Unveiling Safety Concerns in Brazilian Artisanal Cheeses: A Call for Enhanced Ripening Protocols and Microbiological Assessments.

Brazilian artisanal cheeses have recently gained significant commercial prominence and consumer favor, primarily due to their distinctive sensory attributes and cultural and historical appeal. Many of these cheeses are made with raw milk and undergo a relatively short ripening period, sometimes ranging from 4 to 8 days, though it is usually shorter than the period stated by law. Moreover, there is insufficient evidence regarding the efficacy of a short ripening period in reducing certain zoonotic foodborne pathogens, such as Brucella spp., Coxiella burnetiid, and Mycobacterium bovis (as part of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex). Additionally, a literature analysis revealed that the usual ripening conditions of Brazilian artisanal cheeses made with raw milk may be inefficient in reducing the levels of some hazardous bacterial, including Brucella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, coagulase-positive Staphylococcus, Salmonella, and Coxiella burnetti, to the acceptable limits established by law, thus failing to ensure product safety for all cheese types. Moreover, the assessment of the microbiological safety for this type of cheese should be broader and should also consider zoonotic pathogens commonly found in bovine herds. Finally, a standardized protocol for evaluating the effectiveness of cheese ripening must be established by considering its peculiarities.

Alterações microbianas e químicas de um gleissolo sob macaubeiras nativas em função da variação sazonal e espacial / Microbial and chamical changes in gleysol under native macauba palms by the spatial and seasonal variations

A macaúba (Acrocomia aculeata) é uma alternativa para a produção de biodiesel e, consorciada com pastagem, pode auxiliar na recuperação de áreas degradadas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar as alterações nos atributos microbiológicos, na matéria orgânica e no N total do solo, em função da variação sazonal e espacial em um Gleissolo sob maciço de macaubeiras nativas, no Cerrado. O estudo observacional foi realizado na região de Planaltina de Goiás, na Fazenda Agropecuária Santa Fé. Foram selecionadas dez árvores em uma mata com macaubeiras nativas no bioma cerrado. A coleta de solo foi realizada na camada de 0 a 10 centímetros de profundidade, sob uma linha horizontal, imaginária, traçada a partir da base do caule das macaubeiras. As amostras de solo foram coletadas a 50, 150 e 250 centímetros de distância do caule da palmeira, durante o verão chuvoso (março de 2010) e inverno seco (julho 2010). Para a avaliação estatística das variáveis observadas, utilizou-se um modelo misto. As médias das variáveis observadas foram submetidas a testes para verificar se seguiam a distribuição normal, e a homogeneidade de variâncias. Em seguida, os dados foram submetidos ao teste F e as médias foram comparadas pelo teste t. Os atributos carbono microbiano (Cmic), respiração basal (RB), quociente metabólico (qCO2), a matéria orgânica do solo (MOS) e a relação C/N do solo são sensíveis à variação sazonal e espacial em mata de macaubeiras no Cerrado. O nitrogênio total (NT) foi sensível à variação espacial. A microbiota presente no solo sob macaubal se manteve mais equilibrada durante o período seco, apresentando maiores teores de carbono microbiano e quociente microbiano e menor quociente metabólico e relação C/N do solo.

Macauba palm (Acrocomia aculeata) is an alternative for biodiesel production and intercropped with pastures, can be used to recover degraded areas. The aim of this paper was to study the alterations of microbial and soil organic matter and total N, in function of sazonal and spatial variation of a Gleysol, under native macauba palms (Acrocomia aculeata). This observational study took place in Santa Fe Agropecuaria farm, in the region of Planaltina de Goias, State of Goias. Ten trees were selected from a native forest containing macauba palms. Soil samples were then taken at a depth of 0 - 10 cm from a horizontal imaginary line, drawn from the macauba`s palm trunk. Soil samples were taken from a 50, 150 and 250 cm distance from the trunk, during the wet summer (March, 2010) and the dry winter (July, 2010). The mixed model was used in order to evaluate the observational study. The observational means were submitted to testing to evaluate if their values followed a normal distribution and to test homogeneity of variance. Subsequently, data were submitted to the F-test and the means were compared using the t-test. The Cmic, RB, qCO2 and the MO and soil C/N have been found to be sensitive to seasonal and spatial variation in the native forest of macauba palms, in the Cerrado. The NT showed to be sensitive to spatial variation. The microbiota present in the soil under macauba palms was more efficient and maintained a higher equilibrium during the dry winter, presenting higher values of Cmic and Cmic:Corg, and lower values of qCO2 and soil C/N ratio.

Calidad bacteriológica de aguas en piscinas públicas y privadas de la ciudad de Cumaná, estado Sucre, Venezuela / Bacteriological quality of water of public and private pools of the city of Cumaná, Sucre state, Venezuela

Para evaluar la calidad bacteriológica de aguas de piscinas en la ciudad de Cumaná, estado Sucre, Venezuela, se recolectaron muestras de agua en 1 piscina pública y 4 privadas, codificadas de la A a la E; se tomaron 2 muestras semanales durante 2 meses, antes y después de la limpieza. Se determinó pH, temperatura y cloro residual; los aerobios mesófilos por contaje en placas, el Número Más Probable (NMP) para coliformes totales (CT) y fecales (CF) e identificación bacteriana por métodos convencionales. El pH osciló entre 6,8 y 7,3, la temperatura de 29 a 31ºC y el cloro residual de 0,3 a 0,5 mg/L. El contaje más elevado de bacterias mesófilas se obtuvo en B con 6x10 2 UFC/mL, y el más bajo en C con 3x10 2 UFC/mL. En relación al NMP, antes de la limpieza, el valor más alto se obtuvo en D con 2,8x10 3 CT/100 ml; E mostró el valor más alto de CF /100 ml. Después de la limpieza B mostró el valor más alto de CT ubicándose en 9,3mLx10 2 y los valores más alto de CF para D y E en 3x10 2 . Los valores de CF antes y después de la limpieza superan lo establecido por la normativa Venezolana (0 NMP/100mL). Estadísticamente, no se evidenciaron diferencias significativas entre las piscinas para CT y CF antes y después de la limpieza. Las bacterias Gramnegativas predominaron, en E (84,21%) y B (71,92%), Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli y Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A presentó mayor número de aislados Grampositivos (44,44%), identificándose Staphylococcus epidermidis y Enterococcus faecalis. Estos resultados indican una constante contaminación bacteriana y riesgo sanitario.

To evaluate the bacteriological quality of water pools in the city of Cumaná, Sucre state, Venezuela, water samples were collected in 1 public and 4 private pools, coded A to E, respectively, 2 samples were taken weekly for 2 months before and after a pool cleaning process. We determined pH, temperature and residual chlorine, aerobic mesophilic for total plate count, the Most Probable Number (MPN) for total coliforms (TC) and fecal (FC) and bacterial identification by conventional methods. The pH in the samples ranged between 6.8 and 7.3, temperature of 29 to 31ºC and chlorine residual of 0.3 to 0.5 mg/L The highest count of aerobic mesophilic bacteria was obtained in B with 6x10 2 . CFU/mL. In relation to the MPN, before cleaning, the CT highest value was obtained in D with 2.8 x10 3 and CT/100mL, E showed the highest CF value with 6x10 2 CF/100mL. After cleaning, the results for B indicated the CT highest values, 9.3 x10 2 CT/100mL, and in D and E the results had the CF highest values, 3x10 2 CF/100 mL. CF values in the samples before and after cleaning exceed the standards established by Venezuela (0 NMP/100mL). Statistically, no significant differences were found between pools for CT and CF before and after cleaning. Gram-negative bacteria predominated, being more frequent in E (84.21%) and B (71.92%), mainly, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Sample A had more isolated Gram-positive (44.44%), identified as Staphylococcus epidermidis and Enterococcus faecalis. These results indicate a constant bacterial contamination and health risk.

Diversity assessment of benthic macroinvertebrates, yeasts, and microbiological indicators along a longitudinal gradient in Serra do Cipó, Brazil

The main goals of this study were: 1) to evaluate the structure, diversity, and functional trophic group composition of benthic macroinvertebrate communities; 2) to characterize water quality in the headwaters of the Doce river watershed, based on physical, chemical, and biological parameters (benthic macroinvertebrates, fecal coliforms, heterotrophic bacteria, and yeasts); and 3) to contribute to the knowledge of the structure and function of longitudinal gradients in lotic ecosystems in Brazil. A total of 60 benthic macroinvertebrate taxa were identified, the dominant group being the aquatic insects, with 50 families distributed in 8 orders. The dry period presented higher values of taxonomic richness and total density of benthic macroinvertebrates. A decreasing gradient was observed in these variable values from the 3rd order stretch down to the 6th order stretch. The highest Shannon-Wiener diversity values were found in the rainy period in the 3rd order stretches, which presented well-developed riparian forest. Besides the 3rd order stretches, the Pielou evenness index values were also high in the 6th order stretch. The collectors, together with the scrapers, predominated in the benthic macroinvertebrate communities in all river stretches, except in the 2nd, 4th, and 5th order stretches in the rainy period, where communities were dominated by filterers. The shredders and predators presented low densities for all river stretches. All microbiological variables presented low levels. Due to the high counts of heterotrophic bacteria and coliforms, the studied river stretches presented inadequate potability but adequate balneability levels. The results suggest that the structure, diversity, and composition of the benthic macroinvertebrate communities are influenced by the trophic resource availability, seasonality, and sediment heterogeneity. The microbiological results of this study allow inferring that the waters from Serra do Cipó have excellent potential for recreational use and as future sources of water for human consumption.

Os principais objetivos deste estudo foram: 1) avaliar a estrutura, a diversidade e a composição de grupos tróficos funcionais das comunidades de macroinvertebrados bentônicos; 2) caracterizar a qualidade das águas nas cabeceiras da bacia do rio Doce, com base em parâmetros físicos, químicos e biológicos (macroinvertebrados bentônicos, coliformes fecais, bactérias heterotróficas e leveduras); e 3) contribuir para o conhecimento da estrutura e do funcionamento de gradientes longitudinais em ecossistemas lóticos no Brasil. No total, 60 taxa de macroinvertebrados bentônicos foram identificados, sendo os insetos aquáticos o grupo dominante, com 50 famílias distribuídas em 8 ordens. O período de seca apresentou os maiores valores de riqueza taxonômica e de densidade total de macroinvertebrados bentônicos. Foi observado gradiente decrescente nos valores dessas variáveis do trecho de 3ª ordem ao trecho de 6ª ordem. Os maiores valores do índice de diversidade de Shannon-Wiener foram encontrados no período de chuvas nos trechos de 3ª ordem, que apresentaram mata ciliar bem desenvolvida. Além dos trechos de 3ª ordem, os valores do índice de eqüitabilidade de Pielou também foram elevados no trecho de 6ª ordem. Os coletores, juntamente com os raspadores, predominaram nas comunidades de macroinvertebrados bentônicos, exceto nos trechos de 2ª, 4ª e 5ª ordens, durante o período de chuvas, quando houve o domínio de filtradores. Os fragmentadores apresentaram baixas densidades na maioria dos trechos de rio estudados. Todas as variáveis microbiológicas apresentaram baixos valores. Os trechos de rio estudados são impróprios quanto à potabilidade e próprios para balneabilidade, em decorrência das altas contagens de bactérias heterotróficas e coliformes. Os resultados sugerem que a estrutura, a diversidade e a composição das comunidades de macroinvertebrados bentônicos são influenciadas pela disponibilidade de recursos tróficos, pela sazonalidade e pela heterogeneidade do sedimento. Os resultados microbiológicos nos permitem inferir que as águas da Serra do Cipó apresentam potencial para uso recreacional e como fonte futura de água para abastecimento humano.