Grapes from Vitis rotundifolia ( Muscadine) are rich sources of different phenolic compounds, (e.g. ellagic acid, myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol, resveratrol, etc.) which are purported to provide health benefits, possibly as antioxidants. Anthocyanins, a pigmented subgroup of the flavonoid group, are responsible for intense pigmentation in the grapes. Maximizing anthocyanins in products is a priority for color, and preservation of potential health benefits. This research focused on measuring changes in the anthocyanins as wine is produced commercially from a single crop of Vitis rotundifolia var. Ison grapes. Samples were taken at points throughout the vintification process, and phenolics and anthocyanins were analyzed. In addition to examining characteristics from the pre-fermented must and finished wine, skins, juice, and press cake were extracted and analyzed to quantify the distribution and changes in the anthocyanins in various fractions during the vinification process. HPLC using a mixed mode C18 column with a diode array detector analysis to detect monomeric glycosylated and polymerized anthocyanins. Potassium metabisulfite bleaching was used to determine polymerized anthocyanins. The study was limited to one crop year from one vineyard which limited annual and spatial variability. Results identified six anthocyanins: cyanidin, malvidin, petunidin, peonidin, delphinidin, and pelargonidin dihexoses, Concentration of each anthocyanin increased with time, increasing extraction of pigments from the skins until the pressing step. No significant difference was found in anthocyanin concentrations over time when analyzed by HPLC after pressing; however, microplate analysis of total monomeric anthocyanins by pH differential did show a significant loss in anthocyanins during fermentation, contrasting with concentrations observed by HPLC. Observed declines varied significantly among the identified anthocyanin forms; however, total phenolic levels by Folin-Ciocalteu did not exhibit this decline. Significant levels of polymerized anthocyanins were not detected by either method. These data show, under the study conditions, that anthocyanin forms within Ison variety muscadine grapes are differently resistant to the enological process. Cyanidin and delphinidin forms were most affected, with higher rates of extraction and declines throughout the process. Petunidin and peonidin dihexose forms, showing similar trends, were less drastically affected, malvidin and pelargonidin forms displayed a non-trend, remaining at similar concentrations throughout processing This research focused on measuring changes in the anthocyanins as wine is produced in a commercial winery from a single crop of Vitis rotundifolia var. Ison grapes. Samples were taken at various points throughout the vintification process, and the phenolics and anthocyanins were analyzed. In addition to examining characteristics from the pre-fermented must and finished wine, skins, juice, and press cake were extracted and analyzed to quantify the distribution and changes in the anthocyanins in various fractions during the vinification process. HPLC using a mixed mode C18 column with a diode array detector analysis to detect monomeric glycosylated and polymerized anthocyanins. Potassium metabisulfite bleaching was also used to determine polymerized anthocyanins. The study was limited to one crop year from one vineyard which limited annual and spatial variability. Results identified six anthocyanins: cyanidin, malvidin, petunidin, peonidin, delphinidin, and pelargonidin dihexoses, Concentration of each wine-based anthocyanin increased with time increasing extraction of pigments from the skins until the pressing step. Refined cane sugar was added after pressing, that treatment was correlated with a sharp decline in wine must anthocyanin possibly due to low levels of sulfite in the sugar. After pressing and sugar addition there was no significant difference found in anthocyanin concentrations over time when analyzed by HPLC; however, microplate analysis of total monomeric anthocyanins by pH differential did show a significant loss in anthocyanins during fermentation, contrasting with the concentrations observed by HPLC. Observed declines varied significantly among the identified anthocyanin forms; however, total phenolic levels by Folin-Ciocalteu did not exhibit this same decline, and significant levels of polymerized anthocyanins were not detected by either potassium metabisulfite bleaching or HPLC methods. These data show that under the study conditions that the anthocyanin forms within the Ison variety of muscadine grapes are differently resistant to the enological process. Cyanidin and delphinidin dihexose forms were the most affected, with higher rates of extraction and declines throughout the process. Petunidin and peonidin dihexose forms, while showing similar trends, were less drastically affected, and malvidin and pelargonidin dihexose forms displayed a non-trend, remaining at similar concentrations throughout processing.

