Increase in ACC oxidase levels and activities during paradormancy release of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) buds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The plant hormone ethylene is known to affect various developmental processes including dormancy and growth. Yet, little information is available about ethylene’s role during paradormancy break in adventitious buds of leafy spurge. In this study, we examined changes in ethylene evolution and the eth...

Harmonised investigation of the occurrence of human enteric viruses in the leafy green vegetable supply chain in three European countries.

PubMed

Kokkinos, P; Kozyra, I; Lazic, S; Bouwknegt, M; Rutjes, S; Willems, K; Moloney, R; de Roda Husman, A M; Kaupke, A; Legaki, E; D'Agostino, M; Cook, N; Rzeżutka, A; Petrovic, T; Vantarakis, A

2012-12-01

Numerous outbreaks have been attributed to the consumption of raw or minimally processed leafy green vegetables contaminated with enteric viral pathogens. The aim of the present study was an integrated virological monitoring of the salad vegetables supply chain in Europe, from production, processing and point-of-sale. Samples were collected and analysed in Greece, Serbia and Poland, from 'general' and 'ad hoc' sampling points, which were perceived as critical points for virus contamination. General sampling points were identified through the analysis of background information questionnaires based on HACCP audit principles, and they were sampled during each sampling occasion where as-ad hoc sampling points were identified during food safety fact-finding visits and samples were only collected during the fact-finding visits. Human (hAdV) and porcine (pAdV) adenovirus, hepatitis A (HAV) and E (HEV) virus, norovirus GI and GII (NoV) and bovine polyomavirus (bPyV) were detected by means of real-time (RT-) PCR-based protocols. General samples were positive for hAdV, pAdV, HAV, HEV, NoV GI, NoV GII and bPyV at 20.09 % (134/667), 5.53 % (13/235), 1.32 % (4/304), 3.42 % (5/146), 2 % (6/299), 2.95 % (8/271) and 0.82 % (2/245), respectively. Ad hoc samples were positive for hAdV, pAdV, bPyV and NoV GI at 9 % (3/33), 9 % (2/22), 4.54 % (1/22) and 7.14 % (1/14), respectively. These results demonstrate the existence of viral contamination routes from human and animal sources to the salad vegetable supply chain and more specifically indicate the potential for public health risks due to the virus contamination of leafy green vegetables at primary production.

Influence of food acidulants and antioxidant spices on the bioaccessibility of beta-carotene from selected vegetables.

PubMed

Veda, Supriya; Platel, Kalpana; Srinivasan, Krishnapura

2008-09-24

Four common food acidulants--amchur, lime, tamarind, and kokum--and two antioxidant spices--turmeric and onion--were examined for their influence on the bioaccessibility of beta-carotene from two fleshy and two leafy vegetables. Amchur and lime generally enhanced the bioaccessibility of beta-carotene from these test vegetables in many instances. Such an improved bioaccessibility was evident in both raw and heat-processed vegetables. The effect of lime juice was generally more pronounced than that of amchur. Turmeric significantly enhanced the bioaccessibility of beta-carotene from all of the vegetables tested, especially when heat-processed. Onion enhanced the bioaccessibility of beta-carotene from pressure-cooked carrot and amaranth leaf and from open-pan-boiled pumpkin and fenugreek leaf. Lime juice and the antioxidant spices turmeric and onion minimized the loss of beta-carotene during heat processing of the vegetables. In the case of antioxidant spices, improved bioaccessibility of beta-carotene from heat-processed vegetables is attributable to their role in minimizing the loss of this provitamin. Lime juice, which enhanced the bioaccessibility of this provitamin from both raw and heat-processed vegetables, probably exerted this effect by some other mechanism in addition to minimizing the loss of beta-carotene. Thus, the presence of food acidulants (lime juice/amchur) and antioxidant spices (turmeric/onion) proved to be advantageous in the context of deriving maximum beta-carotene from the vegetable sources.

Pre- and postharvest preventive measures and intervention strategies to control microbial food safety hazards of fresh leafy vegetables.

PubMed

Gil, Maria I; Selma, Maria V; Suslow, Trevor; Jacxsens, Liesbeth; Uyttendaele, Mieke; Allende, Ana

2015-01-01

This review includes an overview of the most important preventive measures along the farm to fork chain to prevent microbial contamination of leafy greens. It also includes the technological and managerial interventions related to primary production, postharvest handling, processing practices, distribution, and consumer handling to eliminate pathogens in leafy greens. When the microbiological risk is already present, preventive measures to limit actual contamination events or pathogen survival are considered intervention strategies. In codes of practice the focus is mainly put on explaining preventive measures. However, it is also important to establish more focused intervention strategies. This review is centered mainly on leafy vegetables as the commodity identified as the highest priority in terms of fresh produce microbial safety from a global perspective. There is no unique preventive measure or intervention strategy that could be applied at one point of the food chain. We should encourage growers of leafy greens to establish procedures based on the HACCP principles at the level of primary production. The traceability of leafy vegetables along the chain is an essential element in ensuring food safety. Thus, in dealing with the food safety issues associated with fresh produce it is clear that a multidisciplinary farm to fork strategy is required.

Do leafy green vegetables and their ready-to-eat [RTE] salads carry a risk of foodborne pathogens?

PubMed

Mercanoglu Taban, Birce; Halkman, A Kadir

2011-12-01

Over the past 10 years, there is an increasing demand for leafy green vegetables and their ready-to-eat (RTE) salads since people changed their eating habits because of healthier lifestyle interest. Nevertheless fresh leafy green vegetables and their RTE salads are recognized as a source of food poisoning outbreaks in many parts of the world. However, this increased proportion of outbreaks cannot be completely explained by increased consumption and enhanced surveillance of them. Both in Europe and in the USA, recent foodborne illness outbreaks have revealed links between some pathogens and some leafy green vegetables such as mostly lettuces and spinaches and their RTE salads since fresh leafy green vegetables carry the potential risk of microbiological contamination due to the usage of untreated irrigation water, inappropriate organic fertilizers, wildlife or other sources that can occur anywhere from the farm to the fork such as failure during harvesting, handling, processing and packaging. Among a wide range of pathogens causing foodborne illnesses, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes are the most common pathogens that contaminate leafy green vegetables. Children, the elderly, pregnant women and immunocompromised people are the most at risk for developing complications from foodborne illness as a result of eating contaminated leafy greens or their RTE salads. These outbreaks are mostly restaurant associated or they sometimes spread across several countries by international trade routes. This review summarizes current observations concerning the contaminated leafy green vegetables and their RTE salads as important vehicles for the transmission of some foodborne pathogens to humans. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Minimally processed vegetable salads: microbial quality evaluation.

PubMed

Fröder, Hans; Martins, Cecília Geraldes; De Souza, Katia Leani Oliveira; Landgraf, Mariza; Franco, Bernadette D G M; Destro, Maria Teresa

2007-05-01

The increasing demand for fresh fruits and vegetables and for convenience foods is causing an expansion of the market share for minimally processed vegetables. Among the more common pathogenic microorganisms that can be transmitted to humans by these products are Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Salmonella. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbial quality of a selection of minimally processed vegetables. A total of 181 samples of minimally processed leafy salads were collected from retailers in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Counts of total coliforms, fecal coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae, psychrotrophic microorganisms, and Salmonella were conducted for 133 samples. L. monocytogenes was assessed in 181 samples using the BAX System and by plating the enrichment broth onto Palcam and Oxford agars. Suspected Listeria colonies were submitted to classical biochemical tests. Populations of psychrotrophic microorganisms >10(6) CFU/g were found in 51% of the 133 samples, and Enterobacteriaceae populations between 10(5) and 106 CFU/g were found in 42% of the samples. Fecal coliform concentrations higher than 10(2) CFU/g (Brazilian standard) were found in 97 (73%) of the samples, and Salmonella was detected in 4 (3%) of the samples. Two of the Salmonella-positive samples had <10(2) CFU/g concentrations of fecal coliforms. L. monocytogenes was detected in only 1 (0.6%) of the 181 samples examined. This positive sample was simultaneously detected by both methods. The other Listeria species identified by plating were L. welshimeri (one sample of curly lettuce) and L. innocua (2 samples of watercress). The results indicate that minimally processed vegetables had poor microbiological quality, and these products could be a vehicle for pathogens such as Salmonella and L. monocytogenes.

Influence of light and shoot development stage on leaf photosynthesis and carbohydrate status during the adventitious root formation in cuttings of Corylus avellana L.

PubMed Central

Tombesi, Sergio; Palliotti, Alberto; Poni, Stefano; Farinelli, Daniela

2015-01-01

Adventitious root formation in plant cuttings is influenced by many endogenous and environmental factors. Leaf photosynthesis during rooting of leafy cuttings in hard to root species can contribute to supply carbohydrates to the intensive metabolic processes related to adventious root formation. Light intensity during rooting is artificially kept low to decrease potential cutting desiccation, but can be limiting for photosynthetic activity. Furthermore, leafy cuttings collected from different part of the shoot can have a different ability to fuel adventitious root formation in cutting stem. The aim of this work was to determine the role of leaf photosynthesis on adventitious root formation in hazelnut (Corylus avellana L) (a hard-to-root specie) leafy cuttings and to investigate the possible influence of the shoot developmental stage on cutting rooting and survival in the post-rooting phase. Cutting rooting was closely related to carbohydrate content in cutting stems during the rooting process. Cutting carbohydrate status was positively influenced by leaf photosynthesis during rooting. Non-saturating light exposure of leafy cuttings can contribute to improve photosynthetic activity of leafy cuttings. Collection of cuttings from different part of the mother shoots influenced rooting percentage and this appear related to the different capability to concentrate soluble sugars in the cutting stem during rooting. Adventitious root formation depend on the carbohydrate accumulation at the base of the cutting. Mother shoot developmental stage and leaf photosynthesis appear pivotal factors for adventitious roots formation. PMID:26635821

Inactivation of Human Norovirus Genogroups I and II and Surrogates by Free Chlorine in Postharvest Leafy Green Wash Water

PubMed Central

Weng, ShihChi; Jacangelo, Joseph G.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Human noroviruses (hNoVs) are a known public health concern associated with the consumption of leafy green vegetables. While a number of studies have investigated pathogen reduction on the surfaces of leafy greens during the postharvest washing process, there remains a paucity of data on the level of treatment needed to inactivate viruses in the wash water, which is critical for preventing cross-contamination. The objective of this study was to quantify the susceptibility of hNoV genotype I (GI), hNoV GII, murine norovirus (MNV), and bacteriophage MS2 to free chlorine in whole leaf, chopped romaine, and shredded iceberg lettuce industrial leafy green wash waters, each sampled three times over a 4-month period. A suite of kinetic inactivation models was fit to the viral reduction data to aid in quantification of concentration-time (CT) values. Results indicate that 3-log10 infectivity reduction was achieved at CT values of less than 0.2 mg · min/liter for MNV and 2.5 mg · min/liter for MS2 in all wash water types. CT values for 2-log10 molecular reduction of hNoV GI in whole leaf and chopped romaine wash waters were 1.5 and 0.9 mg · min/liter, respectively. For hNoV GII, CT values were 13.0 and 7.5 mg · min/liter, respectively. In shredded iceberg wash water, 3-log10 molecular reduction was not observed for any virus over the time course of experiments. These findings demonstrate that noroviruses may exhibit genogroup-dependent resistance to free chlorine and emphasize the importance of distinguishing between genogroups in hNoV persistence studies. IMPORTANCE Postharvest washing of millions of pounds of leafy greens is performed daily in industrial processing facilities with the intention of removing dirt, debris, and pathogenic microorganisms prior to packaging. Modest inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms (less than 2 log10) is known to occur on the surfaces of leafy greens during washing. Therefore, the primary purpose of the sanitizing agent is to maintain microbial quality of postharvest processing water in order to limit cross-contamination. This study modeled viral inactivation data and quantified the free-chlorine CT values that processing facilities must meet in order to achieve the desired level of hNoV GI and GII reduction. Disinfection experiments were conducted in industrial leafy green wash water collected from a full-scale fresh produce processing facility in the United States, and hNoV GI and GII results were compared with surrogate molecular and infectivity data. PMID:28887415

The social context of wild leafy vegetables uses in Shiri, Daghestan.

PubMed

Kaliszewska, Iwona; Kołodziejska-Degórska, Iwona

2015-08-11

Shiri is a small mountainous village in the Republic of Daghestan, in the North Caucasus. Daghestan is Russia's southernmost and most ethnically and linguistically diverse republic, a considerable part of which belongs to the Caucasus Biodiversity Hotspot. Various species of wild leafy vegetables are collected in Shiri and there are still many social and cultural practices connected with plant collection in the village. Yet due to migration processes, local knowledge about wild greens and their uses is being slowly forgotten or not passed on. The Shiri language is highly endangered and so are the local plant terminologies and classifications. The unstable political situation hinders local and international research, therefore we find it highly important to explore both what wild leafy vegetables are collected in this mountainous part of Daghestan and how the relation between plants and people is shaped in this linguistically and culturally diverse context. We answer the following questions: what wild leafy vegetables are collected in Shiri? Why are they important to the local people? What is the social aspect of wild leafy vegetable uses? The methods applied were as follows: forest walks and semi-structured interviews with adult inhabitants of Shiri village, participant and non-participant observation. During the walks herbarium specimens were collected, and visual recording of plant collecting process was conducted. This article is based on fieldwork done in Shiri, Daghestan, between 2012 and 2014, over the course of 3 field trips that took place in 3 seasons. We collected and identified twenty-two local (24 botanical) species of wild leafy vegetables. Fourteen local species were used as snacks, eight for cooked dishes and three of them were also dried in order to be transported to kin living in the lowlands. It is significant that 70 % of taxa collected in Shiri are used as snacks. While snacks were collected by both sexes, greens for cooking and drying were part of the women's knowledge. The analysis of people-plant relations showed that care practices constitute an important part of these relations. Through the giving of wild greens, Shiri people express care for co-villagers and migrants and show their respect for elders. In the narratives about wild greens, their nutritional and taste value as well as perceived exceptionality were emphasized. 1) Wild leafy vegetables are a significant element of everyday social life in Shiri in regard to mutual care, respect for elders and local identity. 2) Gender has a greater influence on practical skills than on declarative plant knowledge. 3) Names of plants are publicly discussed with elders and are not always fixed. 4) The moral value ascribed to giving in the local culture is expressed through wild leafy vegetables. 5) Care expressed through sending wild leafy vegetables helps to sustain social ties between migrants and Shiri inhabitants. 6) Identity, health and naturalness discourses are adding value to the local knowledge about wild leafy vegetables.

Wild leafy vegetables: A study of their subsistence dietetic support to the inhabitants of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, India

PubMed Central

Misra, Shalini; Maikhuri, RK; Kala, CP; Rao, KS; Saxena, KG

2008-01-01

Consumption of greens is a major source of vitamins and micro-nutrients for people using only vegetarian diets rich in carbohydrates. In remote rural settlements where vegetable cultivation is not practiced and market supplies are not organized, local inhabitants depend on indigenous vegetables, both cultivated in kitchen gardens and wild, for enriching the diversity of food. Knowledge of such foods is part of traditional knowledge which is largely transmitted through participation of individuals of households. A total of 123 households in six villages of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve buffer zone was surveyed using a schedule to assess the knowledge, availability and consumption pattern of wild leafy vegetables. Quantity estimations were done using regular visits with informants from 30 sample households of the six study villages during the collections. Monetization was used to see the value of wild leafy vegetables harvested during a year. The diversity of wild leafy vegetables being use by the local inhabitants is 21 species belonging to 14 genera and 11 families. This is far less than that being reported to be used by the communities from Western Ghats in India and some parts of Africa. Irrespective of social or economic status all households in the study villages had the knowledge and used wild leafy vegetables. The number of households reported to consume these wild leafy vegetables is greater than the number of households reporting to harvest them for all species except for Diplazium esculentum and Phytolacca acinosa. The availability and use period varied for the species are listed by the users. The study indicated that the knowledge is eroding due to changing social values and non participation of younger generation in collection and processing of such wild leafy vegetables. PMID:18510780

Survival of Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7 on strawberries, basil, and other leafy greens during storage.

PubMed

Delbeke, Stefanie; Ceuppens, Siele; Jacxsens, Liesbeth; Uyttendaele, Mieke

2015-04-01

The survival of Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7 on strawberries, basil leaves, and other leafy greens (spinach leaves, lamb and butterhead lettuce leaves, baby leaves, and fresh-cut iceberg lettuce) was assessed at cold (<7 °C) and ambient temperatures. All commodities were spot inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella to obtain an initial inoculum of 5 to 6 log and 4 to 5 log CFU/g for strawberries and leafy greens, respectively. Samples were air packed. Strawberries were stored at 4, 10, 15, and 22 °C and basil leaves and other leafy greens at 7, 15, and 22 °C for up to 7 days (or less if spoiled before). Both Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 showed a gradual decrease in numbers if inoculated on strawberries, with a similar reduction observed at 4, 10, and 15 °C (2 to 3 log after 5 days). However, at 15 °C (and 10 °C for E. coli O157:H7), the survival experiment stopped before day 7, as die-off of both pathogens below the lower limit of detection was achieved or spoilage occurred. At 22 °C, strawberries were moldy after 2 or 4 days. At that time, a 1- to 2-log reduction of both pathogens had occurred. A restricted die-off (on average 1.0 log) and increase (on average , 0.5 log) of both pathogens on basil leaves occurred after 7 days of storage at 7 and 22 °C, respectively. On leafy greens, a comparable decrease as on basil was observed after 3 days at 7 °C. At 22 °C, both pathogens increased to higher numbers on fresh-cut iceberg and butterhead lettuce leaves (on average 1.0 log), probably due to the presence of exudates. However, by using spot inoculation, the increase was rather limited, probably due to minimized contact between the inoculum and cell exudates. Avoiding contamination, in particular, at cultivation (and harvest or postharvest) is important, as both pathogens survive during storage, and strawberries, basil, and other leafy green leaves are consumed without inactivation treatment.

Lower temperatures in cases with doors improve produce quality and safety with reduced energy consumption

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Time-temperature control of fresh-cut produce at 41 °F (5 ºC) or less can significantly reduce the growth of human pathogens. Since 2009, the FDA Food Code has required that packaged ready-to-eat leafy greens be kept at 41 °F (5 ºC) or lower to minimize the potential of pathogen proliferation in the...

Quantitative microbial risk assessment for Escherichia coli O157:H7, salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes in leafy green vegetables consumed at salad bars.

PubMed

Franz, E; Tromp, S O; Rijgersberg, H; van der Fels-Klerx, H J

2010-02-01

Fresh vegetables are increasingly recognized as a source of foodborne outbreaks in many parts of the world. The purpose of this study was to conduct a quantitative microbial risk assessment for Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes infection from consumption of leafy green vegetables in salad from salad bars in The Netherlands. Pathogen growth was modeled in Aladin (Agro Logistics Analysis and Design Instrument) using time-temperature profiles in the chilled supply chain and one particular restaurant with a salad bar. A second-order Monte Carlo risk assessment model was constructed (using @Risk) to estimate the public health effects. The temperature in the studied cold chain was well controlled below 5 degrees C. Growth of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella was minimal (17 and 15%, respectively). Growth of L. monocytogenes was considerably greater (194%). Based on first-order Monte Carlo simulations, the average number of cases per year in The Netherlands associated the consumption leafy greens in salads from salad bars was 166, 187, and 0.3 for E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and L. monocytogenes, respectively. The ranges of the average number of annual cases as estimated by second-order Monte Carlo simulation (with prevalence and number of visitors as uncertain variables) were 42 to 551 for E. coli O157:H7, 81 to 281 for Salmonella, and 0.1 to 0.9 for L. monocytogenes. This study included an integration of modeling pathogen growth in the supply chain of fresh leafy vegetables destined for restaurant salad bars using software designed to model and design logistics and modeling the public health effects using probabilistic risk assessment software.

Enhancement of Antioxidant Quality of Green Leafy Vegetables upon Different Cooking Method

PubMed Central

Hossain, Afzal; Khatun, Mst. Afifa; Islam, Mahfuza; Huque, Roksana

2017-01-01

Antioxidant rich green leafy vegetables including garden spinach leaf, water spinach leaf, Indian spinach leaf, and green leaved amaranth were selected to evaluate the effects of water boiling and oil frying on their total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), reducing power (RP), and antioxidant capacity. The results revealed that there was a significant increase in TPC, TFC, and RP in all the selected vegetables indicating the effectiveness of the cooking process on the antioxidant potential of leafy vegetables. Both cooking processes enhanced significantly (P<0.05) the radical scavenging ability, especially the oil fried samples showed the highest values. There is a significant reduction in the vitamin C content in all the vegetables due to boiling and frying except in the Indian spinach leaf. However, the present findings suggest that boiling and frying can be used to enhance the antioxidant ability, by increasing the bioaccessibility of health-promoting constituents from the four vegetables investigated in this study. PMID:29043220

The development of a line-scan imaging algorithm for the detection of fecal contamination on leafy geens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Chun-Chieh; Kim, Moon S.; Chuang, Yung-Kun; Lee, Hoyoung

2013-05-01

This paper reports the development of a multispectral algorithm, using the line-scan hyperspectral imaging system, to detect fecal contamination on leafy greens. Fresh bovine feces were applied to the surfaces of washed loose baby spinach leaves. A hyperspectral line-scan imaging system was used to acquire hyperspectral fluorescence images of the contaminated leaves. Hyperspectral image analysis resulted in the selection of the 666 nm and 688 nm wavebands for a multispectral algorithm to rapidly detect feces on leafy greens, by use of the ratio of fluorescence intensities measured at those two wavebands (666 nm over 688 nm). The algorithm successfully distinguished most of the lowly diluted fecal spots (0.05 g feces/ml water and 0.025 g feces/ml water) and some of the highly diluted spots (0.0125 g feces/ml water and 0.00625 g feces/ml water) from the clean spinach leaves. The results showed the potential of the multispectral algorithm with line-scan imaging system for application to automated food processing lines for food safety inspection of leafy green vegetables.

Morphogenesis of a higher plant from cultured cells and embryos in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krikorian, A. D.; Dutcher, F. R.; Quinn, C. E.; Steward, F. C.

1982-01-01

Reference is made to the Cosmos 782 experiment, which showed that cultured totipotent cells of carrot can give rise to embryos with well-developed roots but minimally developed shoots at near-zero g. The problem of whether the development of leafy shoots is sensitive to near-zero g conditions is considered. A test system that would allow this problem to be resolved in a future space flight is described.

Survey of Nitrate Ion Concentrations in Vegetables Cultivated in Plant Factories: Comparison with Open-Culture Vegetables.

PubMed

Oka, Yuka; Hirayama, Izumi; Yoshikawa, Mitsuhide; Yokoyama, Tomoko; Iida, Kenji; Iwakoshi, Katsushi; Suzuki, Ayana; Yanagihara, Midori; Segawa, Yukino; Kukimoto, Sonomi; Hamada, Humika; Matsuzawa, Satomi; Tabata, Setsuko; Sasamoto, Takeo

2017-01-01

A survey of nitrate-ion concentrations in plant-factory-cultured leafy vegetables was conducted. 344 samples of twenty-one varieties of raw leafy vegetables were examined using HPLC. The nitrate-ion concentrations in plant-factory-cultured leafy vegetables were found to be LOD-6,800 mg/kg. Furthermore, the average concentration values varied among different leafy vegetables. The average values for plant-factory-cultured leafy vegetables were higher than those of open-cultured leafy vegetables reported in previous studies, such as the values listed in the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan- 2015 - (Seventh revised edition). For some plant-factory-cultured leafy vegetables, such as salad spinach, the average values were above the maximum permissible levels of nitrate concentration in EC No 1258/2011; however, even when these plant-factory-cultured vegetables were routinely eaten, the intake of nitrate ions in humans did not exceed the ADI.

A roadmap for breeding orphan leafy vegetable species: a case study of Gynandropsis gynandra (Cleomaceae).

PubMed

Sogbohossou, E O Deedi; Achigan-Dako, Enoch G; Maundu, Patrick; Solberg, Svein; Deguenon, Edgar M S; Mumm, Rita H; Hale, Iago; Van Deynze, Allen; Schranz, M Eric

2018-01-01

Despite an increasing awareness of the potential of "orphan" or unimproved crops to contribute to food security and enhanced livelihoods for farmers, coordinated research agendas to facilitate production and use of orphan crops by local communities are generally lacking. We provide an overview of the current knowledge on leafy vegetables with a focus on Gynandropsis gynandra , a highly nutritious species used in Africa and Asia, and highlight general and species-specific guidelines for participatory, genomics-assisted breeding of orphan crops. Key steps in genome-enabled orphan leafy vegetables improvement are identified and discussed in the context of Gynandropsis gynandra breeding, including: (1) germplasm collection and management; (2) product target definition and refinement; (3) characterization of the genetic control of key traits; (4) design of the 'process' for cultivar development; (5) integration of genomic data to optimize that 'process'; (6) multi-environmental participatory testing and end-user evaluation; and (7) crop value chain development. The review discusses each step in detail, with emphasis on improving leaf yield, phytonutrient content, organoleptic quality, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and post-harvest management.

Long-term dynamics of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) and its biocontrol agent, flea beetles in the genus Aphthona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, Diane L.; Grace, James B.; Larson, Jennifer L.

2008-01-01

Three flea beetle species (Aphthona spp.), first introduced into North America in 1988, have come to be regarded as effective biological control organisms for leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula). The black flea beetles (Aphthona lacertosa and A. czwalinae) in particular have been shown to cause reductions in leafy spurge stem counts in the northern Great Plains, while the brown flea beetle (A. nigriscutis) has persisted and spread, but has not been found to be as effective at controlling leafy spurge. The ability of black flea beetles to control leafy spurge in any given year, however, has been found to vary. To better understand the long-term effects of flea beetle herbivory on leafy spurge, we monitored stem counts of leafy spurge and numbers of black and brown flea beetles at three sites on two National Wildlife Refuges in east-central North Dakota, USA, from 1998 to 2006. Brown flea beetle numbers were observed to be negligible on these sites. Over the 9 years of the study, black flea beetles were seen to spread over the three study sites and leafy spurge stem counts declined substantially on two of the three sites. Even at low densities of spurge, black flea beetle populations persisted, a necessary prerequisite for long-term control. We used structural equation models (SEM) to assess the yearly effects of black flea beetles, soil texture, and refuge site on leafy spurge stem counts over this time period. We then used equations developed from the SEM analysis to explore flea beetle–leafy spurge dynamics over time, after controlling for soil texture and refuge. Yearly effect strength of black flea beetles on leafy spurge was found to be modest, largely owing to substantial spatial variability in control. However, simulation results based on prediction coefficients revealed leafy spurge to be highly responsive to increases in flea beetle populations on average.

Long-term dynamics of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) and its biocontrol agent, flea beetles in the genus Aphthona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, D.L.; Grace, J.B.; Larson, J.L.

2008-01-01

Three flea beetle species (Aphthona spp.), first introduced into North America in 1988, have come to be regarded as effective biological control organisms for leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula). The black flea beetles (Aphthona lacertosa and A. czwalinae) in particular have been shown to cause reductions in leafy spurge stem counts in the northern Great Plains, while the brown flea beetle (A. nigriscutis) has persisted and spread, but has not been found to be as effective at controlling leafy spurge. The ability of black flea beetles to control leafy spurge in any given year, however, has been found to vary. To better understand the long-term effects of flea beetle herbivory on leafy spurge, we monitored stem counts of leafy spurge and numbers of black and brown flea beetles at three sites on two National Wildlife Refuges in east-central North Dakota, USA, from 1998 to 2006. Brown flea beetle numbers were observed to be negligible on these sites. Over the 9 years of the study, black flea beetles were seen to spread over the three study sites and leafy spurge stem counts declined substantially on two of the three sites. Even at low densities of spurge, black flea beetle populations persisted, a necessary prerequisite for long-term control. We used structural equation models (SEM) to assess the yearly effects of black flea beetles, soil texture, and refuge site on leafy spurge stem counts over this time period. We then used equations developed from the SEM analysis to explore flea beetle-leafy spurge dynamics over time, after controlling for soil texture and refuge. Yearly effect strength of black flea beetles on leafy spurge was found to be modest, largely owing to substantial spatial variability in control. However, simulation results based on prediction coefficients revealed leafy spurge to be highly responsive to increases in flea beetle populations on average.

New Crop Selection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhuiyan, Ruqayah H.; Spencer, Lashelle; Wheeler, Ray; Romeyn, Matthew

2018-01-01

For extended space flight, reliable food supplies are a necessity. Most of the food products consumed by astronauts today are stored for flight via freeze drying. Fresh food is needed to supplement known national deficiencies in the stored food diet (Cooper et al.). This is so because stored foods can lose nutritional value. Fresh food is the answer to the nutritional demands of space flight. Kennedy Space Center's Utilization and Life Sciences Office (UB-A), under the Exploration Research and Technology Program (UB), conducts research on plant growth and development under International Space Station (ISS) conditions. UB-A analyzes the growth responses of leafy greens in microgravity and through the manipulation of environmental conditions (CO2 levels, light intensity, relative humidity, and water delivery). By manipulating growing conditions researchers can optimize food production using minimal/restricted resources. The New Crop Selection experiments are testing the suitability of leafy crops to ISS conditions. Results from this study showed that 'Dragoon' Lettuce and 'Red Russian' Kale have the largest fresh mass.

Population dynamics and impacts of the red-headed leafy spurge stem borer on leafy spurge

Treesearch

R. A. Progar; G. P. Markin; J. Milan; T. Barbouletos; M. J. Rinella

2013-01-01

We evaluated the efficacy of the biological control agent, red-headed leafy spurge stem borer (Oberea erythrocephala Schrank.) against the nonnative invasive plant leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.). Our three treatments were release of the biological control agent into uncaged plots, release of the biological control agent into plots caged to prevent agent escape and...

Outbreaks attributed to fresh leafy vegetables, United States, 1973–2012

PubMed Central

HERMAN, K. M.; HALL, A. J.; GOULD, L. H.

2015-01-01

SUMMARY Leafy vegetables are an essential component of a healthy diet; however, they have been associated with high-profile outbreaks causing severe illnesses. We reviewed leafy vegetable-associated outbreaks reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention between 1973 and 2012. During the study period, 606 leafy vegetable-associated outbreaks, with 20 003 associated illnesses, 1030 hospitalizations, and 19 deaths were reported. On average, leafy vegetable-associated outbreaks were larger than those attributed to other food types. The pathogens that most often caused leafy vegetable-associated outbreaks were norovirus (55% of outbreaks with confirmed aetiology), Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) (18%), and Salmonella (11%). Most outbreaks were attributed to food prepared in a restaurant or catering facility (85%). An ill food worker was implicated as the source of contamination in 31% of outbreaks. Efforts by local, state, and federal agencies to control leafy vegetable contamination and outbreaks should span from the point of harvest to the point of preparation. PMID:25697407

Outbreaks attributed to fresh leafy vegetables, United States, 1973-2012.

PubMed

Herman, K M; Hall, A J; Gould, L H

2015-10-01

Leafy vegetables are an essential component of a healthy diet; however, they have been associated with high-profile outbreaks causing severe illnesses. We reviewed leafy vegetable-associated outbreaks reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention between 1973 and 2012. During the study period, 606 leafy vegetable-associated outbreaks, with 20 003 associated illnesses, 1030 hospitalizations, and 19 deaths were reported. On average, leafy vegetable-associated outbreaks were larger than those attributed to other food types. The pathogens that most often caused leafy vegetable-associated outbreaks were norovirus (55% of outbreaks with confirmed aetiology), Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) (18%), and Salmonella (11%). Most outbreaks were attributed to food prepared in a restaurant or catering facility (85%). An ill food worker was implicated as the source of contamination in 31% of outbreaks. Efforts by local, state, and federal agencies to control leafy vegetable contamination and outbreaks should span from the point of harvest to the point of preparation.

Population dynamics and impacts of the red-headed leafy spurge stem borer on leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula)

Treesearch

Robert A. Progar; George Markin; Joseph Milan; Tom Barbouletos; Matthew J. Rinella

2011-01-01

We evaluated the efficacy of the biological control agent, red-headed leafy spurge stem borer, against the nonnative invasive plant leafy spurge. Our three treatments were release of the biological control agent into uncaged plots, release of the biological control agent into plots caged to prevent agent escape, and control plots caged to prevent agent entry. These...

Change in the ascorbic acid, total phenol and antioxidant activity of sun-dried commonly consumed green leafy vegetables in Nigeria.

PubMed

Oboh, G; Akindahunsi, A A

2004-01-01

Sun-drying of green leafy vegetables is popularly practised in many homes in Nigeria, as a way of preserving green leafy vegetables for future use. This project sought to investigate the effect of this method of preservation of vegetables on the antioxidant phytoconstituent (Vitamin C and Total phenol) and activity (reducing property and free radical scavenging ability) of some commonly consumed green leafy vegetables in Nigeria namely Structium sparejanophora (Ewuro-odo), Amarantus cruentus (Atetedaye), Telfairia occidentalis (Ugu), Baselia allia (Amunu tutu), Solanum macrocarpon (Igbagba), Corchorus olitorius (Ewedu), Vernonia anygdalina (Ewuro) and Occimum graticimum (Efinrin). The edible portions of the green leafy vegetables were sun-dried for seven days before determining the Vitamin C and total phenol content, as well as the reducing property and free radical scavenging ability. The result of the study revealed that sun-drying of green leafy vegetables cause a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in the Vitamin C content (16.67-64.68% loss). Conversely it leads to a significant increase in the total phenol content (6.45-223.08% gain), reducing property (16.00-362.50% gain) and free radical scavenging ability (126.00-5757.00% gain) of the green leafy vegetables. It could therefore be concluded that a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in Vitamin C content caused by sun- drying will not reduce the antioxidant activity of the green leafy vegetable, moreover, the phenol constituent of the green leafy vegetables contributes more to the antioxidant properties of vegetables than ascorbic acid, as its increase on sun-drying cause a significant (P < 0.05) increases in the antioxidant properties of the green leafy vegetables, irrespective of the decrease in the ascorbic acid content.

Effect of feeding a corn hybrid selected for leafiness as silage or grain to lactating dairy cattle.

PubMed

Clark, P W; Kelm, S; Endres, M I

2002-03-01

A leafy corn hybrid was compared to a grain corn hybrid as silage and high moisture grain to evaluate dry matter intake, milk yield, and milk composition. Sixteen multiparous Holstein cows averaging 97 DIM were used in a feeding trial based on 4 x 4 Latin squares with 21-d periods. Each of four diets contained (dry basis) 8% chopped hay, 42% corn silage, 11% high moisture corn grain, 10% whole, fuzzy cottonseed, and 29% protein concentrate. One diet used leafy corn as both high moisture grain and silage. A second diet contained grain corn hybrid (control) as both high moisture grain and silage. A third diet contained leafy corn for high moisture grain and control corn for silage and the fourth diet used control corn for high moisture grain and leafy corn for silage. Cows fed diets containing leafy silage produced more milk and milk protein and ate more DM than cows fed control silage. The corn hybrid used for high moisture grain did not influence milk yield or composition. Dry matter intake was greater for cows fed the diet containing both leafy high moisture grain and leafy silage than for cows fed both control high moisture grain and control silage, but milk yield and composition were not different. When fed as silage, the leafy corn hybrid used in this experiment supported greater DMI as well as higher milk and protein yields when compared to the grain corn hybrid.

Disseminated phaeohyphomycosis in weedy seadragons (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) and leafy seadragons (Phycodurus eques) caused by species of Exophiala, including a novel species.

PubMed

Nyaoke, Akinyi; Weber, E Scott; Innis, Charles; Stremme, Donald; Dowd, Cynthia; Hinckley, Lynn; Gorton, Timothy; Wickes, Brian; Sutton, Deanna; de Hoog, Sybren; Frasca, Salvatore

2009-01-01

During the period from January 2002 to March 2007, infections by melanized fungi were identified with greater frequency in aquarium-maintained leafy seadragons (Phycodurus eques) and weedy seadragons (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus), pivotal species to the educational and environmental concerns of the aquarium industry and conservation groups. The objective of this study was to characterize the pathology and identify fungi associated with phaeohyphomycotic lesions in these species. Samples from 14 weedy and 6 leafy seadragons were received from 2 institutions and included fresh, frozen, and formalin-fixed tissues from necropsy and biopsy specimens. Fresh and frozen tissues were cultured for fungi on Sabouraud dextrose agar only or both Sabouraud dextrose agar and inhibitory mold agar with gentamicin and chloramphenicol at 30 degrees C. Isolates were processed for morphologic identification and molecular sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region and D1/D2 domains of the large subunit ribosomal RNA gene. Lesions were extensive and consisted of parenchymal and vascular necrosis with fungal invasion of gill (11/20), kidney (14/20), and other coelomic viscera with or without cutaneous ulceration (13/20). Exophiala sp. isolates were obtained from 4 weedy and 3 leafy seadragons and were identified to species level in 6 of 7 instances, namely Exophiala angulospora (1) and a novel species of Exophiala (5), based on nucleotide sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analyses. Disseminated phaeohyphomycosis represents an important pathologic condition of both weedy and leafy seadragons for which 2 species of Exophiala, 1 a novel species, have been isolated.

Efficacy of commercial produce sanitizers against nontoxigenic Escherichia coli O157:H7 during processing of iceberg lettuce in a pilot-scale leafy green processing line.

PubMed

Davidson, Gordon R; Buchholz, Annemarie L; Ryser, Elliot T

2013-11-01

Chemical sanitizers are routinely used during commercial flume washing of fresh-cut leafy greens to minimize cross-contamination from the water. This study assessed the efficacy of five commercial sanitizer treatments against Escherichia coli O157:H7 on iceberg lettuce, in wash water, and on equipment during simulated commercial production in a pilot-scale processing line. Iceberg lettuce (5.4 kg) was inoculated to contain 10(6) CFU/g of a four-strain cocktail of nontoxigenic, green fluorescent protein-labeled, ampicillin-resistant E. coli O157:H7 and processed after 1 h of draining at ~22 °C. Lettuce was shredded using a commercial slicer, step-conveyed to a flume tank, washed for 90 s using six different treatments (water alone, 50 ppm of peroxyacetic acid, 50 ppm of mixed peracid, or 50 ppm of available chlorine either alone or acidified to pH 6.5 with citric acid [CA] or T-128), and then dried using a shaker table and centrifugal dryer. Various product (25-g) and water (50-ml) samples collected during processing along with equipment surface samples (100 cm(2)) from the flume tank, shaker table, and centrifugal dryer were homogenized in neutralizing buffer and plated on tryptic soy agar. During and after iceberg lettuce processing, none of the sanitizers were significantly more effective (P ≤ 0.05) than water alone at reducing E. coli O157:H7 populations on lettuce, with reductions ranging from 0.75 to 1.4 log CFU/g. Regardless of the sanitizer treatment used, the centrifugal dryer surfaces yielded E. coli O157:H7 populations of 3.49 to 4.98 log CFU/100 cm(2). Chlorine, chlorine plus CA, and chlorine plus T-128 were generally more effective (P ≤ 0.05) than the other treatments, with reductions of 3.79, 5.47, and 5.37 log CFU/ml after 90 s of processing, respectively. This indicates that chlorine-based sanitizers will likely prevent wash water containing low organic loads from becoming a vehicle for cross-contamination.

Effect of proximity to a cattle feedlot on Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination of leafy greens and evaluation of the potential for airborne transmission

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The impact of proximity to a beef cattle feedlot on E. coli O157:H7 contamination of leafy greens was examined. In each of two years, leafy greens were planted to nine plots located 60, 120, and 180 meters from a cattle feedlot (3 plots each distance). Leafy greens, feedlot manure, and bioaerosol ...

Methodology for modeling the disinfection efficiency of fresh-cut leafy vegetables wash water applied on peracetic acid combined with lactic acid.

PubMed

Van Haute, S; López-Gálvez, F; Gómez-López, V M; Eriksson, Markus; Devlieghere, F; Allende, Ana; Sampers, I

2015-09-02

A methodology to i) assess the feasibility of water disinfection in fresh-cut leafy greens wash water and ii) to compare the disinfectant efficiency of water disinfectants was defined and applied for a combination of peracetic acid (PAA) and lactic acid (LA) and comparison with free chlorine was made. Standardized process water, a watery suspension of iceberg lettuce, was used for the experiments. First, the combination of PAA+LA was evaluated for water recycling. In this case disinfectant was added to standardized process water inoculated with Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157 (6logCFU/mL). Regression models were constructed based on the batch inactivation data and validated in industrial process water obtained from fresh-cut leafy green processing plants. The UV254(F) was the best indicator for PAA decay and as such for the E. coli O157 inactivation with PAA+LA. The disinfection efficiency of PAA+LA increased with decreasing pH. Furthermore, PAA+LA efficacy was assessed as a process water disinfectant to be used within the washing tank, using a dynamic washing process with continuous influx of E. coli O157 and organic matter in the washing tank. The process water contamination in the dynamic process was adequately estimated by the developed model that assumed that knowledge of the disinfectant residual was sufficient to estimate the microbial contamination, regardless the physicochemical load. Based on the obtained results, PAA+LA seems to be better suited than chlorine for disinfecting process wash water with a high organic load but a higher disinfectant residual is necessary due to the slower E. coli O157 inactivation kinetics when compared to chlorine. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Study on biomethane production and biodegradability of different leafy vegetables in anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Yan, Hu; Zhao, Chen; Zhang, Jiafu; Zhang, Ruihong; Xue, Chunyu; Liu, Guangqing; Chen, Chang

2017-12-01

Enormous amounts of vegetable residues are wasted annually, causing many environmental problems due to their high moisture and organic contents. In this study, the methane production potential of 20 kinds of typical leafy vegetable residues in China were explored using a unified method. A connection between the biochemical components and the methane yields of these vegetables was well established which could be used to predict biogas performance in practice. A high volatile solid/total solid (VS/TS) ratio and hemicellulose content exhibited a positive impact on the biogas yield while lignin had a negative impact. In addition, three kinetic models were used to describe the methane production process of these agro-wastes. The systematic comparison of the methane production potentials of these leafy vegetables shown in this study will not only serve as a reference for basic research on anaerobic digestion but also provide useful data and information for agro-industrial applications of vegetable residues in future work.

Allelopathy of small everlasting (Antennaria microphylla) : Phytotoxicity to leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) in tissue culture.

PubMed

Hogan, M E; Manners, G D

1990-03-01

Media and media extracts from callus cultures of small everlasting (Antennaria microphylla) inhibited leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) callus tissue and suspension culture growth (50 and 70% of control, respectively) and were phytotoxic in lettuce and leafy spurge root elongation bioassays (64 and 77% of control, respectively). Hydroquinone, a phytotoxic compound previously isolated from small everlasting, was also biosynthesized by callus and suspension cultures of this species. Exogenously supplied hydroquinone (0.5 mM) was toxic to leafy spurge suspension culture cells and was only partially biotransformed to its nontoxic water-soluble monoglucoside, arbutin, by these cells. This report confirms the chronic involvement of hydroquinone in the allelopathic interaction between small everlasting and leafy spurge.

21 CFR 173.325 - Acidified sodium chlorite solutions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... and processed root, tuber, bulb, legume, fruiting (i.e., eggplant, groundcherry, pepino, pepper... leafy vegetables (i.e., vegetables other than root, tuber, bulb, legume, fruiting, and cucurbit...

Minerals: What They Do and Where to Get Them

MedlinePlus

... biologic process, use of glucose in the body, synthesis of nucleic acids and protein, cellular energy Green leafy vegetables, fish, nuts, beans, ... Many major biologic processes, muscle contraction, nerve impulses, synthesis of nucleic ... production Fresh vegetables, fresh fruits Sodium Water ...

Quantitative transfer of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to equipment during small-scale production of fresh-cut leafy greens.

PubMed

Buchholz, Annemarie L; Davidson, Gordon R; Marks, Bradley P; Todd, Ewen C D; Ryser, Elliot T

2012-07-01

Postharvest contamination and subsequent spread of Escherichia coli O157:H7 can occur during shredding, conveying, fluming, and dewatering of fresh-cut leafy greens. This study quantified E. coli O157:H7 transfer from leafy greens to equipment surfaces during simulated small-scale commercial processing. Three to five batches (22.7 kg) of baby spinach, iceberg lettuce, and romaine lettuce were dip inoculated with a four-strain cocktail of avirulent, green fluorescent protein-labeled, ampicillinresistant E. coli O157:H7 to contain ∼10(6), 10(4), and 10(2) CFU/g, and then were processed after 1 h of draining at ∼23°C or 24 h of storage at 4°C. Lettuce was shredded using an Urschel TransSlicer at two different blade and belt speeds to obtain normal (5 by 5 cm) and more finely shredded (0.5 by 5 cm) lettuce. Thereafter, the lettuce was step conveyed to a flume tank and was washed and then dried using a shaker table and centrifugal dryer. Product (25-g) and water (40-ml) samples were collected at various points during processing. After processing, product contact surfaces (100 cm(2)) on the shredder (n = 14), conveyer (n = 8), flume tank (n = 11), shaker table (n = 9), and centrifugal dryer (n = 8) were sampled using one-ply composite tissues. Sample homogenates diluted in phosphate or neutralizing buffer were plated, with or without prior 0.45- m m membrane filtration, on Trypticase soy agar containing 0.6% yeast extract supplemented with 100 ppm of ampicillin to quantify green fluorescent protein-labeled E. coli O157:H7 under UV light. During leafy green processing, ∼90% of the E. coli O157:H7 inoculum transferred to the wash water. After processing, E. coli O157:H7 populations were highest on the conveyor and shredder (P<0.05), followed by the centrifugal dryer, flume tank, and shaker table, with ∼29% of the remaining product inoculum lost during centrifugal drying. Overall, less (P<0.05) of the inoculum remained on the product after centrifugally drying iceberg lettuce that was held for 1 h (8.13%) as opposed to 24 h (42.18%) before processing, with shred size not affecting the rate of E. coli O157:H7 transfer.

Detecting leafy spurge in native grassland using hyperspectral image analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kloppenburg, Catherine

Leafy spurge (Euphoria esula L.) is a perennial noxious weed that has been encroaches on the native grassland regions of North America resulting in biological and economic impacts. Leafy spurge growth is most prevalent along river banks and in pasture areas. Due to poor accessibility and the cost and labour associated with data collection, estimates of number and size of leafy spurge infestations is poor. Remote sensing has the ability to cover large areas, providing an alternate means to ground surveys and will allow for the capability to create an accurate baseline of infestations. Airborne hyperspectral data were collected over the two test sites selected on the Blood Reserve in Southern Alberta using a combined Airborne Imaging Spectrometer for different Applications (AISA) Eagle and Hawk sensor systems in July, 2010. This study used advanced analysis tools, including spectral mixture analysis, spectral angle mapper and mixture-tuned matched filter techniques to evaluate the ability to detect leafy spurge patches. The results show that patches of leafy spurge with flowering stem density >40 stems m-2 were identified with 85 % accuracy while identification of lower density stems were less accurate (10 - 40 %). The results are promising with respect to quantifying areas of significant leafy spurge infestation and targeting biological control and potential insect release sites.

Energy potential of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maxwell, B.D.; Wiatr, S.M.; Fay, P.K.

1985-01-01

Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) is a noxious, perennial weed that infests pastures, range land and waste areas in the northern Great Plains. The objective of this study was to determine the productive potential of this species when grown under optimum agronomic conditions. Plants were fertilized and irrigated. Oil, hydrocarbon, total protein, and dry-weight production were measured on 3 harvest dates. Calorimetric analyses were performed to determine the potential of leafy spurge as a fuel crop. The hydrocarbon content of 12 strains of leafy spurge was determined to measure genetic variability for this trait. The addition of fertilizer doubled dry-weight productionmore » but did not affect percent oil or hydrocarbon content. Oil and hydrocarbon production averaged 6.8 and 0.6% on a plant dry-weight basis. Maximum production of plant biomass, protein, and hydrocarbon was obtained from a mid-July harvest. Oil content increased later in the growing season. The total protein content of leafy spurge averaged 12%. Whole-plant biomass had a caloric value of 4407 cal/g while the oils contained 10,019 cal/g. Leafy spurge hay can produce 4 times more energy per year than wheat straw; therefore, the immediate potential of leafy spurge whole-plant biomass as a locally grown fuel crop for home-heating purposes is suggested.« less

The use of landsat 7 enhanced thematic mapper plus for mapping leafy spurge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mladinich, C.S.; Bustos, M.R.; Stitt, S.; Root, R.; Brown, K.; Anderson, G.L.; Hager, S.

2006-01-01

Euphorbia esula L. (leafy spurge) is an invasive weed that is a major problem in much of the Upper Great Plains region, including parts of Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Wyoming. Infestations in North Dakota alone have had a serious economic impact, estimated at $87 million annually in 1991, to the state's wildlife, tourism, and agricultural economy. Leafy spurge degrades prairie and badland ecosystems by displacing native grasses and forbs. It is a major threat to protected ecosystems in many national parks, national wild lands, and state recreational areas in the region. This study explores the use of Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (Landsat) imagery and derived products as a management tool for mapping leafy spurge in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, in southwestern North Dakota. An unsupervised clustering approach was used to map leafy spurge classes and resulted in overall classification accuracies of approximately 63%. The uses of Landsat imagery did not provide the accuracy required for detailed mapping of small patches of the weed. However, it demonstrated the potential for mapping broad-scale (regional) leafy spurge occurrence. This paper offers recommendations on the suitability of Landsat imagery as a tool for use by resource managers to map and monitor leafy spurge populations over large areas.

Evaluation of heavy metal pollution in water wells and soil using common leafy green plant indicators in the Al-Kharj region, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al-Hammad, Bushra Ahmed; Abd El-Salam, Magda Magdy

2016-06-01

This study was performed to determine the levels of eight heavy metals in irrigation well water and soil and to assess the suitability of some leafy green plants that are commonly cultivated in the Al-Kharj region, Saudi Arabia, for human consumption using an atomic absorption spectrometer. The mean concentrations of metals ranged from 0.0001 to 0.436 mg/L in well water and from 0.248 to 164.52 mg/kg in soil. The heavy metal concentrations showed significant differences among the different leafy green plants studied. Parsley (4.98 mg/kg) exhibited higher levels of Pb than other leafy green plants, whereas mallow (0.097 mg/kg) revealed greater amounts of Cd than other plants. All of the leafy green plants retained essential metals (Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn) more than the toxic metals (Pb and Cd). The levels of some of the metals in the leafy green plants were found to meet the FAO/WHO-recommended limits. The monitoring of heavy metals in leafy green plants must be continued because these plants are the main source of food for humans in many parts of the world and are considered to be bio-indicators for environmental pollution.

Apple, carrot, and hibiscus edible films containing the plant antimicrobials carvacrol and cinnamaldehyde inactivate Salmonella Newport on organic leafy greens in sealed plastic bags.

PubMed

Zhu, Libin; Olsen, Carl; McHugh, Tara; Friedman, Mendel; Jaroni, Divya; Ravishankar, Sadhana

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial effects of carvacrol and cinnamaldehyde incorporated into apple, carrot, and hibiscus-based edible films against Salmonella Newport in bagged organic leafy greens. The leafy greens tested included organic Romaine and Iceberg lettuce, and mature and baby spinach. Each leafy green sample was washed, dip inoculated with S. Newport (10⁷ CFU/mL), and dried. Each sample was put into a Ziploc® bag. Edible films pieces were put into the Ziploc bag and mixed well. The bags were sealed and stored at 4 °C. Samples were taken at days 0, 3, and 7 for enumeration of survivors. On all leafy greens, 3% carvacrol films showed the best bactericidal effects against Salmonella. All 3 types of 3% carvacrol films reduced the Salmonella population by 5 log₁₀ CFU/g at day 0 and 1.5% carvacrol films reduced Salmonella by 1 to 4 log₁₀ CFU/g at day 7. The films with 3% cinnamaldehyde showed 0.5 to 3 log reductions on different leafy greens at day 7. The films with 0.5% and 1.5% cinnamaldehyde and 0.5% carvacrol also showed varied reductions on different types of leafy greens. Edible films were the most effective against Salmonella on Iceberg lettuce. This study demonstrates the potential of edible films incorporated with carvacrol and cinnamaldehyde to inactivate S. Newport on organic leafy greens. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

Observation: Leafy spurge control in western prairie fringed orchid habitat

Treesearch

Donald R. Kirby; Rodney G. Lym; John J. Sterling; Carolyn Hull Sieg

2003-01-01

The western prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara Sheviak and Bowles) is a threatened species of the tallgrass prairie. Invasion by leafy spurge (Euphorbiaes esula L.) is a serious threat to western prairie fringed orchid habitat. The obiectives of this study were to develop a herbicide treatment to control leafy spurge...

Efficacy of flea beetle control of leafy spurge in Montana and South Dakota

Treesearch

Jack L. Butler; Matthew S. Parker; John T. Murphy

2006-01-01

Black (Aphthona lacertosa and Aphthona czwalinae) and brown (Aphthona nigriscutis) flea beetles are among the more successful biological control agents used in the control and management of leafy spurge on a relatively large scale in the Northern Great Plains. The objectives of this study were to document leafy...

Investigating metrics proposed to prevent the harvest of leafy green crops contaminated by floodwater

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement (LGMA) requires leafy green crops within 9 m of the edge of a flooded field not be harvested due to potential contamination. Further, previously flooded soils should not be replanted for 60 days. In this study, the suitability of the LG...

Classification of leafy spurge with earth observing-1 advanced land imager

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stitt, S.; Root, R.; Brown, K.; Hager, S.; Mladinich, C.; Anderson, G.L.; Dudek, K.; Bustos, M.R.; Kokaly, R.

2006-01-01

Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) is an invasive exotic plant that can completely displace native plant communities. Automated techniques for monitoring the location and extent of leafy spurge, especially if available on a seasonal basis, could add greatly to the effectiveness of control measures. As part of a larger study including multiple sensors, this study examines the utility of mapping the location and extent of leafy spurge in Theodore Roosevelt National Park using Earth Observing-1 satellite Advanced Land Imager (ALI) scanner data. An unsupervised classification methodology was used producing accuracies in the range of 59% to 66%. Existing field studies, with their associated limitations, were used for identifying class membership and accuracy assessment. This sensor could be useful for broad landscape scale mapping of leafy spurge, from which control measures could be based.

A promiscuous intermediate underlies the evolution of LEAFY DNA binding specificity.

PubMed

Sayou, Camille; Monniaux, Marie; Nanao, Max H; Moyroud, Edwige; Brockington, Samuel F; Thévenon, Emmanuel; Chahtane, Hicham; Warthmann, Norman; Melkonian, Michael; Zhang, Yong; Wong, Gane Ka-Shu; Weigel, Detlef; Parcy, François; Dumas, Renaud

2014-02-07

Transcription factors (TFs) are key players in evolution. Changes affecting their function can yield novel life forms but may also have deleterious effects. Consequently, gene duplication events that release one gene copy from selective pressure are thought to be the common mechanism by which TFs acquire new activities. Here, we show that LEAFY, a major regulator of flower development and cell division in land plants, underwent changes to its DNA binding specificity, even though plant genomes generally contain a single copy of the LEAFY gene. We examined how these changes occurred at the structural level and identify an intermediate LEAFY form in hornworts that appears to adopt all different specificities. This promiscuous intermediate could have smoothed the evolutionary transitions, thereby allowing LEAFY to evolve new binding specificities while remaining a single-copy gene.

Dehydration-induced endodormancy in crown buds of leafy spurge highlights involvement of MAF3- and RVE1-like homologs, and hormone signaling cross-talk

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Vegetative shoot growth from underground adventitious buds of leafy spurge is critical for survival of this invasive perennial weed after episodes of severe abiotic stress. To determine the impact that dehydration-stress has on molecular mechanisms associated with vegetative reproduction of leafy sp...

Lack of native vegetation recovery following biological control of leafy spurge

Treesearch

Jack L. Butler; Stefanie D. Wacker

2010-01-01

Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) is an aggressive exotic species that has been successfully suppressed in a variety of situations using classical biological control (flea beetles; Aphthona spp.). This 9-yr study investigated patterns of vegetation responses following significant reductions in leafy spurge cover and density by flea beetles in southeastern Montana. We...

Apple, carrot, and hibiscus edible films containing the plant antimicrobials carvacrol and cinnamaldehyde inactivate Salmonella Newport on organic leafy greens in sealed plastic bags

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial effects of carvacrol and cinnamaldehyde incorporated into apple, carrot and hibiscus based edible films against Salmonella Newport in contaminated organic leafy greens. The leafy greens tested included romaine and iceberg lettuce, and ...

