Helicobacter pylori attachment-blocking antibodies protect against duodenal ulcer disease

The majority of the world population carry the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori. Fortunately, most individuals experience only low-grade or no symptoms, but in many cases the chronic inflammatory infection develops into severe gastric disease, including duodenal ulcer disease and gastric cancer. Here we report on a protective mechanism where H. pylori attachment and accompanying chronic mucosal inflammation can be reduced by antibodies that are present in a vast majority of H. pylori carriers. These antibodies block binding of the H. pylori attachment protein BabA by mimicking BabA's binding to the ABO blood group glycans in the gastric mucosa. However, many individuals demonstrate low titers of BabA blocking antibodies, which is associated with an increased risk for duodenal ulceration, suggesting a role for these antibodies in preventing gastric disease.

Evaluation of storage methods of beef by microbiological and chemical indicators

Meat and meat products are a major part of a person's ration. However, due to their high nutritional value, they are a favorable environment for the development of microorganisms and require refrigerated storage. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the storage methods for refrigerated and frozen beef by microbiological and chemical parameters and to suggest criteria for evaluating beef by the content of psychrotrophic microorganisms. It was found out that the storage of beef meat with an initial mesophilic bacterial content of about 4.88 log CFU.cm-2 of surface and psychrotrophic bacteria 3.79 log CFU.cm-2 at temperature 0 °C is only possible for 8 days, further, the microbiological indices exceed the acceptable standards. Investigation of the dynamics of microflora reproduction during the storage of beef in the frozen state at temperature -2 to -3 °C for 20 days established a decrease in 1.3 times the number of mesophilic bacteria in 10 days of storage. At the same time, the number of psychrotrophic microorganisms during this storage time was increased in 4.5 times, and 20 days in 7.9 times and amounted to 5.3 log CFU.cm-2 of surface area. This indicates that the storage of meat in the frozen state inhibits or completely stops the development of mesophilic microorganisms for 20 days. It was found out that storing of beef in the cooled state at a temperature of 0 ±0.5 °C for more than eight days is impractical, as its biochemical indices are worsening and signs of spoilage are appearing. At the same time, storing of beef in the frozen state at a temperature of -2 to -3 °C for 20 days does not cause such significant biochemical changes as in beef stored in the cooled state at a temperature of 0 ±0.5 °C for 16 days. Therefore, we have experimentally substantiated the quantitative indicators of the content of psychrotrophic microorganisms on the surface of beef intended for storage in a cooled or frozen state. The proposed microbiological criteria will improve the safety of beef.

FEATURES OF ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES RESIDUES ACCUMULATION IN MELLIFEROUS PLANTS, BEE POLLEN AND HONEY

Honey is natural product, which is produced by honeybees and due to contain of minerals, vitamins, simple sugars, organic acids, antioxidants and enzymes, it is considered as product with good nutritional and therapeutic properties. All beneficial characteristics of honey are reduced if it is contaminated with extraneous chemicals include pesticides. The purpose of this research was to study pesticides residues accumulation in the flowers of different types of melliferous plants, bee pollen and honey obtained from Odessa Region during 2015–2017 years. A total of 121 samples of flowers of melliferous plants and trees, 78 samples of bee pollen and 104 samples of honey were investigated with gas-liquid chromatography method. We found that all investigated samples were positive to such organochlorine pesticides as α, β, γ–isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane and dichlorodiphenyltrichloromethylmethane and its derivatives in different concentration. Our studies determined that high level of organochlorine pesticides was in samples of sunflower flowers whith average concentrations of α, β, γ–isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane 7.51±0.04 μg/kg, and DDT 6.98±0.02 μg/kg. Flowers of buckwheat and others field herbs (including as wild herbs as fodder crops) had even less concentration of these pesticides. Besides, the obtained results show that in the flowers of fruit trees (cherry, apple, pear, cherry, peach, cherry plum) had less concentration of studied pesticides in compere to forest trees (white acacia, linden). The results of bee pollen and honey samples examination have shown the same situation. The highest concentration of α, β, γ–isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane and dichlorodiphenyltrichloromethylmethane was in sample from sunflower origine with average consentration 3.52±0.05 and 3.77±0.03 μg/kg in bee pollen, 2.74±0.01 and 2.53±0.03μg/kg in honey respectively. However, the detected concentrations of pesticide residues in all samples were lower than the maxim admissibile limits, according to national and EU standards. Despite this, we suggest that regularly monitoring of pesticide residues in melliferous plants and apiculture products at national level need to grantee of quality and safety of honey and protection of consumers` health.

