Radioactive caesium-137 occurring in the environment may be taken up by plants and animals and pose a trophic threat to humans. Game animals living in forest ecosystems are very good bioindicators of the level of environmental contamination by ionising radiation. The main species measurably exposed to caesium-137 are the wild boar (Sus scrofa), the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), and the red deer (Cervus elaphus). The study determined the levels of Cs-137 in muscle samples of these game animals in 2015–2022.

Introduction: Laryngeal swab samples collected from three waterfowl slaughterhouses in central Taiwan were cultured and suspected isolates of Riemerella anatipestifer were identified by API 20NE and 16S rDNA PCR. Material and Methods: Serum agglutination was used for serotyping, and antimicrobial susceptibility was tested. Results: Seventy-six R. anatipestifer isolates were detected, and the prevalences in the ducks and geese were 12.3% (46/375) and 8.0% (30/375), respectively. The positive isolation rates were 65.6% for all arriving waterfowl, 76.0% for birds in the holding area, 1.6% for defeathered carcasses, but zero for degummed carcasses. A PCR examination detected R. anatipestifer in the slaughtering area frequently. Serotype B was dominant in both duck (34.8%) and goose (46.7%) isolates, but the wide serotype distribution may very well impede vaccination development. All isolates were resistant to colistin, and 79.7% were resistant to more than three common antibiotics. Conclusion: The results proved that most ducks had encountered antibiotic-resistant R. anatipestifer in rearing, which suggests that the bacterium circulates in asymptomatic waterfowl. It is worth noting that most waterfowl farms were found to harbour R. anatipestifer, and contaminated slaughterhouses are a major risk factor in its spread. Effective prevention and containment measures should be established there to interrupt the transmission chain of R. anatipestifer.

In 2015 in the European Union member states listeriosis caused 270 deaths. Food is the route of transmission in 99% of all human infection cases. Several studies from different countries have shown that the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in food can be as high as 58.3%. One of the most important ways to protect food from these microorganisms is to prevent the spread of the bacteria at processing plants at different stages of food production chain. The ability of L. monocytogenes to survive in extreme conditions and to form biofilms on various surfaces is a significant challenge for food safety. Removal of these bacteria from niches in processing plants is difficult and requires the use of sanitisers and precise equipment cleaning. The presence of L. monocytogenes in processing environment at slaughterhouses, deli meat factories or in retail may be a reason of cross-contamination. Proper hygienic systems applied by workers in food preparing places and knowledge about different routes of spreading of these bacteria may effectively decrease the risk of food contamination. Standardised legal regulations and control of meat product manufacture should be a fundamental way to protect food from L. monocytogenes contamination.

This study aimed to determine the bacterial diversity of chicken carcasses and their surrounding environment at various stages along a poultry slaughter line.

Radioactive contamination of the environment is one of the greatest threats after a nuclear accident due to released radionuclides. From a radiotoxicological point of view, the most important radionuclide is caesium-137. Formed mainly during nuclear explosions, caesium-137 can persist in the soil for many years, from where it constantly enters the food chain. One of the elements of ensuring food safety is the monitoring of its radioactive contamination, mainly with radioactive caesium isotopes. The aim of the study was to determine the content of caesium-137 in food of animal origin.

Introduction: Laryngeal swab samples collected from three waterfowl slaughterhouses in central Taiwan were cultured and suspected isolates of Riemerella anatipestifer were identified by API 20NE and 16S rDNA PCR.

In 2015 in the European Union member states listeriosis caused 270 deaths. Food is the route of transmission in 99% of all human infection cases. Several studies from different countries have shown that the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in food can be as high as 58.3%. One of the most important ways to protect food from these microorganisms is to prevent the spread of the bacteria at processing plants at different stages of food production chain. The ability of L. monocytogenes to survive in extreme conditions and to form biofilms on various surfaces is a significant challenge for food safety. Removal of these bacteria from niches in processing plants is difficult and requires the use of sanitisers and precise equipment cleaning. The presence of L. monocytogenes in processing environment at slaughterhouses, deli meat factories or in retail may be a reason of cross-contamination. Proper hygienic systems applied by workers in food preparing places and knowledge about different routes of spreading of these bacteria may effectively decrease the risk of food contamination. Standardised legal regulations and control of meat product manufacture should be a fundamental way to protect food from L. monocytogenes contamination.

Toxocariasis is an important cosmopolitan zoonotic disease mainlycaused by Toxocara spp., a type of soil transmitted helminth (STH) on cats and dogs. In this study, 80 soil samples were taken from four public playgrounds and six neighbourhood playgrounds in Ipoh, Perak between October and December 2016 to determine the status of soil contamination with the eggs of Toxocara spp. Results showed that 32.5% from the total soil samples were positive with Toxocara spp. eggs. Overall, five out of ten of the sampling sites were contaminated with Toxocara spp. eggs. Besides that, the relationship between the soil condition and the occurrence of the Toxocara spp. eggs in soils were also investigated. The findings showed that increase of moisture and pH of the soils contributed to the increase of contaminationwith Toxocara spp. eggs. Sandy soils were found significantly contaminated with the eggs of Toxocara spp. compared to theother types of soil. Therefore, appropriate preventive measures such as treatment of soil, regular monitoring and deworming of dogs and cats as well as awareness programmes to the public are important.

In an attempt to isolate reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) from field cases, plasma of commercial broiler chickens-suspect to have virus infection-were examined. Samples were inoculated in chicken embryo fibroblasts and after proper incubation infected cultures were assayed for REV-antigen by ELISA, immuno-peroxidase (IP) plaque assay, and PCR.Specificity of ELISA and IP was evaluated by comparing their results with that obtained by PCR. REV could be isolated and virus antigen was detected in cell cultures by all three techniques. Results showed that PCR and ELISA are more specific than IP in detection of REV-antigen. However, the sensitivity of ELISA was affected by the criterion used for determination of the cut-off point. Further studies are needed for full characterization of the isolated virus by using reference antiserum or strain specific primers for PCR.

A total of fifty liver sandwiches served by street vendors and restaurants with different hygienic practices (25 of each), were collected from Giza Governorate. The levels of lead and aluminium residues were determined by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The mean values of lead residues in cooked liver sandwiches served by each of street vendors and restaurants were 1.68±0.51 and 0.73±0.2 mg/kg; respectively; as well as, it was constituted 6.2±2.1 and 4.3±1.1 mg/kg for aluminum residues, respectively. The levels of lead and aluminum residues in liver sandwiches served by street vendors were high as compared to that detected in restaurants. The sources of contamination with such elements (lead and aluminium) as well as the public health importance were discussed. The suggestive measures to avoid the contamination with such elements in cooked food were recommended.