Nas últimas décadas as espécies de Campylobacter spp. são reconhecidas como importantes agentes de gastroenterites de origem alimentar em humanos em diversos países, tendo como principal veículo de transmissão a carne de frango. Devido ao aumento da frequência com que é isolada a partir de humanos, animais, alimentos e água, esta bactéria tem sido foco crescente de atenção nos últimos 30 anos. No Brasil, ainda são limitadas as informações sobre esta bactéria na cadeia de produção de aves, não existindo legislação que contemple o controle de Campylobacter. A alta incidência na avicultura, a presença natural deste patógeno nos animais e os graves problemas de saúde pública gerados tornam essa bactéria alvo de esforços para prevenção e controle. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar se a metodologia de contagem direta proposta pela normativa MLG 41.02 teria eficiência na monitoria em diferentes amostras avícolas e paralelamente comparar o desempenho de dois ágares (mCCDA e Campy-Cefex) na contagem de Campylobacter spp. Foram realizadas quatro tomadas de amostras em um frigorífico da região Sul do país, durante um mês, sendo a amostragem composta por suabes de cloaca, carcaças pré-chiller, carcaças pós-chiller, água pré-chiller, água do chiller, e amostras de água de abastecimento. O ágar Campy-Cefex obteve maior frequência de isolamento de Campylobacter spp. em diferentes amostras avícolas quando comparado com o ágar mCCDA. Houve redução significativa de contaminação ao longo da linha de abate, com níveis de 9,8 x 102 UFC/mL em carcaças préchiller e 1,5x102 UFC/mL em carcaças pós-chiller. Do total de amostras em que foram realizadas a PCR, 72% foram positivas para Campylobacter jejuni e 38% positivas para Campylobacter coli. A metodologia mostrou-se eficiente e possível de ser aplicada na indústria avícola, em diferentes materiais, para monitoria de Campylobacter. / In recent decades the Campylobacter spp. species are recognized as important agents of foodborne gastroenteritis in humans in several countries and the broiler meat as are pointed as the main vehicle of transmission. Due the increase in frequency isolation from humans, animals, food and water, this bacteria has received great attention in the last 30 years. The information about this bacteria are still limited in Brazil and in the poultry production chain, there are no laws to the Campylobacter’s control. The high incidence in poultry industry, the natural presence of this pathogen in animals and the serious concern in public health, lead this bacteria as target to prevention and control efforts. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the direct counting methodology proposed by MLG 41.02 rules would be efficient on monitoring different poultry samples, as well as to compare two agars plate (mCCDA and Campy-Cefex) performance’s to Campylobacter cell count. We carried out four samples taken in a slaughterhouse located at southern region of Brazil, during one month. The samples were composed by cloacal swabs, pre-chiller carcasses, post-chiller carcasses, pre-chiller water, chiller water, and water supply samples. The Campy-Cefex agar showed higher Campylobacter spp isolation frequency of among different poultry samples than mCCDA agar. There was a significant reduction in contamination along the slaughter line with levels of 9.8 x 102 CFU/mL in pre- chiller carcasses and 1.5 x102 CFU/mL in post-chiller carcasses. The samples typified by PCR, showed 72% of the samples as Campylobacter jejuni and 38% as Campylobacter coli. The methodology was efficient and also possible to be used in the poultry’s industry for different samples to Campylobacter monitoring program.

