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Hazardous chemicals are indispensable substances for the development of modern industries. However, improper storage, transportation, or handling of hazardous chemicals can cause chain disasters su...

This study was conducted to determine quality criteria of raisins served to taste of consumers in local bazaars and identify their compliance with the standards. Raisin samples randomly taken from local bazaars in Midyat town of Mardin province and Besiri town of Batman province were used as the material of the study. A total of 30 samples (15 from each town) were subjected to physicochemical analyses (100-raisin weight, number of raisins per 100 g, average raisin width, average raisin length, average number of seeds, average seed weight, raisin skin color parameters, chroma and hue angle, pH, TSSC (total soluble solid contents), maturity index, water content, ash content, specific gravity and total acidity). According to size characteristics specified in Turkish Food Codex, in terms of number of raisins per 100 g, all samples, except for M‑2 (large), were classified in jumbo (very large) class. In terms of chroma values, M‑13 (15.97) and B‑3 (6.51) samples had the greatest color saturation and M‑11 (3.64) and B‑13 (0.22) samples had the opaquest colors. In terms of hue angle values, M‑3 (312.59) and B‑13 (112.28) samples had the darkest blue color and M‑10 (54.09) and B‑1 (85.92) samples had the darkest red-purple color. In terms of pH values, M‑6 (4.68) samples were classified as moderately acidic foods and all the others were classified as acidic foods. Despite the lack of vertical food codex for raisins in Turkish Food Codex, compliance is required with the horizontal regulation provisions (labeling, contaminants, pesticide, additives, microbiological criteria and etc. applied to all foodstuffs). Present findings revealed that there were no standard productions in raisins sold in public bazaars. Thus, it was concluded that improper storage and marketing conditions could pose serious risks on public health. Therefore, raisin topic should urgently be issues and relevant controls should be made accordingly. A similar study was not conducted in Midyat and Besiri towns of Southeastern Anatolia region. Thus, present findings may guide further researchers.

BACKGROUND Platelets are the most commonly discarded blood product in Canada, with the most common cause of in-date product loss being improper storage. Transport containers to maintain temperature and extend acceptable return time may represent a method to reduce wastage. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a validated Platelet Transport Bag (PTB) on platelet wastage. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Thirty-six hospitals with the highest platelet discards were invited to participate in a before-after observational study. Hospitals were instructed to utilize a validated 4-h PTB for clinical situations where immediate transfusion was not planned. Five hospitals audited in-date platelet discards from July 2018 to November 2019 to characterize wastage causes. In-date platelet discard data 12 months before and after the start date for each site were analyzed to determine changes in wastage. RESULTS Of 36 hospital sites, 16 agreed to participate. Pre- and postdiscards were 277 and 301, respectively, for all sites combined. There were no significant before-after change in wastage rate (+0.05%, p = .51). Fifty discards were included in the detailed audit; the most common reasons were return to the blood bank after more than 60 min outside a PTB (n = 17, 34%) and return in a red cell cooler (n = 10, 20%). CONCLUSION Implementation of PTB did not improve wastage. Common causes of in-date discards were return after 1 h outside of a PTB and placement in a red cell cooler in error. Further research is required to investigate potential strategies to mitigate in-date platelet wastage.

A garantia da qualidade é o mecanismo que propicia ao laboratório de análises clínicas apresentar resultados confiáveis adequados e corretamente interpretados. Na rotina de trabalho desses laboratórios, utilizam-se calibradores, que são padrões conhecidos com características quantitativas e/ou qualitativas determinadas, os controles podem ser utilizados para medir alguns parâmetros de qualidade laboratorial. A depender dos fabricantes, existem algumas sugestões de manuseio a ser seguido, para então, obter maior fidedignidade de aferição. O desempenho do calibrador pode ser afetado por erros de reconstituição, de homogeneização, armazenamento incorreto, contaminação da água ou vidraria. Dessa forma, este trabalho avaliou a estabilidade de controles comerciais submetidos a temperaturas diversas encontradas em situações reais de laboratório, como a refrigeração entre 4-8 ºC, exposição sob bancada de trabalho, a temperatura ambiente, e armazenada dentro de um automóvel, em temperaturas de 60-80 ºC, por períodos de 1 a 12 dias. Tanto o tempo quanto a temperatura em que as alíquotas são armazenadas não ocasionaram alterações nesse produto (exceto para a creatinina, apresentou-se instável no 12º dia do estudo), apresentando valores dentro das faixas estimadas, e possivelmente as alíquotas fora das faixas estimadas devem-se a erro sistemático.

An automated vending cum disposal unit with self-sterilization unit is proposed to cope with the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic scenario. Researchers have stated that COVID-19 transmission among Indians occurs significantly through improper storage of the soiled face masks with personal belongings and through discarding of the soiled face masks in public areas. The proposed design integrates the 3-ply and 4-ply face masks vending unit, disposal unit and sterilization unit into a single machine, and the modeling is performed in solid works (2019). The objective of this proposed design is to inhibit human contact while vending and/or disposing face masks.

