Low‐protein amino acid‐supplemented diets in broiler chickens: effects on performance,carcass characteristics,whole‐body composition and efficiencies of nutrient utilisation

Two concurrent trials were conducted to investigate the influence of low‐protein amino acid‐supplemented diets on the performance, carcass characteristics, whole‐body composition and efficiencies of nutrient utilisation by the male broiler chicken from age 3 to 6 weeks. The first trial comprised five isoenergetic (13.0 MJ kg⁻¹) diets containing 225 (control), 210, 190, 172 or 153 g kg⁻¹ crude protein (CP) supplemented with essential amino acids (EAAs) to meet the minimum National Research Council recommendations. In the second trial a composite mixture of non‐essential amino acids (NEAAs) was added to the lower‐CP diets (ie 210–153 g kg⁻¹) such that they became isoproteinous (N × 6.25) with the 225 g kg⁻¹ control. Neither the lowering of dietary CP nor NEAA supplementation had any significant influence on weight gain or the relative weights of the various carcass cuts. However, chicks fed the lowest‐CP diets consumed more feed (P ≤ 0.05) and had poorer (P ≤ 0.05) feed conversion efficiency (FCE). NEAA supplementation enhanced FCE to the control levels. Whole‐body compositional analysis showed that lowering dietary CP increased (P ≤ 0.01) total body fat in a linear fashion (P ≤ 0.001; r = −0.72). Equalising dietary CP with the control (ie maintaining identical energy/protein ratio) by NEAA supplementation did not correct for the fat deposition. Total body protein (g kg⁻¹) was identical with the control with or without NEAA supplementation. Dietary energy, protein retention efficiency (PRE) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) were more efficient (P ≤ 0.01) in the lower‐protein diets, while NEAA supplementation significantly (P ≤ 0.01) decreased the efficiency of N utilisation. Reducing dietary CP from 225 to 153 g kg⁻¹ decreased N excretion in a highly significant linear fashion (P ≤ 0.001; r = 0.73). The nutritional and environmental implications of the increased body fat deposition on the one hand and the decreased N excretion on the other in the low‐protein‐fed chickens are discussed and the need to harmonise these apparently conflicting interests is emphasised. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

Wet Milling Comparison of Quality Protein Maize and Normal Maize

Quality protein maize (QPM) experimental hybrids and normal maize possessing different physical and chemical properties were studied as the raw material for wet milling. Maize samples were steeped for 36 h in a 600-ml solution containing 15 g kg⁻¹ lactic acid and 0·5 g kg⁻¹ SO₂ followed by 12 h in a second 600-ml solution containing 5 g kg⁻¹ lactic acid and 1 g kg⁻¹ SO₂. The steeped grain was then wet milled and the yields and purity of fractions were analysed. Water-soluble solids, kernel size, quality protein, total dietary fibre and ash content were higher in QPM samples than in normal maize. Water-soluble solids were positively correlated to kernel size ( r =0·97, P< 0·05), test weight ( r =0·83, P< 0·05) and density ( r =0·57, P< 0·05). Total fraction recovery for the five hybrids tested ranged from 921 to 955 g kg⁻¹, with the highest values corresponding to QPM hybrids. QPM hybrids yielded slightly higher starch content than normal maize. Gluten yields of QPM-HO (high oil) presented the highest values. The lysine contents of kernel, gluten and milling solubles were highest for QPM hybrids. QPM contained more palmitic acid than the other hybrids. The H-137 normal maize and QPM yellow dent-HO contained more oleic and linolenic acids than the other samples, and the QPM white-C (corneous) contained more linoleic acid than QPM-HO and normal maize.     

