Cow Skin Research Articles

Acute Toxicity of Mycotoxigenic Fungi Isolates in Ready-to-Eat Meat in Buea, Cameroon

Introduction: Meat is an important source of nutrition for many people worldwide. Away from homes, it is widely consumed in restaurants (e.g. small roadside) and non-restaurants (including drinking parlors and open-air)in various forms assnack. Objective: This paper reports on the acute toxicity of mycotoxigenic fungi isolates from various ready-to-eat meat from Buea, Cameroon. Method: Ten varieties of ready-to-eat meat samples (N=130: raw beef (n=18), beef soya (n=29), fried chicken (n=11), chicken soya (n=10), snail soya (n=13), fried pork (n=06), fried cow liver (n=13), roasted goat (n=06), boiled cow skin (n=07) and smoked beef (n=17).were collected from Buea municipality. The samples were cultures, and fungal isolates isolated microscopically. Thereafter, an acute toxicity test using 24 young BALB/c mice (weight range: 22-25g) was performed. Results: A total of 40 mycotoxigenic fungi belonging to five genera (Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Rhizomucor, and Rhizopus) were identified. The most dominant species was Aspergillus (unidentified Aspergillus species, 23.1%; and Aspergillus ochraceus,10.3%).The order of Aspergillus fungi proliferation were roasted goat liver(20%), fried chicken (20%), snails soya (20%)ean body weight of test mice significantly decreased (p<0.05) after the first 7 days of feeding with a mycotoxigenic fungi-supplemented diet relative to control mice that ate healthy diets. Aspartate Transaminase (AST, range: 169.9-563.1U/L) and Alanine Transaminase (ALT, range:521.1-707.5U/L) levels were significantly (p<0.05) higher than the reference values for healthy mice (range: 60-100U/L for AST and 25-6U/L for ALT). Conclusion: Given the toxicity potentials of mycotoxigenic fungi, e.g. production of toxic secondary metabolites, not reported in this paper, and demonstrated by the liver toxicity/function test, ready-to-eat meat in Buea, Cameroon may not be adequately safe for consumption.

Bovine papillomavirus vertical transmission: BPV diversity and expression in maternal and fetal tissues.

Bovine Papillomaviruses (BPVs) constitute a diverse group within the Papillomaviridae family, playing a crucial role in bovine health and economic considerations. This study investigates the dynamics of vertical transmission of BPV in cattle, focusing on five cows and their reproductive tissues, as well as three gravid cows and their fetuses. DNA and RNA samples were extracted from the warts, fetal skin, placenta, uterus, ovary, and blood of cows, as well as the skin and blood of fetuses. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) targeted BPV types 1-6 and 8-14, was assessed in both cows and fetuses. Additionally, Reverse Transcription PCR (RT-PCR) examined BPV-2 E5 oncogene expression in the skin and reproductive sites of mother cows and fetuses. Our findings unveil a rich diversity of BPV types, including BPV-2, 3, 9, 10, 12, and 14, present in both maternal and fetal tissues. Intriguingly, certain types, namely BPV-4, 6, 8, and 11, were exclusively identified in maternal tissues A higher diversity of BPVs was observed in cow warts, followed by cow blood, fetal blood, and fetal skin. Strikingly similar BPV types in gravid cow blood and fetuses suggest primary dissemination through the bloodstream and transmission via the placenta, though detected in lower numbers in cow uterus and ovary. Histopathological analysis revealed no abnormalities in the reproductive tissues despite the presence of BPV. However, in one bladder sample from a cow that did not consume bracken fern, urothelial neoplasia in situ was observed. The study extends beyond detection, exploring the expression of the BPV-2 E5 oncogene in fetal tissues, providing insights into potential cell implications. Comparative analyses with previous studies highlight the uniqueness of our investigation, encompassing a broader array of BPV types in the gravid cows and their fetuses. The findings not only establish a foundation for further investigations into the mechanisms of vertical transmission but also highlight the need for targeted interventions and surveillance strategies to mitigate potential health risks associated with specific BPV types.

Effect of double-premilking teat disinfection protocols on bacterial counts on teat skin of cows and milker gloves in a free-stall-housed dairy herd.

