The future of sustainability in the context of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis emanating both from a virus (SARS-CoV-2) and from the drastic actions to contain it. Here, we reflect on the immediate responses of most world powers amid the pandemic chaos: totalitarian surveillance and nationalist isolation. Drawing on published literature, we consider measures such as wildlife-use bans, lockdowns and travel restrictions, along with their reverberations for people, economies and the planet.

Chemical Composition of Wild Fallow Deer () Meat from South Africa: A Preliminary Evaluation.

Although fallow deer are abundant in South Africa, these cervids remain undervalued as a domestic protein source and little information exists on their meat quality. This study aimed to evaluate the proximate and mineral compositions of the meat from wild fallow deer ( = 6 male, n = 6 female) harvested in South Africa, as affected by sex and muscle. Proximate analyses were conducted on six muscles ( [LTL], [BF], [SM], [ST], [IS], [SS]), whereas mineral analyses were conducted on the LTL and BF.

Physical quality attributes of male and female wild fallow deer (Dama dama) muscles.

Physical meat quality measurements were conducted on the longissimus thoracis et lumborum, biceps femoris, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, infraspinatus and supraspinatus muscles from male (n=6) and female (n=6) fallow deer (Dama dama) harvested in South Africa. Ultimate pH (pH), drip loss, cooking loss and shear force values were influenced (p≤0.05) by muscle, but not gender.

Publisher Correction: Global trade statistics lack granularity to inform traceability and management of diverse and high-value fishes.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML version of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

Global trade statistics lack granularity to inform traceability and management of diverse and high-value fishes.

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and seafood supply chain fraud are multifaceted problems that demand multifaceted solutions. Here, we investigate the extent to which global fisheries trade data analyses can support effective seafood traceability and promote sustainable seafood markets using one of the world's most highly prized, yet misunderstood, groups of fishes as a model: the snappers, family Lutjanidae. By collating and comparing production, import and export data from international and national statistical collections for the period 2006-2013, we show that official trade data severely lack the level of detail required to track snapper trade flows, uncover potential IUU activities and/or inform exploitation management of snappers and related species.

Controversial cuisine: A global account of the demand, supply and acceptance of "unconventional" and "exotic" meats.

In most societies, meat is more highly prized, yet more frequently tabooed, than any other food. The reasons for these taboos are complex and their origins have been the focus of considerable research. In this paper, we illustrate this complexity by deliberating on several "unconventional" or "exotic" animals that are eaten around the world, but whose consumption evokes strong emotions, controversy and even national discourse: dogs, equids, kangaroos, marine mammals, primates, rodents and reptiles.

Proximate and fatty acid composition of zebra (Equus quagga burchellii) muscle and subcutaneous fat.

Background: The meat from African game species is healthy, naturally produced and increasingly popular with consumers. Among these species, zebra (Equus quagga burchellii) are growing in number in South Africa, with the meat from surplus animals holding potential to contribute to food security and economic stability. Despite being consumed locally and globally, little information exists on the composition of zebra meat.

Fish species substitution and misnaming in South Africa: An economic, safety and sustainability conundrum revisited.

While fish species mislabelling has emerged as a global problem, the tracking of improvements or deteriorations in seafood trading practices is challenging without a consistent basis for monitoring. The aim of this study was to develop a robust, repeatable species authentication protocol that could be used to benchmark the current and future incidences of fish mislabelling in South Africa. Using this approach, 149 fish samples collected from restaurants and retailers in three provinces (KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and Gauteng) were identified using DNA barcoding, supplemented in certain cases with mitochondrial control region sequencing.

The effects of gender, size and life-cycle stage on the chemical composition of smoothhound shark (Mustelus mustelus) meat.

Background: Knowledge on the chemical composition of foods, and on the variation in such components as influenced by endogenous factors, is required for nutritional labelling, dietetic planning and food processing. This study examined the effects of endogenous factors (gender, size and life-cycle stage) on the chemical components (proximate, amino acid, fatty acid, mineral and mercury contents) of smoothhound shark (Mustelus mustelus) meat.

Results: Levels of moisture, protein, lipids, ash, amino acids and most minerals were not affected (P > 0.

Evaluation of the 16S and 12S rRNA genes as universal markers for the identification of commercial fish species in South Africa.

The development of DNA-based methods for the identification of fish species is important for fisheries research and control, as well as for the detection of unintentional or fraudulent species substitutions in the marketplace. The aim of this study was to generate a comprehensive reference database of DNA sequences from the mitochondrial 16S and 12S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes for 53 commercial fish species in South Africa and to evaluate the applicability of these genetic markers for the identification of fish at the species level. The DNA extracted from all target species was readily amplified using universal primers targeting both rRNA gene regions.

Establishment of a mitochondrial DNA sequence database for the identification of fish species commercially available in South Africa.

The limitations intrinsic to morphology-based identification systems have created an urgent need for reliable genetic methods that enable the unequivocal recognition of fish species, particularly those that are prone to overexploitation and/or market substitution. The aim of this study was to develop a comprehensive reference library of DNA sequence data to allow the explicit identification of 53 commercially available fish species in South Africa, most of which were locally caught marine species. Sequences of approximately 655 base pairs were generated for all species from the cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene, the region widely adopted for DNA barcoding.

Evaluation of different methods for the detection and identification of Enterobacter sakazakii isolated from South African infant formula milks and the processing environment.

Enterobacter sakazakii is an emerging pathogen associated with life-threatening neonatal infections resulting from the consumption of contaminated powdered infant formula milk (IFM). Recent taxonomic analyses have determined that E. sakazakii comprises a number of genomospecies, and it has been proposed that E.