Metal Content of Nutritional and Toxic Value in Different Types of Brazilian Propolis.

Brazilian raw propolis samples (brown, green, red, and yellow) were investigated to evaluate the content of three elements of nutritional value (Cu, K, and Se) and three toxic metals (As, Cd, and Pb). The propolis samples (n = 19) were obtained from different regions of Brazil and analysed by atomic absorption spectrometry after microwave-assisted digestion. A descriptive analysis of the variables was carried out, and nonparametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis or Mann-Whitney) were performed to verify the differences in metal contents. The elemental concentrations of the Brazilian propolis were in the following ranges: As < 0.048-8.47 µg·g-1, Pb < 0.006-0.72 µg·g-1, Cu 0.57-11.60 µg·g-1, Se < 0.041-0.54 µg·g-1, and K 0.23-7.94 mg·g-1; Cd was below LOD (0.008 µg·g-1) in all samples, except one. Seven samples exceeded the limits defined for As or Pb by the Brazilian regulation.

Environmental exposure to lead and hematological parameters in Afro-Brazilian children living near artisanal glazed pottery workshops.

This study aimed to evaluate the exposure to environmental lead (Pb) of children from a traditional community of African descent in Brazil and the effects on hematological parameters. Children (n = 75) aged 5.5-13 years from the exposed areas classified as low (LEx) and moderately (MEx) exposed were compared with children (n = 75) of a control group (CG). Dust Pb loading rates (RtPbs) at children's homes were measured. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected to assess Pb biomarkers of exposure and effects. All Pb determinations were performed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The median (IQR) of RtPb, PbB level, and ALA-D activity were 65 (25-137) µgPb/m2/30 days, 1.0 (0.1-2.8) µg/dL, and 71 (55-86) U/L, respectively. Spearman correlation evidenced the relationship of PbB with RtPb (rho = 0.368, P < 0.001) and ALA-D activity (rho = -0.587; P ˂ 0.001). After adjusting for exposure degree and child's age, a decline of 7.4 U/L in ALA-D activity was associated with a 10-fold increase in PbB. The prevalence ratio of elevated PbB (>5 µg/dL) in LEx and MEx areas were 1.5 and 3.7, respectively. Indoor dust exposure, living near pottery workshops and the secondary exposure were the main determinants of elevated PbB levels, which were associated with hematological effects.

Genetically distinct lineages of Salmonella Typhimurium ST313 and ST19 are present in Brazil.

In sub-Saharan Africa, two genetically distinct lineages of multi-drug resistant non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) serovar Typhimurium sequence type 313 (ST313) are known to cause invasive disease among people. S. Typhimurium ST313 has evolved to become more human-adapted and is commonly isolated from systemic sites (eg., blood) from febrile patients in sub-Saharan Africa. Epidemiological studies indicate that S. Typhimurium is frequently isolated from systemic sites from human patients in Brazil, however, it is currently unknown if this pathogen has also evolved to become more invasive and human-adapted in this country. Here we determined genotypic and phenotypic divergence among clinical S. Typhimurium strains isolated from systemic and non-systemic sites from human patients in Brazil. We report that a subset (8/38, 20%) of epidemiologically diverse human clinical strains of S. Typhimurium recovered from systemic sites in Brazil show significantly higher intra-macrophage survival, indicating that this subset is likely more invasive. Using the whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic approaches, we identified S. Typhimurium ST313-lineage in Brazil that is genetically and phenotypically distinct from the known African ST313-lineages. We also report the identification of S. Typhimurium ST19-lineage in Brazil that is evolving similar to ST313 lineages from Africa but is genetically and phenotypically distinct from ST19-lineage commonly associated with the gastrointestinal disease worldwide. The identification of new S. Typhimurium ST313 and ST19 lineages responsible for human illnesses in Brazil warrants further epidemiological investigations to determine the incidence and spread of a genetically divergent population of this important human pathogen.

Yogurt and whey beverages available in Brazilian market: Mineral and trace contents, daily intake and statistical differentiation.