Nas últimas décadas as espécies de Campylobacter spp. são reconhecidas como importantes agentes de gastroenterites de origem alimentar em humanos em diversos países, tendo como principal veículo de transmissão a carne de frango. Devido ao aumento da frequência com que é isolada a partir de humanos, animais, alimentos e água, esta bactéria tem sido foco crescente de atenção nos últimos 30 anos. No Brasil, ainda são limitadas as informações sobre esta bactéria na cadeia de produção de aves, não existindo legislação que contemple o controle de Campylobacter. A alta incidência na avicultura, a presença natural deste patógeno nos animais e os graves problemas de saúde pública gerados tornam essa bactéria alvo de esforços para prevenção e controle. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar se a metodologia de contagem direta proposta pela normativa MLG 41.02 teria eficiência na monitoria em diferentes amostras avícolas e paralelamente comparar o desempenho de dois ágares (mCCDA e Campy-Cefex) na contagem de Campylobacter spp. Foram realizadas quatro tomadas de amostras em um frigorífico da região Sul do país, durante um mês, sendo a amostragem composta por suabes de cloaca, carcaças pré-chiller, carcaças pós-chiller, água pré-chiller, água do chiller, e amostras de água de abastecimento. O ágar Campy-Cefex obteve maior frequência de isolamento de Campylobacter spp. em diferentes amostras avícolas quando comparado com o ágar mCCDA. Houve redução significativa de contaminação ao longo da linha de abate, com níveis de 9,8 x 102 UFC/mL em carcaças préchiller e 1,5x102 UFC/mL em carcaças pós-chiller. Do total de amostras em que foram realizadas a PCR, 72% foram positivas para Campylobacter jejuni e 38% positivas para Campylobacter coli. A metodologia mostrou-se eficiente e possível de ser aplicada na indústria avícola, em diferentes materiais, para monitoria de Campylobacter. / In recent decades the Campylobacter spp. species are recognized as important agents of foodborne gastroenteritis in humans in several countries and the broiler meat as are pointed as the main vehicle of transmission. Due the increase in frequency isolation from humans, animals, food and water, this bacteria has received great attention in the last 30 years. The information about this bacteria are still limited in Brazil and in the poultry production chain, there are no laws to the Campylobacter’s control. The high incidence in poultry industry, the natural presence of this pathogen in animals and the serious concern in public health, lead this bacteria as target to prevention and control efforts. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the direct counting methodology proposed by MLG 41.02 rules would be efficient on monitoring different poultry samples, as well as to compare two agars plate (mCCDA and Campy-Cefex) performance’s to Campylobacter cell count. We carried out four samples taken in a slaughterhouse located at southern region of Brazil, during one month. The samples were composed by cloacal swabs, pre-chiller carcasses, post-chiller carcasses, pre-chiller water, chiller water, and water supply samples. The Campy-Cefex agar showed higher Campylobacter spp isolation frequency of among different poultry samples than mCCDA agar. There was a significant reduction in contamination along the slaughter line with levels of 9.8 x 102 CFU/mL in pre- chiller carcasses and 1.5 x102 CFU/mL in post-chiller carcasses. The samples typified by PCR, showed 72% of the samples as Campylobacter jejuni and 38% as Campylobacter coli. The methodology was efficient and also possible to be used in the poultry’s industry for different samples to Campylobacter monitoring program.

Nas últimas décadas as espécies de Campylobacter spp. são reconhecidas como importantes agentes de gastroenterites de origem alimentar em humanos em diversos países, tendo como principal veículo de transmissão a carne de frango. Devido ao aumento da frequência com que é isolada a partir de humanos, animais, alimentos e água, esta bactéria tem sido foco crescente de atenção nos últimos 30 anos. No Brasil, ainda são limitadas as informações sobre esta bactéria na cadeia de produção de aves, não existindo legislação que contemple o controle de Campylobacter. A alta incidência na avicultura, a presença natural deste patógeno nos animais e os graves problemas de saúde pública gerados tornam essa bactéria alvo de esforços para prevenção e controle. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar se a metodologia de contagem direta proposta pela normativa MLG 41.02 teria eficiência na monitoria em diferentes amostras avícolas e paralelamente comparar o desempenho de dois ágares (mCCDA e Campy-Cefex) na contagem de Campylobacter spp. Foram realizadas quatro tomadas de amostras em um frigorífico da região Sul do país, durante um mês, sendo a amostragem composta por suabes de cloaca, carcaças pré-chiller, carcaças pós-chiller, água pré-chiller, água do chiller, e amostras de água de abastecimento. O ágar Campy-Cefex obteve maior frequência de isolamento de Campylobacter spp. em diferentes amostras avícolas quando comparado com o ágar mCCDA. Houve redução significativa de contaminação ao longo da linha de abate, com níveis de 9,8 x 102 UFC/mL em carcaças préchiller e 1,5x102 UFC/mL em carcaças pós-chiller. Do total de amostras em que foram realizadas a PCR, 72% foram positivas para Campylobacter jejuni e 38% positivas para Campylobacter coli. A metodologia mostrou-se eficiente e possível de ser aplicada na indústria avícola, em diferentes materiais, para monitoria de Campylobacter. / In recent decades the Campylobacter spp. species are recognized as important agents of foodborne gastroenteritis in humans in several countries and the broiler meat as are pointed as the main vehicle of transmission. Due the increase in frequency isolation from humans, animals, food and water, this bacteria has received great attention in the last 30 years. The information about this bacteria are still limited in Brazil and in the poultry production chain, there are no laws to the Campylobacter’s control. The high incidence in poultry industry, the natural presence of this pathogen in animals and the serious concern in public health, lead this bacteria as target to prevention and control efforts. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the direct counting methodology proposed by MLG 41.02 rules would be efficient on monitoring different poultry samples, as well as to compare two agars plate (mCCDA and Campy-Cefex) performance’s to Campylobacter cell count. We carried out four samples taken in a slaughterhouse located at southern region of Brazil, during one month. The samples were composed by cloacal swabs, pre-chiller carcasses, post-chiller carcasses, pre-chiller water, chiller water, and water supply samples. The Campy-Cefex agar showed higher Campylobacter spp isolation frequency of among different poultry samples than mCCDA agar. There was a significant reduction in contamination along the slaughter line with levels of 9.8 x 102 CFU/mL in pre- chiller carcasses and 1.5 x102 CFU/mL in post-chiller carcasses. The samples typified by PCR, showed 72% of the samples as Campylobacter jejuni and 38% as Campylobacter coli. The methodology was efficient and also possible to be used in the poultry’s industry for different samples to Campylobacter monitoring program.

In recent decades the quality and safety of bottled water has come into question, while bottled water sales and demand have steadily grown. It is important that consumers as well as manufacturers are made aware of the microbial environment of bottled water. Many studies have been implemented to evaluate the microbiological content of bottled water. Although some laboratory studies have shown that microbial counts of bottled water can reach as high as 16^3 CFU/mL, few studies, if any, have studied the impact of storage location on bottled water microbial activity. This document reports on an investigation that evaluated the microbiological quality of bottled water relative to storage conditions and storage duration. Unlike previous studies that evaluated bottled water having been stored under the laboratory conditions, the work conducted in this study evaluated storage scenarios that included a car trunk, covered porch, indoor cabinet and refrigerator. These storage conditions allow for comparison of prior studies conducted in the laboratory to more realistic storage coniditions used by consumers. Analyses of bottled water under these alternative storage conditions indicated that microbial growth did occur in stored water and varied between lcoation and holding time. It was determined that heterotrophic plate counts (HPCs) were greater in warmer storage environments as was exhibited by the refrigerated and indoor locations. Additionally, mathematical models were developed in this work that predicted the microbial growth rate in bottled water as a function of holding time, using commonly available statistical software that evaluated data predicted using an exponential model (R2 correlation of up to 0.84) for two different storage conditions. Although increased levels of HPC bacteria are generally safe for those in good health, they are used as an indicator test for microbial quality. Furthermore, higher levels of HPC have also been shown to pose some additional health risks to immunocomprimised individuals. Therefore, results from the study would indicate that it may be beneficial for consumers to store their bottled water indoors or in a refrigerator.

In my thesis, I focused on monitoring of microorganisms in the sample of red grape juice and on the interactions between yeasts, bacteria and filamentous fungi. Three different media were applied for the cultivation of microorganisms; firstly for monitoring of total volume of microorganisms, secondly for yeasts and third time for lactic acid bacteria. The indirect method was used for the determination of the amount of viable cells. This method consists in enumerating of visible macroscopic colonies grown up on agar plates. When the cells grew up, the forms of colonies were analyzed visually and the morphology of microorganisms was detected microscopically. The operating time of enzymes in grape juice in the production of red wine was monitored after application of commercial enzymatic preparation. The enzym action in grape juice was observed on the basis of the process of degradation of high – molecular substrate by enzymes through the use of Ubbelohd´s viscometer. The research findings provided a lot of knowledge about the occurance of microflora in the process of production of red wine. The commercial preparations added to grape juice played a significant role.