José Carlos Ribeiro Júnior

Monitoring the health of cattle herds is essential for establishing prophylactic measures and reducing their impact on the production chain, especially in regions where beef cattle form the economic base. This study aimed to determine the serological profile of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), bovine viral diarrhea (BVD), leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis, and neosporosis in beef cattle slaughtered in a federally inspected slaughterhouse in the state of Tocantins, northern Brazil. A total of 614 serum samples from 70 herds were evaluated for the presence of antibodies to Bovine alphaherpesvirus-1 and Bovine viral diarrhea virus by virus neutralization test, 12 serovars of Leptospira spp. by microscopic agglutination test, and to Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum by indirect immunofluorescence reaction. The rates of seropositive animals for IBR, BVD, leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis, and neosporosis were 90.4, 50.8, 63.2, 6.2, and 7.3%, respectively. For herds, 100% had at least one animal serum positive for IBR and leptospirosis. Considering the seropositive rates for the five infectious diseases observed in slaughtered cattle, the number of beef cattle in Tocantins, and the intrinsic conditions of the etiological agents being by regional seasonality, it is essential to implement or improve animal health surveillance, prevention, and biosecurity programs to ensure better productivity and economic sustainability of beef cattle herds in the state.

Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) are critical in key stages of food production and processing. After manufacturing, slicing process can serve as a point of contamination, potentially compromising the quality and shelf life of mozzarella. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of SSOP on the quantification and diversity of psychrotrophic bacteria with proteolytic and lipolytic potential in mozzarella before and after industrial slicing. Psychrotrophic bacteria were isolated, phenotypically assessed for spoilage potential under mesophilic and psychrotrophic conditions, analysed for diversity using dendrograms of genetic similarity and identified by partial sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The mean psychrotrophic counts were 3.77 (±0.83) log CFU/mL before slicing and 3.58 (±0.51) log CFU/mL in the sliced product, indicating a non-significant reduction ( p < 0.05). Regarding spoilage potential, none of the 233 isolates evaluated exhibited proteolytic activity under psychrotrophic conditions. However, psychrotrophic lipolytic activity was predominant both before and after slicing. The species Lactobacillus delbrueckii , which is part of the saccharolytic inoculum used to reduce the pH of the curd during cheese production, was the main proteolytic bacteria under mesophilic conditions (35°C) in both before and after sliced samples. Although the bacterial counts indicated the full efficiency of the slicer’s SSOP, the microbial diversity analysis revealed the inclusion of Staphylococcus succinus, Staphylococcus hominis, Enterococcus faecalis and Klebsiella pneumoniae during the slicing process, albeit at low levels. Therefore, relying solely on psychrotrophic quantification may not be sufficient to attest the efficiency of the slicer’s SSOP. Even under controlled industrial conditions, spoilage bacteria from handling and environmental sources may be introduced into sliced mozzarella. Methods for improving the microbiological quality of the mozzarella pieces prior to slicing, as well as the intensification of sanitary procedures, must be reviewed and implemented to improve the shelf life and commercial potential of sliced mozzarella.

O impacto na saúde pública e ambiental advindas da contaminação de corpos hídricos é uma preocupação crescente no Brasil. O rio Lontra, no sudeste da Amazônia Legal, e interior do Matopiba, parece seguir essa tendência. Este estudo monitorou os parâmetros físico-químicos, microbiológicos do rio Lontra e ao longo de 19 meses. Foram analisados 8 pontos urbanos do rio Lontra, em Araguaína, Tocantins. Os resultados revelaram divergências dos padrões estabelecidos para pH e oxigênio dissolvido pela legislação vigente, assim como indícios contaminação fecal. Os pontos de amostragem exibiram evidentes sinais de impactos antrópicos. Apesar de sua localização estratégica para a preservação da biodiversidade brasileira, o rio Lontra tem sido afetado pela poluição ao longo das últimas décadas. Os resultados sugerem que a degradação dos córregos urbanos adjacentes contribui significativamente para a contaminação do rio, juntamente com o desmatamento das margens, represamento e deposição de resíduos sólidos. Estes fatores representam sérios riscos para o ecossistema aquático e para a saúde daqueles que dependem das águas do rio Lontra para atividades recreativas ou de subsistência. Esses resultados deixam claro a carência de uma gestão ambiental efetiva e da implementação de políticas públicas voltadas para a conscientização e educação ambiental da população local