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection is the leading worldwide cause of acute viral hepatitis, and its outbreaks often occur from fecal contaminated shellfish. HAV is extremely stable in the environment and can survive 3~10 months in water. In addition, HAV can be bio-concentrated by shellfish by as much as 100 fold from fecal contaminated waters. Bacteriophage MS2 is used widely as a surrogate for HAV, and its presence has been proven to be a reliable indication of the presence of HAV. A rapid detection of viral contamination in water environments can prevent economic loss and can identify the source of contamination within a short time. However, the conventional methods for virus concentration and detection are often laborious, time consuming, and subject to clogging. Furthermore, most methods require a secondary concentration step to further reduce the final volume of samples. Hence the objective of this study was to develop a simple, rapid and inexpensive virus concentration method in aid of rapid detection. The use of granular activated carbon and zeolite were investigated. In the method, high levels of viruses (HAV or MS2) were inoculated into artificial seawater and concentrated by the adsorbents. The viruses were then eluted with protein denaturant and detected via real-time PCR (qPCR). While both adsorbents were more efficient in seawater than in fresh water, and were able to adsorb 6 logs of viruses from seawater, zeolite was able to adsorb ~99% of the viruses in less than 5 min at room temperature, and the entire concentration and detection can be done in approximately 2 h. Compared to existing methods, this method eliminated the need for a secondary concentration step, as well as the necessity to modify the pH or salinity of the seawater during concentration. The virus concentration method using activated carbon or zeolite could be a useful addition to the available methods for virus detection in seawater.

With an unpredictable market for gasoline and increased concerns with the pollution created by burning fossil fuels, there is a push for developing suitable replacements for gasoline. While corn-based ethanol production is the most common renewable biofuel produced in the United States, ethanol is not an ideal solution to gasoline replacement due to low energy density, hygroscopic and corrosive properties and inability to purify by distillation alone. Higher alcohols such as butanol do not have the same problems with energy density, purification and hygroscopic and corrosive properties. The fermentation of butanol by using solventogenic Clostridium species, creating acetone, butanol and ethanol (known as ABE fermentation) is one of the worlds oldest industrial fermentations. Since butanol is toxic to Clostridium species at a concentration of only 13 g/L, traditional batch fermentation of butanol with steam stripping distillation is currently not as economical as fermentation and distillation of ethanol. Fermentation using glucose produced higher solvent outputs, rates of productivity and yields than fermentations using sugarcane products as substrates. Butanol and total solvent production using glucose as a substrate averaged 7.2 (+/- 0.7) g/L and 11.2 (+/- 0.9) g/L, respectively. Fermentation using sugarcane molasses and sugarcane juice as substrates produced 6.5 g/L butanol and 9.7 g/L total solvents and 3.1 g/L butanol and 4.0 g/L total solvents, respectively. Production of butanol was increased to 9.1 g/L in a fermentation of glucose when soy oil was used as a coextractant. Fermentations in which the pH dropped below 4.80 showed decreased solvent production and the pH was unable to rise in the same manner as other fermentations. The acid crash was exhibited in several batch fermentations as well as continuous fermentation using an immobilized culture of C. beijerinckii optonii. The acid crash resulted in lowered solvent production, low pH and physiological differences in the cells in the culture. Fermentation using immobilized culture produced a maximum 5.4 g/L butanol and 6.8 g/L total solvents at a dilution rate of 0.18 hr-1 and 25 g/L initial glucose. Higher glucose levels and different dilution rates gave lower butanol and total solvent productions.

ABSTRACT Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) was generally considered as a hospital-associated disease; however, recent studies indicated that foods might also play a role in its epidemical chain. From August-2013 to February-2014, oyster samples and harvesting water samples were collected monthly from 6 commercial oyster harvesting areas along Louisiana Gulf Coast and analyzed for total aerobic bacteria, fecal coliforms, coliphage and pathogenic C. difficile. In this study, C. difficile were isolated from 9 (47.37%) of 19 oyster samples and 3 (37.5%) of 8 harvesting water samples and all isolations were carrying the toxin B-encoding gene (tcdB). Toxin B positive C. difficle was detected in all influent and effluent samples collected from a waste water treatment plant (WWTP) located in New Orleans, LA. However, the PCR-ribotyping showed that different strains of C. difficile were found in sewage effluent and oysters/harvesting water, suggesting the discharge of treated sewage might not contribute to the transmission of C. difficile into the harvesting areas. No statistical significance was found between the density of fecal coliform/E. coli in oysters and the occurrence of C. difficile, according to a binary logistic regression model (odds ratio = 1.025 and 0.997). The concentration of Male-specific (F+) Coiphage and Somatic Coliphage in oysters was also found not to be directly related to the occurrence of C. difficile in oysters due to the low detection rate.