Dietary Casein and Soy Protein Isolate Modulate the Effects of Raffinose and Fructooligosaccharides on the Composition and Fermentation of Gut Microbiota in Rats

Although diet has an important influence on the composition of gut microbiota, the impact of dietary protein sources has only been studied to a minor extent. In this study, we examined the influence of different dietary protein sources regarding the effects of prebiotic oligosaccharides on the composition and metabolic activity of gut microbiota. Thirty female rats were fed casein and soy protein isolate with cellulose, raffinose (RAF), and fructooligosaccharides (FOS). Microbiota composition was examined by real‐time qPCR and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Dietary protein source affected cecum microbiota; acetic acid concentration and Lactobacillus spp. populations were greater with soy protein than with casein. Prebiotic oligosaccharides had distinctive effects on gut microbiota; RAF increased the acetic acid concentration and Bifidobacterium spp. populations, and FOS increased the butyric acid concentration regardless of the dietary protein. Likewise, Bifidobacterium sp., Collinsella sp., and Lactobacillus sp. were detected in microbiota of the rats fed RAF, and Bacteroides sp., Roseburia sp., and Blautia sp. were seen in microbiota of the rats fed FOS. Interactions between dietary proteins and prebiotic oligosaccharides were observed with Clostridium perfringens group populations and cecum IgA concentration. RAF and FOS decreased C. perfringens group populations in casein‐fed rats, and the combination of soy protein and RAF substantially increased cecum IgA concentration. These results indicate that dietary proteins can differentially modulate the effects of prebiotic oligosaccharides on gut fermentation and microbiota, depending on the type of carbohydrate polymers involved.     

Survival,growth characteristics and bioactive potential of Lactobacillus acidophilus in a soy‐based cream cheese

BACKGROUND: Soy‐based products have received much attention lately as dairy replacers and carriers for probiotics, without the cholesterol and lactose intolerance factors. We have previously developed a soy cream cheese product and would like to evaluate its suitability as a carrier for probiotic microorganisms. Soy cream cheese is commercially uncommon, while a probiotic soy cream cheese is yet to be available in the market. RESULTS: Five strains of probiotics were screened for their α‐galactosidase activity. Lactobacillus acidophilus FTCC 0291 showed the highest α‐galactosidase‐specific activity and was incorporated into soy cream cheese for a storage study of 20 days at 25 and 4 °C. L. acidophilus FTCC 0291 in soy cream cheese at both storage temperatures maintained a viability exceeding 10⁷ CFU g^?1 over storage. Oligosaccharide and reducing sugar analyses indicated that L. acidophilus FTCC 0291 was capable of utilizing the existing reducing sugars in soymilk and concurrently hydrolyzing the oligosaccharides into simpler sugars for growth. L. acidophilus FTCC 0291 also produced organic acids, leading to decreased pH. Under low pH and high organic acid concentration, the growth of total aerobes and anaerobes was significantly (P < 0.05) suppressed compared to the control. The hydrolysis of protein in soymilk produced essential growth factors such as peptides and amino acids that may have promoted the growth of L. acidophilus FTCC 0291 and the release of bioactive peptides with in vitro angiotensin I‐converting enzyme inhibitory activity. CONCLUSION: This study showed that soy cream cheese could be used as a carrier for probiotic bacteria, with potential antihypertensive property. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

PRODUCTION, QUALITY ASSESSMENT AND ACCEPTABILITY OF AFRICAN YAM BEAN SPHENOSTYLIS STENOSCARPA SAUCE

ABSTRACT

Sauces (15 and 20% brine solution) were made from African yam beans (AYBs) using a combination of solid and liquid state fermentations as practiced in Indonesia. They were analyzed to ascertain their nutritive value, microbiological safety and consumer acceptability. Results showed that the protein, fat, ash and carbohydrate contents were 4.85, 3.82, 11.82 and 16.75%, respectively, for 15% brine solution sauce after spicing and concentration. The total microbial load (bacteria) of the sauces was relatively low (20.0 and 18.0 cfu/g × 10⁶) for the two concentrations of sauces, respectively. At 0.05 confidence level, the t‐tabulated value was greater than the t‐calculated value (2.09 > 0.01), showing that there was no significant difference between the general quality characteristics of the AYB sauce and the conventional soy sauce.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The product AYB sauce made from the solid state fermentation of African yam beans (an underutilized Nigerian legume) can be used as condiment in preparation of foods (gravies, soups, stews, jollof and fried rice, pastry fillings, etc.) at homes, restaurants and fast food companies. The commercial production of the sauce will help in the reduction of the pressure on soybeans, which is the major raw material for the production of soy sauce, and increase the utilization of the crop and income of the farmers of AYB.

