Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the allelopathic effects of the extracts and residue Arctotis arctotoides (L.f.) O. Hoffm on selected vegetable crops. The study aimed to address the following specific objectives to (i) examine the ultra structures of the leaf of A. arctotoides using the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), (ii) carry out comprehensive qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis of the root and shoot materials of the plant, (iii) investigate the allelopathic activities of the root and shoot aqueous extracts of A. arctotoides at concentrations of 10, 8, 6, 4 and 2 mg/ml on germination, radicle and plumule growth of cabbage, carrot, tomato and spinach, (iv) evaluate the inhibitory effects of the dried shoot residue of the plant at 10, 20 and 40 g kg-3 of soil (treatments B, C and D) and the control (treatment A) on the morphology, growth and chlorophyll pigment content of tomato and cabbage transplants at 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks after transplanting and (v) assess the effects of the dried shoot residue of A. arctotoides on the yield, nutrient uptake by the leaves of tomato and cabbage at 4 and 12 weeks after transplanting. Finally, to analyze the residual mineral content of the soils with tomato and cabbage transplants at 12 weeks after transplanting. The the SEM revealed that anisocytic stomata and glandular trichomes (GTs) were numerous on the abaxial than the adaxial surfaces of A. arctotoides. The non glandular trichomes (NGTs) were also present on both surfaces but lesser on the abaxial. Morphologically, the GTs were peltate, uniseriate and globular head while the NGTs were cylindrical and filamentous with variable number of cells at the basal portion. The energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy of some crystals showed that Na+ Mg2+ and Ca2+ were the major constituents of the crystal deposit found around the GTs and stomata. The results of the phytochemical composition of the root and shoot extracts of A. arctotoides confirmed the occurrence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, saponnins, tannins and triterpenes as the common constituents. In addition, cardiac glycosides and steroids were also detected in the shoot of the A. arctotoides. Quantitative estimation of the chemical constituents of the crude extracts further revealed that the alkaloid content in the root higher (0.97 percent) than the shoot (0.64 percent). The quantity of flavonoids detected in the shoot (1.02 percent) was more than that observed in the root (0.35 percent). Others (phenolics and tannins) were marginal in the two plant parts. The results of the inhibitory effects of the root and shoot aqueous extract at the varying concentrations showed that root extract at 10 mg/ml considerably reduced the germination of cabbage, carrot, tomato and spinach seeds by 84.0, 83.2, 72.8 and 37.4 percent respectively. Incubation of the shoot extract at the same concentration resulted in 100 percent inhibition of cabbage and carrot seed germination whereas those of tomato and spinach were suppressed by 91.5 and 61.2 percent respectively. The two extracts at the varying concentrations also had a significant reduction on the radicle and plumule growth of the four vegetables. Addition of the shoot residue to the soil showed massive chlorosis, necrotic lesions and wilting of tomato and cabbage leaves under treatments C and D at 2 weeks after transplanting. The number of leaves, leaf area, dry shoot and root weight of the two vegetables grown in the amended soils were also drastically reduced. The inhibition percentages due to the addition of the three concentrations of A. arctotoides dried shoot residue on the dry shoot weight at 4 weeks after transplanting were 38.6, 45.5 and 70.3. for tomato and 57.5, 73.3 and 87.5 percent for cabbage. Similarly, the declines in the dry root weight of 61.3, 82.9.4 and 83.4 percent for tomato as well as 53.1, 54.7 and 67.2 percent for cabbages were recorded for the two vegetables under treatment B, C and D during the period. The results further showed that the dry fruit yield and shoot weight of tomato under the treatments B, C and D decreased with increase in shoot residue concentrations of A. arctotoides. Relative to treatment A, no significant differences were recorded in the dry head weight of cabbage under the residue treated groups. The reductions in the fruit yield and fresh head weight caused by treatments C and D were 37.2 and 84.8 percent for tomato and 30.9 and 72.4 percent for cabbage. The findings on the mineral contents in the leaves of the two vegetables revealed significant differences in the uptake of N, Mg, Na, Cu and Fe by tomato leaves. The concentrations of N, K, Na and Zn in cabbage leaves also differed. However, the P content was relatively constant in the leaves of the two vegetables at 4 and 12 weeks after transplanting. At 12 weeks after transplanting, the Fe content in soils with tomato and cabbage treatments C and D was greatly enhanced in comparison with the other nutrients. The residual N, P and Zn detected in soils planted to cabbage were similarly equal among all the groups including the control. Thus, under the greenhouse experiment, Arctotis arctotoides (L.f) O. Hoffm has been shown to contain some phytotoxic chemical compounds in its root and shoot materials. The compounds either singly or collectively have demonstrated some inhibitory potentials on the germination, growth and yields of cabbage, carrot, tomato and spinach evaluated in this study.

The purpose of this problem is to determine the presence and extent of antibiotic materials as found in the oleoresins of a selected group of garden vegetables. The problem has consisted of, first, the collection and preparation of specimens of twenty-five commonly used garden vegetables; second, the extraction of the oleoresins from these; third, the determination of the inhibitory and other effects of these oleoresins against several strains of selected gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria; and fourth, the evaluation of the potentialities of these oleoresins with regard to their future use as medicinal prophylactics and therapeutics.

This investigation was carried out in order to determine whether or not blanching and freezing tends to reduce the incidence of bacteria, particularly those of the coliform group, and also the yeasts and molds.

This investigation has for its aim the explanation of the incidence of colon bacteria on a number of food samples purchased in grocery stores of Denton, Texas, by an analysis of correlative sanitary factors.

Thesis (MSc Food Sc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The agricultural sector of South Africa is currently facing a serious water crisis. The decreased availability of water as a result of climate change and the constantly growing population has left many farmers increasingly dependant on surface water as primary source of irrigation. Urbanisation along with out-dated and insufficient wastewater treatment works have all contributed to polluting large volumes of these resources. Consequently, many farmers have been forced to use irrigation water, not only of poor quality, but often water which has been polluted with untreated sewage. As a result, this project aimed at investigating the link between the quality of irrigation water and the impact on the safety of fresh produce. A base-line of the microbial load at three sites along the Plankenburg and Eerste Rivers was established using standard microbial methods for the detection of indicator organisms such as total and faecal coliforms, Escherichia coli and Enterococci as well as potential pathogens that included Salmonella, Listeria, Staphylococcus, endosporeformers and aerobic colony counts. Chemical parameters such as pH, alkalinity, conductivity and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were also monitored, but were not correlated to microbial pollution levels in the rivers. High faecal coliform and E. coli concentrations, ranging from 310 to 7 x 106 cfu.100 mL-1 and 230 to 7 x 106 cfu.100 mL-1, respectively, were detected. The recommended irrigation water guidelines of ≤1 000 (WHO, 1989) and ≤4 000 cfu.100 mL-1 (DWAF, 2008) for faecal coliforms and E. coli were exceeded, indicating faecal pollution and thus a high health risk. This health risk was confirmed when potential pathogens such as Aerococcus viridans, Klebsiella, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium were detected at all three sites. The carryover of organisms from rivers to produce (green beans and grapes) was investigated by comparing the microbial population of the Plankenburg and Eerste Rivers to the population recovered from irrigation water and the surface of fresh produce. Faecal coliforms, E. coli, Aerococcus viridans, Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella, L. innocua, L. grayi, L. monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus were detected in all three sample types, indicating a similarity between the microbial populations found in the river, the irrigation water and produce. Thus, the transfer of potential pathogens from the rivers to produce is a strong possibility. The build-up of organisms on the surface of green beans as a result of multiple irrigations was also confirmed by an increase in faecal coliform concentrations from initial concentrations of none detected to 44 000 cfu.100 mL-1 over a 10 day irrigation period. Finally, microbial source-tracking techniques including multi-antibiotic resistance (MAR) profiling, and the API 20E classification system were used to determine genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of 92 faecal isolates (from irrigation water and produce) and 13 reference strains. Numerical classification systems was used to classify the 105 faecal isolates according to the degree of similarity between the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of the 105 isolates. A high degree of similarity indicates a high probability that isolates originate from the same strain and therefore from the same source, thereby confirming the transfer of organisms Faecal isolates (93 and 98%, respectively) were found to be resistant to Vancomycin at both the 5 and 30 μg concentrations. The majority of isolates presented some resistance to Erythromycin (15 μg) and Ampicillin (25 μg), with 82% of isolates presenting an inhibition zone ≤4 mm. Isolates were sensitive towards Ciprofloxacin (1 and 5 μg), Ofloxacin (15 μg), Ceftriaxone (30 μg) and Cefotaxime (5 μg), which were able to inhibit the growth of 79.8, 93.3, 79.8, 88.5 and 71.2% of the isolates, respectively. The 13 medical reference strains all presented different genotypic and phenotypic characteristics and thereby indicated a high degree of variability between isolates from the same species. Finally, 35% of the isolates could be grouped together based on similar genotypic and phenotypic characteristics, therefore, more than a third of the faecal isolates obtained from the surface of the fresh produce was as a result of faecal contaminants in the irrigation water. It could therefore be concluded that a health risk is associated with the water from the Plankenburg and to a lesser extent, Eerste River when used as source of irrigation, thereby risking the transfer of potentially harmful organisms, present in the rivers as result of faecal pollution, to the surface of fresh produce. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika stuur tans af op 'n dreigende water krisis. Klimaatsverandering tesame met 'n spoedig groeiende bevolking het gelei tot 'n aansienlike vermindering in die land se varswaterbronne terwyl veranderende reënvalpatrone daartoe bygedra het dat talle boere al hoe meer afhanklik geword het van oppervlakvarswaterbronne as hul hoof-besproeïngsbron. Verstedeliking, armoede asook verouderde en onvoldoende infrastrukture het egter bygedra tot die besoedeling van baie van hierdie oppervlakvarswaterbronne. Gevolglik is meeste boere genoodsaak om klaar te kom met besproeïngswater van, nie net onaanvaarbare mikrobiese kwaliteit nie, maar dikwels water wat gekontamineer is met onbehandelde riool. Hierdie studie was gevolglik daarop gemik om die impak van die mikrobiologiese kwaliteit van besproeïngswater op die veiligheid van vars groente en vrugte te bepaal. Standaard mikrobiologiese metodes vir die bepaling van indikator organismes soos totale en fekale kolivorms, E. coli en enterococci asook potensiële patogene wat Salmonella, Listeria en Staphylococcus insluit, was gebruik om die mikrobiese lading by drie verskillende punte (P1, P2 en P3) in die Plankenburg en Eerste Rivier te bepaal. Chemiese parameters soos pH, alkaliniteit, konduktiwiteit en Chemiese Suurstof Behoefte was ook bepaal maar geen korrelasie kon tussen hierdie eienskappe en die mikrobiese besoedelingsvlakke getref word nie. Hoë konsentrasies fekale kolivorms en E. coli wat onderskeidelik vanaf 3.1 x 102 tot 7 x 106 kve.100 mL-1 en 2.3 x 102 tot 7 x 106 kve.100 mL-1 gestrek het en gereeld die voorgeskrewe riglyne van onderskeidelik ≤1 000 (WHO, 1989) en ≤4 000 kve.100 mL-1 (DWAF, 2008) oorskry het, was by al drie punte gevind. Hierdie resultate het gedui op fekale besoedeling wat gevolglik met 'n hoë gesondheidsrisiko geassosieer kon word. Hierdie risiko was bevestig deur die teenwoordigheid van talle potensiële patogene, soos Aerococcus viridans, Klebsiella, Listeria monocytogenes en Salmonella typhimurium, wat vanaf al drie punte geïsoleer was. Die oordrag van organismes vanaf die besoedelde riviere na vars vrugte en groente (groen bone en druiwe) was bepaal deur die mikrobiese lading in die Plankenburg en Eerste Rivier te vergelyk met dié verkry vanuit die besproeïngswater en vanaf groen bone wat besproei was met hierdie water. Fekale kolivorms, E. coli, Aerococcus viridans, Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella, L. innocua, L. grayi, L. monocytogenes en Staphylococcus aureus was vanaf al drie die monster tipes geïsoleer. Hierdie resultate het gedui op eenderse mikrobiese populasies in al drie bronne en het daarom die moontlike oordrag van patogene bevestig. Die opbou van organismes as gevolg van veelvuldige besproeïngsessies aan die oppervlak van groen bone was bevestig deur die toename in fekale kolivorm konsentrasie vanaf 'n begin telling van nul tot 'n maksimum konsentrasie van 44 000 kve.100 mL-1. Laastens was mikrobiologiese bron naspeurbaarheidstegnieke soos multi-antibiotika weerstandbiedende profiele en die API 20E klassifikasie sisteem gebruik om individuele genotipe en fenotipe profiele van die 105 fekale isolate saam te stel. Numeriese klassifikasie sisteme was gebruik om die isolate op grond van ooreenkomste tussen hul individuele fenotipiese en genotipiese karaktereienskappe te groeppeer. 