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Objectives. The current study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Clostridium perfringens in meat products at meat fairs in four cities of West Kazakhstan from April to October 2021. Methods. In total, 240 samples were collected and subsequently examined for the presence of Clostridium perfringens and its associated toxins using a standard culture method and multiplex PCR assay. Results. In the 240 samples, 67 (30%) tested positive for Clostridium perfringens. All isolates were classified as biotype A with the ability to produce α toxin. The prevalence of Clostridium perfringens was found in almost all types of meat products tested. Beef samples 20/40 (50%) were found the most contaminated with a pathogen, followed by minced lamb 16/40 (40%), ground beef 11/40 (27.5%), lamb 9/40 (22.5%), beef intestines 7/40 (17.5%) and lamb intestines 4/40 (10%). Conclusions. The outcomes of our study demonstrated the high contamination rate of Clostridium perfringens in local meat products. This study is also the first survey on Clostridium perfringens prevalence in meats in Kazakhstan. The findings in this report will enhance knowledge of epidemiology and help develop coordinated actions to prevent and control possible food poisoning outbreaks.

Microwave pyrolysis of finely ground jatropha seed biochar was used as bio-filler to develop biocomposites. Effects influencing the mechanical properties of the biocomposites were investigated based on varied material ratio. Ratios by percentage of weight were determined by Doptimal (custom) mixture design using the Stat Ease "Design Expert". The mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and microhardness, were the dependent variables (response). Bio-filler content was optimised to attain the overall best mechanical properties for the biocomposites. The optimized biocomposite that showcased good tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and microhardness biocomposite ratio's predicted mechanical properties mean values were tensile strength (9.53 MPa), modulus of elasticity (0.730 GPa), and microhardness (20.4 HV) for polylactic acid and biofiller mixture; and tensile strength (7.92 MPa), modulus of elasticity (0.668 GPa), and microhardness (18.7 HV) for polylactic acid, biofiller, and poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride) mixture. Models generated by the mixture design showcased some degree of noise and error present; however, the outcome through the optimization step was generally reliable for predicting the mechanical properties. Additional data gathered through experimental testing and replicates could improve the reliability of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphological and thermal properties of composites containing a bioplastic blend and micro/nano-sized biochar from pyrolyzed jatropha seeds from microwave pyrolyzed jatropha seeds were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. The biocomposite samples exhibited a brittle structure with a slightly ductile chip-like appearance. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results for the PLA/PEMA/BC bio-composites were comparable to the PLA/BC biocomposites. A lower bio-filler content had more pronounced peak intensities than the higher bio-filler content biocomposites. The added PEMA compatibilizer in the PLA/PEMA/BC biocomposite showed more pronounced peaks, which indicated slightly improved bonding/interaction between the bio-filler and the matrix. Overall, increasing bio-filler content did not drastically affect the functional groups of the biocomposites. Thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry analysis showed the developed biocomposites had a slight improvement in thermal stability, in comparison to the PLA sample. Improvements in the thermal stability of the PLA/PEMA/BC biocomposite could be attributed to the additional hydroxyl group, which was due to the added PEMA in the PLA and PLA/BC. According to the results of the analysis of the developed biocomposites, the biocomposites were more brittle and had reasonable thermal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]