A Bayesian approach to the effect of selection for growth rate on sensory meat quality of rabbit

The effect of selection for growth rate on the sensory characteristics of rabbit meat was assessed by comparing a selected and a control population of rabbits. Embryos belonging to generation 7th were frozen, thawed and implanted in does in order to produce the control group. The control group was formed from the offspring of the embryos belonging to the 7th generation. Selected animals belonging to 21st generation (S) were compared with animals of the control group (C), both were contemporary. Forty animals per group were slaughtered at 9-weeks-old. The sensory analysis was carried out on samples of the Longissimus dorsi muscle. The parameters evaluated were: intensity of rabbit flavour (IRF), aniseed odour (AO), aniseed flavour (AF), liver flavour (LF), tenderness (T), juiciness (J), fibrousness (F). A Bayesian analysis was performed. The ratio of the selection and control effects was analysed. There was a difference between the selected and control groups for IRF, AO, AF and LF. Conversely, no differences were found in T, J and F between groups. Selected group had 3% and 23% higher values of IRF and LF, respectively, than the control group. A relevant effect of selection on AO and AF appeared (probability of relevance P(r)=1), with lower values for selected animals. There was a difference between male and female groups for IRF, but this was not relevant. No differences between sexes were found for the rest of the characteristics evaluated. Selection for growth rate did not affect the main sensory characteristics of meat, like T and J but, it had a negative effect on some flavour characteristics.     

Pseudouridine synthase 7 impacts Candida albicans rRNA processing and morphological plasticity

RNA can be modified in over 100 distinct ways, and these modifications are critical for function. Pseudouridine synthases catalyse pseudouridylation, one of the most prevalent RNA modifications. Pseudouridine synthase 7 modifies a variety of substrates in Saccharomyces cerevisiae including tRNA, rRNA, snRNA, and mRNA, but the substrates for other budding yeast Pus7 homologues are not known. We used CRISPR-mediated genome editing to disrupt Candida albicans PUS7 and find absence leads to defects in rRNA processing and a decrease in cell surface hydrophobicity. Furthermore, C. albicans Pus7 absence causes temperature sensitivity, defects in filamentation, altered sensitivity to antifungal drugs, and decreased virulence in a wax moth model. In addition, we find C. albicans Pus7 modifies tRNA residues, but does not modify a number of other S. cerevisiae Pus7 substrates. Our data suggests C. albicans Pus7 is important for fungal vigour and may play distinct biological roles than those ascribed to S. cerevisiae Pus7.     

Characterisation of young bulls of the Bruna dels Pirineus cattle breed (selected from old Brown Swiss) in relation to carcass, meat quality and biochemical traits

Seventy-four young bulls of the Bruna dels Pirineus beef cattle breed were reared in a typical production system and slaughtered at an average age of 381 days and live weight of 541 kg. The animals were evaluated for productive traits, carcass quality, meat quality, eating quality and biochemical characteristics of m. longissimus thoracis (LT). Biochemical measurements included intramuscular fat (IMF) and collagen proportion, haem pigment concentration, lactate dehydrogenase and isocitrate dehydrogenase activities and type I (MHC I) fibre percentage determined by ELISA. Bruna dels Pirineus bulls achieved high growth rates during the fattening period (1.63 kg/day) and showed good carcass quality, with a high dressing-out proportion (607 g/kg, hot carcass), a good conformation score (U; EUROP) and a moderate fatness score (3;1-5). Carcass composition was estimated from the sixth rib joint dissection (682 g/kg lean proportion, 127 g/kg total dissectable fat and 163 g/kg bone). IMF (24.3 g/kg) and MHC I (27.9%) showed high variabilities (CV>30%). Sensory analysis of LT included beef and livery odour and flavour intensity, and overall tenderness and juiciness assessment of loin samples (14-day ageing). Beef odour and flavour were slightly positively correlated with IMF and carcass fatness score (P<0.05). Fatness, MHC I, insoluble collagen and cooking losses tended to affect the livery flavour intensity positively. This variable was significantly higher in meat from bulls of lower carcass quality (i.e. lower conformation score, lower lean proportion; P<0.05) and higher type I fibre percentage. Loin overall tenderness and juiciness were not affected by the biochemical traits studied, however, they were negatively affected by cooking loss (P<0.05).     

Belite cement clinker from coal fly ash of high Ca content. Optimization of synthesis parameters

The optimization of parameters of synthesis of belite cement clinker from coal fly ash of high Ca content is presented in this paper. The synthesis process is based on the hydrothermal-calcination-route of the fly ash without extra additions. The hydrothermal treatment was carried out in demineralized water and a 1 M NaOH solution for 4 h at the temperatures of 100 degrees C, 150 degrees C, and 200 degrees C. The precursors obtained during the hydrothermal treatmentwere heated at temperatures of 700 degrees C, 800 degrees C, 900 degrees C, and 1000 degrees C. The changes of fly ash composition after the different treatments were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), FT infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, surface area (BET-N2), and thermal analyses. From the results obtained we concluded that the optimum temperature of the hydrothermal treatment was 200 degrees C, and the optimum temperature for obtaining the belite cement clinker was 800 degrees C.     

