Farm use of calcium hydroxide as an effective barrier against pathogens

One Health Perspectives on Food Safety in Minimally Processed Vegetables and Fruits: From Farm to Fork

While food markets and food production chains are experiencing exponential growth, global attention to food safety is steadily increasing. This is particularly crucial for ready-to-eat products such as fresh-cut salads and fruits, as these items are consumed raw without prior heat treatment, making the presence of pathogenic microorganisms quite frequent. Moreover, many studies on foodborne illnesses associated with these foods often overlook the transmission links from the initial contamination source. The prevention and control of the dissemination of foodborne pathogens should be approached holistically, involving agricultural production, processing, transport, food production, and extending to final consumption, all while adopting a One Health perspective. In this context, our objective is to compile available information on the challenges related to microbiological contamination in minimally handled fruits and vegetables. This includes major reported outbreaks, specific bacterial strains, and associated statistics throughout the production chain. We address the sources of contamination at each stage, along with issues related to food manipulation and disinfection. Additionally, we provide potential solutions to promote a healthier approach to fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. This information will be valuable for both researchers and food producers, particularly those focused on ensuring food safety and quality.

Swine manure treatment technologies as drivers for circular economy in agribusiness: A techno-economic and life cycle assessment approach

Anaerobic digestion has been employed as a technology capable of adding value to waste coupled with environmental impact mitigation. However, many issues need to be elucidated to ensure the systems viability based on this technology. In this sense, the present study evaluated technically, environmentally, and economically, four configurations of swine waste treatment systems focused on the promotion of decarbonization and circularity of the swine chain. For this, a reference plant, based on a compact treatment process named SISTRATES® (Portuguese acronym for swine effluent treatment system) was adopted to serve as a model for comparison and validation. The results showed the importance of prioritization of the energy recuperation routes through anaerobic digestion, providing increased economic benefits and minimizing environmental damage. Thus, the SISTRATES® configuration was the one that presented the best designs in a circular context, maximizing the recovery of energy and nutrients, along with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, ensuring the sustainability of the pig production chain.

The potential of animal manure management pathways toward a circular economy: a bibliometric analysis

Improper disposal of animal waste is responsible for several environmental problems, causing eutrophication of lakes and rivers, nutrient overload in the soil, and the spread of pathogenic organisms. Despite the potential to cause adverse ecological damage, animal waste can be a valuable source of resources if incorporated into a circular concept. In this sense, new approaches focused on recovery and reuse as substitutes for traditional processes based on removing contaminants in animal manure have gained attention from the scientific community. Based on this, the present work reviewed the literature on the subject, performing a bibliometric and scientometric analysis of articles published in peer-reviewed journals between 1991 and 2021. Of the articles analyzed, the main issues addressed were nitrogen and phosphorus recovery, energy generation, high-value-added products, and water reuse. The energy use of livestock waste stands out since it is characterized as a consolidated solution, unlike other routes still being developed, presenting the economic barrier as the main limiting factor. Analyzing the trend of technological development through the S curve, it was possible to verify that the circular economy in the management of animal waste will enter the maturation phase as of 2036 and decline in 2056, which demonstrates opportunities for the sector's development, where animal waste can be an economic agent, promoting a cleaner and more viable product for a sustainable future.

Evaluation of Virucidal Quantitative Carrier Test towards Bovine Viruses for Surface Disinfectants While Simulating Practical Usage on Livestock Farms

Livestock farming is affected by the occurrence of infectious diseases, but outbreaks can be prevented by effective cleaning and disinfection along with proper farm management. In the present study, bovine coronavirus (BCoV) and bovine rotavirus A (RVA) were inactivated using food additive-grade calcium hydroxide (FdCa(OH)2) solution, quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) and their mixture through suspension tests as the primary screening, and afterward via carrier tests using dropping or dipping techniques as the secondary screenings. Viruses in the aqueous phase can be easily inactivated in the suspension tests, but once attached to the materials, they can become resistant to disinfectants, and require longer times to be inactivated. This highlights the importance of thorough cleaning with detergent before disinfection, and keeping elevated contact durations of proper disinfectants to reduce viral contamination and decrease infectious diseases incidence in farms. It was also reaffirmed that the suspension and carrier tests are necessary to evaluate disinfectants and thus determine their actual use. Particularly, the mixture of QAC and FdCa(OH)2 was found to exhibit synergistic and broad-spectrum effects compared to their use alone, and is now recommended for use on livestock farms.

Efficacy of Liming Forest Soil in the Context of African Swine Fever Virus

Since September 2020, Germany has experienced the first ever outbreak of African swine fever (ASF). The first known cases occurred exclusively in wild boar in forest areas in Brandenburg and Saxony; in July 2021, infected domestic pigs were also confirmed for the first time. As wild boar are considered the main reservoir for the virus in the European region, an effective interruption of this infection chain is essential. In particular, the removal and safe disposal of infected carcasses and the direct disinfection of contaminated, unpaved ground are priorities in this regard. For the disinfection, highly potent as well as environmentally compatible disinfectants must be used, which are neither influenced in their effectiveness by the soil condition nor by increased organic contamination. Thus, in this study, slaked lime, milk of lime and quicklime (1% to 10% solutions) were selected for efficacy testing against the test virus recommended by the German Veterinary Society (DVG), Modified Vaccinia Ankara virus (MVAV), and ASF virus (ASFV) in conjunction with six different forest soils from Saxony in two different soil layers (top soil and mineral soil) each. In summary, 10% of any tested lime type is able to inactivate both MVAV and ASFV under conditions of high organic load and independent of the water content of the soil. At least a 4 log reduction of the virus titer in all tested forest soil types and layers and by all applied lime types was observed. In conclusion, the high efficacy and suitability of all tested lime products against both viruses and in the presence of high organic load in forest soil can be confirmed and will help to control ASF spread.