     

Effect of resveratrol on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized,controlled, clinical trials

Introduction: Results of previous clinical trials evaluating the effect of resveratrol supplementation on blood pressure (BP) are controversial.

Purpose: We aimed to assess the impact of resveratrol on BP through systematic review of literature and meta-analysis of available randomized, controlled clinical trials (RCTs).

Methods: Literature search included SCOPUS, PubMed-Medline, ISI Web of Science and Google Scholar databases up to 17th October 2017 to identify RCTs investigating the impact of resveratrol on BP. Two review authors independently extracted data on study characteristics, methods and outcomes. Overall, the impact of resveratrol on BP was reported in 17 trials.

Results: Administration of resveratrol did not significantly affect neither systolic BP [weighted mean difference (WMD): ?2.5 95% CI:(-5.5, 0.6) mmHg; p=0.116; I²=62.1%], nor diastolic BP [WMD: ?0.5 95% CI:(-2.2, 1.3) mmHg; p=0.613; I²=50.8], nor mean BP [MAP; WMD: ?1.3 95% CI:(-2.8, 0.1) mmHg; p=0.070; I²=39.5%] nor pulse pressure [PP; WMD: ?0.9 95% CI:(-3.1, 1.4) mmHg; p=0.449; I²=19.2%]. However, significant WMDs were detected in subsets of studies categorized according to high resveratrol daily dosage (≥300 mg/day) and presence of diabetes. Meta-regression analysis revealed a positive association between systolic BP-lowering resveratrol activity (slope: 1.99; 95% CI: 0.05, 3.93; two-tailed p= 0.04) and Body Mass Index (BMI) at baseline, while no association was detected neither between baseline BMI and MAP-lowering resveratrol activity (slope: 1.35; 95% CI: ?0.22, 2.91; two-tailed p= 0.09) nor between baseline BMI and PP-lowering resveratrol activity (slope: 1.03; 95% CI: ?1.33, 3.39; two-tailed p= 0.39). Resveratrol was fairly well-tolerated and no serious adverse events occurred among most of the eligible trials.

Conclusion: The favourable effect of resveratrol emerging from the current meta-analysis suggests the possible use of this nutraceutical as active compound in order to promote cardiovascular health, mostly when used in high daily dose (≥300 mg/day) and in diabetic patients.     

Influence of extrusion variables on the protein in vitro digestibility and protein solubility of extruded soy tarhana

Tarhana, supplemented with 150 g kg⁻¹ full‐fat soy flour, was extruded at different extrusion conditions (barrel temperature: 80–120°C; screw speed: 100–300 rpm; feed rate: 10–20 kg h⁻¹ ) using a twin‐screw extruder. The effect of extrusion conditions on the in vitro digestibility (PD) of the protein and protein solubility (PS) was investigated using response surface methodology. Regression equations for predicting PD and PS were developed. While the barrel temperature had a significant effect on PD (P <0.1), feed rate was the most significant variable on PS of the samples (P<0.05). Since the protein solubility should be high for the instant properties of extruded soy tarhana soup, it is suggested that soy tarhana should be extruded at low feed rates (ie high residence times) while high barrel temperatures should be achieved for the inactivation of antinutritional factors present in the soy flour. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Using a Metabotype Framework to Deliver Personalized Nutrition Improves Dietary Quality and Metabolic Health Parameters: A 12-Week Randomized Controlled Trial

Scope

Effective strategies for tailoring dietary advice to individuals are urgently needed. The effectiveness of personalized nutrition advice delivered using a metabotype framework in improving dietary quality and metabolic health biomarkers compared to population-level advice is investigated.

Materials and results

A 12-week parallel randomized controlled trial is performed with 107 healthy adults. Individuals in the personalized group are classified into metabotypes using four markers (triacylglycerol, high-density lipoprotein [HDL]-cholesterol, total cholesterol [TC], and glucose) and received dietary advice from decision tree algorithms containing metabotypes characteristics and individual traits. Individuals in the control group received generic dietary advice based on national guidelines. The personalized approach results in higher dietary quality assessed by the Alternate Mediterranean Diet Score (effect size [95% confidence interval, CI], 0.77 [0.07, 1.48], 12% versus 3% increase) and significantly lower concentrations of triacylglycerol (−0.17 [−0.28, −0.06] log10 mmol L⁻¹), TC (−0.42 [−0.74, −0.10] mmol L⁻¹), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (−0.34, [−0.60, −0.09] mmol L⁻¹), and lower triacylglycerol-glucose index (−0.40, [−0.67, −0.13]). Sixteen phosphatidylcholines and six lysophosphatidylcholines, predominately with chain lengths of 30–36 carbons, are lower in the personalized group.

Conclusions

Personalized nutrition advice delivered using the metabotype framework is effective to improve dietary quality, which could result in reduced CVD risk, and metabolic heath biomarkers.     

Quality and nutritional characteristics of traditional curd cheese enriched with thermo-coagulated acid whey protein and indigenous Lactococcus lactis strain

Consumer interest in a healthy lifestyle and health-promoting natural products is a major driving force for the increasing global demand for bio-functional and sustainable dairy foods. Supplementation of curd cheese with thermo-coagulated acid whey protein (TAWP) led to 8–10% higher contents of moisture, 23–31% of lactose, 12–13% of unsaturated, 5–6% of monounsaturated, 63% of polyunsaturated, and 3–4% of long-chain fatty acids. Lipid quality indices – TI, AI, h/H, and Omega 6/3 among others, were also significantly better than those of control cheese. The addition of indigenous Lactococcus lactis strain enhanced the flavour of cheese samples, decreased the counts of yeast and mould up to 1 log cfu g⁻¹ after 10 days of storage. The replacement of curd with TAWP resulted in novel cheese with overall sensory perception above 77 points and added nutritional and functional value, however, body and texture parameters of modified cheese samples require an improvement.     

Effects of varying the degree of synchrony of energy and nitrogen release in the rumen on the synthesis of microbial protein in lactating dairy cows consuming a diet of grass silage and a cereal-based concentrate

The object of the experiment was to test the hypothesis that altering the degree of synchrony in the ruminal release of available energy and nitrogen would affect microbial protein synthesis (MPS) when the diet contained a high proportion of readily fermentable carbohydrate. Four lactating dairy cows were given a basal diet of (kg DM day⁻¹) 8.0 grass silage, 4.2 barley and 1.8 groundnut meal containing 31.4 g N kg⁻¹ DM. The experiment was designed as a 4 × 4 Latin square with periods lasting 14 days. The treatments were (1) the basal diet given in two equal meals at 10:00 and 22:00 h (BASAL), supplemented with (2) 2.0 kg maltodextrin given as a continous intraruminal infusion (CONT), (3) 2.0 kg maltodextrin as two 6-h infusions starting at 10:00 and 22:00 h (SYNC) and (4) 2.0 kg maltodextrin given as two 6-h infusions starting at 16:00 and 04:00 h (ASYNC). All three infusion treatments reduced (P < 0.05) the concentration of ruminal ammonia relative to BASAL but only the CONT and SYNC treatments increased (P < 0.05) MPS over the level with BASAL; the value for ASYNC was the same as that for BASAL. Lactic acid was a minor product of the ruminal fermentation with all treatments. All three infusions reduced (P < 0.05) the plasma concentration of urea and the urinary output of nitrogen but there were no differences among the infusion treatments. It is concluded that with this diet, containing about 30% of DM as fermentable carbohydrate, altering the degree of synchrony in the rates of ruminal release of energy and nitrogen had a marked effect on MPS. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Proximate composition,mineral contents,hydrogen cyanide and phytic acid of 5 cassava genotypes