The Growing Season, but Not the Farming System, Is a Food Safety Risk Determinant for Leafy Greens in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States

PubMed Central

Marine, Sasha C.; Pagadala, Sivaranjani; Wang, Fei; Pahl, Donna M.; Melendez, Meredith V.; Kline, Wesley L.; Oni, Ruth A.; Walsh, Christopher S.; Everts, Kathryne L.; Buchanan, Robert L.

2015-01-01

Small- and medium-size farms in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States use varied agricultural practices to produce leafy greens during spring and fall, but the impact of preharvest practices on food safety risk remains unclear. To assess farm-level risk factors, bacterial indicators, Salmonella enterica, and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) from 32 organic and conventional farms were analyzed. A total of 577 leafy greens, irrigation water, compost, field soil, and pond sediment samples were collected. Salmonella was recovered from 2.2% of leafy greens (n = 369) and 7.7% of sediment (n = 13) samples. There was an association between Salmonella recovery and growing season (fall versus spring) (P = 0.006) but not farming system (organic or conventional) (P = 0.920) or region (P = 0.991). No STEC was isolated. In all, 10% of samples were positive for E. coli: 6% of leafy greens, 18% of irrigation water, 10% of soil, 38% of sediment, and 27% of compost samples. Farming system was not a significant factor for levels of E. coli or aerobic mesophiles on leafy greens but was a significant factor for total coliforms (TC) (P < 0.001), with higher counts from organic farm samples. Growing season was a factor for aerobic mesophiles on leafy greens (P = 0.004), with higher levels in fall than in spring. Water source was a factor for all indicator bacteria (P < 0.001), and end-of-line groundwater had marginally higher TC counts than source samples (P = 0.059). Overall, the data suggest that seasonal events, weather conditions, and proximity of compost piles might be important factors contributing to microbial contamination on farms growing leafy greens. PMID:25616798

[LEAFY, a master regulator of flower development].

PubMed

Vachon, Gilles; Tichtinsky, Gabrielle; Parcy, François

2012-01-01

Flowering plants or angiosperms constitute the vast majority of plant species. Their evolutionary success is largely due to the efficiency of the flower as reproductive structure. Work performed on model plant species in the last 20 years has identified the LEAFY gene as a key regulator of flower development. LEAFY is a unique plant transcription factor responsible for the formation of the earliest floral stage as well as for the induction of homeotic genes triggering floral organ determination. But LEAFY is also present in non-flowering plants such as mosses, ferns and gymnosperms. Recent studies suggest that LEAFY might play a role in cell division and meristem development in basal plants, a function that is probably more ancestral than the later acquired floral function. Analyzing the evolution of the role and the biochemical properties of this peculiar regulator starts to shade light on the mysterious origin of flowering plants. © Société de Biologie, 2012.

Gene space and transcriptome assemblies of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) identify promoter sequences, repetitive elements, high-quality markers, and a full-length chloroplast genome

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Leafy spurge is an invasive perennial weed infesting range and recreational lands of North America. Previous research and omics projects with leafy spurge have helped develop it as a model for studying numerous aspects of perennial plant development and response to abiotic stress. However, the lack ...

Produce from Africa’s Gardens: Potential for Leafy Vegetable and Fruit Fermentations

PubMed Central

Oguntoyinbo, Folarin A.; Fusco, Vincenzina; Cho, Gyu-Sung; Kabisch, Jan; Neve, Horst; Bockelmann, Wilhelm; Huch, Melanie; Frommherz, Lara; Trierweiler, Bernhard; Becker, Biserka; Benomar, Nabil; Gálvez, Antonio; Abriouel, Hikmate; Holzapfel, Wilhelm H.; Franz, Charles M. A. P.

2016-01-01

A rich variety of indigenous fruits and vegetables grow in Africa, which contribute to the nutrition and health of Africa’s populations. Fruits and vegetables have high moisture and are thus inherently prone to accelerated spoilage. Food fermentation still plays a major role in combating food spoilage and foodborne diseases that are prevalent in many of Africa’s resource disadvantaged regions. Lactic acid fermentation is probably the oldest and best-accepted food processing method among the African people, and is largely a home-based process. Fermentation of leafy vegetables and fruits is, however, underutilized in Africa, although such fermented products could contribute toward improving nutrition and food security in this continent, where many are still malnourished and suffer from hidden hunger. Fermentation of leafy vegetables and fruits may not only improve safety and prolong shelf life, but may also enhance the availability of some trace minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants. Cassava, cow-peas, amaranth, African nightshade, and spider plant leaves have a potential for fermentation, as do various fruits for the production of vinegars or fruit beers and wines. What is needed to accelerate efforts for production of fermented leaves and vegetables is the development of fermentation protocols, training of personnel and scale-up of production methods. Furthermore, suitable starter cultures need to be developed and produced to guarantee the success of the fermentations. PMID:27458430

Microarray analysis of the semi-compatible pathogenic response and recovery of leafy spurge inoculated with the Cassava bacterial blight pathogen Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Infection by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis (Xam)of the model perennial range land weed leafy spurge was tested to see if Xam might serve a potential biological control agent for this invasive weed. Although leafy spurge was susceptible to Xam infection, it recovered with 21 days after inocula...

Observational monitoring of biological control vs. herbicide to suppress leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) for eight years

Treesearch

R. A. Progar; G. Markin; D. Scarbrough; C. L. Jorgensen; T. Barbouletos

2013-01-01

The effectiveness of Aphthona flea beetles (87 percent A. lacertosa Rosenhauer and A. czwalinae Weise, and 13 percent A. nigriscutis Foudras) as biological control agents of leafy spurge, Ephorbia esula L. was compared with a single application of herbicide (picloram) and untreated plots for a period of 8 years. Percentage of cover of leafy spurge, grasses; and flea...

BAC library development, and clone characterization for dormancy-responsive DREB4A, DAM, and FT from leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) identifies differential splicing and conserved promoter motifs

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We developed two leafy spurge BAC libraries that together represent approximately 5X coverage of the leafy spurge genome. The BAC libraries have an average insert size of approximately 143 kb, and copies of the library and filters for hybridization-based screening are publicly available through the ...

Foliar glyphosate treatment alters transcript and hormone profiles in crown buds of leafy spurge and induces dwarfed and bushy phenotypes throughout its perennial life cycle

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) is an invasive weed of North America and its perennial nature is attributed to underground adventitious buds (UABs) that undergo seasonal cycles of para-, endo- and eco-dormancy. Recommended field rates of glyphosate (~1 kg/ha) destroys above-ground shoots of leafy spu...

Relation between microbiological quality, metabolite production and sensory quality of equilibrium modified atmosphere packaged fresh-cut produce.

PubMed

Jacxsens, L; Devlieghere, F; Ragaert, P; Vanneste, E; Debevere, J

2003-06-25

The quality of four types of fresh-cut produce, packaged in consumer-sized packages under an equilibrium modified atmosphere and stored at 7 degrees C, was assessed by establishing the relation between the microbial outgrowth and the corresponding production of nonvolatile compounds and related sensory disorders. In vitro experiments, performed on a lettuce-juice-agar, demonstrated the production of nonvolatile compounds by spoilage causing lactic acid bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae. Pseudomonas fluorescens and yeasts, however, were not able to produce detectable amounts of nonvolatile metabolites. The type of spoilage and quality deterioration in vivo depended on the type of vegetable. Mixed lettuce and chicory endives, leafy tissues, containing naturally low concentrations of sugars, showed a spoilage dominated by Gram-negative microorganisms, which are not producing nonvolatile compounds. Sensory problems were associated with visual properties and the metabolic activity of the plant tissue. Mixed bell peppers and grated celeriac, on the other hand, demonstrated a fast and intense growth of spoilage microorganisms, dominated by lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. This proliferation resulted in detectable levels of organic acids and the rejection by the trained sensory panel was based on the negative perception of the organoleptical properties (off-flavour, odour and taste). The applied microbiological criteria corresponded well with detectable changes in sensory properties and measurable concentrations of nonvolatile compounds, surely in the cases where lactic acid bacteria and yeasts were provoking spoilage. Consequently, the freshness of minimally processed vegetables, sensitive for outgrowth of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts (e.g., carrots, celeriac, bell peppers, mixtures with non-leafy vegetables) can be evaluated via analysis of the produced nonvolatile compounds.

The moss Funaria hygrometrica has cuticular wax similar to vascular plants, with distinct composition on leafy gametophyte, calyptra and sporophyte capsule surfaces.

PubMed

Busta, Lucas; Budke, Jessica M; Jetter, Reinhard

2016-09-01

Aerial surfaces of land plants are covered with a waxy cuticle to protect against water loss. The amount and composition of cuticular waxes on moss surfaces had rarely been investigated. Accordingly, the degree of similarity between moss and vascular plant waxes, and between maternal and offspring moss structure waxes is unknown. To resolve these issues, this study aimed at providing a comprehensive analysis of the waxes on the leafy gametophyte, gametophyte calyptra and sporophyte capsule of the moss Funaria hygrometrica Waxes were extracted from the surfaces of leafy gametophytes, gametophyte calyptrae and sporophyte capsules, separated by gas chromatography, identified qualitatively with mass spectrometry, and quantified with flame ionization detection. Diagnostic mass spectral peaks were used to determine the isomer composition of wax esters. The surfaces of the leafy gametophyte, calyptra and sporophyte capsule of F. hygrometrica were covered with 0·94, 2·0 and 0·44 μg cm(-2) wax, respectively. While each wax mixture was composed of mainly fatty acid alkyl esters, the waxes from maternal and offspring structures had unique compositional markers. β-Hydroxy fatty acid alkyl esters were limited to the leafy gametophyte and calyptra, while alkanes, aldehydes and diol esters were restricted to the sporophyte capsule. Ubiquitous fatty acids, alcohols, fatty acid alkyl esters, aldehydes and alkanes were all found on at least one surface. This is the first study to determine wax coverage (μg cm(-2)) on a moss surface, enabling direct comparisons with vascular plants, which were shown to have an equal amount or more wax than F. hygrometrica Wax ester biosynthesis is of particular importance in this species, and the ester-forming enzyme(s) in different parts of the moss may have different substrate preferences. Furthermore, the alkane-forming wax biosynthesis pathway, found widely in vascular plants, is active in the sporophyte capsule, but not in the leafy gametophyte or calyptra. Overall, wax composition and coverage on F. hygrometrica were similar to those reported for some vascular plant species, suggesting that the underlying biosynthetic processes in plants of both lineages were inherited from a common ancestor. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Genetic diversity and population structure of leafy kale and Brassica rupestris Raf. in south Italy.

PubMed

Maggioni, Lorenzo; von Bothmer, Roland; Poulsen, Gert; Branca, Ferdinando; Bagger Jørgensen, Rikke

2014-12-01

Local varieties of leafy kales (Brassica oleracea L.) are grown in home gardens in Calabria and Sicily for self-consumption, in the same area where the wild relative Brassica rupestris Raf. also grows. With the use of AFLP markers, comparisons were made of the genetic diversity and population structure of ten wild and 22 cultivated populations, as well as of a hybrid population and of four commercial cultivars of different B. oleracea crops. The level of genetic diversity was higher in leafy kales than in wild populations and this diversity was mainly distributed within populations. Wild populations remained distinct from cultivated material. Additionally, most wild populations were distinctively isolated from each other. On the other hand, it was not possible to molecularly distinguish even geographically distant leafy kale populations from each other or from different B. oleracea crops. It was possible to detect inter-crossing between leafy kales and B. rupestris. Findings from this study illustrate the existing level of genetic diversity in the B. oleracea gene pool. Individual populations (either wild or leafy kales) with higher levels of genetic diversity have been identified and suggestions are given for an informed conservation strategy. Domestication hypotheses are also discussed. © 2015 The Authors.

Pesticide residues in leafy vegetables, stalk and stem vegetables from South Korea: a long-term study on safety and health risk assessment.

PubMed

Park, Duck Woong; Kim, Kwang Gon; Choi, Eun Ah; Kang, Gyeong Ri; Kim, Tae Sun; Yang, Yong Shik; Moon, Su Jin; Ha, Dong Ryong; Kim, Eun Sun; Cho, Bae Sik

2016-01-01

South Korea has a unique food culture. South Koreans enjoy wrapping meat and eating or making kimchi (traditionally fermented Korean food) and eating using raw leafy vegetables, stalk and stem vegetables. Therefore, there is a high chance of being exposed to pesticide residues of vegetables. The objective of this study was to investigate pesticide residues in leafy vegetables, stalk and stem vegetables from South Korea. A total of 8496 samples were mainly collected from Gwangju and Jeonnam area (the largest production region of leafy vegetables, stalk and stem vegetables) in South Korea from 2010 to 2014. A total of 230 pesticides were used for multi-residue analysis of pesticides. Among 8496 samples, 61 different pesticides (1029 times) were detected in 890 samples, of which 118 samples (1.4%) exceeded the Korea maximum residue limits (MRLs). Samples exceeding the MRLs were mostly found in leafy vegetables (brassica lee ssp. namai, leafy lettuce, spinach, perilla leaves, crown daisy, marsh mallow, aster scaber, pimpinella brachycarpa) and Chinese chive. Procymidone, dimethomorph and azoxystrobin were the most frequently found pesticides. A risk assessment of pesticides exceeding the MRLs was evaluated by calculating the estimated daily intake (EDI) and the acceptable daily intake (ADI). The ratio of EDI to ADI was 0.003-30.4%.

Short-term disruption of a leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) biocontrol program following herbicide application

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, D.L.; Grace, J.B.; Rabie, P.A.; Andersen, P.

2007-01-01

Integrated pest management (IPM) for invasive plant species is being advocated by researchers and implemented by land managers, but few studies have evaluated the success of IPM programs in natural areas. We assessed the relative effects of components of an IPM program for leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula), an invasive plant, at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota. Effects of herbicides on leafy spurge abundance and on dynamics of flea beetles (Aphthona spp.) used to control leafy spurge were evaluated over three field seasons following herbicide application. We monitored leafy spurge-infested plots with established flea beetle populations that had received picloram plus 2,4-D in September 1997 or 1998, imazapic in September 1998, versus those with no chemical treatment. Mature stem counts did not differ significantly between treated and untreated plots in 2001, suggesting that leafy spurge stands had recovered from herbicide treatment. Flea beetles were less abundant on plots with a history of herbicide treatment. Structural equation models indicated that in 2000 negative correlations between relative abundances of the two flea beetle species were greater on plots that had received herbicide treatments than on those that had not, but by 2001 no differences were apparent between treated and untreated plots. These results suggest that the most effective component of IPM for leafy spurge at this site is biological control. All herbicide effects we observed were short-lived, but the increased negative correlation between flea beetle relative abundances during 2000 implies that herbicide application may have temporarily disrupted an effective biological control program at this site. ?? 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Proximity to a Cattle Feedlot on Escherichia coli O157:H7 Contamination of Leafy Greens and Evaluation of the Potential for Airborne Transmission

PubMed Central

Wells, James E.; Bono, James L.; Woodbury, Bryan L.; Kalchayanand, Norasak; Norman, Keri N.; Suslow, Trevor V.; López-Velasco, Gabriela; Millner, Patricia D.

2014-01-01

The impact of proximity to a beef cattle feedlot on Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination of leafy greens was examined. In each of 2 years, leafy greens were planted in nine plots located 60, 120, and 180 m from a cattle feedlot (3 plots at each distance). Leafy greens (270) and feedlot manure samples (100) were collected six different times from June to September in each year. Both E. coli O157:H7 and total E. coli bacteria were recovered from leafy greens at all plot distances. E. coli O157:H7 was recovered from 3.5% of leafy green samples per plot at 60 m, which was higher (P < 0.05) than the 1.8% of positive samples per plot at 180 m, indicating a decrease in contamination as distance from the feedlot was increased. Although E. coli O157:H7 was not recovered from air samples at any distance, total E. coli was recovered from air samples at the feedlot edge and all plot distances, indicating that airborne transport of the pathogen can occur. Results suggest that risk for airborne transport of E. coli O157:H7 from cattle production is increased when cattle pen surfaces are very dry and when this situation is combined with cattle management or cattle behaviors that generate airborne dust. Current leafy green field distance guidelines of 120 m (400 feet) may not be adequate to limit the transmission of E. coli O157:H7 to produce crops planted near concentrated animal feeding operations. Additional research is needed to determine safe set-back distances between cattle feedlots and crop production that will reduce fresh produce contamination. PMID:25452286

77 FR 14362 - Pesticide Products; Registration Applications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-09

..., bulb vegetables, leafy vegetables, brassica leafy vegetables, legume vegetables, fruiting vegetables...: Fungicide with ethaboxam at 34.2%. Proposed Use: seed treatment on legume vegetables (except cowpea or filed...

Anemia

MedlinePlus

... include those with high levels of iron (beef, dark green leafy vegetables, dried fruits, and nuts), vitamin ... meat and dairy), and folic acid (citrus juices, dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, and fortified cereals). A ...

Calcium

MedlinePlus

... You'll also find calcium in broccoli and dark green, leafy vegetables (especially collard and turnip greens, ... can enjoy good sources of calcium such as dark green, leafy vegetables, broccoli, chickpeas, and calcium-fortified ...

Extraction and determination of arsenic species in leafy vegetables: Method development and application.

PubMed

Ma, Li; Yang, Zhaoguang; Kong, Qian; Wang, Lin

2017-02-15

Extraction of arsenic (As) species in leafy vegetables was investigated by different combinations of methods and extractants. The extracted As species were separated and determined by HPLC-ICP-MS method. The microwave assisted method using 1% HNO3 as the extractant exhibited satisfactory efficiency (>90%) at 90°C for 1.5h. The proposed method was applied for extracting As species from real leafy vegetables. Thirteen cultivars of leafy vegetables were collected and analyzed. The predominant species in all the investigated vegetable samples were As(III) and As(V). Moreover, both As(III) and As(V) concentrations were positive significant (p<0.01) correlated with total As (tAs) concentration. However, the percentage of As(V) reduced with tAs concentration increasing probably due to the conversion and transformation of As(V) to As(III) after uptake. The hazard quotient results indicated no particular risk to 94.6% of local consumers. Considerably carcinogenic risk by consumption of the leafy vegetables was observed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mineral Chart

MedlinePlus

... also find this mineral in broccoli and dark green, leafy vegetables. Soy foods and foods fortified with ... and shellfish, poultry, lentils, beans and soy foods, green leafy vegetables, and raisins. Some flours, cereals, and ...

Minerals

MedlinePlus

... yogurt canned salmon and sardines with bones leafy green vegetables, such as broccoli calcium-fortified foods — from ... potato with skins dried fruits, like raisins leafy green vegetables, such as broccoli whole and enriched grains, ...

Iron and Your Child

MedlinePlus

... get iron by eating foods like meat and dark green leafy vegetables. Iron is also added to ... tofu dried beans and peas dried fruits leafy dark green vegetables iron-fortified breakfast cereals, breads, and ...

Figuring Out Food Labels

MedlinePlus

... vegetables, such as carrots and squash, and in dark green, leafy vegetables. Vitamin C helps the body ... in iron-fortified cereals, tofu, dried beans, and dark green, leafy vegetables. Label Listings for Avoiding Allergies ...

Dehydration-induced endodormancy in crown buds of leafy spurge highlights involvement of MAF3- and RVE1-like homologs, and hormone signaling cross-talk.

PubMed

Doğramacı, Münevver; Horvath, David P; Anderson, James V

2014-11-01

Vegetative shoot growth from underground adventitious buds of leafy spurge is critical for survival of this invasive perennial weed after episodes of severe abiotic stress. To determine the impact that dehydration-stress has on molecular mechanisms associated with vegetative reproduction of leafy spurge, greenhouse plants were exposed to mild- (3-day), intermediate- (7-day), severe- (14-day) and extended- (21-day) dehydration treatments. Aerial tissues of treated plants were then decapitated and soil was rehydrated to determine the growth potential of underground adventitious buds. Compared to well-watered plants, mild-dehydration accelerated new vegetative shoot growth, whereas intermediate- through extended-dehydration treatments both delayed and reduced shoot growth. Results of vegetative regrowth further confirmed that 14 days of dehydration induced a full-state of endodormancy in crown buds, which was correlated with a significant (P < 0.05) change in abundance of 2,124 transcripts. Sub-network enrichment analyses of transcriptome data obtained from the various levels of dehydration treatment also identified central hubs of over-represented genes involved in processes such as hormone signaling (i.e., ABA, auxin, ethylene, GA, and JA), response to abiotic stress (DREB1A/2A, RD22) and light (PIF3), phosphorylation (MPK4/6), circadian regulation (CRY2, PHYA), and flowering (AGL20, AP2, FLC). Further, results from this and previous studies highlight homologs most similar to Arabidopsis HY5, MAF3, RVE1 and RD22 as potential molecular markers for endodormancy in crown buds of leafy spurge. Early response to mild dehydration also highlighted involvement of upstream ethylene and JA-signaling, whereas severe dehydration impacted ABA-signaling. The identification of conserved ABRE- and MYC-consensus, cis-acting elements in the promoter of leafy spurge genomic clones similar to Arabidopsis RVE1 (AT5G17300) implicates a potential role for ABA-signaling in its dehydration-induced expression. Response of these molecular mechanisms to dehydration-stress provides insights on the ability of invasive perennial weeds to adapt and survive under harsh environments, which will be beneficial for addressing future management practices.

Genotype variations in cadmium and lead accumulations of leafy lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and screening for pollution-safe cultivars for food safety.

PubMed

Zhang, Kun; Yuan, Jiangang; Kong, Wei; Yang, Zhongyi

2013-06-01

Heavy-metals in polluted soils can accumulate in plants and threaten crop safety. To evaluate the risk of heavy-metal pollution in leafy lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), two pot experiments were conducted to investigate Cd and Pb accumulation and transfer potential in 28 cultivars of lettuce and to screen for low-Cd and low-Pb accumulative cultivars. In the three treatments, 5.2-fold, 4.8-fold and 4.8-fold differences in the shoot Cd concentration were observed between the cultivars with the highest and the lowest Cd concentrations, respectively. This genotype variation was sufficiently large to identify low-Cd accumulative genotypes to reduce Cd contamination in food. Cadmium accumulation in the low-Cd accumulative genotypes was significantly positively correlated with Pb accumulation. At the cultivar level, Cd and Pb accumulation in lettuce was stable and genotype-dependent. High Pb soil levels did not affect shoot Cd accumulation in lettuce. Lettuce was concluded to be at high risk for Cd pollution and low risk for Pb pollution. Among the tested cultivars, cvs. SJGT, YLGC, N518, and KR17 had the lowest Cd and Pb accumulation abilities in shoots and are thus important parental material for breeding pollution-safe cultivars to minimize Cd and Pb accumulation.

Quantitative assessment of the microbial risk of leafy greens from farm to consumption: preliminary framework, data, and risk estimates.

PubMed

Danyluk, Michelle D; Schaffner, Donald W

2011-05-01

This project was undertaken to relate what is known about the behavior of Escherichia coli O157:H7 under laboratory conditions and integrate this information to what is known regarding the 2006 E. coli O157:H7 spinach outbreak in the context of a quantitative microbial risk assessment. The risk model explicitly assumes that all contamination arises from exposure in the field. Extracted data, models, and user inputs were entered into an Excel spreadsheet, and the modeling software @RISK was used to perform Monte Carlo simulations. The model predicts that cut leafy greens that are temperature abused will support the growth of E. coli O157:H7, and populations of the organism may increase by as much a 1 log CFU/day under optimal temperature conditions. When the risk model used a starting level of -1 log CFU/g, with 0.1% of incoming servings contaminated, the predicted numbers of cells per serving were within the range of best available estimates of pathogen levels during the outbreak. The model predicts that levels in the field of -1 log CFU/g and 0.1% prevalence could have resulted in an outbreak approximately the size of the 2006 E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. This quantitative microbial risk assessment model represents a preliminary framework that identifies available data and provides initial risk estimates for pathogenic E. coli in leafy greens. Data gaps include retail storage times, correlations between storage time and temperature, determining the importance of E. coli O157:H7 in leafy greens lag time models, and validation of the importance of cross-contamination during the washing process.

Vitamins and Other Nutrients during Pregnancy

MedlinePlus

... called folate. Good sources of folate include: Leafy green vegetables, like spinach and broccoli Lentils and beans ... added to it (check the package label) Leafy green vegetables Beans, nuts, raisins and dried fruit There ...

40 CFR 180.564 - Indoxacarb; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Spearmint, tops 11 Turnip, greens 12 Vegetable, Brassica, leafy, group 5 12 Vegetable, cucurbit, group 9 0.60 Vegetable, fruiting, group 8 0.50 Vegetable, leafy, except Brassica, group 4 14 Vegetable...

Evaluation of Minerals, Phytochemical Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Mexican, Central American, and African Green Leafy Vegetables.

PubMed

Jiménez-Aguilar, Dulce M; Grusak, Michael A

2015-12-01

The green leafy vegetables Cnidoscolus aconitifolius and Crotalaria longirostrata are native to Mexico and Central America, while Solanum scabrum and Gynandropsis gynandra are native to Africa. They are consumed in both rural and urban areas in those places as a main food, food ingredient or traditional medicine. Currently, there is limited information about their nutritional and phytochemical composition. Therefore, mineral, vitamin C, phenolic and flavonoid concentration, and antioxidant activity were evaluated in multiple accessions of these leafy vegetables, and their mineral and vitamin C contribution per serving was calculated. The concentrations of Ca, K, Mg and P in these leafy vegetables were 0.82-2.32, 1.61-7.29, 0.61-1.48 and 0.27-1.44 mg/g fresh weight (FW), respectively. The flavonoid concentration in S. scabrum accessions was up to 1413 μg catechin equivalents/g FW, while the highest antioxidant activities were obtained in C. longirostrata accessions (52-60 μmol Trolox equivalents/g FW). According to guidelines established by the US Food and Drug Administration, a serving size (30 g FW) of C. longirostrata would be considered an excellent source of Mo (20 % or more of the daily value), and a serving of any of these green leafy vegetables would be an excellent source of vitamin C. Considering the importance of the minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants in human health and their presence in these indigenous green leafy vegetables, efforts to promote their consumption should be implemented.

Comparison of phenolic acids and flavonoids contents in various cultivars and parts of common lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) derived from Poland.

PubMed

Adaszyńska-Skwirzyńska, M; Dzięcioł, M

2017-11-01

The aim of study was to compare the content of phenolic acids and flavonoids in two cultivars of Lavandula angustifolia: 'Blue River' and 'Ellagance Purple', including flowers and leafy stalks. Total phenolics and total flavonoids contents were determined by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The contents of total phenolics in leafy stalks (3.71-4.06 mg g -1 d.m.) were higher than in flowers (1.13-1.14 mg g -1 d.m.). Similarly, higher total contents of flavonoids were determined in leafy stalks (3.41-3.51 mg g -1 d.m.), as compared with flowers (0.86-0.91 mg g -1 d.m.). Phenolic acids and flavonoids were identified and quantified using HPLC and UPLC methods. Three phenolic acids were determined: rosmarinic, ferulic and caffeic acid. Lavender extracts contained also flavonoids from group of apigenin, luteolin and quercetin. Higher amounts of luteolin diglucuronide and luteolin glucuronide were found in leafy stalks in comparison to flowers. Obtained results indicate that leafy stalks of lavender can be also valuable source of antioxidant compounds.

40 CFR 180.253 - Methomyl; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., tops 6 Bermudagrass, forage 10 Bermudagrass, hay 40 Blueberry 6 Broccoli 3 Brussels sprouts 2 Cabbage 5..., brassica, leafy, group 5 6.0 Vegetable, fruiting 0.2(N) Vegetables, leafy [exc. beet (tops), broccoli...

Effect of proximity to a cattle feedlot on Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination of leafy greens and evaluation of the potential for airborne transmission.

PubMed

Berry, Elaine D; Wells, James E; Bono, James L; Woodbury, Bryan L; Kalchayanand, Norasak; Norman, Keri N; Suslow, Trevor V; López-Velasco, Gabriela; Millner, Patricia D

2015-02-01

The impact of proximity to a beef cattle feedlot on Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination of leafy greens was examined. In each of 2 years, leafy greens were planted in nine plots located 60, 120, and 180 m from a cattle feedlot (3 plots at each distance). Leafy greens (270) and feedlot manure samples (100) were collected six different times from June to September in each year. Both E. coli O157:H7 and total E. coli bacteria were recovered from leafy greens at all plot distances. E. coli O157:H7 was recovered from 3.5% of leafy green samples per plot at 60 m, which was higher (P < 0.05) than the 1.8% of positive samples per plot at 180 m, indicating a decrease in contamination as distance from the feedlot was increased. Although E. coli O157:H7 was not recovered from air samples at any distance, total E. coli was recovered from air samples at the feedlot edge and all plot distances, indicating that airborne transport of the pathogen can occur. Results suggest that risk for airborne transport of E. coli O157:H7 from cattle production is increased when cattle pen surfaces are very dry and when this situation is combined with cattle management or cattle behaviors that generate airborne dust. Current leafy green field distance guidelines of 120 m (400 feet) may not be adequate to limit the transmission of E. coli O157:H7 to produce crops planted near concentrated animal feeding operations. Additional research is needed to determine safe set-back distances between cattle feedlots and crop production that will reduce fresh produce contamination. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

40 CFR 180.603 - Dinotefuran; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the table below: Commodity Parts per million Brassica, head and stem, subgroup 5A 1.4 Brassica, leafy... Vegetable, fruiting, group 8 0.7 Vegetable, cucurbit, group 9 0.5 Vegetable, leafy, except Brassica, group 4...

Species of leafy liverworts in protected forest of simancik 1, regency of deli serdang, north sumatera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasaribu, Nursahara; Sartina Siregar, Etti; Rahmi, Wardatur

2018-03-01

Data and information of leafy liverworts diversity in Sumatera, especially North Sumatera, are still less reported. Research is conducted in order to invent and describe the morphological character of leafy liverworts in Protected Forest of Simancik I, regency of Deli Serdang, North Sumatera. Samples were collected along the hiking tracks of study site. Twenty two spesies belonging to 12 genera and 6 families were found. They were only one species of Frullaniaceae, eleven species of Lejeuneaceae, two species of Lepidoziaceae, two species of Lophocoleaceae, four species of Plagiochilaceae and two species of Radulaceae. Those species were found as epiphyte on the tree truck and some on the decaying wood. The highest diversity of leafy liverworts was from Lejeuneaceae which consisted of two subfamilies: Lejeuneoideaea and Ptychanthoideae and seven genera which are Lejeunea, Archilejeunea, Lopholejeunea, Dendrolejeunea, Ptychantus, Mastigolejeunea and Thysananthus while the lowest diversity was from Frullaniaceae.

40 CFR 180.586 - Clothianidin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

.../flakes 1.5 Soybean, seed 0.02 Vegetable, brassica, leafy, group 5 1.9 Vegetable, bulb, group 3-07 0.45 Vegetable, cucurbit, group 9 0.06 Vegetable, fruiting, group 8 0.20 Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group...

Family Members' Influence on Family Meal Vegetable Choices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wenrich, Tionni R.; Brown, J. Lynne; Miller-Day, Michelle; Kelley, Kevin J.; Lengerich, Eugene J.

2010-01-01

Objective: Characterize the process of family vegetable selection (especially cruciferous, deep orange, and dark green leafy vegetables); demonstrate the usefulness of Exchange Theory (how family norms and experiences interact with rewards and costs) for interpreting the data. Design: Eight focus groups, 2 with each segment (men/women vegetable…

Metrics Proposed To Prevent the Harvest of Leafy Green Crops Exposed to Floodwater Contaminated with Escherichia coli

PubMed Central

Callahan, Mary Theresa; Micallef, Shirley A.; Sharma, Manan; Millner, Patricia D.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement (LGMA) requires leafy green crops within 9 m of the edge of a flooded field not be harvested due to potential contamination (California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Board, Commodity Specific Flood Safety Guidelines for the Production and Harvest of Lettuce and Leafy Greens, 2012). Further, previously flooded soils should not be replanted for 60 days. In this study, the suitability of the LGMA metrics for farms in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States was evaluated. The upper end of a spinach bed (in Beltsville, MD) established on a −5% grade was flooded with water containing 6 log CFU/ml Escherichia coli to model a worst-case scenario of bacterial movement through soil. Escherichia coli prevalence in soil and on foliar tissue was determined by most probable number (MPN) analysis at distances up to 9 m from the edge of the flood for 63 days. While E. coli was quickly detected at the 9-m distance within 1 day in the spring trial and within 3 days in the fall trial, no E. coli was detected on plants outside the flood zone after 14 days. On day 63 for the two trials, E. coli populations in the flood zone soil were higher in the fall than in the spring. Regression analysis predicted that the time required for a 3-log MPN/g (dry weight) decrease in E. coli populations inside the flood zone was within the 60-day LGMA guideline in the spring but would require 90 days in the fall. Overall, data suggest that the current guidelines should be revised to include considerations of field and weather conditions that may promote bacterial movement and survival. IMPORTANCE This study tracked the movement of Escherichia coli from floodwater across a horizontal plane of soil and the potential for the contamination of distant leafy green produce. The purpose of this study was to address the validity of the California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement recommendations for the harvest of leafy green crops after a flooding event. These recommendations were based on the turning radius of farming equipment but did not take into consideration the potential subsurface movement of pathogens in the water through soil. This research shows that further considerations of field slope, temperature, and additional rainfall events may be necessary to provide appropriate guidelines to prevent the harvest of leafy green crops contaminated by enteric pathogens in floodwaters. This study may be used to provide a framework for comprehensive recommendations to growers for good harvesting practices after a flooding event. PMID:27084022

Metrics Proposed To Prevent the Harvest of Leafy Green Crops Exposed to Floodwater Contaminated with Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Callahan, Mary Theresa; Micallef, Shirley A; Sharma, Manan; Millner, Patricia D; Buchanan, Robert L

2016-07-01

The California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement (LGMA) requires leafy green crops within 9 m of the edge of a flooded field not be harvested due to potential contamination (California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Board, Commodity Specific Flood Safety Guidelines for the Production and Harvest of Lettuce and Leafy Greens, 2012). Further, previously flooded soils should not be replanted for 60 days. In this study, the suitability of the LGMA metrics for farms in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States was evaluated. The upper end of a spinach bed (in Beltsville, MD) established on a -5% grade was flooded with water containing 6 log CFU/ml Escherichia coli to model a worst-case scenario of bacterial movement through soil. Escherichia coli prevalence in soil and on foliar tissue was determined by most probable number (MPN) analysis at distances up to 9 m from the edge of the flood for 63 days. While E. coli was quickly detected at the 9-m distance within 1 day in the spring trial and within 3 days in the fall trial, no E. coli was detected on plants outside the flood zone after 14 days. On day 63 for the two trials, E. coli populations in the flood zone soil were higher in the fall than in the spring. Regression analysis predicted that the time required for a 3-log MPN/g (dry weight) decrease in E. coli populations inside the flood zone was within the 60-day LGMA guideline in the spring but would require 90 days in the fall. Overall, data suggest that the current guidelines should be revised to include considerations of field and weather conditions that may promote bacterial movement and survival. This study tracked the movement of Escherichia coli from floodwater across a horizontal plane of soil and the potential for the contamination of distant leafy green produce. The purpose of this study was to address the validity of the California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement recommendations for the harvest of leafy green crops after a flooding event. These recommendations were based on the turning radius of farming equipment but did not take into consideration the potential subsurface movement of pathogens in the water through soil. This research shows that further considerations of field slope, temperature, and additional rainfall events may be necessary to provide appropriate guidelines to prevent the harvest of leafy green crops contaminated by enteric pathogens in floodwaters. This study may be used to provide a framework for comprehensive recommendations to growers for good harvesting practices after a flooding event. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Nutrients and bioactives in green leafy vegetables and cognitive decline: prospective study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Objective: To increase understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying this association, we investigated the individual relations to cognitive decline of the primary nutrients and bioactives in green leafy vegetables, including vitamin K (phylloquinone), lutein, beta-carotene, nitrate, folate,...

6. WORKERS COLLECTING SAGO PONDWEED, RED TOP GRASS, LEAFY PONDWEED, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

6. WORKERS COLLECTING SAGO PONDWEED, RED TOP GRASS, LEAFY PONDWEED, WATER MILFOIL, AND OTHER AQUATIC PLANTS FOR TRANSPLANTING FROM A COULEE SIX MILES AWAY FROM THE REFUGE - Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge Dams, Souris River Basin, Foxholm, Surrey (England), ND

Simulation of nonylphenol degradation in leafy vegetables using a deuterated tracer.

PubMed

Fang, Kun; Jiang, Zejun; Wang, Jing; She, Yongxin; Jin, Maojun; Jin, Fen; Yang, Mao

2015-07-01

In this study, the residues of nonylphenol, an endocrine-disrupting chemical, were investigated in two types of leafy vegetables, leek and cabbage, that are commonly consumed in eight provinces in China. Nonylphenol was detected in 43.50% of the 223 samples, at concentrations up to 51.90 μg kg(-1). The isotopic tracer 4-n-NP-2,3,5,6-d4-OD was chosen to simulate the degradation of nonylphenol in cabbage. More than 80% of the tracer was degraded in the first 7 days, and most of it had vanished by the end of the 35-day experimental period. A preliminary degradation equation was established to describe the variation of nonylphenol residues in leafy vegetables, and the amounts of nonylphenol in four pesticides were analyzed. The results indicated that nonylphenol residues in leafy vegetables are probably derived from the applied pesticides. The potential risk of pesticide adjuvants as well as that of the active ingredient in pesticides should be taken into consideration when recommending a safety interval period.

The Ecological Areawide Management (TEAM) of leafy spurge program of the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service.

PubMed

Anderson, Gerald L; Prosser, Chad W; Wendel, Lloyd E; Delfosse, Ernest S; Faust, Robert M

2003-01-01

The Ecological Areawide Management (TEAM) of Leafy Spurge program was developed to focus research and control efforts on a single weed, leafy spurge, and demonstrate the effectiveness of a coordinated, biologically based, integrated pest management program (IPM). This was accomplished through partnerships and teamwork that clearly demonstrated the advantages of the biologically based IPM approach. However, the success of regional weed control programs horizontally across several states and provinces also requires a vertical integration of several sectors of society. Awareness and education are the essential elements of vertical integration. Therefore, a substantial effort was made to produce a wide variety of information products specifically designed to educate different segments of society. During its tenure, land managers and agency decision makers have seen the potential of using the TEAM approach to accelerate the regional control of leafy spurge. The example set by the TEAM organization and participants is viewed as a model for future weed-control efforts.

Green leafy and cruciferous vegetable consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: results from the Singapore Chinese Health Study and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Chen, Guo-Chong; Koh, Woon-Puay; Yuan, Jian-Min; Qin, Li-Qiang; van Dam, Rob M

2018-05-01

Several previous prospective studies suggest that consumption of green leafy and cruciferous vegetables may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). We investigated the association between consumption of different types of vegetables in relation to T2D risk in an Asian Population. We included 45 411 participants (age range: 45-74 years) of the Singapore Chinese Health Study (SCHS) free of diabetes, cancer or CVD at baseline (1993-1998). Dietary information was collected using a validated FFQ. Physician-diagnosed incident diabetes was reported at follow-up I (1999-2004) and II (2006-2010) interviews. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratio (HR) and 95 % CI of T2D risk. An updated meta-analysis was also conducted to summarise results for green leafy and cruciferous vegetables. During 494 741 person-years of follow-up, 5207 incident T2D occurred. After adjustment for potential confounders, neither total vegetables (top v. bottom quintile HR=1·08; 95 % CI 0·98, 1·18, P trend=0·66) nor specific vegetables including dark green leafy vegetables (HR=1·05; 95 % CI 0·96, 1·15, P trend=0·21) and cruciferous vegetables (HR=0·97; 95 % CI 0·88, 1·06, P trend=0·29) were substantially associated with risk of T2D. A meta-analysis (eleven studies with 754 729 participants and 58 297 cases) including the SCHS and all previous prospective studies suggested borderline significant inverse associations between green leafy (summary relative risk (RR)=0·91; 95 % CI 0·84, 1·00) and cruciferous vegetable consumption (RR=0·87; 95 % CI 0·76, 1·00) and T2D risk, with moderate-to-high heterogeneity. In conclusion, green leafy or cruciferous vegetable consumption was not substantially associated with risk of T2D in an Asian population. Meta-analysis of available cohort data indicated that evidence for a beneficial effect of green leafy or cruciferous vegetable consumption on T2D risk is not convincing.

Genome-wide association study for lettuce cultivars with improved salad processing efficiency

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is widely used as the main ingredient of packaged leafy vegetable salads. Salad lettuce can have short shelf life, decaying as early as eight days after harvest and reducing the nutritional quality. Decayed lettuce is not marketable, produces extra waste, and results in t...

Classification of fecal contamination on leafy greens by hyperspectral imaging

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A hyperspectral fluorescence imaging system was developed and used to obtain several two-waveband spectral ratios on leafy green vegetables, represented by romaine lettuce and baby spinach in this study. The ratios were analyzed to determine the proper one for detecting bovine fecal contamination on...

Classification of Fecal Contamination on Leafy Greens by Hyperspectral Imaging

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A hyperspectral fluorescence imaging system was developed and used to obtain several two-waveband spectral ratios on leafy green vegetables, represented by romaine lettuce and baby spinach in this study. The ratios were analyzed to determine the proper one for detecting bovine fecal contamination on...

Antimicrobial activity of lemongrass oil against Salmonella enterica on organic leafy greens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In an effort to discover new and natural antimicrobial treatments against Salmonella Newport on organic produce, we evaluated the antimicrobial effect of lemongrass essential oil on four different types of organic leafy greens inoculated with S. Newport. The effects of lemongrass treatment exposure...

Evaluation of the microbiological quality of conventional and organic leafy greens at the time of purchase from retail markets in Alexandria, Egypt.

PubMed

Khalil, Rowaida; Gomaa, Mohamed

2014-01-01

This is a pioneer study in Egypt that provides some assessment of the microbiological quality of conventional and organic leafy green vegetables that constitute an essential component of the Egyptians' daily diet. A total of 380 samples of unpackaged whole conventional and 84 packaged whole organic leafy greens were collected from retail markets in Alexandria, and analyzed for total aerobic mesophilic count (AMC) and total E. coli count (ECC) using the standard spread plate method. Mean AMC values for organic samples were statistically less (p < 0.05) than those of the corresponding conventional samples. Conventional radish and organic parsley samples had the highest AMC of 7.17 and 7.68 log CFU/g respectively, while conventional green cabbage and organic basil had the lowest AMC of 3.63 and 3.23 log CFU/g respectively. The presence of E. coli in 100% of the studied leafy greens was indicative of potential fecal contamination, in view of open and unhygienic environmental and unsanitary handling conditions, as leafy green items are available for sale by street-vendors. Unsatisfactory AMC and ECC levels encountered in the studied samples, warrant future investigations to determine the potential prevalence of foodborne pathogens, and to identify sources of dominating microorganisms, which could make a contribution to the field of food safety

Release of picloram from leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L. ) roots

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hickman, M.V.

1988-01-01

Picloram (4-amino-3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid) exudation from leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) roots following foliar application was determined with field trials examining the effects of plant growth stage, picloram rate, and time interval after treatment and with laboratory studies examining the effects of picloram rate, picloram plus 2,4-D, and root temperature. Release of /sup 14/C from leafy spurge roots in the laboratory was not affected by picloram rates from <0.005 to 0.28 kg/ha or by combining picloram at 0.14 kg/ha plus 2,4-D up to 1.12 kg/ha. No consistent effect was detected for increasing root temperatures from 14 to 32 C. The temperaturemore » coefficient (Q/sub 10/) for picloram release was 1.3 +/- 0.8. Most /sup 14/C exudates from leafy spurge roots co-chromatographed with /sup 14/C-picloram suggesting that picloram is exuded as the parent acid or a rapidly hydrolyzed metabolite. Most picloram release occurred from the upper 5 cm of the root system. /sup 14/C distribution in leafy spurge suggests symplastic movement. Only about 28% of the applied picloram was absorbed, 75% remained in the leaves and stems of the plants. Over 60% of the /sup 14/C that entered the plant roots was released to the nutrient solution.« less

Evidence of Immunosuppressive and Th2 Immune Polarizing Effects of Antidiabetic Momordica charantia Fruit Juice.

PubMed

Fachinan, Rufine; Fagninou, Adnette; Nekoua, Magloire Pandoua; Amoussa, Abdou Madjid; Adjagba, Marius; Lagnika, Latifou; Lalèyè, Anatole; Moutairou, Kabirou; Yessoufou, Akadiri

2017-01-01

The mechanism of action of the antidiabetic capacity of Momordica charantia is still under investigation. Here, we assessed phytochemical compositions, antioxidant activity, and effects of total and filtered fruit and leafy stem juices of Momordica charantia on human T cell proliferation and differentiation through quantification of Th1/Th2 cytokines. In the absence of stimulation, total fruit and leafy stem juices induced significant T cell proliferation. Under PHA stimulation, both juices potentiated plant-induced T cell proliferation. However, the filtered fruit and leafy stem juices significantly inhibited PHA-stimulated T cell proliferation, while neither juice influenced T cell proliferation. Moreover, total and filtered fruit juice increased IL-4 secretion, while total and filtered leafy stem juice enhanced IFN- γ production. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, anthocyans, steroids, and triterpenoids in both juices. Alkaloids, quinone derivatives, cardenolides, and cyanogenic derivatives were undetectable. The saponins present in total juices were undetectable after filtration. Moreover, both juices had appreciable antioxidant capacity. Our study supports the type 1 antidiabetic effect of filtered fruit juice of M. charantia which may be related to its immunosuppressive and T-helper 2 cell inducing capacities. Due to their immune-stimulatory activities and their ability to increase T-helper 1 cell cytokines, total fruit and leafy stem juices may serve in the treatment of immunodeficiency and certain infections.

Evidence of Immunosuppressive and Th2 Immune Polarizing Effects of Antidiabetic Momordica charantia Fruit Juice

PubMed Central

Amoussa, Abdou Madjid; Adjagba, Marius; Lagnika, Latifou; Lalèyè, Anatole

2017-01-01

The mechanism of action of the antidiabetic capacity of Momordica charantia is still under investigation. Here, we assessed phytochemical compositions, antioxidant activity, and effects of total and filtered fruit and leafy stem juices of Momordica charantia on human T cell proliferation and differentiation through quantification of Th1/Th2 cytokines. In the absence of stimulation, total fruit and leafy stem juices induced significant T cell proliferation. Under PHA stimulation, both juices potentiated plant-induced T cell proliferation. However, the filtered fruit and leafy stem juices significantly inhibited PHA-stimulated T cell proliferation, while neither juice influenced T cell proliferation. Moreover, total and filtered fruit juice increased IL-4 secretion, while total and filtered leafy stem juice enhanced IFN-γ production. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, anthocyans, steroids, and triterpenoids in both juices. Alkaloids, quinone derivatives, cardenolides, and cyanogenic derivatives were undetectable. The saponins present in total juices were undetectable after filtration. Moreover, both juices had appreciable antioxidant capacity. Our study supports the type 1 antidiabetic effect of filtered fruit juice of M. charantia which may be related to its immunosuppressive and T-helper 2 cell inducing capacities. Due to their immune-stimulatory activities and their ability to increase T-helper 1 cell cytokines, total fruit and leafy stem juices may serve in the treatment of immunodeficiency and certain infections. PMID:28812026

The impact of plant-based antimicrobials on sensory properties of organic leafy greens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Plant extracts and essential oils are well known for their antibacterial activity. However, studies concerning their effect on the organoleptic properties of treated foods are limited. The objective was to study the sensory attributes of organic leafy greens treated with plant antimicrobials and ide...

Inactivation of E. coli O157:H7 attached to spinach harvester blade using bacteriophage

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Outbreaks associated with leafy greens have focused attention on the transfer of human pathogens to leafy greens during harvest with commercial equipment. Bacteriophages can kill bacteria and are suitable candidates for biocontrol of these pathogens. We determined biofilm formation by Escherichia co...

Extended Low Temperature Impacts Dormancy Status, Flowering Competence, and Transcript Profiles in Crown Buds of Leafy Spurge

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) is an herbaceous perennial weed that reproduces vegetatively from an abundance of underground adventitious buds. In this study we report the effects of different growth conditions on vegetative reproduction and flowering competence, and determine molecular mechanisms a...

Physical and chemical interventions to mitigate risk associated with leafy greens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Contamination of leafy green vegetables with human pathogens is a source of ongoing concern for consumers. Conventional treatments have typically been able to achieve 1-2 logs reductions of such pathogens as Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes. Novel approaches and treatm...

Storage time influences salmonella sensitivity to irradiation and sodium hypochlorite on leafy greens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Contamination of leafy green vegetables with human pathogens is a source of ongoing concern for consumers. Bacteria in mature microbial communities such as biofilms are relatively resistant to chemical treatments, but little is known about the response of leaf surface biofilms to irradiation. Lea...

Minerals, vitamin C, phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidant activity of Amaranthus leafy vegetables

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to evaluate mineral, vitamin C, phenolic and flavonoid concentrations and antioxidant activity levels in 15 leafy Amaranthus species. Across species, the concentration ranges of Ca, K, Mg, P and phenolics, and activity ranges of antioxidants in amaranth leaves were 1....

Evidence for leafy spurge dissemination by birds?

Treesearch

Daniel L. Noble

1980-01-01

Questions are often raised concerning the spread of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula; E. virgata; and their complex) by birds, particularly, since this noxious weed is often found in inaccessible places and beneath lines and other apparent perches. In a study in 1936, Bakke reported no viable seed passed through the digestive...

Distinguishing bovine fecal matter on spinach leaves using field spectroscopy

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Detection of fecal contaminants on leafy greens in the field will allow for decreasing cross-contamination of produce during and post-harvest. Fecal contamination of leafy greens has been associated with E.coli O157:H7 outbreaks and foodbourne illnesses. In this study passive field spectroscopy, mea...

Carotene-rich plant foods ingested with minimal dietary fat enhance the total-body vitamin A pool size in Filipino schoolchildren as assessed by stable-isotope-dilution methodology.

PubMed

Ribaya-Mercado, Judy D; Maramag, Cherry C; Tengco, Lorena W; Dolnikowski, Gregory G; Blumberg, Jeffrey B; Solon, Florentino S

2007-04-01

Strategies for improving the vitamin A status of vulnerable populations are needed. We studied the influence of the amounts of dietary fat on the effectiveness of carotene-rich plant foods in improving vitamin A status. Schoolchildren aged 9-12 y were fed standardized meals 3 times/d, 5 d/wk, for 9 wk. The meals provided 4.2 mg provitamin A carotenoids/d (mainly beta-carotene) from yellow and green leafy vegetables [carrots, pechay (bok choy), squash, and kangkong (swamp cabbage)] and 7, 15, or 29 g fat/d (2.4, 5, or 10 g fat/meal) in groups A, B, and C (n = 39, 39, and 38, respectively). Other self-selected foods eaten were recorded daily. Before and after the intervention, total-body vitamin A pool sizes and liver vitamin A concentrations were measured with the deuterated-retinol-dilution method; serum retinol and carotenoid concentrations were measured by HPLC. Similar increases in mean serum beta-carotene (5-fold), alpha-carotene (19-fold), and beta-cryptoxanthin (2-fold) concentrations; total-body vitamin A pool size (2-fold); and liver vitamin A (2-fold) concentrations were observed after 9 wk in the 3 study groups; mean serum retinol concentrations did not change significantly. The total daily beta-carotene intake from study meals plus self-selected foods was similar between the 3 groups and was 14 times the usual intake; total fat intake was 0.9, 1.4, or 2.0 times the usual intake in groups A, B, and C, respectively. The overall prevalence of low liver vitamin A (<0.07 mumol/g) decreased from 35% to 7%. Carotene-rich yellow and green leafy vegetables, when ingested with minimal fat, enhance serum carotenoids and the total-body vitamin A pool size and can restore low liver vitamin A concentrations to normal concentrations.

Transfer of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from equipment surfaces to fresh-cut leafy greens during processing in a model pilot-plant production line with sanitizer-free water.

PubMed

Buchholz, Annemarie L; Davidson, Gordon R; Marks, Bradley P; Todd, Ewen C D; Ryser, Elliot T

2012-11-01

Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination of fresh-cut leafy greens has become a public health concern as a result of several large outbreaks. The goal of this study was to generate baseline data for E. coli O157:H7 transfer from product-inoculated equipment surfaces to uninoculated lettuce during pilot-scale processing without a sanitizer. Uninoculated cored heads of iceberg and romaine lettuce (22.7 kg) were processed using a commercial shredder, step conveyor, 3.3-m flume tank with sanitizer-free tap water, shaker table, and centrifugal dryer, followed by 22.7 kg of product that had been dip inoculated to contain ∼10(6), 10(4), or 10(2) CFU/g of a four-strain avirulent, green fluorescent protein-labeled, ampicillin-resistant E. coli O157:H7 cocktail. After draining the flume tank and refilling the holding tank with tap water, 90.8 kg of uninoculated product was similarly processed and collected in ∼5-kg aliquots. After processing, 42 equipment surface samples and 46 iceberg or 36 romaine lettuce samples (25 g each) from the collection baskets were quantitatively examined for E. coli O157:H7 by direct plating or membrane filtration using tryptic soy agar containing 0.6% yeast extract and 100 ppm of ampicillin. Initially, the greatest E. coli O157:H7 transfer was seen from inoculated lettuce to the shredder and conveyor belt, with all equipment surface populations decreasing 90 to 99% after processing 90.8 kg of uncontaminated product. After processing lettuce containing 10(6) or 10(4) E. coli O157:H7 CFU/g followed by uninoculated lettuce, E. coli O157:H7 was quantifiable throughout the entire 90.8 kg of product. At an inoculation level of 10(2) CFU/g, E. coli O157:H7 was consistently detected in the first 21.2 kg of previously uninoculated lettuce at 2 to 3 log CFU/100 g and transferred to 78 kg of product. These baseline E. coli O157:H7 transfer results will help determine the degree of sanitizer efficacy required to better ensure the safety of fresh-cut leafy greens.

The resemblance and disparity of gene expression in dormant and non-dormant seeds and crown buds of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Overlaps in transcriptome profiles between different phases of bud and seed dormancy have not been determined. Thus, we compared various phases of dormancy between seeds and buds to identify common genes and molecular processes. Cluster analysis of expression profiles for 201 selected genes indicate...

Dehydration and vernalization treatments identify overlapping molecular networks impacting endodormancy maintenance in leafy spurge crown buds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) is an herbaceous perennial weed that reproduces vegetatively from an abundance of underground adventitious buds (UABs), which undergo well-defined phases of seasonal dormancy (para-, endo- and eco-dormancy). In this study, the effects of dehydration-stress on vegeta...

Comparison of phytohormone levels and transcript profiles during seasonal dormancy transitions in underground adventitious buds of leafy spurge

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) is an herbaceous perennial weed that maintains its perennial growth habit through generation of underground adventitious buds (UABs) on the crown and lateral roots. These UABs undergo seasonal phases of dormancy under natural conditions, namely para-, endo-, and eco...

Cloning, Characterization, Regulation, and Function of Dormancy-Associated MADS-Box Genes from Leafy Spurge

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

DORMANCY-ASSOCIATED MADS-BOX (DAM) genes are SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE–Like MADS box transcription factors linked to endodormancy induction. We have cloned and characterized several cDNA and genomic clones of DAM genes from the model perennial weed leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula). We present evidence fo...

Coordinating expression of FLOWERING LOCUS T by DORMANCY ASSOCIATED MADS-BOX-like genes in leafy spurge

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Leafy spurge is a noxious perennial weed that produces underground adventitious buds, which are crucial for generating new vegetative shoots following periods of freezing temperatures or exposure to various control measures. DORMANCY ASSOCIATED MADS-BOX (DAM) genes have been proposed to play a direc...

Combining essential oils and olive extract for control of multi-drug resistant Salmonella enterica on organic leafy greens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We investigated the combined antimicrobial effects of plant essential oils and olive extract against antibiotic resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Newport on organic leafy greens. Organic baby spinach, mature spinach, romaine lettuce, and iceberg lettuce were inoculated with S. Newport and dip-t...

Evaluation of minerals, phytochemical compounds and antioxidant activity of Mexican, Central American, and African green leafy vegetables

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The green leafy vegetables Cnidoscolus aconitifolius and Crotalaria longirostrata are native to Mexico and Central America, while Solanum scabrum and Gynandropsis gynandra are native to Africa. They are consumed in both rural and urban areas in those places as a main food, food ingredient or traditi...

Effect of Soil Amendments on Cd accumulation by Spinach from a Cd-Mineralized Soil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cadmium mineralized soils occur in many nations. When these soils are non-calcareous, crops and especially leafy vegetables such as lettuce and spinach accumulate levels of Cd which exceed international standards. Lockwood loam from Monterey Co., CA, has been found to cause excessive Cd in leafy veg...

Apple, carrot, and hibiscus edible films containing plant antimicrobials inactivate Salmonella Newport in packaged organic leafy greens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The increased demand for organic leafy green may raise the risk of foodborne illness outbreaks due to consumption of contaminated produce. Edible films incorporated with natural antimicrobials have the potential to be used as ingredients into organic bagged salads to control contamination from path...

Effect of traditional leafy vegetables on the growth of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.

PubMed

Kassim, Muhammad Arshad; Baijnath, Himansu; Odhav, Bharti

2014-12-01

Traditional leafy vegetables, apart from being a staple in the diet of most of sub-Saharan Africa, are an essential part of traditional medicine and are used daily by traditional healers in the region to treat a wide variety of ailments. In this study, a batch culture technique was used to investigate whether 25 infusions from 22 traditional leafy vegetables stimulated the growth of Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus lactis, Lactobacillus reuteri and Bifidobacterium longum in pure culture. High performance liquid chromatography was used to determine the inulin content of the infusions. Sonchus oleraceus stimulated all four strains and Taraxacum officinale stimulated three strains. In total, 18 plants stimulated at least one of the four probiotic strains. The inulin content of the infusions varied between 2.5% and 3.6%, with Asparagus sprengeri containing the highest percentage. These results indicate that traditional leafy vegetables do stimulate the growth of the selected lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in pure culture and contain inulin. These infusions can now be tested for prebiotic potential using mixed culture systems or human hosts.

A novel approach to enhance food safety: industry-academia-government partnership for applied research.

PubMed

Osterholm, Michael T; Ostrowsky, Julie; Farrar, Jeff A; Gravani, Robert B; Tauxe, Robert V; Buchanan, Robert L; Hedberg, Craig W

2009-07-01

An independent collaborative approach was developed for stimulating research on high-priority food safety issues. The Fresh Express Produce Safety Research Initiative was launched in 2007 with $2 million in unrestricted funds from industry and independent direction and oversight from a scientific advisory panel consisting of nationally recognized food safety experts from academia and government agencies. The program had two main objectives: (i) to fund rigorous, innovative, and multidisciplinary research addressing the safety of lettuce, spinach, and other leafy greens and (ii) to share research findings as widely and quickly as possible to support the development of advanced safeguards within the fresh-cut produce industry. Sixty-five proposals were submitted in response to a publicly announced request for proposals and were competitively evaluated. Nine research projects were funded to examine underlying factors involved in Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination of lettuce, spinach, and other leafy greens and potential strategies for preventing the spread of foodborne pathogens. Results of the studies, published in the Journal of Food Protection, help to identify promising directions for future research into potential sources and entry points of contamination and specific factors associated with harvesting, processing, transporting, and storing produce that allow contaminants to persist and proliferate. The program provides a model for leveraging the strengths of industry, academia, and government to address high-priority issues quickly and directly through applied research. This model can be productively extended to other pathogens and other leafy and nonleafy produce.

Diets of angora goats grazing leafy spurge Euphorbia esula-infested rangelands

Treesearch

Donald Kirby; Thomas P. Hanson; Carolyn Hull Sieg

1997-01-01

Angora goats have been suggested as biological control agents for leafy spurge, especially in environmentally sensitive or limited access areas. Dietary preferences and dietary nutritive content of herded Angora goats were evaluated over a two-year period in North Dakota. Relative preferences of forages were evaluated by comparing botanical composition of diets as...

Leafy spurge effects on patterns of plant species richness

Treesearch

Jack L. Butler; Daniel R. Cogan

2004-01-01

The objective of this study was to simultaneously evaluate the impact of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) on plant species richness within and among a wide variety of vegetation types typical of the region. The study was conducted in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in southwestern North Dakota where 11 plant associations were identified as being...

Field evaluation of leaf blight-resistant plant introductions of Brassica Juncea and Brassica Rapa and elucidation of inheritance of resistance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Brassica leafy greens (Brassica juncea and Brassica rapa) represent one of the most economically important vegetable crop groups in the southeastern United States. In the last 10 years, numerous occurrences of a leaf blight disease on these leafy vegetables have been reported in several states. One ...

The effect of total organic carbon content and repeated irrigation on the persistence of E. coli O157:H7 on baby spinach

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Introduction: Contaminated fresh-cut spinach and other leafy greens have caused foodborne illness in the United States. In response, growers are adopting recommendations stated in the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA). The LGMA permits a maximum population of 126 Most Probable Nu...

40 CFR 180.641 - Spirotetramat; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... on the following raw agricultural commodities: Commodity Parts per million Almond, hulls 9.0 Brassica, head and stem, subgroup 5A 2.5 Brassica, leafy, subgroup 5B 8.0 Citrus, oil 6.0 Fruit, citrus, group 10... Vegetable, fruiting, group 8 2.5 Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4 9.0 Vegetable, tuberous and corm...

Waveband selection and algorithm development to distinguish fecal contamination using multispectral imaging with solar light

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fecal contamination in fresh produce fields caused by animals or livestock entering the fields can lead to outbreaks of foodbourne illnesses. E.coli O157:H7 originating in the intestines of animals can transfer onto leafy greens via fecal matter. Leafy greens are often eaten fresh without thermal tr...

40 CFR 180.672 - Cyantraniliprole; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Parts per million Almond, hulls 8.0 Brassica head and stem (subgroup 5A) 3.0 Brassica leafy vegetables... 0.01 Cherry (subgroup 12-12A) 6.0 Citrus, oil 2.4 Cotton, gin byproducts 10 Fruit, citrus (group 10... Vegetable, cucurbit (group 9) 0.40 Vegetable, fruiting (group 8-10) 2.0 Vegetable, leafy (except Brassica...

Nitrates and Glucosinolates as Strong Determinants of the Nutritional Quality in Rocket Leafy Salads

PubMed Central

Cavaiuolo, Marina; Ferrante, Antonio

2014-01-01

Rocket is an important leafy vegetable crop and a good source of antioxidants and anticancer molecules such as glucosinolates and other sulfur compounds. Rocket is also a hyper-accumulator of nitrates which have been considered for long time the main factors that cause gastro-intestinal cancer. In this review, the content of these compounds in rocket tissues and their levels at harvest and during storage are discussed. Moreover, the effect of these compounds in preventing or inducing human diseases is also highlighted. This review provides an update to all the most recent studies carried out on rocket encouraging the consumption of this leafy vegetable to reduce the risk of contracting cancer and other cardiovascular diseases. PMID:24736897

Nitrates and glucosinolates as strong determinants of the nutritional quality in rocket leafy salads.

PubMed

Cavaiuolo, Marina; Ferrante, Antonio

2014-04-14

Rocket is an important leafy vegetable crop and a good source of antioxidants and anticancer molecules such as glucosinolates and other sulfur compounds. Rocket is also a hyper-accumulator of nitrates which have been considered for long time the main factors that cause gastro-intestinal cancer. In this review, the content of these compounds in rocket tissues and their levels at harvest and during storage are discussed. Moreover, the effect of these compounds in preventing or inducing human diseases is also highlighted. This review provides an update to all the most recent studies carried out on rocket encouraging the consumption of this leafy vegetable to reduce the risk of contracting cancer and other cardiovascular diseases.

Combination of Cymbopogon citratus and Allium cepa essential oils increased antibacterial activity in leafy vegetables.

PubMed

Ortega-Ramirez, Luis A; Silva-Espinoza, Brenda A; Vargas-Arispuro, Irasema; Gonzalez-Aguilar, Gustavo A; Cruz-Valenzuela, M Reynaldo; Nazzaro, Filomena; Ayala-Zavala, J Fernando

2017-05-01

Cymbopogon citratus and Allium cepa essential oils (EOs) are rich in terpenes and sulfur compounds respectively, both with antibacterial activity and different cell targets, supporting the idea that their combination can increase their efficacy. Major constituents of C. citratus were geranial and neral, while A. cepa presented dipropyl disulfide and dipropyl trisulfide. Cymbopogon citratus and A. cepa EOs inhibited the in vitro growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (minimal inhibitory concentrations of 2.21 and 5.13 g L -1 respectively), Salmonella Choleraesuis (3.04 and 1.28 g L -1 ), Listeria monocytogenes (1.33 and 2.56 g L -1 ) and Staphylococcus aureus (0.44 and 5.26 g L -1 ). Application of the EO combination to spinach caused a greater reduction in E. coli (2.34 log colony-forming units (CFU) g -1 ), S. Choleraesuis (2.94 log CFU g -1 ), L. monocytogenes (2.06 log CFU g -1 ) and S. aureus (1.37 log CFU g -1 ) compared with higher doses of individual EOs; a similar effect was observed for romaine lettuce. Individual and combined EOs caused a reduction in flavor acceptability level; however, no significant differences were found among odor acceptability of control vegetables and those treated with the EO combination and C. citratus EO. Leafy vegetables treated with the EO combination showed higher antibacterial protection and odor acceptability compared with individual EO treatments. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Antibacterial activity of oregano oil against antibiotic resistant Salmonella enterica on organic leafy greens at varying exposure times and storage temperatures

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of oregano oil on four organic leafy greens (iceberg and romaine lettuces and mature and baby spinaches) inoculated with Salmonella Newport as a function of treatment exposure times as well as storage temperatures. Leaf samples were wash...

‘Carolina Broadleaf’ mustard green (Brassica juncea L.) resistant to the bacterial leaf blight pathogen Pseudomonas cannabina pv. alisalensis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A leafy-green mustard (Brassica juncea L.) cultivar designated ‘Carolina Broadleaf’ has been released by the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture in 2015. This released cultivar is a narrow-based population of leafy-green mustard derived from a U.S. plant introduction (PI)...

Expression of leaf blight resistance in Brassica leafy greens under field conditions and inheritance of resistance in a Brassica juncea source

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Brassica leafy greens are one of the most economically important vegetable commodities grown in the southeastern United States, and more than 28,000 metric tons of these crops are harvested in the U.S. annually. Collards and kale (Brassica oleracea L.), mustard greens (Brassica juncea L.) and turni...

Effect of proximity to a cattle feedlot on the occurrence of Escherichia coli 0157:H7-positive pest flies in a leafy green crop

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Introduction: Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreaks linked to produce have focused attention on cattle as contamination sources. Cattle pest flies can harbor this pathogen, and may disseminate it to produce. The Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement proposes an interim guidance distance of 400 feet betwee...

Genetic characterization of a red color morph of Euphorbia esula subsp. esula (Euphorbiaceae) in the floodplains of Saône (Eastern France)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The invasive leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula L (Euphorbiaceae) is an The invasive leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula L (Euphorbiaceae) is an emerging weed in the floodplains of the Val de Saône France, that displaces native flora and desirable forage species by forming dense monotypic stands. It is conside...

Inventory and analysis of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) sites: a feasibility study

Treesearch

Richard E. Francis; Meredith J. Morris; Richard J. Myhre; Daniel L. Noble

1980-01-01

Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) infests more than 2.25 million acres of agricultural and range lands in the United States and had an economic impact of $10.5 million in 1978 (Noble et al. 1979). The most widespread and heaviest areas of infestation are in the northern and central Great Plains. However, quantitative information and compatible...

A barrage of beetles: controlling leafy spurge through beetle inundation

Treesearch

Paul Meznarich; Rob Progar

2012-01-01

Leafy spurge is an invasive weed that has appeared along streams throughout much of the country. Riparian ecosystems are particularly sensitive areas that can be threatened by nonnative invasive species. These areas also can be damaged by herbicides commonly used in uplands to control invasive plants. In a collaborative effort by the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land...

Role of curli and contamination level on Escherichia coli O157:H7 internalization into organic spinach plants grown on hydroponics and in soil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Introduction: E. coli O157:H7 may be internalized into organic leafy greens via root uptake. Understanding the mechanisms of E. coli O157:H7 internalization into organic leafy greens is important as produce wash treatment may not remove internalized pathogens. Purpose: The internalization potential...

40 CFR 180.641 - Spirotetramat; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Acerola 2.5 Almond, hulls 9.0 Aspirated grain fractions 10.0 Avocado 0.60 Black sapote 0.60 Brassica, head and stem, subgroup 5A 2.5 Brassica, leafy, subgroup 5B 8.0 Canistel 0.60 Citrus, oil 6.0 Cotton gin... 7.0 Vegetable, fruiting, group 8 2.5 Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4 9.0 Vegetable...

Sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] cultivated as tuber or leafy vegetable supplier as affected by elevated tropospheric ozone.

PubMed

Keutgen, Norbert; Keutgen, Anna J; Janssens, Marc J J

2008-08-13

Sweet potato cultivars respond differently to elevated tropospheric ozone concentrations of ca. 130 mug m (-3), 8 h a day for 4 weeks, which affects their selection for cultivation. In the first cultivar presented here, an adequate leafy vegetable supplier, the ozone load resulted in a shift of biomass to maintain the canopy at the expense of tuber development. Starch content of leaves was reduced, indicating an impairment of quality, but carotenoid content remained stable. The second cultivar may be grown for tuber production. Although the ratio tuber/plant remained stable under ozone, tuber yield and its starch content were significantly reduced. The lower starch content indicated a worse quality for certain industrial processing, but it is desirable for chip production. Elevated tropospheric ozone concentrations also influenced free amino acids and macronutrient contents of tubers, but these modifications were of minor significance for tuber quality in the second cultivar.

Regulatory interplay between LEAFY, APETALA1/CAULIFLOWER and TERMINAL FLOWER1: New insights into an old relationship.

PubMed

Serrano-Mislata, Antonio; Goslin, Kevin; Zheng, Beibei; Rae, Liina; Wellmer, Frank; Graciet, Emmanuelle; Madueño, Francisco

2017-10-03

The gene regulatory network comprised of LEAFY (LFY), APETALA1 (AP1), the AP1 paralog CAULIFLOWER (CAL), and TERMINAL FLOWER1 (TFL1) is a major determinant of the flowering process in Arabidopsis thaliana. TFL1 activity in the shoot apical meristem provides inflorescence identity while the transcription factors LFY and AP1/CAL confer floral identity to emerging floral primordia. It has been thought that LFY and AP1/CAL control the onset of flowering in part by repressing TFL1 expression in flowers. However, in the June issue of Plant Physiology, we reported that LFY and AP1 act antagonistically in the regulation of several key flowering regulators, including TFL1. Specifically, TFL1 transcription was suppressed by AP1 but promoted by LFY. Here, we present additional evidence for the role of LFY as an activator of TFL1 and propose that this regulatory activity is pivotal for the indeterminate growth of the SAM during the reproductive phase of development.

Green leafy porridges: how good are they in controlling glycaemic response?

PubMed

Anuruddhika Subhashinie Senadheera, Senadheera Pathirannehelage; Ekanayake, Sagarika

2013-03-01

Green leafy porridges made with leaf water extracts, rice and coconut milk are common Sri Lankan dietary remedies for diabetes. Though water and ethanolic extracts of most leaves elicit hypoglycaemic effects, data are not available on the efficacy when leaf extracts are incorporated into porridges. Thus, an effort was made to evaluate the proximate compositions and glycaemic index (GI) of some commonly consumed green leafy porridges. The GI of rice porridge and coconut milk porridge were measured to evaluate the effect of other ingredients other than the leaf extracts. Rice was the main contributor to carbohydrate (56-68% on dry weight) and water was the main component in porridges (89-93%). Fat and total dietary fibre contents ranged between 2.5-27% and 5-10%, respectively. The GI of all porridges was low (GI ≤ 55), except Cassia auriculata which had a high GI of 77 ± 12. The GIs of coconut milk, Aerva lanata, Hemidesmus indicus, Scoparia dulcis, Asparagus racemosus, Cephalandra indica, Cardiospermum halicacabum, Murraya koenigii and Aegle marmelos were 31 ± 5, 32 ± 5, 40 ± 8, 39 ± 8, 37 ± 4, 49 ± 8, 46 ± 8, 44 ± 8 and 50 ± 8, respectively. All porridges had a low or medium glycaemic loads ( ≤ 19). However, peak blood glucose reductions of ≥ 25% were observed in all leafy and coconut milk porridges, except in C. auriculata and Atlantia zeylanica, when compared with the glucose control. Therefore, green leafy porridges, except Cassia, can be recommended as breakfast meals for diabetics due to their low GI, peak blood glucose reduction and presence of other nutrients in green leaves.

Antibacterial Activities of Hibiscus sabdariffa Extracts and Chemical Sanitizers Directly on Green Leaves Contaminated with Foodborne Pathogens.

PubMed

Gómez-Aldapa, Carlos A; Rangel-Vargas, Esmeralda; Torres-Vitela, Ma Refugio; Villarruel-López, Angélica; Acevedo-Sandoval, Otilio A; Gordillo-Martínez, Alberto J; Godínez-Oviedo, Angélica; Castro-Rosas, Javier

2018-02-01

Leafy greens have been associated with foodborne disease outbreaks in different countries. To decrease microbial contamination of leafy greens, chemical agents are commonly used; however, a number of studies have shown these agents to have limited antimicrobial effect against pathogenic bacteria on vegetables. The objective of this study was to compare the antibacterial effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa calyx extracts (water, methanol, acetone, and ethyl acetate), sodium hypochlorite, acetic acid, and colloidal silver against foodborne bacteria on leafy greens. Thirteen foodborne bacteria were used in the study: Listeria monocytogenes, Shigella flexneri, Salmonella serotypes Typhimurium Typhi, and Montevideo, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157:H7, five E. coli pathotypes (Shiga toxin-producing, enteropathogenic, enterotoxigenic, enteroinvasive, and enteroaggregative), and Vibrio cholerae O1. Each foodborne bacterium was separately inoculated on romaine lettuce, spinach, and coriander leaves. Separately, contaminated leafy greens were immersed in four hibiscus extracts and in sanitizers for 5 min. Next, green leaves were washed with sterile tap water. Separately, each green leaf was placed in a bag that contained 0.1% sterile peptone water and was rubbed for 2 min. Counts were done by plate count using appropriate dilutions (in sterile peptone water) of the bacterial suspensions spread on Trypticase soy agar plates and incubated at 35 ± 2°C for 48 h. Statistically significant differences ( P < 0.05) were calculated with an analysis of variance and Duncan's test. All 13 foodborne bacteria attached to leafy greens. Roselle calyx extracts caused a significantly greater reduction ( P < 0.05) in concentration of all foodborne bacteria on contaminated romaine lettuce, spinach, and coriander than did the sodium hypochlorite, colloidal silver, and acetic acid. Dry roselle calyx extracts may potentially be a useful addition to disinfection procedures for romaine lettuce, spinach, and coriander.

The Effect of Repeated Irrigation with Water Containing Varying Levels of Total Organic Carbon on the Persistence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on Baby Spinach

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The California lettuce and leafy greens industry has adopted the Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA), which allows for 126 Most Probable Number (MPN) generic E. coli/100ml in irrigation water. Repeat irrigation of baby spinach plants with water containing E. coli O157:H7 and different levels of...

Tracing temperature patterns of cut leafy greens during service in North Carolina school food service.

PubMed

Thomas, Ellen M; Chapman, Benjamin; Jaykus, Lee-Ann; Phister, Trevor

2014-09-01

Contaminated fresh produce has been increasingly identified as a cause of foodborne illnesses. Because of concerns about pathogen growth on these food items at retail, the 2009 U.S. Food and Drug Administration Food Code established that cut leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, spring mix, cabbage, arugula, and kale) must have time and temperature controls for safety and hence should be kept at refrigerated temperatures (5°C or lower). The purpose of this study was to determine the temperature profiles of cut leafy greens in single-serving clamshell containers provided as part of the North Carolina School Lunch Program and to compare the two policies that North Carolina has in place to control the temperature of these products (the 3-day rule and time in lieu of temperature). Temperatures were recorded with data loggers in 24 schools during a 3-day period. In all cases, substantial temperature variability was found for these products, including temperatures above 5°C for at least 1 h on each of the 3 days. In some cases, temperatures reached above 5°C for more than 3 h throughout the serving time. The results demonstrate the importance of developing a protocol for continuous temperature monitoring of leafy greens served in school lunch programs.

Evolution of the Plant Reproduction Master Regulators LFY and the MADS Transcription Factors: The Role of Protein Structure in the Evolutionary Development of the Flower.

PubMed

Silva, Catarina S; Puranik, Sriharsha; Round, Adam; Brennich, Martha; Jourdain, Agnès; Parcy, François; Hugouvieux, Veronique; Zubieta, Chloe

2015-01-01

Understanding the evolutionary leap from non-flowering (gymnosperms) to flowering (angiosperms) plants and the origin and vast diversification of the floral form has been one of the focuses of plant evolutionary developmental biology. The evolving diversity and increasing complexity of organisms is often due to relatively small changes in genes that direct development. These "developmental control genes" and the transcription factors (TFs) they encode, are at the origin of most morphological changes. TFs such as LEAFY (LFY) and the MADS-domain TFs act as central regulators in key developmental processes of plant reproduction including the floral transition in angiosperms and the specification of the male and female organs in both gymnosperms and angiosperms. In addition to advances in genome wide profiling and forward and reverse genetic screening, structural techniques are becoming important tools in unraveling TF function by providing atomic and molecular level information that was lacking in purely genetic approaches. Here, we summarize previous structural work and present additional biophysical and biochemical studies of the key master regulators of plant reproduction - LEAFY and the MADS-domain TFs SEPALLATA3 and AGAMOUS. We discuss the impact of structural biology on our understanding of the complex evolutionary process leading to the development of the bisexual flower.

Selective Control of Eurasian Watermilfoil and Curlyleaf Pondweed in Noxon Rapids Reservoir, Montana: Aquatic Herbicide Evaluations, 2009-2010

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-01

and grouped using the least significant difference method. All analyses were conducted using SAS® analytical software ( Cary , North Carolina), at a p...Leafy pondweed 11 0* 0* - Potamogeton illinoensis Illinois pondweed 17 3* 0* - Potamogeton praelongus Whitestem pondweed 0 0 0 Potamogeton...Potamogeton foliosus Leafy pondweed 8 58* 31* + Potamogeton illinoensis Illinois pondweed 16 8 14 Potamogeton praelongus Whitestem pondweed 5 5 0

Effect of proximity to a cattle feedlot on Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination of leafy greens and evaluation of the potential for bioaerosol and pest fly transmission

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Recent foodborne outbreaks linked to spinach and lettuce emphasize the need for information regarding E. coli O157:H7 dissemination from cattle production. Project objectives were to evaluate the impact of proximity to a cattle feedlot on E. coli O157:H7 contamination of leafy greens and to examine...

Hyperspectral fluorescence imaging coupled with multivariate image analysis techniques for contaminant screening of leafy greens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Everard, Colm D.; Kim, Moon S.; Lee, Hoyoung

2014-05-01

The production of contaminant free fresh fruit and vegetables is needed to reduce foodborne illnesses and related costs. Leafy greens grown in the field can be susceptible to fecal matter contamination from uncontrolled livestock and wild animals entering the field. Pathogenic bacteria can be transferred via fecal matter and several outbreaks of E.coli O157:H7 have been associated with the consumption of leafy greens. This study examines the use of hyperspectral fluorescence imaging coupled with multivariate image analysis to detect fecal contamination on Spinach leaves (Spinacia oleracea). Hyperspectral fluorescence images from 464 to 800 nm were captured; ultraviolet excitation was supplied by two LED-based line light sources at 370 nm. Key wavelengths and algorithms useful for a contaminant screening optical imaging device were identified and developed, respectively. A non-invasive screening device has the potential to reduce the harmful consequences of foodborne illnesses.

A Mathematical Model for Pathogen Cross-Contamination Dynamics during the Postharvest Processing of Leafy Greens.

PubMed

Mokhtari, Amir; Oryang, David; Chen, Yuhuan; Pouillot, Regis; Van Doren, Jane

2018-01-08

We developed a probabilistic mathematical model for the postharvest processing of leafy greens focusing on Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination of fresh-cut romaine lettuce as the case study. Our model can (i) support the investigation of cross-contamination scenarios, and (ii) evaluate and compare different risk mitigation options. We used an agent-based modeling framework to predict the pathogen prevalence and levels in bags of fresh-cut lettuce and quantify spread of E. coli O157:H7 from contaminated lettuce to surface areas of processing equipment. Using an unbalanced factorial design, we were able to propagate combinations of random values assigned to model inputs through different processing steps and ranked statistically significant inputs with respect to their impacts on selected model outputs. Results indicated that whether contamination originated on incoming lettuce heads or on the surface areas of processing equipment, pathogen prevalence among bags of fresh-cut lettuce and batches was most significantly impacted by the level of free chlorine in the flume tank and frequency of replacing the wash water inside the tank. Pathogen levels in bags of fresh-cut lettuce were most significantly influenced by the initial levels of contamination on incoming lettuce heads or surface areas of processing equipment. The influence of surface contamination on pathogen prevalence or levels in fresh-cut bags depended on the location of that surface relative to the flume tank. This study demonstrates that developing a flexible yet mathematically rigorous modeling tool, a "virtual laboratory," can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of individual and combined risk mitigation options. © 2018 The Authors Risk Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Risk Analysis.

Selective Control of Eurasian Watermilfoil and Curlyleaf Pondweed in Noxon Rapids Reservoir, Montana: Herbicide Small-Plot Evaluations, 2010-2011

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-01

Nitella sp. Stonewort Potamogeton crispus L. Curlyleaf pondweed Potamogeton foliosus Raf. Leafy pondweed Potamogeton illinoensis Morong Illinois...paired t-test. All analyses were conducted using SAS® analytical software ( Cary , North Carolina), at a p < 0.05 level of significance. ERDC/EL TR-14...Stonewort 0 6 0 Potamogeton crispus L. Curlyleaf pondweed 77 11† 37* Potamogeton foliosus Raf. Leafy pondweed 8 2 13 Potamogeton illinoensis

Irrigation Water Quality for Leafy Crops: A Perspective of Risks and Potential Solutions

PubMed Central

Allende, Ana; Monaghan, James

2015-01-01

There is increasing evidence of the contribution of irrigation water in the contamination of produce leading to subsequent outbreaks of foodborne illness. This is a particular risk in the production of leafy vegetables that will be eaten raw without cooking. Retailers selling leafy vegetables are increasingly targeting zero-risk production systems and the associated requirements for irrigation water quality have become more stringent in regulations and quality assurance schemes (QAS) followed by growers. Growers can identify water sources that are contaminated with potential pathogens through a monitoring regime and only use water free of pathogens, but the low prevalence of pathogens makes the use of faecal indicators, particularly E. coli, a more practical approach. Where growers have to utilise water sources of moderate quality, they can reduce the risk of contamination of the edible portion of the crop (i.e., the leaves) by treating irrigation water before use through physical or chemical disinfection systems, or avoid contact between the leaves and irrigation water through the use of drip or furrow irrigation, or the use of hydroponic growing systems. This study gives an overview of the main problems in the production of leafy vegetables associated with irrigation water, including microbial risk and difficulties in water monitoring, compliance with evolving regulations and quality standards, and summarises the current alternatives available for growers to reduce microbial risks. PMID:26151764

Irrigation Water Quality for Leafy Crops: A Perspective of Risks and Potential Solutions.

PubMed

Allende, Ana; Monaghan, James

2015-07-03

There is increasing evidence of the contribution of irrigation water in the contamination of produce leading to subsequent outbreaks of foodborne illness. This is a particular risk in the production of leafy vegetables that will be eaten raw without cooking. Retailers selling leafy vegetables are increasingly targeting zero-risk production systems and the associated requirements for irrigation water quality have become more stringent in regulations and quality assurance schemes (QAS) followed by growers. Growers can identify water sources that are contaminated with potential pathogens through a monitoring regime and only use water free of pathogens, but the low prevalence of pathogens makes the use of faecal indicators, particularly E. coli, a more practical approach. Where growers have to utilise water sources of moderate quality, they can reduce the risk of contamination of the edible portion of the crop (i.e., the leaves) by treating irrigation water before use through physical or chemical disinfection systems, or avoid contact between the leaves and irrigation water through the use of drip or furrow irrigation, or the use of hydroponic growing systems. This study gives an overview of the main problems in the production of leafy vegetables associated with irrigation water, including microbial risk and difficulties in water monitoring, compliance with evolving regulations and quality standards, and summarises the current alternatives available for growers to reduce microbial risks.

Temporal dynamics of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) and two species of flea beetle (Aphthona spp.) used as biological control agents

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, D.L.; Grace, J.B.

2004-01-01

The goal of this study was to evaluate the biological control program of leafy spurge {Euphorbia esula) in a large natural area, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, western North Dakota, USA. Aphthona lacertosa and Aphthona nigriscutis have been released at more than 1800 points in the 18,600-ha South Unit of the park beginning in 1989; most releases have occurred since 1994. We established permanent vegetation plots throughout the infested area of the park and determined stem counts and biomass of leafy spurge and abundance of the two flea beetle species at these plots each year from 1999 to 2001. Both biomass and stem counts declined over the 3 years of the study. Both species of flea beetle are well established within the park and have expanded into areas where they were not released. A. nigriscutis was more abundant than A. lacertosa in the grassland areas we surveyed but in all other habitats abundances were similar. Using structural equation models, only A. lacertosa could be shown to have a significant effect on counts of mature stems of leafy spurge. A. nigriscutis numbers were positively correlated with stem counts of mature stems. Previous year's stem counts had the greatest influence on change in stem counts over each 2-year time step examined with structural equation models.

Temporal dynamics of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) and two species of flea beetles (Aphthona spp.) used as biological control agents

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, D.L.; Grace, J.B.

2004-01-01

The goal of this study was to evaluate the biological control program of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) in a large natural area, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, western North Dakota, USA. Aphthona lacertosa and Aphthona nigriscutis have been released at more than 1800 points in the 18,600-ha South Unit of the park beginning in 1989; most releases have occurred since 1994. We established permanent vegetation plots throughout the infested area of the park and determined stem counts and biomass of leafy spurge and abundance of the two flea beetle species at these plots each year from 1999 to 2001. Both biomass and stem counts declined over the 3 years of the study. Both species of flea beetle are well established within the park and have expanded into areas where they were not released. A. nigriscutis was more abundant than A. lacertosa in the grassland areas we surveyed, but in all other habitats abundances were similar. Using structural equation models, only A. lacertosa could be shown to have a significant effect on counts of mature stems of leafy spurge. A. nigriscutis numbers were positively correlated with stem counts of mature stems. Previous year's stem counts had the greatest influence on change in stem counts over each 2-year time step examined with structural equation models.

Can methane suppression during digestion of woody and leafy browse compensate for energy costs of detoxification of plant secondary compounds? A test with muskoxen fed willows and birch.

PubMed

White, R G; Lawler, J P

2002-11-01

Digestion and metabolism of woody and leafy browse requires detoxification of plant secondary compounds that can incur an energy cost. Browse, however, inhibits methane (CH(4)) production and therefore could offset some costs of detoxification. We measured an index of heat increment of feeding (HIFi) and CH(4) production in muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) given a single test meal (at 10 g/kg BM(0.75)) composed of hay mixed with one of three browse species (Willow: Salix alaxensis, S. pulchra; Birch: Betula nana). Detoxification cost was estimated as HIFi of browse diet-HIFi of hay diet and CH(4) compensation as CH(4) production of hay diet-CH(4) production of browse diet. CH(4) compensation was noted in 47% of 15 trials in which a detoxification cost was evident; six trials were with woody browse and one with leafy browse. Separate controls were responsible for the difference in CH(4) compensation for leafy browse vs. woody browse. Detoxification costs for twigs and leaves of B. nana were underestimated because of their low digestibility. In only one of six treatments was CH(4) compensation documented for B. nana. We conclude that energy saved by CH(4) suppression was small (<6%) compared with detoxification costs.

Heavy Metal Contamination and Health Risk Assessment in the Vicinity of a Tailing Pond in Guangdong, China.

PubMed

Liang, Yaya; Yi, Xiaoyun; Dang, Zhi; Wang, Qin; Luo, Houmei; Tang, Jie

2017-12-12

The purpose of this study was to assess heavy metal contamination and health risks for residents in the vicinity of a tailing pond in Guangdong, southern China. Water, soil, rice, and vegetable samples were collected from the area in the vicinity of the tailing pond. Results showed that surface water was just polluted by Ni and As, while groundwater was not contaminated by heavy metals. The concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, Ni, and As in the paddy soil exceeded the standard values but not those of Cr. In vegetable soils, the concentration of heavy metals was above the standard values except for Ni and As. Soil heavy metal concentrations generally decreased with increasing distance from the polluting source. Leafy vegetables were contaminated by Pb, Cr, Cd, and Ni, while the non-leafy vegetables were contaminated only by Cr. There was a significant difference in heavy metal concentrations between leafy vegetables and non-leafy vegetables. Almost all the rice was polluted by heavy metals. Diet was the most significant contributor to non-carcinogenic risk, which was significantly higher than the safe level of 1. The total cancer risk was also beyond the safe range (10 -6 -10 -4 ). Results revealed that there is a risk of potential health problems to residents in the vicinity of the tailing pond.

Heavy Metal Contamination and Health Risk Assessment in the Vicinity of a Tailing Pond in Guangdong, China

PubMed Central

Liang, Yaya; Yi, Xiaoyun; Dang, Zhi; Wang, Qin; Luo, Houmei; Tang, Jie

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess heavy metal contamination and health risks for residents in the vicinity of a tailing pond in Guangdong, southern China. Water, soil, rice, and vegetable samples were collected from the area in the vicinity of the tailing pond. Results showed that surface water was just polluted by Ni and As, while groundwater was not contaminated by heavy metals. The concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, Ni, and As in the paddy soil exceeded the standard values but not those of Cr. In vegetable soils, the concentration of heavy metals was above the standard values except for Ni and As. Soil heavy metal concentrations generally decreased with increasing distance from the polluting source. Leafy vegetables were contaminated by Pb, Cr, Cd, and Ni, while the non-leafy vegetables were contaminated only by Cr. There was a significant difference in heavy metal concentrations between leafy vegetables and non-leafy vegetables. Almost all the rice was polluted by heavy metals. Diet was the most significant contributor to non-carcinogenic risk, which was significantly higher than the safe level of 1. The total cancer risk was also beyond the safe range (10−6–10−4). Results revealed that there is a risk of potential health problems to residents in the vicinity of the tailing pond. PMID:29231884

Molecular Evidence for Association of Chlamydiales Bacteria with Epitheliocystis in Leafy Seadragon (Phycodurus eques), Silver Perch (Bidyanus bidyanus), and Barramundi (Lates calcarifer)

PubMed Central

Meijer, Adam; Roholl, Paul J. M.; Ossewaarde , Jacobus M.; Jones, Brian; Nowak, Barbara F.

2006-01-01

Epitheliocystis in leafy seadragon (Phycodurus eques), silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus), and barramundi (Lates calcarifer), previously associated with chlamydial bacterial infection using ultrastructural analysis, was further investigated by using molecular and immunocytochemical methods. Morphologically, all three species showed epitheliocystis cysts in the gills, and barramundi also showed lymphocystis cysts in the skin. From gill cysts of all three species and from skin cysts of barramundi 16S rRNA gene fragments were amplified by PCR and sequenced, which clustered by phylogenetic analysis together with other chlamydia-like organisms in the order Chlamydiales in a lineage separate from the family Chlamydiaceae. By using in situ RNA hybridization, 16S rRNA Chlamydiales-specific sequences were detected in gill cysts of silver perch and in gill and skin cysts of barramundi. By applying immunocytochemistry, chlamydial antigens (lipopolysaccharide and/or membrane protein) were detected in gill cysts of leafy seadragon and in gill and skin cysts of barramundi, but not in gill cysts of silver perch. In conclusion, this is the first time epitheliocystis agents of leafy seadragon, silver perch and barramundi have been undoubtedly identified as belonging to bacteria of the order Chlamydiales by molecular methods. In addition, the results suggested that lymphocystis cysts, known to be caused by iridovirus infection, could be coinfected with the epitheliocystis agent. PMID:16391055

Fruit and vegetable intake and risk of incident of type 2 diabetes: results from the consortium on health and ageing network of cohorts in Europe and the United States (CHANCES).

PubMed

Mamluk, L; O'Doherty, M G; Orfanos, P; Saitakis, G; Woodside, J V; Liao, L M; Sinha, R; Boffetta, P; Trichopoulou, A; Kee, F

2017-01-01

There is limited information to support definitive recommendations concerning the role of diet in the development of type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The results of the latest meta-analyses suggest that an increased consumption of green leafy vegetables may reduce the incidence of diabetes, with either no association or weak associations demonstrated for total fruit and vegetable intake. Few studies have, however, focused on older subjects. The relationship between T2DM and fruit and vegetable intake was investigated using data from the NIH-AARP study and the EPIC Elderly study. All participants below the age of 50 and/or with a history of cancer, diabetes or coronary heart disease were excluded from the analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratio of T2DM comparing the highest with the lowest estimated portions of fruit, vegetable, green leafy vegetables and cabbage intake. Comparing people with the highest and lowest estimated portions of fruit, vegetable or green leafy vegetable intake indicated no association with the risk of T2DM. However, although the pooled OR across all studies showed no effect overall, there was significant heterogeneity across cohorts and independent results from the NIH-AARP study showed that fruit and green leafy vegetable intake was associated with a reduced risk of T2DM OR 0.95 (95% CI 0.91,0.99) and OR 0.87 (95% CI 0.87,0.90) respectively. Fruit and vegetable intake was not shown to be related to incident T2DM in older subjects. Summary analysis also found no associations between green leafy vegetable and cabbage intake and the onset of T2DM. Future dietary pattern studies may shed light on the origin of the heterogeneity across populations.

Fruit and vegetable intake and risk of incident of type 2 diabetes: results from the consortium on health and ageing network of cohorts in Europe and the United States (CHANCES)

PubMed Central

Mamluk, Loubaba; O’Doherty, Mark G; Orfanos, Philippos; Saitakis, Georgios; Woodside, Jayne V; Liao, Linda M; Sinha, Rashmi; Boffetta, Paolo; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Kee, Frank

2017-01-01

Background There is limited information to support definitive recommendations concerning the role of diet in the development of type II Diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The results of the latest meta-analyses suggest that an increased consumption of green leafy vegetables may reduce the incidence of diabetes, with either no association or weak associations demonstrated for total fruit and vegetable intake. Few studies have, however, focused on older subjects. Methods The relationship between T2DM and fruit and vegetable intake was investigated using data from the NIH-AARP study and the EPIC elderly study. All participants below the age of 50 and/or with a history of cancer, diabetes or coronary heart disease were excluded from the analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratio of T2DM comparing the highest with the lowest estimated portions of fruit, vegetable, green leafy vegetables and cabbage intake. Results Comparing people with the highest and the lowest estimated portions of fruit, vegetable or green leafy vegetable intake indicated no association with the risk of T2DM. However, although the pooled OR across all studies showed no effect overall, there was significant heterogeneity across cohorts and independent results from the NIH-AARP study showed that fruit and green leafy vegetable intake was associated with a reduced risk of T2DM OR 0.95 (95% CI 0.91,0.99) and OR 0.87 (95% CI 0.87,0.90) respectively. Conclusion Fruit and vegetable intake was not shown to be related to incident T2DM in older subjects. Summary analysis also found no associations between green leafy vegetable and cabbage intake and the onset of T2DM. Future dietary pattern studies may shed light on the origin of the heterogeneity across populations. PMID:27530474

Sugar Treatments Can Induce AcLEAFY COTYLEDON1 Expression and Trigger the Accumulation of Storage Products during Prothallus Development of Adiantum capillus-veneris

PubMed Central

Fang, Yu-Han; Li, Xia; Bai, Shu-Nong; Rao, Guang-Yuan

2017-01-01

A seed is an intricate structure. Of the two development processes involved in seed formation, seed maturation, or seed program includes accumulation of storage products, acquisition of desiccation tolerance, and induction of dormancy. Little is known about how these processes were originated and integrated into the life cycle of seed plants. While previous investigation on seed origin was almost exclusively through fossil comparison in paleobotany, a wealth of information about the key role of LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (LEC1) in seed formation of spermatophyte inspired a new approach to investigating the seed origin mystery. Here, we examined the expression pattern of AcLEC1 during the entire life cycle of Adiantum capillus-veneris, a non-seed plant, confirmed no AcLEC1 gene expression detectable in prothalli, demonstrated inductive expressed by both sucrose and glucose in prothalli. As expected, we found that sugar treatments delayed prothallus development, promoted differentiation of reproductive organs, and triggered accumulation of storage products. These findings demonstrated links between the sugar treatments and the induction of AcLEC1 expression, as well as the sugar treatments and the events such as accumulation of storage products, which is similar to those considered as seed maturation process in seed plants. These links support a modified hypothesis that inductive expression of LEC1 homologs during embryogenesis might be a key innovation for the origin of the seed program. PMID:28484470

Plant Community Response in Small Plots One Year after Treatment with Triclopyr and Endothall in Noxon Rapids Reservoir, MT, 2011

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-01

SAS Institute Inc., Cary , NC, USA. Wersal, R.M., J.D. Madsen, B.R. McMillan and P.D. Gerard. 2006. Environmental factors affecting biomass and...Eurasian watermilfoil 50 16* 12* Potamogeton crispus Curlyleaf pondweed 81 50* 67 Potamogeton foliosus Leafy pondweed 31 16 42 Potamogeton illinoensis ...foliosus Leafy pondweed 11 0* 19 Potamogeton illinoensis Illinois pondweed 3 0 0 Potamogeton richardsonii Clasping-leaved pondweed 31 3* 3

Estimation of Microbial Contamination of Food from Prevalence and Concentration Data: Application to Listeria monocytogenes in Fresh Vegetables▿

PubMed Central

Crépet, Amélie; Albert, Isabelle; Dervin, Catherine; Carlin, Frédéric

2007-01-01

A normal distribution and a mixture model of two normal distributions in a Bayesian approach using prevalence and concentration data were used to establish the distribution of contamination of the food-borne pathogenic bacteria Listeria monocytogenes in unprocessed and minimally processed fresh vegetables. A total of 165 prevalence studies, including 15 studies with concentration data, were taken from the scientific literature and from technical reports and used for statistical analysis. The predicted mean of the normal distribution of the logarithms of viable L. monocytogenes per gram of fresh vegetables was −2.63 log viable L. monocytogenes organisms/g, and its standard deviation was 1.48 log viable L. monocytogenes organisms/g. These values were determined by considering one contaminated sample in prevalence studies in which samples are in fact negative. This deliberate overestimation is necessary to complete calculations. With the mixture model, the predicted mean of the distribution of the logarithm of viable L. monocytogenes per gram of fresh vegetables was −3.38 log viable L. monocytogenes organisms/g and its standard deviation was 1.46 log viable L. monocytogenes organisms/g. The probabilities of fresh unprocessed and minimally processed vegetables being contaminated with concentrations higher than 1, 2, and 3 log viable L. monocytogenes organisms/g were 1.44, 0.63, and 0.17%, respectively. Introducing a sensitivity rate of 80 or 95% in the mixture model had a small effect on the estimation of the contamination. In contrast, introducing a low sensitivity rate (40%) resulted in marked differences, especially for high percentiles. There was a significantly lower estimation of contamination in the papers and reports of 2000 to 2005 than in those of 1988 to 1999 and a lower estimation of contamination of leafy salads than that of sprouts and other vegetables. The interest of the mixture model for the estimation of microbial contamination is discussed. PMID:17098926

Effect of drying on yield and calorific values of extractables from leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wiatr, S.M.

1984-04-01

The effect of dehydration on yield and calorific values has been investigated for oils, hydrocarbons, and poly-phenols extracted from leaves of Euphorbia esula (leafy spurge). Methods of dehydration employed were with a warm oven (50 degrees C), a hot oven (105 degrees C), at room temperature (25 degrees C), and with freeze drying. Generally, dehydration resulted in a loss of yield for all extractives. Noteworthy exceptions were oil yields from the warm-oven or air-dried biomass which did not differ significantly from fresh tissue. Significant differences in calorific values (range 4643-5192 cal/g) were observed for each category of whole leafy biomassmore » dehydrated as indicated above. Dehydration reduced the calorific value of oils (range 9483-10,095 cal/g) but tended to increase the calorific values of polyphenols (range 4178-6033 cal/g). NMR spectroscopy of the oil fraction suggested that dehydration did not grossly alter the composition of oils, despite differences in yield and calorific values.« less

Effect of drying on yield and calorific values of extractables from leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wiatr, S.M.

1984-01-01

The effect of dehydration on yield and calorific values has been investigated for oils, hydrocarbons, and polyphenols extracted from leaves of Euphorbia esula (leafy spurge). Methods of dehydration employed were with a warm oven (50/sup 0/C), a hot oven (105/sup 0/C), at room temperature (25/sup 0/C), and with freeze drying. Generally, dehydration resulted in a loss of yield for all extractives. Noteworthy exceptions were oil yields from the warm-oven- or air-dried biomass which did not differ significantly from fresh tissue. Significant differences in calorific values (range 4643-5192 cal/g) were observed for each category of whole leafy biomass dehydrated as indicatedmore » above. Dehydration reduced the calorific value of oils (range 9483-10,095 cal/g) but tended to increase the calorific values of polyphenols (range 4178-6033 cal/g). NMR spectroscopy of the oil fraction suggested that dehydration did not grossly alter the composition of oils, despite differences in yield and calorific values.« less

Does consumption of leafy vegetables grown in peri-urban agriculture pose a risk to human health?

PubMed

Nabulo, G; Black, C R; Craigon, J; Young, S D

2012-03-01

Concentrations of potentially toxic elements were measured in soils and five contrasting tropical leafy vegetables grown in a replicated field trial at five contaminated urban agriculture sites in Kampala City, Uganda. Soil contamination at each site could be tentatively ascribed to known waste disposal practices. There was considerable variation in metal uptake between vegetable types. Washing leafy vegetables reduced chromium and lead concentrations but exogenous contamination of leaves also depended on vegetable type, with Gynandropsis gynandra L. showing a marked tendency to accumulate Pb and Cr. For the worst case scenario of children consuming unwashed vegetables, some metal 'hazard quotient' (HQ) limits (1.0) were violated at four of the five sites studied. For the 25 'site-vegetable' combinations assessed, the HQ for Pb exceeded 1.0 in 36% of cases. A vegetable-specific site screening tool based on soil extraction with 0.01 M CaCl(2) and extrapolation to provide HQ values was assessed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of the method of preparation for consumption on calcium retention, calcium:phosphorus ratio, nutrient density and recommended daily allowance in fourteen vegetables.

PubMed

Słupski, Jacek; Gębczyński, Piotr; Korus, Anna; Lisiewska, Zofia

2014-06-01

The aim of this work was to evaluate calcium retention in 14 species of vegetable (from four usable groups). The material investigated consisted of raw and boiled fresh vegetables and two types of frozen product prepared for consumption after 12-month storage: one traditionally produced; the other obtained using the modified method (convenience food). The highest calcium content was found in leafy vegetables, followed (in descending order) by leguminous, root and brassica vegetables. The proportion by weight of Ca to P was highest in leafy vegetables and decreased with calcium retention despite the fact that levels of phosphorus were highest in leguminous and lowest in leafy vegetables. The nutrient density (ND%) of calcium for adults exceeded 100 for each individual vegetable species. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) percentage value varied between 23.04 (kale) and 1.46 (white cauliflower). Of the three types of product, ND and RDA values were generally greater in the frozen convenience products.

Microbiological survey of raw and ready-to-eat leafy green vegetables marketed in Italy.

PubMed

Losio, M N; Pavoni, E; Bilei, S; Bertasi, B; Bove, D; Capuano, F; Farneti, S; Blasi, G; Comin, D; Cardamone, C; Decastelli, L; Delibato, E; De Santis, P; Di Pasquale, S; Gattuso, A; Goffredo, E; Fadda, A; Pisanu, M; De Medici, D

2015-10-01

The presence of foodborne pathogens (Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, thermotolerant Campylobacter, Yersinia enterocolitica and norovirus) in fresh leafy (FL) and ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetable products, sampled at random on the Italian market, was investigated to evaluate the level of risk to consumers. Nine regional laboratories, representing 18 of the 20 regions of Italy and in which 97.7% of the country's population resides, were involved in this study. All laboratories used the same sampling procedures and analytical methods. The vegetable samples were screened using validated real-time PCR (RT-PCR) methods and standardized reference ISO culturing methods. The results show that 3.7% of 1372 fresh leafy vegetable products and 1.8% of 1160 "fresh-cut" or "ready-to-eat" (RTE) vegetable retailed in supermarkets or farm markets, were contaminated with one or more foodborne pathogens harmful to human health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The impact of home freezing on the sensory characteristics of ready-to-use leafy vegetables.

PubMed

Mohammadi, Mehrdad; Koushki, Mohammad Reza; Ahmadian, Fariba Seyed; Moslemy, Masoumeh

2011-02-01

Owing to the increasing trend of consumption of ready-to-use leafy vegetables, the necessity of determining the best conditions for their frozen storage and the considerable impact of freezing on their sensory attributes, research was carried out to determine the best freezing temperature and storage time for a mixture of Allium ampeloprasum, Lepidium sativum and Stureia hortensis. The results for freezing temperature at three different storage times showed that colour and overall acceptability at - 18 °C were always ranked first (P < 0.05), while taste at - 18 °C was ranked first on days 120 and 150. The results for frozen storage time at three different temperatures indicated that colour, taste and acceptability were not significantly different. Overall, the results of this research indicated that the sensory attributes of leafy vegetables during 180 days of frozen storage were affected mainly by freezing temperature rather than frozen storage time. 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.

Population structure of Cynara cardunculus complex and the origin of the conspecific crops artichoke and cardoon.

PubMed

Gatto, Angela; De Paola, Domenico; Bagnoli, Francesca; Vendramin, Giovanni Giuseppe; Sonnante, Gabriella

2013-09-01

Globe artichoke and leafy cardoon, two crops within the same species Cynara cardunculus, are traditionally cultivated in the Mediterranean region and play a significant role in the agricultural economy of this area. The two cultigens have different reproductive systems: artichoke is generally vegetatively propagated, while leafy cardoon is seed propagated. The domestication events underlying the origin of both artichoke and cultivated cardoon from their wild relative and the area of occurrence are not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate population structure in wild cardoon, globe artichoke and leafy cardoon material and infer domestication events. Thirty-five microsatellite (simple sequence repeat) markers, distributed in the C. cardunculus genome, and a large geographical and numerical sampling in southern Europe and North Africa were used to assess population structure and diversity. The results suggest the presence of two distinct domestication events for artichoke and leafy cardoon, and also suggest a new possible scenario, with western wild cardoon having originated from cultivated cardoon escaped from cultivation. Evidence was found for a demographic bottleneck in the past history of globe artichoke. The results shed new light on the relationships between the three taxa of C. cardunculus and highlight relevant aspects on the evolution of domestication of two crops with a different reproductive system within the same species. It is proposed that the probable centre of origin of artichoke is located in southern Italy, probably Sicily.

Population structure of Cynara cardunculus complex and the origin of the conspecific crops artichoke and cardoon

PubMed Central

Gatto, Angela; De Paola, Domenico; Bagnoli, Francesca; Vendramin, Giovanni Giuseppe; Sonnante, Gabriella

2013-01-01

Background and Aims Globe artichoke and leafy cardoon, two crops within the same species Cynara cardunculus, are traditionally cultivated in the Mediterranean region and play a significant role in the agricultural economy of this area. The two cultigens have different reproductive systems: artichoke is generally vegetatively propagated, while leafy cardoon is seed propagated. The domestication events underlying the origin of both artichoke and cultivated cardoon from their wild relative and the area of occurrence are not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate population structure in wild cardoon, globe artichoke and leafy cardoon material and infer domestication events. Methods Thirty-five microsatellite (simple sequence repeat) markers, distributed in the C. cardunculus genome, and a large geographical and numerical sampling in southern Europe and North Africa were used to assess population structure and diversity. Key Results The results suggest the presence of two distinct domestication events for artichoke and leafy cardoon, and also suggest a new possible scenario, with western wild cardoon having originated from cultivated cardoon escaped from cultivation. Evidence was found for a demographic bottleneck in the past history of globe artichoke. Conclusions The results shed new light on the relationships between the three taxa of C. cardunculus and highlight relevant aspects on the evolution of domestication of two crops with a different reproductive system within the same species. It is proposed that the probable centre of origin of artichoke is located in southern Italy, probably Sicily. PMID:23877076

Evolution of the Plant Reproduction Master Regulators LFY and the MADS Transcription Factors: The Role of Protein Structure in the Evolutionary Development of the Flower

PubMed Central

Silva, Catarina S.; Puranik, Sriharsha; Round, Adam; Brennich, Martha; Jourdain, Agnès; Parcy, François; Hugouvieux, Veronique; Zubieta, Chloe

2016-01-01

Understanding the evolutionary leap from non-flowering (gymnosperms) to flowering (angiosperms) plants and the origin and vast diversification of the floral form has been one of the focuses of plant evolutionary developmental biology. The evolving diversity and increasing complexity of organisms is often due to relatively small changes in genes that direct development. These “developmental control genes” and the transcription factors (TFs) they encode, are at the origin of most morphological changes. TFs such as LEAFY (LFY) and the MADS-domain TFs act as central regulators in key developmental processes of plant reproduction including the floral transition in angiosperms and the specification of the male and female organs in both gymnosperms and angiosperms. In addition to advances in genome wide profiling and forward and reverse genetic screening, structural techniques are becoming important tools in unraveling TF function by providing atomic and molecular level information that was lacking in purely genetic approaches. Here, we summarize previous structural work and present additional biophysical and biochemical studies of the key master regulators of plant reproduction – LEAFY and the MADS-domain TFs SEPALLATA3 and AGAMOUS. We discuss the impact of structural biology on our understanding of the complex evolutionary process leading to the development of the bisexual flower. PMID:26779227

Inactivation of Escherichia coli inoculated onto fresh-cut chopped cabbage using electron-beam processing.

PubMed

Grasso, Elizabeth M; Uribe-Rendon, Roberto M; Lee, Ken

2011-01-01

During the past decade there were more than 50 reported outbreaks involving leafy green vegetables contaminated with foodborne pathogens. Leafy greens, including cabbage, are fresh foods rarely heated before consumption, which enables foodborne illness. The need for improved safety of fresh food drives the demand for nonthermal food processes to decrease the risk of pathogens while maintaining fresh quality. This study examines the efficacy of electron-beam (e-beam) irradiation in decreasing indigenous microflora on fresh-cut cabbage and determines the optimal dosage to pasteurize fresh-cut cabbage inoculated with Escherichia coli K-12. Fresh-cut cabbage (100 g) was inoculated with ∼8 log E. coli K-12 and e-beam irradiated at doses of 0, 1.0, 2.3, or 4.0 kGy. At 2.3 kGy there was <1.0 log indigenous microflora remaining, indicating greater than a 4.0-log reduction by e-beam. At a 4.0-kGy dose there was >7-log reduction of E. coli K-12 in the fresh-cut cabbage. The D(10)-value for E. coli K-12 in fresh-cut cabbage was 0.564 kGy. E-beam irradiation is thus a viable nonthermal treatment that extends the shelf life and increases the safety of fresh cabbage by reducing or eliminating indigenous microflora and unwanted pathogens.

A System Model for Understanding the Role of Animal Feces as a Route of Contamination of Leafy Greens before Harvest.

PubMed

Mishra, Abhinav; Pang, Hao; Buchanan, Robert L; Schaffner, Donald W; Pradhan, Abani K

2017-01-15

The majority of foodborne outbreaks in the United States associated with the consumption of leafy greens contaminated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 have been reported during the period of July to November. A dynamic system model consisting of subsystems and inputs to the system (soil, irrigation, cattle, wild pig, and rainfall) simulating a hypothetical farm was developed. The model assumed two crops of lettuce in a year and simulated planting, irrigation, harvesting, ground preparation for the new crop, contamination of soil and plants, and survival of E. coli O157:H7. As predicted by the baseline model for crops harvested in different months from conventional fields, an estimated 13 out of 257 (5.05%) first crops harvested in July would have at least one plant with at least 1 CFU of E. coli O157:H7. Predictions indicate that no first crops would be contaminated with at least 1 CFU of E. coli O157:H7 for other months (April to June). The maximum E. coli O157:H7 concentration in a plant was higher in the second crop (27.10 CFU) than in the first crop (9.82 CFU). For the second crop, the probabilities of having at least one plant with at least 1 CFU of E. coli O157:H7 in a crop were predicted as 15/228 (6.6%), 5/333 (1.5%), 14/324 (4.3%), and 6/115 (5.2%) in August, September, October, and November, respectively. For organic fields, the probabilities of having at least one plant with ≥1 CFU of E. coli O157:H7 in a crop (3.45%) were predicted to be higher than those for the conventional fields (2.15%). This study is the first attempt toward developing a mathematical system model to understand the pathway of E. coli O157:H7 in the production of leafy greens. Results of the presented system model indicate that the seasonality of outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7-associated contamination of leafy greens was in good agreement with the prevalence of this pathogen in cattle and wild pig feces in a major leafy greens-producing region in California. On the basis of comparisons among the results of different scenarios, it can be recommended that the concentration of E. coli O157:H7 in leafy greens can be reduced considerably if contamination of soil with wild pig and cattle feces is mitigated. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Microbiology.

A System Model for Understanding the Role of Animal Feces as a Route of Contamination of Leafy Greens before Harvest

PubMed Central

Mishra, Abhinav; Pang, Hao; Buchanan, Robert L.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The majority of foodborne outbreaks in the United States associated with the consumption of leafy greens contaminated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 have been reported during the period of July to November. A dynamic system model consisting of subsystems and inputs to the system (soil, irrigation, cattle, wild pig, and rainfall) simulating a hypothetical farm was developed. The model assumed two crops of lettuce in a year and simulated planting, irrigation, harvesting, ground preparation for the new crop, contamination of soil and plants, and survival of E. coli O157:H7. As predicted by the baseline model for crops harvested in different months from conventional fields, an estimated 13 out of 257 (5.05%) first crops harvested in July would have at least one plant with at least 1 CFU of E. coli O157:H7. Predictions indicate that no first crops would be contaminated with at least 1 CFU of E. coli O157:H7 for other months (April to June). The maximum E. coli O157:H7 concentration in a plant was higher in the second crop (27.10 CFU) than in the first crop (9.82 CFU). For the second crop, the probabilities of having at least one plant with at least 1 CFU of E. coli O157:H7 in a crop were predicted as 15/228 (6.6%), 5/333 (1.5%), 14/324 (4.3%), and 6/115 (5.2%) in August, September, October, and November, respectively. For organic fields, the probabilities of having at least one plant with ≥1 CFU of E. coli O157:H7 in a crop (3.45%) were predicted to be higher than those for the conventional fields (2.15%). IMPORTANCE This study is the first attempt toward developing a mathematical system model to understand the pathway of E. coli O157:H7 in the production of leafy greens. Results of the presented system model indicate that the seasonality of outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7-associated contamination of leafy greens was in good agreement with the prevalence of this pathogen in cattle and wild pig feces in a major leafy greens-producing region in California. On the basis of comparisons among the results of different scenarios, it can be recommended that the concentration of E. coli O157:H7 in leafy greens can be reduced considerably if contamination of soil with wild pig and cattle feces is mitigated. PMID:27836846

Is your lunch salad safe to eat? Occurrence of bacterial pathogens and potential for pathogen growth in pre-packed ready-to-eat mixed-ingredient salads.

PubMed

Söderqvist, Karin

2017-01-01

As part of a trend toward healthy convenience foods, ready-to-eat (RTE) mixed-ingredient salads have become popular products among consumers. A mixed-ingredient salad contains combinations of raw ( e.g . leafy vegetables and tomatoes) and processed ( e.g . chicken, salmon, ham, pasta and couscous) ingredients. Contamination of leafy vegetables can occur during any step in the production chain and, since there is no step that kills pathogens, a completely safe final product can never be guaranteed. Meat ingredients, for example poultry meat and ham, are generally heat-treated before preparation, but may be contaminated after this treatment, e.g . when diced or sliced. When several ingredients are mixed together, cross-contamination may occur. Preparation of mixed-ingredient salads requires human handling, which presents an additional risk of bacterial contamination. With high-protein ingredients, e.g . cooked meat, the mixed-ingredient salad represents an excellent substrate for bacterial growth. This article reviews current knowledge regarding human bacterial pathogen prevalence in mixed-ingredient salads and the potential for pathogen growth in this product during storage.

Is your lunch salad safe to eat? Occurrence of bacterial pathogens and potential for pathogen growth in pre-packed ready-to-eat mixed-ingredient salads

PubMed Central

Söderqvist, Karin

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT As part of a trend toward healthy convenience foods, ready-to-eat (RTE) mixed-ingredient salads have become popular products among consumers. A mixed-ingredient salad contains combinations of raw (e.g. leafy vegetables and tomatoes) and processed (e.g. chicken, salmon, ham, pasta and couscous) ingredients. Contamination of leafy vegetables can occur during any step in the production chain and, since there is no step that kills pathogens, a completely safe final product can never be guaranteed. Meat ingredients, for example poultry meat and ham, are generally heat-treated before preparation, but may be contaminated after this treatment, e.g. when diced or sliced. When several ingredients are mixed together, cross-contamination may occur. Preparation of mixed-ingredient salads requires human handling, which presents an additional risk of bacterial contamination. With high-protein ingredients, e.g. cooked meat, the mixed-ingredient salad represents an excellent substrate for bacterial growth. This article reviews current knowledge regarding human bacterial pathogen prevalence in mixed-ingredient salads and the potential for pathogen growth in this product during storage. PMID:29230273

A Daily Snack Containing Leafy Green Vegetables, Fruit, and Milk before and during Pregnancy Prevents Gestational Diabetes in a Randomized, Controlled Trial in Mumbai, India.

PubMed

Sahariah, Sirazul A; Potdar, Ramesh D; Gandhi, Meera; Kehoe, Sarah H; Brown, Nick; Sane, Harshad; Coakley, Patsy J; Marley-Zagar, Ella; Chopra, Harsha; Shivshankaran, Devi; Cox, Vanessa A; Jackson, Alan A; Margetts, Barrie M; Fall, Caroline Hd

2016-07-01

Prospective observational studies suggest that maternal diets rich in leafy green vegetables and fruit may help prevent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Our objective was to test whether increasing women's dietary intake of leafy green vegetables, fruit, and milk before conception and throughout pregnancy reduced their risk of GDM. Project SARAS ("excellent") (2006-2012) was a nonblinded, individually randomized, controlled trial in women living in slums in the city of Mumbai, India. The interventions included a daily snack made from leafy green vegetables, fruit, and milk for the treatment group or low-micronutrient vegetables (e.g., potato and onion) for the control group, in addition to the usual diet. Results for the primary outcome, birth weight, have been reported. Women were invited to take an oral-glucose-tolerance test (OGTT) at 28-32 wk gestation to screen for GDM (WHO 1999 criteria). The prevalence of GDM was compared between the intervention and control groups, and Kernel density analysis was used to compare distributions of 120-min plasma glucose concentrations between groups. Of 6513 women randomly assigned, 2291 became pregnant; of these, 2028 reached a gestation of 28 wk, 1008 (50%) attended for an OGTT, and 100 (9.9%) had GDM. In an intention-to-treat analysis, the prevalence of GDM was reduced in the treatment group (7.3% compared with 12.4% in controls; OR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.36, 0.86; P = 0.008). The reduction in GDM remained significant after adjusting for prepregnancy adiposity and fat or weight gain during pregnancy. Kernel density analysis showed that this was explained by the fact that fewer women in the treatment group had a 2-h glucose concentration in the range 7.5-10.0 mmol/L. In low-income settings, in which women have a low intake of micronutrient-rich foods, improving dietary micronutrient quality by increasing intake of leafy green vegetables, fruit, and/or milk may have an important protective effect against the development of GDM. This trial was registered at www.controlled-trials.com as ISRCTN62811278.

Decontamination of Salmonella, Shigella, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 from leafy green vegetables using edible plant extracts.

PubMed

Orue, Nydia; García, Santos; Feng, Peter; Heredia, Norma

2013-02-01

Fresh cilantro, parsley, and spinach are products that are regularly consumed fresh, but are difficult to decontaminate, as a result, they are common vehicles of transmission of enteropathogenic bacteria. In this study, the efficacy of plant extracts as alternatives for disinfection of cilantro, parsley, and spinach that were artificially contaminated with Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Shigella sonnei was determined. Edible plant extracts obtained using ethanol as the extraction solvent were tested to determine the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and those that exhibited the lowest MBC were selected for further studies. Leaves of fresh greens were washed with sterile water and dried. For seeding, leaves were submerged in suspensions of 2 different concentrations of bacteria (1.5 × 10(8) and 1 × 10(5) ), dried, and then stored at 4 °C until use. To determine the effects of the extracts, inoculated leafy greens were submerged in a container and subjected to treatments with chlorine, Citrol®, or selected plant extracts. Each treatment type was stored at 4 °C for 0, 1, 5, and 7 d, and the bacterial counts were determined. From the 41 plant extracts tested, the extracts from oregano leaves and from the peel and pulp of limes were found to be as effective as chlorine or Citrol® in reducing by > 2 logs, the population of pathogenic bacteria on leafy greens and therefore, may be a natural and edible alternative to chemicals to reduce the risk of Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7 and S. sonnei contamination on leafy vegetables. The antimicrobial efficacy of the extracts of Mexican lime and oregano was clearly demonstrated on cilantro, parsley, and spinach. The extracts of Mexican lime and oregano provide alternatives to chlorine to significantly reduce bacterial pathogens that have been associated with outbreaks from contaminated leafy green vegetables. A simple, low cost, and labor-saving extraction system for production of the extracts was used. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

Fast determination of alkylphenol ethoxylates in leafy vegetables using a modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe method and ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Jiang, Ze-Jun; Cao, Xiao-Lin; Li, Hui; Zhang, Chan; Abd El-Aty, A M; Jin, Fen; Shao, Hua; Jin, Mao-Jun; Wang, Shan-Shan; She, Yong-Xin; Wang, Jing

2017-11-24

In the present study, a quick and sensitive method was developed for simultaneous determination of nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPxEOs) and octylphenol ethoxylates (OPxEOs) (x=2-20) in three leafy vegetables, including cabbage, lettuce, and spinach using a modified "QuEChERS" method and ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPSFC-MS/MS) with scheduled multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). Under optimized conditions, the 38 target analytes were analyzed within a short period of time (5 min). The linearities of the matrix-matched standard calibrations were satisfactory with coefficients of determination (R 2 )>0.99 and the limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were in between 0.02-0.27 and 0.18-1.75μgkg -1 , respectively. The recovery of all target analytes spiked at three (low, medium, and high) fortification levels in various leafy vegetables were ranged from 72.8-122.6% with relative standard deviation (RSD) ≤18.3%. The method was successfully applied to market samples and the target analytes were found in all monitored samples, with total concentrations of 0-8.67μgkg -1 and 15.75-95.75μgkg -1 for OPxEOs and NPxEOs (x=2-20), respectively. In conclusion, the newly developed UHPSFC-ESI-MS/MS method is rapid and versatile and could be extrapolated for qualitative and quantitative analysis of APxEOs in other leafy vegetables. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Arsenic and Lead Uptake by Vegetable Crops Grown on an Old Orchard Site Amended with Compost

PubMed Central

McBride, Murray B.; Shayler, Hannah A.; Russell-Anelli, Jonathan M.; Spliethoff, Henry M.; Marquez-Bravo, Lydia G.

2015-01-01

The potential for lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) transfer into vegetables was studied on old orchard land contaminated by lead arsenate pesticides. Root (carrot), leafy (lettuce), and vegetable fruits (green bean, tomato) were grown on seven “miniplots” with soil concentrations ranging from near background to ≈ 800 and ≈ 200 mg kg−1 of total Pb and As, respectively. Each miniplot was divided into sub-plots and amended with 0% (control), 5% and 10% (by weight) compost and cropped for 3 years. Edible portions of each vegetable were analyzed for total Pb and As to test the effect of organic matter on transfer of these toxic elements into the crop. Vegetable Pb and As concentrations were strongly correlated to soil total Pb and As, respectively, but not to soil organic matter content or compost addition level. For Pb vegetable concentrations, carrot ≥ lettuce > bean > tomato. For As, lettuce > carrot > bean > tomato. A complementary single-year study of lettuce, arugula, spinach, and collards revealed a beneficial effect of compost in reducing both Pb and As concentrations in leafy vegetables. Comparisons of all measured vegetable concentrations to international health-based standards indicate that tomatoes can be grown without exceeding standards even in substantially Pb- and As-contaminated soils, but carrots and leafy greens may exceed standards when grown in soils with more than 100–200 mg kg−1 Pb. Leafy greens may also exceed health-based standards in gardens where soil As is elevated, with arugula having a particularly strong tendency to accumulate As. PMID:26900187

Uptake and distribution of minerals and heavy metals in commonly grown leafy vegetable species irrigated with sewage water.

PubMed

Anwar, Sumera; Nawaz, Muhammad Farrakh; Gul, Sadaf; Rizwan, Muhammad; Ali, Shafaqat; Kareem, Arshaad

2016-09-01

Heavy metal uptake and accumulation behavior in dietary vegetables irrigated with sewage waters is an important issue worldwide. The main objective of this study was to examine and compare the physiological and growth responses of leafy vegetables irrigated with sewage water. A pot experiment was conducted in a wire house with three leafy vegetables, coriander (Coriandrum sativum), mint (Mentha arvensis), and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum), grown under ambient conditions. Plants were irrigated with different concentrations, 0, 50 (T 1), and 100 % (T 2), of sewage water. After harvesting, morphological and physiological parameters of plants were measured. Heavy metal (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) concentrations in the sewage water were found much higher than safer limits. The results revealed that the highest plant biomass and lowest metal contents were observed in control treatments in all studied vegetables. The biomass of all the vegetables were negatively affected when irrigated with sewage water. In T 2, coriander accumulated maximum Cd (μg g(-1) DW) in shoots (4.97) as compared to other vegetables. The maximum Pb and Cu concentrations were accumulated in mint roots (44 and 3.9, respectively) as compared to coriander and fenugreek. Zinc was accumulated in the sequence of leaves > roots > shoots under polluted water irrigation. The concentrations of potassium increased in leaves, shoots, and roots in all vegetables, while phosphorous concentrations varied with species and plant parts with increasing sewage water concentration. It was found that the leafy vegetables grown with sewage water irrigation may cause severe human health problems.

Mothers' groups enrich diet and culture through promoting traditional Quichua foods.

PubMed

Roche, Marion L; Ambato, Lorena; Sarsoza, Julieta; Kuhnlein, Harriet V

2017-11-01

Indigenous Peoples in Latin America bear a disproportionate burden of undernutrition, yet traditional foods, including wild leafy greens, can contribute nutritional value to diets. As part of a community nutrition intervention using local foods in highland Tungurahua, Ecuador, mothers' groups promoted the consumption of wild leafy greens through community cooking clubs and recipe competitions at local fairs. The objective was to assess the social, cultural, and nutritional potential of a mothers' club intervention that promoted 2 indigenous greens (stinging nettle/Urtica dioica L. and round-leaved dock/Rumex obtusifolius L.) into children's diets. Key informant interviews and focus groups were conducted with 54 mothers and 16 elders to identify perceptions of the intervention and traditional foods. Social and cultural dimensions were identified through content analysis. The nutritional contribution of the leafy greens was estimated through semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires conducted with 160 participant mothers and 98 mothers living in comparison communities who had not been exposed to the intervention. The use of local foods generated pride for mothers and elders. Nonfood uses of the nettle proved an initial barrier to acceptance; however, peer support within mothers' groups enabled increased consumption. The greens were estimated to contribute an additional 8% vitamin A, 7% iron, 12% vitamin C, and 27% folate to children's recommended dietary intakes. By promoting wild leafy greens, mothers' groups improved food security and the cultural and nutritional value of their diets. Additionally, mothers' cooking clubs increased self-efficacy and cultural identity for Quichua women, offering a highly acceptable nutrition intervention model. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Risk Factors for Salmonella, Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli and Campylobacter Occurrence in Primary Production of Leafy Greens and Strawberries

PubMed Central

Ceuppens, Siele; Johannessen, Gro S.; Allende, Ana; Tondo, Eduardo César; El-Tahan, Fouad; Sampers, Imca; Jacxsens, Liesbeth; Uyttendaele, Mieke

2015-01-01

The microbiological sanitary quality and safety of leafy greens and strawberries were assessed in the primary production in Belgium, Brazil, Egypt, Norway and Spain by enumeration of Escherichia coli and detection of Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and Campylobacter. Water samples were more prone to containing pathogens (54 positives out of 950 analyses) than soil (16/1186) and produce on the field (18/977 for leafy greens and 5/402 for strawberries). The prevalence of pathogens also varied markedly according to the sampling region. Flooding of fields increased the risk considerably, with odds ratio (OR) 10.9 for Salmonella and 7.0 for STEC. A significant association between elevated numbers of generic E. coli and detection of pathogens (OR of 2.3 for STEC and 2.7 for Salmonella) was established. Generic E. coli was found to be a suitable index organism for Salmonella and STEC, but to a lesser extent for Campylobacter. Guidelines on frequency of sampling and threshold values for E. coli in irrigation water may differ from region to region. PMID:26295251

Phenolic Component Profiles of Mustard Greens, Yu Choy, and 15 Other Brassica Vegetables

PubMed Central

Lin, Long-Ze; Harnly, James M

2013-01-01

A liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) profiling method was used to characterize the phenolic components of 17 leafy vegetables from Brassica species other than Brassica oleracea. The vegetables studied were mustard green, baby mustard green, gai choy, baby gai choy, yu choy, yu choy tip, bok choy, bok choy tip, baby bok choy, bok choy sum, Taiwan bok choy, Shanghai bok choy, baby Shanghai bok choy, rapini broccoli, turnip green, napa, and baby napa. This work led to the tentative identification of 71 phenolic compounds consisting of kaempferol 3-O-diglucoside-7-O-glucoside derivatives, isorhamnetin 3-O-glucoside-7-O-glucoside hydroxycinnamoyl gentiobioses, hydroxycinnamoylmalic acids, and hydroxycinnamoylquinic acids. Ten of the compounds, 3-O-diacyltriglucoside-7-O-glucosides of kaempferol and quercetin, had not been previously reported. The phenolic component profiles of these vegetables were significantly different than those of the leafy vegetables from B. oleracea. This is the first comparative study of these leafy vegetables. Ten of the vegetables had never been previously studied by LC-MS. PMID:20465307

Postharvest Reduction of Coliphage MS2 from Romaine Lettuce during Simulated Commercial Processing with and without a Chlorine-Based Sanitizer.

PubMed

Wengert, Samantha L; Aw, Tiong Gim; Ryser, Elliot T; Rose, Joan B

2017-02-01

Viral foodborne outbreaks are a serious threat to public health, and fresh produce is becoming increasingly recognized as a transmission vehicle. To limit foodborne disease, ready-to-eat leafy greens are typically washed with a chlorine-based sanitizer during commercial production. This study assessed the efficacy of a chlorine-based sanitizer against coliphage MS2, as a potential surrogate for foodborne viruses, on fresh-cut romaine lettuce during simulated commercial production using a small-scale processing line. Before processing, romaine lettuce was inoculated to contain approximately 10 5 and 10 6 PFU/g of MS2 for experiments with and without sanitizer, respectively. Lettuce samples were collected following each stage of processing, which included mechanical shredding, 2 min of flume washing (with or without 25 ppm of free chlorine), shaker table dewatering, and centrifugal drying. In addition, the spent centrifuge water and flume wash water were collected, with the flume water concentrated using hollow-fiber ultrafiltration. MS2 was recovered from lettuce in Tris-glycine buffer and quantified as PFUs in a double-agar overlay assay. The greatest reduction in MS2 occurred between shredding and flume washing, with levels remaining relatively stable following flume washing with or without 25 ppm of free chlorine. Average total reductions of 0.8 and 1.0 log PFU/g were seen after processing with and without the sanitizer, respectively, with no statistical difference observed between the two treatments (P > 0.05). The average MS2 level in the spent centrifugation water started at 4.0 log PFU/ml for experiments with sanitizer and the average MS2 reduction in the flume wash water was 4 log (PFU) for experiments with sanitizer, demonstrating that removals could be achieved in the water itself. These findings suggest that the currently recommended commercial production practices are unable to effectively decrease viruses once they have attached to leafy greens during commercial processing.

Seasonal variation in food intake and the interaction effects of sex and age among adults in southern Brazil.

PubMed

Rossato, S L; Olinto, M T A; Henn, R L; Moreira, L B; Camey, S A; Anjos, L A; Wahrlich, V; Waissmann, W; Fuchs, F D; Fuchs, S C

2015-09-01

Because studies have evidenced variations in nutrient intake, further investigation of the interaction between demographic characteristics and the seasons is necessary. We aimed to test the differences in food intake throughout the seasons and the interaction between the seasons and sex and age. This study included 273 individuals. Food intake was evaluated with 24-hour dietary recalls, and the reported food items were sorted into food groups. We performed the test on the differences in intake of food groups throughout the seasons with repeated measures and on the interaction effect by using the Generalized Estimate Equation. Intake of fruits and natural fruit juices and sweetened beverages was lower, whereas that of grains and derivatives was higher in the winter. The intake of leafy vegetables and fish and seafood was lower in the autumn. The consumption of coffee and eggs was higher in the spring. Intake of chocolate powder and sugar, salt and lean poultry was higher in the winter. The variation in consumption of grains and derivatives, eggs, fatty poultry and processed meat over the seasons was more likely to be modified by sex. Age interacted with the seasons for leafy vegetables, beans and lentils, lean beef, lean poultry, low fat milk and light yogurt, vegetable oil and unsalted margarine, chocolate powder and sugar and processed meat. This study shows that food intake may change seasonally and that seasonal variation depends on sex and age, which might aggregate a specific co-variation component.

Small quantities of carotenoid-rich tropical green leafy-vegetables indigenous to Africa maintain vitamin A status in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

PubMed Central

Ejoh, Richard A.; Dever, Joseph T.; Mills, Jordan P.; Tanumihardjo, Sherry A.

2015-01-01

Leafy vegetables are important sources of provitamin A carotenoids. Information on their ability to provide vitamin A is often misleading because of the methodology used to assess bioefficacy. Mongolian gerbils were used to evaluate the bioefficacy of provitamin A carotenoids in tropical leafy vegetables (i.e. Solanium nigrum, Moringa oleifera, Vernonia calvoana, and Hibiscus cannabinus) that are indigenous to Africa. Gerbils (n = 67) were vitamin A-depleted for 5 weeks. After a baseline kill (n = 7), the gerbils were weight-matched and assigned to 6 treatment groups (n = 10/group; 4 vegetable groups; negative and positive controls). For 4 weeks, the treatments included 35 nmol vitamin A (theoretical concentrations based on 100% bioefficacy) in the form of vegetables or retinyl acetate. In addition to their diets, the control and vegetable groups received daily doses of oil, while the vitamin A group received retinyl acetate in oil matched to prior day intake. Serum and livers were analysed for vitamin A using HPLC. Serum retinol concentrations did not differ among groups, but total liver vitamin A of the vitamin A and vegetable groups were higher than that of the negative control group (P < 0·0001). Liver β-carotene 15,15′-monooxygenase-1 expression levels were determined for two vegetable groups and were similar to the positive and negative controls. Conversion factors for the different leafy vegetables were between 1·9 and 2·3 μg β-carotene equivalents to 1 μg retinol. Small quantities of these vegetables maintained vitamin A status in gerbils through efficient bioconversion of β-carotene to retinol. PMID:20412609

Functional Characterization of PhapLEAFY, a FLORICAULA/LEAFY Ortholog in Phalaenopsis aphrodite.

PubMed

Jang, Seonghoe

2015-11-01

The plant-specific transcription factor LEAFY (LFY) is considered to be a master regulator of flower development in the model plant, Arabidopsis. This protein plays a dual role in plant growth, integrating signals from the floral inductive pathways and acting as a floral meristem identity gene by activating genes for floral organ development. Although LFY occupies an important position in flower development, the functional divergence of LFY homologs has been demonstrated in several plants including monocots and gymnosperms. In particular, the functional roles of LFY genes from orchid species such as Phalaenopsis that contain unique floral morphologies with distinct expression patterns of floral organ identity genes remain elusive. Here, PhapLFY, an ortholog of Arabidopsis LFY from Phalaenopsis aphrodite subsp. formosana, a Taiwanese native monopodial orchid, was isolated and characterized through analyses of expression and protein activity. PhapLFY transcripts accumulated in the floral primordia of developing inflorescences, and the PhapLFY protein had transcriptional autoactivation activity forming as a homodimer. Furthermore, PhapLFY rescues the aberrant floral phenotypes of Arabidopsis lfy mutants. Overexpression of PhapLFY alone or together with PhapFT1, a P. aphrodite subsp. formosana homolog of Arabidopsis FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) in rice, caused precocious heading. Consistently, a higher Chl content in the sepals and morphological changes in epidermal cells were observed in the floral organs of PhapLFY knock-down orchids generated by virus-induced gene silencing. Taken together, these results suggest that PhapLFY is functionally distinct from RICE FLORICAULA/LEAFY (RFL) but similar to Arabidopsis LFY based on phenotypes of our transgenic Arabidopsis and rice plants. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

No impact of transgenic nptII-leafy Pinus radiata (Pinales: Pinaceae) on Pseudocoremia suavis (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) or its endoparasitoid Meteorus pulchricornis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

PubMed

Burgess, E P J; Barraclough, E I; Kean, A M; Walter, C; Malone, L A

2011-10-01

To investigate the biosafety to insects of transgenic Pinus radiata D. Don containing the antibiotic resistance marker gene nptII and the reproductive control gene leafy, bioassays were conducted with an endemic lepidopteran pest of New Zealand plantation pine forests and a hymenopteran endoparasitoid. Larvae of the common forest looper, Pseudocoremia suavis (Butler), were fed from hatching on P. radiata needles from either one of two nptII-leafy transgenic clones, or an isogenic unmodified control line. For both unparasitized P. suavis and those parasitized by Meteorus pulchricornis (Wesmael), consuming transgenic versus control pine had no impact on larval growth rate or mass at any age, larval duration, survival, pupation or successful emergence as an adult. Total larval duration was 1 d (3%) longer in larvae fed nptII-2 than nptII-1, but this difference was considered trivial and neither differed from the control. In unparasitized P. suavis larvae, pine type consumed did not affect rate of pupation or adult emergence, pupal mass, or pupal duration. Pine type had no effect on the duration or survival of M. pulchricornis larval or pupal stages, mass of cocoons, stage at which they died, adult emergence, or fecundity. Parasitism by M. pulchricornis reduced P. suavis larval growth rate, increased the duration of the third larval stadium, and resulted in the death of all host larvae before pupation. The lack of impact of an exclusive diet of nptII-leafy transgenic pines on the life history of P. suavis and M. pulchricornis suggests that transgenic plantation pines expressing nptII are unlikely to affect insect populations in the field.

Bacteriological quality of vegetables from organic and conventional production in different areas of Korea.

PubMed

Tango, Charles Nkufi; Choi, Na-Jung; Chung, Myung-Sub; Oh, Deog Hwan

2014-08-01

Foods grown in organic production systems have been described as representing an increased risk to public health compared with foods from conventional production. Leafy vegetables (spinach, romaine lettuce, and green sesame leaves) grown in organic and conventional systems were collected from various areas in Korea and examined using standard culture methods to compare the microbiological quality of the produce grown in the two agricultural systems. The 354 samples of these leafy vegetables were analyzed for levels of indicator bacteria (aerobic bacteria, coliforms, and Escherichia coli) and the prevalence of the pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, and Salmonella. Aerobic bacteria and coliforms were detected in all vegetable types, but nonpathogenic E. coli was below the limit of detection in all samples. B. cereus was the most prevalent pathogen, found on 7 (11.1%) of the 63 organic spinach samples. The prevalence of S. aureus was highest in organic sesame leaves; it was found on 5 (8.0%) of the 63 samples. The prevalence of L. monocytogenes was highest on organic romaine lettuce and spinach; it was found in 4 (6.4%) of 63 samples of each type of vegetable. E. coli O157:H7 found on only 1 (1.58%) of 55 conventional spinach samples. These results suggest that farming type at most only slightly affects the hygienic quality of leafy vegetables, and no effect was found for sample collection area. Salmonella was not isolated from any of the conventional or organic leafy vegetables. These results do not support the hypothesis that organic produce poses a substantially greater risk of pathogen contamination than does conventional produce.

Nematodes from galls on Myrtaceae. VII. Fergusobia from 'leafy' leaf bud galls in Australia, with re-description of Fergusobia tumifaciens (Currie 1937) Wachek 1955 and descriptions of Fergusobia planchonianae n. sp. and Fergusobia viminalisae n. sp.

PubMed

Davies, Kerrie A; Ye, Weimin; Giblin-Davis, Robin M; Taylor, Gary S; Hodda, Mike; Thomas, W Kelley

2014-08-26

Fergusobia tumifaciens (Currie 1937) Wachek 1955, the type species for the genus Fergusobia, is re-described from specimens collected from 'leafy' leaf bud galls on Eucalyptus bridgesiana near Albury in New South Wales, Australia. It is morphologically characterized by the combination of an open C-shaped parthenogenetic female with a small broadly conoid tail, a C-shaped infective female with a bluntly rounded tail tip, and an arcuate to J-shaped male with angular spicules, not heavily sclerotised, and short to mid-length peloderan bursa. Two new species of Fergusobia, collected from 'leafy' leaf bud galls on, respectively, Eucalyptus planchoniana in Queensland, and E. viminalis in South Australia, Australia, are described. Fergusobia planchonianae Davies n. sp. is characterised by the combination of a C-shaped parthenogenetic female with a conoid tail, an arcuate infective female with an hemispherical tail tip, and an almost straight to arcuate to C-shaped male with an angular spicule, a long peloderan bursa and a narrow tail. Fergusobia viminalisae Davies n. sp. is characterised by the combination of an open C-shaped parthenogenetic female with a broadly conoid tail, a C-shaped infective female with a bluntly rounded tail tip, and an arcuate to J-shaped male with an angular (not heavily sclerotised) spicule and short to mid-length peloderan bursa. The shield morphologies of the fly larvae associated with the 'leafy' leaf bud galls and their possible relationships are outlined. Possible evolutionary relationships of the Fergusobia nematodes from these galls are discussed, considering their morphology, DNA sequences, and the relationships of the associated Fergusonina flies and host plants. 

Halogenated and parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in vegetables: Levels, dietary intakes, and health risk assessments.

PubMed

Wang, Li; Li, Chunmei; Jiao, Bining; Li, Qiwan; Su, Hang; Wang, Jing; Jin, Fen

2018-03-01

Halogenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (HPAHs) are attracting increasing concern because of their greater toxicity than their corresponding parent PAHs. However, human exposure to HPAHs via food consumption is not fully understood. In this study, daily intake via vegetable ingestion of 11 HPAHs and 16 PAHs and subsequent cancer risk were assessed for population in Beijing. A total of 80 vegetable samples were purchased from markets, including five leafy vegetables and three root vegetables. The concentrations of total HPAHs (∑HPAHs) were 0.357-0.874ng/g in all vegetables, lower than that of total PAHs (∑PAHs, 10.6-47.4ng/g). ∑HPAHs and ∑PAHs concentrations in leafy vegetables were higher than those in root vegetables, suggesting that the atmospheric deposition might be the dominant source of PAHs and HPAHs in leafy vegetables. Among the HPAH congeners, 2-BrFle and 9-ClFle were the predominant compounds and frequently detected in the vegetable samples. HPAHs and PAHs were also found in certificated vegetables at the concentrations of 0.466-0.751ng/g and 10.6-38.9ng/g, respectively, which were lower than those in non-certificated vegetables except for spinach. For leafy vegetables from local farms, the ∑PAHs and ∑HPAHs levels in the rape and Chinese cabbage samples significantly decreased with increasing the distance away from the incineration plant. The incremental lifetime cancer risks of HPAHs were below the acceptable risk level (10 -6 ), suggesting that there might be little or no risk to consumers from these compounds in vegetables. For all population groups, children were the most sensitive population to PAHs and HPAHs, and their health issues should be paid more attention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic Diversity and Antibiotic Resistance of Escherichia coli Isolates from Different Leafy Green Production Systems.

PubMed

Jongman, Mosimanegape; Korsten, Lise

2016-11-01

Foodborne disease outbreaks linked to contaminated irrigation water and fresh produce are a public health concern. The presence of Escherichia coli isolates from irrigation water and leafy green vegetables in different food production systems (large commercial farms, small-scale farms, and homestead gardens) was investigated. The prevalence of antibiotic resistance and virulence in these isolates was further assessed, and links between water source and irrigated crops were identified using antimicrobial and genotypic analyses. Presumptive E. coli isolates were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy, and identities were confirmed by PCR using the uidA gene. Antimicrobial susceptibility was evaluated with the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion test; the presence of virulence genes was determined with enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus PCR assays. Of the 130 E. coli isolates from water (n =60) and leafy green vegetables (n =70), 19 (14.6%) were resistant to one antibiotic (tetracycline) and 92 (70.7%) were resistant to various antibiotics (including ampicillin, cefoxitin, and nalidixic acid). All E. coli isolates were susceptible to ceftriaxone and gentamicin. The virulence gene stx 2 was detected in E. coli isolates from irrigation water (8 [13.3%] of 60 isolates) and cabbages (3 [7.5%] of 40), but the virulence genes eae and stx 1 were not detected in any tested isolates from irrigation water and fresh produce samples. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant E. coli was lower in isolates from GLOBALG.A.P.-certified farms than in isolates from noncertified commercial and small-scale farms and homestead gardens. A link between the E. coli isolates from irrigation water sources and leafy green vegetables was established with phenotypic (antimicrobial) and genotypic (DNA fingerprinting) analyses. However, a link between virulence genes and the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance could not be established.

LEAFY blossoms.

PubMed

Moyroud, Edwige; Kusters, Elske; Monniaux, Marie; Koes, Ronald; Parcy, François

2010-06-01

The LEAFY (LFY) gene of Arabidopsis and its homologs in other angiosperms encode a unique plant-specific transcription factor that assigns the floral fate of meristems and plays a key role in the patterning of flowers, probably since the origin of flowering plants. LFY-like genes are also found in gymnosperms, ferns and mosses that do not produce flowers, but their role in these plants is poorly understood. Here, we review recent findings explaining how the LFY protein works and how it could have evolved throughout land plant history. We propose that LFY homologs have an ancestral role in regulating cell division and arrangement, and acquired novel functions in seed plants, such as activating reproductive gene networks.

Prescribed fire effects on biological control of leafy spurge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fellows, D.P.; Newton, W.E.

1999-01-01

The flea beetle, Aphthona nigriscutis Foudras, is a potentially useful agent for biological control of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) in grasslands devoted to wildlife conservation. However, effects of other grassland management practices on the persistence and dynamics of flea beetle populations are not well understood. We conducted small plot tests to evaluate 1) the effect of prerelease burning on establishment of A. nigriscutis colonies, and 2) the ability of established A. nigriscutis colonies to survive prescribed fire. More colonies established on plots that were burned prior to beetle release (83% establishment) than on unburned plots (37% establishment), possibly due to litter reduction and baring of the soil surface. However, most colonies established with the aid of fire did not survive past the first generation unless the habitat was otherwise suitable for the species, and we conclude that the primary benefit of prerelease burning is increased recruitment of A. nigriscutis during the first few generations. Established colonies were not harmed by burns in October and May. Both spring and fall burns resulted in an increase in leafy spurge stem density during the first growing season, but stem density declined to the preburn level by the second growing season.

Keeping the rhythm: light/dark cycles during postharvest storage preserve the tissue integrity and nutritional content of leafy plants.

PubMed

Liu, John D; Goodspeed, Danielle; Sheng, Zhengji; Li, Baohua; Yang, Yiran; Kliebenstein, Daniel J; Braam, Janet

2015-03-27

The modular body structure of plants enables detached plant organs, such as postharvest fruits and vegetables, to maintain active responsiveness to environmental stimuli, including daily cycles of light and darkness. Twenty-four hour light/darkness cycles entrain plant circadian clock rhythms, which provide advantage to plants. Here, we tested whether green leafy vegetables gain longevity advantage by being stored under light/dark cycles designed to maintain biological rhythms. Light/dark cycles during postharvest storage improved several aspects of plant tissue performance comparable to that provided by refrigeration. Tissue integrity, green coloration, and chlorophyll content were generally enhanced by cycling of light and darkness compared to constant light or darkness during storage. In addition, the levels of the phytonutrient glucosinolates in kale and cabbage remained at higher levels over time when the leaf tissue was stored under light/dark cycles. Maintenance of the daily cycling of light and dark periods during postharvest storage may slow the decline of plant tissues, such as green leafy vegetables, improving not only appearance but also the health value of the crops through the maintenance of chlorophyll and phytochemical content after harvest.

Salient beliefs about eating and buying dark green vegetables as told by Mid-western African–American women☆

PubMed Central

Sheats, Jylana L.; Middlestadt, Susan E.

2013-01-01

Vegetables in the dark green group are the most nutritious, yet intake is low. Studies suggest that an increase in fruit and vegetables may improve diet-related health outcomes of African Americans. The aim of this exploratory study was to use the Reasoned Action Approach (RAA) to qualitatively assess salient, top-of-the-mind, beliefs (consequences, circumstances and referents) about eating and buying more dark green leafy vegetables each week over the next 3 months. Adult (n = 30), Midwestern African–American women, who buy and prepare food for their household participated in a face-to-face salient belief elicitation. A content analysis of verbatim text and a descriptive analysis were conducted. Findings suggest that the RAA can be used to identify salient consequences, circumstances and referents about eating and buying more dark green leafy vegetables. The use of the RAA allowed for the extraction of specific beliefs that may aid in the development of nutrition education programs that consider the varying priorities, motivators and barriers that subgroups within the population have in regard to buying and consuming dark green leafy vegetables. PMID:23415980

Salient beliefs about eating and buying dark green vegetables as told by Mid-western African-American women.

PubMed

Sheats, Jylana L; Middlestadt, Susan E

2013-06-01

Vegetables in the dark green group are the most nutritious, yet intake is low. Studies suggest that an increase in fruit and vegetables may improve diet-related health outcomes of African Americans. The aim of this exploratory study was to use the Reasoned Action Approach (RAA) to qualitatively assess salient, top-of-the-mind, beliefs (consequences, circumstances and referents) about eating and buying more dark green leafy vegetables each week over the next 3months. Adult (n=30), Midwestern African-American women, who buy and prepare food for their household participated in a face-to-face salient belief elicitation. A content analysis of verbatim text and a descriptive analysis were conducted. Findings suggest that the RAA can be used to identify salient consequences, circumstances and referents about eating and buying more dark green leafy vegetables. The use of the RAA allowed for the extraction of specific beliefs that may aid in the development of nutrition education programs that consider the varying priorities, motivators and barriers that subgroups within the population have in regard to buying and consuming dark green leafy vegetables. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enteric pathogen-plant interactions: molecular connections leading to colonization and growth and implications for food safety.

PubMed

Martínez-Vaz, Betsy M; Fink, Ryan C; Diez-Gonzalez, Francisco; Sadowsky, Michael J

2014-01-01

Leafy green vegetables have been identified as a source of foodborne illnesses worldwide over the past decade. Human enteric pathogens, such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, have been implicated in numerous food poisoning outbreaks associated with the consumption of fresh produce. An understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the establishment of pathogenic bacteria in or on vegetable plants is critical for understanding and ameliorating this problem as well as ensuring the safety of our food supply. While previous studies have described the growth and survival of enteric pathogens in the environment and also the risk factors associated with the contamination of vegetables, the molecular events involved in the colonization of fresh produce by enteric pathogens are just beginning to be elucidated. This review summarizes recent findings on the interactions of several bacterial pathogens with leafy green vegetables. Changes in gene expression linked to the bacterial attachment and colonization of plant structures are discussed in light of their relevance to plant-microbe interactions. We propose a mechanism for the establishment and association of enteric pathogens with plants and discuss potential strategies to address the problem of foodborne illness linked to the consumption of leafy green vegetables.

Monitoring of nitrites and nitrates levels in leafy vegetables (spinach and lettuce): a contribution to risk assessment.

PubMed

Iammarino, Marco; Di Taranto, Aurelia; Cristino, Marianna

2014-03-15

Nitrites and nitrates are compounds considered harmful to humans and the major part of the daily intake of nitrates in foodstuffs is related to vegetable consumption. In this work, 150 leafy vegetables samples (75 spinach and 75 lettuce) were analysed in order to assess the levels of nitrites and nitrates. The analyses were carried out by a validated ion chromatography method and the samples with nitrate concentrations higher than legal limits and/or with quantifiable concentrations of nitrites were confirmed by an alternative ion chromatography method. Nitrate levels higher than legal limits were detected both in spinach (four samples) and in lettuce (five samples). Nitrite residues were registered both at low concentrations--lower than 28.5 mg kg⁻¹ (12 spinach samples)--and at high concentrations, up to 197.5 mg kg⁻¹ (three spinach and one lettuce sample). Considering the non-negligible percentage of 'not-compliant' samples for nitrates (6.0%), control is needed. Moreover, it is possible to suggest the introduction in the Communities Regulations of a 'maximum admissible level' for nitrites in leafy vegetables. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Sequence analysis of LEAFY homologous gene from Dendrobium moniliforme and application for identification of medicinal Dendrobium].

PubMed

Xing, Wen-Rui; Hou, Bei-Wei; Guan, Jing-Jiao; Luo, Jing; Ding, Xiao-Yu

2013-04-01

The LEAFY (LFY) homologous gene of Dendrobium moniliforme (L.) Sw. was cloned by new primers which were designed based on the conservative region of known sequences of orchid LEAFY gene. Partial LFY homologous gene was cloned by common PCR, then we got the complete LFY homologous gene Den LFY by Tail-PCR. The complete sequence of DenLFY gene was 3 575 bp which contained three exons and two introns. Using BLAST method, comparison analysis among the exon of LFY homologous gene indicted that the DenLFY gene had high identity with orchids LFY homologous, including the related fragment of PhalLFY (84%) in Phalaenopsis hybrid cultivar, LFY homologous gene in Oncidium (90%) and in other orchid (over 80%). Using MP analysis, Dendrobium is found to be the sister to Oncidium and Phalaenopsis. Homologous analysis demonstrated that the C-terminal amino acids were highly conserved. When the exons and introns were separately considered, exons and the sequence of amino acid were good markers for the function research of DenLFY gene. The second intron can be used in authentication research of Dendrobium based on the length polymorphism between Dendrobium moniliforme and Dendrobium officinale.

Validation of a fast and accurate chromatographic method for detailed quantification of vitamin E in green leafy vegetables.

PubMed

Cruz, Rebeca; Casal, Susana

2013-11-15

Vitamin E analysis in green vegetables is performed by an array of different methods, making it difficult to compare published data or choosing the adequate one for a particular sample. Aiming to achieve a consistent method with wide applicability, the current study reports the development and validation of a fast micro-method for quantification of vitamin E in green leafy vegetables. The methodology uses solid-liquid extraction based on the Folch method, with tocol as internal standard, and normal-phase HPLC with fluorescence detection. A large linear working range was confirmed, being highly reproducible, with inter-day precisions below 5% (RSD). Method sensitivity was established (below 0.02 μg/g fresh weight), and accuracy was assessed by recovery tests (>96%). The method was tested in different green leafy vegetables, evidencing diverse tocochromanol profiles, with variable ratios and amounts of α- and γ-tocopherol, and other minor compounds. The methodology is adequate for routine analyses, with a reduced chromatographic run (<7 min) and organic solvent consumption, and requires only standard chromatographic equipment available in most laboratories. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioethanol production from leafy biomass of mango (Mangifera indica) involving naturally isolated and recombinant enzymes.

PubMed

Das, Saprativ P; Ravindran, Rajeev; Deka, Deepmoni; Jawed, Mohammad; Das, Debasish; Goyal, Arun

2013-01-01

The present study describes the usage of dried leafy biomass of mango (Mangifera indica) containing 26.3% (w/w) cellulose, 54.4% (w/w) hemicellulose, and 16.9% (w/w) lignin, as a substrate for bioethanol production from Zymomonas mobilis and Candida shehatae. The substrate was subjected to two different pretreatment strategies, namely, wet oxidation and an organosolv process. An ethanol concentration (1.21 g/L) was obtained with Z. mobilis in a shake-flask simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) trial using 1% (w/v) wet oxidation pretreated mango leaves along with mixed enzymatic consortium of Bacillus subtilis cellulase and recombinant hemicellulase (GH43), whereas C. shehatae gave a slightly higher (8%) ethanol titer of 1.31 g/L. Employing 1% (w/v) organosolv pretreated mango leaves and using Z. mobilis and C. shehatae separately in the SSF, the ethanol titers of 1.33 g/L and 1.52 g/L, respectively, were obtained. The SSF experiments performed with 5% (w/v) organosolv-pretreated substrate along with C. shehatae as fermentative organism gave a significantly enhanced ethanol titer value of 8.11 g/L using the shake flask and 12.33 g/L at the bioreactor level. From the bioreactor, 94.4% (v/v) ethanol was recovered by rotary evaporator with 21% purification efficiency.

Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of TCP Transcription Factors Involved in the Formation of Leafy Head in Chinese Cabbage.

PubMed

Liu, Yan; Guan, Xiaoyu; Liu, Shengnan; Yang, Meng; Ren, Junhui; Guo, Meng; Huang, Zhihui; Zhang, Yaowei

2018-03-14

Chinese cabbage ( Brassica rapa L. ssp . pekinensis ) is a widely cultivated and economically important vegetable crop with typical leaf curvature. The TCP (Teosinte branched1, Cycloidea, Proliferating cell factor) family proteins are plant-specific transcription factors (TFs) and play important roles in many plant biological processes, especially in the regulation of leaf curvature. In this study, 39 genes encoding TCP TFs are detected on the whole genome of B. rapa. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of TCPs between Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica rapa , TCP genes of Chinese cabbage are named from BrTCP1a to BrTCP24b . Moreover, the chromosomal location; phylogenetic relationships among B. rapa , A. thaliana , and rice; gene structures and protein conserved sequence alignment; and conserved domains are analyzed. The expression profiles of BrTCPs are analyzed in different tissues. To understand the role of Chinese cabbage TCP members in regulating the curvature of leaves, the expression patterns of all BrTCP genes are detected at three development stages essential for leafy head formation. Our results provide information on the classification and details of BrTCPs and allow us to better understand the function of TCPs involved in leaf curvature of Chinese cabbage.

Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of TCP Transcription Factors Involved in the Formation of Leafy Head in Chinese Cabbage

PubMed Central

Liu, Yan; Guan, Xiaoyu; Liu, Shengnan; Yang, Meng; Ren, Junhui; Guo, Meng; Huang, Zhihui

2018-01-01

Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis) is a widely cultivated and economically important vegetable crop with typical leaf curvature. The TCP (Teosinte branched1, Cycloidea, Proliferating cell factor) family proteins are plant-specific transcription factors (TFs) and play important roles in many plant biological processes, especially in the regulation of leaf curvature. In this study, 39 genes encoding TCP TFs are detected on the whole genome of B. rapa. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of TCPs between Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica rapa, TCP genes of Chinese cabbage are named from BrTCP1a to BrTCP24b. Moreover, the chromosomal location; phylogenetic relationships among B. rapa, A. thaliana, and rice; gene structures and protein conserved sequence alignment; and conserved domains are analyzed. The expression profiles of BrTCPs are analyzed in different tissues. To understand the role of Chinese cabbage TCP members in regulating the curvature of leaves, the expression patterns of all BrTCP genes are detected at three development stages essential for leafy head formation. Our results provide information on the classification and details of BrTCPs and allow us to better understand the function of TCPs involved in leaf curvature of Chinese cabbage. PMID:29538304

Dynamics of multiple elements in fast decomposing vegetable residues.

PubMed

Cao, Chun; Liu, Si-Qi; Ma, Zhen-Bang; Lin, Yun; Su, Qiong; Chen, Huan; Wang, Jun-Jian

2018-03-01

Litter decomposition regulates the cycling of nutrients and toxicants but is poorly studied in farmlands. To understand the unavoidable in-situ decomposition process, we quantified the dynamics of C, H, N, As, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, and Zn during a 180-d decomposition study in leafy lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. longifoliaf) and rape (Brassica chinensis) residues in a wastewater-irrigated farmland in northwestern China. Different from most studied natural ecosystems, the managed vegetable farmland had a much faster litter decomposition rate (half-life of 18-60d), and interestingly, faster decomposition of roots relative to leaves for both the vegetables. Faster root decomposition can be explained by the initial biochemical composition (more O-alkyl C and less alkyl and aromatic C) but not the C/N stoichiometry. Multi-element dynamics varied greatly, with C, H, N, K, and Na being highly released (remaining proportion<20%), Ca, Cd, Cr, Mg, Ni, and Zn released, and As, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, and Pb possibly accumulated. Although vegetable residues serve as temporary sinks of some metal(loid)s, their fast decomposition, particularly for the O-alkyl-C-rich leafy-lettuce roots, suggest that toxic metal(loid)s can be released from residues, which therefore become secondary pollution sources. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New Insights into Somatic Embryogenesis: LEAFY COTYLEDON1, BABY BOOM1 and WUSCHEL-RELATED HOMEOBOX4 Are Epigenetically Regulated in Coffea canephora

PubMed Central

Nic-Can, Geovanny I.; López-Torres, Adolfo; Barredo-Pool, Felipe; Wrobel, Kazimierz; Loyola-Vargas, Víctor M.; Rojas-Herrera, Rafael; De-la-Peña, Clelia

2013-01-01

Plant cells have the capacity to generate a new plant without egg fertilization by a process known as somatic embryogenesis (SE), in which differentiated somatic cells can form somatic embryos able to generate a functional plant. Although there have been advances in understanding the genetic basis of SE, the epigenetic mechanism that regulates this process is still unknown. Here, we show that the embryogenic development of Coffea canephora proceeds through a crosstalk between DNA methylation and histone modifications during the earliest embryogenic stages of SE. We found that low levels of DNA methylation, histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation (H3K9me2) and H3K27me3 change according to embryo development. Moreover, the expression of LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (LEC1) and BABY BOOM1 (BBM1) are only observed after SE induction, whereas WUSCHEL-RELATED HOMEOBOX4 (WOX4) decreases its expression during embryo maturation. Using a pharmacological approach, it was found that 5-Azacytidine strongly inhibits the embryogenic response by decreasing both DNA methylation and gene expression of LEC1 and BBM1. Therefore, in order to know whether these genes were epigenetically regulated, we used Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays. It was found that WOX4 is regulated by the repressive mark H3K9me2, while LEC1 and BBM1 are epigenetically regulated by H3K27me3. We conclude that epigenetic regulation plays an important role during somatic embryogenic development, and a molecular mechanism for SE is proposed. PMID:23977240

Tracking enteric viruses in green vegetables from central Argentina: potential association with viral contamination of irrigation waters.

PubMed

Prez, V E; Martínez, L C; Victoria, M; Giordano, M O; Masachessi, G; Ré, V E; Pavan, J V; Colina, R; Barril, P A; Nates, S V

2018-05-11

Consumption of green vegetable products is commonly viewed as a potential risk factor for infection with enteric viruses. The link between vegetable crops and fecally contaminated irrigation water establishes an environmental scenario that can result in a risk to human health. The aim of this work was to analyze the enteric viral quality in leafy green vegetables from Córdoba (Argentina) and its potential association with viral contamination of irrigation waters. During July-December 2012, vegetables were collected from peri-urban green farms (n = 19) and its corresponding urban river irrigation waters (n = 12). Also, urban sewage samples (n = 6) were collected to analyze the viral variants circulating in the community. Viruses were eluted and concentrated by polyethylene glycol precipitation and then were subject to Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction to assess the genome presence of norovirus, rotavirus and human astrovirus. The concentrates were also inoculated in HEp-2 (Human Epidermoid carcinoma strain #2) cells to monitor the occurrence of infective enterovirus. The frequency of detection of the viral groups in sewage, irrigation water and crops was: norovirus 100%, 67% and 58%, rotavirus 100%, 75% and 5%, astrovirus 83%, 75% and 32% and infective enterovirus 50%, 33% and 79%, respectively. A similar profile in sewage, irrigation water and green vegetables was observed for norovirus genogroups (I and II) distribution as well as for rotavirus and astrovirus G-types. These results provide the first data for Argentina pointing out that green leafy vegetables are contaminated with a broad range of enteric viruses and that the irrigation water would be a source of contamination. The presence of viral genomes and infective particles in food that in general suffer minimal treatment before consumption underlines that green crops can act as potential sources of enteric virus transmission. Public intervention in the use of the river waters as irrigation source is needed. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Influence of growing system on nitrate accumulation in two varieties of lettuce and red radicchio of Treviso.

PubMed

Lucarini, Massimo; D'Evoli, Laura; Tufi, Sara; Gabrielli, Paolo; Paoletti, Sara; Di Ferdinando, Sandra; Lombardi-Boccia, Ginevra

2012-11-01

Green leafy vegetables contribute greatly to the total intake of nitrates from the daily diet. This study evaluates the influence of different cultivation systems on nitrate accumulation in leafy vegetables. Two varieties of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) (Lattuga Romana, Foglia di Quercia) and two varieties of red radicchio of Treviso (Cychorium intibus L.) (Early, Late) were selected. Lettuce varieties were both organically and biodynamically grown; red radicchio varieties were conventionally grown both in the field and in spring water. Both lettuce varieties biodynamically grown accumulated 1.3-2 times less nitrate than the respective organically grown plants. The two lettuce varieties showed differences in nitrate accumulating capacity: Foglia di Quercia was almost three times richer in nitrate than Lattuga Romana. The traditional growing systems applied to the red radicchio of Treviso varieties strongly influenced nitrate accumulation in leaves, the Early variety having up to 15 times higher nitrate than the Late variety. Our findings on nitrate levels in both lettuce and red radicchio of Treviso varieties suggest that both genetic factors and cultivation systems strongly affect the nitrate accumulation capacity. This study also highlights how the cultivation strategy can reduce nitrate levels in leafy vegetables, suggesting the possibility of modulating the N supply along the harvesting time. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Enteric Pathogen-Plant Interactions: Molecular Connections Leading to Colonization and Growth and Implications for Food Safety

PubMed Central

Martínez-Vaz, Betsy M.; Fink, Ryan C.; Diez-Gonzalez, Francisco; Sadowsky, Michael J.

2014-01-01

Leafy green vegetables have been identified as a source of foodborne illnesses worldwide over the past decade. Human enteric pathogens, such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, have been implicated in numerous food poisoning outbreaks associated with the consumption of fresh produce. An understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the establishment of pathogenic bacteria in or on vegetable plants is critical for understanding and ameliorating this problem as well as ensuring the safety of our food supply. While previous studies have described the growth and survival of enteric pathogens in the environment and also the risk factors associated with the contamination of vegetables, the molecular events involved in the colonization of fresh produce by enteric pathogens are just beginning to be elucidated. This review summarizes recent findings on the interactions of several bacterial pathogens with leafy green vegetables. Changes in gene expression linked to the bacterial attachment and colonization of plant structures are discussed in light of their relevance to plant-microbe interactions. We propose a mechanism for the establishment and association of enteric pathogens with plants and discuss potential strategies to address the problem of foodborne illness linked to the consumption of leafy green vegetables. PMID:24859308

Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Vegetable Species Planted in Contaminated Soils and the Health Risk Assessment

PubMed Central

Zhou, Hang; Yang, Wen-Tao; Zhou, Xin; Liu, Li; Gu, Jiao-Feng; Wang, Wen-Lei; Zou, Jia-Ling; Tian, Tao; Peng, Pei-Qin; Liao, Bo-Han

2016-01-01

The objectives of the present study were to investigate heavy metal accumulation in 22 vegetable species and to assess the human health risks of vegetable consumption. Six vegetable types were cultivated on farmland contaminated with heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, and As). The target hazard quotient (THQ) method was used to assess the human health risks posed by heavy metals through vegetable consumption. Clear differences were found in the concentrations of heavy metals in edible parts of the different vegetables. The concentrations of heavy metals decreased in the sequence as leafy vegetables > stalk vegetables/root vegetables/solanaceous vegetables > legume vegetables/melon vegetables. The ability of leafy vegetables to uptake and accumulate heavy metals was the highest, and that of melon vegetables was the lowest. This indicated that the low accumulators (melon vegetables) were suitable for being planted on contaminated soil, while the high accumulators (leafy vegetables) were unsuitable. In Shizhuyuan area, China, the total THQ values of adults and children through consumption of vegetables were 4.12 and 5.41, respectively, suggesting that the residents may be facing health risks due to vegetable consumption, and that children were vulnerable to the adverse effects of heavy metal ingestion. PMID:26959043

[Nitrate accumulation in vegetables and its residual in vegetable fields].

PubMed

Wang, Zhaohui; Zong, Zhiqiang; Li, Shengxiu; Chen, Baoming

2002-05-01

Determinations of 11 kinds, 48 varieties of vegetables were carried out at different seasons. The results showed that nitrate-N concentrations in 20 vegetables reached Pollution Level 4 (NO3(-)-N > 325 mg.kg-1), which accounted for 41.7% of the total number of the sampled vegetables and included all of the leafy, and most of the melon, root, onion and garlic vegetables. Among them, 5 leafy vegetables even exceeded Level 4 (NO3(-)-N > 700 mg.kg-1). Although leafy vegetables were usually apt to heavily accumulate nitrate, most of them were with nitrate-N concentrations lower than Level 3 (NO3(-)-N < 325 mg.kg-1) in leave blades. Further investigation showed that vegetable soils accumulated more nitrates in each layer from 0 cm to 200 cm than did cereal crop soil. The total amount of residual nitrate-N was 1358.8 kg.hm-2 in the 200 cm soil profile of usual vegetable fields, and 1411.8 kg.hm-2 and 1520.9 kg.hm-2 in the 2-yaers and the 5-years long plastic greenhouse fields respectively, however that in the cereal crop fields was only 245.4 kg.hm-2. Nitrate residual in vegetable soils formed serious threats to underground water in vegetable growing areas.

Sebacinales are associates of the leafy liverwort Lophozia excisa in the southern maritime Antarctic.

PubMed

Newsham, Kevin K; Bridge, Paul D

2010-06-01

The leafy liverwort Lophozia excisa, which is colonised by basidiomycete fungi in other biomes and which evidence suggests may be colonised by mycorrhizal fungi in Antarctica, was sampled from Léonie Island in the southern maritime Antarctic (67 degrees 36' S, 68 degrees 21' W). Microscopic examination of plants indicated that fungal hyphae colonised 78% of the rhizoids of the liverwort, apparently by entering the tips of rhizoids prior to growing into their bases, where they formed hyphal coils. Extensive colonisation of stem medullary cells by hyphae was also observed. DNA was extracted from surface-sterilised liverwort tissues and sequenced following nested PCR, using the primer set ITS1F/TW14, followed by a second round of amplification using the ITSSeb3/TW13 primer set. Neighbour-joining analyses showed that the sequences obtained nested in Sebacinales clade B as a 100% supported sister group to Sebacinales sequences from the leafy liverworts Lophozia sudetica, L. incisa and Calypogeia muelleriana sampled from Europe. Direct PCR using the fungal specific primer set ITS1F/ITS4 similarly identified fungi belonging to Sebacinales clade B as the principal colonists of L. excisa tissues. These observations indicate the presence of a second mycothallus in Antarctica and support the previous suggestion that the Sebacinales has a wide geographical distribution.

Tropical green leafy vegetables prevent garlic-induced hepatotoxicity in the rat.

PubMed

Oboh, Ganiyu

2006-01-01

Garlic (Allium sativum) is popularly consumed because of its role in the treatment and management of several diseases. However, unregulated and chronic intake of garlic can cause damage to cells through the production of free radicals. This study was carried out in order to assess the ability of some tropical green leafy vegetables (Telfairia occidentalis, Solanum macrocapon, Corchorus olitorius, Baselia alba, Cnidoscolus acontifolus, Amarantus cruentus, and Ocimum gratissimum) to prevent garlic-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Wistar strain albino rats were fed diet containing 4% garlic along with or without 40% green leafy vegetable supplement for 14 days. Thereafter, the feeding trial was terminated, the serum of the blood was prepared, and the liver, spleen, intestine, and organ were isolated for gross pathological investigation. The results of the study revealed that there was a significant increase (P < .05) in serum glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT) and glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) of the albino rats fed diet containing 4% garlic supplement when compared with the rats fed the basal diet without garlic and vegetable (40%) supplement. However, there was a significant decrease (P < .05) in the serum total protein and albumin levels in those rats. Conversely, there was a consistent significant decrease (P < .05) in the SGOT and SGPT of the rats fed diet containing garlic (4%) and T. occidentalis (40%) and C. acontifolus (40%) supplement compared with those rats fed diet containing garlic (4%) supplement, while there were no consistent significant decrease in those rats fed diet with garlic (4%) alongside with 40% of other leafy vegetables (S. macrocanum, C. olitorius, B. alba, A. cruentus, and O. gratissimum). An increase in serum level of total protein and albumin was also observed in the rats fed T. occidentalis and C. acontifolus. Thus, T. occidentalis and C. acontifolus proved to be better vegetables in preventing garlic-induced hepatotoxicity compared with the other vegetables used in this study.

Iron and vegetarian diets.

PubMed

Saunders, Angela V; Craig, Winston J; Baines, Surinder K; Posen, Jennifer S

2013-08-19

Vegetarians who eat a varied and well balanced diet are not at any greater risk of iron deficiency anaemia than non-vegetarians. A diet rich in wholegrains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, iron-fortified cereals and green leafy vegetables provides an adequate iron intake. Vitamin C and other organic acids enhance non-haem iron absorption, a process that is carefully regulated by the gut. People with low iron stores or higher physiological need for iron will tend to absorb more iron and excrete less. Research to date on iron absorption has not been designed to accurately measure absorption rates in typical Western vegetarians with low ferritin levels.

Plant Growth Research for Food Production: Development and Testing of Expandable Tuber Growth Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cordova, Brennan A.

2017-01-01

Controlled and reliable growth of a variety of vegetable crops is an important capability for manned deep space exploration systems for providing nutritional supplementation and psychological benefits to crew members. Because current systems have been limited to leafy vegetables that require minimal root space, a major goal for these systems is to increase their ability to grow new types of crops, including tuber plants and root vegetables that require a large root space. An expandable root zone module and housing was developed to integrate this capability into the Vegetable Production System (Veggie). The expandable module uses a waterproof, gas-permeable bag with a structure that allows for root space to increase vertically throughout the growth cycle to accommodate for expanding tuber growth, while minimizing the required media mass. Daikon radishes were chosen as an ideal tuber crop for their subterraneous tuber size and rapid growth cycle, and investigations were done to study expanding superabsorbent hydrogels as a potential growth media. These studies showed improved water retention, but restricted oxygen availability to roots with pure gel media. It was determined that these hydrogels could be integrated in lower proportions into standard soil to achieve media expansion and water retention desired. Using the constructed module prototype and ideal gel and soil media mixture, daikon radishes are being grown in the system to test the capability and success of the system through a full growth cycle.

Plant Growth Research for Food Production: Development and Testing of Expandable Tuber Growth Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cordova, Brennan A.

2017-01-01

Controlled and reliable growth of a variety of vegetable crops is an important capability for manned deep space exploration systems for providing nutritional supplementation and psychological benefits to crew members. Because current systems have been limited to leafy vegetables that require minimal root space, a major goal for these systems is to increase their ability to grow new types of crops, including tuber plants and root vegetables that require a large root space. An expandable root zone module and housing was developed to integrate this capability into the Veggie growth system. The expandable module uses a waterproof, gas-permeable bag with a structure that allows for root space to increase vertically throughout the growth cycle to accommodate for expanding tuber growth, while minimizing the required media mass. Daikon radishes were chosen as an ideal tuber crop for their subterraneous tuber size and rapid growth cycle, and investigations were done to study expanding superabsorbent hydrogels as a potential growth media. These studies showed improved water retention, but restricted oxygen availability to roots with pure gel media. It was determined that these hydrogels could be integrated in lower proportions into standard soil to achieve media expansion and water retention desired. Using the constructed module prototype and ideal gel and soil media mixture, Daikon radishes were grown in the system to test the capability and success of the system through a full growth cycle.

Bacterial quality and safety of packaged fresh leafy vegetables at the retail level in Finland.

PubMed

Nousiainen, L-L; Joutsen, S; Lunden, J; Hänninen, M-L; Fredriksson-Ahomaa, M

2016-09-02

Consumption of packaged fresh leafy vegetables, which are convenient ready-to-eat products, has increased during the last decade. The number of foodborne outbreaks associated with these products has concurrently increased. In our study, (1) label information, (2) O2/CO2 composition, (3) bacterial quality and (4) safety of 100 fresh leafy vegetables at the retail level were studied in Finland during 2013. Bacterial quality was studied using aerobic bacteria (AB) and coliform bacteria (CB) counts, and searching for the presence of Escherichia coli, Listeria and Yersinia. The safety was studied by the presence of Salmonella, ail-positive Yersinia, stx-positive E. coli (STEC) and Listeria monocytogenes using PCR and culturing. Important label information was unavailable on several packages originating from different companies. The packaging date was missing on all packages and the date of durability on 83% of the packages. Storage temperature was declared on 62% of the packages and 73% of the packages contained information about prewashing. The batch/lot number was missing on 29% of the packages. Very low oxygen (O2) (<1%) and elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) (2-22%) concentrations were measured in all packages labelled to contain a protective atmosphere. O2 and CO2 concentrations varied widely in the rest of the packages. AB and CB counts were high in the leafy vegetable samples varying between 6.2 and 10.6 and 4.2-8.3logcfu/g, respectively. In most of the samples, the AB and CB counts exceeded 10(8) and 10(6)cfu/g, respectively. A positive correlation was observed between the AB and CB counts. E. coli was isolated from 15% of the samples and Yersinia from 33%. L. monocytogenes was isolated from two samples and ail-positive Y. enterocolitica in one. Using PCR, STEC was detected in seven samples, and Salmonella and ail-positive Y. enterocolitica in two samples each. The AB and CB mean values of products originating from different companies varied widely. High AB and CB counts and pathogenic bacteria were detected in ready-to-eat products not needing washing before use. Our study shows that the bacterial quality and safety of packaged fresh leafy vegetables is poor and label information on the packages is inadequate. More studies are needed concerning the impact of a protective atmosphere on bacterial growth, and the impact of washing for removing bacteria. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nourish Your Brain

MedlinePlus

... leafy greens, dark-skinned vegetables, and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, and turnips) may be especially protective. Vegetables including beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, eggplant, kale, red bell peppers, ...

The KNOXI Transcription Factor SHOOT MERISTEMLESS Regulates Floral Fate in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Roth, Ohad; Alvarez, John; Levy, Matan; Bowman, John L; Ori, Naomi; Shani, Eilon

2018-05-09

Plants have evolved a unique and conserved developmental program that enables the conversion of leaves into floral organs. Elegant genetic and molecular work has identified key regulators of flower meristem identity. However, further understanding of flower meristem specification has been hampered by redundancy and by pleiotropic effects. The KNOXI transcription factor SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM) is a well-characterized regulator of shoot apical meristem maintenance. Arabidopsis thaliana stm loss-of-function mutants arrest shortly after germination, and therefore the knowledge on later roles of STM in later processes, including flower development, is limited. Here, we uncover a role for STM in the specification of flower meristem identity. Silencing STM in the APETALA1 (AP1) expression domain in the ap1-4 mutant background resulted in a leafy-flower phenotype, and an intermediate stm-2 allele enhanced the flower meristem identity phenotype of ap1-4. Transcriptional profiling of STM perturbation suggested that STM activity affects multiple floral fate genes, among them the F-Box protein-encoding gene UNUSUAL FLORAL ORGANS (UFO). In agreement with this notion, stm-2 enhanced the ufo-2 floral fate phenotype, and ectopic UFO expression rescued the leafy flowers in genetic backgrounds with compromised AP1 and STM activities. This work suggests a genetic mechanism that underlies the activity of STM in the specification of flower meristem identity. © 2018 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.

Thermal inactivation kinetics of hepatitis A virus in spinach.

PubMed

Bozkurt, Hayriye; Ye, Xiaofei; Harte, Federico; D'Souza, Doris H; Davidson, P Michael

2015-01-16

Leafy vegetables have been recognized as important vehicles for the transmission of foodborne viral pathogens. To control hepatitis A viral foodborne illness outbreaks associated with mildly heated (e.g., blanched) leafy vegetables such as spinach, generation of adequate thermal processes is important both for consumers and the food industry. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine the thermal inactivation behavior of hepatitis A virus (HAV) in spinach, and provide insights on HAV inactivation in spinach for future studies and industrial applications. The D-values calculated from the first-order model (50-72 °C) ranged from 34.40 ± 4.08 to 0.91 ± 0.12 min with a z-value of 13.92 ± 0.87 °C. The calculated activation energy value was 162 ± 11 kJ/mol. Using the information generated in the present study and the thermal parameters of industrial blanching conditions for spinach as a basis (100 °C for 120-180 s), the blanching of spinach in water at 100 °C for 120-180 s under atmospheric conditions will provide greater than 6 log reduction of HAV. The results of this study may be useful to the frozen food industry in designing blanching conditions for spinach to inactivate or control hepatitis A virus outbreaks. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Physics of Fresh Produce Safety: Role of Diffusion and Tissue Reaction in Sanitization of Leafy Green Vegetables with Liquid and Gaseous Ozone-Based Sanitizers.

PubMed

Shynkaryk, Mykola V; Pyatkovskyy, Taras; Mohamed, Hussein M; Yousef, Ahmed E; Sastry, Sudhir K

2015-12-01

Produce safety has received much recent attention, with the emphasis being largely on discovery of how microbes invade produce. However, the sanitization operation deserves more attention than it has received. The ability of a sanitizer to reach the site of pathogens is a fundamental prerequisite for efficacy. This work addresses the transport processes of ozone (gaseous and liquid) sanitizer for decontamination of leafy greens. The liquid sanitizer was ineffective against Escherichia coli K-12 in situations where air bubbles may be trapped within cavities. A model was developed for diffusion of sanitizer into the interior of produce. The reaction rate of ozone with the surface of a lettuce leaf was determined experimentally and was used in a numerical simulation to evaluate ozone concentrations within the produce and to determine the time required to reach different locations. For aqueous ozone, the penetration depth was limited to several millimeters by ozone self-decomposition due to the significant time required for diffusion. In contrast, gaseous sanitizer was able to reach a depth of 100 mm in several minutes without depletion in the absence of reaction with surfaces. However, when the ozone gas reacted with the produce surface, gas concentration was significantly affected. Simulation data were validated experimentally by measuring ozone concentrations at the bottom of a cylinder made of lettuce leaf. The microbiological test confirmed the relationship between ozone transport, its self-decomposition, reaction with surrounding materials, and the degree of inactivation of E. coli K-12. Our study shows that decontamination of fresh produce, through direct contact with the sanitizer, is more feasible with gaseous than with aqueous sanitizers. Therefore, sanitization during a high-speed washing process is effective only for decontaminating the wash water.

Transcriptome Analysis of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Exposed to Lysates of Lettuce Leaves ▿

PubMed Central

Kyle, Jennifer L.; Parker, Craig T.; Goudeau, Danielle; Brandl, Maria T.

2010-01-01

Harvesting and processing of leafy greens inherently cause plant tissue damage, creating niches on leaves that human pathogens can exploit. We previously demonstrated that Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EcO157) multiplies more rapidly on shredded leaves than on intact leaves (M. T. Brandl, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74:5285-5289, 2008). To investigate how EcO157 cells adapt to physicochemical conditions in injured lettuce tissue, we used microarray-based whole-genome transcriptional profiling to characterize gene expression patterns in EcO157 after 15- and 30-min exposures to romaine lettuce lysates. Multiple carbohydrate transport systems that have a role in the utilization of substrates known to be prevalent in plant cells were activated in EcO157. This indicates the availability to the human pathogen of a variety of carbohydrates released from injured plant cells that may promote its extensive growth in leaf lysates and, thus, in wounded leaf tissue. In addition, microarray analysis revealed the upregulation of numerous genes associated with EcO157 attachment and virulence, with oxidative stress and antimicrobial resistance (including the OxyR and Mar regulons), with detoxification of noxious compounds, and with DNA repair. Upregulation of oxidative stress and antimicrobial resistance genes in EcO157 was confirmed on shredded lettuce by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. We further demonstrate that this adaptation to stress conditions imparts the pathogen with increased resistance to hydrogen peroxide and calcium hypochlorite. This enhanced resistance to chlorinated sanitizers combined with increased expression of virulence determinants and multiplication at sites of injury on the leaves may help explain the association of processed leafy greens with outbreaks of EcO157. PMID:20061451

Persistence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 during pilot-scale processing of iceberg lettuce using flume water containing peroxyacetic acid-based sanitizers and various organic loads.

PubMed

Davidson, Gordon R; Kaminski-Davidson, Chelsea N; Ryser, Elliot T

2017-05-02

In order to minimize cross-contamination during leafy green processing, chemical sanitizers are routinely added to the wash water. This study assessed the efficacy of peroxyacetic acid and mixed peracid against E. coli O157:H7 on iceberg lettuce, in wash water, and on equipment during simulated commercial production in a pilot-scale processing line using flume water containing various organic loads. Iceberg lettuce (5.4kg) inoculated to contain 10 6 CFU/g of a 4-strain cocktail of non-toxigenic, GFP-labeled, ampicillin-resistant E. coli O157:H7, was shredded using a commercial shredder, step-conveyed to a flume tank, washed for 90s using water alone or two different sanitizing treatments (50ppm peroxyacetic acid or mixed peracid) in water containing organic loads of 0, 2.5, 5 or 10% (w/v) blended iceberg lettuce, and then dried using a shaker table and centrifugal dryer. Thereafter, three 5.4-kg batches of uninoculated iceberg lettuce were identically processed. Various product (25g) and water (50ml) samples collected during processing along with equipment surface samples (100cm 2 ) from the flume tank, shaker table and centrifugal dryer were then assessed for numbers of E. coli O157:H7. Organic load rarely impacted (P>0.05) the efficacy of either peroxyacetic acid or mixed peracid, with typical reductions of >5logCFU/ml in wash water throughout processing for all organic loads. Increases in organic load in the wash water corresponded to changes in total solids, chemical oxygen demand, turbidity, maximum filterable volume, and oxidation/reduction potential. After 90s of exposure to flume water, E. coli O157:H7 reductions on inoculated lettuce ranged from 0.97 to 1.74logCFU/g using peroxyacetic acid, with an average reduction of 1.35logCFU/g for mixed peracid. E. coli O157:H7 persisted on all previously uninoculated lettuce following the inoculated batch, emphasizing the need for improved intervention strategies that can better ensure end-product safety. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cyclic Diarylheptanoids from Corylus avellana Green Leafy Covers: Determination of Their Absolute Configurations and Evaluation of Their Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities.

PubMed

Cerulli, Antonietta; Lauro, Gianluigi; Masullo, Milena; Cantone, Vincenza; Olas, Beata; Kontek, Bogdan; Nazzaro, Filomena; Bifulco, Giuseppe; Piacente, Sonia

2017-06-23

The methanol extract of the leafy covers of Corylus avellana, source of the Italian PGI (protected geographical indication) product "Nocciola di Giffoni", afforded two new cyclic diarylheptanoids, giffonins T and U (2 and 3), along with two known cyclic diarylheptanoids, a quinic acid, flavonoid-, and citric acid derivatives. The structures of giffonins T and U were determined as highly hydroxylated cyclic diarylheptanoids by 1D and 2D NMR experiments. Their relative configurations were assigned by a combined quantum mechanical/NMR approach, comparing the experimental 13 C/ 1 H NMR chemical shift data and the related predicted values. The absolute configurations of carpinontriol B (1) and giffonins T and U (2 and 3) were assigned by comparison of their experimental electronic circular dichroism curves with the TDDFT-predicted curves. The ability of the compounds to inhibit the lipid peroxidation induced by H 2 O 2 and H 2 O 2 /Fe 2+ was determined by measuring the concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity of the methanol extract of leafy covers of C. avellana and of the isolated compounds against the Gram-positive strains Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus and the Gram-negative strains Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was evaluated. Carpinontriol B (1) and giffonin U (3) at 40 μg/disk caused the formation of zones of inhibition.

Uptake of 137Cs by Leafy Vegetables and Grains from Calcareous Soils

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robison, W; Hamilton, T; Conrado, C

2004-04-19

Cesium-137 was deposited on Bikini Island at Bikini Atoll in 1954 as a result of nuclear testing and has been transported and cycled in the ecosystem ever since. Atoll soils are of marine origin and are almost pure CaCO{sub 3} with high concentrations of organic matter in the top 40 cm. Data from previous experiments with mature fruit trees show very high transfer factors (TF's), [Bq g{sup -1} plant/ Bq g{sup -1} soil, both in dry weight] into fruits from atoll calcareous soil. These TF's are much higher than reported for continental, silica-based soils. In this report TF's for 5more » types of leafy vegetable crops and 2 types of grain crops are provided for use in predictive dose assessments and for comparison with other data from other investigators working with other types of soil in the IAEA CRP ''The Classification of Soil Systems on the Basis of Transfer Factors of Radionuclides from Soil to Reference Plants''. Transfer factors for plants grown on calcareous soil are again very high relative to clay-containing soils and range from 23 to 39 for grain crops and 21 to 113 for leafy vegetables. Results from these experiments, in this unique, high pH, high organic content, low potassium (K) soil, provide a boundary condition for models relating soil properties to TF.« less

Association of microRNAs with Types of Leaf Curvature in Brassica rapa.

PubMed

Ren, Wenqing; Wang, Han; Bai, Jinjuan; Wu, Feijie; He, Yuke

2018-01-01

Many vegetable crops of Brassica rapa are characterized by their typical types of leaf curvature. Leaf curvature in the right direction and to the proper degree is important for the yield and quality of green vegetable products, when cultivated under stress conditions. Recent research has unveiled some of the roles of miRNAs in Brassica crops such as how they regulate the timing of leafy head initiation and shape of the leafy head. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the variability in leaf curvature in B. rapa remains unclear. We tested the hypothesis that the leaf curvature of B. rapa is affected by miRNA levels. On the basis of leaf phenotyping, 56 B. rapa accessions were classified into five leaf curvature types, some of which were comparable to miRNA mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana in phenotype. Higher levels of miR166 and miR319a expression were associated with downward curvature and wavy margins, respectively. Overexpression of the Brp - MIR166g-1 gene caused rosette leaves to change from flat to downward curving and folding leaves to change from upward curving to flat, leading to the decrease in the number of incurved leaves and size of the leafy head. Our results reveal that miRNAs affect the types of leaf curvature in B. rapa . These findings provide insight into the relationship between miRNAs and variation in leaf curvature.

Association of microRNAs with Types of Leaf Curvature in Brassica rapa

PubMed Central

Ren, Wenqing; Wang, Han; Bai, Jinjuan; Wu, Feijie; He, Yuke

2018-01-01

Many vegetable crops of Brassica rapa are characterized by their typical types of leaf curvature. Leaf curvature in the right direction and to the proper degree is important for the yield and quality of green vegetable products, when cultivated under stress conditions. Recent research has unveiled some of the roles of miRNAs in Brassica crops such as how they regulate the timing of leafy head initiation and shape of the leafy head. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the variability in leaf curvature in B. rapa remains unclear. We tested the hypothesis that the leaf curvature of B. rapa is affected by miRNA levels. On the basis of leaf phenotyping, 56 B. rapa accessions were classified into five leaf curvature types, some of which were comparable to miRNA mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana in phenotype. Higher levels of miR166 and miR319a expression were associated with downward curvature and wavy margins, respectively. Overexpression of the Brp-MIR166g-1 gene caused rosette leaves to change from flat to downward curving and folding leaves to change from upward curving to flat, leading to the decrease in the number of incurved leaves and size of the leafy head. Our results reveal that miRNAs affect the types of leaf curvature in B. rapa. These findings provide insight into the relationship between miRNAs and variation in leaf curvature. PMID:29467771

Bacterial Communities Associated with Surfaces of Leafy Greens: Shift in Composition and Decrease in Richness over Time

PubMed Central

Lysøe, Erik; Nordskog, Berit; Brurberg, May Bente

2014-01-01

The phyllosphere is colonized by a wide variety of bacteria and fungi; it harbors epiphytes, as well as plant-pathogenic bacteria and even human pathogens. However, little is known about how the bacterial community composition on leafy greens develops over time. The bacterial community of the leafy-green phyllosphere obtained from two plantings of rocket salad (Diplotaxis tenuifolia) and three plantings of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) at two farms in Norway were profiled by an Illumina MiSeq-based approach. We found that the bacterial richness of the L. sativa samples was significantly greater shortly (3 weeks) after planting than at harvest (5 to 7 weeks after planting) for plantings 1 and 3 at both farms. For the second planting, the bacterial diversity remained consistent at the two sites. This suggests that the effect on bacterial colonization of leaves, at least in part must, be seasonally driven rather than driven solely by leaf maturity. The distribution of phyllosphere communities varied between D. tenuifolia and L. sativa at harvest. The variability between these species at the same location suggests that the leaf-dwelling bacteria are not only passive inhabitants but interact with the host, which shapes niches favoring the growth of particular taxa. This work contributes to our understanding of host plant-specific microbial community structures and shows how these communities change throughout plant development. PMID:25527554

Phytonadione

MedlinePlus

... doctor about the amount of vitamin K-rich foods to include in your diet while taking phytonadione. ... not increase or decrease your normal intake of foods such as green leafy vegetables, liver, broccoli, and ...

Vegetarianism

MedlinePlus

... dairy products, dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, dried beans, and calcium-fortified products, including orange juice, soy ... products, eggs, tofu and other soy products, dried beans, and nuts iron: eggs, dried beans, dried fruits, ...

Anemia

MedlinePlus

... sources of iron include lean meat and chicken, dark, leafy vegetables, and beans. Eat and drink foods ... serving) Canned white beans (8 milligrams per cup) Dark chocolate (7 milligrams per 3-ounce serving) Beef ...

Folic Acid

MedlinePlus

... B-complex vitamin needed by the body to manufacture red blood cells. A deficiency of this vitamin ... doctor may tell you to eat more liver, foods prepared from dried yeast, fruit, and fresh leafy ...

Vitamin Chart

MedlinePlus

... eggs, liver, fortified cereals, darkly colored orange or green vegetables (such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and ... many foods, such as vegetable oils, nuts, and green leafy vegetables. Avocados, wheat germ, and whole grains ...

Vitamin A

MedlinePlus

... whole milk, and some fortified foods. Carotenoids are dark-colored dyes (pigments) found in plant foods that ... beta-carotene such as broccoli, spinach, and most dark green, leafy vegetables The more intense the color ...

Detection of Minerals in Green Leafy Vegetables Using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukla, P.; Kumar, R.; Raib, A. Kumar

2016-11-01

The distribution of minerals in different green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, chenopodium, chickpea, mustard, and fenugreek, was calculated using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). LIBS can provide an easy, reliable, efficient, low-cost, and in situ chemical analysis with a reasonable precision. In situ LIBS spectra in the range 200-500 nm were carried out using fresh leaves and leaves in the pellet form. As the spectra suggest, magnesium and calcium are present in each vegetable; however, the amount of them varies. It is observed that the amount of iron is maximal in spinach. The nutrition value of the plants was analyzed, and it was revealed that they are low in calories and fat and high in protein, fiber, iron, calcium, and phytochemicals.

[Concentrations of mercury in ambient air in wastewater irrigated area of Tianjin City and its accumulation in leafy vegetables].

PubMed

Zheng, Shun-An; Han, Yun-Lei; Zheng, Xiang-Qun

2014-11-01

Gaseous Hg can evaporate and enter the plants through the stomata of plat leaves, which will cause a serious threat to local food safety and human health. For the risk assessment, this study aimed to characterize atmospheric mercury (Hg) as well as its accumulation in 5 leafy vegetables (spinach, edible amaranth, rape, lettuce, allium tuberosum) from sewage-irrigated area of Tianjin City. Bio-monitoring sites were located in paddy (wastewater irrigation for 30 a), vegetables (wastewater irrigation for 15 a) and grass (control) fields. Results showed that after long-term wastewater irrigation, the mean values of mercury content in paddy and vegetation fields were significantly higher than the local background value and the national soil environment quality standard value for mercury in grade I, but were still lower than grade II. Soil mercury contents in the studied control grass field were between the local background value and the national soil environment quality standard grade I . Besides, the atmospheric environment of paddy and vegetation fields was subjected to serious mercury pollution. The mean values of mercury content in the atmosphere of paddy and vegetation fields were 71.3 ng x m(-3) and 39.2 ng x m(-3), respectively, which were markedly higher than the reference gaseous mercury value on the north sphere of the earth (1.5-2.0 ng x m(-3)). The mean value of ambient mercury in the control grass fields was 9.4 ng x m(-3). In addition, it was found that the mercury content in leafy vegetables had a good linear correlation with the ambient total gaseous mercury (the data was transformed into logarithms as the dataset did not show a normal distribution). The comparison among 5 vegetables showed that the accumulations of mercury in vegetables followed this order: spinach > edible amaranth > allium tuberosum > rape > lettuce. Median and mean values of mercury contents in spinach and edible amaranth were greater than the hygienic standard for the allowable limit of mercury in food. Spinach appeared to accumulate more mercury than the other four vegetables, in which the median and mean mercury content were both higher than 20 μg x kg(-1). The mercury concentrations in rape, lettuce and allium tuberosum were lower than the standard. Moreover, test results indicated that the Hg content in leafy vegetables was mainly the gaseous mercury through leaf adsorption but not the Hg particulates. This study clearly manifested that there should be a great concern on the pollution risk of both air-and soil borne mercury when cultivating leafy vegetables in long-term wastewater-irrigated area.

Lead and Your Baby

MedlinePlus

... that contain: Calcium, including milk, yogurt, cheese and green leafy vegetables Iron, including lean red meat, beans, cereal and spinach Vitamin C, including oranges, green and red peppers, broccoli, tomatoes and juices If ...

76 FR 51027 - Pesticide Products; Receipt of Applications to Register New Uses

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-17

... ingredient: Pendimethalin. Proposed Use(s): Brassica leafy greens, edamame, leaf lettuce, melons, turnip... melon, collards, fuzzy kiwifruit, gooseberry, hardy kiwifruit, kale, leaf lettuce, maypop, mizuna...

Venous Thromboembolism

MedlinePlus

... K each day. Vitamin K is found in green leafy vegetables and some oils, such as canola ... hormone levels affect a woman’s risk of VTE. Building on the legacy of the Women’s Health Initiative, ...

40 CFR 180.640 - Pyridalyl; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., in or on the following raw agricultural commodities:) Commodity Parts per million Brassica, head and..., leafy, except Brassica, group 4 20 (b) Section 18 emergency exemptions. [Reserved] (c) Tolerances with...

Fruits and vegetables (image)

MedlinePlus

A healthy diet includes adding vegetables and fruit every day. Vegetables like broccoli, green beans, leafy greens, zucchini, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, and tomatoes are low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. ...

Calcium and Your Child

MedlinePlus

... foods, such as: calcium-set tofu edamame (soybeans) broccoli, collard greens, kale, chard, Chinese cabbage, and other ... Serve more dark green, leafy vegetables (such as broccoli, kale, collard greens, or Chinese cabbage) with meals. ...

Biocontrol of Escherichia coli O157: H7 on fresh-cut leafy greens.

PubMed

Boyacioglu, Olcay; Sharma, Manan; Sulakvelidze, Alexander; Goktepe, Ipek

2013-01-01

The effect of a bacteriophage cocktail (EcoShield™) that is specific against Escherichia coli O157:H7 was evaluated against a nalidixic acid-resistant enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 RM4407 (EHEC) strain on leafy greens stored under either (1) ambient air or (2) modified atmosphere (MA; 5% O 2 /35% CO 2 /60% N 2 ). Pieces (~2 × 2 cm 2 ) of leafy greens (lettuce and spinach) inoculated with 4.5 log CFU/cm 2 EHEC were sprayed with EcoShield™ (6.5 log PFU/cm 2 ). Samples were stored at 4 or 10°C for up to 15 d. On spinach, the level of EHEC declined by 2.38 and 2.49 log CFU/cm 2 at 4 and 10°C, respectively, 30 min after phage application (p ≤ 0.05). EcoShield™ was also effective in reducing EHEC on the surface of green leaf lettuce stored at 4°C by 2.49 and 3.28 log units in 30 min and 2 h, respectively (p ≤ 0.05). At 4°C under atmospheric air, the phage cocktail significantly (p ≤ 0.05) lowered the EHEC counts in one day by 1.19, 3.21 and 3.25 log CFU/cm 2 on spinach, green leaf and romaine lettuce, respectively compared with control (no bacteriophage) treatments. When stored under MA at 4°C, phages reduced (p ≤ 0.05) EHEC populations by 2.18, 3.50 and 3.13 log CFU/cm 2 , on spinach, green leaf and romaine lettuce. At 10°C, EHEC reductions under atmospheric air storage were 1.99, 3.90 and 3.99 log CFU/cm 2 (p ≤ 0.05), while population reductions under MA were 3.08, 3.89 and 4.34 logs on spinach, green leaf and romaine lettuce, respectively, compared with controls (p ≤ 0.05). The results of this study showed that bacteriophages were effective in reducing the levels of E. coli O157:H7 on fresh leafy produce, and that the reduction was further improved when produce was stored under the MA conditions.

Lead and Arsenic Uptake by Leafy Vegetables Grown on Contaminated Soils: Effects of Mineral and Organic Amendments

PubMed Central

McBride, Murray B.; Simon, Tobi; Tam, Geoffrey; Wharton, Sarah

2015-01-01

To assess strategies for mitigating Pb and As transfer into leafy vegetables from contaminated garden soils, we conducted greenhouse experiments using two field-contaminated soils amended with materials expected to reduce metal phytoavailability. Lettuce and mustard greens grown on these soils were analysed by ICP-MS, showing that some Pb and As transfer into the vegetables occurred from both soils tested, but plant Pb concentrations were highly variable among treatment replicates. Soil-to-plant transfer was more efficient for As than for Pb. Contamination of the leaves by soil particles probably accounted for most of the vegetable Pb, since plant Pb concentrations were correlated to plant tissue concentrations of the immobile soil elements Al and Fe. This correlation was not observed for vegetable As concentrations, evidence that most of the soil-to-plant transfer for this toxic metal occurred by root uptake and translocation into the above-ground tissues. A follow-up greenhouse experiment with lettuce on one of the two contaminated soils revealed a lower and less variable foliar Pb concentration than observed in the first experiment, with evidence of less soil particle contamination of the crop. This reduced transfer of Pb to the crop appeared to be a physical effect attributable to the greater biomass causing reduced overall exposure of the above-ground tissues to the soil surface. Attempts to reduce soil Pb and As solubility and plant uptake by amendment at practical rates with stabilizing materials including composts, peat, Ca phosphate, gypsum and Fe oxide, were generally unsuccessful. Only Fe oxide reduced soluble As in the soil, but this effect did not persist. Phosphate amendment rapidly increased soil As solubility but had no measurable effect on either soil Pb solubility or concentrations of Pb or As in the leafy vegetables. The ineffectiveness of these amendments in reducing Pb transfer into leafy vegetables is attributed in this study to the low initial Pb solubility of the studied soils and the fact that the primary mechanism of Pb transfer is physical contamination. PMID:26884640

Influence of Vacuum Cooling on Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infiltration in Fresh Leafy Greens via a Multiphoton-Imaging Approach

PubMed Central

Vonasek, Erica

2015-01-01

Microbial pathogen infiltration in fresh leafy greens is a significant food safety risk factor. In various postharvest operations, vacuum cooling is a critical process for maintaining the quality of fresh produce. The overall goal of this study was to evaluate the risk of vacuum cooling-induced infiltration of Escherichia coli O157:H7 into lettuce using multiphoton microscopy. Multiphoton imaging was chosen as the method to locate E. coli O157:H7 within an intact lettuce leaf due to its high spatial resolution, low background fluorescence, and near-infrared (NIR) excitation source compared to those of conventional confocal microscopy. The variables vacuum cooling, surface moisture, and leaf side were evaluated in a three-way factorial study with E. coli O157:H7 on lettuce. A total of 188 image stacks were collected. The images were analyzed for E. coli O157:H7 association with stomata and E. coli O157:H7 infiltration. The quantitative imaging data were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results indicate that the low-moisture condition led to an increased risk of microbial association with stomata (P < 0.05). Additionally, the interaction between vacuum cooling levels and moisture levels led to an increased risk of infiltration (P < 0.05). This study also demonstrates the potential of multiphoton imaging for improving sensitivity and resolution of imaging-based measurements of microbial interactions with intact leaf structures, including infiltration. PMID:26475109

Antibacterial and antioxidant properties of grape stem extract applied as disinfectant in fresh leafy vegetables.

PubMed

Vázquez-Armenta, F J; Silva-Espinoza, B A; Cruz-Valenzuela, M R; González-Aguilar, G A; Nazzaro, F; Fratianni, F; Ayala-Zavala, J F

2017-09-01

In the present study total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant activity and antimicrobial properties of grape (Vitis vinifera var. Red Globe) stem extract is reported. Also, the identification of main phenolic compounds was carried out by UPLC-PAD analysis. TPC and TFC of extract were 37.25 g GAE kg -1 and 98.07 g QE kg -1 , respectively. Extract showed an antioxidant capacity of 132.60 and 317 g TE kg -1 for DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging capacity, respectively. The main phenolic compounds identified were rutin, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, catechin and ferulic acid. Extract inhibited the growth of Listeria monocytogenes , Staphylococcus aureus , Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Escherichia coli O157: H7 at MIC range 16-18 g L -1 . Extract affected the different phases of bacterial growth. In addition, application of Extract (25 g L -1 ) as a sanitizer was effective to reduce the populations of all bacteria inoculated in lettuce (0.859-1.884 log reduction) and spinach (0.843-2.605 log reduction). This study emphasizes the potential of grape processing byproducts as an emergent and attractive source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties and antimicrobial activity against important foodborne pathogens. The study demonstrated that stem extract could be used to control the presence of human pathogenic bacteria in fresh leafy vegetables.

Recognizing Cataracts

MedlinePlus

... age-related cataract. They recommend eating plenty of green leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts and other healthy foods. Also, don’t smoke, because smoking may speed cataract development. To screen for early signs of eye disease, Bishop recommends ...

40 CFR 180.241 - Bensulide; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... following food commodities: Commodity Parts per million Onion, bulb 0.10 Vegetable, brassica, leafy group 5... brassica group 4 0.15 (b) Section 18 emergency exemptions. [Reserved] (c) Tolerances with regional...

Healthy Eating

MedlinePlus

... Non-dairy sources of calcium include the following: • Dark greens • Soybeans and some soy products • Certain canned ... rice, and flour) and is found in leafy dark-green vegetables, citrus fruits, and beans. It may ...

Possible Causes of Malnutrition in Melghat, a Tribal Region of Maharashtra, India

PubMed Central

Birdi, Tannaz J.; Joshi, Sujay; Kotian, Shrati; Shah, Shimoni

2014-01-01

Melghat, situated in Amravati District of Maharashtra, India is a tribal region with amongst the highest numbers of malnutrition cases. This paper focuses on possible causes of malnutrition in the Dharni block of Melghat. Quantitative survey recorded the existing burden of malnutrition, kitchen garden (KG) practices, Public Distribution System, food provisioning, Anganwadi services and hygiene/sanitation in the community. Additionally a qualitative study was undertaken to understand the community’s perspective on nutrition, cultural beliefs, spending habits and other factors contributing to malnutrition. Malnutrition was found to be highly prevalent amongst all age groups with 54% children aged 1-5 years and 43% adults aged ≥ 20 years being severe to moderately underweight. A major cause for malnutrition in children was faulty child care practices. Data on food provisioning revealed that while the caloric needs of the community were substantially met by consumption of cereals and pulses, minimal consumption of green leafy vegetables (GLVs) could lead to micronutrient deficiency in the community. KGs, which provide GLVs, were mainly cultivated in monsoon (98%) which declined to merely 4% in summer. The benefits of government schemes though targeted at malnourished children were often shared by the entire household and thus got diluted. Key finding was that nutrition interventions should be designed to address the entire household and emphasis should be given to appropriate nutrition education, without which distributing food or increasing income would have minimal effect. PMID:25168997

Tips for Living with Scleroderma

MedlinePlus

... raw foods – about 50% of your diet – especially dark, leafy greens to provide chlorophyll and other nutrients. ... normal levels to dangerously high levels in a matter of days. If it continues without treatment, the ...

Magnetic bead based immuno-detection of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria ivanovii from infant formula and leafy green vegetables using the Bio-Plex suspension array system.

PubMed

Day, J B; Basavanna, U

2015-04-01

Listeriosis, a disease contracted via the consumption of foods contaminated with pathogenic Listeria species, can produce severe symptoms and high mortality in susceptible people and animals. The development of molecular methods and immuno-based techniques for detection of pathogenic Listeria in foods has been challenging due to the presence of assay inhibiting food components. In this study, we utilize a macrophage cell culture system for the isolation and enrichment of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria ivanovii from infant formula and leafy green vegetables for subsequent identification using the Luminex xMAP technique. Macrophage monolayers were exposed to infant formula, lettuce and celery contaminated with L. monocytogenes or L. ivanovii. Magnetic microspheres conjugated to Listeria specific antibody were used to capture Listeria from infected macrophages and then analyzed using the Bio-Plex 200 analyzer. As few as 10 CFU/mL or g of L. monocytogenes was detected in all foods tested. The detection limit for L. ivanovii was 10 CFU/mL in infant formula and 100 CFU/g in leafy greens. Microsphere bound Listeria obtained from infected macrophage lysates could also be isolated on selective media for subsequent confirmatory identification. This method presumptively identifies L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii from infant formula, lettuce and celery in less than 28 h with confirmatory identifications completed in less than 48 h. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Accumulation of heavy metals in soil and their transfer to leafy vegetables in the region of Dhaka Aricha Highway, Savar, Bangladesh.

PubMed

Aktaruzzaman, M; Fakhruddin, A N M; Chowdhury, M A Z; Fardous, Z; Alam, M K

2013-04-01

Accumulation of heavy metals in environmental matrices is a potential risk to living system due to their uptake by plants and subsequent introduction into the food chain. A study was conducted to investigate the heavy metals concentration in soils and leafy vegetables samples along the Dhaka Aricha Road to assess their potential ecological risk. Heavy metals concentration was analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. Concentrations ofallthetestedheavy metals except Cd in soil samples were below the permissible level. The mean concentration of Cd was found 3.99 +/- 1.85 mg kg(-1). Concentrations of all the tested heavy metals except Cd and Cr in vegetables samples were lower than recommended level. Mean concentration of Cd and Cr were found 1.00 +/- 0.68 mg kg(-1) and 2.32 +/- 0.84 mg kg(-1), respectively. Based on the Potential Ecological Risk Index, Cd posed very high risk to the local ecosystem due to its higher Risk Factor, > 320 and based on Transfer Factor of Pb and Cd were found higher accumulator among the tested metals. The results of present study revealed that the bioconcentration of heavy metals along the Dhaka Aricha Road posed high risk to the ecosystem. Considering the Transfer Factor of Cd and Pb it can be suggested that plants and leafy vegetables grow in the soil near Dhaka Aricha Road should not be used as food or feed.

Cryptosporidium and Giardia safety margin increase in leafy green vegetables irrigated with treated wastewater.

PubMed

Domenech, Eva; Amorós, Inmaculada; Moreno, Yolanda; Alonso, José L

2018-01-01

The presence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in waste water is a main concern because water reuse for irrigation can jeopardize human health. Spanish Legislation for water reuse does not oblige to analyze the presence of both pathogens Cryptosporidium and Giardia in reused water for irrigation. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to determine the influence of wastewater treatment in the increase of the consumer safety margin in relation to the presence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in leafy green vegetables. With this aim in mind, a total of 108 samples from raw (influent) and treated wastewater (effluent) from three wastewater treatment plants in Spain were analysed according to USEPA Method 1623. Effluent results show that Cryptosporidium oocysts average counts ranged from 1.38 to 2.6/L oocysts and Giardia cysts ranged from 0.6 to 1.7/L cysts, which means a removal values of 2.7 log, 2.5 log and 1.8 log for Cryptosporidium oocysts and 1 log, 2 log and 2.2 log for Giardia cysts in the three wastewater treatment plants analysed. In relation to safety margin the highest probability that exposure exceed the dose response was observed for Giardia. In addition, the sensitivity analysis showed that (oo)cysts concentration present in the leafy green vegetables and the human dose-response were the most influential inputs in the safety margin obtained. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.

From lesser-known to super vegetables: the growing profile of African traditional leafy vegetables in promoting food security and wellness.

PubMed

Aworh, Ogugua C

2018-08-01

There are hundreds of traditional leafy vegetables and wild food plants of horticultural and nutritional significance in Africa. These lesser-known crops and wild food plants that are highly adapted to harsh growing conditions thrive with little care and are available when other sources of food fail or are out of season. They are rich in micronutrients and are often the cheapest sources of many essential vitamins and minerals in many localities. Many of them are very important functional foods in African traditional diets and are rich in nutraceuticals, including polyphenols, tannins, flavonoids and flavonols, that exert demonstrable antioxidant, free radical scavenging and enzyme inhibition activities and have antimicrobial properties that provide scientific justification and possible mechanisms for their use in the management of a wide range of ailments, including diet-related, non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. African traditional leafy vegetables are invaluable in promoting food security and wellness in Africa on account of their availability and affordability, their great nutritional value, chemotherapeutic and health-promoting properties and other unique qualities. Long recognised by the rural populace as quality food items, they are becoming more popular even with the more affluent urban elites. There is the need to develop improved management practices for these super vegetables to promote their cultivation and boost their exploitation for food security and wellness in Africa. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

A link between LEAFY and B-gene homologues in Welwitschia mirabilis sheds light on ancestral mechanisms prefiguring floral development.

PubMed

Moyroud, Edwige; Monniaux, Marie; Thévenon, Emmanuel; Dumas, Renaud; Scutt, Charles P; Frohlich, Michael W; Parcy, François

2017-10-01

Flowering plants evolved from an unidentified gymnosperm ancestor. Comparison of the mechanisms controlling development in angiosperm flowers and gymnosperm cones may help to elucidate the mysterious origin of the flower. We combined gene expression studies with protein behaviour characterization in Welwitschia mirabilis to test whether the known regulatory links between LEAFY and its MADS-box gene targets, central to flower development, might also contribute to gymnosperm reproductive development. We found that WelLFY, one of two LEAFY-like genes in Welwitschia, could be an upstream regulator of the MADS-box genes APETALA3/PISTILLATA-like (B-genes). We demonstrated that, even though their DNA-binding domains are extremely similar, WelLFY and its paralogue WelNDLY exhibit distinct DNA-binding specificities, and that, unlike WelNDLY, WelLFY shares with its angiosperm orthologue the capacity to bind promoters of Welwitschia B-genes. Finally, we identified several cis-elements mediating these interactions in Welwitschia and obtained evidence that the link between LFY homologues and B-genes is also conserved in two other gymnosperms, Pinus and Picea. Although functional approaches to investigate cone development in gymnosperms are limited, our state-of-the-art biophysical techniques, coupled with expression studies, provide evidence that crucial links, central to the control of floral development, may already have existed before the appearance of flowers. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

Determination of household and industrial chemicals, personal care products and hormones in leafy and root vegetables by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Aparicio, Irene; Martín, Julia; Abril, Concepción; Santos, Juan Luis; Alonso, Esteban

2018-01-19

A multiresidue method has been developed for the determination of emerging pollutants in leafy and root vegetables. Selected compounds were 6 perfluoroalkyl compounds (5 perfluorocarboxylic acids and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid), 3 non-ionic surfactants (nonylphenol and nonylphenolethoxylates), 8 anionic surfactants (4 alkylsulfates and 4 linear alkylbenzene sulfonates), 4 preservatives (parabens), 2 biocides (triclosan and triclocarban), 2 plasticizers (bisphenol A and di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate), 6 UV-filters (benzophenones) and 4 hormones. The method is based on ultrasound-assisted extraction, clean-up by dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Due to the diversity of the physico-chemical properties of the target compounds, and to better evaluate the influence of sample treatment variables in extraction efficiencies, Box-Behnken design was applied to optimize extraction solvent volume, number of extraction cycles and d-SPE sorbent amount. Linearity (R 2 ) higher than 0.992, accuracy (expressed as relative recoveries) in the range from 81 to 126%, precision (expressed as relative standard deviation) lower than 19% and limits of detection between 0.025 and 12.5ngg -1 dry weight were achieved. The method was applied to leafy vegetables (lettuce, spinach and chard) and root vegetables (carrot, turnip and potato) from a local market. The highest concentrations corresponded to the surfactants reaching levels up to 114ngg -1 (dry weight), in one of the lettuce samples analyzed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fungal partner shifts during the evolution of mycoheterotrophy in Neottia.

PubMed

Yagame, Takahiro; Ogura-Tsujita, Yuki; Kinoshita, Akihiko; Iwase, Koji; Yukawa, Tomohisa

2016-09-01

Few previous studies have examined how mycobionts change during the evolution from autotrophy to mycoheterotrophy based on phylogenetic hypotheses. Neottia (Orchidaceae) comprises leafy species that are autotrophic and related leafless mycoheterotrophic species, and the phylogenetic relationships among them have been clarified. Accordingly, Neottia is a suitable taxon for investigating the question above. Here we clarified the diversity of mycobionts in Neottia plants and elucidated changes in the character of symbiotic associations during the evolution of mycoheterotrophy. We sequenced the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of nuclear ribosomal (nr) DNA for mycobionts of Neottia plants. Furthermore, we selected one representative DNA sample from each fungal operational taxonomic unit (OTU) and used it to amplify the large subunit (LSU) nrDNA sequences. Phylogenetic analyses of Sebacinales (basidiomycetes), the dominant mycobiont of Neottia, were conducted and sample-based rarefaction curves generated for the observed mycobiont richness on each OTU. Leafy and leafless species in Neottia were associated with Sebacinales Group B and Sebacinales Group A, respectively. The composition and specificity level of fungal partners varied among Neottia species. Fungal partner composition and specificity level changed with speciation in both leafy and leafless Neottia species. In particular, mycorrhizal associations likely shifted from Sebacinales Group B to Group A during the evolution from autotrophy to mycoheterotrophy. Partner shifts to Sebacinales Group A have also been reported in the evolution of mycoheterotrophy of other plant groups, suggesting that convergence to this fungal group occurs in association with the evolution of mycoheterotrophy. © 2016 Botanical Society of America.

Effects of leafy spurge infestation on grassland birds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scheiman, D.M.; Bollinger, E.K.; Johnson, D.H.

2003-01-01

Grassland bird populations are declining. Invasive plant species may be contributing to these declines by altering habitat quality. However, the effects of invasive plants on grassland birds are largely unknown. Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) is an exotic, invasive weed in the northern Great Plains. We examined the effects of leafy spurge infestation on densities of breeding birds, nest-site selection, and nest success in grasslands on the Sheyenne National Grassland (SNG), North Dakota, USA, 1999-2000. We categorized spurge-infested grasslands into 3 groups (low, medium, high), based on the area covered by spurge patches. We surveyed 75 100-m-radius circular points (25 in each group), and searched for nests in 6 16-ha plots (2 in each group). Grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) and savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) densities were lower on high-spurge points than on low- and medium-spurge points. Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) and western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) densities were not significantly different among spurge cover groups. Spurge cover did not appear to be an important factor in nest-site selection. However, western meadowlark nest success was positively associated with spurge cover. Vegetation structure is an important indicator of habitat quality and resource availability for grassland birds. Changes in vegetation structure caused by introduced plant species, such as spurge, can alter resource availability and hence affect bird community composition. Managers of spurge-infested grasslands should continue current spurge control measures to help prevent further declines in grassland habitat quality and grassland bird populations.

Quality of fresh-cut baby spinach grown under a floating trays system as affected by nitrogen fertilisation and innovative packaging treatments.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Hidalgo, Stephanie; Artés-Hernández, Francisco; Gómez, Perla A; Fernández, Juan Antonio; Artés, Francisco

2010-04-30

Alternative techniques for cultivation of leafy vegetables such as a floating tray system and unconventional gas mixtures for post-harvest active modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) could be of interest in the minimally processed vegetable industry. The combined effect of three pre-harvest fertilisation doses (8, 12 or 16 mmol N L(-1)) and three post-harvest MAP conditions (passive, super-atmospheric or N2O-enriched) on the main quality attributes of fresh-cut baby spinach leaves throughout 10 days at 5 degrees C was studied. After 8 days of shelf life, spinach leaves fertilised with 8 and 16 mmol N L(-1) and stored under N2O-enriched MAP showed the lowest microbial growth, with good sensory quality. Such combined treatments also preserved the total antioxidant capacity sampled at harvest (8 g ascorbic acid equivalent antioxidant capacity kg(-1) f.w.). A decrease of 10-20% in total vitamin C content regardless of N fertilisation and packaging treatment was found during shelf life. Total phenolics content at harvest was 2 g gallic acid equivalents kg(-1) f.w., which was slightly decreased or preserved during shelf life while total chlorophylls were preserved for all treatments assayed around 550 mg kg(-1) f.w. No clear effect of fertilisation doses was observed during post-harvest storage on overall quality of fresh-cut baby spinach leaves, while N2O-enriched atmospheres seems to be a promising alternative to passive MAP for extending shelf life.

Eating during Pregnancy

MedlinePlus

... products, cereals, and breads Folic acid blood and protein production, effective enzyme function green leafy vegetables, dark yellow fruits and vegetables, beans, peas, nuts Fat body energy stores meat, whole-milk dairy products, nuts, peanut butter, margarine, vegetable oils ( ...

Calcium and Vitamin D

MedlinePlus

... A calcium-rich diet (including dairy, nuts, leafy greens and fish) helps to build and protect your bones. Calcium is a mineral that is necessary for life. In addition to building bones and keeping them healthy, calcium enables our ...

Building a Healthy Vegetarian Meal: Myths and Facts

MedlinePlus

... 5 Myths about Building a Healthy Vegetarian Meal Building a Healthy Vegetarian Meal Myths and Facts By ... so include a wide variety of other leafy green vegetables more often. If you are forgoing dairy, ...

4 Types of Foods that Boost Your Memory

MedlinePlus

... message. Getting adequate vegetables, especially cruciferous ones including broccoli, cabbage and dark leafy greens, may help improve ... for a tortilla in your next sandwich wrap. Broccoli stir-fry also is an excellent option for ...

Xanthophylls

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Xanthophylls are dietary carotenoids found throughout the body and include lutein, zeaxanthin, ß-cryptoxanthin, astaxanthin, and canthaxanthin. Lutein and zeaxanthin selectively accumulate in the macula of the eye and in the brain. Major dietary sources of xanthophylls include green leafy vegetables...

Osteoporosis in Aging: Protect Your Bones with Exercise

MedlinePlus

... foods you eat—including milk and milk products, dark green leafy vegetables like kale and collard greens— ... are in the environment. The kind of fall matters, too. Wrist fractures often occur when a person ...

Healthy Eating for Vegetarians: 10 Tips for Vegetarians

MedlinePlus

... Added Sugars Others Everything You Eat and Drink Matters Variety Amount Nutrition Other Ingredients Start with Small ... fortified breakfast cereals and orange juice, and some dark-green leafy vegetables (collard, turnip, and mustard greens; ...

40 CFR 180.293 - Endothall; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Vegetable, foliage of legume, group 7 4.0 Vegetable, fruiting, group 8 0.05 Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4 2.0 Vegetable, leaves of root and tuber, group 2 3.0 Vegetable, legume, edible, podded...

40 CFR 180.293 - Endothall; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Vegetable, foliage of legume, group 7 4.0 Vegetable, fruiting, group 8 0.05 Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4 2.0 Vegetable, leaves of root and tuber, group 2 3.0 Vegetable, legume, edible, podded...

40 CFR 180.587 - Famoxadone; tolerance for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., liver 0.05 Spinach 50 Tomato 1.0 Vegetable, cucurbit, group 9 0.30 Vegetable, fruiting, group 8, except tomato 4.0 Vegetable, leafy, except Brassica, group 4, except spinach 25 1 There are no U.S...

Solar energy in food processing-a critical appraisal.

PubMed

Eswara, Amruta R; Ramakrishnarao, M

2013-04-01

Increasing population and high cost of fuels have created opportunities for using alternate energies for post-harvest processing of foods. Solar food processing is an emerging technology that provides good quality foods at low or no additional fuel costs. A number of solar dryers, collectors and concentrators are currently being used for various steps in food processing and value addition. Society for Energy, Environment and Development (SEED) developed Solar Cabinet Dryer with forced circulation which has been used for dehydration and development of value added products from locally grown fruits, vegetables, leafy greens and forest produce. Drying under simulated shade conditions using UV-reducing Blue filter helps retain nutrients better. Its simple design and ease of handling makes SEED Solar Dryer an ideal choice for application of food processing in rural settings, closer to where the harvest is produced, eliminating the need for expensive transportation or storage of fresh produce. It also creates employment opportunities among the rural population, especially women. Other gadgets based on solar collectors and concentrators currently being used at various steps of food processing are reviewed.

Choline and betaine food sources and intakes in Taiwanese.

PubMed

Chu, Da-Ming; Wahlqvist, Mark L; Chang, Hsing-Yi; Yeh, Nai-Hua; Lee, Meei-Shyuan

2012-01-01

Choline and betaine are involved in several similar health-relevant metabolic pathways, but the foods sources are different. We have assessed their intakes (individual, sums and ratios) from a dominantly Chinese food cultural point of view. A representative free-living Taiwanese population aged 13-64 years was drawn from the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (NAHSIT) 1993-1996. Food intake was derived from interviews as 24-hour recalls. The USDA database, with adaptations for Taiwan, provided choline and betaine food compositions. Major food contributors of these nutrients were identified and compared with data from the US Framingham offspring study. Mean and variance reduced median nutrient intakes were calculated. Top ten major food contributors of choline in Taiwan were eggs, pork, chicken, fish, soybean and its products, dark leafy vegetables, dairy, fruit, wheat products and light leafy vegetables in sequence. For betaine, the top ten were dark leafy vegetables, wheat products, fish, pork, bread, chicken, cake/cookies, grain-based alcoholic beverages, rice and its products and sauces. The main contributors of choline in Taiwan and the USA were, respectively, eggs and red meat; and for betaine, greens were similarly best contributor. The rankings of the main food contributors of choline and betaine differed substantially between Taiwan and the USA. The total daily intakes (mean±SE, mg) in Taiwan for choline were 372±19 (median=348) in men and 265±9 (median 261) for women; for betaine, values were 101±3 (median 93) in men and 78±8 (median 76) for women. These allow for health outcome considerations.

Assessment of volatile organic compound emissions from ecosystems of China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klinger, L. F.; Li, Q.-J.; Guenther, A. B.; Greenberg, J. P.; Baker, B.; Bai, J.-H.

2002-11-01

Isoprene, monoterpene, and other volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from grasslands, shrublands, forests, and peatlands in China were characterized to estimate their regional magnitudes and to compare these emissions with those from landscapes of North America, Europe, and Africa. Ecological and VOC emission sampling was conducted at 52 sites centered in and around major research stations located in seven different regions of China: Inner Mongolia (temperate), Changbai Mountain (boreal-temperate), Beijing Mountain (temperate), Dinghu Mountain (subtropical), Ailao Mountain (subtropical), Kunming (subtropical), and Xishuangbanna (tropical). Transects were used to sample plant species and growth form composition, leafy (green) biomass, and leaf area in forests representing nearly all the major forest types of China. Leafy biomass was determined using generic algorithms based on tree diameter, canopy structure, and absolute cover. Measurements of VOC emissions were made on 386 of the 541 recorded species using a portable photo-ionization detector method. For 105 species, VOC emissions were also measured using a flow-through leaf cuvette sampling/gas chromatography analysis method. Results indicate that isoprene and monoterpene emissions, as well as leafy biomass, vary systematically along gradients of ecological succession in the same manner found in previous studies in the United States, Canada, and Africa. Applying these results to a regional VOC emissions model, we arrive at a value of 21 Tg C for total annual biogenic VOC emissions from China, compared to 5 Tg C of VOCs released annually from anthropogenic sources there. The isoprene and monoterpene emissions are nearly the same as those reported for Europe, which is comparable in size to China.

40 CFR 180.103 - Captan; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., foliage of legume, group 7 0.05 Vegetable, fruiting, group 8 0.05 Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4 0.05 Vegetable, leaves of root and tuber, group 2 0.05 Vegetable, legume, group 6 0.05 Vegetable...

40 CFR 180.103 - Captan; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., foliage of legume, group 7 0.05 Vegetable, fruiting, group 8 0.05 Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4 0.05 Vegetable, leaves of root and tuber, group 2 0.05 Vegetable, legume, group 6 0.05 Vegetable...

40 CFR 180.561 - Acibenzolar-S-methyl; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... acibenzolar-S-methyl, in or on the following raw agricultural commodities. Commodity Parts per million Banana..., group 8 1.0 Vegetable, leafy, group 4 0.25 1 There are no United States registrations for banana. (2...

40 CFR 180.561 - Acibenzolar-S-methyl; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... acibenzolar-S-methyl, in or on the following raw agricultural commodities. Commodity Parts per million Banana..., group 8 1.0 Vegetable, leafy, group 4 0.25 1 There are no United States registrations for banana. (2...

40 CFR 180.561 - Acibenzolar-S-methyl; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... acibenzolar-S-methyl, in or on the following raw agricultural commodities. Commodity Parts per million Banana..., group 8 1.0 Vegetable, leafy, group 4 0.25 1 There are no United States registrations for banana. (2...

40 CFR 180.493 - Dimethomorph; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...-propenyl]morpholine, in or on the following commodities: Commodity Parts per million Brassica, head and stem, subgroup 5A 2.0 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup 5B 20.0 Ginseng 0.90 Grape, raisin 1 6.0 Hop...

40 CFR 180.408 - Metalaxyl; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., tops 10.0 Blueberry 2.0 Broccoli 2.0 Brussels sprouts 2.0 Cabbage 1.0 Cattle, fat 0.4 Cattle, kidney 0... Tomato, paste 3.0 Tomato, puree 3.0 Vegetable, brassica, leafy, group 5, except broccoli, cabbage...

40 CFR 180.613 - Flonicamid; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 12 0.60 Hop, dried cones 7.0 Okra 0.40 Potato, granules/flakes 0.40 Radish, tops 16 Spinach 9.0..., fruiting, group 8 0.40 Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4, except spinach 4.0 Vegetable, root...

40 CFR 180.675 - Tolfenpyrad; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Parts per million Almond hulls 6.0 Citrus, dried pulp 8.0 Citrus, oil 70.0 Cotton, gin byproducts 15.0... Tea 30.0 Vegetable, leafy, except Brassica, group 4 30.0 (2) Tolerances are established for residues...

Calcium

MedlinePlus

... and enzymes and to send messages through the nervous system. It is important to get plenty of calcium in the foods you eat. Foods rich in calcium include Dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt Leafy, green vegetables Fish with soft bones that you eat, such as ...

40 CFR 180.443 - Myclobutanil; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., brassica, leafy, group 5 0.03 Vegetable, foliage of legume, group 7 0.03 Vegetable, fruiting, group 8 0.03..., legume, group 6 0.03 Vegetable, root and tuber, group 1 0.03 [54 FR 6131, Feb. 8, 1989] Editorial Note...

40 CFR 180.511 - Buprofezin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Okra 4.0 Olive 3.5 Olive, oil 4.8 Papaya 0.90 Passionfruit 0.30 Peach 9.0 Pepper, nonbell 4.0 Pistachio..., cucurbit, group 9 0.50 Vegetable, fruiting, group 8, except nonbell pepper 1.3 Vegetable, leafy, except...

40 CFR 180.532 - Cyprodinil; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... commodities: Commodity Parts per million Almond 0.02 Almond, hulls 8.0 Apple, wet pomace 0.15 Avocado 1.2 Bean, dry 0.6 Bean, succulent 0.6 Brassica, head and stem, subgroup 5A 1.0 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup...

40 CFR 180.476 - Triflumizole; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., tart 1.5 Cilantro, leaves 35 Fruit, pome, group 11-10 0.50 Fruit, small, vine climbing, except fuzzy... Hazelnut 0.05 Hop, dried cones 50 Leafy greens subgroup 4A, except spinach 35 Mango 2.5 Papaya 2.5...

40 CFR 180.414 - Cyromazine; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Bean, succulent 2.0 Broccoli 1.0 Cabbage, abyssinian 10.0 Cabbage, seakale 10.0 Cattle, fat 0.05 Cattle... broccoli 10.0 Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4 7.0 Vegetable, cucurbit, group 9 1.0 1There are no...

Using the Nutrition Facts Label: A How-To Guide for Older Adults

MedlinePlus

... en español (Spanish) <<< Back to Consumers Why Nutrition Matters For You Good nutrition is important throughout your ... that is "calcium-processed”) certain vegetables (for example, dark leafy greens such as collards and turnip greens) ...

40 CFR 180.207 - Trifluralin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., oil 2.0 Spearmint, tops 0.05 Sugarcane, cane 0.05 Vegetable, brassica, leafy group 5 0.05 Vegetable....05 Oilseed, crop group 20 0.05 Okra 0.05 Peanut 0.05 Peanut, hay 0.05 Peppermint, oil 2.0 Peppermint...

Lettuce and spinach breeding

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lettuce and spinach production is beset by numerous biotic an abiotic challenges, thus the leafy-vegetable industry of California requires continued development of improved, adapted cultivars to meet new disease and insect problems, changes in the market, and changes in growing procedures. The lettu...

PERCHLORATE ACCUMULATION FROM FERTILIZER IN LEAFY VEGETATION

EPA Science Inventory

Perchlorate contaminated water and soil has been identified in many areas of the United States. Previous studies indicated that the primary source of contamination was from industry and military operations that use perchlorate as an oxidzing agent. However, recent studies have fo...

Cryopreservation by encapsulation-dehydration of plumules of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.).

PubMed

N'Nan, Oulo; Hocher, Valérie; Verdeil, Jean-Luc; Konan, Jean-Louis; Ballo, Koffi; Mondeil, Fanja; Malaurie, Bernard

2008-01-01

This study describes the use of an encapsulation-dehydration cryopreservation technique on coconut plumules (apical dome with three or four leaf primordia) excised from embryos. In order to establish a reliable cryopreservation process for plumules, several different key factors were tested: pretreatment duration, sugar concentration, dehydration period and freezing. In parallel, histological studies were performed to describe the structural changes of tissues and plumule cells subjected to dehydration and freezing. A good survival level of around 60% was obtained. However, after 8 months culture regrowth, this level decreased to a maximum of 20 % which was achieved using sucrose treatment. In this paper we report for the first time the regeneration of leafy shoots from coconut plumules after cryopreservation.

Reversed-phase ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry as a powerful tool for metabolic profiling of vegetables: Lactuca sativa as an example of its application.

PubMed

Abu-Reidah, I M; Contreras, M M; Arráez-Román, D; Segura-Carretero, A; Fernández-Gutiérrez, A

2013-10-25

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa), a leafy vegetal widely consumed worldwide, fresh cut or minimally processed, constitutes a major dietary source of natural antioxidants and bioactive compounds. In this study, reversed-phase ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-UHPLC) coupled to electrospray ionization-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-QTOF-MS) was applied for the comprehensive profiling of polar and semi-polar metabolites from three lettuce cultivars (baby, romaine, and iceberg). The UHPLC systems allowed the use of a small-particle-size C18 column (1.8 μm), with very fine resolution for the separation of up to seven isomers, and the QTOF mass analyzer enabled sensitive detection with high mass resolution and accuracy in full scan. Thus, a total of 171 compounds were tentatively identified by matching their accurate mass signals and suggested molecular formula with those previously reported in family Asteraceae. Afterwards, their structures were also corroborated by the MS/MS data provided by the QTOF analyzer. Well-known amino acids, organic acids, sesquiterpene lactones, phenolic acids and flavonoids were characterized, e.g. lactucin, lactucopicrin, caftaric acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeoylmalic acid, chicoric acid, isochlorogenic acid A, luteolin, and quercetin glycosides. For this plant species, this is the first available report of several isomeric forms of the latter polyphenols and other types of components such as nucleosides, peptides, and tryptophan-derived alkaloids. Remarkably, 10 novel structures formed by the conjugation of known amino acids and sesquiterpene lactones were also proposed. Thus, the methodology applied is a useful option to develop an exhaustive metabolic profiling of plants that helps to explain their potential biological activities and folk uses. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pathogen risk associated with farming practices

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7 associated with the consumption of leafy greens has focused attention on routes of contamination of these commodities with bacterial foodborne pathogens. A summary of research activities at the Environmental Micorbial and Food Safety Laboratory have evaluated mechanism...

Lettuce and spinach breeding

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lettuce and spinach production is beset by numerous biotic an abiotic challenges. This report to the California Leafy Greens Research Program annual meeting provides an update by the ‘Genetic Enhancement of Lettuce, Spinach, Melon, and Related Species’ project at Salinas on the genetics and breeding...

Genetic Mapping of the Leaf Number above the Primary Ear and Its Relationship with Plant Height and Flowering Time in Maize.

PubMed

Cui, Min; Jia, Bo; Liu, Huanhuan; Kan, Xin; Zhang, Yu; Zhou, Ronghua; Li, Zhipeng; Yang, Liang; Deng, Dexiang; Yin, Zhitong

2017-01-01

The leaf number above the primary ear (LA) is a major contributing factor to plant architecture in maize. The yield of leafy maize, which has extra LA compared to normal maize, is higher than normal maize in some regions. One major concern is that increasing LA may be accompanied by increased plant height and/or flowering time. Using an F 2:3 population comprising 192 families derived from a leafy maize line and a normal maize line, an association population comprising 437 inbred maize lines, and a pair of near-isogenic maize lines, we mapped the quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with LA and assessed its genetic relationship with flowering time and plant height. Ten QTL with an additive and dominant effect, 18 pairs of interacting QTL in the F 2:3 population and seventeen significant SNPs in the association population were detected for LA. Two major QTL, qLA3-4 and qLA7-1 , were repeatedly detected and explained a large proportion of the phenotypic variation. The qLA3-4 was centered on lfy1 , which is a dominant gene underlying extra leaves above the ear in leafy maize. Four LA QTL were found to overlap with flowering time and/or plant height, which suggested that these QTL might have a pleiotropic effect. The pleiotropy of the lfy1 locus on LA, flowering time and plant height were validated by near-isogenic line analysis. These results enhance our understanding of the genetic architecture affecting maize LA and the development of maize hybrids with increased LA.

Selection of Leafy Green Vegetable Varieties for a Pick-and-Eat Diet Supplement on ISS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Massa, Gioia D.; Wheeler, Raymond M.; Stutte, Gary W.; Richards, Jeffrey T.; Spencer, LaShelle E.; Hummerick, Mary E.; Douglas, Grace L.; Sirmons, Takiyah

2015-01-01

Several varieties of leafy vegetables were evaluated with the goal of selecting those with the best growth, nutrition, and organoleptic acceptability for ISS. Candidate species were narrowed to commercially available cultivars with desirable growth attributes for space (e.g., short stature and rapid growth). Seeds were germinated in controlled environment chambers under conditions similar to what might be found in the Veggie plant growth chamber on ISS. Eight varieties of leafy greens were grown: 'Tyee' spinach, 'Flamingo' spinach, 'Outredgeous' Red Romaine lettuce, 'Waldmann's Dark Green' leaf lettuce, 'Bull's Blood' beet, 'Rhubarb' Swiss chard, 'Tokyo Bekana' Chinese cabbage, and Mizuna. Plants were harvested at maturity and biometric data on plant height, diameter, chlorophyll content, and fresh mass were obtained. Tissue was ground and extractions were performed to determine the tissue elemental content of Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca) and Iron (Fe). Following the biometric/elemental evaluation, four of the eight varieties were tested further for levels of anthocyanins, antioxidant (ORAC-fluorescein) capacity, lutein, zeaxanthin, and Vitamin K. For sensory evaluation, 'Outredgeous' lettuce, Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage, and Mizuna plants were grown, harvested when mature, packaged under refrigerated conditions, and sent to the JSC Space Food Systems Laboratory. Tasters evaluated overall acceptability, appearance, color intensity, bitterness, flavor, texture, crispness and tenderness. All varieties received acceptable scores with overall ratings greater than 6 on a 9-point hedonic scale. Chinese cabbage was the highest rated, followed by Mizuna, 'Outredgeous' lettuce, and Swiss chard. Based on our results, the selected varieties of Chinese cabbage, lettuce, Swiss chard and Mizuna seem suitable for a pick-and-eat scenario on ISS with a ranking based on all factors analyzed to help establish priority.

Switching on Flowers: Transient LEAFY Induction Reveals Novel Aspects of the Regulation of Reproductive Development in Arabidopsis

PubMed Central

Wagner, Doris; Meyerowitz, Elliot M.

2011-01-01

Developmental fate decisions in cell populations fundamentally depend on at least two parameters: a signal that is perceived by the cell and the intrinsic ability of the cell to respond to the signal. The same regulatory logic holds for phase transitions in the life cycle of an organism, for example the switch to reproductive development in flowering plants. Here we have tested the response of the monocarpic plant species Arabidopsis thaliana to a signal that directs flower formation, the plant-specific transcription factor LEAFY (LFY). Using transient steroid-dependent LEAFY (LFY) activation in lfy null mutant Arabidopsis plants, we show that the plant’s competence to respond to the LFY signal changes during development. Very early in the life cycle, the plant is not competent to respond to the signal. Subsequently, transient LFY activation can direct primordia at the flanks of the shoot apical meristem to adopt a floral fate. Finally, the plants acquire competence to initiate the flower-patterning program in response to transient LFY activation. Similar to a perennial life strategy, we did not observe reprogramming of all primordia after perception of the transient signal, instead only a small number of meristems responded, followed by reversion to the prior developmental program. The ability to initiate flower formation and to direct flower patterning in response to transient LFY upregulation was dependent on the known direct LFY target APETALA1 (AP1). Prolonged LFY or activation could alter the developmental gradient and bypass the requirement for AP1. Prolonged high AP1 levels, in turn, can also alter the plants’ competence. Our findings shed light on how plants can fine-tune important phase transitions and developmental responses. PMID:22639600

A qualitative and quantitative analysis of vegetable pricing in supermarket

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miranda, Suci

2017-06-01

The purpose of this study is to analyze the variables affecting the determination of the sale price of vegetable which is constant over time in a supermarket qualitatively and quantitavely. It focuses on the non-organic vegetable with a fixed selling price over time such as spinach, beet, and parsley. In qualitative analysis, the sale price determination is influenced by the vegetable characteristics: (1) vegetable segmentation (low to high daily consumed); (2) vegetable age (how long it can last related to freshness); which both characteristic relates to the inventory management and ultimately to the sale price in supermarket. While quantitatively, the vegetables are divided into two categories: the leaf vegetable group that the leaves are eaten as a vegetable with the aging product (a) = 0 and the shelf life (t) = 0, and the non-leafy vegetable group with the aging group (a) = a+1 and the shelf life (t) = t+1. The vegetable age (a) = 0 means they only last for one day when they are ordered then they have to terminate. Whereas a+1 is that they have a longer life for more than a day such as beet, white radish, and string beans. The shelf life refers to how long it will be placed in a shelf in supermarket in line with the vegetable age. According to the cost plus pricing method using full price costing approach, production costs, non-production costs, and markup are adjusted differently for each category. There is a holding cost added to the sale price of the non-leafy vegetable, yet it is assumed a 0 holding cost for the leafy vegetable category. The amount of expected margin of each category is correlated to the vegetable characteristics.

Abiotic Stress and Phyllosphere Bacteria Influence the Survival of Human Norovirus and Its Surrogates on Preharvest Leafy Greens

PubMed Central

Esseili, Malak A.; Gao, Xiang; Tegtmeier, Sarah; Saif, Linda J.

2015-01-01

Foodborne outbreaks of human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are frequently associated with leafy greens. Because there is no effective method to eliminate HuNoV from postharvest leafy greens, understanding virus survival under preharvest conditions is crucial. The objective of this study was to evaluate the survival of HuNoV and its surrogate viruses, murine norovirus (MNV), porcine sapovirus (SaV), and Tulane virus (TV), on preharvest lettuce and spinach that were subjected to abiotic stress (physical damage, heat, or flood). We also examined the bacteria culturable from the phyllosphere in response to abiotic stress and in relation to viral persistence. Mature plants were subjected to stressors 2 days prior to inoculation of the viruses on leaves. We quantified the viral RNA, determined the infectivity of the surrogates, and performed bacterial counts on postinoculation days (PIDs) 0, 1, 7, and 14. For both plant types, time exerted significant effects on HuNoV, MNV, SaV, and TV RNA titers, with greater effects being seen for the surrogates. Infectious surrogate viruses were undetectable on PID 14. Only physical damage on PID 14 significantly enhanced HuNoV RNA persistence on lettuce, while the three stressors differentially enhanced the persistence of MNV and TV RNA. Bacterial counts were significantly affected by time and plant type but not by the stressors. However, bacterial counts correlated significantly with HuNoV RNA titers on spinach and with the presence of surrogate viruses on both plant types under various conditions. In conclusion, abiotic stressors and phyllosphere bacterial density may differentially influence the survival of HuNoV and its surrogates on lettuce and spinach, emphasizing the need for the use of preventive measures at the preharvest stage. PMID:26497461

Higher intake of fruits, vegetables or their fiber reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Ping-Yu; Fang, Jun-Chao; Gao, Zong-Hua; Zhang, Can; Xie, Shu-Yang

2016-01-01

Some previous studies reported no significant association of consuming fruit or vegetables, or fruit and vegetables combined, with type 2 diabetes. Others reported that only a greater intake of green leafy vegetables reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes. To further investigate the relationship between them, we carried out a meta-analysis to estimate the independent effects of the intake of fruit, vegetables and fiber on the risk of type 2 diabetes. Searches of MEDLINE and EMBASE for reports of prospective cohort studies published from 1 January 1966 to 21 July 2014 were carried out, checking reference lists, hand-searching journals and contacting experts. The primary analysis included a total of 23 (11 + 12) articles. The pooled maximum-adjusted relative risk of type 2 diabetes for the highest intake vs the lowest intake were 0.91 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.87-0.96) for total fruits, 0.75 (95% CI 0.66-0.84) for blueberries, 0.87 (95% CI 0.81-0.93) for green leafy vegetables, 0.72 (95% CI 0.57-0.90) for yellow vegetables, 0.82 (95% CI 0.67-0.99) for cruciferous vegetables and 0.93 (95% CI 0.88-0.99) for fruit fiber in these high-quality studies in which scores were seven or greater, and 0.87 (95% CI 0.80-0.94) for vegetable fiber in studies with a follow-up period of 10 years or more. A higher intake of fruit, especially berries, and green leafy vegetables, yellow vegetables, cruciferous vegetables or their fiber is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

Fruit and vegetable intake and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies

PubMed Central

Li, Min; Fan, Yingli; Zhang, Xiaowei; Hou, Wenshang; Tang, Zhenyu

2014-01-01

Objective To clarify and quantify the potential dose–response association between the intake of fruit and vegetables and risk of type 2 diabetes. Design Meta-analysis and systematic review of prospective cohort studies. Data source Studies published before February 2014 identified through electronic searches using PubMed and Embase. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Prospective cohort studies with relative risks and 95% CIs for type 2 diabetes according to the intake of fruit, vegetables, or fruit and vegetables. Results A total of 10 articles including 13 comparisons with 24 013 cases of type 2 diabetes and 434 342 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Evidence of curve linear associations was seen between fruit and green leafy vegetables consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes (p=0.059 and p=0.036 for non-linearity, respectively). The summary relative risk of type 2 diabetes for an increase of 1 serving fruit consumed/day was 0.93 (95% CI 0.88 to 0.99) without heterogeneity among studies (p=0.477, I2=0%). For vegetables, the combined relative risk of type 2 diabetes for an increase of 1 serving consumed/day was 0.90 (95% CI 0.80 to 1.01) with moderate heterogeneity among studies (p=0.002, I2=66.5%). For green leafy vegetables, the summary relative risk of type 2 diabetes for an increase of 0.2 serving consumed/day was 0.87 (95% CI 0.81 to 0.93) without heterogeneity among studies (p=0.496, I2=0%). The combined estimates showed no significant benefits of increasing the consumption of fruit and vegetables combined. Conclusions Higher fruit or green leafy vegetables intake is associated with a significantly reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. PMID:25377009

Antioxidative and antihypertensive effects of Welsh onion on rats fed with a high-fat high-sucrose diet.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Yukiko; Aoyama, Sakiko; Hamaguchi, Noriko; Rhi, Gyou-Sei

2005-07-01

The effects of Welsh onion on the development of hypertension and autoxidation were studied in 6-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were fed with a control diet or a high-fat high-sucrose (HFS) diet with or without 5% Welsh onion (green-leafy type or white-sheath type) for 4 weeks. The systolic blood pressure was elevated and the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in plasma were increased in the rats fed with the HFS diet without Welsh onion. The rats fed with the HFS diet containing Welsh onion, especially the green-leafy type, had lower blood pressure. They also had a higher level of nitric oxide (NO) metabolites in both the urine and plasma, lower activity of NADH/NADPH oxidase in the aorta, and suppressed angiotensin II production. The effect of white Welsh onion on decreasing the blood pressure was not significant, although the effects on increasing NO metabolites in the urine and decreasing NADH oxidase activity in the aorta were significant. The TBARS value in the plasma was lowered in the rats fed with either green or white Welsh onion, but the in vitro radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidative activities were much higher with green Welsh onion than with the white type. These results suggest that the green-leafy Welsh onion, but not the white type, reduced superoxide generation by suppressing the angiotensine II production and then the NADH/NADPH oxidase activity, increasing the NO availability in the aorta, and consequently lowering the blood pressure in the rats fed with the HFS diet. The radical scavenging and reducing antioxidative activities of green Welsh onion may also be effective in decreasing superoxide.

From rhizoids to roots? Experimental evidence of mutualism between liverworts and ascomycete fungi.

PubMed

Kowal, Jill; Pressel, Silvia; Duckett, Jeffrey G; Bidartondo, Martin I; Field, Katie J

2018-02-12

The rhizoids of leafy liverworts (Jungermanniales, Marchantiophyta) are commonly colonized by the ascomycete fungus Pezoloma ericae. These associations are hypothesized to be functionally analogous to the ericoid mycorrhizas (ErMs) formed by P. ericae with the roots of Ericaceae plants in terms of bi-directional phosphorus for carbon exchange; however, this remains unproven. Here, we test whether associations between the leafy liverwort Cephalozia bicuspidata and P. ericae are mutualistic. We measured movement of phosphorus and carbon between C. bicuspidata and P. ericae using [33P]orthophosphate and 14CO2 isotope tracers in monoxenic cultures. We also measured leafy liverwort growth, with and without P. ericae. We present the first demonstration of nutritionally mutualistic symbiosis between a non-vascular plant and an ErM-forming fungus, showing transfer of fungal-acquired P to the liverwort and of liverwort-fixed C to the fungus alongside increased growth in fungus-colonized liverworts. Thus, this ascomycete-liverwort symbiosis can now be described as mycorrhiza-like, providing further insights into ericoid mycorrhizal evolution and adding Ascomycota fungi to mycorrhizal fungal groups engaging in mutualisms with plants across the land plant phylogeny. As P. ericae also colonizes the rhizoids of Schistochilaceae liverworts, which originated in the Triassic and are sister to all other jungermannialean liverworts associated with fungi, our findings point toward an early origin of ascomycete-liverwort symbioses, possibly pre-dating their evolution in the Ericales by some 150 million years. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Uptake of heavy metals by vegetables irrigated using wastewater and the subsequent risks in Harare, Zimbabwe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mapanda, F.; Mangwayana, E. N.; Nyamangara, J.; Giller, K. E.

Contamination of leafy vegetables ( Brassica species) by copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and chromium (Cr), and the subsequent human exposure risks, were determined at two sites in the City of Harare, where wastewater is used for irrigating vegetables. The concentrations of heavy metals (mg kg -1 dry wt.) in vegetable leaves ranged from 1.0 to 3.4 for Cu, 18 to 201 for Zn, 0.7 to 2.4 for Cd, 2.5 to 6.3 for Ni, 0.7 to 5.4 for Pb and 1.5 to 6.6 for Cr. Bio-concentration factors in the range of 0.04-3 were obtained, with Zn and Cd having the highest concentration factors of 1.6 and 3, respectively. Estimated intakes rates of heavy metals from consumption of the vegetables in mg day -1 ranged from 0.04 to 0.05 for Cu, 0.6 to 3.3 for Zn, 0.02 to 0.04 for Cd, 0.05 to 0.1 for Ni, 0.05 to 0.09 for Pb and 0.05 to 0.1 for Cr. Cadmium intake rates were above their recommended minimum risk levels (MRLs) at both sites, while Cu, Ni, Cr and Pb had daily intakes above 40% of their MRLs. Potential health risks, particularly from Cd intake, existed for the daily consumers of the leafy vegetables at both Mukuvisi and Pension sites. Thus, although the practice of growing leafy vegetables using wastewater for irrigation is aimed at producing socio-economic benefits, it is not safe and may not be sustainable in the long-term. There is need for an improved food quality assurance system to ensure that the vegetables comply with existing standards on heavy metal concentrations.

Sequential determination of fat- and water-soluble vitamins in green leafy vegetables during storage.

PubMed

Santos, J; Mendiola, J A; Oliveira, M B P P; Ibáñez, E; Herrero, M

2012-10-26

The simultaneous analysis of fat- and water-soluble vitamins from foods is a difficult task considering the wide range of chemical structures involved. In this work, a new procedure based on a sequential extraction and analysis of both types of vitamins is presented. The procedure couples several simple extraction steps to LC-MS/MS and LC-DAD in order to quantify the free vitamins contents in fresh-cut vegetables before and after a 10-days storage period. The developed method allows the correct quantification of vitamins C, B(1), B(2), B(3), B(5), B(6), B(9), E and provitamin A in ready-to-eat green leafy vegetable products including green lettuce, ruby red lettuce, watercress, swiss chard, lamb's lettuce, spearmint, spinach, wild rocket, pea leaves, mizuna, garden cress and red mustard. Using this optimized methodology, low LOQs were attained for the analyzed vitamins in less than 100 min, including extraction and vitamin analysis using 2 optimized procedures; good repeatability and linearity was achieved for all vitamins studied, while recoveries ranged from 83% to 105%. The most abundant free vitamins found in leafy vegetable products were vitamin C, provitamin A and vitamin E. The richest sample on vitamin C and provitamin A was pea leaves (154 mg/g fresh weight and 14.4 mg/100g fresh weight, respectively), whereas lamb's lettuce was the vegetable with the highest content on vitamin E (3.1 mg/100 g fresh weight). Generally, some losses of vitamins were detected after storage, although the behavior of each vitamin varied strongly among samples. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A possible NaCl pathway in the bioregenerative human life support system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polonskiy, V. I.; Gribovskaya, I. V.

One of the ways to involve NaCl in the mass exchange of the bioregenerative human life support system (BLSS) is to grow some vegetables and leafy greens that can accumulate sodium chloride at high concentrations in their edible biomass. Lettuce, celery cabbage, chard, dill and radish plants were grown hydroponically in Knop's nutrient solution. In the first series of experiments, at the end of the growth period the plants were grown on solutions containing 2-14 g/L of NaCl for 1-5 days. It was found that the amount of sodium in edible biomass of the plants increased with NaCl concentration in the solution and with the time plants were irrigated with that solution. The content of NaCl in the biomass of leaves and edible roots was considerable—up to 10% dry matter. At the same time, the amount of water in the leaves decreased and productivity of the treatment plants was 14-28% lower than that of the control ones, grown on Knop's solution. The treatment plants contained less than half of the amount of nitrates recorded in the control ones. Expert evaluation showed that the taste of the vegetables and leafy greens of the treatment group were not inferior to the taste of the control plants. In the second series of experiments, prior to being grown on the NaCl solution, the plants were irrigated with water for 2, 4 or 6 days. It was found that lower salt status of the plants was not favorable for increased salt accumulation in their biomass. If a human consumes 30 g salad vegetables and follows a low-sodium diet (3 g/d of table salt), it may be feasible to recycle NaCl in the BLSS using vegetables and leafy greens.

Behavior of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on damaged leaves of spinach, lettuce, cilantro, and parsley stored at abusive temperatures.

PubMed

Khalil, Rowaida K; Frank, Joseph F

2010-02-01

Recent foodborne illness outbreaks associated with the consumption of leafy green produce indicates a need for additional information on the behavior of pathogenic bacteria on these products. Previous research indicates that pathogen growth and survival is enhanced by leaf damage. The objective of this study was to compare the behavior of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on damaged leaves of baby Romaine lettuce, spinach, cilantro, and parsley stored at three abusive temperatures (8, 12, and 15 degrees C). The damaged portions of leaves were inoculated with approximately 10(5) CFU E. coli O157:H7 per leaf. The pathogen grew on damaged spinach leaves held for 3 days at 8 and 12 degrees C (P < 0.05), with the population increasing by 1.18 and 2.08 log CFU per leaf, respectively. E. coli O157:H7 did not grow on damaged Romaine leaves at 8 or 12 degrees C, but growth was observed after 8 h of storage at 15 degrees C, with an increase of less than 1.0 log. Growth of E. coli O157:H7 on Romaine lettuce held at 8 or 12 degrees C was enhanced when inocula were suspended in 0.05% ascorbic acid, indicating the possibility of inhibition by oxidation reactions associated with tissue damage. Damaged cilantro and Italian parsley leaves held at 8 degrees C for 4 days did not support the growth of E. coli O157:H7. Behavior of the pathogen in leaf extracts differed from behavior on the damaged tissue. This study provides evidence that the damaged portion of a leafy green is a distinct growth niche that elicits different microbial responses in the various types of leafy greens.

Bioaccessibility of selenium, selenomethionine and selenocysteine from foods and influence of heat processing on the same.

PubMed

Khanam, Anjum; Platel, Kalpana

2016-03-01

Selenium (Se) is an essential nutrient with diverse physiological functions. The selenium content of commonly consumed cereals, pulses and green leafy vegetables (GLV) was determined. Bioaccessibility of Se, and its organic forms selenomethionine (SeMet), and selenocysteine (SeCys2) was also examined, and the effect of heat processing on the same was studied. The bioaccessibility of Se in cereals ranged from 10% to 24%, that of pulses was between 12% and 29%, and of GLV, 10-31%. The concentration of SeMet in the dialysates of the cereals, pulses and GLV ranged from 5.15 to 28.7, 2.7 to 36.2, and 0.03 to 5ngg(-1), respectively. The concentration of SeCys2 in the dialysates of the foods examined was negligible. Heat processing significantly decreased the bioaccessibility of Se, SeMet and SeCys2. This is the first report on the bioaccessibility of Se and its major organic forms from commonly consumed staples, and the effect of heat processing on the same. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

B Vitamins

MedlinePlus

... proteins such as fish, poultry, meat, eggs, and dairy products. Leafy green vegetables, beans, and peas also have B vitamins. Many cereals and some breads have added B vitamins. Not getting enough of certain B vitamins can cause diseases. A lack of B12 or B6 can cause anemia.

Eat for Health

MedlinePlus

... pasta, or cereal Vegetables 4-5 1 cup raw leafy vegetables ½ cup cooked vegetables 6 oz vegetable juice Fruits 4-5 1 medium fruit ¼ cup dried fruit ½ cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit ½ cup fruit juice Low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products 2- ...

40 CFR 180.153 - Diazinon; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Blueberry 0.50 Caneberry subgroup 13-07A 0.75 Carrot, roots 0.75 Cattle, fat 0.50 Cherry, sweet 0.20 Cherry... Strawberry 0.50 Tomato 0.75 Vegetable, brassica, leafy, group 5 0.70 Watercress 0.05 1There are no domestic...

40 CFR 180.153 - Diazinon; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Blueberry 0.50 Caneberry subgroup 13-07A 0.75 Carrot, roots 0.75 Cattle, fat 0.50 Cherry, sweet 0.20 Cherry... Strawberry 0.50 Tomato 0.75 Vegetable, brassica, leafy, group 5 0.70 Watercress 0.05 1There are no domestic...

An Adventure into Applied Mathematics with Fibonacci Numbers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jean, Roger V.; Johnson, Marjorie

1989-01-01

Describes properties of Fibonacci numbers, including the law of recurrence and relationship with the Golden Ratio. Discussed are some applications of the numbers to sewage of towns on a river bank, resistances in electric circuits, and leafy stems in botany. Lists four references. (YP)

Marker-assisted selection for disease resistance in lettuce

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is the most popular leafy vegetable that is cultivated mainly in moderate climate. Consumers demand lettuce with good visual appearance and free of disease. Improved disease resistance of new cultivars is achieved by combining desirable genes (or alleles) from existing cu...

40 CFR 180.482 - Tebufenozide; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 1.0 Apple, dry pomace 3.0 Apple, wet pomace 3.0 Berry group 13 3.0 Brassica, head and stem, subgroup 5A 5.0 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup 5B 10.0 Canola, refined oil 4.0 Canola, seed 2.0 Citrus, oil...

40 CFR 180.377 - Diflubenzuron; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Barley, straw 1.8 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup 5B 9.0 Cattle, meat byproducts 0.15 Fruit, stone..., refined oil 0.20 Pear 0.50 Pepper 1.0 Pistachio 0.06 Pummelo 0.50 Rice, grain 0.02 Rice, straw 0.8 Sheep...

40 CFR 180.377 - Diflubenzuron; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Barley, straw 1.8 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup 5B 9.0 Cattle, meat byproducts 0.15 Fruit, stone..., refined oil 0.20 Pear 0.50 Pepper 1.0 Pistachio 0.06 Pummelo 0.50 Rice, grain 0.02 Rice, straw 0.8 Sheep...

40 CFR 180.482 - Tebufenozide; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 1.0 Apple, dry pomace 3.0 Apple, wet pomace 3.0 Berry group 13 3.0 Brassica, head and stem, subgroup 5A 5.0 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup 5B 10.0 Canola, refined oil 4.0 Canola, seed 2.0 Citrus, oil...

40 CFR 180.482 - Tebufenozide; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 1.0 Apple, dry pomace 3.0 Apple, wet pomace 3.0 Berry group 13 3.0 Brassica, head and stem, subgroup 5A 5.0 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup 5B 10.0 Canola, refined oil 4.0 Canola, seed 2.0 Citrus, oil...

Advancements in utilizing molecular markers in lettuce breeding

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is globally the most popular commercially produced, leafy vegetable, farmed in moderate climates. Cultivated lettuce is a self-fertilizing, diploid (2n = 2x = 18) species from the family Compositae (Asteraceae). New cultivars of lettuce are developed by combining desirabl...

Carotenoid composition of hydroponic leafy vegetables.

PubMed

Kimura, Mieko; Rodriguez-Amaya, Delia B

2003-04-23

Because hydroponic production of vegetables is becoming more common, the carotenoid composition of hydroponic leafy vegetables commercialized in Campinas, Brazil, was determined. All samples were collected and analyzed in winter. Lactucaxanthin was quantified for the first time and was found to have concentrations similar to that of neoxanthin in the four types of lettuce analyzed. Lutein predominated in cress, chicory, and roquette (75.4 +/- 10.2, 57.0 +/- 10.3, and 52.2 +/- 12.6 microg/g, respectively). In the lactucaxanthin-containing lettuces, beta-carotene and lutein were the principal carotenoids (ranging from 9.9 +/- 1.5 to 24.6 +/- 3.1 microg/g and from 10.2 +/- 1.0 to 22.9 +/- 2.6 microg/g, respectively). Comparison of hydroponic and field-produced curly lettuce, taken from neighboring farms, showed that the hydroponic lettuce had significantly lower lutein, beta-carotene, violaxanthin, and neoxanthin contents than the conventionally produced lettuce. Because the hydroponic farm had a polyethylene covering, less exposure to sunlight and lower temperatures may have decreased carotenogenesis.

Assessment of Total Phenolic and Flavonoid Content, Antioxidant Properties, and Yield of Aeroponically and Conventionally Grown Leafy Vegetables and Fruit Crops: A Comparative Study

PubMed Central

Chandra, Suman; Khan, Shabana; Avula, Bharathi; Lata, Hemant; Yang, Min Hye; ElSohly, Mahmoud A.; Khan, Ikhlas A.

2014-01-01

A comparison of the product yield, total phenolics, total flavonoids, and antioxidant properties was done in different leafy vegetables/herbs (basil, chard, parsley, and red kale) and fruit crops (bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and squash) grown in aeroponic growing systems (AG) and in the field (FG). An average increase of about 19%, 8%, 65%, 21%, 53%, 35%, 7%, and 50% in the yield was recorded for basil, chard, red kale, parsley, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and squash, respectively, when grown in aeroponic systems, compared to that grown in the soil. Antioxidant properties of AG and FG crops were evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DDPH) and cellular antioxidant (CAA) assays. In general, the study shows that the plants grown in the aeroponic system had a higher yield and comparable phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant properties as compared to those grown in the soil. PMID:24782905

Genomic identification of direct target genes of LEAFY

PubMed Central

William, Dilusha A.; Su, Yanhui; Smith, Michael R.; Lu, Meina; Baldwin, Don A.; Wagner, Doris

2004-01-01

The switch from vegetative to reproductive development in plants necessitates a switch in the developmental program of the descendents of the stem cells in the shoot apical meristem. Genetic and molecular investigations have demonstrated that the plant-specific transcription factor and meristem identity regulator LEAFY (LFY) controls this developmental transition by inducing expression of a second transcription factor, APETALA1, and by regulating the expression of additional, as yet unknown, genes. Here we show that the additional LFY targets include the APETALA1-related factor, CAULI-FLOWER, as well as three transcription factors and two putative signal transduction pathway components. These genes are up-regulated by LFY even when protein synthesis is inhibited and, hence, appear to be direct targets of LFY. Supporting this conclusion, cis-regulatory regions upstream of these genes are bound by LFY in vivo. The newly identified LFY targets likely initiate the transcriptional changes that are required for the switch from vegetative to reproductive development in Arabidopsis. PMID:14736918

Impact of Vacuum Cooling on Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infiltration into Lettuce Tissue▿

PubMed Central

Li, Haiping; Tajkarimi, Mehrdad; Osburn, Bennie I.

2008-01-01

Vacuum cooling is a common practice in the California leafy green industry. This study addressed the impact of vacuum cooling on the infiltration of Escherichia coli O157:H7 into lettuce as part of the risk assessment responding to the E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks associated with leafy green produce from California. Vacuum cooling significantly increased the infiltration of E. coli O157:H7 into the lettuce tissue (2.65E+06 CFU/g) compared to the nonvacuumed condition (1.98E+05 CFU/g). A stringent surface sterilization and quadruple washing could not eliminate the internalized bacteria from lettuce. It appeared that vacuuming forcibly changed the structure of lettuce tissue such as the stomata, suggesting a possible mechanism of E. coli O157:H7 internalization. Vacuuming also caused a lower reduction rate of E. coli O157:H7 in stored lettuce leaves than that for the nonvacuumed condition. PMID:18344328

Endogenous levels of nitrites and nitrates in wide consumption foodstuffs: Results of five years of official controls and monitoring.

PubMed

Iammarino, Marco; Di Taranto, Aurelia; Cristino, Marianna

2013-10-15

The massive introduction of nitrogen fertilisers, necessary to maximise the global food production, has brought about an increase of the residual amounts of nitrites and nitrates in the products. Notoriously, these compounds may exercise toxic effects. In this work the results obtained from 5years of official controls and monitoring focused on tracing quantifiable amounts of nitrites and nitrates in 1785 samples of meat, dairy, fish products and leafy vegetables are reported. A widespread presence of nitrates at low concentrations in foodstuffs was verified. High concentrations of nitrates were registered in some leafy vegetables and mussels samples, while high nitrites concentrations were registered in some spinach samples. The results confirmed the necessity to develop most controls and suggest the introduction of new legal limits related to some combinations contaminant/matrix. Such new limits may fill legislative gaps that may cause wrong interpretations of the results obtained during official controls. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New insights on the evolution of Leafy cotyledon1 (LEC1) type genes in vascular plants.

PubMed

Cagliari, Alexandro; Turchetto-Zolet, Andreia Carina; Korbes, Ana Paula; Maraschin, Felipe Dos Santos; Margis, Rogerio; Margis-Pinheiro, Marcia

2014-01-01

NF-Y is a conserved oligomeric transcription factor found in all eukaryotes. In plants, this regulator evolved with a broad diversification of the genes coding for its three subunits (NF-YA, NF-YB and NF-YC). The NF-YB members can be divided into Leafy Cotyledon1 (LEC1) and non-LEC1 types. Here we presented a comparative genomic study using phylogenetic analyses to validate an evolutionary model for the origin of LEC-type genes in plants and their emergence from non-LEC1-type genes. We identified LEC1-type members in all vascular plant genomes, but not in amoebozoa, algae, fungi, metazoa and non-vascular plant representatives, which present exclusively non-LEC1-type genes as constituents of their NF-YB subunits. The non-synonymous to synonymous nucleotide substitution rates (Ka/Ks) between LEC1 and non-LEC1-type genes indicate the presence of positive selection acting on LEC1-type members to the fixation of LEC1-specific amino acid residues. The phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that plant LEC1-type genes are evolutionary divergent from the non-LEC1-type genes of plants, fungi, amoebozoa, algae and animals. Our results point to a scenario in which LEC1-type genes have originated in vascular plants after gene expansion in plants. We suggest that processes of neofunctionalization and/or subfunctionalization were responsible for the emergence of a versatile role for LEC1-type genes in vascular plants, especially in seed plants. LEC1-type genes besides being phylogenetic divergent also present different expression profile when compared with non-LEC1-type genes. Altogether, our data provide new insights about the LEC1 and non-LEC1 evolutionary relationship during the vascular plant evolution. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rice microstructure

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An understanding of plant structure is desirable to obtain a clear idea of the overall impact of a crop. A mature rice plant consists of leafy components (left in the field post-harvest) and paddy rice (collected). The rice plant is supported by a hollow stem (culm) with leaf sheaths attached to nod...

Your Aging Eyes: How You See as Time Goes By

MedlinePlus

... Lengthen Life Keep an Eye on Your Eyes Building Social Bonds Coping with Caregiving Wise Choices Protect Your Vision Have a comprehensive eye exam each year after age 50. Stop smoking. Eat a diet rich in green, leafy vegetables and fish. Exercise. Maintain normal blood ...

40 CFR 180.456 - Oxadixyl; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Sunflower, seed 0.1 9/27/03 Vegetable, brassica, leafy, group 5 0.1 9/27/03 Vegetable, cucurbit, group 9 0.1..., nongrass, group, 18 0.1 9/27/03 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.1 9/27/03 Grain, cereal, group 15, except wheat 0...

Carotenoid profiling of leaves of selected eggplant accessions subjected to drought stress

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study focused on the quantification of carotenoids of the leaves of African eggplants commonly consumed as leafy and fruit vegetables. The results gave comparative profiles of carotenoids at different growth and developmental stages and under drought stress. Stress was achieved by limiting irri...

Blackberry propagation by non-leafy floricane cuttings

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Propagation of 1- or 2-node hardwood cuttings from blackberry (Rubus sp.) floricanes can be an efficient and reliable source of rooted transplants but consistent rooting is needed. Floricanes were collected from 9-year-old ‘Triple Crown’ and ‘Siskiyou’ plants on 5 November 2009, 3 December 2009, an...

Foodborne outbreaks and potential routes of contamination in fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Outbreaks of Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 have been associated with mangoes, cantaloupes, and leafy green commodities, respectively. The 2011 outbreak of L. monocytogenes associated with the consumption of contaminated Rocky Ford cantaloupes was one of the m...

75 FR 60321 - Spinosad; Pesticide Tolerances

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-30

... addition to filing an objection or hearing request with the Hearing Clerk as described in 40 CFR part 178... reference values for risk assessment. PODs are developed based on a careful analysis of the doses in each..., Brassica leafy vegetables, citrus, fruiting vegetables, herbs, banana, grape, several cereal grains, and...

40 CFR 180.628 - Chlorantraniliprole; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Vegetable, cucurbit, group 9 0.25 Vegetable, foliage of legume, except soybean, subgroup 7A, forage 30 Vegetable, foliage of legume, except soybean, subgroup 7A, hay 90 Vegetable, fruiting, group 8 0.70 Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4 13 Vegetable, legume, group 6, except soybeans 2.0 Vegetable...

40 CFR 180.628 - Chlorantraniliprole; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Vegetable, cucurbit, group 9 0.25 Vegetable, foliage of legume, except soybean, subgroup 7A, forage 30 Vegetable, foliage of legume, except soybean, subgroup 7A, hay 90 Vegetable, fruiting, group 8 0.70 Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4 13 Vegetable, legume, group 6, except soybeans 2.0 Vegetable...

78 FR 32246 - Pesticide Products; Registration Applications for New Active Ingredients

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-29

..., crop subgroup 5A; leafy Brassica, greens, crop sub-group 5B; turnip, greens; edible-podded legume..., except soybean, crop subgroups 6C; foliage of legume vegetables, including soybeans, crop group 7, forage green vines; foliage of legume vegetables, including soybean, crop group 7, hay; soybean, seed; fruiting...

Forcing the Tissue

Treesearch

John E. Preece; J. W. Van Sambeek; Paul H. Henry; James Zaczek

2002-01-01

Many woody shrubs and trees are propagated by rooting green, leafy cuttings (softwood or semihardwood) because of poor rooting response from dormant hardwood cuttings. However, this method limits cutting propagation to a short period each year. As a group of scientists, we've developed a system that allows for production of softwood cuttings during the dormant...

Genetic diversity and population structure of collard landraces

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A common vegetable grown in the southeastern U.S. is the leafy green cole crop known as collard (Brassica oleracea L. covar. Acephala var. viridis). Predominantly a fall and winter crop, collard is one of the few vegetables found in the garden during cool seasons in the Southeast. Historically, th...

Characterization, Expression and Function of DORMANCY ASSOCIATED MADS-BOX Genes from Leafy Spurge

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

DORMANCY ASSOCIATED MADS-BOX (DAM) genes are related to AGAMOUS-LIKE 24 and SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE genes of arabidopsis and are differentially regulated coordinately with endodormancy induction and release in buds of several perennial plant species. DAM genes were first shown to directly impact endo...

Cloning, characterization, regulation, and function of dormancy-associated MADS-BOX genes from leafy spurge

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

DORMANCY-ASSOCIATED MADS-BOX (DAM) genes are transcription factors that have been linked to endodormancy induction. The evergrowing mutation in peach, which renders it incapable of entering endodormancy, resulted from a deletion in a series of DAM genes (Bielenberg et al. 2008). Likewise, DAM genes ...

Cloning, Characterization, Regulation, and Function of DORMANCY-ASSOCIATED MADS-BOX Genes from Leafy Spurge

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

DORMANCY-ASSOCIATED MADS-BOX (DAM) genes are transcription factors that have been linked to endodormancy induction. The evergrowing mutation in peach, which renders it incapable of entering endodormancy, resulted from a deletion in a series of DAM genes (Bielenberg et al. 2008). Likewise, DAM genes ...

A comparison of hyperspectral reflectance and fluorescence imaging techniques for detection of contaminants on leafy greens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ensuring the supply of safe, contaminant free fresh fruit and vegetables is of importance to consumers, suppliers and governments worldwide. In this study, three hyperspectral imaging (HSI) configurations coupled with two multivariate image analysis techniques are compared for detection of fecal con...

Bacterial adhesion to surfaces and microbial safety of fresh produce

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Consumption of fresh produce is a central component of a healthy diet. However, contamination of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables such as leafy greens, tomatoes, cantaloupes is a source of ongoing concern for consumers. Growers, packers, processors and retailers work to control the incidenc...

Striving for safety in fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Consumption of fresh produce is a central component of a healthy diet. However, contamination of leafy greens, tomatoes, cantaloupes and other fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables with human pathogens is a source of ongoing concern for consumers. Industry and regulators have worked together to ...

77 FR 10968 - Fluopyram; Pesticide Tolerances

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-24

... 16 ppm; vegetable, fruiting, except non-bell pepper, group 8 at 1.0 ppm; vegetable, leafy, except... sufficient information on the carcinogenic mode of action is available, a threshold or non-linear approach is... notice. Submit a copy of your non-CBI objection or hearing request, identified by docket ID number EPA-HQ...

78 FR 73111 - National Marketing Agreement Regulating Leafy Green Vegetables; Termination of Proceeding on...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-05

... development and implementation of handling regulations (audit metrics) to reflect the United States Food and... Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs). DATES: This termination is made on December 6, 2013. FOR FURTHER... implementation of handling audit metrics consistent with the FDA's good production, handling, and manufacturing...

Evaluation and Quantitative trait loci mapping of resistance to powdery mildew in lettuce

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is the major leafy vegetable that is susceptible to powdery mildew disease under greenhouse and field conditions. We mapped quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for resistance to powdery mildew under greenhouse conditions in an interspecific population derived from a cross betw...

76 FR 15282 - New Performance Standards for Salmonella and Campylobacter in Young Chicken and Turkey Slaughter...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-21

..., eggs, beef, game, pork, poultry, grains- beans, oils-sugars, fruits-nuts, fungi, leafy vegetables, root... cattle, swine, eggs, fish, fruits and vegetables. Thus an observed correlation (negative or positive... primarily affect small volume establishments (Potential Public Health Impact). FSIS Response: FSIS notes...

77 FR 75153 - Notice of Receipt of Pesticide Products; Registration Applications To Register New Uses

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-19

..., millet, strawberry, sugarcane, and tree nuts. Contact: Olga Odiott, (703) 308-9369, email address: odiott... vegetables, cucurbit vegetables, grapes, leafy vegetables (except Brassica), root vegetables, strawberry, and..., strawberry, sugarcane, and tree nuts. Contact: Olga Odiott, (703) 308-9369, email address: [email protected

Sustainable lettuce: Adaptability to uncertain production conditions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lettuce is a popular and widely consumed leafy vegetable. California and Arizona annually produce more than 250,000 acres of iceberg, romaine, leaf, and specialty types of lettuce, supplying more than 95% of the U.S market as well as exports to Canada and other countries. These states have dominat...

Mineral Properties and Dietary Value of Raw and Processed Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica L.).

PubMed

Rutto, Laban K; Xu, Yixiang; Ramirez, Elizabeth; Brandt, Michael

2013-01-01

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.) has a long history of usage and is currently receiving attention as a source of fiber and alternative medicine. In many cultures, nettle is also eaten as a leafy vegetable. In this study, we focused on nettle yield (edible portion) and processing effects on nutritive and dietary properties. Actively growing shoots were harvested from field plots and leaves separated from stems. Leaf portions (200 g) were washed and processed by blanching (1 min at 96-98°C) or cooking (7 min at 98-99°C) with or without salt (5 g·L(-1)). Samples were cooled immediately after cooking and kept in frozen storage before analysis. Proximate composition, mineral, amino acid, and vitamin contents were determined, and nutritive value was estimated based on 100 g serving portions in a 2000 calorie diet. Results show that processed nettle can supply 90%-100% of vitamin A (including vitamin A as β-carotene) and is a good source of dietary calcium, iron, and protein. We recommend fresh or processed nettle as a high-protein, low-calorie source of essential nutrients, minerals, and vitamins particularly in vegetarian, diabetic, or other specialized diets.

Surveillance for foodborne disease outbreaks - United States, 1998-2008.

PubMed

Gould, L Hannah; Walsh, Kelly A; Vieira, Antonio R; Herman, Karen; Williams, Ian T; Hall, Aron J; Cole, Dana

2013-06-28

Foodborne diseases cause an estimated 48 million illnesses each year in the United States, including 9.4 million caused by known pathogens. Foodborne disease outbreak surveillance provides valuable insights into the agents and foods that cause illness and the settings in which transmission occurs. CDC maintains a surveillance program for collection and periodic reporting of data on the occurrence and causes of foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States. This surveillance system is the primary source of national data describing the numbers of illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths; etiologic agents; implicated foods; contributing factors; and settings of food preparation and consumption associated with recognized foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States. 1998-2008. The Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System collects data on foodborne disease outbreaks, defined as the occurrence of two or more cases of a similar illness resulting from the ingestion of a common food. Public health agencies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and Freely Associated States have primary responsibility for identifying and investigating outbreaks and use a standard form to report outbreaks voluntarily to CDC. During 1998-2008, reporting was made through the electronic Foodborne Outbreak Reporting System (eFORS). During 1998-2008, CDC received reports of 13,405 foodborne disease outbreaks, which resulted in 273,120 reported cases of illness, 9,109 hospitalizations, and 200 deaths. Of the 7,998 outbreaks with a known etiology, 3,633 (45%) were caused by viruses, 3,613 (45%) were caused by bacteria, 685 (5%) were caused by chemical and toxic agents, and 67 (1%) were caused by parasites. Among the 7,724 (58%) outbreaks with an implicated food or contaminated ingredient reported, 3,264 (42%) could be assigned to one of 17 predefined commodity categories: fish, crustaceans, mollusks, dairy, eggs, beef, game, pork, poultry, grains/beans, oils/sugars, fruits/nuts, fungi, leafy vegetables, root vegetables, sprouts, and vegetables from a vine or stalk. The commodities implicated most commonly were poultry (18.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 17.4-20.3) and fish (18.6%; CI = 17.2-20), followed by beef (11.9%; CI = 10.8-13.1). The pathogen-commodity pairs most commonly responsible for outbreaks were scombroid toxin/histamine and fish (317 outbreaks), ciguatoxin and fish (172 outbreaks), Salmonella and poultry (145 outbreaks), and norovirus and leafy vegetables (141 outbreaks). The pathogen-commodity pairs most commonly responsible for outbreak-related illnesses were norovirus and leafy vegetables (4,011 illnesses), Clostridium perfringens and poultry (3,452 illnesses), Salmonella and vine-stalk vegetables (3,216 illnesses), and Clostridium perfringens and beef (2,963 illnesses). Compared with the first 2 years of the study (1998-1999), the percentage of outbreaks associated with leafy vegetables and dairy increased substantially during 2006-2008, while the percentage of outbreaks associated with eggs decreased. Outbreak reporting rates and implicated foods varied by state and year, respectively; analysis of surveillance data for this 11-year period provides important information regarding changes in sources of illness over time. A substantial percentage of foodborne disease outbreaks were associated with poultry, fish, and beef, whereas many outbreak-related illnesses were associated with poultry, leafy vegetables, beef, and fruits/nuts. The percentage of outbreaks associated with leafy vegetables and dairy increased during the surveillance period, while the percentage associated with eggs decreased. Outbreak surveillance data highlight the etiologic agents, foods, and settings involved most often in foodborne disease outbreaks and can help to identify food commodities and preparation settings in which interventions might be most effective. Analysis of data collected over several years of surveillance provides a means to assess changes in the food commodities associated most frequently with outbreaks that might occur following improvements in food safety or changes in consumption patterns or food preparation practices. Prevention of foodborne disease depends on targeted interventions at appropriate points from food production to food preparation. Efforts to reduce foodborne illness should focus on the pathogens and food commodities causing the most outbreaks and outbreak-associated illnesses, including beef, poultry, fish, and produce.

De Novo Assembly and Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Provide Insight into Lysine Biosynthesis in Toona sinensis Roem.

PubMed

Zhang, Xia; Song, Zhenqiao; Liu, Tian; Guo, Linlin; Li, Xingfeng

2016-01-01

Toona sinensis Roem is a popular leafy vegetable in Chinese cuisine and is also used as a traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, leaf samples were collected from the same plant on two development stages and then used for high-throughput Illumina RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq). 125,884 transcripts and 54,628 unigenes were obtained through de novo assembly. A total of 25,570 could be annotated with known biological functions, which indicated that the T. sinensis leaves and shoots were undergoing multiple developmental processes especially for active metabolic processes. Analysis of differentially expressed unigenes between the two libraries showed that the lysine biosynthesis was an enriched KEGG pathway, and candidate genes involved in the lysine biosynthesis pathway in T. sinensis leaves and shoots were identified. Our results provide a primary analysis of the gene expression files of T. sinensis leaf and shoot on different development stages and afford a valuable resource for genetic and genomic research on plant lysine biosynthesis.

Inflorescence Development and the Role of LsFT in Regulating Bolting in Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.).

PubMed

Chen, Zijing; Han, Yingyan; Ning, Kang; Ding, Yunyu; Zhao, Wensheng; Yan, Shuangshuang; Luo, Chen; Jiang, Xiaotang; Ge, Danfeng; Liu, Renyi; Wang, Qian; Zhang, Xiaolan

2017-01-01

Lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L.) is one of the most important leafy vegetable that is consumed during its vegetative growth. The transition from vegetative to reproductive growth is induced by high temperature, which has significant economic effect on lettuce production. However, the progression of floral transition and the molecular regulation of bolting are largely unknown. Here we morphologically characterized the inflorescence development and functionally analyzed the FLOWERING LOCUS T (LsFT) gene during bolting regulation in lettuce. We described the eight developmental stages during floral transition process. The expression of LsFT was negatively correlated with bolting in different lettuce varieties, and was promoted by heat treatment. Overexpression of LsFT could recover the late-flowering phenotype of ft-2 mutant. Knockdown of LsFT by RNA interference dramatically delayed bolting in lettuce, and failed to respond to high temperature. Therefore, this study dissects the process of inflorescence development and characterizes the role of LsFT in bolting regulation in lettuce.

Inflorescence Development and the Role of LsFT in Regulating Bolting in Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

PubMed Central

Chen, Zijing; Han, Yingyan; Ning, Kang; Ding, Yunyu; Zhao, Wensheng; Yan, Shuangshuang; Luo, Chen; Jiang, Xiaotang; Ge, Danfeng; Liu, Renyi; Wang, Qian; Zhang, Xiaolan

2018-01-01

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is one of the most important leafy vegetable that is consumed during its vegetative growth. The transition from vegetative to reproductive growth is induced by high temperature, which has significant economic effect on lettuce production. However, the progression of floral transition and the molecular regulation of bolting are largely unknown. Here we morphologically characterized the inflorescence development and functionally analyzed the FLOWERING LOCUS T (LsFT) gene during bolting regulation in lettuce. We described the eight developmental stages during floral transition process. The expression of LsFT was negatively correlated with bolting in different lettuce varieties, and was promoted by heat treatment. Overexpression of LsFT could recover the late-flowering phenotype of ft-2 mutant. Knockdown of LsFT by RNA interference dramatically delayed bolting in lettuce, and failed to respond to high temperature. Therefore, this study dissects the process of inflorescence development and characterizes the role of LsFT in bolting regulation in lettuce. PMID:29403510

Application of chlorophyll fluorescence imaging and hyperspectral imaging in evaluation of decay in fresh-cut lettuce

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is commercially the most popular leafy vegetable whose leaves are usually consumed raw. Cleaned, cored, and chopped (fresh-cut) lettuce is a desirable, but highly perishable product. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) has been introduced to maintain quality of fresh-cut ...

40 CFR 180.493 - Dimethomorph; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... grapes grown for raisin production. (b) Section 18 emergency exemptions. [Reserved] (c) Tolerances with... stem, subgroup 5A 2.0 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup 5B 20.0 Ginseng 0.90 Grape, raisin 1 6.0 Hop... or on the following commodities: Commodity Parts per million Bean, lima, succulent 0.60 Grape 3.5 (d...

Potential for bio-control of food-borne pathogens with Bacteriovorax spp. and implications for food safety

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bacteriovorax spp. (Bvx) are delta proteobacteria adapted to marine ecosystems where salinity concentration range from 1-3%. Due to their predation of Gram-negative bacteria, Bvx may have great potential for biocontrol of food-borne pathogens on fruits and leafy greens. The goal of this research was...

'Lassen' antelope bitterbrush: A browse plant for game and livestock ranges

Treesearch

Nancy Shaw; Stephen B. Monsen

1986-01-01

A unique selection of antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata [Pursh] DC) recently became the first accession of this valuable western shrub species to be released for commercial seed collection and production. Chosen for its productivity, palatability, winter leafiness, cover value, and seedling vigor, 'Lassen' antelope bitterbrush is a useful shrub for...

Rooting response of azalea cultivars to hot water treatment used for pathogen conrol

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Submerging terminal leafy cuttings of Rhododendron L. 'Gumpo White' ('Gumpo White' azalea) in 50 °C water for 21 min was previously shown to eliminate binucleate Rhizoctonia species, the cause of azalea web blight, from plant tissues. Prior to considering commercial use of this practice, a better un...

Combining essential oils and olive extract for control of multi-drug resistant Salmonella enterica on organic leafy greens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We investigated the combined antimicrobial effects of plant essential oils and olive extract. Organic baby spinach, mature spinach, romaine lettuce, and iceberg lettuce were inoculated with the pathogen and then dip-treated in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) control, 3.0% hydrogen peroxide, a 0.1% ...

Inside KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-11-03

New ideas were flowing at the KSC KickStart, an annual competition at Kennedy Space Center that gives employees the chance to offer up their innovative proposals to be analyzed by a panel of senior leaders. On the International Space Station, astronauts enjoyed a harvest day recently, cutting three varieties of leafy greens from the Veggie growth chamber aboard the orbiting

Selection and validation of endogenous reference genes for qRT-PCR analysis in leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is the most important tool in measuring levels of gene expression due to its accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity. However, the accuracy of qRT-PCR analysis strongly depends on transcript normalization using stably expressed reference gene...

A transgene design for enhancing oil content in Arabidopsis and Camelina seeds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Increasing the oil yield is a major objective for oilseed crop improvement. Oil biosynthesis and accumulation are influenced by multiple genes involved in embryo and seed development. The LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (LEC1) is a master regulator of embryo development that also enhances the expression of genes i...

Chapter 3. Phoradendron in Mexico and the United States

Treesearch

B. W. Geils; D. Wiens; F. G. Hawksworth

2002-01-01

The generally familiar mistletoes are the leafy Phoradendron that typically infest hardwood trees and are placed at doorways for winter celebrations. Several of these mistletoes, however, more resemble the dwarf mistletoes by their apparently leafless stems and presence on conifers; but their large, fleshy berries that are attractive to birds clearly...

Invasive Species Guidebook for Department of Defense Installations in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: Identification, Control, and Restoration

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-01

INSTALLATIONS IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED IDENTIFICATION AND CONTROL METHODS Cogongrass ( Imperata cylindrica ) Description & Biology – A large...Crown vetch Coronilla varia MD, VA 14 Leafy spurge Euphorbia esula VA 15 Ground ivy Glechoma hederacea DC, MD, PA, VA, WV 17 Cogongrass Imperata

40 CFR 180.407 - Thiodicarb; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... following food commodities or groups. The time-limited tolerances expire and are revoked on the dates listed in the following table: Commodity Parts per million Expiration/revocation date Broccoli 7.0 None..., undelinted seed 0.4 None Soybean, hulls 0.8 None Soybean 0.2 None Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4...

40 CFR 180.407 - Thiodicarb; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... following food commodities or groups. The time-limited tolerances expire and are revoked on the dates listed in the following table: Commodity Parts per million Expiration/revocation date Broccoli 7.0 None..., undelinted seed 0.4 None Soybean, hulls 0.8 None Soybean 0.2 None Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4...

40 CFR 180.407 - Thiodicarb; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... following food commodities or groups. The time-limited tolerances expire and are revoked on the dates listed in the following table: Commodity Parts per million Expiration/revocation date Broccoli 7.0 None..., undelinted seed 0.4 None Soybean, hulls 0.8 None Soybean 0.2 None Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4...

40 CFR 180.407 - Thiodicarb; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... following food commodities or groups. The time-limited tolerances expire and are revoked on the dates listed in the following table: Commodity Parts per million Expiration/revocation date Broccoli 7.0 None..., undelinted seed 0.4 None Soybean, hulls 0.8 None Soybean 0.2 None Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4...

Identifying fecal matter contamination in produce fields using multispectral reflectance imaging under ambient solar illumination

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An imaging device to detect fecal contamination in fresh produce fields could allow the producer to avoid harvesting fecal-contaminated produce. E.coli O157:H7 outbreaks have been associated with fecal-contaminated leafy greens. In this study, in-field spectral profiles of bovine fecal matter, soil,...

Complete genome sequences of two atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O145 environmental strains

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Escherichia coli O145 strains RM14715 and RM14723 were isolated from wildlife feces near a leafy greens-growing region in Yuma, Arizona. Both strains carry a distinct genotype compared with the E. coli O145 strains isolated from Salinas Valley, California. Here we report complete genome sequences an...

76 FR 24291 - Proposed National Marketing Agreement Regulating Leafy Green Vegetables; Recommended Decision and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-29

... Practices (GAPs) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Good Handling Practices (GHPs). The program would be voluntary, and cover both United States and... referred to as the ``Act'', and the applicable rules of practice and procedure governing the formulation of...

Semi-high throughput screening for potential drought-tolerance in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) germplasm collections

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This protocol describes a method by which a large collection of the leafy green vegetable lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) germplasm was screened for likely drought-tolerance traits. Fresh water availability for agricultural use is a growing concern across the United States as well as many regions of th...

Development of genomic SSR markers for fingerprinting lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cultivars and mapping genes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is the major vegetable from the group of leafy vegetables. Several types of molecular markers were developed that are effictively used in lettuce breeding and genetic studies. However only a very limited number of microsattelite-based markers are publicly avai...

Identification of QTLs conferring resistance to downy mildew in legacy cultivars of lettuce

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Many cultivars of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), the most popular leafy vegetable, are susceptible to downy mildew disease caused by Bremia lactucae. Cultivars Iceberg and Grand Rapids that were released in 18th and 19th century, respectively, have high levels of quantitative resistance to downy milde...

The effect of soil management on the persistence of E. coli and Listeria spp. in manure- amended soils in the Northeast United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Introduction: Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes can contaminate leafy greens through inappropriately managed raw manure applied to soils. Current FDA guidance includes calling for additional scientific data to determine the appropriate interval between application of man...

Heavy metals and metalloid content in vegetables and soil collected from the gardens of Zagreb, Croatia.

PubMed

Puntarić, Dinko; Vidosavljević, Domagoj; Gvozdić, Vlatka; Puntarić, Eda; Puntarić, Ida; Mayer, Dijana; Bosnir, Jasna; Lasić, Dario; Jergović, Matijana; Klarić, Ivana; Vidosavljević, Marina; Krivdić, Ivancica

2013-09-01

Aim of this study was to determine concentration of Pb, Cd, As and Hg in green leafy vegetables and soil in the urban area of Zagreb, Croatia and to determine if there is a connection between the contamination of soil and vegetables. Green leafy vegetables and soil samples were taken from the gardens located in the outskirts of the city. Concentrations of Pb, Cd, As and Hg were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry; showing that average concentrations of metals and metalloids in vegetables and in soil, regardless of the location of sampling were below the maximum allowed concentration (MAC). The analysis determined that metal concentrations in only nine vegetable samples (9%) were above maximum allowed values prescribed by national and European legislation (three with higher concentrations of Pb, one with a higher concentration of Cd and five with higher concentrations of Hg). Concentrations of contaminants present in the analysed samples, in general, are lower than the ones published in similar studies. The final distribution and concentration of contaminants in vegetables of Zagreb, besides industry and traffic, is affected by the dominant wind direction.

Leaves, flowers, immature fruits and leafy flowered stems of Malva sylvestris: a comparative study of the nutraceutical potential and composition.

PubMed

Barros, Lillian; Carvalho, Ana Maria; Ferreira, Isabel C F R

2010-06-01

Malva sylvestris is widely used in Mediterranean and European traditional medicine and ethnoveterinary for the treatment of external and internal inflammation, as well as injuries. Moreover, its use is not only limited to therapeutic purposes; but also the species is locally regarded as a food wild herb. Considering that antioxidants and free radical scavengers can exert also an anti-inflammatory effect, the extracts of different parts of the medicinal/edible plant M. sylvestris (leaves, flowers, immature fruits and leafy flowered stems) were compared for their nutraceutical potential (antioxidant properties) and chemical composition. Particularly, mallow leaves revealed very strong antioxidant properties including radical-scavenging activity (EC(50)=0.43 mg/mL), reducing power (0.07 mg/mL) and lipid peroxidation inhibition in lipossomes (0.04 mg/mL) and brain cells homogenates (0.09 mg/mL). This part of the plant is also the richest in nutraceuticals such as powerful antioxidants (phenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, and tocopherols), unsaturated fatty acids (e.g. alpha-linolenic acid), and minerals measured in ash content. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EPR and IR spectral investigations on some leafy vegetables of Indian origin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasuna, C. P. Lakshmi; Chakradhar, R. P. S.; Rao, J. L.; Gopal, N. O.

2009-09-01

EPR spectral investigations have been carried out on four edible leafy vegetables of India, which are used as dietary component in day to day life. In Rumex vesicarius leaf sample, EPR spectral investigations at different temperatures indicate the presence of anti-ferromagnetically coupled Mn(IV)-Mn(IV) complexes. EPR spectra of Trigonella foenum graecum show the presence of Mn ions in multivalent state and Fe 3+ ions in rhombic symmetry. EPR spectra of Basella rubra indicate the presence of Mn(IV)-O-Mn(IV) type complexes. The EPR spectra of Basella rubra have been studied at different temperatures. It is found that the spin population for the resonance signal at g = 2.06 obeys the Boltzmann distribution law. The EPR spectra of Moringa oliefera leaves show the presence of Mn 2+ ions. Radiation induced changes in free radical of this sample have also been studied. The FT-IR spectra of Basella rubra and Moringa oliefera leaves show the evidences for the protein matrix bands and those corresponding to carboxylic C dbnd O bonds.

The poetry of reproduction: the role of LEAFY in Arabidopsis thaliana flower formation.

PubMed

Siriwardana, Nirodhini S; Lamb, Rebecca S

2012-01-01

For successful reproduction, angiosperms must form fertile flowers at the appropriate positions and at the appropriate times. The reproductive transition is especially important for monocarpic plants that only flower once. In the model annual plant Arabidopsis thaliana, this transition is controlled through regulation of a group of genes termed floral meristem identity genes, of which LEAFY (LFY) is arguably the most important. LFY orthologs are found throughout land plants and are essential for angiosperm reproduction. These genes have also been implicated in reproductive development in gymnosperms. LFY encodes a plant-specific transcription factor that can act as either an activator or repressor depending on context, including what co-factors it is interacting with. It controls multiple aspects of floral morphogenesis, including phyllotaxis, organ number, organ identity and determinacy. Much progress has been made in elucidating the molecular mechanisms through which LFY and its orthologs contribute to a precise switch to flowering. We discuss the current state of knowledge in Arabidopsis, with an emphasis on known target genes and co-factors of LFY.

Overexpression of the cucumber LEAFY homolog CFL and hormone treatments alter flower development in gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa).

PubMed

Zhang, Ming-Zhe; Ye, Dan; Wang, Li-Lin; Pang, Ji-Liang; Zhang, Yu-Hong; Zheng, Ke; Bian, Hong-Wu; Han, Ning; Pan, Jian-Wei; Wang, Jun-Hui; Zhu, Mu-Yuan

2008-07-01

Leafy (LFY) and LFY-like genes control the initiation of floral meristems and regulate MADS-box genes in higher plants. The Cucumber-FLO-LFY (CFL) gene, a LFY homolog in Cucumis sativus L. is expressed in the primordia, floral primordia, and each whirl of floral organs during the early stage of flower development. In this study, functions of CFL in flower development were investigated by overexpressing the CFL gene in gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa). Our results show that constitutive CFL overexpression significantly promote early flowering without gibberellin (GA(3)) supplement, suggesting that CFL can serve functionally as a LFY homolog in gloxinia. Moreover, GA(3) and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments could modulate the expression of MADS-box genes in opposite directions. GA(3) resembles the overexpression of CFL in the expression of MADS-box genes and the regeneration of floral buds, but ABA inhibits the expression of MADS-box genes and flower development. These results suggest that CFL and downstream MADS-box genes involved in flower development are regulated by GA(3) and ABA.

Development of a cost-effectiveness analysis of leafy green marketing agreement irrigation water provisions.

PubMed

Jensen, Helen H; Pouliot, Sébastien; Wang, Tong; Jay-Russell, Michele T

2014-06-01

An analysis of the effectiveness of meeting the irrigation water provisions of the Leafy Green Marketing Agreement (LGMA) relative to its costs provides an approach to evaluating the cost-effectiveness of good agricultural practices that uses available data. A case example for lettuce is used to evaluate data requirements and provide a methodological example to determine the cost-effectiveness of the LGMA water quality provision. Both cost and field data on pathogen or indicator bacterial levels are difficult and expensive to obtain prospectively. Therefore, methods to use existing field and experimental data are required. Based on data from current literature and experimental studies, we calculate a cost-efficiency ratio that expresses the reduction in E. coli concentration per dollar expenditure on testing of irrigation water. With appropriate data, the same type of analysis can be extended to soil amendments and other practices and to evaluation of public benefits of practices used in production. Careful use of existing and experimental data can lead to evaluation of an expanded set of practices.

Flavonoid content in ethanolic extracts of selected raw and traditionally processed indigenous foods consumed by vulnerable groups of Kenya: antioxidant and type II diabetes-related functional properties.

PubMed

Kunyanga, Catherine N; Imungi, Jasper K; Okoth, Michael W; Biesalski, Hans K; Vadivel, Vellingiri

2011-08-01

The present study evaluated the flavonoid content, antioxidant as well as type II diabetes-related enzyme inhibition activities of ethanolic extract of certain raw and traditionally processed indigenous food ingredients including cereals, legumes, oil seeds, tubers, vegetables and leafy vegetables, which are commonly consumed by vulnerable groups in Kenya. The vegetables exhibited higher flavonoid content (50-703 mg/100 g) when compared with the grains (47-343 mg/100 g). The ethanolic extract of presently studied food ingredients revealed 33-93% DPPH radical scavenging capacity, 486-6,389 mmol Fe(II)/g reducing power, 19-43% α-amylase inhibition activity and 14-68% α-glucosidase inhibition activity. Among the different food-stuffs, the drumstick and amaranth leaves exhibited significantly higher flavonoid content with excellent functional properties. Roasting of grains and cooking of vegetables were found to be suitable processing methods in preserving the functional properties. Hence, such viable processing techniques for respective food samples will be considered in the formulation of functional supplementary foods for vulnerable groups in Kenya.

NITRATE IN LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLES AND ESTIMATED INTAKE.

PubMed

Brkić, Danijel; Bošnir, Jasna; Bevardi, Martina; Bošković, Andrea Gross; Miloš, Sanja; Lasić, Dario; Krivohlavek, Adela; Racz, Aleksandar; Ćuić, Ana Mojsović; Trstenjak, Natalija Uršulin

2017-01-01

Vegetarian diets are rich in vegetables. Green leafy vegetables are foods that contain considerable amounts of nitrate, which can have both positive and negative effects on the human body. Their potential carcinogenicity and toxicity have been proven, particularly after the reduction of nitrate to nitrite itself or just serving as a reactant with amines and/or amides in the formation of N-nitroso compounds -N-nitrosamines and other nitrogen compounds which may have high levels of nitrate. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a significant difference, considering the location and seasonal sampling period, in the level of nitrate in certain types of green vegetables, all in order to be able to assess their intake, and possible impact on human health, especially knowing that exposure to nitrate can be potentially higher for vegetarian population group. For this purpose, the sampling of 200 different leafy green vegetables was conducted, all of which could be found in free sale in the Republic of Croatia. The sampling was conducted during two seasonal periods - the spring and autumn period. In the springtime, lettuce (sem), spinach (pinacho), kale (kale), chard (mangel) and cabbage (brassica) were sampled, and in autumn lettuce, spinach, kale, chard and arugula. Samples were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection. The results from the spring sampling phase were in the range of 603 mg/kg for cabbage - 972 mg/kg for chard, and for autumn phase of 1.024 mg/kg for chard to 4.354 mg/kg for the arugula. The results showed that there were significant differences (p <0.05) for most of the samples analyzed, considering the sampling locations and time period. The results indicate that the analyzed vegetables contain significant amounts of nitrate in their composition, which represents relatively significant, but still acceptable intake into the human body.

Determinants of anemia among pregnant mothers attending antenatal care in Dessie town health facilities, northern central Ethiopia, unmatched case -control study.

PubMed

Tadesse, Sisay Eshete; Seid, Omer; G/Mariam, Yemane; Fekadu, Abel; Wasihun, Yitbarek; Endris, Kedir; Bitew, Abebayehu

2017-01-01

Anemia affects around 38.2% and 22% of pregnant women at a global and national level respectively. In developing countries, women start pregnancy with already depleted body stores of iron and other vitamins with significant variation of anemia within and between regions. To identify the determinants of anemia among pregnant mothers attending antenatal care in Dessie town health facilities, northern central Ethiopia. A health facility based unmatched case control study was conducted among 112 cases and 336 controls from January to March 2016 G.C. The sample size was determined by using Epi Info version 7.1.5.2. Study subjects were selected using consecutive sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, entered using Epi Data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression model was used to see the determinants of anemia. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) and p-value<0.05 were used to see the significant association. Failure to take dark green leafy vegetables per two weeks (AOR = 5.02, 95% CI: 2.16, 11.71), didn't take chicken per two weeks (AOR = 2.68, 95% CI: 1.22, 5.86), 1st trimester (AOR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.12, 3.84), 3rd trimester (AOR = 2.96, 95% CI: 1.53, 5.72), HIV infection (AOR = 6.78, 95% CI: 2.28, 20.18) and medication (AOR = 3.57 95% CI: 1.60, 7.98) were positively associated with anemia. Inadequate intake of dark green leafy vegetables, inadequate consumption of chicken, trimester of the current pregnancy, HIV infection and medication were the determinants of anemia among pregnant women. Therefore, anemia prevention strategy should include promotion of adequate intake of dark green leafy vegetables and chicken, increase meal pattern during the entire pregnancy and strengthen the prevention of mother to child HIV transmission/antenatal care programs.

[Morphological and molecular data on the origin of angiosperms: on a way to a synthesis].

PubMed

Sokolov, D D; Timonin, A K

2007-01-01

Molecular phylogenetic data have drastically changed the views on the phylogeny of higher plants. All the extant gymnosperms were asserted as a monophyletic group opposed to the highly isolated angiosperms. The 'Anthophyte Theory' was thus rejected. The identification and analysis of gymnosperm orthologues of genes regulating flower development in angiosperms resulted in the formulation of the 'Mostly Male Theory' of the evolutionary origin of flower; this theory does not contradict the concept of monophyly of all the extant gymnosperms. The Mostly Male Theory assumes that the origin of angiosperms was caused by a loss of the Needle family gene that effected ovuliferous (female) organs and the translocation of the ovules onto the adaxial side of some of the (male) leafy microsporangiophores. Having acquired ovules, the former microsporangiophores started evolving into the carpels. The prerequisite bisexual design of the ancestral fructification thus becomes unnecessary. Indeed, this assumption suggests the deriving of Angiosperms from any gymnosperm plant with leafy microsporangiophores. The problem of carpel origin has subsequently changed to some degree into the problem of the origin of the bitegmic anatropous ovule presumably inherent in ancestral Angiosperms. The Mostly Male Theory consideredeither Corystospermataceae (= Umkomasiaceae) or Caytoniaceae to be the forerunners of such an ovule. Yet the capsules of Corystospermataceae distinctly differ from angiosperm ovules in the locations of their adaxial/abaxial sides, while Caytoniaceae had no leafy microsporangiophores. This inconsistency suggests that functions of the Needle family regulatory genes in Gymnosperms should be much better understood to appraise properly both the possibilities and the consequences of their hypothetical loss by the emerging angiosperms. Moreover, the extant gymnosperm groups are actually held as monophyletic and contrasted to Angiosperms on the basis of analysing the unrepresentative scant remnants of these, mostly extinct, taxa. Therefore, traditional botanical and paleobotanical data should not be rejected. In any case, Meyen's idea angiosperms origin from Bennettitales is worth being retained as a hypothesis to be tested with new results of both paleobotany and molecular biology.

Plant/soil concentration ratios for paired field and garden crops, with emphasis on iodine and the role of soil adhesion.

PubMed

Sheppard, S C; Long, J M; Sanipelli, B

2010-12-01

In the effort to predict the risks associated with contaminated soils, considerable reliance is placed on plant/soil concentration ratio (CR) values measured at sites other than the contaminated site. This inevitably results in the need to extrapolate among the many soil and plant types. There are few studies that compare CR among plant types that encompass both field and garden crops. Here, CRs for 40 elements were measured for 25 crops from farm and garden sites chosen so the grain crops were in close proximity to the gardens. Special emphasis was placed on iodine (I) because data for this element are sparse. For many elements, there were consistent trends among CRs for the various crop types, with leafy crops > root crops ≥ fruit crops ≈ seed crops. Exceptions included CR values for As, K, Se and Zn which were highest in the seed crops. The correlation of CRs from one plant type to another was evident only when there was a wide range in soil concentrations. In comparing CRs between crop types, it became apparent that the relationships differed for the rare earth elements (REE), which also had very low CR values. The CRs for root and leafy crops of REE converged to a minimum value. This was attributed to soil adhesion, despite the samples being washed, and the average soil adhesion for root crops was 500 mg soil kg⁻¹ dry plant and for leafy crops was 5 g kg⁻¹. Across elements, the log CR was negatively correlated with log Kd (the soil solid/liquid partition coefficient), as expected. Although, this correlation is expected, measures of correlation coefficients suitable for stochastic risk assessment are not frequently reported. The results suggest that r ≈ -0.7 would be appropriate for risk assessment. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Heavy metals and health risk assessment of arable soils and food crops around Pb-Zn mining localities in Enyigba, southeastern Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obiora, Smart C.; Chukwu, Anthony; Davies, Theophilus C.

2016-04-01

This study determined the heavy metals concentration in arable soils and associated food crops around the Pb-Zn mines in Enyigba, Nigeria, and metal transfer factors were calculated. Air-dried samples of the soils and food crops were analyzed for 8 known nutritional and toxic heavy metals by Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS) method. Eighty seven percent of all the 20 sampled soils contain Pb in excess of the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) set by Canadian Environmental Quality Guideline (CCME) and European Union (EU) Standard, while Zn in thirty-one percent of the samples exceeded the CCME for MAC of 200 mg/kg. All the food crops, with the exception of yam tuber, contain Pb which exceeded the 0.43 mg/kg and 0.3 mg/kg MAC standards of EU and WHO/FAO respectively, with the leafy vegetables accumulating more Pb than the tubers. The metal transfer factors in the tubers and the leafy vegetables were in the order: Mo > Cu > Zn > Mn > As > Cd > Cr > Ni > Pb and Cd > Cu > Zn > Mn > Mo > As > Ni > Pb > Cr, respectively. Risk assessment studies revealed no health risk in surrounding populations for most of the heavy metals. However, Pb had a high health risk index (HRI) of 1.1 and 1.3, in adults and children, respectively for cassava tuber; Pb had HRI > 1 in lemon grass while Mn also had HRI > 1 in all the leafy vegetables for both adult and children. This high level of HRI for Pb and Mn is an indication that consumers of the food crops contaminated by these metals are at risk of health problems such as Alzheimers' disease and Manganism, associated with excessive intake of these metals. Further systematic monitoring of heavy metal fluxes in cultivable soils around the area of these mines is recommended.

NITRATE IN LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLES AND ESTIMATED INTAKE

PubMed Central

Brkić, Danijel; Bošnir, Jasna; Bevardi, Martina; Bošković, Andrea Gross; Miloš, Sanja; Lasić, Dario; Krivohlavek, Adela; Racz, Aleksandar; Ćuić, Ana Mojsović; Trstenjak, Natalija Uršulin

2017-01-01

Background: Vegetarian diets are rich in vegetables. Green leafy vegetables are foods that contain considerable amounts of nitrate, which can have both positive and negative effects on the human body. Their potential carcinogenicity and toxicity have been proven, particularly after the reduction of nitrate to nitrite itself or just serving as a reactant with amines and/or amides in the formation of N-nitroso compounds -N-nitrosamines and other nitrogen compounds which may have high levels of nitrate. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a significant difference, considering the location and seasonal sampling period, in the level of nitrate in certain types of green vegetables, all in order to be able to assess their intake, and possible impact on human health, especially knowing that exposure to nitrate can be potentially higher for vegetarian population group. Materials and Methods: For this purpose, the sampling of 200 different leafy green vegetables was conducted, all of which could be found in free sale in the Republic of Croatia. The sampling was conducted during two seasonal periods - the spring and autumn period. In the springtime, lettuce (sem), spinach (pinacho), kale (kale), chard (mangel) and cabbage (brassica) were sampled, and in autumn lettuce, spinach, kale, chard and arugula. Samples were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection. Results: The results from the spring sampling phase were in the range of 603 mg/kg for cabbage - 972 mg/kg for chard, and for autumn phase of 1.024 mg/kg for chard to 4.354 mg/kg for the arugula. The results showed that there were significant differences (p <0.05) for most of the samples analyzed, considering the sampling locations and time period. Conclusion: The results indicate that the analyzed vegetables contain significant amounts of nitrate in their composition, which represents relatively significant, but still acceptable intake into the human body. PMID:28480414

Determinants of anemia among pregnant mothers attending antenatal care in Dessie town health facilities, northern central Ethiopia, unmatched case -control study

PubMed Central

Seid, Omer; G/Mariam, Yemane; Fekadu, Abel; Wasihun, Yitbarek; Endris, Kedir; Bitew, Abebayehu

2017-01-01

Introduction Anemia affects around 38.2% and 22% of pregnant women at a global and national level respectively. In developing countries, women start pregnancy with already depleted body stores of iron and other vitamins with significant variation of anemia within and between regions. Objective To identify the determinants of anemia among pregnant mothers attending antenatal care in Dessie town health facilities, northern central Ethiopia. Methods A health facility based unmatched case control study was conducted among 112 cases and 336 controls from January to March 2016 G.C. The sample size was determined by using Epi Info version 7.1.5.2. Study subjects were selected using consecutive sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, entered using Epi Data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression model was used to see the determinants of anemia. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) and p-value<0.05 were used to see the significant association. Results Failure to take dark green leafy vegetables per two weeks (AOR = 5.02, 95% CI: 2.16, 11.71), didn’t take chicken per two weeks (AOR = 2.68, 95% CI: 1.22, 5.86), 1st trimester (AOR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.12, 3.84), 3rd trimester (AOR = 2.96, 95% CI: 1.53, 5.72), HIV infection (AOR = 6.78, 95% CI: 2.28, 20.18) and medication (AOR = 3.57 95% CI: 1.60, 7.98) were positively associated with anemia. Conclusions Inadequate intake of dark green leafy vegetables, inadequate consumption of chicken, trimester of the current pregnancy, HIV infection and medication were the determinants of anemia among pregnant women. Therefore, anemia prevention strategy should include promotion of adequate intake of dark green leafy vegetables and chicken, increase meal pattern during the entire pregnancy and strengthen the prevention of mother to child HIV transmission/antenatal care programs. PMID:28288159

Monitoring Insect and Disease Impacts on Rangeland Oaks in California

Treesearch

Tedmund J. Swiecki; Elizabeth A. Bernhardt; Arnold Richard A.

1991-01-01

We developed methods to assess the impacts of diseases and arthropods on sapling and mature rangeland oaks, and applied these methods at 18 sample plot locations in northern California. The impact of arthropod damage was generally rated as minor. Leafy mistletoe (Phoradendron villosum) was found on 5 percent of the rated trees. There was a slight...

Impact of a Community-Based Intervention on Serving and Intake of Vegetables among Low-Income, Rural Appalachian Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wenrich, Tionni R.; Brown, J. Lynne; Wilson, Robin Taylor; Lengerich, Eugene J.

2012-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based intervention promoting the serving and eating of deep-orange, cruciferous, and dark-green leafy vegetables. Design: Randomized, parallel-group, community-based intervention with a baseline/postintervention/3-month follow-up design. Setting and Participants: Low-income food preparers (n…

Internalization of E. coli O157:H7 in spinach cultivated in soil and hydroponic media

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Introduction: Internalization of E. coli O157:H7 into spinach plants through root uptake is a potential route of contamination. Previous studies that have investigated uptake of E. coli O157:H7 into leafy greens have expressed green fluorescent protein (gfp) from a plasmid, possibly limiting detecti...

40 CFR 180.408 - Metalaxyl; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... legume, group 7 8.0 Vegetable, fruiting, group 8 1.0 Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4, except spinach 5.0 Vegetable, leaves of root and tuber, group 2 15.0 Vegetable, legume, cannery waste 5.0 Vegetable, legume, group 6 0.2 Vegetable, root and tuber, group 1 0.5 Walnut 0.5 (b) Section 18 emergency...

A Causal Analysis of Interrelationships among Exercise, Physical Fitness, and Well-Being in U.S. Navy Personnel

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-08-01

p<.O01 **** p<.0001 Discussion The increasing interest in physical exercise programs over recent ! ears reflects, in part, the conviction that physical...products (e.g., cakes, pies, cookies, candy) eat "leafy" vegetables (e.g., broccoli, cauliflower , cabbage, greens) eat "starchy" vegetables (e.g

Epiphytic survival of Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli O145 on baby spinach plants

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Introduction: Non-O157 Shiga-toxigenic E. coli (STEC) have contaminated leafy greens. In early 2010, 26 confirmed illnesses were traced to a multi-state outbreak involving shredded romaine lettuce contaminated with E. coli O145, a STEC. It is possible that the O145 serotype may be suited for gro...

Effect of dynamic temperature storage in retail display case on the quality and microbiota of packaged fresh-cut leafy greens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Commercial refrigeration equipment is projected to rise 5.2% annually to meet the consumer demand for fresh-cut produce items. The highly variable temperature conditions associated with storage of fresh-cuts in commercial open-refrigerated display cases dramatically affects the shelf-life and qualit...

Potential impact of two Aphthona spp. on a native, nontarget Euphorbia species

Treesearch

Stefanie D. Wacker; Jack L. Butler

2006-01-01

Flea beetles (Aphthona spp.) are biological control agents introduced from Eurasia to reduce the cover and density of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.). The potential for the introduced beetles to use alternate hosts for feeding and development in North America is slight; however, it is possible. Species at highest risk are native...

76 FR 37817 - Cooperative Agreement With the World Health Organization Department of Food Safety and Zoonoses...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-28

... Environment Monitoring System for Food (GEMS/Food), Global Early Warning Systems for Animal Diseases Including... leafy vegetables and herbs also acknowledged the success of the FIVE KEYS to safe food as it reviewed..., working together with FDA, developed FIVE KEYS to Growing Safer Fruits and Vegetables: Promoting Health by...

Collard, mustard and turnip greens: Effects of varieties and leaf position on concentrations of ascorbic acid, folate, B-carotene, lutein and phylloquinone

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Leafy Brassica crops: collard (Brassica oleracea L.), mustard (B. juncea L.) and turnip (B. rapa) greens are important commercial and culinary vegetables; especially in the southern United States. However, almost no information on essential human-health vitamins [ascorbic acid (vit C), folate (vit...

40 CFR 180.207 - Trifluralin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Peppermint, oil 2.0 Peppermint, tops 0.05 Rapeseed, seed 0.05 Safflower, seed 0.05 Sorghum, grain, forage 0.05 Sorghum, grain, grain 0.05 Sorghum, grain, stover 0.05 Spearmint, oil 2.0 Spearmint, tops 0.05 Sugarcane, cane 0.05 Sunflower, seed 0.05 Vegetable, brassica, leafy group 5 0.05 Vegetable, bulb, group 3 0...

Fifteen years of verticillium wilt of lettuce in america’s salad bowl: a tale of immigration, subjugation and abatement.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lettuce is a popular leafy vegetable that is globally cultivated. The US ranks second in production, with coastal California producing half of the US supply. In 1995, Verticillium wilt caused by the soil borne fungus Verticillium dahliae was identified as a disease of lettuce in coastal California, ...

Mineral Properties and Dietary Value of Raw and Processed Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica L.)

PubMed Central

Xu, Yixiang; Ramirez, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.) has a long history of usage and is currently receiving attention as a source of fiber and alternative medicine. In many cultures, nettle is also eaten as a leafy vegetable. In this study, we focused on nettle yield (edible portion) and processing effects on nutritive and dietary properties. Actively growing shoots were harvested from field plots and leaves separated from stems. Leaf portions (200 g) were washed and processed by blanching (1 min at 96–98°C) or cooking (7 min at 98-99°C) with or without salt (5 g·L−1). Samples were cooled immediately after cooking and kept in frozen storage before analysis. Proximate composition, mineral, amino acid, and vitamin contents were determined, and nutritive value was estimated based on 100 g serving portions in a 2000 calorie diet. Results show that processed nettle can supply 90%–100% of vitamin A (including vitamin A as β-carotene) and is a good source of dietary calcium, iron, and protein. We recommend fresh or processed nettle as a high-protein, low-calorie source of essential nutrients, minerals, and vitamins particularly in vegetarian, diabetic, or other specialized diets. PMID:26904610

Credibility of Uncertainty Analyses for 131-I Pathway Assessments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoffman, F O.; Anspaugh, L. R.; Apostoaei, A. I.

2004-05-01

We would like to make your readers aware of numerous concerns we have with respect to the paper by A. A. Simpkins and D. M. Hamby on Uncertainty in transport factors used to calculate historic dose from 131I releases at the Savannah River Site. The paper by Simpkins and Hamby concludes by saying their uncertainty analysis would add credibility to current dose reconstruction efforts of public exposures to historic releases of 131I from the operations at the Savannah River Site, yet we have found their paper to be afflicted with numerous errors in assumptions and methodology, which in turn leadmore » to grossly misleading conclusions. Perhaps the most egregious errors are their conclusions, which state that: a. the vegetable pathway, not the ingestion of fresh milk, was the main contributor to thyroid dose for exposure to 131I (even though dietary intake of vegetables was less in the past than at present), and b. the probability distribution assigned to the fraction of iodine released in the elemental form (Uniform 0, 0.6) is responsible for 64.6% of the total uncertainty in thyroid dose, given a unit release of 131I to the atmosphere. The assumptions used in the paper by Simpkins and Hamby lead to a large overestimate of the contamination of vegetables by airborne 131I. The interception by leafy and non-leafy vegetables of freshly deposited 131I is known to be highly dependent on the growth form of the crop and the standing crop biomass of leafy material. Unrealistic assumptions are made for losses of 131I from food processing, preparation, and storage prior to human consumption. These assumptions tend to bias their conclusions toward an overestimate of the amount of 131I retained by vegetation prior to consumption. For example, the generic assumption of a 6-d hold-up time is used for the loss from radioactive decay for the time period from harvest to human consumption of fruits, vegetables, and grains. We anticipate hold-up times of many weeks, if not months, between harvest and consumption for most grains and non-leafy forms of vegetation. The combined assumptions made by Simpkins and Hamby about the fraction of fresh deposition intercepted by vegetation, and the rather short hold-up time for most vegetables consumed, probably caused the authors to conclude that the consumption of 131I-contaminated vegetables was more important to dose than was the consumption of fresh sources of milk. This conclusion is surprising, given that the consumption rate assumed for whole milk was rather large and that the value of the milk transfer coefficient was also higher and more uncertain than most distributions reported in the literature. In our experience, the parameters contributing most to the uncertainty in dose for the 131I air-deposition-vegetation-milk-human-thyroid pathway are the deposition velocity for elemental iodine, the mass interception factor for pasture vegetation, the milk transfer coefficient, and the thyroid dose conversion factor. In none of our previous investigations has the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and grains been the dominant contributor to the thyroid dose (or the uncertainty in dose) when the individual also was engaged in the consumption of even moderate quantities of fresh milk. The results of the relative contribution of uncertain input parameters to the overall uncertainty in exposure are counterintuitive. We suspect that calculational errors may have occurred in their application of the software that was used to estimate the relative sensitivity for each uncertain input variable. Their claim that the milk transfer coefficient contributed only 4% to the total uncertainty in the aggregated transfer from release to dose, and that the uncertainty in the vegetation interception fraction contributed only 3.3%, despite relatively large uncertainties assigned to both of these variables, violates our sense of face validity.« less

Escherichia coli O157:H7 biofilm formation and internalization on lettuce and spinach leaf surfaces reduces efficacy of irradiation and sodium hypochlorite washes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination of leafy green vegetables is an ongoing concern for consumers. Biofilm-associated and internalized pathogens are relatively resistant to chemical treatments, but little is known about the response of these protected pathogens to irradiation. Leaves of Romaine l...

40 CFR 180.443 - Myclobutanil; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... of legume, group 07 1.0 12/31/09 Vegetable, legume, group 06 1.0 12/31/09 (c) Tolerances with..., brassica, leafy, group 5 0.03 Vegetable, foliage of legume, group 7 0.03 Vegetable, fruiting, group 8 0.03..., legume, group 6 0.03 Vegetable, root and tuber, group 1 0.03 [54 FR 6131, Feb. 8, 1989] Editorial Note...

40 CFR 180.658 - Penthiopyrad; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., subgroup 5A 5.0 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup 5B 50 Buckwheat, grain 0.15 Canola 1.5 Corn, field, forage 40 Corn, field, grain 0.01 Corn, field, refined oil 0.05 Corn, field, stover 15 Corn, pop, grain 0.01 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.01 Cotton, seed 1.5 Cotton, gin byproducts 15 Fruit...

40 CFR 180.658 - Penthiopyrad; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., subgroup 5A 5.0 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup 5B 50 Buckwheat, grain 0.15 Canola 1.5 Corn, field, forage 40 Corn, field, grain 0.01 Corn, field, refined oil 0.05 Corn, field, stover 15 Corn, pop, grain 0.01 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.01 Cotton, seed 1.5 Cotton, gin byproducts 15 Fruit...

40 CFR 180.658 - Penthiopyrad; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., subgroup 5A 5.0 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup 5B 50 Buckwheat, grain 0.15 Canola 1.5 Corn, field, forage 40 Corn, field, grain 0.01 Corn, field, refined oil 0.05 Corn, field, stover 15 Corn, pop, grain 0.01 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.01 Cotton, seed 1.5 Cotton, gin byproducts 15 Fruit...

The effect of modified atmosphere packaging on the persistence and expression of virulence factors of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on shredded iceberg lettuce

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fresh-cut leafy greens contaminated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 have been associated with multiple foodborne outbreaks. Modified atmospheric packaging (MAP) conditions, coupled with abusive storage temperatures of contaminated lettuce which may affect the persistence and expression of E. coli O1...

Molecular mechanisms responsive to dehydration may impact the invasiveness of perennial weeds under global climate change

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Leafy spurge is an invasive perennial weed in the great plains of the US and Canada. The ability of this herbaceous weed to regenerate new shoot growth from an abundance of crown and root buds after severe abiotic stress is critical for survival. Due to its adaptable and aggressive nature, global cl...

The effect of repeated irrigation with varying total organic carbon content on the persistence of E. coli O157:H7 on baby spinach

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In response to U.S. foodborne illnesses caused by contaminated spinach, growers have adopted regulations stated in the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA). The LGMA permits a maximum population mean of 126 Most Probable Number (MPN) generic E. coli per 100 ml irrigation water. These...

Monitoring biological control agents and leafy spurge populations along the Smith River in Montana, USA

Treesearch

J. Birdsall; G. Markin; T. Kalaris; J. Runyon

2013-01-01

The Smith River originates in west central Montana and flows north approximately 100 miles before joining the Missouri River. The central 60 miles of the river flows through a relatively inaccessible, forested, scenic limestone canyon famous for its trout fishing. Because of its popularity, the area was designated Montana's first and only controlled river, with...

Atmospheric cold plasma inactivation of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 and aerobic microorganisms in cold-stored romaine lettuce packaged in a commerical polyethylene terephthalate container

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Leafy greens continue to be a significant vector for foodborne pathogens, including Escherichia coli O157:H7. Dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) treatment is a promising method for microbial decontamination of produce. An important aspect of this technology is the potential f...

Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on lettuce harvested from fields irrigated by different irrigation systems and stored under different conditions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreaks associated with the consumption of leafy greens have increased food safety concerns in the food industry. Irrigation water could be a major potential source of microbial contamination to vegetables. The potential for irrigation water to contaminate vegetables with ...

O'odham I:waki. Wild Greens of the Desert People. Sourcebook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meals for Millions/Freedom from Hunger Foundation, Tucson, AZ.

I:waki are what the O'odham (Papago and Pima People) call young green leafy plants that they eat as cooked "greens" and serve as an important part of the traditional Papago diet. Sketches of five different kinds of i:waki are presented in the booklet to help identify the "greens." Names of each of the "greens" are…

Inundative release of Aphthona spp. flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomlidae) as a biological "herbicide" on leafy spurge in riparian areas

Treesearch

R.A. Progar; G. Markin; J. Milan; T. Barbouletos; M.J. Rinella

2010-01-01

Inundative releases of beneficial insects are frequently used to suppress pest insects but not commonly attempted as a method of weed biological control because of the difficulty in obtaining the required large numbers of insects. The successful establishment of a flea beetle complex, mixed Aphthona lacertosa (Rosenhauer) and Aphthona...

40 CFR 180.415 - Aluminum tris (O-ethylphosphonate); tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Lingonberry 40 None Nut, macadamia 0.20 None Onion, green 10.0 None Pea, succulent 0.3 None Pineapple 0.1 None... Vegetable, cucurbit, group 9 15 None Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4 100 None (b) Section 18... registration, as defined in § 180.1(n), are established for residues of the fungicide aluminum tris (O...

In Vitro bile acid binding of kale, mustard greens, broccoli, cabbage and green bell pepper improves with microwave cooking

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bile acid binding potential of foods and food fractions has been related to lowering the risk of heart disease and that of cancer. Sautéing or steam cooking has been observed to significantly improve bile acid binding of green/leafy vegetables. It was hypothesized that microwave cooking could impr...

Conservative ecological and evolutionary patterns in liverwort–fungal symbioses

PubMed Central

Bidartondo, Martin I.; Duckett, Jeffrey G.

2010-01-01

Liverworts, the most ancient group of land plants, form a range of intimate associations with fungi that may be analogous to the mycorrhizas of vascular plants. Most thalloid liverworts contain arbuscular mycorrhizal glomeromycete fungi similar to most vascular plants. In contrast, a range of leafy liverwort genera and one simple thalloid liverwort family (the Aneuraceae) have switched to basidiomycete fungi. These liverwort switches away from glomeromycete fungi may be expected to parallel switches undergone by vascular plants that target diverse lineages of basidiomycete fungi to form ectomycorrhizas. To test this hypothesis, we used a cultivation-independent approach to examine the basidiomycete fungi associated with liverworts in varied worldwide locations by generating fungal DNA sequence data from over 200 field collections of over 30 species. Here we show that eight leafy liverwort genera predominantly and consistently associate with members of the Sebacina vermifera species complex and that Aneuraceae thalloid liverworts associate nearly exclusively with Tulasnella species. Furthermore, within sites where multiple liverwort species co-occur, they almost never share the same fungi. Our analyses reveal a strikingly conservative ecological and evolutionary pattern of liverwort symbioses with basidiomycete fungi that is unlike that of vascular plant mycorrhizas. PMID:19812075

The Dynamic Growth Exhibition and Accumulation of Cadmium of Pak Choi (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis) Grown in Contaminated Soils

PubMed Central

Lai, Hung-Yu; Chen, Bo-Ching

2013-01-01

The accumulation of heavy metals, especially cadmium (Cd), in leafy vegetables was compared with other vegetables. Pak choi (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis) is a leafy vegetable consumed in Taiwan and its safety for consumption after growing in contaminated soils is a public concern. A pot experiment (50 days) was conducted to understand the dynamic accumulation of Cd by pak choi grown in artificially contaminated soils. The edible parts of pak choi were sampled and analyzed every 2–3 days. The dry weight (DW) of pak choi was an exponential function of leaf length, leaf width, and chlorophyll content. The accumulation of Cd increased when the soil Cd concentration was raised, but was kept at a constant level during different growth stages. Pak choi had a high bioconcentration factor (BCF = ratio of the concentration in the edible parts to that in the soils), at values of 3.5–4.0. The consumption of pak choi grown in soils contaminated at levels used in this study would result in the ingestion of impermissible amounts of Cd and could possibly have harmful effects on health. PMID:24284350

SAS molecular tests Salmonella detection kit. Performance tested method 021202.

PubMed

Bapanpally, Chandra; Montier, Laura; Khan, Shah; Kasra, Akif; Brunelle, Sharon L

2014-01-01

The SAS Molecular tests Salmonella Detection method, a Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification method, performed as well as or better than the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Food Safety Inspection Service Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Bacteriological Analytical Manual reference methods for ground beef, beef trim, ground turkey, chicken carcass rinses, bagged mixed lettuce, and fresh spinach. The ground beef (30% fat, 25 g test portion), poultry matrixes and leafy greens were validated in a 6-7 h enrichment, and ground beef (30% fat, 375 g composite test portion) and beef trim (375 g composite test portion) were validated in a 16-20 h enrichment. The method performance for meat and leafy green matrixes was shown to be acceptable under conditions of co-enrichment with Escherichia coli 0157. Thus, after a short 6-7 h co-enrichment step, ground beef, beef trim, lettuce, and spinach can be tested for both Salmonella and E. coli O157. Inclusivity and exclusivity testing revealed no false negatives and no false positives among the 100 Salmonella serovars and 30 non-Salmonella species examined. The method was shown to be robust when enrichment time, DNA extract hold time, and DNA volume were varied.

Detection of heavy metal Cd in polluted fresh leafy vegetables by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy.

PubMed

Yao, Mingyin; Yang, Hui; Huang, Lin; Chen, Tianbing; Rao, Gangfu; Liu, Muhua

2017-05-10

In seeking a novel method with the ability of green analysis in monitoring toxic heavy metals residue in fresh leafy vegetables, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was applied to prove its capability in performing this work. The spectra of fresh vegetable samples polluted in the lab were collected by optimized LIBS experimental setup, and the reference concentrations of cadmium (Cd) from samples were obtained by conventional atomic absorption spectroscopy after wet digestion. The direct calibration employing intensity of single Cd line and Cd concentration exposed the weakness of this calibration method. Furthermore, the accuracy of linear calibration can be improved a little by triple Cd lines as characteristic variables, especially after the spectra were pretreated. However, it is not enough in predicting Cd in samples. Therefore, partial least-squares regression (PLSR) was utilized to enhance the robustness of quantitative analysis. The results of the PLSR model showed that the prediction accuracy of the Cd target can meet the requirement of determination in food safety. This investigation presented that LIBS is a promising and emerging method in analyzing toxic compositions in agricultural products, especially combined with suitable chemometrics.

Prevention of metabolic diseases: fruits (including fruit sugars) vs. vegetables.

PubMed

Kuzma, Jessica N; Schmidt, Kelsey A; Kratz, Mario

2017-07-01

To discuss recent evidence from observational and intervention studies on the relationship between fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption and metabolic disease. Observational studies have consistently demonstrated a modest inverse association between the intake of fruit and leafy green vegetables, but not total vegetables, and biomarkers of metabolic disease as well as incident type 2 diabetes mellitus. This is in contrast to limited evidence from recently published randomized controlled dietary intervention trials, which - in sum - suggests little to no impact of increased F&V consumption on biomarkers of metabolic disease. Evidence from observational studies that fruit and leafy green vegetable intake is associated with lower type 2 diabetes risk and better metabolic health could not be confirmed by dietary intervention trials. It is unclear whether this discrepancy is because of limitations inherent in observational studies (e.g., subjective dietary assessment methods, residual confounding) or due to limitations in the few available intervention studies (e.g., short duration of follow-up, interventions combining whole fruit and fruit juice, or lack of compliance). Future studies that attempt to address these limitations are needed to provide more conclusive insight into the impact of F&V consumption on metabolic health.

Automatic Non-Destructive Growth Measurement of Leafy Vegetables Based on Kinect

PubMed Central

Hu, Yang; Wang, Le; Xiang, Lirong; Wu, Qian; Jiang, Huanyu

2018-01-01

Non-destructive plant growth measurement is essential for plant growth and health research. As a 3D sensor, Kinect v2 has huge potentials in agriculture applications, benefited from its low price and strong robustness. The paper proposes a Kinect-based automatic system for non-destructive growth measurement of leafy vegetables. The system used a turntable to acquire multi-view point clouds of the measured plant. Then a series of suitable algorithms were applied to obtain a fine 3D reconstruction for the plant, while measuring the key growth parameters including relative/absolute height, total/projected leaf area and volume. In experiment, 63 pots of lettuce in different growth stages were measured. The result shows that the Kinect-measured height and projected area have fine linear relationship with reference measurements. While the measured total area and volume both follow power law distributions with reference data. All these data have shown good fitting goodness (R2 = 0.9457–0.9914). In the study of biomass correlations, the Kinect-measured volume was found to have a good power law relationship (R2 = 0.9281) with fresh weight. In addition, the system practicality was validated by performance and robustness analysis. PMID:29518958

Effects of drought stress on growth, solute accumulation and membrane stability of leafy vegetable, huckleberry (Solanum scabrum Mill.).

