developed postoperative anastomotic complications. All symptoms of dysphagia improved within 3 weeks of the procedure and improvement persisted for 6 months. Suprahyoid muscle release had a considerable reversible drawback on the process of swallowing. Its routine use in high-risk patients requiring long segment tracheal resections could be considered.

Development of a Method for the Determination of Rifaximin and Rifampicin Residues in Foods of Animal Origin.

Rifaximin and rifampicin are good broad-spectrum antimicrobials. The irrational use of antimicrobial drugs in veterinary clinics could threaten public health and food safety. It is necessary to develop a reliable detection method of the residue for enhancing the rational supervision of the use of such drugs, reducing and slowing down the generation of bacterial resistance, and promoting animal food safety and human health. So, this study developed an LC-MS/MS method for the detection of rifaximin and rifampicin residues in animal-origin foods. The residual rifaximin and rifampicin of homogenized test materials were extracted with acetonitrile-dichloromethane solution or acetonitrile in the presence of anhydrous sodium sulfate and vitamin C, purified by dispersible solid phase extraction, determined by LC-MS/MS, and quantified by the internal standard method. The specificity, sensitivity, matrix effect, accuracy, and precision of the method were investigated in the edible tissues of cattle, swine, or chicken. In addition, the stability of the standard stock solution and the standard working solution was also investigated. The method was suitable for the muscle, liver, kidney, fat, milk, and eggs of cattle, swine, or chicken, as well as fish and shrimp. The specificity of the method was good, and the detection of the analytes was not affected by different matrices. Both the LOD and LOQ of the two analytes were 5 μg/kg and 10 μg/kg, respectively. The results of matrix effects in each tissue were in the range of 80-120%; there were no significant matrix effects. The average accuracy of rifaximin and rifampicin in different foodstuffs of animal origin was between 80% and 120%, and the method precision was below 20% (RSD). The proposed method showed good performance for determination, which could be employed for the extraction, purification, and detection of residual rifaximin and rifampicin in edible animal tissues. The pretreatment procedure of tissue samples was simple and feasible. The method was highly specific, stable, reliable, and with high sensitivity, accuracy, and precision, which met the requirements of quantitative detection of veterinary drug residues.

Effect of ozone, hydrogen peroxide, and chlorine solution in reduction of chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin residues from cauliflower

The extensive utilization of chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin in agriculture raises concerns regarding the accumulation of pesticide residues in human food, posing a threat to human health. This study aimed to investigate the effect of ozonation on cauliflower to decrease the level of pesticides. Cypermethrin and organophosphate chlorpyrifos were applied to cauliflower at specific doses. High-performance liquid chromatographic techniques were employed to detect pesticide residues in cauliflower. The effects of common oxidizers (hydrogen peroxide, chlorine, and ozone) on the reduction of pesticide residues were investigated. Solutions of hydrogen peroxide (10 and 100 ppm), chlorine (10 and 100 ppm), and ozone (10 and 100 ppm) were prepared, and the cauliflower sample was immersed for 20 min. The immersion in 10 ppm hydrogen peroxide solution reduced chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin by 68 and 65%, respectively. Meanwhile, at 100 ppm hydrogen peroxide solution, the reduction rates of chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin residues were 72 and 75%, respectively. Immersion in ozone solution at 10 ppm concentration reduced chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin by 58 and 57%, respectively. At 100 ppm ozone, chlorpyrifos was reduced up to 64%, and cypermethrin reduction was 74%. Chlorine immersion at 10 ppm reduced chlorpyrifos residues by 68% and cypermethrin residues by 81%, while a 100 ppm chlorine solution reduced chlorpyrifos residues by 100% and cypermethrin residues by 84%. From these results, it was concluded that chlorine was the most effective of all the cleaning solutions to remove pesticides from vegetables.