'n Hoë mate van ooreenkomstigheid sal dan daarop dui dat isolate van dieselfde besoedlingsbron afkomstig is en gevolglik die oordrag van organismes vanaf besproeïngswater na vrugte en groente bevestig. Onderskeidelik 93 en 98% van die fekale isolate het daarop gedui om weerstandbiedend te wees teen beide 5 en 30 μg Vancomycin. Die meerderheid isolate (82%) het ook 'n mate van weerstand teenoor Erythromycin (15 μg) en Ampicillin (25 μg) getoon met inhibisie sones ≤4 mm. Isolate was ook sensitief teenoor Ciprofloxacin (1 en 5 μg), Ofloxacin (15 μg), Ceftriaxone (30 μg) en Cefotaxime (5 μg). Hierdie antibiotikums was in staat om die groei van onderskeidelik 79.8, 93.3, 79.8, 88.5 en 71.2 % van die isolate te inhibeer. Alhoewel resultate 'n hoë mate van variasie tussen isolate van dieselfde spesie getoon het was dit nogtans moontlik om 35% van die isolate saam te groeppeer op grond van ooreenstemmende genotipe en fenotipe profiele. Meer as 'n derde van die fekale isolate wat vanaf die oppervlakte van die groente en vrugte geïsoleer was, was afkomstig vanaf fekale besmetting in die besproeïngswater. Die oordrag van potensieël patogene organismes vanaf besoedelde riviere na vars vrugte en groente tydens besproeïng was sodoende bevestig. 'n Hoë gesondheidsrisiko was gevolglik gekoppel aan die gebruik van water vanaf die Plankenburg Rivier, en in 'n minder mate die Eerste Rivier, as bron van besproeïngswater. / Water Research Commission / National Research Foundation

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and moringa (Moringa oleifera) are nutritious and medicinal vegetables, but could also harbor harmful microbial contaminants. The main aim of the project was to determine the effect of each processing techniques on the microbiology, proximate nutrients and shelf life of these vegetables to produce nutritious, tasty, safe and long lasting vegetable products. The processing techniques used were: washing, blanching, and drying. Leaf samples were collected at each stage of processing and were analysed for total viable count, coliform count, yeast and mould count and nutritional content. Microbial plate analysis showed the presence, particularly on cowpea leaves, of yeasts and bacteria such as Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Staphylococci, Streptococci, and enterobacter including enteropathogens such as Salmonella spp., Shigella dysenteriae and E coli. The presence of E.coli on the leaves was also confirmed using polymerase chain reaction-amplified ribosomal DNA analysis. The most effective processing technique which reduced microbial load to below SABS standards while retaining nutritional quality was the washing of the leaves twice with tap water followed by steam tunnel blanching at 94oC for 12 minutes. Oven drying the leaves at 60oC gave satisfactory and extended shelf life results. Proximate analysis comparison of the two leaf types showed that on average moringa leaves contained more ash (2.37 vs 1.1 g), protein (6,9 vs 3,6 g), fat (0,41 vs 0.2 g) and energy (305,1 vs 70KJ) but less dietary fibre (0,9 vs 7,5 g) than cowpea leaves. No significant differences were noted in these values following washing and steam blanching. These results indicate that washing of these leaves is effective as to reducing microbial load and maintaining proximate values in the short term (up to 4 days) but that oven drying is effective for longer-term storage. / Life and Consumer Sciences / M. Sc. (Life Sciences)

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and moringa (Moringa oleifera) are nutritious and medicinal vegetables, but could also harbor harmful microbial contaminants. The main aim of the project was to determine the effect of each processing techniques on the microbiology, proximate nutrients and shelf life of these vegetables to produce nutritious, tasty, safe and long lasting vegetable products. The processing techniques used were: washing, blanching, and drying. Leaf samples were collected at each stage of processing and were analysed for total viable count, coliform count, yeast and mould count and nutritional content. Microbial plate analysis showed the presence, particularly on cowpea leaves, of yeasts and bacteria such as Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Staphylococci, Streptococci, and enterobacter including enteropathogens such as Salmonella spp., Shigella dysenteriae and E coli. The presence of E.coli on the leaves was also confirmed using polymerase chain reaction-amplified ribosomal DNA analysis. The most effective processing technique which reduced microbial load to below SABS standards while retaining nutritional quality was the washing of the leaves twice with tap water followed by steam tunnel blanching at 94oC for 12 minutes. Oven drying the leaves at 60oC gave satisfactory and extended shelf life results. Proximate analysis comparison of the two leaf types showed that on average moringa leaves contained more ash (2.37 vs 1.1 g), protein (6,9 vs 3,6 g), fat (0,41 vs 0.2 g) and energy (305,1 vs 70KJ) but less dietary fibre (0,9 vs 7,5 g) than cowpea leaves. No significant differences were noted in these values following washing and steam blanching. These results indicate that washing of these leaves is effective as to reducing microbial load and maintaining proximate values in the short term (up to 4 days) but that oven drying is effective for longer-term storage. / Life and Consumer Sciences / M. Sc. (Life Sciences)