A study assessed the use of uncooked cornstarch as an alternative, effective therapeutic regimen in 13 patients with Type I glycogen-storage (GS) disease. Clinical tests included carbohydrate-tolerance and blood glucose and lactate responses. The side effects of the cornstarch regimen were short-term and minimal. The cornstarch therapy was compared with 3 other regimens. The results suggest the use of cornstarch as an important alternative therapy for patients with Type I GS disease. Continuous nocturnal infusion, however, remains the therapy of choice for infants with low pancreatic amylase levels. (wz)

Mycelial discs induced disease development faster than spores suspension. The mycelia could not penetrate through the well-formed periderm of sweet potato storage roots inoculated 12 days after harvest. On newly harvested storage roots with loosely formed periderm, the mycelia invaded intercellularly and were restricted in the cork layer. A periderm was formed in response to penetration which separated the healthy tissues from the penetrated cells. Inter and intracellular penetration through wounds made on the storage roots were observed 6 hours after inoculatiion and pyenidial formation was noted at the cork cambium layer 4 days after. Incubation for 48 hours in moist chamber and exposure under room condition was recommended for disease initiation. Disease development was favored at 30 C. Six day-old storage roots were more susceptible than the newly harvested or 3-day old roots when inoculated with the fungus. Injured surfaces of newly harvested roots inoculated with the fungus was observed to form a wound periderm which protected the healthy tissues from mycelial penetration

Inoculation by placing the fungus in a 5-mm diameter and 8-mm deep hole was suscessfully employed in these studies. Mycelial discs induced disease development faster than spores suspension. The mycelia could not penetrate through the well-formed periderm of sweet potato storage roots inoculated 12 days after harvest. On newly harvested storage roots with loosely formed periderm, the mycelia invaded intercellularly and were restricted in the cork layer. A periderm was formed in response to penetration which separated the healthy tissues from the penetrated cells. Inter- and intracellular penetration through wound made on the storage roots were observed 6 h after inoculation and pycnidial formation was noted at the cork cambium layer 4 days after. Incubation for 48 h in moist chamber and exposure under room condition was recommended for disease initiation. Disease development was favored at 30 deg C. Six-day old storage roots were more susceptible than the newly harvested or 3-day old roots when inoculated with the fungus. Injured surfaces of newly harvested roots inoculated with the fungus was observed to form a wound periderm which protected the healthy tissues from mycelial penetration

Comparative postharvest control of pineapple fruit rot caused by Thielaviopsis paradoxa with guazatine (panoctine 40) and benomyl was studied. The experimental fruits was first artificially inoculated with the pathogen then dipped into fungicide suspensions prior to packaging and storing in a cold room operated to stimulate pineapple fresh fruit shipment from the Philippines to Japan. Data of 2 trials showed that disease control based on percent disease rating and disease severity index, with 3000 ppm a.i. Guazatine was comparable or better than that of the standard commercial postharvest treatment of 2000 ppm a.i. benomyl after 16 days cold storage of the fruits at 12-13 C/90 RH or at this condition plus 5 days storage at 28-30 C

Comparative control of pineapple postharvest Thielaviopsis fruit rot caused by Thielaviopsis paradoxa with guazatine (panoctine 40) and benomyl was studied. The experimental fruits were first artificially inoculated with the pathogen then dipped into fungicide suspensions prior to packaging and storing in a cold room operated to simulate pineapple fresh fruit shipment from the Philippines to Japan. Data of 2 trials showed that disease control based on percent disease rating and disease severity index, with 3000 ppm a.i. guazatine was comparable or better than that of the standard commercial postharvest treatment of 2000 ppm a.i. benomyl after 16 days cold storage of the fruits at 12-13 C/90 RH or at this condition plus 5 days storage at 28-30 deg C

The occurrence of blackleg during growing season may be affected by the temperature during potato storage, site and date of tuber infection, depth and localization of the bacteria within the tuber, mechanical damage of seed potatoes, agrometeorological conditions, microflora antagonistic to the bacteria from the genus Erwinia. The control of the diseases caused by these bacteria may be realized through their destruction in one of the links of the disease cycle. One of the methods of potato disease control1274 is proper regional distribution of potato culti

The highest titre of A, O and C strains of foot and mouth disease virus propagated in a calf kidney cell culture was obtained after 18 h incubation at 37 degrees C. The virus inactivated with a 0.05% acetylethylenimine showed higher immunogenic properties after 12 month storage at 4 degrees C than virus inactivated with a 0.05% formalin

The problem of post harvest losses in the Caribbean is highlighted. Losses in root crops have been estimated as 30 % and in fruit and vegetables, 30-50 %. Methods of reducing post harvest losses are oulined. These include genetic control of storage life, field treatments, harvesting and handling, post harvest treatments such as hot water treatment of fresh fruits like mango or papaya against anthracnose disease, packaging using wood, plant fibres, corrugated fibreboard, textiles and plastic films for atmospheric modification and processing.

Some of the more important aspects of general food safety in line with the views of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Safety are discussed. Pathogenic bacteria are the most frequent cause of foodborne disease, often coming from food handlers and magnified by prolonged room temperature storage of food, inadequately cooking raw food, and inadequately reheated, previously cooked food. Strategies to improve food safety and proposals for direct intervention and intervention assessment are also presented. (wz)

Although the history of Chanos chanos culture has been quite long, reports of major epizootics have been few. Trained manpower and disease diagnostic services in most milkfish growing areas have not been readily available. Hence, earlier reports of etiologic agents of these epizootics were limited mostly to direct microscopic examination of specimens. Significant disease cases reported were attributed to bacterial, myotic, parasitic, and toxic causes. Bacterial infections, primarily due to Vibrio sp., have been frequently associated with mortality. To a lesser, extent fungal infections have also been reported. Intoxication of stock in freshwater systems by Microcystis toxins has caused massive fish kills in Laguna de Bay, Philippines. In most instances, affected fish were predisposed by environmental stress incurred in handling storage and transport. The fry and fingerling stages seemed severely affected compared with the older stages. Control of these infections must include assessment of fish husbandry practices first, before the use of chemotherapeutic agents like antibiotics is considered.