This study assessed the microbiological quality and safety of mozzarella during various production stages in northern Tocantins, Brazil, by identifying critical biological points in the industrial environment within a tropical climatic region. Batches of mozzarella were evaluated, from raw milk to primary packaging, with a shelf life of 120 d at 4°C. Indicator microorganisms were quantified, and through microbiological and biomolecular approaches, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes were identified. In addition, the toxigenic potential of coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS) was characterized. Results indicated that the raw milk used for mozzarella production had low microbiological quality; pasteurization of raw milk effectively eliminated all identified pathogens and reduced microbiological counts ( p > 0.05). An increase in bacterial counts (>2 log colony-forming unit [CFU]/g) and recontamination with Salmonella spp. and CPS, which potentially produce staphylococcal enterotoxin B, were observed during milk coagulation and curd draining. Stretching of the fermented curd reduced the enterobacteria, total coliforms, and Escherichia coli median values by 2.56, 2.64, and 2.3 log CFU/mL, respectively. Similarly, brining the pieces by immersion reduced the quantity of enterobacteria and total coliforms by 2.3 and 1.6 log CFU/mL, respectively. Of interest, in the freshly finished product, Salmonella spp. was present but L. monocytogenes was absent; however, after the shelf-life period, L. monocytogenes was present but Salmonella spp. was absent. Considering the environmental conditions that can promote the multiplication and preservation of pathogens and spoilage of dairy products in tropical climates, it is necessary to review operational hygiene procedures, particularly in milk coagulation vats and fermentation tables. This will ensure the production of high-quality mozzarella cheese with a reduced consumption risk.

Water systems globally are declining in water quality, largely due to anthropogenic activities, with freshwater contamination reaching unprecedented levels. The Brazilian Legal Amazon (BLA), holding 13.56% of the world’s fresh water, is affected due to the lack of basic sanitation. This study assesses the quality of the Lontra River, in southeastern BLA, by monitoring physicochemical and microbiological parameters and detecting DEC E. coli and Salmonella spp. over 16 months, following current regulations. The data were analyzed using Pearson’s chi-square and Fisher’s exact test (p ≤ 0.05), Kruskal–Wallis test (p ≤ 0.05), with Tukey post hoc (α = 0.05), and Spearman’s correlation (p ≤ 0.05). Results showed pH levels were below the optimal range established by Brazilian water quality indices and legislation, with seasonal variations, and dissolved oxygen also below acceptable limits. Thermotolerant coliforms (TtC) exceeded thresholds, signaling microbiological contamination. DEC E. coli and Salmonella spp. were detected in 32.14% and 67.85% of samples, respectively, even in those with low TtC levels. No correlation was found between TtC and pathogen presence, suggesting that meeting minimum water quality standards does not guarantee the absence of pathogenic microorganisms. These findings reveal significant environmental and public health risks related to surface water quality in the Lontra River. Also highlight discrepancies between regulatory water quality standards and the actual conditions observed, underscoring the need for regionally adapted water monitoring and management practices to protect both environmental and public health in the BLA.

Espécies de Vibrio spp. são responsáveis por diversas doenças, como a cólera, de importância em saúde pública e ambiental. Estes patógenos possuem veiculação hídrica e também podem ser transmitidas por alimentos, causando sérios danos à sociedade devido ao seu potencial de infectar um grande número de pessoas e em um curto espaço de tempo. A determinação da presença ou ausência de microrganismos patogênicos numa grande variedade de amostras, seja no domínio alimentar, sanitário ou ambiental, tornou-se possível graças à difusão de abordagens baseadas na biologia molecular. Em comparação aos métodos de cultura convencionais, estas metodologias apresentam vantagens, nomeadamente em termos de sensibilidade da análise e de rapidez relativa. Considerando o risco à saúde pública, visto a importância da amplitude das doenças causadas por estes patógenos, objetivou-se neste trabalho identificar as espécies de Vibrio cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus e V. vulnificus em isolados oriundos de produtos de origem animal clandestinos e de amostras de efluentes hídricos do rio Lontra em Araguaína, Tocantins. Foram avaliados 565 isolados sugestivos de Vibrio spp., dos quais, 103 isolados foram confirmados utilizando metodologia PCR-Uniplex para espécies de Vibrio spp. e, entre estes, selecionados 10 isolados para sequenciamento genético. O resultado do sequenciamento confirmou as espécies Aeromonas sp., Escherichia coli e Morganella sp. como espécies para os isolados utilizados. Nas condições realizadas, não foi possível estabelecer a especificidade das técnicas PCR-Uniplex e PCR-Multiplex que fossem capazes de determinar as espécies de Vibrio spp. estudadas.