Honey is a nutritious substance produced by bees. Its quality and nutritional value is of great importance for consumers. Keeping this in view physicochemical and minerals determination as quality parameters of fresh floral Pakistani honeys produced by A. mellifera and branded honeys was conducted. The results of fresh honey indicated average means of Color as 48.78 mmPfund, pH 4.9, Total acidity 37.14 meq/kg, Moisture content 18.62%, Electrical conductivity 0.23 mS/cm, Ash content 0.49%, HMF content 30.85 mg/kg, Proline 365.84 mg/kg, Diastase activity 34.39(DN) and Invertase activity was 68.61(IN) comparable to honey standards. Natural honey were rich in k+ (408.46 ppm) and Na+ (405 ppm). Although Ca+ was very low. Whereas, Co, Mn and Ba concentrations exceed the 1 ppm. However, Pb, Cr, and Mo were unnoticeable. Similarly, Color, pH, MC, EC, T. Acidity, HMF, Proline, Ash content, Diastase and Invertase activity of branded honey samples average means found were 42.5 mmPfund, 5.05, 20.5%, 0.18 mS/cm, 15.34 meq/kg, 36.5 mg/kg, 181.6 mg/kg, 1.11%, 7.90(DN) and 36.97(IN) respectively. The findings showed that fresh honey samples were good and of consumable quality as per honey standards than branded honey. Higher HMF content and lower enzymatic activity in branded honey sample than the Codex standards revealed its either long or improper storage. Keywords: Honey analysis, Branded honey, Mineral content, Pakistan

This device introduces a storage method for Chinese medicinal materials, and specifically relates to the field of medicinal materials storage management. The air conditioner of this device is connected to the storage box through a pipe. The storage box is equipped with an intelligent sensing module, which contains a variety of sensors for collecting environmental information in the storage box. The main information processing module is communicatively connected to a data transmission module, which is communicatively linked to the server, and the server is communicatively connected to the intelligent air conditioning system. In order to solve the defects in the existing storage methods, this device reduces the waste rate of Chinese medicinal materials due to improper storage and uncontrollable manual operation, Thus, this design provides an intelligent storage device of Chinese medicinal materials.

Background: Equestrian athletes (horse riders) are at high risk for head injury, including concussions. Materials & methods: Adults riders were recruited via social media posting to complete a branching survey collecting data on demographics, riding experience, helmet use, injury history and concussion symptom knowledge. Results are reported as frequencies and percentages, with associations tested using chi-square with significance level p < 0.05. Results: Of the 2598 subjects, about 75% reported always wearing a helmet. Of those who did not, the most common reasons were that helmets are unnecessary (57.4%) or do not fit well (48.6%). Many indicated improper storage conditions and/or did not follow manufacturer’s replacement recommendations. Most (75.4%) reported a high level of comfort with recognizing concussion signs, with half experiencing a prior head injury. Conclusion: This information suggests opportunities for intervention to improve helmet use through increased fit, while the responses indicate a need for further education on proper helmet use.

Improper storage and transportation of non-alcoholic beverages can, over longer periods, induce Maillard reaction, degrading nutritional components and generating genotoxic and carcinogenic by-products such as furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), rendering products unsafe for human consumption. Here, we describe a rapid quantitative solution-based method and test-strips for detection of furfural and HMF. The standard spectroscopic method indicated an LOD of 0.006 ± 0.003 % (v/v) and 0.005 ± 0.002 % (v/v) for furfural and HMF, respectively in fruit juice samples. The novel chromogenic test-strip has sensitivity of 0.008 % (v/v) and 0.004 % (v/v) for furfural and HMF, respectively in the same samples of fruit juice. Thus, the developed method and test-strips were specific for furfural and HMF and can be used to help ensure food safety and quality in various industrial applications.

Background: Many OTC drugs are available in non-pharmacy outlets, and as such the risk of overuse and/or improper use of this class of drugs is more likely. In light of this observation, our study was conducted with the aim of exploring opinions on non-pharmaceutical distribution among Polish patients. This study was a part of an informative project to educate patients about the possible risks associated with the use of OTC medicines. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among Polish patients in which we used an authorial questionnaire, previously tested via content, face validity, and a pilot study. The questionnaire was distributed both electronically and in a traditional form. Results: ‘Time saving’ had a statistically significant role in the patient’s decision about purchasing drugs in a non-pharmacy outlet (p = 0.0052, R = 0.276994). The lack of a pharmacist’s consultation/advice (p = 0.0072, R = −0.3290490), improper storage (p = 0.0044, R = −0.238246), risk of overdose (p = 0.0125, R = −0.189564), and the risk of purchasing out-of-date drugs (p = 0.0125, R = −0.145411), as well as the risk of purchasing falsified drugs (p = 0.0265, R = −0.159428), were all associated with the patient’s non-willingness to purchase drugs in non-pharmacy outlets. Patients supported the idea of the elimination of non-pharmacy outlet distribution (p = 0.0074, R = −0.195932), they also emphasized that they are advocates of purchasing drugs only in community pharmacies (p = 0.0006, R = −0.238625). Conclusion: Patients are aware of the risks associated with buying drugs outside of community pharmacies. They perceived pharmacists as professional health care advisors and supported the fact that OTC drugs should be available only via pharmaceutical distribution.

The critical unit is a treatmenta room for patients with severe conditions that require close observation and advanced treatment. Due to severe conditions, patients are given therapy and types of drugs that require special attention or are often called high alert drugs, either in providing, giving or storing. The administration of drug in an inappropriate manner can cause a reaction that is dangerous to the patient and improper storage can also harm the patient materially.This study aims to determinethe compliance of nurse in the high alert drug storage processin the Critical Care Room in Bandung Adventist Hospital. The storage process includes labeling high alert drugs including high concentration electrolytes,cytostatic drugs,similar speech drugs ( NORUM AND LASA ),narcotics,insulin,antiarythmia,inotropics, and anticoagulants. The method used in this research is descriptive, namely through the data obtained fron the compliance of nurse who are in the critical care roomin Bandung Adventist Hospital regarding the storage process and high alert drug services. The results showed that the compliance of nurses who were in the critical care room who was the most obedient in storing high alert drugs was the NICU-PICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit - Pediatric Intensive Care Unit) room with an adherence rate of 86,01%. While the space that is lacking in compliance with high alert drug storage is the HCU-ICCU ( High Care Unit- Intensive Caronary Care Unit) room of rate 77,56% . This shows that the level of compliance thatis owned is still below the standard qualityindicator, which is 100%. So,it requires commitment by the nursesto better complywith the high alert drug storageand service protocols.

Dabai (Canarium odontophyllum) or also known as ‘Sarawak olive’ is one of the potential indigenous seasonal fruits commonly found in Sarawak. Due to its high nutritional contents, it has wide potential to be marketed locally and exported internationally. Dabai is very delicate and highly perishable. The shelf life of dabai is usually 3 days when stored in room temperature (27°C). Improper storage and handling lead to the reduction of quality and shelf life of the fruit throughout storage. There is still limitation on the information of postharvest, storage and handling, quality and shelf life of dabai. Studies on quality and shelf life affected by storage treatment and packaging are necessary in optimising shelf life and minimising quality loss of the fruit. This could ensure further potential development of the fruit locally and internationally.

Growing demand from the consumers for minimally processed and high-quality food products has raised the scientific quest for foods with improved natural flavours in conjunction with a restricted supplement of additives. In this context, achieving quality and safe food grains and the identification of suitable processing and disinfection technologies have also become the key issues. Microbial contamination is one of the major reasons responsible for the spoilage of food grains. Various sources of contamination such as air and water (both contaminated with dust and dirt), animals (insects, birds, rodents), environmental conditions (rainfall, drought, temperature), unhygienic handling, harvesting, processing equipment and improper storage conditions are responsible for the microbial spoilage of food grains. In order to maintain the food grains safe and un-contaminated, several food processing technologies have been explored and implemented, with the ultimate purpose of maintaining the safety, freshness and nutritional attributes of the food products. Among these technologies, microwave, radiofrequency, infrared, ohmic heating, novel drying methods along with non-thermal methods such as cold plasma, irradiation, ozonation and nanotechnology have attracted much attention because of considerable reduction in the overall processing time with minimum energy consumption. This review aims to discuss the advances involving the said technologies for controlling the microbial contamination of food grains in accordance with their inactivation. Current research status of the thermal and non-thermal emerging technologies for the preservation of food grains as well as perspectives for further research in this area are also elaborated in detail.

Street food is food obtained from a street side vendor, often from a makeshift or portable stall and it feeds millions of people daily with a wide variety of foods that are relatively cheap and easily accessible. Street food is intimately connected with take-out, junk food, snacks, and fast foods but it is not protected against insects, dust etc; which may harbor foodborne pathogens. Pathogens present in street vended foods come from different sources and practices, such as, improper food handling, improper waste disposal, contaminated water and improper storage temperature and reheating. Food borne illnesses are defined as diseases, usually either infectious or toxic in nature, caused by agents that enter the body through the ingestion of food. Like other African and World countries there are many food vendors in Ethiopia where they sell both raw and cooked food items along the streets of different cities but it is far more unhygienic due to several reasons. So the objective of this review paper was to assess the existing research about street food safety, types, hygiene knowledge, and preparation and forward suggestion for stakeholders/policy makers to bridge the gap. Majority of street vended foods in Ethiopia are contaminated by bacteria like Salmonella, S aureus, E coli so the Government should intervene and solve the issue before it is too late.

Color changing food spoilage sensors for protein-based food products, such as fish and beef, are mostly based on the halochromic behavior of pH indicators. However, due to their reversible halochromic nature, these sensors can be manipulated by chemical treatment, hiding the true history and quality of deteriorated meat. Therefore, there is a need to create an irreversible and reliable food spoilage sensor, which clearly indicates to consumers if any food degradation or improper storage has occurred, and avoid nefarious food processing companies from disguising spoiled meat as fresh meat. Here, a simple, irreversible, and halochromic sensor showing spoilage of seafood and meat products is developed. Specifically, chlorophenol red (CPR)-fatty acid particles are dispersed within an ammonia-permeable polymer matrix to form a nontoxic film sensor that shows obvious halochromic behavior toward bioamine or total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) given off by deteriorated seafood or meat products. After the removal of TVB-N, this sensor does not revert back to its original color due to a loss of π-π stacking of the original sulfonephthalein molecules. These features make this sensor applicable as a novel and reliable spoilage sensor for protein-based food products.

Segregation is an important step in health care waste management. If done incorrectly, the risk of preventable infections, toxic effects, and injuries to care and non-care staff, waste handlers, patients, visitors, and the community at large, is increased. It also increases the risk of environmental pollution and prevents recyclable waste from being recovered. Despite its importance, it is acknowledged that poor waste segregation occurs in most health care organizations. This study therefore intends to produce, for the first time, a classification of failure modes related to segregation in the Nuclear Medicine Department of a health care organization. This will be done using Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), by combining an intuitionistic fuzzy hybrid weighted Euclidean distance operator, and the multicriteria method Potentially All Pairwise RanKings of all possible Alternatives (PAPRIKA). Subjective and objective weights of risk factors were considered simultaneously. The failure modes identified in the top three positions are: improper storage of waste (placing items in the wrong bins), improper labeling of containers, and bad waste management (inappropriate collection periods and bin set-up).

For the improper storage, tobacco leaf mildew causes huge economic losses to the tobacco industry. It is particularly important to build a simple and accurate prediction model of tobacco leaf mildew. In this paper, BP neural network model is established, beetle antennae search algorithm is used to optimize the initial weights and thresholds of the BP neural network, a new BAS-BP model is proposed to predict the mildew of stored tobacco leaves. Simulation results show that BAS-BP model has better prediction accuracy than the standard BP neural network. Compared with PSO-BP model, the accuracy is close, but BAS-BP takes less time.

Introduction: A clean and functional microscope is necessary for accurate diagnosis of infectious diseases. In tropical climates, high humidity levels and improper storage conditions allow for the accumulation of debris and fungus on the optical components of diagnostic equipment, such as microscopes. Objective: Our objective was to develop and implement a low-cost, sustainable, easy to manage, low-maintenance, passive humidity control chamber to both reduce debris accumulation and microbial growth onto the optical components of microscopes. Methods: Constructed from easily-sourced and locally available materials, the cost of each humidity control chamber is approximately $2.35 USD. Relative humidity levels were recorded every 30 minutes over a period of 10 weeks from two chambers deployed at the Belize Vector and Ecology Center and the University of Belize. Results: The humidity control chamber deployed at the University of Belize maintained internal relative humidity at an average of 35.3% (SD = 4.2%) over 10 weeks, while the average external relative humidity was 86.4% (SD = 12.4%). The humidity control chamber deployed at the Belize Vector and Ecology Center effectively maintained internal relative humidity to an average of 54.5% (SD = 9.4%) over 10 weeks, while the average external relative humidity was 86.9% (SD = 12.9%). Conclusions: Control of relative humidity is paramount for the sustainability of medical equipment in tropical climates. The humidity control chambers reduced relative humidity to levels that were not conducive for fungal growth while reducing microscope contamination from external sources. This will likely extend the service life of the microscopes while taking advantage of low-cost, locally sourced components.

Transmitted and non-transmitted bores, fractures and sometimes holes are the common aspects of deterioration that can be found in archaeological bones in excavations and storehouses. The factors that cause these forms of deterioration may include biological factors, improper storage, human errors, etc. This study focuses on the evaluation of some pates used in gap filling of bones in order to verify their effectiveness in the treatment of bone artifacts and to develop them in the future. Change of color, change in the chemical structure, mechanical properties measurement (compressive strength, tensile strength and elongation), wettability, density, porosity, water absorption and investigation of the surface morphology were used to evaluate the pastes used. The results revealed that the paste No. 2 (Paraloid B-72 with glass micro-balloons) was better than the paste No. 1 (Paraloid B-72 with CaCo3) and the paste No. 3 (beeswax, shellac, sawdust, turpentine and 6 ml of tea tree oil) in most properties.

Aging, poor oxygenation, or improper storage temperature can lead to variable Eimeria oocyst viability, which is not readily assessed microscopically. Under fluorescent microscopy, some aged Eimeria maxima (EM) oocysts were strongly autofluorescent (AF) within the oocystoplasm and sporocysts, whereas others were distinctly non-fluorescent, leading to the hypothesis that non-viable oocysts may be detectible using this simple approach. Using accelerated aging conditions at 45°C, two experiments were conducted to evaluate variable percentages of autofluorescent EM oocysts on body weight gain (BWG), lesion scores (LS), and total oocyst shedding (OS) per bird. Through oral gavage, EM oocysts were administered on d10, whereas LS and BWG were determined d5 post-inoculation. Experiment 1 groups consisted of non-challenged controls (n = 15), or 25,000 EM exhibiting 12.8% (n = 14), 61.1% (n = 10), or 93.3% (n = 10) autofluorescence. BWG in 12.8% AF group was lower (P = 0.054) than non-challenged control. LS were higher (P0.05) in 61.1% and 12.8% AF groups as compared to non-challenged control and 93.3% AF groups. Experiment 2 groups consisted of non-challenged controls (LS n = 20/BWG n = 40), or 22,500 EM exhibiting 7% AF (LS n = 20/BWG n = 40), 80.6% AF (LS n = 19/BWG n = 39), or 99% AF (LS n = 19/BWG n = 39). BWG in 7% AF group was lower (P0.05) than non-challenged control and 99% AF groups. LS were higher (P0.05) in 80.6% and 7% AF groups as compared to non-challenged control and 99% AF groups. OS from d5-8 post-inoculation was determined for each of five replicates per group (n = 20/group; n = 4/replicate), with higher (P0.05) OS in 80.6% and 7% AF groups than in non-challenged control or 99% AF groups. Taken together, data indicate lower LS, higher BWG, and reduced OS with higher %AF oocysts, consistent with the hypothesis of lowered viable challenge with this EM isolate.

To discuss the new risks associated with caustic ingestion and increase awareness of the variation in clinical presentation, initial management, and long-term complications associated with ingestion of corrosives and button batteries. Improper storage of caustic materials continues to be a major risk for caustic ingestion. Symptomatic patients should undergo endoscopy for injury assessment and feeding tube placement. Corticosteroids may play a role in decreasing risk of stricture formation. Pod detergents are commonly ingested and need to be properly child proofed. There is a higher risk of morbidity and mortality associated with ingestion of larger lithium button batteries. Esophageal and gastric strictures are common and may require dilatation, esophageal stents, incisional therapy, and surgery. Improved education is needed to decrease the sequelae caused by ingestion of caustic substance and button batteries.

The flow pack wrapper is a popular packaging choice for retail sale of whole chickens. However, it may provide a favorable environment for growth and spread of Salmonella within the package, leading to an outbreak of salmonellosis. To investigate this possibility, a process risk model was developed that predicted the risk of salmonellosis from chicken parts prepared from whole chickens sold in flow pack wrappers and subjected to proper storage (6 h at 4°C) or improper storage (72 h at 15°C) before preparation. The model had four unit operations (pathogen events): (i) preparation (contamination), (ii) cooking (death), (iii) serving (cross-contamination), and (iv) consumption (dose-response). Data for prevalence, number, and serotype of Salmonella on chicken parts were obtained by whole sample enrichment, real-time PCR. Improper storage increased (P0.05) prevalence of Salmonella on raw chicken parts from 10.6% (17 of 160) to 41.2% (66 of 160) and incidence of cross-contamination of cooked chicken from 10% (4 of 40) to 52.2% (24 of 46). Improper storage also increased (P0.05) the number (mean ± standard deviation) of Salmonella from 0.017 ± 0.030 to 3.51 ± 1.34 log per raw chicken part and from 0.048 ± 0.089 to 3.08 ± 1.50 log per cooked chicken part. The predominant serotypes isolated (n = 111) were Typhimurium (34.2%), Typhimurium var 5- (20.7%), Kentucky (12.6%), Enteritidis (11.7%), and Heidelberg (8.1%). When chicken was properly stored before preparation, the model predicted that risk of salmonellosis was low and sporadic with only six cases per 100 simulations of 10

Wheat and flour contain essential nutrients such as carbohydrate, minerals, fats and proteins which may aid proliferation of microorganisms in products made from cereal grains and kept under improper storage condition. This study was conducted to determine the microbial load of bread and flour sold in packed and unpacked forms by the local and super markets in Dhaka city. Socioeconomic background, awareness of the microbiological contamination, spoilage of bread and flour and hygiene status of the salespeople were also studied to determine any correlation between the contamination of bread and flour sold by local and super markets. About 20 samples of flour (n=10) and bread (n=10) were included in this study to determine the load of total heterotrophic bacteria (THB), total Staphylococcus aureus (TSA), total Enterobacteriaceae (TE), total coliforms (TC), total yeast and mold (TYM). Equal number of unpacked (local market) and packed (supermarket) bread and flour samples were included in this study. TC, TSA and THB counts were found to be ~1.0 log10 cfu/g higher in unpacked (local market) flour samples compared to those of packed (supermarket) samples. TSA counts were significantly higher in unpacked (local market) samples compared to the packed samples (p

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is one of the most commonly reported species causing foodborne diseases in China, to gain understanding of epidemiology characteristics of V. parahaemolyticus outbreaks in Zhejiang Province, China, we summarized data on V. parahaemolyticus outbreaks from 2010 to 2014 in Zhejiang Province reported to China National Foodborne Diseases Surveillance Network. A food item was implicated if V. parahaemolyticus was isolated from food or based on epidemiologic evidence. From 2010 to 2014, 71 outbreaks due to V. parahaemolyticus were reported, resulting in 933 illnesses and 117 hospitalizations without death. The median annual incidence rate of confirmed V. parahaemolyticus outbreaks reported was 2.75 per million population (rang, 1.11–5.60). About 90.1% (64/71) of outbreaks caused by V. parahaemolyticus occurred during May and October. Aquatic products (27 outbreaks, 38.0%), meat and meat products (9 outbreaks, 12.7%), plant-based foods (6 outbreaks, 8.4%), mixed foods (5 outbreaks, 7.0%) were the most commonly implicated foods. Outbreaks most frequently occurred in restaurants (50.7%), private residents (21.1%), and cafeteria (12.7%). Cross contamination (39.4%), improper cooking (21.1%), improper storage (16.9%) were main reasons. To prevent V. parahaemolyticus outbreaks caused by cross contamination, improper cooking and improper storage in high-temperature seasons, regulations for seafood safety from the production stage to the consumption stage should be strengthened.

We report on a preanalytical issue we encountered during routine clinical chemistry analyses, potentially leading to deviated analysis results and believe that it might help other laboratories to overcome similar problems. In a heparin-gel tube we measured an implausible glucose value of 0.06 mmol/L. Re-measurement of the same sample resulted in a glucose value of 5.4 mmol/L. After excluding an analytical error, we inspected the sample closer and found a white material as well as fatty droplets floating on the surface of the plasma tube. Evaluation of these structures revealed that the white particulate matter (WPM) consisted of fibrinogen, platelets and leukocytes and the fatty droplets most probably originated from the separator gel. We concluded that these structures formed a temporary clot in the instruments pipetting needle thereby altering the sampling volume and subsequently the measured glucose value. The formation of WPM might be attributable to high speed centrifugation, high cholesterol levels, the gel formulation or a combination of several issues such as temperature, heparin concentration, pH and patient-specific factors. The gel droplets were most probably caused by an aberrant gel formulation in combination with an improper storage of the empty tubes on the wards prior to phlebotomy. After adding an additional instrument cleansing cycle and changing to another batch of heparin tubes the problems could be significantly reduced.

Supplemental feeding with corn to attract and manage deer is a common practice throughout Texas. Other species, including northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus), are commonly seen feeding around supplemental deer feeders. In many cases, supplemental feeding continues year-round so feed supply stores always have supplemental corn in stock. Fluctuating weather and improper storage of corn can lead to and/or amplify aflatoxin contamination. Due to the recent decline of bobwhites throughout the Rolling Plains ecoregion of Texas, there has been interest in finding factors such as toxins that could be linked to their decline. In this study, we purchased and sampled supplemental corn from 19 locations throughout this ecoregion to determine if aflatoxin contamination was present in individual bags prior to being dispersed to wildlife. Of the 57 bags sampled, 33 bags (approximately 58%) contained aflatoxin with a bag range between 0.0-19.91 parts per billion (ppb). Additionally, three metal and three polypropylene supplemental feeders were each filled with 45.4 kg of triple cleaned corn and placed in an open field to study long-term aflatoxin buildup. Feeders were sampled every 3 months from November 2013-November 2014. Average concentration of aflatoxin over the year was 4.08 ± 2.53 ppb (±SE) in metal feeders, and 1.43 ± 0.89 ppb (±SE) in polypropylene feeders. The concentration of aflatoxins is not affected by the type of feeder (metal vs polypropylene), the season corn was sampled, and the location in the feeder (top, middle, bottom) where corn is sampled. It is unlikely that corn used in supplemental feeders is contributing to the bobwhite decline due to the low levels of aflatoxin found in purchased corn and long-term storage of corn used in supplemental feeders.

Insulin, as a peptide hormone drug, is susceptible to changes in stability when exposed to environmental factors under storage. Proper storage according to the manufacturer’s recommendations is important to maintain its potency and enable precise dosing for people with diabetes (PwD). While it is reasonable to assume that transport conditions and temperature are well controlled during the supply chain, little is known about insulin storage after dispensing and insulin potency at the moment of administration. Insulin is exposed to various environmental factors when carried by PwD and storage recommendations are often not met when it is stored in household refrigerators. It is difficult to assess changes in insulin potency in clinical practice, and there is a gap in the current scientific literature on insulin stability. Package leaflet recommendations only give limited information on the impact of improper storage conditions on insulin stability and guidelines by health organizations are inconsistent. Given the importance of precise dosing in diabetes care, there is a need for more transparency on insulin stability, awareness for proper storage among health care professionals and PwD as well as clear guidelines and practical storage recommendations from manufacturers and health organizations.

Meat, poultry, and its associated products being highly perishable pose threat to transmit diseases from animals to human beings and thus are of zoonotic importance. India ranks eighth in the world for meat production, which is estimated to produce 8.89 million tons per year. In India, meat deteriorates quicker than other cold nations with humid climatic circumstances, with prevailing warm and humid climatic circumstances. Local health officials govern meat manufacturing and slaughtering under local legislation and remain a government topic. The current meat production is estimated to be 1.9 million tons; out of which about 21% is exported. The major factor contributing to foodborne disease including for meat is improper storage temperature which contributes to 63% among all other factors. The quality issues in meat and poultry processing are classified into biological, physical, and chemical. All food business operators involved in the manufacturing, processing, storing, and selling of meat, poultry, and their products are mandated to comply specific hygienic and sanitary practices provided in Part IV of the Schedule 4 of the FSSR 2011, which have been effective from 05/08/2011, and therefore contribute largely to the good quality and healthy meat for the consumers.

This review provides a general overview of the suitability of different agro-industrial wastes for enzyme immobilization. For the purposes of this literary study, the support materials are divided into two main groups, called lignocellulosic (coconut fiber, corn cob, spent grain, spent coffee, husk, husk ash, and straw rice, soybean and wheat bran) and not lignocellulosic by-products (eggshell and eggshell membranes). The study pointed out that all of these wastes are materials of great potentiality for enzyme immobilization even if coconut fiber is preferred. This result is of significant interest due to the low cost and great availability of such wastes, which actually are underused and cause significant environmental problems for improper storage. In addition, the development of economic biocatalysts more sustainable, besides reduce environmental impacts, improve the application of enzymatic technology in industry. Therefore, the enzyme immobilization reaction and the application of biocatalysts are reviewed and discussed.

This chapter describes some of the key considerations that need to be made in the storage of and subsequent transport of materials to and through the process, including delumping and sizing equipment. Improper storage or incorrectly sized storage vessels can cause undesirable effects such as spoilage, mold growth, and breakage that will negatively affect finished food quality. During the transport or transfer process, the key is to have minimum change in the functionality of the ingredient. This can be achieved if consideration is given of the ingredient properties, environmental conditions, and proper equipment selection.

Epinephrine autoinjectors (EAIs) are important first aid medications for treating anaphylaxis. A 10-fold price increase over the past 12 years and evidence that expired EAIs may still contain significant doses of available epinephrine have motivated interest in the efficacy of expired EAIs as treatments of last resort. Degradation of expired EAIs, which can be caused by improper storage conditions, results in various degrees of discoloration of the epinephrine solution. Previous studies have determined that significant epinephrine remains available in expired EAIs, but these have only considered EAIs that show no discoloration. Here, we investigate the potential for colorimetric estimation of available epinephrine dose based on the degree of discoloration in expired EAIs. The correlation of available epinephrine dose and time since expiration date was poor (r = - 0.37), as determined by an industry standard UHPLC protocol. Visible absorbance of the samples integrated across the range 430-475 nm correlated well with available epinephrine dose (r = - 0.71). This wavelength corresponds to the blue channel of a typical smartphone camera Bayer filter. Smartphone camera images of the EAI solutions in various illumination conditions were analyzed to assign color indices representing the degree of discoloration. Color index of the samples showed similar correlation (|r| 0.7) with available epinephrine dose as that of visible spectrophotometry. Smartphone imaging colorimetry is proposed as a potential point-of-use epinephrine dose estimator for expired and degraded EAIs. Graphical abstract.

Chili is a superior commodity that is much needed by Indonesian people. This commodity is susceptible to damages such as weight loss, decreased vitamin C content, color fades, and decay, which causes reduced shelf life. An improper storage process accounts for about 30% damage to chili. The objective of the research was designing a chili storage tool based on the hypobaric system which can decrease the respiration rate and ethylene gas, thus expending the shelf life. This tool consisted of several components, namely storage room, reservoir tank, vacuum pump, control panel, and a table. The research method included design and instrument, also pepper quality testing. Hypobaric storage used a pressure of -60 (-55) kPa, and a temperature of 22.9 °C. The results showed that the hypobaric storage design, instrument automation ran well, and the chili with hypobaric storage had minimal weight loss, water content, and vitamin C degradation, at 3.28%, 1.05%, and 12.91%. Parameters alteration based on entitlement with refrigerator were 6.66%, 6.8%, and 48.61%, whereas with room temperature the results were 9.7%, 15.98%, and 52.17%. Hypobaric storage for Chili was able to keep the chili quality better than room temperature and refrigerator.

Background: Rotavirus is considered worldwide as one of the most important viral gastrointestinal infections, resulting in potentially life-threatening diarrhoea and death in children under the age of 5 years. Rotavirus can survive and remain infectious for long periods outside of the human body and can be easily transmitted via environmental surfaces. Method: Stool specimens that had been collected and stored since 2010/2011 at 2°C – 8°C instead of −20°C or −80°C were analysed to determine the viability of rotavirus in these specimens after 6 years of improper storage. The specimens were analysed using simple enzyme immunoassay (EIA) methods from two different suppliers at different times throughout the period (2012–2017). Results: The analysis showed similar detection results for the two EIA kits. Conclusion: The rotavirus can be detected after several years of incorrect storage with EIA kits.