Aquaculture has grown rapidly as the worlds wild-caught fisheries approach their sustainable limits. Feed conversion in aquaculture is more efficient than in terrestrial animals. Thus with a growing world population, seafood produced through aquaculture can provide a high quality source of protein. Aquaculture systems rely on high stocking densities and commercial feeds to increase production and profitability, which increase animal stress and susceptibility to disease. Veterinary drugs are commonly used to prevent and treat disease outbreaks. Several of these drugs are banned for use in shrimp farming in the United States. These drugs can be toxic to humans, with side effects that can be fatal. There is also an increased risk of developing antibiotic resistant strains of human pathogens, including Bacillus and Vibrio species. The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for the safety of all fish and fishery products entering the United States, but funding for testing is limited. Examples of drugs with high enforcement priority include chloramphenicol, nitrofurans, fluoroquinolones and quinolones, malachite green, and steroid hormones. State testing has repeatedly resulted in the detection of banned drugs. The objective of this study was to quantify veterinary drug residues in commercially available frozen shrimp. Imported, farm-raised shrimp samples were purchased from local supermarkets and include shrimp from seven brands and six different countries. A preliminary screening was done using rapid ELISA kits to test for chloramphenicol, malachite green, nitrofurans, and fluoroquinolones. Samples tested positive for chloramphenicol, malachite green, and fluoroquinolones; all samples tested negative for nitrofurans. ELISA results were confirmed using liquid chromatography with UV detection for chloramphenicol and fluoroquinolones and tandem mass spectrometry for malachite green. Drug residues in positive shrimp samples were confirmed for chloramphenicol at concentrations ranging from 0.30 to 0.49 ppb, and enrofloxacin from 1.22 to 5.95 ppb. Results suggest that current testing by the FDA may not be adequately addressing imported seafood safety. Concurrently analyzed wild-caught shrimp from the US tested negative for all veterinary drugs considered.

Nationwide, seafood consumers are paying close attention to their seafood options and demanding transparency on point of origin. Recent studies have shown that shrimp can reflect the mineral content of the waters from which they are harvested. Mineral analysis was conducted using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry on the tail muscle from each coastal group and imported farmed raised samples. Analysis of variance was used to detect differences among catch locations and seasons along the Louisiana coast, as well as differences in the mineral profile of farm raised imported shrimp. Multivariate analysis of variance and descriptive analysis was used to evaluate which minerals contributed the greatest variance to the mineral profiles (Al, P, Fe, Mg, K, Na, Cu, Zn, and Ca) of Louisiana shrimp from over 100 sampling sights. The minerals Ca, and to a lesser extent Zn and Cu were identified as the most discriminating minerals (canonical correlation=0.8269, 0.3929, and 0.5547, respectively). Based on predictive discriminant analysis using cross validation of nine minerals, the catch zones of Louisiana wild caught shrimp could be predicted with an overall accuracy of 86.93% and specifically into the correct zones 1, 2, and 4 with 73.68%, 74.85%, and 95.40% accuracy, respectively.

Wild plants have long been a component of the diet of the Cherokee Indians. In this study, traditional knowledge of edible wild plants as a food source has been shown to exist in present day Cherokee society and the use of and beliefs about wild plants and other natural resource foods have been documented from accounts on the historic Cherokee. It was noted that knowledge of wild plants may be passed from one generation to another by word of mouth. Attitudeds and beliefs toward teh consumption of wild plants affected the use of this knowledge. The active collection of data pertained to present day food use of wild plants by Cherokee Indians. Data pertaining to plant identification, season of procurement, and perparation and preservation methods were collected with use of an interview schedule. There were 78 plants positively identified by the informants of this study. Season of availability governed the food use of the wild plants. Preservation methods were found to extend or eliminate this seasonal availability. Some wild plant preparation and preservation methods could be grouped into standardized form. Standard preparations methods existed for some greens and the fruit juices. Mixing or combinations of greens was noted to be prevalent; season of availability and flavor being the main determinants of the plants utilized. Present day use was made of canning and drying as preservation methods for the wild plants of this study. Freezing was noted as a little used preservation method of the wild plants of this study.

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