Stored product mites (Acari: Astigmata) infesting food in various types of packaging
From 2008 to 2014, stored product mites have been reported from prepackaged dried food on the market in the Czech Republic. The infestation was by Carpoglyphus lactis (L.) in dried fruits and Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) in dog feed. The infestation is presumably caused by poor protection of the packages. We compared various packaging methods for their resistance to mites using dried apricots and dog feed in laboratory experiments. The trial packages included nine different plastic films, monofilm, duplex and triplex, and one type of plastic cup (ten replicates per packaging type). All packaging materials are available on the Czech market for dried food products. The samples of dried food were professionally packed in a factory and packaged dried apricots were exposed to C. lactis and dog food to T. putrescentiae. After 3 months of exposure, the infestation and mite density of the prepackaged food was assessed. Mites were found to infest six types of packages. Of the packaging types with mites, 1–5 samples were infested and the maximum abundance was 1,900 mites g−1 of dried food. Mites entered the prepackaged food by faulty sealing. Inadequate sealing is suggested to be the major cause of the emerged infestation of dried food.
The Investigation of the Presence of Mites in Some Served Dry Foodstuffs.
OBJECTIVE
Mites are microscopic organisms that lower the quality of life of people who are sensitive to them by causing conditions such as atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, and asthma. These organisms are found in every habitat where humans live. This study was conducted to determine the presence of storage mites in dry food items.


METHODS
Various food items were procured 10 times each in 300-gram samples. Mites were extracted with a Berlese funnel apparatus over Erlenmeyer flasks containing 70% alcohol placed at the end of the funnel stems for over 48 h.


RESULTS
Of 25 food items examined in the study, only six were contaminated by mites. Species of the mites found were Acarus siro (34.6%), Glycyphagus domesticus (22.8%), Tyrophagus putrescentiae (16.8%), Tyrophagus spp. (7.9%), Rhizoglyphus spp. (1%), Lepidoglyphus destructor (7.9%), Cheylettus malacensis (4%), and Cheylettus spp. (2%).


CONCLUSION
Although the results of the study show that the presence of mites in food items sold in open containers at open-air markets or stores was low, we suppose that they can cause important health problems for sensitive people.
Preliminary micronutrients foliar diagnostic norms for litchi (Litchi chinensis sonn) using DRIS
Diagnosis and recommendation integrated system (DRIS) was used as an alternative approach for foliar diagnosis of micronutrients. DRIS norms are generally better than the diagnosis made by sufficiency range method, with the advantage, that DRIS reflects nutrient balance. and identifies the order in which the nutrients are likely to become limiting. The results show that DRIS norms can be used irrespective of variety and position of leaf sampled from the floral or non-floral panicles. According to DRIS approach, the inadequacy level for Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn are 14, 10, 190 and 20 mg kg−1 leaf tissues, respectively.