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Hazelnut (Corylus avellana) allergy exhibits age and geographically distinct sensitization patterns that have not yet been fully resolved.To study sensitization to Cor a 11 in different age groups of hazelnut-allergic patients and infants with atopic dermatitis (AD) sensitized to hazelnut in a birch-endemic region.Sera from 80 hazelnut-allergic patients, 33 infants under 1 year of age with AD (24 sensitized and 9 not sensitized to hazelnut), 32 healthy control individuals, and 29 birch pollen-allergic but hazelnut-tolerant individuals were tested for immunoglobulin (Ig) E reactivity to Cor a 11 by ImmunoCAP. IgE reactivity to Cor a 1.01, Cor a 1.04, Cor a 8, and Cor a 9 was studied by ISAC microarray.Forty patients (22 preschool children, 10 schoolchildren, and 8 adults) with systemic reactions on consumption of hazelnut were sensitized to Cor a 11 (respective rates of 36%, 40%, and 12.5%). Forty patients (6 preschool children, 10 schoolchildren, and 24 adults) reported oral allergy syndrome but only 2 of them (of preschool age) were sensitized to Cor a 11. Two (8%) of the AD infants sensitized to hazelnut showed IgE reactivity to Cor a 11. This reactivity was not observed in any of the AD infants without sensitization to hazelnut, in any of the birch-pollen allergic patients without hazelnut allergy, or in any of the healthy control individuals.Sensitization to Cor a 11 in a birch-endemic region is predominantly found in children with severe hazelnut allergy, a finding that is consistent with observations concerning sensitization to Cor a 9.

Feeding infants with maize can expose them to fumonisin mycotoxins. We assessed fumonisin exposure from complementary foods in rural Tanzania and determined strategies to reduce the exposure. We conducted a cross-sectional study in four villages of Tarakea division, Northern Tanzania. We used a repeat 24-hour dietary recall to collect data of maize consumption as complementary food for 254 infants aged 6-8 months. Fumonisin concentrations in the maize were also estimated. Fumonisin exposure was assessed using @risk analysis software. With the software, several maximum fumonisin contamination and maize consumption patterns were combined in order to determine effective strategies for minimizing fumonisin exposure. Of the infants, 89% consumed maize at amounts up to 158 g/person/day (mean; 43 g/person/day +/- 28). The maize was contaminated with fumonisins at levels up to 3201 microg kg(-1) . Risk of fumonisin intake above the provisional maximum tolerable daily limit of 2 microg kg(-1) body weight was 15% (95% confidence interval; 10-19). The risk was minimized when the maximum contamination was set at 150 microg kg(-1) . The risk was also minimized when the maximum consumption was set at 20 g/child/day while keeping the maximum contamination at the European Union (EU) maximum tolerated limit (MTL) of 1000 microg kg(-1) . Considering the economical and technological limitations of adopting good agricultural practices in rural Tanzania, it is practically difficult to reduce contamination in maize to 150 microg kg(-1) . We suggest adoption of the EU MTL of 1000 microg kg(-1) for fumonisins in maize and reduction, by replacement with another cereal, of the maize component in complementary foods to a maximum intake of 20 g/child/day.

De mens maakt gebruik van een brede waaier aan diensten en grondstoffen die door ecosystemen worden geproduceerd. Deze zijn algemeen gekend onder de noemer ‘ecosysteemdiensten’. In Vlaanderen zijn ecosysteemdiensten nog maar weinig ingeburgerd. Toch bezit het concept een heel groot potentieel om een bredere basis te geven aan het natuurbehoud in Vlaanderen. Al te veel wordtnatuurbehoud nog gezien als een fenomeen met beperkte maatschappelijke relevantie: economische ontwikkeling gaat dikwijls voor omwille van de korte-termijn winsten. Het beschrijven en evalueren van ecosysteemdiensten laat toe om meer onderbouwde beleidskeuzes te maken in functie van een duurzame ontwikkeling van Vlaanderen, waarbij de vereiste integratie van economie en ecologie wordt gemaakt. Om deze benadering ook in Vlaanderen ingang te doen vinden is er dringend behoefte aan meer inzicht in de ecologische processen, meer kennis over de status van de ecosysteemdiensten en van de eindigheid van de winsten die eruit voortvloeien. Het begrijpen van ecosysteemdiensten vereist een stevige basis in de ecologie, die de onderliggende principes en interacties tussen organismen en hun omgeving beschrijft. Deze opdracht wil hiervoor de basis leggen.

We studied abundance and feeding behaviour of wintering Sanderling Calidris alba at five beaches along the Belgian coast, and focused on the role of polychaete worms in their diet. On average 10.0 Sanderlings were present per km stretched beach, of which 87.8% were involved in foraging activities. Highest numbers of Sanderling occurred on the beach from 2 hours before to 4 hours after low tide. Detailed observations of individual birds revealed a mean pecking rate of 18.7 pecks per min. Birds exhibited several feeding modes, and we distinguished superficial pecking (mainly feeding on wreck) and probing for polychaetes. Feeding on wreck was observed frequently and throughout the tidal cycle. In contrast, probing for polychaetes was limited in time, and occurred primarily when the tide reached the upper intertidal zone, where peak densities of Scolelepis squamata were found. Based on our observations, we conservatively estimated that during each tidal cycle this benthic species may provide only 2.0-9.0% of a Sanderling’s daily energy demand. Numbers of Sanderlings appeared to be lowest when capture rates on polychaetes were highest. We therefore suggest that polychaetes are of minor importance for Sanderlings foraging along Belgian beaches.

In this work, the TMAO-reduction by Shewanella baltica, one of the representative spoilage organisms in modified atmosphere packaged marine fish fillets, and the effect of acetate and CO2 on this reduction were studied in vitro. The growth of S. baltica and the corresponding evolution of some compounds (acetate, lactate, pyruvate, glucose and trimethylamine (TMA)) were followed during storage at 4 degrees C in two types of broths. The first medium was a defined medium (pH = 6.8) to which lactate or pyruvate was added as hydrogen donor. Pyruvate showed to be more efficient as H-donor for S. baltica than lactate, as growth was much faster when equimolar amounts of pyruvate instead of lactate were present. Although the growth of S. baltica, when pyruvate is used as H-donor and no acetate is added, was not much inhibited by the CO2-atmosphere, CO2 had a pronounced effect on the studied reactions as it partly inhibited the reduction of pyruvate to acetate. The effect of acetate on this reaction was, on the other hand, not significant. To simulate the reactions occurring in situ, a buffered fish extract (pH = 6.8) was used. In spite of the neutral pH, the growth of S. baltica in this medium was highly inhibited by relatively small concentrations of acetate (< 0.3%). When 0.1% of acetate was added to the fish extract, less acetate was formed and lactate was more slowly consumed in comparison to the experiments without the addition of acetate. The consumption of lactate and the production of acetate were almost completely inhibited when the fish extract contained 0.25% of acetate. Apparently, the addition of acetate inhibited the use of lactate as H-donor. After extended storage times (17 days at 4 degrees C) TMA production started. Most probably, alternative H-donors were used by S. baltica, from which the pathway seems to be less energy efficient. This can be deduced from the exceptional growth inhibition of S. baltica by small amounts of acetate. However, when practical storage times for fish (e.g. 6 days at 4 degrees C after packaging) are considered, growth and TMAO-reduction by S. baltica was completely inhibited during this period by 0.25% of acetate.