Mineral and trace elements (Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, and Mn) in commercial strawberry-flavored yogurts and fermented whey beverages in Brazil were investigated. K, Ca, Na, Mg and Fe concentrations ranged from 1.6 to 1.4, 1.4 to 1.1, 0.74 to 0.68, 0.16 to 0.11, and 0.01 mg g-1 for yogurts and whey beverages, respectively. Similar concentrations of the minerals were observed for both products, except Mg (0.16 mg g-1 in yogurts and 0.11 mg g-1 in whey beverages). Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, and Pb was found below the detection limit (21.4 to 94.1 µg g-1), demonstrating safety levels for consumption. Regarding the mineral daily intake, consumption of 100 g of the product has relevance for calcium in infants (>40%) and children between 4 and 8 years (>13%), and a greater contribution of yogurt over whey beverage was observed. PLSDA model suggested that Mg analytical determination should be performed to ensure the identity of the product.

Draft Genome Sequences of 11 Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Strains Isolated from Human Systemic and Nonsystemic Sites in Brazil.

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strains isolated from systemic sites outside sub-Saharan Africa have been rarely sequenced. Here, we report the draft genome sequences of S Typhimurium sequence type 19 (ST19) (n = 9), ST1649 (n = 1), and ST313 (n = 1) strains isolated from human systemic (e.g., blood) and nonsystemic (e.g., stool and wounds) sites in Brazil.

School meals' centesimal and mineral composition and their nutritional value for Brazilian children.

The assessment of meals served under the Brazilian National School Meal Program (PNAE) is an important tool to verify its adequacy to the proposed parameters and the nutritional needs of school-aged children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the centesimal and mineral composition of the meals offered by the program and adequacy to the nutritional recommendations in three municipalities of the state of Bahia, Brazil. Centesimal composition of meals was determined according to the reference guidelines and mineral composition was analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry. Non-parametric analysis of variance was used to test the differences of the medians among the municipalities and Student-t test to compare the means between the two sampling periods. There were inadequacies in the carbohydrate, lipid and protein contents, and none of the municipalities reached the recommendation of 20%. Mineral concentration, especially Fe, Se, Cu and K were much lower than expected. Sodium levels were three-folds higher than the recommended, being worrisome due to higher risk of elevated blood pressure. There were inadequacies with regard to the PNAE guidelines, and there is a need to reevaluate the meals that are being offered to better meet childrens needs and to form healthy habits from childhood.

Partial substitution of NaCl by KCl and addition of flavor enhancers on probiotic Prato cheese: A study covering manufacturing, ripening and storage time.

Cheese is a suitable matrix to deliver probiotic strains but it contains a high amount of sodium. The effect of partial substitution of NaCl by KCl and the addition of flavor enhancers (l-arginine, yeast and oregano extract) on probiotic Prato cheese was investigated after 1, 30, and 60 d of refrigerated storage (immediately after manufacturing, and during ripening and storage). Microbiological (lactic acid bacteria and probiotic Lactobacillus casei 01 counts and survival under gastrointestinal conditions), physicochemical (pH, proteolysis, fatty acids), bioactivity (antioxidant effect and angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory activity), rheological, and water mobility by means of time domain low-field nuclear magnetic resonance were investigated. Significant changes in probiotic survival were observed; however, the sodium reduction and the addition of flavor enhancers did not constitute an obstacle to L. casei 01 (>108 CFU/g) during storage. Slight changes were observed in proteolysis, bioactivity, water mobility, texture profile, and fatty acids of the cheeses as a function of the flavor enhancer added. The sodium reduction and the supplementation of Prato cheese with probiotic cultures may be an effective alternative to the production of a potentially functional cheese.

Lead and cadmium in mangrove root crab (Goniopsis cruentata), in natura and at food processing stages.

Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) were determined in mangrove root crab (Goniopsis cruentata) tissues (in natura) and in two culinary preparations by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Mangrove root crab samples from three sampling sites along the Jaguaripe River, Bahia, Brazil, where lead-glazed ceramics are produced, and from two commercial preparations were collected or purchased in March and April 2016. Cd levels in raw and processed samples were below the methods' limits of detection (0.016 mg kg-1), while Pb levels in the raw tissues were determined only in the gills (0.67 mg kg-1) and in the hepatopancreas (0.14 mg kg-1). However, Pb levels increased from 0.05 to 2.84 mg kg-1 in boiled/sorted muscle and in the traditional stew (with a 57-fold increase), respectively. Pb levels augmented significantly in the processed food due to migration of Pb used in the glazing of cooking ceramic utensils, surpassing the Brazilian and international safety limits.

