Effect of different gluten-free flours on the sensory characteristics of a vegan alfajor: Vegan gluten-free Alfajor development.

Vegan and gluten-free markets have grown considerably in the last few years. Sustainability and the use of agro-industrial waste have also gained interest on food market. Thus, this study aimed to develop a vegan gluten-free alfajor, assessing the effect of different gluten-free flours (peanut okara (a by-product), sorghum, and rice flours) on the product sensory profile, and its market appeal. A simplex centroid design was applied to optimize the alfajor formulation. Check All That Apply and acceptance tests were performed. The use of different flours and their mixtures generated products with different texture attributes. All formulations obtained good acceptances, but higher concentrations of peanut okara and sorghum flours contributed to produce softer alfajors, considered as preferred by consumers. Therefore, it was possible to develop a gluten-free alfajor with sensory quality adding value to an agroindustrial by-product.

Identification and Characterization of Escherichia coli, Salmonella Spp., Clostridium perfringens, and C. difficile Isolates from Reptiles in Brazil.

Considering the increasing popularity of reptiles as pets and their possible role as reservoirs of pathogenic microorganisms, the aim of this study was to isolate Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Clostridium perfringens, and C. difficile strains from reptiles in Brazil and to characterize the isolated strains. The characterization was based on phylogenetic typing of E. coli, identification of virulence genes of E. coli, C. perfringens, and C. difficile, serotyping of Salmonella spp., ribotyping and MLST of C. difficile and antimicrobial susceptibility test of pathogenic strains. Cloacal swabs were collected from 76 reptiles, of which 15 were lizards, 16 chelonians, and 45 snakes, either living in captivity, in the wild, or as companion animals. E. coli was isolated from 52 (68.4%) reptiles, of which 46 (88.4%) were characterized as phylogroup B1. The virulence factor CNF1 of E. coli was found in seven (9.2%) sampled animals, whereas the gene of EAST1 was found in isolates from two (2.6%) reptiles. Three isolates positive for CNF1 were resistant to cephalothin, one of which was also resistant to ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and chloramphenicol, being then classified as multidrug resistant strain (MDR). Salmonella enterica was identified in 26 (34.2%) reptiles, of which 13 belonged to the subspecies enterica. Serotypes such as S. Mbandaka, S. Panama, S. Infantis, S. Heidelberg, and S. Anatum were identified. One isolate of S. enterica subsp. houtenae was resistant to cephalothin and ciprofloxacin. C. perfringens type A was isolated from six (7.8%) animals. C. difficile was isolated from three (3.9%) reptiles. Two of these isolates were toxigenic and classified into ribotypes/MLST 081/ST9 and 106/ST42, which have been previously reported to infect humans. In conclusion, reptiles in Brazil can harbor toxigenic C. difficile and potentially pathogenic E. coli and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica, thus representing a risk to human and animal health.

Serological, molecular, and microscopic detection of Leishmania in cats (Felis catus) in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Abstract The role of cats in the epidemiological cycle of leishmaniasis remains unclear. To better understand the occurrence of leishmaniasis in cats, we studied the frequency of Leishmania in serum samples of 100 cats living in an endemic region for canine and human leishmaniasis by serological, parasitological, and molecular methods. Of the 100 cats, 54 were seropositive for Leishmania antibodies by immunofluorescence antibody test. None of the bone marrow aspirates collected from these cats tested positive for the parasite in culture or upon polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Biopsy samples of the ears also tested negative for Leishmania upon PCR analysis. These findings may indicate that the region is endemic for canine leishmaniasis and cats are infected by Leishmania; or that cross-reaction with antibodies against other parasites increases the frequency of seropositivity; or that cats respond to Leishmania infection by producing antibodies when few or no parasites are present in bone marrow and tissue samples. Overall, our results suggest that cats can be infected by Leishmania ; however, we failed to demonstrate feline parasitosis. These findings highlight the need to study leishmaniasis in cats, since sandflies feed on cats, these animals may act as a reservoir for the parasite.

Resumo O papel dos gatos no ciclo epidemiológico da leishmaniose ainda não está claro. Para entender melhor a ocorrência de leishmaniose em gatos, estudou-se a frequência de Leishmania em amostras de soro de 100 gatos, os quais vivem em uma região endêmica para leishmaniose canina e humana, por métodos sorológicos, parasitológicos e moleculares. Dos 100 gatos, 54 foram soropositivos para anticorpos de Leishmania por teste de anticorpos de imunofluorescência. Nenhum dos aspirados de medula óssea coletados desses gatos mostrou-se positivo para o parasita em cultura, ou após a realização da reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR). Amostras de biópsia das orelhas também foram negativas para Leishmania submetidas a PCR. Esses achados indicam que na região estudada endêmica para leishmaniose canina, os gatos podem se infectar por Leishmania; ou que a reação cruzada com anticorpos contra outros parasitas aumenta a frequência de soropositividade; ou que os gatos respondem à infecção por Leishmania produzindo anticorpos quando poucos ou nenhum parasita estão presentes na medula óssea e em amostras de tecido. Em geral, os resultados sugerem que os gatos podem ser estar infectados por Leishmania spp. No entanto, não foi possível demonstrar parasitismo felino. Essas descobertas evidenciam a necessidade de estudar a leishmaniose em gatos, uma vez que, como os flebotomíneos se alimentam em gatos, e esses animais podem atuar como um reservatório para o parasita.