Commercial corn tortillas were assayed for pH, moisture, aw, aerobic plate count (APC) and mold and yeast count (MYC). The shelf life of commercial tortillas ranged from 3 to 60 days, depending on the amount and type of preservative added. High initial APCs of commercial tortillas were associated with poor sanitary conditions at the plants, airborne contamination and improper storage practices. Shelf life of tortillas was greatly enhanced by refrigerated storage with or without the use of antimicrobials. For tortillas stored at 25°C, substantial increases in shelf life were attained by acidification (0.45% fumaric acid) plus addition of K-sorbate or Ca-propionate, but particularly by combination of these two antimicrobials. For tortillas stored at 4°C, shelf life of non-acidified samples was somewhat enhanced by addition of parabens and combinations of K-sorbate and Ca-propionate. Shelf life of acidified tortillas at 4°C was somewhat enhanced by addition of parabens and K-sorbate but increased substantially by addition of Ca-propionate and combinations of K-sorbate and Ca-propionate.

Post-harvest loss of banana in Jimma town market was accounted a total loss of 26.5% in the supply chain. Of these, more percent of the total losses were being observed at the retail market (64.10%) and whole-salers level (35.90%). Mechanical damage followed by improper transport and improper storage were identified as the main causes of banana loss at whole-salers level while fruit rotting followed by improper ripening and mechanical damage were identified as the main causes to the loss of banana fruit at retail level. Hence, the current post-harvest management system of banana at whole-salers and retail level is inadequate. There is no sufficient attention given for the post-harvest management of banana in the supply chain. It was also observed that, there is a knowledge gap between the respondents in their experience of proper fruit handling techniques. Therefore, to reduce the level of post-harvest losses of banana, more emphasis should be given to post-harvest handling practices. The loss can be minimized or prevented by awareness creation, education and training about the importance of post-harvest losses, adopting better management operations, careful handling and packaging to the supply chain actors.

We aimed to identify and quantify the errors that dental students of UFES mostly commit when taking periapical radiographs. A total of 352 periapical radiographs was evaluated in this cross-sectional study. The radiographs were collected in the records of patients attended in the University in the last five years. Type of error and academic semester of the course were considered and data were submitted to the Chi-squared test at a significance level of 5%. The results demonstrated a high frequency of errors (84.37%) where the students in the 9th academic semester showed the highest frequency (92.30%) while those in the 8th academic semester had the lowest (70.00%) (p < 0.05). Improper storage (15.60%) was the most frequent error in the sample and it has not been quantified for academic environment in the literature to the best of our science. The other two most frequent errors were: inadequate positioning of the film (14.60%) and low radiographic density (10.60%). We concluded that most of the periapical radiographs taken by the dental students of UFES have errors. Attention should be given to the storage of film-based periapical radiographs in universities.

Explosives spontaneous combustion accidents in underground coal mines have not been taken seriously in China despite serious casualties and property losses. In order to avoid disasters of this sort, anatomy on eight accidents were performed, mainly involving the process of the occurrence and development, characteristics of casualties, causes and prevention. Improper storage and use of shoddy explosives were the primary reasons for these accidents. Toxic gases and smoke were generated in the explosives' smoldering or burning, so the poisoning and suffocation were the main types of casualties. Besides, unsafe acts of different staff, which resulted in the occurrence of accidental events and the expansion of casualties (i.e., affecting the evacuation and rescue), were analyzed emphatically, and almost all of them were violations. The senior manager and middle manager were the main producers of unsafe acts, which can provide the guidance for employees' targeted training and supervision. Overall, eliminating unsafe acts is an effective way to prevent this kind of accidents, and casualties can be reduced or even avoided through the proper evacuation and rescue. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 35: 221–227, 2016

Poor storage of biological evidence on cotton swabs is known to lead to fungal and bacterial growth. However, there are often situations where it is inconvenient to dry the swabs without running the risk of contamination, or where only plastic bags are the best option for packaging material. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of using 70% ethanol (v/v) and 100% isopropanol (v/v) to prevent or delay microbial growth on cotton swabs containing biological evidence and their effects on the subsequent STR analysis. The alcohols was applied on cotton swabs as moistening agent prior to collection of dried saliva stains. The cotton swabs were then packaged immediately in sealable plastic bags and stored at room temperature (27–29°C) for up to 5days to simulate improper storage conditions. DNA was extracted and then amplified using AmpFLSTR ® Identifiler ® Plus PCR Amplification kit to obtain STR profiles. The results showed no observable fungal growth on any of the swabs moistened with 70% ethanol (v/v) or 100% isopropanol (v/v), and full STR profiles could be obtained from these swabs, while the growth was observed on swabs moistened with sterile deionised water after 5days. The outcome of this study could be used to suggest an alternative DNA evidence collection and storage method in remote areas where samples must be transported in non-ideal conditions to central labs for analysis.

This publication deals with three psychoactive substances: 5-IT (1-(1H-Indol-5-yl)propan-2-amine), MT-45 (1-cyclohexyl-4-(1,2-diphenylethyl)-piperazine) and 4-CMC (2-methylamino-1-para-chlorofluorophenyl-propan-1-one). These compounds are hazardous to the health of their users. They may be unstable during long and improper storage, which creates an additional risk for people who use them. Therefore, it is important to check whether this phenomenon occurs in case of these compounds. Syntheses of compounds were carried out in our laboratory. Their identity was confirmed using a wide range of spectrometric, spectroscopic and chromatographic methods. Raman spectroscopy and gas chromatography with flame ionization detection were used as analysis tools in stability tests. The impact of storage time (up to 3 months) and temperature conditions (−20 °C, +4 °C, RT, +40 °C) on samples was examined.

