دکتر مهدی احمدی

According to the importance of Anopheles mosquitoes, in the transmission of malaria and control of disease transmitter is one of the important strategies for the prevention of diseases. This study aimed to produce plant insecticides using blue extracts of oleander plants, tobacco, ferula, and Achilles Mille folium essential oils and copper oxide nanoparticles synthesized by pomegranate peel extract on the Anopheles Stephens mosquitoes to solve the problems by chemical insecticides.

In this laboratory research, the effect of blue extracts with concentrations (0.66, 1.3, and 2.6) microliters in a milliliter of leaves and stems of oleander, tobacco, ferula, and Achilles Mille folium essential oil on the Anopheles mosquito (Anopheles. Stephens: Bandar Abbas strain) was studied. To optimize these extracts, antibacterial properties of thyme were used to prevent mold growth. In addition, the insecticidal effect of copper oxide nanoparticles synthesized from pomegranate peel extract was considered. To identify nanoparticles synthesized by spectroscopic analysis Vis-UV, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray energy diffraction (EDX) was used.

The results showed that copper oxide nanoparticles of pomegranate extract with antibacterial properties were obtained with LC50 = 0.70. It had a good insecticidal effect on Anopheles Stephens mosquito specimens. But oleander plants with LC50 less than copper Nan oxide showed more lethality.

  But since fennel is a poisonous plant and is harmful to non-target organisms and humans, it cannot be a good alternative to plant insecticides. In contrast, copper oxide nanostructures do not harm humans or non-target organisms.

This study aimed to investigate chemical and microbiological properties of 1260 meat product samples, including sausage, bologna, hotdog, Kebab, and hamburger, in Hamadan, Iran from 2012 to 2015.

All microbial (total viable count as well as Coliform, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, mold, and yeast counts) and chemical (pH as well as salt, phosphate, sodium nitrite, moisture, protein, total fat, starch, nitrite, nitrate, and ash contents) properties were assessed by AOAC method.

Microbial tests on sausage and bologna samples showed that the total count of microorganisms was higher (37.3%) than the national standard limit. In 11.3% of Kebab samples, the number of yeasts and molds was higher than the national standard limits. Also, in 3.5 and 17.07% of hamburger samples, the total count of microorganisms as well as the number of molds and yeasts were higher than the national standard limits, respectively. In 34.6% of bolognas, 15.9% of sausages, 3.8% of hamburgers, and 54.3% of hotdogs, the moisture content was above the national standard. The fat content was above the national standard in 34.7% of sausages, 1.4% of Kebabs, 9.8% of bolognas, 1.2% of hamburgers, and 6.5% of hotdogs.

The present study results showed that the level of contamination of a considerable number of samples was not matched with national standards, which could be a major health risk for consumers.

Wheat is one of the most widely consumed cereals in the world, especially in Asian countries. There is always a possibility to have carcinogenic toxic agents during the bread preparation process. This study aimed to investigate the influence of the milling process on aluminum contamination levels in produced flours in Alborz province.

After preparing 60 samples of wheat, Sangak flour, Lavash or Taftoon flour from flour milling factories in Alborz province, the concentration of aluminum was quantified by ICP-OES. Data analysis was performed using Prism and SPSS software.

The milling machine affected the amount of aluminum level in the samples in the present study. The contamination level of aluminum has increased after the milling process. The highest average concentration of aluminum was 1.959 ± 0.560 mg/kg.

Bread is considered the main food source for the Iranian people. To preserve food security and decreasing the food contamination, Continuous monitoring and Enforce strict regulation is essential to maintain the quality of wheat and flour in the market. In the present study, the average concentration of aluminum in wheat and flour samples of Alborz province was in agreement with the standard set by the EU, Codex, and Iran.