Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

Resources

WATCH: Monday Motivation Webinar

Resources

WATCH: Monday Motivation Webinar

Webinar sheds light on food industry during lockdown

11 May 2020 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied

Read more — Food security and uncompromised food security are but two of the challenges facing the food industry.

When the national lockdown was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 23 March 2020, it was indicated that South Africa’s food supply sector was to remain fully functional. This sector was one of the essential systems for livelihood and thus remained operational.

Prof Arno Hugo from the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology’s Food Science division at the University of the Free State (UFS) participated in a webinar, #MondayMotivation on Foodfocus with academics in the food industry, Profs Lise Korsten from the University of Pretoria (Department of Plant and Soil Sciences) and Pieter Gouws (Department of Food Science and Director of the Centre for Food Safety) from Stellenbosch University.

Foodfocus’ #MondayMotivation was presented by Linda Jackson, a Director at Food Focus SA. The platform provides information from recognised experts and services providers and offers training, consultation, and auditing to ensure that role players comply with the regulations set for the industry.

A major focus of the webinar was on how well the food industry is performing under pressure during the lockdown initiated by government due to COVID-19. During the webinar, the academics also elaborated on their connection to the food industry.

Uncompromised food safety

Prof Hugo thanked the food industry for their commitment in this difficult time and encouraged them to continue with the essential services that they provide. This includes the agricultural production sector, the food ingredients industry, the food processing industry, the food distribution industry, as well as the retail sector.

“You are the frontline workers, our first line of defence, South Africans rely on you. You bring stability to the lives of every South African, providing us with safe and nutritious food. Due to your endeavours, our supermarket shelves are full and panic buying was therefore unnecessary. You work under difficult conditions at great personal risk, travelling to and from work. When working on factory floors, you had to adapt to even more strict hygiene protocols to prevent the spread of the virus,” he said.

Prof Korsten said the food industry is in uncertain times. She emphasised the role that the industry is playing in food security – providing food of uncompromised safety. Many people are concerned about whether the food they purchase is still safe.

“The circumstances under which the food industry is working are incredibly challenging,” said Prof Gouws. The Centre for Food Safety are working, among others, on building a food safety culture. “It is important to maintain consumer confidence in the safety of food as well as the availability of food. I believe the food industry is geared to ensure that the virus will not spread,” he added.

Is South Africa food secure?

Responding to the question of food security, Prof Hugo supported a statement by Agri SA Executive Director, Omri van Zyl, who said: “With the implementation of phase four lockdown, the entire South African agricultural value chain, with the exception of the local sale of tobacco and alcohol, was exempted. The export of wine and other agricultural products is now also allowed. Important agricultural services such as certification, inspection and quality control can continue.”

Referring to the opinion expressed by Paul Makhube, senior agricultural economist at FNB, Prof Hugo believes that one can stay positive about food security in the country. Makhube said: “South Africa expects its third largest maize harvest in history, while good harvests are also expected for soya peanuts and sunflower seed.”

“After the good rains, conditions are also more favourable for livestock production in some regions,” added Prof Hugo.

Makhube continued: “Livestock auctions can continue under Level 4 restrictions under strict hygienic conditions. The large reduction in the fuel price will also result in lower input and harvesting costs for farmers and lower food distribution costs.”

Prof Hugo also endorses the positive sentiments about food security from Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa, who said: “South Africa will produce significantly more maize than the local consumption and are not much dependent on meat imports, especially beef.”

“Due to a strong and stable primary agricultural sector and an efficient and technologically advanced food processing industry, South African consumers are assured of the availability of enough safe and nutritious food. From a food security perspective, South Africa is in a much better position than many other countries in the world,” Prof Hugo believes.

“A concern in our current situation, however, is household food security. Urgent interventions should be implemented in order for sufficient food supplies to reach the vulnerable and rising unemployed,” Prof Hugo reconed.

UFS adds to food science research

The UFS Division of Food Science is training undergraduate and postgraduate students for the food industry. Their research is mostly focused on chemical, microbiological and sensory quality, and stability of food. He added that the UFS has just completed the construction of a brand-new, well-equipped, and staffed Sensory Laboratory to deliver commercial sensory analysis services to the food industry.

Prof Hugo, whose field of specialisation is meat sciences and technology with a special interest in the lipid components of meat products, said the research he is working on includes how to change the diet of meat-producing animals to improve the health properties of fat tissue in meat. He is also investigating the use of natural preservatives and the effect of salt reduction on the quality and stability of meat products. This research group’s expertise in lipid chemistry also allows the department to conduct research on fats and oils and on the fat component of milk, dairy products, and plant foods.

He indicated that the department is working from home during lockdown to ensure that online teaching can take place, and that Food Science students at the UFS will be able to complete the 2020 Food Science curriculum.

News Archive

Inaugural lecture: Prof Robert Bragg, Dept. of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology

2006-05-17

Attending the inaugural lecture were in front from the left Prof Robert Bragg (lecturer at the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology) and Frederick Fourie (Rector and Vice-Chancellor). At the back from the left were Prof James du Preez (Departmental Chairperson: Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology) and Prof Herman van Schalkwyk (Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences). Photo: Stephen Collett

A summary of an inaugural lecture delivered by Prof Robert Bragg at the University of the Free State:

CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS AVIAN DISEASES – LESSONS FOR MAN?

