Muitos vegetais são consumidos crus em saladas. Desse modo, se não forem devidamente higienizados, poderão veicular patógenos. No Brasil, a alface (Lactuca sativa) é uma das hortaliças mais consumidas. Em função disso, este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o nível de contaminação por parasitas em amostras de alfaces comercializadas in natura e de alfaces prontas para consumo, servidas cruas em restaurantes do tipo self-service do município do Rio de Janeiro. No período de julho a outubro de 2010 foram coletadas 90 amostras, sendo 60 comercializadas in natura (30 da variedade lisa e 30 da crespa) e 30 da variedade crespa servidas em restaurantes. As amostras foram analisadas na Subgerência de Parasitologia da Unidade de Diagnóstico, Vigilância, Fiscalização Sanitária e Medicina Veterinária Jorge Vaitsman, sendo utilizada a técnica de Dennis, Stone e Swanson. De 90 amostras, 70% estavam contaminadas por parasitas. Estatisticamente, não houve diferença significativa entre alfaces lisas e crespas in natura, mas houve diferença estatística significativa entre alfaces crespas in natura e servidas em restaurantes. Os parasitas encontrados foram: ovos e larvas de Strongyloides sp., ovos de ancilostomídeos, larvas de estrongilídeos, ovos de Hymenolepis sp., oocistos de coccídeos, cistos de Entamoeba sp. e oocistos de Isospora sp. Os resultados revelam a importância do fortalecimento do sistema de Vigilância Sanitária e da orientação de produtores de hortaliças, manipuladores de alimentos e da população em geral sobre a importância da aquisição de hortaliças de proveniência confiável, assim como da necessidade de boa lavagem e desinfecção das folhas de alface antes do consumo. Palavras-chave: Parasitas. Alface. Saúde Pública. Vigilância Sanitária. AbstractMany raw vegetables are eaten in salads. Thus, they can carry pathogens when no properly sanitized. In Brazil, lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is one of the main vegetable components of salads. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of parasites contaminating lettuce samples commercialized in natura as well as raw lettuce served in self-service restaurants in Rio de Janeiro municipality.

The objective of this work was to perform the chemical characterization of marine bonefish (Albula vulpes) and the development of fish burgers. Three formulations of fish burgers were prepared, containing 5, 8, and 10% cassava starch and functional ingredients (onion, garlic, and ground white pepper). Proximate composition, microbiological and pH analyses of the raw material, and fish burgers were performed, as well as the sensory analyses of the fish burgers. The yield and nutritional value of bonefish was found to be comparable with those of species of commercial value, with high-protein and low-lipid contents. The protein content of the fish burgers varied from 17.52 to 19.40 g 100 g-1 (raw), and from 20.74 to 24.25 g 100 g-1 (grilled); and the lipid contents ranged from 0.20 to 0.73 g 100 g-1 (raw), and from 0.36 to 0.77 g 100 g-1 (grilled). In the sensory tests, the formulations received scores between six and seven on the nine-point hedonic scale. Acceptance indexes were higher than 70% for all the assessed attributes. Therefore, the use of this underutilized species proves to be feasible.

Bacteria of Mollicutes Class are associated with intramammary infection and decrease in milk production. This study investigated the occurrence of Mollicutes and elucidated their risk factors in dairy herds from Southeast Brazil. For this, milk samples from 387 lactation cows from Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo States were subjected to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect Mollicutes. Species of Mycoplasma were investigated in Mollicutes positive samples by PCR, including Mycoplasma bovis, M. alkalescens, M. bovigenitalium, M. bovirhinis, M. arginini and A. laidlawii. An epidemiological questionnaire was applied to collect data on possible risk factors, which were assessed using Pearson’s Chi-square test followed by odds ratio (P≤0.05). Mollicutes were reported in 21% (4/19) of the herds and 4% (16/387) of the animals, while 1% (5/387) were positive for M. bovis and 3% (11/387) for M. arginini. All samples were negative to the other agents. Herds with more than 150 animals [OR=3.51 (95% CI 1.11-11.08)], manual milking [OR=9.97 (95% CI 2.80-35.49)] and not-milking animals with mastitis last [OR=6.54 (95% CI 1.92-22.29)] were risk factors. The presence of these conditions may favor intramammary infection by Mollicutes in dairy herds from Southeast Brazil. This is the first report of M. bovis in Rio de Janeiro and M. arginini in the studied states.

Mycoplasma bovis is a highly contagious agent associated with several pathologies in cattle. The detection of reactive antibodies to M. bovis by Indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (iELISA) identifies if there was an exposure to the microorganism. The current study aimed to optimize an iELISA from M. bovis total cell antigen, applying it to bovine serum samples, and to evaluate risk factors. Serum samples were obtained from 400 cows from 17 herds from Southeast Brazil. In the optimization of iELISA, the following was established: 2 μg/mL of antigen, sera dilution 1:300, and conjugate dilution 1:15000. The frequency was 62.3% (249/400) of reactive animals and 100% (17/17) of reactive herds. Risk factors were: herds with more than 100 animals (OR= 3.1; CI= 95%); Holstein breed (OR= 72.5; CI= 95%); cows (OR= 29.7; CI= 95%); intensive breeding system (OR= 3.3; CI= 95%); associated small ruminant production (OR= 4.4; CI= 95%); milk production above 500L (OR= 2.9; CI= 95%); no quarantine (OR= 1.5; CI= 95%); mechanical milking (OR= 5.5; CI= 95%) and cases of mastitis (OR= 5.5; CI= 95%). The proposed iELISA was able to detect antibodies reactive to M. bovis in bovine serum. Knowledge of these risk factors can assist in the implementation of prophylactic measures.