This research communication addresses the hypothesis that double premilking teat disinfection (DD) is more effective in reducing soiling and bacterial count on the cows' teat skin and milkers' gloves than conventional disinfection (CONV). The design was a 3 × 3 Latin square (three groups of cows and three treatments) with conventional teat disinfection (CONV, lactic acid application after forestripping), double teat disinfection using the same disinfectant (DD1D, lactic acid application before and after forestripping), and double teat disinfection using two different disinfectants (DD2D, application of lactic acid before and chlorine-based disinfectant after forestripping). All groups were assigned for six days for each treatment, and the evaluations and samples were collected on the last day, before and after treatment. We evaluated the teat cleanliness score (TCS), count of Gram-negative bacteria (coliforms and noncoliforms), Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., and total bacterial count (TBC) on the cows' teats and TBC on the milkers' gloves. TCS after premilking was lower in DD than CONV treatment. The reduction of Staphylococcus spp. count was greater in the DD treatment and tended to be higher in the DD2D. The TBC reduction on the cows' teats was greater in the DD treatments. The TBC on the milkers' gloves was lower for DD before and after premilking. In conclusion, DD can be an alternative for reducing some bacterial populations on cow teats and preventing the transmission of microorganisms between cows via the milkers' hands.

Physicochemical and sensory properties of cow skin crackers from dry salt-preserved skin utilizing sodium meta-bisulfite (SMB)

Cow skin cracker is a traditional Indonesian snack originating from West Sumatra, Indonesia, which is a product of livestock made from cowhide. Sulfites have been widely used for the pretreatment of foodstuffs to improve and maintain process and quality. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of sodium metabisulfite (SMB) added to the soaking process during the manufacture of cow skin crackers at concentrations of 0%, 0.15%, 0.3%, 0.45%, 0.6%, 0.75%, and 0.9% on the physicochemical and sensory properties. Moreover, the residual sulfite content in skin crackers was also evaluated. Adding a higher SMB concentration increases the hardness value and gives a higher residual value; conversely, it can lower the skin crackers’ pH and fat content. The addition of SMB also increased the brightness and reduced the redness and yellowness of skin crackers. Adding 0.3% SMB in the sensory evaluation gave the highest value for taste and texture attributes.

Sustainable leather tanning: Enhanced properties and pollution reduction through crude protease enzyme treatment

In this study, proteolytic bacteria, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain SM4 (OQ349573), were isolated from tannery solid waste dumping yard soil and employed to produce extracellular protease enzymes. The bacteria exhibited optimal growth after 30 h of incubation at 37 °C and pH 7. Under conditions of 55 °C, pH 8, and a substrate concentration of 2 %, the crude enzyme displayed its highest activity at 105 UmL−1. Notably, the produced crude enzyme showed no discernible inhibitory effects on detergents, metal salts, or organic solvents. Application of the crude protease at concentrations of 3 % and 2 % in chrome tanning of goatskins (GS) and cowhides (CH), respectively, yielded significant reductions of 35 % and 30 % in chromium and other post-tanning chemicals compared to conventional processes. Despite the 30 to 35 % reduction in tanning and post-tanning chemicals, the uptake of chrome and associated chemicals by crust leather was higher than observed in conventional processes. Chromium content analysis of the effluent revealed an 81 % reduction during piloting in real industrial operations, accompanied by reductions of about 46 % in BOD and COD pollution loads. The finished leather obtained from the enzymatic process exhibited superior mechanical properties, including higher tensile strengths (210 and 195 kg cm-2), stitch tear (92 and 165 kg cm−1), grain crack load (28 and 32 kg), and distension (73 and 62 mm) for GS and CH, respectively, surpassing or closely aligning with standard values and those obtained in conventional processes.

Antibacterial adhesive based on oxidized tannic acid-chitosan for rapid hemostasis