Characteristics of Quinolone Resistance in Salmonella spp. Isolates from the Food Chain in Brazil.

Salmonella spp. is an important zoonotic pathogen related to foodborne diseases. Despite that quinolones/fluoroquinolones are considered a relevant therapeutic strategy against resistant isolates, the increase in antimicrobial resistance is an additional difficulty in controlling bacterial infections caused by Salmonella spp. Thus, the acquisition of resistance to quinolones in Salmonella spp. is worrisome to the scientific community along with the possibility of transmission of resistance through plasmids. This study investigated the prevalence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) in Salmonella spp. and its association with fluoroquinolone susceptibility in Brazil. We evaluated 129 isolates, 39 originated from food of animal sources, and 14 from environmental samples and including 9 from animals and 67 from humans, which were referred to the National Reference Laboratory of Enteric Diseases (NRLEB/IOC/RJ) between 2009 and 2013. These samples showed a profile of resistance for the tested quinolones/fluoroquinolones. A total of 33 serotypes were identified; S. Typhimurium (63) was the most prevalent followed by S. Enteritidis (25). The disk diffusion test showed 48.8% resistance to enrofloxacin, 42.6% to ciprofloxacin, 39.53% to ofloxacin, and 30.2% to levofloxacin. According to the broth microdilution test, the resistance percentages were: 96.1% to nalidixic acid, 64.3% to enrofloxacin, 56.6% to ciprofloxacin, 34.1% to ofloxacin, and 30.2% to levofloxacin. Qnr genes were found in 15 isolates (8 qnrS, 6 qnrB, and 1 qnrD), and the aac(6')-Ib gene in 23. The integron gene was detected in 67 isolates with the variable region between ±600 and 1000 bp. The increased detection of PMQR in Salmonella spp. is a serious problem in Public Health and must constantly be monitored. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was performed to evaluated clonal profile among the most prevalent serovars resistant to different classes of quinolones. A total of 33 pulsotypes of S. Typhimurium were identified with a low percentage of genetic similarity (≤65%). This result demonstrates the presence of high diversity in the resistant clones evaluated in this study.

Antimicrobial susceptibility and serovars of salmonella circulating in commercial poultry carcasses and poultry products in Brazil.

Antimicrobial resistance was evaluated for 12,582 strains of Salmonella isolated by public and private laboratories from commercial poultry carcasses and poultry products from different regions in Brazil between 2007 and 2011. These isolates were submitted unsolicited to the National Reference Laboratory for Bacterial Enteroinfections, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for conclusive antigenic characterization. The prevalent Salmonella enterica serogroups were O:4 (B) (28.9%), O:9 (D1) (22.3%), O:21 (L) (15.9%), and O:7 (C1) (14.3%); the most prevalent serovars were Enteritidis, Minnesota, Typhimurium, Schwarzengrund, and Mbandaka. The antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of 1,234 strains indicated that 54.5% were resistant to up to eight antimicrobial drugs. Multidrug resistance (three or more classes) was observed in 16.4% of the strains, with 190 distinct patterns. The results showed increased resistance to ampicillin (12.4 to 18.9%), tetracycline (≈ 15.2 to ≈ 18.9%), and gentamicin (f7.0 to ≈ 9.6%) during the study period. Decreased resistance to nitrofurans (61.9 to 9.2%), quinolones (44.4 to 15.5%), and folate inhibitors (11.7 to 7.2%) was observed. Resistance to third-generation cephalosporins was detected in 5.5% of the strains throughout the study period; resistance to fluoroquinolones has been observed in 0.3% of the strains since 2009. These findings highlight the importance of surveillance along the food chain for detection of altered patterns among foodborne zoonotic bacteria that are important to public health.