IDENTIFICATION OF FOOD PATHOGENS AND DETERMINATION OF THEIR DISTRIBUTION LEVEL IN UKRAINIAN FOOD PRODUCTS OF ANIMAL AND PLANT ORIGIN BY PCR METHOD

The foodborne pathogens cause serious public health problems in each country. In this regard, microbiological investigation is included in food safety management of the food chain. Molecular methods and mostly polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are considered highly sensitive, specific and rapid methods for pathogens detection from raw material and food. This study describes the using of specially designed and highly specific primers for PCR to identify 5 common and especially dangerous causeve agents of food poisoning and disease and to determine their level of distribution in food of animal and plant origin. The studies included the identification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Cronobacter spp. (E. sakazakii) from raw milk, Shiga toxin-producing strains of Escherichia coli (STEC) from beef and swine carcasses, Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens from various types of plant and animal raw materials and products of its processing - fruits, vegetables, berries, dried and preserved products, food concentrates, half-canned food. A total of 397 food samples were investigated to detect these pathogens using classical bacteriological methods and PCR. It was found that the distribution of foodborne pathogens in the studied products of animal and plant origin was as follows: Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Cronobacterspp. (E. sakazakii) in raw cow milk in 6.5% and 19.4% of cases, respectively; shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) from beef and pork carcasses in 8.1% and 5.7%; Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens from different types of plant and animal raw materials and their processing products averages 27.5 % and 7.7 %, respectively. The advantages of molecular biological methods to which the PCR method relates, include their speed, as well as the specificity of identification of microorganisms by the features of genetic regions of genes that carry information about their pathogenicity factors. It has been found that the rate of detection of these pathogens when using the PCR method in comparison with classical methods increases at least 5-9 times. This data will be useful for assessing microbiological risk and will help authorities develop strategies to reduce consumer health risks.

The study correlation between physicochemical properties, botanical origin and microbial contamination of honey from the south of Ukraine

The honey production is one of the most important agriculture branches of Ukraine. Since the beginning of 2000 year, honey becomes one of the first products of agriculture production that was allowed to export from Ukraine to the EU countries. The present study aims to evaluate microbial composition of honey of higher and first grades from south of Ukraine, which differ in water, sugar content and acidity. The correlation beetween physicochemical properties, botanical origin and microbial composition of honey were investigated. Total aerobic count (TAC), total count of fungi (TFC) and yeast (TYC), number of sporeforming anaerobes (SFA), Bacillus cereus and Clostridium botulinus were determined. Plate dilution method with specific cultural mediums and incubation conditions was used for indication and identification of microorganisms as well for quantitative CFU count determination in 1g of honey. The results indicated that the value of TAC was from 1.4 ±0.1 x 102 to 3.7 ±0.5 x 102 CFU.g-1 in higher grade honey and from 2.1 ±0.3 x 102 to 4.6 ±0.4 x 102 CFU.g-1 in first grade honey. Average amounts of fungi and yest in the first grade honey were more than in higher grade honey and amounted 15.±0.9 CFU.g-1, 6.48 ±0.7 CFU.g-1 and 17.98 ±1.2 CFU.g-1, 8.04 ±0.8 CFU.g-1 respectively. Also it was found that, 25.8% and 37.1% of higher and first grade honey samples had sporeforming anaerobes. The more of samples with Bacillus cereus and Clostridium botulinum were among samples of first-grade honey samples. In addition, we have determined that, samples of buckwheat honey and honey from fodder crops of both grades were more contaminated with all microorganisms than samples of sunflower honey and honey from fruit and non-fruit trees.Results of this work has revealed the relationship between the number of different groups and species of microorganisms in higher and first grade honey from south of Ukraine and its physicochemical properties and botanical origin. Our research could help to substantiate the sources of contamination of honey and confirm the existing findings of scientists about the direct proportional dependence of the content of microorganisms in honey, depending on its moisture content, acidity and sugars.