Currently, bacterial infections and bleeding interfere with wound healing, and multifunctional hydrogels with appropriate blood homeostasis, skin adhesion, and antibacterial activity are desirable. In this study, chitosan-based hydrogels were synthesized using oxidized tannic acid (OTA) and Fe3+ as cross-linkers (CS-OTA-Fe) by forming covalent, non-covalent, and metal coordination bonds between Fe3+ and OTA. Our results demonstrated that CS-OTA-Fe hydrogels showed antibacterial properties against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus)and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli), low hemolysis rate (< 2 %), rapid blood clotting ability, in vitro (< 2 min), and in vivo (90 s) in mouse liver bleeding. Additionally, increasing the chitosan concentration from 3 wt% to 4.5 wt% enhanced cross-linking in the network, leading to a significant improvement in the strength (from 106 ± 8 kPa to 168 ± 12 kPa) and compressive modulus (from 50 ± 9 kPa to 102 ± 14 kPa) of hydrogels. Moreover, CS-OTA-Fe hydrogels revealed significant adhesive strength (87 ± 8 kPa) to the cow's skin tissue and cytocompatibility against L929 fibroblasts. Overall, multifunctional CS-OTA-Fe hydrogels with tunable mechanical properties, excellent tissue adhesive, self-healing ability, good cytocompatibility, and fast hemostasis and antibacterial properties could be promising candidates for biomedical applications.

Innovative Raw Material for Crackers: Unhairing Durable Dry Salt-Cured Skin with Elephant Grass IMO

Dry salt-cured skin is an alternative material for standard shrimp crisp skin, but it is difficult to discard to discard hair. The alternative is to use indigenous microorganisms (IMO) of elephants grass (Pennisetum purpureum), which contain protease enzymes that help the waste process hair. This research aims to determine the effect of using grass elephant IMO in unhairing on dry salt-cured skin with various soaking times cow skin to physicochemical and sensory tests. This research uses the method experiment with a completely randomized design, which consists of five treatments and four repetitions. The treatments were soaking the cow skin in a solution of grass elephant IMO for 12-60 hours. The parameters observed are rate water, rate proteins, texture, lightness (L*), and sensory test (cleanliness of hair, cleanliness of skin, and skin color). The results of the study showed that the length of soaking the skin using IMO elephant grass in the unhairing process had no significant effect (P&gt;0.05) on moisture content, protein content, texture, and lightness (L*) but had a significant effect (P&lt;0.05) on the sensory test; fur cleanliness, skin cleanliness, and color. Results best on study This is on immersion during 24 O'clock with an average rate of water 64.76%, rate proteins 31.51%, texture 56.88h, lightness (L*) 45.81 and sensory test; cleanliness hair 3.97 (clean), cleanliness skin 3.94 (clean), and color 4.63 (sand).

Morphometric studies of the skin of adult cows

Relevance. The skin of cattle consists of the epidermis and dermis. The dermis, or the skin itself, in turn consists of papillary and mesh layers. However, in the literature we have not found studies on the morphometry of different topographic areas of the skin of cattle. The aim of the study is to conduct comparative morphometric studies of the skin of various topographic zones in adult cows.Methods. For morphometric studies, histological preparations prepared according to the generally accepted method from skin samples of different topographic areas in adult cows were used. The research was carried out at the of the St. Petersburg State University of Veterinary Medicine Department of Pathological Anatomy and Forensic Veterinary Medicine and at the Department of Biology, Ecology and Histology. Morphometric studies of histological preparations were used to study the thickness of the dermis proper, as well as bundles of collagen fibers of the mesh layer of the dermis. The results of the studies were processed using the "Biostat" program.Results. Morphological features of the skin of different topographic areas in adult cows have been established, which are manifested by differences in the thickness of the skin layers and bundles of collagen fibers of the dermis. The morphometry performed allows us to expand the data on the morphological structure of the skin of adult cows.

Morphological and biochemical characterization of Holstein cow skin at the tail root region susceptible to Chorioptes bovis and texanus parasitism.

Cattle mange causes extreme itchiness, and the associated stress is an animal welfare concern that leads to economic losses due to decreased cattle productivity and deworming costs. This study investigated the reason why Chorioptic mites, C. bovis and C. texanus, preferentially infest the tail root region (rTR) and performed histological and biochemical analysis focusing on the volatile components of host odors that serve as the starting point for infestation of parasitic arthropods. Skin samples were taken from the rTR, lateral abdominal, and central masseteric, with the latter two designated as comparison sites. The two and three-dimensional histological analysis measured each sebaceous and sweat gland percentage per unit volume. The q-PCR analyzed the expression levels of ALDH1A1 and LOC785756, which are genes associated with volatile odoriferous compounds that serve as repellency and attractive messengers for ticks. Immunohistochemistry stained three sites with anti-androgen binding protein beta-like (ABPβ-like), encoded by LOC785756, antibody. The three-dimensional analysis showed that sebaceous glands in the rTR tend to be more continuous and existed in larger masses than in other regions. The expression level of LOC785756 was significantly higher in the rTR, and immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of ABPβ-like in the sebaceous gland with strong positive signals in the rTR. These results suggest that C. bovis/texanus selectively infests the rTR because that skin has well-developed sebaceous glands, including a large amount of ABPβ-like, which acts as a mite attractant.

