Commercial Scale Cucumber Fermentations Brined with Calcium Chloride Instead of Sodium Chloride.

Development of low salt cucumber fermentation processes present opportunities to reduce the amount of sodium chloride (NaCl) that reaches fresh water streams from industrial activities. The objective of this research was to translate cucumber fermentation brined with calcium chloride (CaCl2 ) instead of NaCl to commercial scale production. Although CaCl2 brined cucumber fermentations were stable in laboratory experiments, commercial scale trials using 6440 L open-top tanks rapidly underwent secondary cucumber fermentation. It was understood that a limited air purging routine, use of a starter culture and addition of preservatives to the cover brine aids in achieving the desired complete cucumber fermentation. The modified process was used for subsequent commercial trials using 12490 and 28400 L open-top tanks packed with variable size cucumbers and from multiple lots, and cover brines containing CaCl2 and potassium sorbate to equilibrated concentrations of 100 and 6 mM, respectively. Lactobacillus plantarum LA0045 was inoculated to 10(6) CFU/mL, and air purging was applied for two 2-3 h periods per day for the first 10 d of fermentation and one 2-3 h period per day between days 11 and 14. All fermentations were completed, as evidenced by the full conversion of sugars to lactic acid, decrease in pH to 3.0, and presented microbiological stability for a minimum of 21 d. This CaCl2 process may be used to produce fermented cucumbers intended to be stored short term in a manner that reduces pollution and waste removal costs.

Asthma and indoor air: contrasts in the dose response to cat and dust-mite.

UNLABELLED: The role of the indoor environment in asthma is of major concern because (i) the disease has become more severe; (ii) we spend>or=90% of our lives indoors and (iii) a large proportion of asthmatic children and young adults are allergic to allergens found indoors. Recent evidence that children raised in a home with animals, i.e. indoor cat or dog, are less likely to become allergic has provided a great opportunity to understand the mechanisms controlling the prevalence of allergic disease. In addition the results pose a challenge to many of the hypotheses about reasons for the increase in asthma. The evidence that children or adults who make a modified TH2 response i.e. immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgG4 ab without IgE, are not at increased risk of asthma strongly supports the role of IgE in asthma. Equally the results may give insight into a form of tolerance that could be a target for protecting patients against allergic disease. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Evidence for the immune response to cat allergen shows that the alternative response to an allergy, TH2 response, is a controlled or modified form of the response not a Th1 response. Furthermore, avoiding cats in the home in most communities would not decrease the prevalence of sensitization to cats because there is cat allergen distributed in schools, other public buildings, and homes without a cat.

Quantitative measurement of airborne allergens from dust mites, dogs, and cats using an ion-charging device.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence suggests that children raised with an animal(s) in the house have a decreased risk of becoming sensitized. However, it is not clear whether this phenomenon is related to airborne exposure. OBJECTIVE: To estimate airborne exposure to animal dander and dust mite allergens using a device that can sample large volumes of air silently. METHODS: The device, which uses an ion-charging technique to move air and to collect particles, was run at 1.7 m3/min for 24 h in 44 homes with and without animals. The allergen collected was measured by ELISA for Fel d 1, Can f 1, Der p 1, and Der f 1. RESULTS: Airborne Fel d 1 was present in all homes with a cat (n=27). The quantities measured, i.e. 0.5-20 microg in 24 h, represent 0.01-0.3 microg Fel d 1 inhaled/day at normal breathing rates (20 L/h). Values for houses without a cat were 0.01-0.05 microg inhaled/day. Airborne Fel d 1 correlated significantly with floor Fel d 1 (r=0.58, P<0.001). Results for Can f 1 were similar in houses with a dog, but this allergen was only detected airborne in two houses without a dog. Neither Der p 1 nor Der f 1 (i.e. <0.01 microg) was detected, which represents < or =1 ng inhaled/day during normal domestic activity. During disturbance airborne mite was detected with both the ion-charging device and a filter run in parallel. For cat and mite allergens there was a close correlation between the two techniques (r=0.84, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Exposure to cat or dog allergen airborne in homes with an animal can be up to 100 times higher than exposure to mite allergen. The results are in keeping with a model where immunological tolerance to animal dander allergens results from high exposure.