Five cassava genotypes Rayong 5, Kaesetsart 50 (KU50), Rayong 2, Hanatee and KMUL 36-YOO2 (YOO2), were used in this study. Investigations showed that cassava contained 9.2–12.3% moisture, 1.2–1.8% crude protein, 0.1–0.8% crude lipid, 1.5–3.5% crude fibre, 1.3–2.8% ash, 80.1–86.3% carbohydrate, 1406–1465 kJ 100 g⁻¹ DM and 95–135 mg g⁻¹ of phytic acid. Mineral contents were 10.9–39.9, 15.2–32.3 and 9.3–54.1 mg g⁻¹ for Ca, Mg and P, respectively, and 221–328, 4.7–25.8, 1.41–4.25, 0.29–1.73 and 1.2–4.44 mg g⁻¹ for K, Na, Zn, Mn, Cu, and Fe, respectively. HCN content ranged from 8.33 to 28.8 mg HCN/kg dry weight basis. A linear relationship between Ca and P and carbohydrate and energy existed with correlation coefficients of 0.99 and 0.82, respectively. Phytate: total p ranged from 77% to 88% and a linear relationship existed between phytate and total p with a correlation coefficient of 0.975.     

Dietary Supplementation with the Probiotic SF68 Reinforces Intestinal Epithelial Barrier in Obese Mice by Improving Butyrate Bioavailability

Scope

Modifications in intestinal microbiota and its metabolites, the short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) are main factors altering intestinal epithelial barrier integrity and eliciting the onset of a meta-inflammation observed in obesity. The present study is aimed at evaluating the efficacy of Enterococcus faecium (SF68) administration in counteracting the impairment of gut barrier and enteric inflammation in a model of diet-induced obesity, characterizing the molecular mechanisms underlying such beneficial effects.

Methods and Results

Male C57BL/6J mice, fed with standard diet (SD) or high-fat diet (HFD), are treated with SF68 (10⁸ CFU day⁻¹). After 8 weeks, plasma interleukin (IL)-1β and lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) are measured, analysis of fecal microbiota composition and butyrate content as well as intestinal malondialdehyde, myeloperoxidase, mucins, tight junction protein, and butyrate transporter expression are investigated. After 8 weeks, SF68 administration counteracts the body weight gain in HFD mice, reducing plasma IL-1β and LBP. In parallel, SF68 treatment acts against the intestinal inflammation in HFD-fed animals and improves the intestinal barrier integrity and functionality in obese mice via the increase in tight junction protein and intestinal butyrate transporter (sodium-coupled monocarboxylate transporter 1 ) expression.

Conclusions

Supplementation with SF68 reduces intestinal inflammation and reinforces the enteric epithelial barrier in obese mice, improving the transport and utilization of butyrate.     

MICROBIOLOGICAL, PHYSICO-CHEMICAL AND TOXICOLOGICAL QUALITY OF TRADITIONAL TURKISH CHEESE DESSERTS

ABSTRACT

A total of 100 fresh‐cheese‐based desserts (Hosmerim and Cheese helva) from nine different production areas in Marmara Region of Turkey were studied. There were no statistically significant differences in microbiological composition between Hosmerim and Cheese helva. Mean values of APC, Staphylococcus aureus, molds, yeasts, osmophilic yeasts for Hosmerim were 5.7 × 10⁴, 8.0 × 10², 1.8 × 10³, 2.8 × 10³, 1.6 × 10³ cfu/g, respectively, while coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus were <10 cfu/g. Results for Cheese helva were slightly higher. Salmonella spp. and staphylococcal enterotoxin were not detected in 25 g of any sample. Cheese helva, however, had a significantly lower pH and significantly higher contents of protein, fat and carbohydrates, and thus, also a higher content of dry matter. Within each product category, a large variation was observed for both microbiological counts as well as for the chemical composition. This indicates a lack of standardization in the manufacturing process and prompts for the establishment of appropriate process control measures.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The aim of this study was to determine the chemical and hygienic quality traits of traditional cheese desserts, namely Cheese helva and Hosmerim. For this purpose, 50 Cheese helva and 50 Hosmerim samples obtained from different regions in Turkey were analyzed on account of their microbiological, physico‐chemical and toxicological properties. The presence of some pathogens in the samples and the variable chemical composition indicate that the production process should be defined in “Codes of Good Manufacturing Practice” and the product characteristics should be codified in order to achieve a product with a defined level of microbiological safety.     

Chemical composition,digestibility and protein quality of 12 sunflower (Helianthus annuus L) cultivars

Twelve sunflower (Helianthus annuus L) cultivars grown in Spain were analysed and tested in experiments with rats. The dehulled seeds contained an average of 32.2 MJ kg⁻¹ dry matter (DM) gross energy, 653 g kg⁻¹ DM fat, 60 g kg⁻¹ DM total non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) and 6 g kg⁻¹ DM Klason lignin. The sunflower seed hulls contained 20.2 MJ kg⁻¹ DM gross energy, 53 g kg⁻¹ DM fat, 562 g kg⁻¹ DM total NSPs and 239 g kg⁻¹ DM Klason lignin. The sunflower samples were dehulled and partially defatted (to ∼17% fat) and included in diets for rats. The dehulled, partially defatted samples contained on average 74.6 g nitrogen kg⁻¹ DM and 1.409 mg g⁻¹ phenolic compounds (chlorogenic acid + caffeic acid + derivative 1 + derivative 2) varying from 0.677 to 2.847 mg g⁻¹. Groups of five growing rats were fed diets (9.38% crude protein) containing one of the sunflower cultivars as the only source of protein. Apparent ileal and faecal digestibilities were determined by using an indigestible marker (Cr₂O₃) and faecal digestibility based on total faecal collections. Apparent ileal, caecal and faecal digestibilities of organic matter were 81.2–91.5% (P = 0.05), 95.8–97.1% (P = 0.005) and 94.7–95.3% (P = 0.94) respectively. The apparent faecal digestibilities of DM, energy and protein (N × 6.25) were 93.2–93.8%, 93.5–94.3% and 81.6–84.3% respectively with no differences among cultivars. Biological value (BV) ranged between 63.8 and 73.2% (P = 0.0001) and net protein utilisation (NPU) between 59.9 and 69.5% (P = 0.0001). BV and NPU were positively correlated with lysine and threonine contents, but no correlation with the analysed phenolic compounds was detected. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Exocrine Pancreatic Secretions in Young Pigs Fed Diets Containing Faba Beans (Vicia faba) and Peas (Pisum sativum): Nitrogen,Protein and Enzyme Secretions

Two experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of feeding diets containing faba beans and peas on pancreatic secretions in young pigs fitted with a pancreatic pouch re-entrant cannula. In Experiment 1, eight barrows, with an average initial weight of 8·5 kg, were fed one of two maize starch-based diets formulated to contain 200 g crude protein (CP) kg⁻¹ according to a completely randomised design. In one of the diets, soya bean meal was the sole protein source; in the other diet, soya bean meal and faba beans (cv Fibro; dark-flowering) each supplied 50% of the dietary CP. In Experiment 2, five barrows, with an average initial weight of 18·1 kg, were fed one of two diets according to a two-period change-over design. The diets were formulated to contain 150 g CP kg⁻¹ with peas (cv Ascona or cv Radley) as the sole protein source. In both experiments, the experimental periods consisted of 8 days: 6 days adaptation followed by a 2 day collection of pancreatic juice. The soya bean meal diet and the faba bean diet contained 0.04 and 0.21% tannins (catechin equivalents), respectively. The trypsin inhibitor activities of the Ascona and Radley pea diets were 0·76 and 3·24 mg of trypsin inhibited per gram, respectively. In both experiments, diet did not affect ( P> 0·05) the pancreatic secretions of nitrogen, protein, amylase, lipase and chymotrypsin. In Experiment 1, specific trypsin activity was higher ( P< 0·05) in pancreatic juice from pigs fed the diet containing soya bean meal and faba beans (53700 units litre⁻¹) than for those fed the soya bean meal diet (41200 units litre⁻¹). However, there was no effect ( P> 0·05) when trypsin activity was expressed as total activity (units 24 h⁻¹). It is concluded that the inclu-sion of faba beans and peas in diets for young pigs has only minor effects on exocrine pancreatic secretions.     

Comparison of total antioxidant potential,and total phenolic,nitrate, sugar,and organic acid contents in beetroot juice,chips, powder,and cooked beetroot

Beetroot is a vegetable rich in nitrate (NO ₃ ^? ), antioxidants and phenolic compounds that are related to improvements in cardiovascular function and exercise performance. However, it is unknown if convenient forms of beetroot administration provide different amounts of these nutrients. The total antioxidant potential (TAP), total phenolic (TPC), sugar, organic acid, and NO ₃ ^? contents of beetroot juice (BJ), chips (BC), powder (BP), and cooked beetroot (CB) were compared. Significant (p<0.01) differences in chemical compositions and functional properties were found between beetroot formulations. Higher amounts of TAP and organic acids were observed in BC and BP, compared with the other formulations. BJ exhibited the highest contents of total sugars, TPC, and NO ₃ ^? . All beetroot formulations were suitable and advantageous based on taste preferences and convenience for consumers and for nutrient amounts required to meet dietary recommendations.     

Effects of pH, CaCl2 and Soy Protein on [Ca2+] in Reconstituted Nonfat Dry Milk and on Rennet-Induced Coagulum Properties

Increasing CaCl₂ and lowering pH caused a significant increase in [Ca²⁺] in reconstituted nonfat dry milk (RNDM), while the addition of soy protein caused a significant reduction in [Ca²⁺]. Lowering pH greatly increased rennet-induced coagulum firmness in RNDM and slightly increased it in RNDM-soy protein mixtures. Added CaCl₂ increased coagulum textural parameters and syneresis in both systems. The extent to which these properties were increased was higher in RNDM than in the coagulum containing soy protein depending on the time after rennet addition and the amount of CaCl₂ added. The first increment of CaCl₂ added had the highest effect in improving textural properties and increasing syneresis.     

Increasing the moisture content of imitation cheese: effects on texture, rheology and microstructure

Increasing moisture content may be a practical and cost-effective means to control the functional properties of imitation cheese. Imitation cheeses with moisture contents of 46, 50, 52 and 54 g/100 g were manufactured. An increase in the moisture content of the imitation cheese resulted in significantly increased meltability, tan values and decreased hardness (all P<0.05). The relationship between moisture content (x) and meltability (y) was described by the model (r²=0.99). A linear relationship emerged between moisture content (x) and hardness (y), where (r²=0.95) but cohesiveness was unaffected by moisture content. Increasing the moisture content to 52 or 54 g/100 g led to pockets of free water within the cheese and larger but fewer fat globules. The maximum level of moisture that the cheese matrix can retain appears to be 54 g/100 g.     

p-Cresol in cheese: Is it a flavouring compound or chemical contaminant?

ABSTRACT

p-Cresol has been identified as a flavouring compound in cheeses; however, scientific studies have already identified p-cresol as a potential chemical contaminant in environmental matrices. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate four traditional methods for extracting p-cresol from cheese samples in order to validate the best method, and finally to apply it to five cheese samples with different origins, processing and ripeness times. The analyses were performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after derivatisation of p-cresol with anhydride acetic and pyridine. Better results were achieved by the QuEChERS method, which showed recovery higher than 80%, relative standard deviation lower than 16%, limit of quantification of 5 μg kg^?1 and linearity between 5 and 400 μg kg^?1 with R² 0.99. p-Cresol was quantified in almost all of the samples analysed at different concentration levels, which were in an increasing order at μg kg^?1: Cheddar (< LOQ), Parmesan (8 ± 0.7), Gorgonzola (103 ± 14), smoked Provolone (365 ± 28) and barbecue cheese (1001 ± 187). Although no maximum residue limit has been established for p-cresol in food, the results suggest that cheeses exposed to charcoal combustion notably increase the p-cresol levels and may represent a hazard to human health, especially in risk groups such as patients with chronic kidney disease who have serious problems with p-cresol.