PubMed

Assaha, Dekoum Vincent Marius; Liu, Liyun; Ueda, Akihiro; Nagaoka, Toshinori; Saneoka, Hirofumi

2016-01-01

The present study sought to investigate the factors implicated in growth impairment of huckleberry (a leafy vegetable) under water stress conditions. To achieve this, seedlings of plant were subjected to control, mild stress and severe stress conditions for 30 days. Plant growth, plant water relation, gas exchange, oxidative stress damage, electrolyte leakage rate, mineral content and osmolyte accumulation were measured. Water deficit markedly decreased leaf, stem and root growth. Leaf photosynthetic rate was tremendously reduced by decrease in stomatal conductance under stress conditions. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content markedly increased under mild (82%) and severe (131%) stress conditions, while electrolyte leakage rate (ELR) increased by 59% under mild stress and 3-fold under severe stress. Mineral content in leafwas high in stressed plants, while proline content markedly increased under mild stress (12-fold) and severe stress (15-fold), with corresponding decrease in osmotic potential at full turgor and an increase in osmotic adjustment. These results suggest that maintenance of high mineral content and osmotic adjustment constitute important adaptations in huckleberry under water deficit conditions and that growth depression under drought stress would be mainly caused by increased electrolyte leakage resulting from membrane damage induced by oxidative stress.

Final Report for Regulation of Embryonic Development in Higher Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harada, John J.

2013-10-22

The overall goal of the project was to define the cellular processes that underlie embryo development in plants at a mechanistic level. Our studies focused on a critical transcriptional regulator, Arabidopsis LEAFY COTYLEDON (LEC1), that is necessary and sufficient to induce processes required for embryo development. Because LEC1 regulates lipid accumulation during the maturation phase of embryo development, information about LEC1 may be useful in designing approaches to enhance biofuel production in plants. During the tenure of this project, we determined the molecular mechanisms by which LEC1 acts as a transcription factor in embryos. We also identified genes directly regulatedmore » by LEC1 and showed that many of these genes are involved in maturation processes. This information has been useful in dissecting the gene regulatory networks controlling embryo development. Finally, LEC1 is a novel isoform of a transcription factor that is conserved among eukaryotes, and LEC1 is active primarily in seeds. Therefore, we determined that the LEC1-type transcription factors first appeared in lycophytes during land plant evolution. Together, this study provides basic information that has implications for biofuel production.« less

Current progress in orchid flowering/flower development research

PubMed Central

Wang, Hsin-Mei; Tong, Chii-Gong

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Genetic pathways relevant to flowering of Arabidopsis are under the control of environmental cues such as day length and temperatures, and endogenous signals including phytohormones and developmental aging. However, genes and even regulatory pathways for flowering identified in crops show divergence from those of Arabidopsis and often do not have functional equivalents to Arabidopsis and/or existing species- or genus-specific regulators and show modified or novel pathways. Orchids are the largest, most highly evolved flowering plants, and form an extremely peculiar group of plants. Here, we briefly summarize the flowering pathways of Arabidopsis, rice and wheat and present them alongside recent discoveries/progress in orchid flowering and flower developmental processes including our transgenic Phalaenopsis orchids for LEAFY overexpression. Potential biotechnological applications in flowering/flower development of orchids with potential target genes are also discussed from an interactional and/or comparative viewpoint. PMID:28448202

[Epigenetics of plant vernalization regulated by non-coding RNAs].

PubMed

Zhang, Shao-Feng; Li, Xiao-Rong; Sun, Chuan-Bao; He, Yu-Ke

2012-07-01

Many higher plants must experience a period of winter cold to accomplish the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth. This biological process is called vernalization. Some crops such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) produce seeds as edible organs, and therefore special measures of rotation and cultivation are necessary for plants to go through an early vernalization for flower differentiation and development, whereas the other crops such as Chinese cabbage (B rapa ssp. pekinenesis) and cabbage (Brassica napus L.) produce leafy heads as edible organs, and additional practice should be taken to avoid vernalization for a prolonged and fully vegetative growth. Before vernalization, flowering is repressed by the action of a gene called Flowering Locus C (FLC). This paper reviewed the function of non-coding RNAs and some proteins including VRN1, VRN2, and VIN3 in epigenetic regulation of FLC during vernalization.

Intake of Raw Fruits and Vegetables Is Associated With Better Mental Health Than Intake of Processed Fruits and Vegetables

PubMed Central

Brookie, Kate L.; Best, Georgia I.; Conner, Tamlin S.

2018-01-01

Background: Higher intakes of fruits and vegetables, rich in micronutrients, have been associated with better mental health. However, cooking or processing may reduce the availability of these important micronutrients. This study investigated the differential associations between intake of raw fruits and vegetables, compared to processed (cooked or canned) fruits and vegetables, and mental health in young adults. Methods: In a cross-sectional survey design, 422 young adults ages 18–25 (66.1% female) living in New Zealand and the United States completed an online survey that assessed typical consumption of raw vs. cooked/canned/processed fruits and vegetables, negative and positive mental health (depressive symptoms, anxiety, negative mood, positive mood, life satisfaction, and flourishing), and covariates (including socio-economic status, body mass index, sleep, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol use). Results: Controlling for covariates, raw fruit and vegetable intake (FVI) predicted reduced depressive symptoms and higher positive mood, life satisfaction, and flourishing; processed FVI only predicted higher positive mood. The top 10 raw foods related to better mental health were carrots, bananas, apples, dark leafy greens like spinach, grapefruit, lettuce, citrus fruits, fresh berries, cucumber, and kiwifruit. Conclusions: Raw FVI, but not processed FVI, significantly predicted higher mental health outcomes when controlling for the covariates. Applications include recommending the consumption of raw fruits and vegetables to maximize mental health benefits. PMID:29692750

In Vitro Assessment of Cadmium Bioavailability in Chinese Cabbage Grown on Different Soils and Its Toxic Effects on Human Health

PubMed Central

Rafiq, Muhammad Tariq; He, Zhenli; Sun, Kewang; Xiaoe, Yang

2015-01-01

The minimum concentration of cadmium (Cd), by Chinese cabbage grown on Cd contaminated soils that can initiate toxicity in human liver cells using in vitro digestion coupled with Caco-2/HL-7702 cell models was studied. Cadmium bioaccessibility in the gastric phase for yellow soil (YS) cabbage (40.84%) and calcareous soil (CS) cabbage (21.54%) was significantly higher than small intestinal phase with the corresponding values of 21.2% and 11.11%, respectively. Cadmium bioavailability was higher in YS cabbage (5.27%–14.66%) than in CS cabbage (1.12%–9.64%). Cadmium concentrations (>0.74 μg) transported from YS and CS cabbage were able to induce oxidative (MDA, H2O2) stress by inhibiting antioxidant (SOD, GPx) enzyme activities in human liver cells (HL-7702). Additionally the study revealed that the ingestion of Cd contaminated Chinese cabbage grown in acidic soil (yellow soil) weakened the antioxidant defense system under all levels of contamination (2, 6, and 9 mg·kg−1) which ultimately escalated the oxidative stress in liver cells; however, in case of CS cabbage, a marked oxidative stress was observed only at 9 mg kg−1 Cd level of soil. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor Cd concentrations in leafy vegetables grown on acidic soils to minimize human health risk. PMID:26167479

Methylotrophic bacteria symbiosis with the higher plants as means of minimization of the lower hydrocarbons concentration during artificial ecosystem gas exchange

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berkovich, Yuliy; Smolyanina, Svetlana; Moukhamedieva, Lana; Mardanov, Robert; Doronina, Nina; Ivanova, Ekaterina

Plant growth unit should be included in the LSS for the space vehicles for vitamin greens supply and psychological support of cosmonauts during long-term missions. The lower hydrocarbons such as methane, methanol, methylated sulfuric compounds and methylated amines, ethylene and so on, are the natural products of human and plant metabolism and usually considered as the air pollutions. It is shown, that one way to decrease the lower hydrocarbons concentration in the artificial ecosystems could be colonization of the plants by methylotrophic bacteria. The aerobic methylotrophic bacteria possess unique ability to use methane and its oxidized or replaced derivatives without food damage and human, animals or plants infection. We have found that methylotrophic bacteria are the phyto-symbiotic bacteria: they stimulate growth and development of the colonized plants because of synthesizing cytokinins and auxins, and vitamin B12.Two collection strains of the obligate methylotrophic bacteria - Methylovorus mays C and Methylomonas metanica S - were chosen because of their high activity to assimilate the lower hydrocarbons due to functioning of methanoldehydrogenase, methanmonooxigenase and ribulose monophosphate cycle enzymes system.Colonization of the leaf cabbage Brassica chinensis L. by these strains led to approximately 30 % reduce of methanol and methane concentration in the air inside phytotron. Experimental estimations of the influence of methylotrophic bacteria on leafy greens growth and development are obtained.

Efficacy of household washing treatments for the control of Listeria monocytogenes on salad vegetables.

PubMed

Nastou, Aikaterini; Rhoades, Jonathan; Smirniotis, Petros; Makri, Ioanna; Kontominas, Michael; Likotrafiti, Eleni

2012-10-15

The efficacy of household decontamination methods at reducing Listeria monocytogenes on fresh lettuce (Lactuca sativa), cucumber (Cucumis sativus) and parsley (Petroselinum sativum) was studied. Inoculated vegetable pieces were immersed in washing solutions and surviving L. monocytogenes enumerated. Parameters investigated were storage temperature prior to washing, dipping water temperature, agitation, acetic acid concentration and immersion time. The results indicated that the storage temperature significantly affects the efficacy of dipping vegetables in water for the control of L. monocytogenes, as the reduction in count was greatest when products had been stored at cooler temperatures. Decontamination with acetic acid (up to 2.0% v/v) was shown to have some effect in most cases, but the highest observed decrease in count was 2.6 log cfu/g. Experiments investigating the effect of exposure time to acetic acid (0.5% and 1.0% v/v, up to 30 min immersion) indicated that immersing the vegetables for more than 10 min is of minimal benefit. The most significant factor affecting washing and decontamination efficacy was the vegetable itself: L. monocytogenes colonizing cucumber epidermis was far more resistant to removal by washing and to acid treatment than that on the leafy vegetables, and L. monocytogenes on parsley was the most susceptible. This shows that published decontamination experiments (often performed with lettuce) cannot necessarily be extrapolated to other vegetables. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of Limitedly Visible Leafy Indoor Plants on the Psychology, Behavior, and Health of Students at a Junior High School in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Ke-Tsung

2009-01-01

There is growing evidence to support the notion that contact with nature is helpful for emotional states, attention, mental fatigue, behavior, and personal health. This study adopts a quasi-experimental approach to investigate the effects of limitedly visible indoor plants on students' psychology, physiology, and behavior and uses a control-series…

Transcriptome and phenotypic difference of Escherichia coli O157:H7 isolates related to the 2006 spinach-associated outbreak reveals variants in the bag

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Food-borne outbreaks of Escherichia coli O157:H7 illness linked to the consumption of ready-to-eat leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and spinach, are a mounting concern. Likely sources of pre-harvest contamination are soil and water that become contaminated via cattle and feral pigs in the proximit...

Economic effects on invasive weeds on land values

Treesearch

Charles Weiser

1998-01-01

The year was 1954, four young 4-H members were traveling to a livestock judging workout. Ben Barrett, the county agent, stopped the car and escorted the young men to a weed patch located on the adjacent railroad right-of-way. "Take a good look-this is leafy spurge. If you ever see it in your area, let me know. It is almost impossible to control."

Prevalence of Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes at public access watershed sites in a California central coast agricultural region

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Produce contaminated with enteric pathogens is a major source of foodborne illness in the United States. Surface water regions serves as both a source and a vehicle for transport of pathogens to produce in the field. Lakes, streams, rivers, and ponds at 30 locations in the vicinity of a leafy green ...

Effects of temperature and storage time on inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica, and Escherichia coli 0157:H7 populations by sophorolipid and sanitizer in-vitro and on tomato

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The increased consumption of produce by consumers has been reported due to perceived health benefits of post-harvest produce. However, periodic pathogen occurrences and contamination of tomatoes and leafy greens have exacerbated food safety risks for consumers; and therefore pathogen control is cruc...

First report of crown gall caused by Agrobacterium tumefaciens on Euphorbia esula/virgata in Europe

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hypertrophy and hyperplasia resembling crown galls were found on roots of Euphorbia esula virgata occurring at a single site (47°34’32.52”N, 21° 27’ 38.31”E) in east-central Hungary in 2005. Leafy spurge (E. esula/virgata) is an invasive species causing substantial economic losses to the value of gr...

40 CFR 180.443 - Myclobutanil; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

....0 Cherry, tart 5.0 Cilantro, leaves 9.0 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.02 Currant 3.0 Egg 0.02 Fruit... 0.70 Milk 0.2 Okra 4.0 Papaya 3.0 Peppermint, tops 3.0 Plum, prune, dried 8.0 Poultry, fat 0.02... Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4 0.03 Vegetable, leaves of root and tuber, group 2 0.03 Vegetable...

40 CFR 180.443 - Myclobutanil; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

....0 Cherry, tart 5.0 Cilantro, leaves 9.0 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.02 Currant 3.0 Egg 0.02 Fruit... 0.70 Milk 0.2 Okra 4.0 Papaya 3.0 Peppermint, tops 3.0 Plum, prune, dried 8.0 Poultry, fat 0.02... Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4 0.03 Vegetable, leaves of root and tuber, group 2 0.03 Vegetable...

40 CFR 180.443 - Myclobutanil; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

....0 Cherry, tart 5.0 Cilantro, leaves 9.0 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.02 Currant 3.0 Egg 0.02 Fruit... 0.70 Milk 0.2 Okra 4.0 Papaya 3.0 Peppermint, tops 3.0 Plum, prune, dried 8.0 Poultry, fat 0.02... Vegetable, leafy, except brassica, group 4 0.03 Vegetable, leaves of root and tuber, group 2 0.03 Vegetable...

Inundative release of Aphthona spp. flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) as a biological "herbicide" on leafy spurge in riparian areas

Treesearch

R. A. Progar; G. Markin; J. Milan; T. Barbouletos; M. J. Rinella

2010-01-01

Inundative releases of beneficial insects are frequently used to suppress pest insects but not commonly attempted as a method of weed biological control because of the difficulty in obtaining the required large numbers of insects. The successful establishment of a flea beetle complex, mixed Aphthona lacertosa (Rosenhauer) and Aphthona nigriscutus Foundras (87 and 13%,...

Inundative release of Aphthona spp. flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) as a biological "herbicide" on leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) in riparian areas

Treesearch

R. A. Progar; G. P. Markin; J. Milan; T. Barbouletos; M. J. Rinella

2013-01-01

Inundative releases of beneficial insects are frequently used to suppress pest insects, but not commonly attempted as a method of weed biological control because of the difficulty in obtaining the required large numbers of insects. The successful establishment of a flea beetle complex, mixed Aphthona lacertosa Rosenhauer and A. nigriscutus Foudras (87% and 13%,...

Arsenic, Pb, Cu, Zn, and P accumulation by sweet potato grown on broiler litter ash amended Pb and As contaminated soils

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L) Lam] is an important food crop grown in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. It is generally grown for its carbohydrates rich tuber. Sweet potato leaves rich in vitamin B, ß-carotene, iron, calcium, zinc and protein have been used as leafy vegetables in diff...

Complete genome sequence of a natural Escherichia coli O145:H11 isolate that belongs to Phylo-group A

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Escherichia coli O145:H11 strain RM14721 was originally isolated from wildlife feces near a leafy greens-growing region in Yuma, Arizona. This strain was initially positive in stx1; however, in the subsequent cultures, stx1 was not detected by PCR. Here we report the complete genome sequence and ann...

40 CFR 180.377 - Diflubenzuron; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Parts per million Almond, hulls 6.0 Barley, grain 0.06 Barley, hay 3.0 Barley, straw 1.8 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup 5B 9.0 Cattle, meat byproducts 0.15 Citrus, oil 32 Fruit, citrus, group 10-10 3.0 Fruit... Peanut, refined oil 0.20 Pear 0.50 Pepper 1.0 Pistachio 0.06 Rice, grain 0.02 Rice, straw 0.8 Sheep, meat...

Relationship between major dietary patterns and metabolic syndrome among individuals with impaired glucose tolerance.

PubMed

Amini, Massoud; Esmaillzadeh, Ahmad; Shafaeizadeh, Shila; Behrooz, Jhila; Zare, Maryam

2010-10-01

Dietary habits have been associated with the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and limited data are available in this field for individuals with impaired glucose tolerance. This study focused on the association between major dietary patterns and prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in individuals with impaired glucose tolerance. This cross-sectional study was done in 425 subjects 35 to 55 y of age. Dietary data were collected using a food-frequency questionnaire. Blood pressure, waist circumference, glucose, triacylglycerols, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were measured and metabolic syndrome was defined based on Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. Five major dietary patterns were found: a western pattern (high in sweets, butter, soda, mayonnaise, sugar, cookies, tail of a lamb, hydrogenated fat, and eggs), a prudent pattern (high in fish, peas, honey, nuts, juice, dry fruits, vegetable oil, liver and organic meat, and coconuts and low in hydrogenated fat and non-leafy vegetables), a vegetarian pattern (high in potatoes, legumes, fruits rich in vitamin C, rice, green leafy vegetables, and fruits rich in vitamin A), a high-fat dairy pattern (high in high-fat yogurt and high-fat milk and low in low-fat yogurt, peas, and bread), and a chicken and plant pattern (high in chicken, fruits rich in vitamin A, green leafy vegetables, and mayonnaise and low in beef, liver, and organic meat). After adjusting for confounding variables, the western pattern was associated with greater odds of having increased triacylglycerol (odds ratio 1.76, 95% confidence interval 1.01-3.07) and blood pressure (odds ratio 2.62, 95% confidence interval 1.32-5.23). The prudent pattern was positively associated with a prevalence of low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (odds ratio 0.55, 95% confidence interval 0.31-0.96). The vegetarian dietary pattern was inversely associated with a risk of an abnormal fasting blood glucose level (odds ratio 2.26, 95% confidence interval 1.25-4.06). Major dietary patterns were significantly associated with the risk of metabolic syndrome. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and Characterization of Escherichia coli and Salmonella Strains Isolated from Stray Dog and Coyote Feces in a Major Leafy Greens Production Region at the United States-Mexico Border

PubMed Central

Jay-Russell, Michele T.; Hake, Alexis F.; Bengson, Yingjia; Thiptara, Anyarat; Nguyen, Tran

2014-01-01

In 2010, Romaine lettuce grown in southern Arizona was implicated in a multi-state outbreak of Escherichia coli O145:H28 infections. This was the first known Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) outbreak traced to the southwest desert leafy green vegetable production region along the United States-Mexico border. Limited information exists on sources of STEC and other enteric zoonotic pathogens in domestic and wild animals in this region. According to local vegetable growers, unleashed or stray domestic dogs and free-roaming coyotes are a significant problem due to intrusions into their crop fields. During the 2010–2011 leafy greens growing season, we conducted a prevalence survey of STEC and Salmonella presence in stray dog and coyote feces. Fresh fecal samples from impounded dogs and coyotes from lands near produce fields were collected and cultured using extended enrichment and serogroup-specific immunomagnetic separation (IMS) followed by serotyping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. A total of 461 fecal samples were analyzed including 358 domestic dog and 103 coyote fecals. STEC was not detected, but atypical enteropathogenic E. coli (aEPEC) strains comprising 14 different serotypes were isolated from 13 (3.6%) dog and 5 (4.9%) coyote samples. Salmonella was cultured from 33 (9.2%) dog and 33 (32%) coyote samples comprising 29 serovars with 58% from dogs belonging to Senftenberg or Typhimurium. PFGE analysis revealed 17 aEPEC and 27 Salmonella distinct pulsotypes. Four (22.2%) of 18 aEPEC and 4 (6.1%) of 66 Salmonella isolates were resistant to two or more antibiotic classes. Our findings suggest that stray dogs and coyotes in the desert southwest may not be significant sources of STEC, but are potential reservoirs of other pathogenic E. coli and Salmonella. These results underscore the importance of good agriculture practices relating to mitigation of microbial risks from animal fecal deposits in the produce production area. PMID:25412333

Development of a robust method for isolation of shiga toxin-positive Escherichia coli (STEC) from fecal, plant, soil and water samples from a leafy greens production region in California.

PubMed

Cooley, Michael B; Jay-Russell, Michele; Atwill, Edward R; Carychao, Diana; Nguyen, Kimberly; Quiñones, Beatriz; Patel, Ronak; Walker, Samarpita; Swimley, Michelle; Pierre-Jerome, Edith; Gordus, Andrew G; Mandrell, Robert E

2013-01-01

During a 2.5-year survey of 33 farms and ranches in a major leafy greens production region in California, 13,650 produce, soil, livestock, wildlife, and water samples were tested for Shiga toxin (stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Overall, 357 and 1,912 samples were positive for E. coli O157:H7 (2.6%) or non-O157 STEC (14.0%), respectively. Isolates differentiated by O-typing ELISA and multilocus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) resulted in 697 O157:H7 and 3,256 non-O157 STEC isolates saved for further analysis. Cattle (7.1%), feral swine (4.7%), sediment (4.4%), and water (3.3%) samples were positive for E. coli O157:H7; 7/32 birds, 2/145 coyotes, 3/88 samples from elk also were positive. Non-O157 STEC were at approximately 5-fold higher incidence compared to O157 STEC: cattle (37.9%), feral swine (21.4%), birds (2.4%), small mammals (3.5%), deer or elk (8.3%), water (14.0%), sediment (12.3%), produce (0.3%) and soil adjacent to produce (0.6%). stx1, stx2 and stx1/stx2 genes were detected in 63%, 74% and 35% of STEC isolates, respectively. Subtilase, intimin and hemolysin genes were present in 28%, 25% and 79% of non-O157 STEC, respectively; 23% were of the "Top 6″ O-types. The initial method was modified twice during the study revealing evidence of culture bias based on differences in virulence and O-antigen profiles. MLVA typing revealed a diverse collection of O157 and non-O157 STEC strains isolated from multiple locations and sources and O157 STEC strains matching outbreak strains. These results emphasize the importance of multiple approaches for isolation of non-O157 STEC, that livestock and wildlife are common sources of potentially virulent STEC, and evidence of STEC persistence and movement in a leafy greens production environment.

Indigenous and traditional plants: South African parents’ knowledge, perceptions and uses and their children’s sensory acceptance

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The dietary shift from indigenous and traditional plants (ITPs) to cash crops and exotic plant food sources increases the risk of malnutrition and other nutrition-related non-communicable diseases, especially in poor rural communities. Farm communities in South Africa have been associated with poor nutritional status and extreme poverty. ITPs have been found to be affordable sources of several micronutrients. However, knowledge of and the use of these plants are declining, and little is known about the child’s acceptance of dishes prepared with ITPs. This knowledge can be used to improve the general acceptance of ITPs. This study aimed to gain insight into parents’ knowledge and perceptions and their use of ITPs in a farming community in the North West Province and to assess children’s acceptance of and preference for dishes made with African leafy vegetables (ALVs) and Swiss chard. Methods Parents (n = 29) responsible for food preparation for children in grade 2 to 4 in two schools were purposively selected for four focus group discussions. A sensory evaluation assessed the children’s (n = 98) acceptance of, preference for and intended consumption of dishes made with leafy vegetables. The dishes were made of Amaranthus spp., Cleome gynandra, Cucurbita maxima, Vigna unguiculata and Beta vulgaris. Results Parents mentioned 30 edible ITPs during the focus group discussions. Parents had knowledge of available ITPs and their use as food. Location, seasonal variation and rainfall affected the availability of and access to ITPs. Sun-dried ITPs were stored in sacks for later use. ITPs were perceived as healthy, affordable and delicious, hence acceptable to the parents. The children also evaluated the dishes made with ALVs as acceptable in terms of colour, smell and taste. Swiss chard was preferred, most likely because of the children’s exposure to this vegetable. Children indicated that they would like to eat these leafy vegetables twice a week. Conclusion These results look promising for the promotion of ITPs as a strategy to reduce malnutrition in rural farm communities and for potential inclusion of these micronutrient-rich ALVs in school feeding programmes to improve the nutritional status of children. PMID:24274394

Reduction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 viability on leafy green vegetables by treatment with a bacteriophage mixture and trans-cinnamaldehyde.

PubMed

Viazis, Stelios; Akhtar, Mastura; Feirtag, Joellen; Diez-Gonzalez, Francisco

2011-02-01

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 has been recognized as a major foodborne pathogen responsible for frequent gastroenteritis outbreaks. Phages and essential oils can be used as a natural antimicrobial method to reduce bacterial pathogens from the food supply. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a bacteriophage cocktail, BEC8, alone and in combination with the essential oil trans-cinnameldehyde (TC) on the viability of a mixture of EHEC O157:H7 strains applied on whole baby romaine lettuce and baby spinach leaves. The EHEC O157:H7 strains used were Nal(R) mutants of EK27, ATCC 43895, and 472. Exponentially growing cells from tryptic soy (TS) broth cultures were spot inoculated on leaves and dried. EHEC cells were placed at low, medium, and high inoculum levels (10(4), 10(5), and 10(6) CFU/mL, respectively). Appropriate controls, BEC8 (approx. 10(6) PFU/leaf), and TC (0.5% v/v) were applied on treated leaves. The leaves were incubated at 4, 8, 23, and 37 °C in Petri dishes with moistened filter papers. EHEC survival was determined using standard plate count on nalidixic acid (50 μg/mL) Sorbitol MacConkey agar. No survivors were detected when both leaves were treated with BEC8 or TC individually at low inoculum levels after 24 h at 23 and 37 °C. When the EHEC inoculum size increased and/or incubation temperature decreased, the efficacy of BEC8 and TC decreased. However, when the two treatments were combined, no survivors were detected after 10 min at all temperatures and inoculum levels on both leafy greens. These results indicated that the BEC8/TC combination was highly effective against EHEC on both leafy greens. This combination could potentially be used as an antimicrobial to inactivate EHEC O157:H7 and reduce their incidence in the food chain. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Major dietary patterns in relation to stunting among children in Tehran, Iran.

PubMed

Esfarjani, Fatemeh; Roustaee, Roshanak; Mohammadi-Nasrabadi, Fatemeh; Esmaillzadeh, Ahmad

2013-06-01

To the best of our knowledge, no information is available to link major dietary patterns to stunting during childhood, although dietary patterns are associated with chronic diseases. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between major dietary patterns and stunting in the first grade pupils of Tehran in 2009. In this case-control study, 86 stunted children (defined as height-for-age of less than the 5th percentile of CDC2000 cutoff points) were enrolled from among 3,147 first grade pupils of Tehran, selected using a multistage cluster random-sampling method. Participants for the control group (n=308) were selected randomly from non-stunted children (height-for-age more than the 5th percentile of CDC2000 cutoff points), after matching for age, sex, and area of residence. Dietary data were collected using two 24-hour dietary recalls through face-to-face interview with mothers. Factor analysis was used for identifying major dietary patterns. Mean consumption of dairy products (308 +/- 167 vs 382 +/- 232 g/day, p < 0.05), dried fruits and nuts (2.5819 vs 7.15 +/- 26 g/day, p < 0.05) were significantly lower among stunted children than those in the control group. Three major dietary patterns were identified: 'traditional dietary pattern' that was dominated by bread, potato, fats, eggs, flavours, vegetables other than leafy ones, sugar, drinks, and fast food; 'mixed dietary pattern' that was dominated by leafy vegetables, fast foods, nuts, fats, cereals other than bread, fruits, legumes, visceral meats, sugars, eggs, and vegetables other than leafy vegetables; and 'carbohydrate-protein pattern' that was dominated by sweets and desserts, poultry, dairy, fruits, legumes, and visceral meats. No significant relationships were found between traditional and mixed dietary patterns and stunting. Individuals in the third quartile of carbohydrate-protein dietary pattern were less likely to be stunted compared to those in the bottom quartile (OR: 0.31, 95% CI 0.13-0.78, p < 0.05). Adherence to dietary patterns high in protein (e.g. dairy, legumes, and meat products) and carbohydrates (e.g. fruits, sweets, and desserts) might be associated with reduced odds of being stunted among children.

Bioaccumulation and cancer risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in leafy vegetables grown in soils within automobile repair complex and environ in Uyo, Nigeria.

PubMed

Inam, Edu; Ibanga, Felicia; Essien, Joseph

2016-12-01

Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and an incremental lifetime cancer risks (ILCRs) assessment model, the bioaccumulation and cancer risk of 16 USEPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in leafy vegetables (Vernonia amygdalina and Lasianthera africanum) grown in soils within an automobile repair complex environment in Uyo, Nigeria was studied. The total PAHs concentrations recorded for soils ranged from 0.02 to 1.77 mg/kg. The highest level of 1.77 mg/kg was recorded for soils from the main automobile repair complex (site 1). Low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs were predominant although some high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs suites (0.04 mg/kg of chrysene and 0.04 of benzo[k]fluoranthene) were also found in site 1. The leafy vegetables accumulated PAHs were mostly LMW. Accumulation levels were similar but the extent of PAH uptake in vegetables was species dependent as V. amygdalina accumulated more (0.81 mg/kg). The bioaccumulation factors (BaFs) calculated ranged from 0.22 to 0.63 for L. africanum, and 0.18 to 0.55 for V. amygdalina in site 1 where high PAH levels were recorded in soil. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis revealed a strong positive relation between the PAH content of soil and the amount accumulated by L. africanum (r = 0.5) and V. amygdalina (r = 0.8) at p = 0.05. The vegetable's potential to bioaccumulate PAHs is indicative of their use as good bioindicators for PAH contamination in soil. Only two of the USEPA possible human carcinogenic PAHs were detected, and carcinogenic risk assessment based on occupational exposures to soil particles by adults revealed that the total risk level (7.17 × 10 -5 ) contribution from incidental soil ingestion, dermal contact, and soil particle dust inhalation slightly exceed the USEPA acceptable limits (< 1.00 × 10 -5 ). There is a need for public education on consumption of vegetables grown in and around automobile repair complexes across Nigeria.

Trichoderma-Based Biostimulants Modulate Rhizosphere Microbial Populations and Improve N Uptake Efficiency, Yield, and Nutritional Quality of Leafy Vegetables

PubMed Central

Fiorentino, Nunzio; Ventorino, Valeria; Woo, Sheridan L.; Pepe, Olimpia; De Rosa, Armando; Gioia, Laura; Romano, Ida; Lombardi, Nadia; Napolitano, Mauro; Colla, Giuseppe; Rouphael, Youssef

2018-01-01

Microbial inoculants such as Trichoderma-based products are receiving great interest among researchers and agricultural producers for their potential to improve crop productivity, nutritional quality as well as resistance to plant pathogens/pests and numerous environmental stresses. Two greenhouse experiments were conducted to assess the effects of Trichoderma-based biostimulants under suboptimal, optimal and supraoptimal levels of nitrogen (N) fertilization in two leafy vegetables: Iceberg lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and rocket (Eruca sativa Mill.). The yield, nutritional characteristics, N uptake and mineral composition were analyzed for each vegetable crop after inoculation with Trichoderma strains T. virens (GV41) or T. harzianum (T22), and results were compared to non-inoculated plants. In addition, the effect of the Trichoderma-based biostimulants on microbes associated with the rhizosphere in terms of prokaryotic and eukaryotic composition and concentration using DGGE was also evaluated. Trichoderma-based biostimulants, in particular GV41, positively increased lettuce and rocket yield in the unfertilized plots. The highest marketable lettuce fresh yield was recorded with either of the biostimulant inoculations when plants were supplied with optimal levels of N. The inoculation of rocket with GV41, and to a lesser degree with T22, elicited an increase in total ascorbic acid under both optimal and high N conditions. T. virens GV41 increased N-use efficiency of lettuce, and favored the uptake of native N present in the soil of both lettuce and rocket. The positive effect of biostimulants on nutrient uptake and crop growth was species-dependent, being more marked with lettuce. The best biostimulation effects from the Trichoderma treatments were observed in both crops when grown under low N availability. The Trichoderma inoculation strongly influenced the composition of eukaryotic populations in the rhizosphere, in particularly exerting different effects with low N levels in comparison to the N fertilized plots. Overall, inoculations with Trichoderma may be considered as a viable strategy to manage the nutrient content of leafy horticulture crops cultivated in low fertility soils, and assist vegetable growers in reducing the use of synthetic fertilizers, developing sustainable management practices to optimize N use efficiency. PMID:29922317

Growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes in packaged fresh-cut romaine mix at fluctuating temperatures during commercial transport, retail storage, and display.

PubMed

Zeng, Wenting; Vorst, Keith; Brown, Wyatt; Marks, Bradley P; Jeong, Sanghyup; Pérez-Rodríguez, Fernando; Ryser, Elliot T

2014-02-01

Temperature abuse during commercial transport and retail sale of leafy greens negatively impacts both microbial safety and product quality. Consequently, the effect of fluctuating temperatures on Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes growth in commercially-bagged salad greens was assessed during transport, retail storage, and display. Over a 16-month period, a series of time-temperature profiles for bagged salads were obtained from five transportation routes covering four geographic regions (432 profiles), as well as during retail storage (4,867 profiles) and display (3,799 profiles). Five different time-temperature profiles collected during 2 to 3 days of transport, 1 and 3 days of retail storage, and 3 days of retail display were then duplicated in a programmable incubator to assess E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes growth in commercial bags of romaine lettuce mix. Microbial growth predictions using the Koseki-Isobe and McKellar-Delaquis models were validated by comparing the root mean square error (RMSE), bias, and the acceptable prediction zone between the laboratory growth data and model predictions. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to calculate the probability distribution of microbial growth from 8,122,127,472 scenarios during transport, cold room storage, and retail display. Using inoculated bags of retail salad, E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes populations increased a maximum of 3.1 and 3.0 log CFU/g at retail storage. Both models yielded acceptable RMSEs and biases within the acceptable prediction zone for E. coli O157:H7. Based on the simulation, both pathogens generally increased <2 log CFU/g during transport, storage, and display. However, retail storage duration can significantly impact pathogen growth. This large-scale U.S. study-the first using commercial time/temperature profiles to assess the microbial risk of leafy greens-should be useful in filling some of the data gaps in current risk assessments for leafy greens.

Correlation of regional cardiovascular disease mortality in India with lifestyle and nutritional factors.

PubMed

Gupta, Rajeev; Misra, Anoop; Pais, Prem; Rastogi, Priyanka; Gupta, V P

2006-04-14

There is a wide disparity in prevalence and cardiovascular disease mortality in different Indian states. To determine significance of various nutritional factors and other lifestyle variables in explaining this difference in cardiovascular disease mortality we performed an analysis. Mortality data were obtained from the Registrar General of India. In 1998 the annual death rate for India was 840/100,000 population. Cardiovascular diseases contribute to 27% of these deaths and its crude mortality rate was 227/100,000. Major differences in cardiovascular disease mortality rates in different Indian states were reported varying from 75-100 in sub-Himalayan states of Nagaland, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim to a high of 360-430 in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Goa. Lifestyle data were obtained from national surveys conducted by the government of India. The second National Family Health Survey (26 states, 92,447 households, 301,984 adults) conducted in 1998-1999 reported on various demographic and lifestyle variables and India Nutrition Profile Study reported dietary intake of 177,841 adults (18 states, 75,229 men, 102,612 women). Cardiovascular disease mortality rates were correlated with smoking, literacy levels, prevalence of stunted growth at 3-years (as marker of fetal undernutrition), adult mean body mass index, prevalence of overweight and obesity, dietary consumption of calories, cereals and pulses, green leafy vegetables, roots, tubers and other vegetables, milk and milk products, fats and oils, and sugar and jaggery. As a major confounder in different states is poverty, all the partial correlation coefficients were adjusted for illiteracy, fertility rate and infant mortality rate. There was a significant positive correlation of cardiovascular disease mortality with prevalence of obesity (R=0.37) and dietary consumption of fats (R=0.67), milk and its products (R=0.27) and sugars (R=0.51) and negative correlation with green leafy vegetable intake (R=-0.42) (p<0.05). There are large disparities in cardiovascular disease mortality in different Indian states. This can be epidemiologically explained by difference in dietary consumption of fats, milk, sugar and green-leafy vegetables and prevalence of obesity.

Evaluation of leafy vegetables as bioindicators of gaseous mercury pollution in sewage-irrigated areas.

PubMed

Zheng, Shun-An; Wu, Zeying; Chen, Chun; Liang, Junfeng; Huang, Hongkun; Zheng, Xiangqun

2018-01-01

Mercury (Hg) can evaporate and enter the plants through the stomata of plant leaves, which will cause a serious threat to local food safety and human health. For the risk assessment, this study aimed to investigate the concentration and accumulation of total gaseous mercury (TGM) in five typical leafy vegetables (Chinese chives (Allium tuberosum Rottler), amaranth (Amaranthus mangostanus L.), rape (Brassica campestris L.), lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), and spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.)) grown on sewage-irrigated areas in Tianjin, China. The following three sites were chosen to biomonitor Hg pollution: a paddy field receiving sewage irrigation (industrial and urban sewage effluents) for the last 30 years, a vegetable field receiving sewage irrigation for 15 years, and a grass field which did not receive sewage irrigation in history. Results showed that the total Hg levels in the paddy (0.65 mg kg -1 ) and vegetation fields (0.42 mg kg -1 ) were significantly higher than the local background level (0.073 mg kg -1 ) and the China national soil environment quality standard for Hg in grade I (0.30 mg kg -1 ). The TGM levels in ambient air were significantly higher in the paddy (71.3 ng m -3 ) and vegetable fields (39.2 ng m -3 ) relative to the control (9.4 ng m -3 ) and previously reported levels (1.45 ng m -3 ), indicating severe Hg pollution in the atmospheric environment of the sewage-irrigated areas. Furthermore, gaseous mercury was the dominant form of Hg uptake in the leaves or irreversibly bound to leaves. The comparison of Hg uptake levels among the five vegetables showed that the gradient of Hg accumulation followed the order spinach > red amaranth > Chinese chives > rape > lettuce. These results suggest that gaseous Hg exposure in the sewage-irrigated areas is a dominant Hg uptake route in leafy vegetables and may pose a potential threat to agricultural food safety and human health.

Development of a Robust Method for Isolation of Shiga Toxin-Positive Escherichia coli (STEC) from Fecal, Plant, Soil and Water Samples from a Leafy Greens Production Region in California

PubMed Central

Cooley, Michael B.; Jay-Russell, Michele; Atwill, Edward R.; Carychao, Diana; Nguyen, Kimberly; Quiñones, Beatriz; Patel, Ronak; Walker, Samarpita; Swimley, Michelle; Pierre-Jerome, Edith; Gordus, Andrew G.; Mandrell, Robert E.

2013-01-01

During a 2.5-year survey of 33 farms and ranches in a major leafy greens production region in California, 13,650 produce, soil, livestock, wildlife, and water samples were tested for Shiga toxin (stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Overall, 357 and 1,912 samples were positive for E. coli O157:H7 (2.6%) or non-O157 STEC (14.0%), respectively. Isolates differentiated by O-typing ELISA and multilocus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) resulted in 697 O157:H7 and 3,256 non-O157 STEC isolates saved for further analysis. Cattle (7.1%), feral swine (4.7%), sediment (4.4%), and water (3.3%) samples were positive for E. coli O157:H7; 7/32 birds, 2/145 coyotes, 3/88 samples from elk also were positive. Non-O157 STEC were at approximately 5-fold higher incidence compared to O157 STEC: cattle (37.9%), feral swine (21.4%), birds (2.4%), small mammals (3.5%), deer or elk (8.3%), water (14.0%), sediment (12.3%), produce (0.3%) and soil adjacent to produce (0.6%). stx1, stx2 and stx1/stx2 genes were detected in 63%, 74% and 35% of STEC isolates, respectively. Subtilase, intimin and hemolysin genes were present in 28%, 25% and 79% of non-O157 STEC, respectively; 23% were of the “Top 6″ O-types. The initial method was modified twice during the study revealing evidence of culture bias based on differences in virulence and O-antigen profiles. MLVA typing revealed a diverse collection of O157 and non-O157 STEC strains isolated from multiple locations and sources and O157 STEC strains matching outbreak strains. These results emphasize the importance of multiple approaches for isolation of non-O157 STEC, that livestock and wildlife are common sources of potentially virulent STEC, and evidence of STEC persistence and movement in a leafy greens production environment. PMID:23762414

Food-Growing, Air- And Water-Cleaning Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sauer, R. L.; Scheld, H. W.; Mafnuson, J. W.

1988-01-01

Apparatus produces fresh vegetables and removes pollutants from air. Hydroponic apparatus performs dual function of growing fresh vegetables and purifying air and water. Leafy vegetables rooted in granular growth medium grow in light of fluorescent lamps. Air flowing over leaves supplies carbon dioxide and receives fresh oxygen from them. Adaptable to production of food and cleaning of air and water in closed environments as in underwater research stations and submarines.

Development of a robust methos for isolation of shiga toxin positive Escherichia coli (STEC) from fecal, plant, soil and water samples from leafy greens production region in California

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pre-harvest contamination of produce occurs by the transport of pathogenic bacteria from point sources in the surrounding environment. To identify vertebrate sources, we surveyed livestock and wildlife over a 2.5 year period on 33 farms and ranches in the Salinas valley region of California for the ...

40 CFR 180.532 - Cyprodinil; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Kiwifruit 1.8 Leaf petioles subgroup 4B 30 Leafy greens subgroup 4A 50 Lemon 0.60 Lime 0.60 Longan 2.0 Lychee 2.0 Mango 1.2 Onion, bulb, subgroup 3-07A 0.6 Onion, green, subgroup 3-07B 4.0 Papaya 1.2 Parsley, dried leaves 170 Parsley, leaves 35 Pistachio 0.10 Pulasan 2.0 Rambutan 2.0 Sapodilla 1.2 Sapote, black...

40 CFR 180.532 - Cyprodinil; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Kiwifruit 1.8 Leaf petioles subgroup 4B 30 Leafy greens subgroup 4A 50 Lemon 0.60 Lime 0.60 Longan 2.0 Lychee 2.0 Mango 1.2 Onion, bulb, subgroup 3-07A 0.6 Onion, green, subgroup 3-07B 4.0 Papaya 1.2 Parsley, dried leaves 170 Parsley, leaves 35 Pistachio 0.10 Pulasan 2.0 Rambutan 2.0 Sapodilla 1.2 Sapote, black...

Field evaluation of green and red leaf lettuce genotypes in the Imperial, San Joaquin, and Salinas Valleys of California for heat tolerance and extension of the growing seasons

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Global warming poses serious threats and challenges to the production of leafy vegetables. Being a cool-season crop, lettuce is vulnerable to heat-stress. To adapt to climate change, this study was conducted to evaluate the performance of leaf lettuce genotypes for heat tolerance by growing them in ...

Mineral composition of non-conventional leafy vegetables.

PubMed

Barminas, J T; Charles, M; Emmanuel, D

1998-01-01

Six non-conventional leafy vegetables consumed largely by the rural populace of Nigeria were analyzed for mineral composition. Mineral contents appeared to be dependent on the type of vegetables. Amaranthus spinosus and Adansonia digitata leaves contained the highest level of iron (38.4 mg/100 g and 30.6 mg/100 g dw, respectively). These values are low compared to those for common Nigerian vegetables but higher than those for other food sources. All the vegetables contained high levels of calcium compared to common vegetables, thus they could be a rich source of this mineral. Microelement content of the leaves varied appreciably. Zinc content was highest in Moringa oleifera, Adansonia digitata and Cassia tora leaves (25.5 mg/100 g, 22.4 mg/100 g and 20.9 mg/100 g dw, respectively) while the manganese content was comparatively higher in Colocasia esculenta. The concentrations of the mineral elements in the vegetables per serving portion are presented and these values indicate that the local vegetables could be valuable and important contributors in the diets of the rural and urban people of Nigeria. The mean daily intake of P, Mg, Ca, Fe, Cu and Zn were lower than their recommended dietary allowances (RDAs). However, the manganese daily intake was found not to differ significantly (p = 0.05) from the RDA value.

The ASK1 gene regulates B function gene expression in cooperation with UFO and LEAFY in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Zhao, D; Yu, Q; Chen, M; Ma, H

2001-07-01

The Arabidopsis floral regulatory genes APETALA3 (AP3) and PISTILLATA (PI) are required for the B function according to the ABC model for floral organ identity. AP3 and PI expression are positively regulated by the LEAFY (LFY) and UNUSUAL FLORAL ORGANS (UFO) genes. UFO encodes an F-box protein, and we have shown previously that UFO genetically interacts with the ASK1 gene encoding a SKP1 homologue; both the F-box containing protein and SKP1 are subunits of ubiquitin ligases. We show here that the ask1-1 mutation can enhance the floral phenotypes of weak lfy and ap3 mutants; therefore, like UFO, ASK1 also interacts with LFY and AP3 genetically. Furthermore, our results from RNA in situ hybridizations indicate that ASK1 regulates early AP3 and PI expression. These results support the idea that UFO and ASK1 together positively regulate AP3 and PI expression. We propose that the UFO and ASK1 proteins are components of a ubiquitin ligase that mediates the proteolysis of a repressor of AP3 and PI expression. Our genetic studies also indicate that ASK1 and UFO play a role in regulating the number of floral organ primordia, and we discuss possible mechanisms for such a regulation.

Patterning of inflorescences and flowers by the F-Box protein DOUBLE TOP and the LEAFY homolog ABERRANT LEAF AND FLOWER of petunia.

PubMed

Souer, Erik; Rebocho, Alexandra B; Bliek, Mattijs; Kusters, Elske; de Bruin, Robert A M; Koes, Ronald

2008-08-01

Angiosperms display a wide variety of inflorescence architectures differing in the positions where flowers or branches arise. The expression of floral meristem identity (FMI) genes determines when and where flowers are formed. In Arabidopsis thaliana, this is regulated via transcription of LEAFY (LFY), which encodes a transcription factor that promotes FMI. We found that this is regulated in petunia (Petunia hybrida) via transcription of a distinct gene, DOUBLE TOP (DOT), a homolog of UNUSUAL FLORAL ORGANS (UFO) from Arabidopsis. Mutation of DOT or its tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) homolog ANANTHA abolishes FMI. Ubiquitous expression of DOT or UFO in petunia causes very early flowering and transforms the inflorescence into a solitary flower and leaves into petals. Ectopic expression of DOT or UFO together with LFY or its homolog ABERRANT LEAF AND FLOWER (ALF) in petunia seedlings activates genes required for identity or outgrowth of organ primordia. DOT interacts physically with ALF, suggesting that it activates ALF by a posttranslational mechanism. Our findings suggest a wider role than previously thought for DOT and UFO in the patterning of flowers and indicate that the different roles of LFY and UFO homologs in the spatiotemporal control of floral identity in distinct species result from their divergent expression patterns.

Natural attenuation of toxic metal phytoavailability in 35-year-old sewage sludge-amended soil.

PubMed

Tai, Yiping; Li, Zhian; Mcbride, Murray B

2016-04-01

Toxic heavy metals persist in agricultural soils and ecosystem for many decades after their application as contaminants in sewage sludge and fertilizer products This study assessed the potential long-term risk of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) in land-applied sewage sludge to food crop contamination. A sewage sludge-amended soil (SAS) aged in the field more than 35 years was used in a greenhouse pot experiment with leafy vegetables (lettuce and amaranth) having strong Cd and Zn accumulation tendencies. Soil media with variable levels of available Cd, Zn, and Cu (measured using 0.01 M CaCl2 extraction) were prepared by diluting SAS with several levels of uncontaminated control soil. Despite long-term aging in the field, the sludge site soil still retains large reserves of heavy metals, residual organic matter, phosphorus, and other nutrients, but its characteristics appear to have stabilized over time. Nevertheless, lettuce and amaranth harvested from the sludge-treated soil had undesirable contents of Cd and Zn. The high plant uptake efficiency for Cd and Zn raises a concern regarding the quality and safety of leafy vegetables in particular, when these crops are grown on soils that have been amended heavily with sewage sludge products at any time in their past.

Impacts of climate change on the microbial safety of pre-harvest leafy green vegetables as indicated by Escherichia coli O157 and Salmonella spp.

PubMed

Liu, Cheng; Hofstra, Nynke; Franz, Eelco

2013-05-15

The likelihood of leafy green vegetable (LGV) contamination and the associated pathogen growth and survival are strongly related to climatic conditions. Particularly temperature increase and precipitation pattern changes have a close relationship not only with the fate and transport of enteric bacteria, but also with their growth and survival. Using all relevant literature, this study reviews and synthesises major impacts of climate change (temperature increases and precipitation pattern changes) on contamination sources (manure, soil, surface water, sewage and wildlife) and pathways of foodborne pathogens (focussing on Escherichia coli O157 and Salmonella spp.) on pre-harvested LGVs. Whether climate change increases their prevalence depends not only on the resulting local balance of the positive and negative impacts but also on the selected regional climate change scenarios. However, the contamination risks are likely to increase. This review shows the need for quantitative modelling approaches with scenario analyses and additional laboratory experiments. This study gives an extensive overview of the impacts of climate change on the contamination of pre-harvested LGVs and shows that climate change should not be ignored in food safety management and research. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An ortholog of LEAFY in Jatropha curcas regulates flowering time and floral organ development.

PubMed

Tang, Mingyong; Tao, Yan-Bin; Fu, Qiantang; Song, Yaling; Niu, Longjian; Xu, Zeng-Fu

2016-11-21

Jatropha curcas seeds are an excellent biofuel feedstock, but seed yields of Jatropha are limited by its poor flowering and fruiting ability. Thus, identifying genes controlling flowering is critical for genetic improvement of seed yield. We isolated the JcLFY, a Jatropha ortholog of Arabidopsis thaliana LEAFY (LFY), and identified JcLFY function by overexpressing it in Arabidopsis and Jatropha. JcLFY is expressed in Jatropha inflorescence buds, flower buds, and carpels, with highest expression in the early developmental stage of flower buds. JcLFY overexpression induced early flowering, solitary flowers, and terminal flowers in Arabidopsis, and also rescued the delayed flowering phenotype of lfy-15, a LFY loss-of-function Arabidopsis mutant. Microarray and qPCR analysis revealed several flower identity and flower organ development genes were upregulated in JcLFY-overexpressing Arabidopsis. JcLFY overexpression in Jatropha also induced early flowering. Significant changes in inflorescence structure, floral organs, and fruit shape occurred in JcLFY co-suppressed plants in which expression of several flower identity and floral organ development genes were changed. This suggests JcLFY is involved in regulating flower identity, floral organ patterns, and fruit shape, although JcLFY function in Jatropha floral meristem determination is not as strong as that of Arabidopsis.

Elongation-related functions of LEAFY COTYLEDON1 during the development of Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Junker, Astrid; Mönke, Gudrun; Rutten, Twan; Keilwagen, Jens; Seifert, Michael; Thi, Tuyet Minh Nguyen; Renou, Jean-Pierre; Balzergue, Sandrine; Viehöver, Prisca; Hähnel, Urs; Ludwig-Müller, Jutta; Altschmied, Lothar; Conrad, Udo; Weisshaar, Bernd; Bäumlein, Helmut

2012-08-01

The transcription factor LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (LEC1) controls aspects of early embryogenesis and seed maturation in Arabidopsis thaliana. To identify components of the LEC1 regulon, transgenic plants were derived in which LEC1 expression was inducible by dexamethasone treatment. The cotyledon-like leaves and swollen root tips developed by these plants contained seed-storage compounds and resemble the phenotypes produced by increased auxin levels. In agreement with this, LEC1 was found to mediate up-regulation of the auxin synthesis gene YUCCA10. Auxin accumulated primarily in the elongation zone at the root-hypocotyl junction (collet). This accumulation correlates with hypocotyl growth, which is either inhibited in LEC1-induced embryonic seedlings or stimulated in the LEC1-induced long-hypocotyl phenotype, therefore resembling etiolated seedlings. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed a number of phytohormone- and elongation-related genes among the putative LEC1 target genes. LEC1 appears to be an integrator of various regulatory events, involving the transcription factor itself as well as light and hormone signalling, especially during somatic and early zygotic embryogenesis. Furthermore, the data suggest non-embryonic functions for LEC1 during post-germinative etiolation. © 2012 The Authors. The Plant Journal © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Dietary intake of 210Po and 210Pb in the environment of Goa of south-west Coast of India.

PubMed

Avadhani, D N; Mahesh, H M; Karunakara, N; Narayana, Y; Somashekarappa, H M; Siddappa, K

2001-10-01

This paper deals with the distribution and activity intake of 210Po and 210Pb in food, diet, and potable water samples of the Goa region and the estimated committed effective dose due to ingestion of these radionuclides. The activity concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb were determined in about 30 food and diet samples from different places of Goa in order to know the distribution and intake of these radionuclides. The activity concentration of 210Po in fish and prawn samples were significantly higher than concentrations found in vegetable and rice samples. Higher concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb were observed in leafy vegetables than in non-leafy vegetables. Among the diet samples the activity concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb in non-vegetarian meal samples were relatively higher than in vegetarian meal and breakfast samples. The committed effective dose due to annual intake of 210Po was found to be 94.6 microSv, 49.1 microSv, 10.5 microSv, and 2.2 microSv and that of 210Pb found to be 81.6 microSv, 59.9 microSv, 14.6 microSv, and 2.0 microSv for the ingestion of non-vegetarian meal, vegetarian meal, breakfast, and potable water, respectively.

Survival and growth of foodborne pathogens in pesticide solutions routinely used in leafy green vegetables and tomato production.

PubMed

Dobhal, Shefali; Zhang, Guodong; Royer, Tom; Damicone, John; Ma, Li Maria

2014-11-01

The consumption of fresh produce has increased tremendously in the past few years as have outbreaks of foodborne illnesses associated with these commodities. Pesticides routinely used in crop production could influence the outcomes of foodborne pathogen contamination of fresh produce. Experiments were performed to determine the effects of pesticides on the survival and growth characteristics of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. Eight commercial fungicides and insecticides commonly used for disease and insect pest control on leafy green vegetables and tomatoes were evaluated. Among the pesticides tested, copper hydroxide, acetamiprid, cypermethrin and permethrin were found to be significantly (P < 0.05) inhibitory to pathogens while no effect was observed for chlorothalonil, flonicamid and methoxyfenozide. At the highest concentration tested (2.66%), azoxystrobin had a significant (P < 0.05) stimulatory effect on the growth of E. coli O157:H7 after 24 h incubation. The results indicated that some pesticides can stimulate the growth of human pathogens if contaminated water is used in their preparation, whereas others were likely to inhibit or reduce pathogen populations. This information is helpful in mitigating the risk of microbial contamination in fresh produce, which is critical to public health and safety. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Fruit and vegetable consumption and lung cancer risk: a case-control study in Galicia, Spain.

PubMed

Tarrazo-Antelo, Ana Marina; Ruano-Ravina, Alberto; Abal Arca, José; Barros-Dios, Juan Miguel

2014-01-01

Lung cancer has multiple risk factors and tobacco is the main one. Diet plays a role, but no clear effect has been consistently observed for different fruit and vegetable consumption. We aim to assess the association between fruit and vegetable consumption and lung cancer risk through a hospital-based case-control study in Spanish population. We recruited incident lung cancer cases in 2 Spanish hospitals from 2004 to 2008. Controls were individuals attending hospital for trivial surgery. Cases and controls were older than 30 and did not have a neoplasic history. We collected information on lifestyle with special emphases on tobacco and dietary habits. We included 371 cases and 496 controls. We found no protective effect for overall fruit consumption. For green leafy vegetables, the odds ratio (OR) was 0.92 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.32-2.69), and for other vegetables the OR was 0.77 (95% CI = 0.40-1.48) for the categories compared. We observed a reduced risk for broccoli and pumpkin intake. Although fruit consumption does not seem to be associated with a lower lung cancer risk, only the frequent consumption of specific green leafy vegetables and other vegetables might be associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer.