Ready-to-eat (RTE) food sold in Quetta, Pakistan was assessed for microbial contamination. Methods: Equal numbers of samples were collected from four categories of RTE foodburgers, shawarma, pizza and sandwichesfrom January 2018 to December 2018. Microbial contamination of individual food samples was assessed by quantifying the total aerobic count obtained from plating samples on bacterial growth medium. Salmonella spp. serovars were identified using polymerase chain reaction. Results: Approximately 38% (121/320) of RTE food samples were not fit for human consumption. The most contaminated type of RTE food was shawarma (49%). Microbial contamination of food samples was higher in summer compared with the other seasons. Approximately 40% (49/121) of food samples that were not fit for human consumption were contamined with Salmonella spp. Salmonella enteritidis (69%) and Salmonella typhimurium (31%) were the only serovars among the samples testing positive for Salmonella spp. Of the 49 samples with high microbial counts, S. enteritidis was present in 34 samples and S. typhimurium was present in 15 samples. The antibiotic sensitivity results demonstrated that both S. enteritidis and S. typhimurium were resistant to amoxicillin. In addition, S. enteritidis was resistant to chloramphenicol and erythromycin, and S. typhimurium presented high resistance to erythromycin. Both S. typhimurium and S. enteritidis were highly sensitive to kanamycin. Conclusion: RTE food sold by street vendors in Quetta was found to be contaminated with Salmonella spp. and poses a great health risk to consumers. As such, consumption should be avoided, and the health authorities should take stringent action to ensure the quality of street food in order to reduce the healthcare burden.

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Quality milk production in modern dairy systems is facing many challenges. Salient in them is mastitis which is responsible for decline in milk production, altered milk composition and compromised udder health. The malaise consists of multiple bacterial etiologies which can be broadly classified into contagious pathogens and environmental pathogens S. aureus is being isolated invariably in all epidemiological studies, followed by E. coli. Pathogenic virulence in mastitis is often accounted due to microbial ability of producing wide array of virulence factors that enhances pathogenicity and sustainment potential in the epithelial linings of udder. Mastitis affects quality parameters of milk i.e. constitutional as well as mineral profile due to local damage and inflammatory mediators. It decreases the lactose secretion because of oxidative stress generated due to the formation of free radicals in the milk. In mastitic milk, IgG2 becomes the predominant antibody which is thought to be the main opsonin supporting neutrophil phagocytosis in the bovine mammary gland. Therefore, it plays a significant role in the battle against mastitis pathogens. Mastitis infected cow shows a notable elevated level of the sodium and chlorine and demoted level of calcium, potassium and inorganic phosphorus. In micro minerals, mastitis affects are pretty much same as in most macro minerals i.e. lower down their concentration in milk secretion. Consistent preventive strategy alongside strict surveillance and biosecurity is recommended for combating this challenge.