Informatics Publishing Limited

Neetu ¹, Kiran Bains ¹, Madhu ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Home Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, IN

Abstract

This study collected data on food workers' self-reported food safety practices and beliefs about factors that impacted their ability to prepare food safely. The workers (Manager, Head-cook, Assistantcook, Waiters, dishwashers, Sweepers and people on counter) of 12 sweet shops were interviewed regarding cleaning and hygiene practices followed by them. Only in one sweet shop, one food handler had received formal training in food hygiene. All the workers washed their hands prior to handling the materials. In 17 per cent of sweet shops, plain water was used, 67 per cent of shops used soap and water and 17 per cent used polythene or plastic bags as hand gloves. Plain water, soap or detergent was used by all the workers for washing the cooking and serving utensils. Almost all the shop keepers used a disinfectant for cleaning purposes. For washing the floors, plain water and mop was used in 50 per cent of shops, surf and wet cloth was used in 50 per cent shops. Floor was cleaned once in 67 per cent of shops while twice and thrice a day in 17 per cent and 17 per cent of shops, respectively. Fly trappers were used in 42 per cent of shops. Wiping cloths were reused next day in all the shops after washing with soap and water in 83 per cent of shops and 17 per cent of shops used detergent. For the floor, disinfectants were used by all the workers once in 2-3 days. 83 per cent shops had deep freezers and 17 per cent did not have. 67 per cent of workers had knowledge regarding the freezer temperature for storage of sweets. Results suggest that food safety programs need to address the full range of factors that impact food preparation behaviours.

Keywords

Food Safety,hygienic Practices, Cleaning, Sanitation, Public Health

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Madhu ¹, Anita Kochhar ², Neetu ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Food and Nutrition College of Home Science Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana Punjab, IN
2 Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Home Science Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana Punjab, IN

Abstract

Synbiotics is the term used for a mixture of probiotics (live microbial feed additives that beneficially affects the host animal) and prebiotics (non-digestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the organism). The manipulation of composition of the gut microbiota in infants and adults through dietary supplementation is possible by probiotic/prebiotic/synbiotic therapies. Probiotic products (dietary supplements containing potentially beneficial bacteria or friendly bacteria) and prebiotics (mainly oligosaccharides and disaccharides) make up an important part of maintaining intestinal health. The probiotics use the prebiotics as a food source, which enables them to survive for a longer period of time inside the human digestive system than would otherwise be possible. Synbiotics (probiotics + prebiotics) enable to improve the viability of probiotics and to deliver specific health benefits. Probiotic/prebiotic/ synbiotic characteristics include antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic, antidiarrheal and antiallergenic qualities, osteoporosis prevention, ulcerative colitis, reduction in serum fats and blood sugars, regulation of the immune system and treating liver-related brain dysfunction. Age-related changes in gut physiology, microbiota and mucosal immune response are well established. Moreover, exposure to different challenges during life such as early encounter of environmental insults in the newborn, infant formula feeding, antibiotic treatment, gastrointestinal diseases and stress, also interferes with the normal development and balance of the healthy gut microbiota. Therefore, the current short review gives an overview of today's main aspects of the effect of fibres, probiotics and synbiotics on the health and immune system in different life-stages.

Keywords

Synbiotic, Probiotics

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S. K. Singh ¹, Rajat Saxena ¹, Akhilesh Porwal ¹, Neetu ¹, S. S. Ray ¹

Affiliations
1 Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare, Pusa Campus, New Delhi 110 012, IN

Abstract

Heavy rainfall and hailstorm events occurred in major wheat-growing areas of India during February and March 2015 causing large-scale damages to the crop. An attempt was made to assess the impact of hailstorms in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh (UP), Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh (MP) using remote sensing data. Multi-year remote sensing data from Resourcesat 2 AWiFS was used for the purpose. Wheat crop map, generated by the operational FASAL project, was used in the study. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) deviation images were generated from the NDVI images of a similar period in 2014 and 2015. This was combined with the gridded data of cumulative rainfall during the period. The logical modelling approach was used for damage classification into normal, mild, moderate and severe. It was found that the northern and southern districts in Haryana were severely affected due to rainfall/ hailstorm. Eastern Rajasthan and western MP were also highly affected. Western UP was mildly affected. Crop cutting experiments (CCE) were carried out in two districts of MP. The CCE data showed that the affected fields had 7% lower yield than the unaffected fields. Empirical yield model was developed between wheat yield and NDVI using CCE data. This model was used to compute the loss in state-level wheat production. This showed that there was a reduction of 8.4% in national wheat production. The production loss estimated through this method matched with the Government estimates.

Keywords

Crop Cutting Experiments, Hailstorm, Rainfall, Remote Sensing, Wheat.

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Neetu ¹, V. N. Tiwari ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Electronics and Communication, Manipal University, Jaipur, IN

Abstract

In this paper a new kind of Magneto-Electric dipole antenna, composed of a planar electric dipole and a shorted patch has been designed to generate an end-fire radiation pattern in Ku band. The antenna provides a wide impedance bandwidth of 23.9% and peak directivity of 8.7dBi. Antenna also provides low cross polarization level in the entire range of operation. The antenna has a great scope to be used in airborne RADAR applications in Ku band.

Keywords

Magneto-Electric Dipole, Cross Polarization, Directivity, Impedance Bandwidth, Airborne Radar.

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