Engineering a mussel-inspired hemostatic sealant with a strong tissue anchor as a first-aid tissue adhesive

During injury, achieving quick hemostasis, while maintaining adhesive performances on wet tissue and providing appropriate dynamical mechanical properties remain crucial clinical requests for the current tissue adhesives. Here, we design a double-crosslinking tissue adhesive with tunable degradation rate, adhesion strength, mechanical properties, and cell responses, using thiolated gelatin (Gel-SH) or gelatin and tannic acid (TA). We also investigate the role of different concentrations of gelatin (70 and 150 mg/ml), TA (7, 20, and 70 mg/ml), and crosslinkers (sodium periodate (11.3 and 16.8 mg/ml) and Fe3+ ions (1.7 and 4.8 mg/ml)) to provide a balance of covalent and noncovalent interactions leading to establish muscular tissue adhesive strength and superior hemostasis. Our findings reveal that the Gel-SH(gelatin)/TA adhesives have a range of swelling ability (300–700 %), compressive modulus (0.2–1.2 kPa), strength (0.1–0.8 kPa), and toughness (10–15 kJ/m3). In addition, Gel-SH/TA sample shows rapid self-healing ability and offers robust adhesiveness to wet cow skin and cardiac tissue (50–70 kPa) compared to others mainly owing to the improved cohesive strength originating from the range of chemical interaction within the adhesive network and abundant phenolic hydroxyl groups, surface water removal, and dynamic phenol-quinone balance at the tissue interfaces. Meanwhile, Gel-SH/TA adhesive also exhibits high hemocompatibility and hemostatic properties and appropriate in vitro biocompatibility. Notably, Gel-SH/TA adhesive could support attachment, viability and proliferation, of H9c2 cells. Overall, the multifunctional Gel-SH/TA adhesive hydrogel, owing to the range of molecular interactions opens a new opportunity for quick sealing hemostasis and wound healing and could potentially be harnessed for the development of clinically relevant tissue adhesives.

CHANGES IN THE AMINO ACID COMPOSITION OF GELATIN AFTER TREATMENT OF BOVINE COLLAGEN WITH ENZYME PREPARATION

Recently, more attention has been paid to the study of the amino acid composition of gelatins, which is associated with the quality of the corresponding gels as intermediates for human and animal nutrition. In a brief review, a modification of the general method of acid extraction of collagens for the preparation of gelatins using enzymes (such as papain, actinidin, and others) is considered and the corresponding changes in the amino acid composition of gelatins are discussed. It is clear that there are changes in the content of glycine in gelatins from any collagens, but in all cases the content of glycine is about a third of the content of all amino acids (as in the original collagens). It is important that the content of imino acids (the sum of proline and hydroxyproline, which largely determines the properties of gels) in gelatins from any collagens with the use of all the studied enzymes is much higher than without them. In addition, the content of imino acids in gelatin from the bovine skin of cows with the use of any enzymes is significantly higher than in gelatins from the skin of pigs and fish. This holds true for other key “proteinogenic” amino acids as well. The reverse trend is observed only for a few amino acids: serine, threonine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, the content of which is low in gelatins from any collagens.

Determination of Zinc Concentration and Nutritional Value of Cow Hide (Ponmo) Sold in Different Parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria

Investigation of heavy metals (Zinc) concentration and nutritional value of cow hides (ponmo) consumed in AMAC (Abuja Municipal and Kuje Area Councils was carried out between November 2021 and January 2022. Samples were randomly collected from both Area Councils and prepared for Analysis using Nitric acid digestion and Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS). The mean concentration of Zinc (Zn) in AMAC were 0.88 ± 0.35mg/kg and 2.04 ± 0.57mg/kg in Kuje Area Council respectively. Results showed that the concentration of Zinc (Zn) in cow hide (Ponmo) from AMAC was two times as high as cow hide (Ponmo) from Kuje Area Council. The mean concentration of Zinc (Zn) in cow hide in both Area Councils were two times as high as the Food and Agricultural Organization Standard unit for Zinc(Zn), which is 0.03mg/kg -1.0mg/kg. However, potential accumulation may depend on the frequency of consumption or exposure. In contrast to many studies the samples had alot of nutritional value. Proximate analysis showed that the ponmo samples for Kuje had 54% proteinand 34.68% carbohydrate, moisture 5.3%, crude lipid 2.3%, ash 2.7%, fibre 0.82% while ponmo samples for AMAC had 51.4% protein, 36% carbohydrate, 5% moisture, crude lipid 4.3%, ash 2.1% and fibre 1.1% which suggests that Ponmo has some level of nutrient especially rich in protein and carbohydrate and low in fibre content. Cowhides from AMAC and Kuje Area Councils contain significant amount of zinc, which exceeded the standard limit and could pose a potential health risk to consumers depending on the frequency of consumption. Hence the need for monitoring of this metal concentration to avoid excessive bioaccumulation that could be harmful to health. This study also showed that cowhides is rich in some nutrients especially protein and carbohydrates and can be a substitute for meat protein.

Innovativeness in tradition: a comparative study of traditional leather armor scales and modern materials

In medieval Korea, armors made of various materials were developed. Among these, the leather armors were lighter and cheaper than the iron armors and were easy to make. For these reasons, there was a movement toward replacing two-thirds of suits of iron armor with leather armor made of pig or cow skin. As a follow-up to a previous study in which the basic physical properties of a leather scale specimen were investigated, in this study, we focused on the protective performance of this material through a comparison with materials such as steel and polycarbonate. In particular, the superiority of the leather was verified through a quantitative comparison with a modern carbon fiber composite. As part of this study, armor that copied the shape of traditional myeonpigap was produced. Carbon fiber composite panels were used to coat this armor in order to satisfy the requirements for the armor to be light, wearable, and provide effective anti-stab protection at the same time.

PROXIMATE ANALYSIS AND DETERMINATION OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS IN PROCESSED ANIMAL SKIN SOLD IN MAJOR MARKETS IN SOUTH WEST NIGERIA.

This study aimed at determining the nutritional and level of chemical contaminants (heavy metals and Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons PAHs) incommonly consumed animal skin sold in major markets in South-West, Nigeria. Proximate analysis (crude protein, moisture content, carbohydrate, ash content, oil content, nitrogen value and crude fibre) and heavy metals and PAHs concentrations were determined to evaluate the nutritional composition and safety of regular consumption of these products and to validate the notion that animal skin as a source of protein, can replace meat in meals. Samples of animal skin were purchased from three major markets in Lagos and Ogun State. Proximate composition was determine using standard analytical methods, while levels of heavy metal (Fe, Pb, Cd, Cr and As) and PAHs were using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy and GC-MS respectively.The results of proximate composition were as follows (%); for the brown samples; the moisture content (≤81.40±1.80, ash content (≤0.94±0.01, oil content (≤1.60±0.01, crude protein (≤3.75±0.85, crude fibre (≤1.25±0.01) and carbohydrate (≤14.51±1.20). The concentrations of heavy metals detected in the samples were as follows (mg/kg); Fe ≤0.068±0.001, Cd ≤0.006±0.001, Pb≤0.004 ±0.001 and Cr≤0.004±0.001, all were below the maximum permissible limit set by WHO and USEPA while, Arsenic was below the detection limit of the instrument. Seventeen PAHs were detected in the samples and all were above the maximum permissible limits with high health risk. It is therefore advised that cow skin be discouraged and more awareness created so that people will know the dangers to health posed by this harmful practice.&#x0D;

Antibacterial efficacy of essential oil spray formulation for post-milking disinfection in dairy cows.

Mastitis is an essential issue in dairy cows. Post-milking teat dips can help reduce this problem, but they employ harsh disinfectants, and many bacteria are becoming increasingly tolerant. This study aimed to investigate the antibacterial activity of clove, citronella, and sweet basil essential oils against the common bovine mastitis causative agents Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Escherichia coli and to develop an antiseptic post-milking teat spray for use in dairy cows. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of the essential oils was determined by broth microdilution and time-kill assays. Essential oil-based post-milking teat sprays were developed. The bacterial eradication efficacy of the formulations was determined by time-kill assays and their stability was tested by repeated freeze-thaw cycles. The most effective formulation was tested in dairy cows. The minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum bactericidal concentrations of the tested essential oils against S. aureus, S. agalactiae, and E. coli were in the range of 0.78-6.25 μL/mL. The time-kill tests indicated that the essential oils' antibacterial activity depended on concentration and contact time. All three essential oil-based post-milking teat spray preparations showed good stability. The citronella spray formulation showed the highest antibacterial potency. In in vivo testing, the citronella spray eradicated aerobic bacteria on the teat skin of cows (99.9% or 3-log10 reduction) within 1 min, which was non-inferior to a standard 0.54% iodine solution teat dip. Clove, citronella, and sweet basil essential oils were effective against S. aureus, S. agalactiae, and E. coli in vitro. Of these, citronella essential oil is the most promising to be developed as a post-milking teat spray with high antibacterial activity and excellent bacterial eradication properties in vivo.

PEMANFAATAN KOLAGEN DARI HEWAN

The use of animals is not only used as a raw material for food, but on the other hand it turns out that animals can be used as important biomaterials for medical applications such as collagen. This review article discusses the utilization of collagen from various types of animals according to the relevant parameters. Article reviews are expected to provide scientific information about the various types of collagen in animals. The method used is literature study by looking for several different journal sources. The inclusion data used in this review are journals for the last 10 years (2012-2022). Collagen is usually found in the skin of cows and pigs, but these two animals are still a problem in Indonesia. Apart from these two, collagen can also be found in mammals such as buffalo and chickens, but they need to be slaughtered to get the halal aspect. Collagen can also be found in marine life such as sea urchins, tuna, catfish, skipjack tuna, sea catfish, milkfish, tilapia, machete fish, cod, green mussels, blood clams, and gamma sea cucumbers.

Comparison of the effectiveness of the means “Oxy Foam” and “Pre-Dip” in reducing the causative agents of mastitis on the skin of cows' teats

Although teat disinfection before milking has advantages, some producers believe the use of disinfectants to be unprofitable compared to qualitative teat processing using warm water with skin drying using paper towels. The aim of the work was to compare the effect of pre-milking treatment of cows' udders with Oxy Foam and Pre-Dip on the reduction of mastitis pathogens on the skin of teats cows on large dairy farms. The study was conducted in the winter-spring period on two dairy plants with a stable-free range cow breeding system. In the first group of animals: the right anterior and the right posterior teats of the udder were processed using disinfectant Oxy Foam and the left anterior and the left posterior teats were washed using warm water (control). Pre-milking treatment of the studied teats using disinfectant included foam application, keeping it for 30 seconds, and further wiping dry using disposable paper towels. In the second group of animals: the right teats were treated with Pre-Dip with the help of a cup by immersion with a subsequent exposure of 15 seconds. Swish from the skin of udder teats were taken using sterile tampons before the processing before milking and repeatedly after the end of the milking process. The ordinary treatment using warm water and drying using paper towels was found to reduce the number of microorganisms on the teat skin by 2.5 times (Р ≤ 0.001), while the use of disinfectant Oxy Foam – by 6.4 times (Р ≤ 0.001), and Pre-Dip – 4.8 times (Р ≤ 0.001). Herewith, treatment with water reduced the amount of hemolytic staphylococci on the teat skin – by 1.9 times (Р ≤ 0.01), disinfection using Oxy Foam – by 4.4 times (Р ≤ 0.001) to 13.2 ± 3.14 CFU/cm3 of the wash, and with Pre-Dip – 4 times (Р ≤ 0.001) to 14.6 ± 3.05 CFU/cm3 of wash. After using warm water, the number of pathogenic streptococcus reduced by 1.8 times (Р ≤ 0.01), and by 2.5 times (Р ≤ 0.001), when using Oxy Foam and Pre-Dip – 2.1 times (Р ≤ 0.001) to 7.5–8.9 CFU/cm3 of the wash. Microorganisms of Escherichia kind were well-removed with the use of ordinary -pre-milking treatment and were distinguished from the cow teat skin in single cases in the number of only a few cultures. Therefore, Oxy Foam based on hydrogen peroxide and lactic acid turned out to be a more effective means for treating the udder of cows before milking, compared to Pre-Dip with a content of 0.15 % of free iodine. Further research will be aimed at creating new domestic ecologically safe means for the pre-milking treatment of cow udders.

A place for traditional and customary practices in funerals during and post COVID-19: Insights from South Africa.

President Cyril Ramaphosa and his government declared a National State of Disaster, and banned large gatherings to help contain the spread of coronavirus on March 21, 2020. Less than a week after he banned large gatherings to help contain the spread of coronavirus. Families were also encouraged to bury their deceased loved ones as soon as possible after they leave the mortuary. This left families with little to no time to grieve and execute certain expected customary rituals, some of which are performed on the deceased. Families were prohibited from handling the remains of their loved ones and assigned people by the government assumed that role. The bodies of deceased COVID-19 patients were carefully transported and covered in body bags, but in terms of custom, they should be wrapped in a cow skin or blanket according to customary rules. According to African customary law, close family members should be present in the same room as the deceased and perform rituals to ward off evil deeds performed by those who encounter the body. The worldviews of South African people towards conducting burials was thus disrupted by the COVID-19 regulations. Embalming was also discouraged to minimize interaction with the remains. This paper relied on secondary data from the relevant literature, such as official documentation, scholarly articles and news articles. The paper asserts that the COVID-19 regulations have altered the way people in South Africa perform their traditional funerals. It also describes the difficulties people faced while burying their loved ones according to the strict COVID-19 guidelines which compromised most of the traditional and customary practices. The paper further looks at the funeral processes post COVID-19 and emphasises that people have been led by the spirit of Ubuntu to continue with their traditional ways of conducting funerals that are centred in African spirituality.

ANALISIS KADAR TIMBAL (Pb) PADA KERUPUK YANG DIPRODUKSI INDUSTRI RUMAHAN DI KECAMATAN GATAK KABUPATEN SUKOHARJO

Crackers are snacks that are very popular and are loved by Indonesian people. Making crackers by drying is carried out on the side of the road allowing lead contamination to occur. Lead is very dangerous if it enters the body in amounts exceeding permissible requirements. This research determined the content and levels of lead (Pb) in crackers produced by the Home Industry with samples of rice crackers, catfish crackers, cow skin crackers, and rengginang. Quantitative descriptive research method. Data collection by Purposive Sampling. The qualitative analysis method used a test tube with K2CrO4 reagent and quantitatively used ASA (Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry) at a wavelength of 283.3 nm. The research was conducted at the Campus III Laboratory of the Surakarta Ministry of Health Polytechnic in January-April 2021. The results obtained showed levels of lead (Pb) in the "rice crackers", "lele crackers", "cow skin crackers", and "rengginang" samples, respectively of 3.43 mg/kg, -9.28 mg/kg, -9.38 mg/kg, and -9.73 mg/kg.

Potentially Toxic Substances in Singed and Unsinged Cow Skin from Selected Abattoirs Consumed in Port Harcourt Metropolis

Singed and unsinged cow skin (pelts), from four slaughter houses (Ishiodu, Eliozu, Rumuosi, and Rumuodumaya); sold and consumed in Portharcourt, Rivers State city - were evaluated for the concentration of PAHs, TPH and heavy-metals, using GC/FID and atomic absorption spectrophotometer respectively and the outcomes were then exposed to statistical examination (Spearman connection coefficient framework and One-Way ANOVA) to decide critical distinction between the singed and unsinged samples utilizing SPSS programming bundle (form 20.0). The total PAHs and TPH of singed cattle pelts were 0.023, 0.031, 0.035, and 0.035 mg/kg; 1.63, 2.16, 2.52, and 2.62 mg/kg for Ishiodu, Eliozu, Rumuosi, and Rumuodumaya slaughter houses respectively, of which the unsinged pelts and edible-flesh were pointedly (p<0.05) higher than the singed samples. The Fe, Cu, Cd, Zn, Cr, Pb contents were pointedly beyond the passable boundary while Aluminum, Arsenic, and BTEX were not detected. Mercury (Hg) was essentially not identified in singed samples purchased from the slaughter houses with the exclusion of Rumuodumaya (at 0.01mg/kg). The processing procedures aided with certain environmental activities impact negatively on the nutritional content of foods, thus placing consumers at potential wellbeing hazard.