Prof Robert R Bragg
Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology
University of the Free State

“Many of the lessons learnt in disease control in poultry will have application on human medicine,” said Prof Robert Bragg, lecturer at the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology during his inaugural lecture.

Prof Bragg said the development of vaccines remains the main stay of disease control in humans as well as in avian species. Disease control can not rely on vaccination alone and other disease-control options must be examined.

“With the increasing problems of antibiotic resistance, the use of disinfection and bio security are becoming more important,” he said.

“Avian influenza (AI) is an example of a disease which can spread from birds to humans. Hopefully this virus will not develop human to human transmission,” said Prof Bragg.

According to Prof Bragg, South Africa is not on the migration route of water birds, which are the main transmitters of AI. “This makes South Africa one of the countries less likely to get the disease,” he said.

If the AI virus does develop human to human transmission, it could make the 1918 flu pandemic pale into insignificance. During the 1918 flu pandemic, the virus had a mortality rate of only 3%, yet more than 50 million people died.

Although the AI virus has not developed human-to-human transmission, all human cases have been related to direct contact with infected birds. The mortality rate in humans who have contracted this virus is 67%.

“Apart from the obvious fears for the human population, this virus is a very serious poultry pathogen and can cause 100% mortality in poultry populations. Poultry meat and egg production is the staple protein source in most countries around the world. The virus is currently devastating the poultry industry world-wide,” said Prof Bragg.

Prof Bragg’s research activities on avian diseases started off with the investigation of diseases in poultry. “The average life cycle of a broiler chicken is 42 days. After this short time, they are slaughtered. As a result of the short generation time in poultry, one can observe changes in microbial populations as a result of the use of vaccines, antibiotics and disinfectants,” said Prof Bragg.

“Much of my research effort has been directed towards the control of infectious coryza in layers, which is caused by the bacterium Avibacterium paragallinarum. This disease is a type of sinusitis in the layer chickens and can cause a drop in egg product of up to 40%,” said Prof Bragg.

The vaccines used around the world in an attempt to control this disease are all inactivated vaccines. One of the most important points is the selection of the correct strains of the bacterium to use in the vaccine.

Prof Bragg established that in South Africa, there are four different serovars of the bacterium and one of these, the serovar C-3 strain, was believed to be unique to Southern Africa. He also recently discovered this serovar for the first time in Israel, thus indicating that this serovar might have a wider distribution than originally believed.

Vaccines used in this country did not contain this serovar. Prof Bragg established that the long term use of vaccines not containing the local South African strain resulted in a shift in the population distribution of the pathogen.

Prof Bragg’s research activities also include disease control in parrots and pigeons. “One of the main research projects in my group is on the disease in parrots caused by the circovirus Beak and Feather Disease virus. This virus causes serious problems in the parrot breeding industry in this country. This virus is also threatening the highly endangered and endemic Cape Parrot,” said Prof Bragg.

Prof Bragg’s research group is currently working on the development of a DNA vaccine which will assist in the control of the disease, not only in the parrot breeding industry, but also to help the highly endangered Cape Parrot in its battle for survival.

“Not all of our research efforts are directed towards infectious coryza or the Beak and Feather Disease virus. One of my Masters students is currently investigating the cell receptors involved in the binding of Newcastle Disease virus to cancerous cells and normal cells of humans. This work will also eventually lead to a possible treatment of cancer in humans and will assist with the development of a recombinant vaccine for Newcastle disease virus,” said Prof Bragg.

We are also currently investigating an “unknown” virus which causes disease problems in poultry in the Western Cape,” said Prof Bragg.

“Although disinfection has been extensively used in the poultry industry, it has only been done at the pre-placement stage. In other words, disinfectants are used before the birds are placed into the house. Once the birds are placed, all use of disinfectants stops,” said Prof Bragg.

“Disinfection and bio security can be seen as the ‘Cinderella’ of disease control in poultry. This is also true for human medicine. One just has to look at the high numbers of people who die from hospital-acquired infections to realise that disinfection is not a concept which is really clear in human health care,” said Prof Bragg.

Much research has been done in the control of diseases through vaccination and through the use of antibiotics. “These pillars of disease control are, however, starting to crumble and more effort is needed on disinfection and bio security,” said Prof Bragg.

Prof Bragg has been working in close co-operation with a chemical manufacturing company in Stellenbosch to develop a unique disinfectant which his highly effective yet not toxic to the birds.

As a result of this unique product, he has developed the continual disinfection program for use in poultry. In this program the disinfectant is used throughout the production cycle of the birds. It is also used to ensure that there is excellent pre-placement disinfection.

“The program is extensively used for the control of infectious diseases in the parrot-breeding industry in South Africa and the product has been registered in 15 countries around the world with registration in the USA in the final process,” said Prof Bragg.

“Although the problem of plasmid mediated resistance to disinfectants is starting to rear its ugly head, this has allowed for the opening of a new research field which my group will hopefully exploit in the near future,” he said.

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept