Maternal report underestimates the amount of dentifrice used by children during toothbrushing: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: This study investigated whether the report of mothers about the amount of dentifrice applied on a toothbrush could be a reliable method to estimate the inadvertent use of dentifrices. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a randomly selected sample of 334 mothers of children enrolled in public day care centres of a city in the Brazilian northeast. Initially, the mothers chose the figure corresponding to the amount of dentifrice used during their children's daily toothbrushing. Then, they simulated real-life conditions with the toothbrush routinely used to brush the children's teeth. The amount of dentifrice on toothbrush was weighted using an analytical scale. Data were analysed by the Kruskal-Wallis followed by the Dunn test (α = 0.05). RESULTS: The weight of dentifrice on the toothbrush was high (> 0.3 g), mainly considering the categories 'covered only' and 'completely covered' that showed no statistical difference (p > 0.05). The proportion of agreement between the mothers' reports and the weight of dentifrice on the toothbrush was 0.23 (CI 0.18-0.28). CONCLUSION: The mothers' report regarding the amount of dentifrice on the toothbrush by demonstrative figures was not a reliable method to estimate the inadvertent ingestion of fluoride from dentifrices.

Quantitative evaluation of Listeria monocytogenes in fresh and processed surubim fish (Pseudoplatystoma sp) / Avaliação quantitativa de Listeria monocytogenes em surubim (Pseudoplatystoma sp) fresco e processado

L. monocytogenes is a foodborne psychrotrophic bacterial pathogen of special importance for minimally processed foods. In this work, it was enumerated in samples of surubim fish by MPN technique. The population of L. monocytogenes was estimated as < 0.012 MPN/cm² in fresh and < 0.03 MPN/g in minimally processed fish.

L. monocytogenes é um patógeno psicrotrófico transmitido por alimentos, de importância especial para alimentos minimamente processados. Neste trabalho, a bactéria foi enumerada em amostras de peixe surubim utilizando-se a técnica do NMP. A população de L. monocytogenes foi estimada como < 0.012 NMP/cm² do peixe fresco e < 0.03 NMP/g do peixe minimamente processado.

Quantitative evaluation of Listeria monocytogenes in fresh and processed surubim fish (Pseudoplatystoma sp).

L. monocytogenes is a foodborne psychrotrophic bacterial pathogen of special importance for minimally processed foods. In this work, it was enumerated in samples of surubim fish by MPN technique. The population of L. monocytogenes was estimated as < 0.012 MPN/cm(2) in fresh and < 0.03 MPN/g in minimally processed fish.

Antilisterial activity of lactic acid bacteria inoculated on cooked ham.

This study was conducted to evaluate the ability of Lactobacillus sakei 1, a bacteriocin-producing (bac(+)) lactic acid bacterium (LAB), isolated from Brazilian fresh pork sausage to inhibit two Listeria monocytogenes strains (serotypes 4b and 1/2a) on cooked, sliced vacuum-packaged ham. L. sakei ATCC 15521 was used as a non-bacteriocin producer (bac(-)). L. monocytogenes (ca. 2 logCFU/mL) and LAB (ca. 6 logCFU/ml) were inoculated on the sterilized ham, vacuum-sealed and incubated at 8°C for 10 days. A treatment with the bacteriocin Chrisin (UI/ml) was included. Both L. monocytogenes strains were significantly inhibited in the presence of either bac(+) and bac(-) LAB in comparison to the control (L. monocytogenes alone). Using a bacteriocinogenic strain of LAB did not offer an additional barrier to listerial growth in the studied meat system. The application of Chrisin did not affect at all the growth of L. monocytogenes.

Renal haemodynamic responses to a chicken or beef meal in normal individuals.

BACKGROUND: In normal subjects, protein loading with soybean meal does not produce the same renal haemodynamic effects as those observed with a beef meal. The renal responses of an acute protein load in the form of chicken meal is unknown. METHODS: To examine whether the renal response to a chicken meal differs from that to beef, we studied the renal function of eight normal healthy volunteers before and after a protein load with each of these meals. In a crossover randomized study, we measured the glomerular filtration rate (GFR; inulin clearance), renal plasma flow (RPF; para-aminohippurate clearance) and, plasma amino acid and glucagon levels. We also determined the amino acid content of a sample of chicken and beef. RESULTS: GFR and RPF increased significantly 2 h after both the chicken and beef meals (chicken, 98+/-13 vs 119+/-18 and 476+/-123 vs 570+/-99 ml/min/1.73 m2; beef, 107+/-14 vs 122+/-16 and 501+/-118 vs 560+/-97 ml/min/1.73 m2, for GFR and RPF at basal and 2 h respectively, P<0.05). Renal vascular resistance decreased and the filtration fraction remained unchanged after both protein loads. The changes induced by the protein challenges in the plasma amino acid and glucagon levels were not different between the two protein sources. The amino acid contents of chicken and beef samples were similar. CONCLUSION: In normal subjects, chicken and beef meals induced a similar degree of hyperfiltration.