Este estudo procurou conhecer e analisar a situação dos resíduos sólidos em uma escola pública. Trata-se de uma pesquisa quali-quantitativa, realizada a partir da aplicação de questionários com os funcionários e discentes da instituição. Além disso, foi realizada a caracterização física dos RS produzidos na escola, através da gravimetria. Estima-se que são gerados cerca 10,1 kg /dia, onde são gerados grandes quantidades de papeis e plásticos, caracterizados pela gravimetria de massa e volume. Em termos gerais, boa parcela da massa de RS corresponde a materiais que podem ser reciclados ou reutilizados (52,7%). A partir da análise dos resultados, foi possível identificar falhas no sistema de gerenciamento de RS, tais como: falta de segregação na fonte e resíduos armazenados de modo inapropriado. Conclui-se com recomendações para o aprimoramento do gerenciamento dos resíduos, dentre as quais recomendações referentes à realização de programas de educação ambiental (EA), visando à conscientização e sensibilização, em busca da mudança de atitudes em relação ao manejo dos RS, tanto na escola, quanto em ambiente extraescolar.

Aflatoxins are secondary metabolites produced by the fungal genus Aspergillus (mainly A. flavus and A. parasiticus) that contaminate various agricultural commodities, but most prevalent in maize, groundnut, and cotton. Considered to be potent carcinogens and teratogens to humans and farm animals, aflatoxin contamination gets accentuated by hot and dry weather conditions, insect feeding and mechanical damage during and after harvest, and improper storage conditions. Growing global concerns about aflatoxin contamination have prompted search for effective control measures and specific regulations to limit exposure to these mycotoxins. Cultural practices include use of resistant varieties; control of insect pests, timely harvesting, proper drying, storage, sorting, and cleaning of harvested produce curtail aflatoxin contamination to some extent, and biological control strategies such as use of atoxigenic A. flavus strains have proven efficient in preventing infection by aflatoxin-producing strains. Genetic engineering for aflatoxin resistance through gene overexpression and recent development in area of transgenics through host-induced gene silencing of aflatoxin biosynthesis pathway genes have provided promising results in several crops such as cotton, corn, and groundnut. This book’s chapter provides comprehensive overview on the various strategies and also updates the status of research to achieve aflatoxin resistance in crop plants. The role of various factors affecting aflatoxin contamination is also discussed that help to take appropriate measures for successful control of aflatoxin resistance. The availability of advanced molecular techniques, cutting edge tools and technologies provides greater potential to the development of markers and QTLs for aflatoxin resistance speeding up the development of durable aflatoxin-resistant varieties.

Objetivo: Avaliar a ocorrência, fatores contribuintes e riscos associados à estocagem de medicamentos em domicílio, bem como configurar a importância da assistência farmacêutica nesse campo. Método: Revisão de literatura por meio da identificação de artigos publicados nas bases Scielo, Pubmed e Medline no período de 2007 e 2020, utilizando como descritores: ‘assistência farmacêutica’, ‘medicamentos’, ‘domiciliar’, ‘uso racional’, ‘automedicação’, ‘estocagem’, com inserção em estudos observacionais e artigos originais. Resultados: É comum a estocagem de medicamentos em domicilio, impondo-se a necessidade de guardá-los da forma segura. De acordo com os achados, os medicamentos estocados comumente são aqueles isentos de prescrição médicas utilizadas para o tratamento de febre, diarreia, vômitos e resfriados, de fácil aquisição, e sobras de tratamentos. Observou-se também na revisão realizada a elevada frequência de armazenamento inadequado (exposição à luz, calor e umidade) e de data de vencimento e número de lotes ilegíveis, onde estas condições favorecem o risco de intoxicações por ingestão excessiva, uso não indicado e interações medicamentosas. Conclusão: Foi notório que o armazenamento de medicamentos em domicílio configura-se como uma prática comum dentre a população mundial. Associa-se então esta prática ao uso irracional de medicamentos e a intoxicações por fármacos colocando a saúde das pessoas em risco. Ressalta-se, a importância determinante da atuação do profissional farmacêutico na atenção farmacêutica básica e da família, bem como em farmácias comunitárias para traçar estratégias que corroborem para a solução desta problemática.

With the growth of academic institutions, the number of labs handling hazardous chemicals has increased. Although the chemicals used in academic institutions are well-known, the dosage, usage, and management of these chemicals pose significant threat to researchers at all levels. As a step towards incident prevention, a laboratory incident database was developed to record incidents at universities and secondary schools. The data consisted of 128 entries occurring during the years 2012–2015. Incidents were classified by institution type, hazard type, consequences, substance type, body parts injured and direct causes. Of 128 incidents, 65% of the incidents were taking place in universities. Chemical spills were observed to be the most recurrent hazard type contributing to 45% of the incidents following by explosions (23%) and fires (21%). The consequence which most frequently occurred in incidents was personal injury and hazmat response contributing to 22% each. It was observed that in 41% of the incidents, the body parts injured in the incident was not known or reported. Of the total 128 incidents, about 50 incidents occurred due to improper storage and handling.

Improper storage of wolfberry fruit is liable to soften, discoloration and adhesion, we call it “oil-spilling”. The purpose of the study is to explore the mechanism of “oil-spilling” of wolfberry fruits during storage. In our study, the relationship between water content, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the cross section, epidermal cells of wolfberry fruit were studied during storage. Results showed that wolfberry fruits began to “oil-spilling” on the 20th day, and with the extension of storage time, the degree of “oil-spilling” gradually deepened, the content of water increased and the activity of POD decreased, and the content of MDA increased. It suggested that “oil-spilling” was the result of improper external storage conditions, which it could promote the increase of water content and reactive oxygen free radical of wolfberry fruit, and lead to damage of cell structure and function and lipid peroxidation of cell membrane. The results explain the mechanism of “oil-spilling” and provide a strong basis for the establishment of scientific storage methods of wolfberry fruit.