Thymus bovei (Zateer Barry), a native plant species in Jordan, is highly endangered. This thyme species was known for its healing properties. For long-term conservation of T. bovei shoot tips, different cryopreservation methods were examined. For vitrification methods, plant vitrification solution (PVS2) treatment was applied to shoot tips using two phases (60% then 100% concentration) with 10 min each. The highest survival and regrowth percentages (80% and 45%) were obtained using PVS2 for 60 min following cryopreservation. Furthermore, using 2 M glycerol with sucrose at 0.4 M as a loading solution was the best when compared to the results provided by the other combinations of loading solutions (survival 60% and regrowth 30%). In the loading solution and PVS type experiment, explants were treated with 2 M glycerol and 0.4 M, with PVS2 producing the highest results (60% and 30%) of survival and regrowth, respectively, as compared to findings obtained with other loading and PVS solution types. Using encapsulation dehydration methods, survival (85%) and regrowth (50%) rates were attained after incubated in up to three days in sucrose at (0.5 M), then with six hours of dehydration. Finally, cryopreservation using V-cryoplate gave about 85% survival and 40% regrowth rates after treating in PVS2 for 40 min. These findings highlight effective cryopreservation techniques for conserving T. bovei, emphasizing the need for further development and application of these methods to safeguard this valuable species.
Access to safe water, adequate sanitation, and proper hygiene (WASH) is critical for public health, environmental sustainability, and rural livelihood resilience. In Southwest Nigeria, rural and peri-urban communities remain underserved, with gaps in WASH practices affecting health and productivity. This study examines WASH as an environmental asset shaping sustainable livelihoods among households in Osun and Ogun States. A three-stage random sampling technique was used. Results show that 94.18% of households had access to safe water, yet reliance on well water remains high; 69.72% had sanitation facilities, though open defecation persists; and 84.19% had hand-washing facilities, with notable hygiene gaps before food preparation. Household size, income, marital status, and education significantly influenced WASH performance at a 5% significance level. SUR results revealed that WASH practices significantly improved health security and enhanced other livelihood domains such as education and empowerment security. The findings recommend the need for integrated interventions linking WASH to rural development, climate resilience, and household economic empowerment.
The occurrence of mycotoxins in staple foods is a major food safety concern due to their adverse health effects. This study investigated the occurrence and concentrations of seven major mycotoxins—total aflatoxins (AFT), aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisins (FMN), ochratoxin A (OTA), T-2/HT-2 toxin, and zearalenone (ZEN)—in cereals and legumes marketed in Jordan. A total of 150 samples, comprising cereals (wheat, corn, barley, and rice; n = 60) and legumes (turmos, beans, chickpeas, lentils, peas, and kidney beans; n = 90), were analyzed using RIDASCREEN® competitive ELISA kits. Widespread contamination was detected. In cereals, AFT had the highest prevalence (86.6%), followed by ZEN (70.0%) and AFB1, DON, and OTA (46.7–48.3%). Maximum concentrations reached 23.32 μg kg⁻¹ for AFT, 24.36 μg kg⁻¹ for AFB1, 4.20 mg kg⁻¹ for DON, 3.32 mg kg⁻¹ for FMN, 4.36 μg kg⁻¹ for OTA, 0.86 mg kg⁻¹ for T-2/HT-2, and 99.81 μg kg⁻¹ for ZEN. In legumes, OTA was most prevalent (55.0%), followed by AFT (47.1%) and DON (43.7%). Frequent co-occurrence of multiple mycotoxins highlighted potential cumulative exposure. Dietary exposure assessment indicated variable consumer exposure, emphasizing the need for continuous monitoring, improved storage practices, and strengthened food safety management to minimize consumer risk.
Foodborne illnesses associated with ready-to-eat (RTE) salads are an emerging public health concern in Jordan's warm climate. This study evaluated the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of 481 salad vendors and chefs across various establishments using structured questionnaires and on-site observations. Demographic results from the "salads KAP paper final 26 R1.doc" file showed that 76.9% of participants were male, 42.6% held a university degree, and 90.2% had received food safety training. Knowledge assessments revealed a high awareness regarding proper storage temperatures (86.9%) and the importance of hand washing (94.8%). However, critical gaps remained: 54.3% incorrectly believed refrigeration at 4°C kills bacteria, and 43.7% thought tasting could detect contamination. Attitudes were overwhelmingly positive, with 98.5% recognizing the importance of food safety and 99.2% routinely checking expiration dates to remove expired products. In practice, 94.0% used separate, designated tools for salad preparation, 69.0% used food-grade sanitizing chemicals for washing produce, and 88.6% maintained accurate refrigerator temperature logs. While overall awareness was high and attitudes were positive, institutional training and strict oversight were identified as the main drivers of higher KAP scores. Tougher enforcement of standards is vital to ensure microbiological safety. Ultimately, the study concludes that targeted educational interventions, infrastructure improvements, and management commitment are essential to sustain high compliance, prevent contamination risks in RTE salad production, and build a stronger food safety culture that boosts consumer confidence in Jordan.
The hairy-tailed fig aphid, Greenidea ficicola (Hemiptera: Aphididae), was first recorded on the common fig, Ficus carica L., 1753, in Algeria. This aphid was collected in the spring of 2022 from F. carica and Ficus retusa L., 1767 trees in agricultural orchards and urban parks throughout the Mostaganem and Mascara provinces in northwest Algeria. Different stages (nymph and adult) and forms (apterae and alatae) of this species were described morphologically.