Effect of selection for growth rate on biochemical, quality and texture characteristics of meat from rabbits

Biochemical characteristics, including myosin heavy chain I (MHC-I) percentage, isocitrate dehydrogenase and aldolase activities, meat quality traits and instrumental texture properties of rabbits selected for different growth rates were studied. The animals of the control (C) group (7th generation; n=60) were raised in parallel with those of selection (S) group (21st generation; n=60). Carcass weights (1230.1 ± 19.8 and 1348.3 ± 20.1 g, for C and S, respectively) and perirenal and scapular fat content differed significantly (P<0.01) between the two groups. Water holding capacity was expressed as the percentage of pressure released water and was significantly different (P<0.05) between groups C and S (33.29% and 35.57%). MHC-I percentage and aldolase activity also differed significantly (P<0.05) between groups, group C showing higher oxidative traits than group S (MHC-I: 12.5% and 9.8%; aldolase: 597.11 and 636.83 UI/g muscle). Texture properties from the Warner-Bratzler test showed higher (P<0.001) shear firmness for loin in the S group (1.69 kg/s cm²) than in the C group (1.34 kg/s cm²). In addition, the texture profile analysis indicated that chewiness, gumminess and hardness were also higher in the S group (P<0.01). In conclusion, the results confirmed a positive effect of the selection on productive traits and a negative effect on instrumental texture properties and on the water holding capacity of the meat.     

Mechanical and thermal properties of soy protein films processed by casting and compression

Soy protein isolate (SPI) based films are environmentally friendly because they are biodegradable and come from renewable sources but they are brittle. Different ratios of plasticizer were incorporated into SPI-based films to improve mechanical properties. Glycerol has a plasticizing effect on the films in the range of 30–40%. Apart from the plasticizer, the processing method employed to prepare films also influenced on the mechanical properties. Films processed by compression showed much better mechanical properties, higher tensile strength and elongation at break, than the ones processed by casting. Analysis of the thermal properties revealed that denaturation temperatures of the two main globulin fractions present in SPI were influenced by the moisture content of the sample but not by the processing method employed.     

Interfacial and emulsifying behaviour of crayfish protein isolate

The interfacial behaviour of adsorbed protein films constituted with a crayfish protein derivate that is typically produced as by-product from the food industry, has been studied at the air-water and oil-water interfaces. An analysis of the surface pressure under compression-expansion cycles of this protein was carried out as a function of time, concentration and pH (2 and 8). Besides, interfacial tension and adsorption kinetics also were determined as a function of time at different concentrations and pH values. Interfacial rheological properties were studied under dilatational deformations applied to a single droplet, either at the initial step of film formation or once the interfacial tension was at equilibrium and the film was completely formed. The contribution of the interfacial properties to the behaviour of oil-in-water emulsions stabilised with this protein derivative were also analysed. Finally, droplet size distributions obtained for concentrated emulsions stabilised by crayfish protein were analysed and related to the interfacial tension behaviour. We have demonstrated that crayfish proteins at pH 8 show higher solubility, smaller aggregates and better interfacial activity (higher surface pressure and lower interfacial tension) with higher interfacial viscoelasticity, than at pH 2. A two-dimensional model of the results showed that oil-water and air-water interfaces are clearly related to the improved stability of emulsion made with crayfish proteins at pH 8.     

Enzymatic production of human milk fat substitutes containing palmitic and docosahexaenoic acids at sn-2 position and oleic acid at sn-1,3 positions

This paper studies the synthesis of structured triacylglycerols (STAGs) rich in palmitic and docosahexaenoic acids (PA and DHA) at sn-2 position and oleic acid (OA) at sn-1,3 positions by a four step process. First, triacylglycerols (TAGs) were obtained with 63–66 mol PA/100 mol total fatty acids and 10 mol DHA/100 mol by acidolysis of tuna oil and commercial PA, catalyzed by the non-positionally specific lipase Novozym 435. Then these TAGs were purified neutralizing the free fatty acids (FFAs) by KOH hydroethanolic solutions and extracting TAGs with hexane; these TAGs were completely recovered as pure TAGs (without FFAs). The third step involved the displacement of fatty acids located at sn-1,3 positions by acidolysis of PA and DHA enriched TAGs with OA rich FFAs, catalyzed by the sn-1,3 specific lipase DF from Rhizopus oryzae, immobilized on Accurel MP-1000; TAGs with 67 mol OA/100 mol at sn-1,3 positions and 52.1 and 15.4 mol PA and DHA, respectively, per 100 mol at sn-2 position were obtained. Both acidolysis reactions were carried out in stirred tank reactors (STRs) with lipase both dispersed in the reaction medium and contained in a cartridge filter attached to the stirrer rod. Finally STAGs were purified and obtained with yields of over 80 mol STAGs/100 mol STAGs in the reaction product (no FFAs were detected).     

Viscoelasticity, texture and ultrastructure of cut apple as affected by sequential anti-browning and ultraviolet-C light treatments

The aim of this work was to analyze the effect of UV-C radiation (fluence: 11.2 kJ/m²), with or without an anti-browning pretreatment containing 1% (w/v) ascorbic acid plus 0.1% (w/v) calcium chloride, on the linear viscoelastic properties (oscillatory shear and creep/recovery), instrumental texture (TPA), sensory texture and ultrastructure (ESEM, TEM) of cut apple. Changes in structural features and viscoelastic parameters were mainly evidenced after refrigerated storage. All samples showed a viscoelastic solid behavior with the storage modulus (G′) dominating the viscoelastic response. Overall, both dynamic moduli decreased, and instantaneous compliance (J₀), decay compliances (J₁ and J₂) and fluidity significantly increased after treatments and storage at 5 °C, while retardation times were in general constant. Fracture properties proved to be the most highly correlated with sensory texture. The test panel only significantly differentiated stored untreated apple from the other samples regarding fracturability and juiciness. Mechanical spectra and creep parameters showed ability to evidence ultrastructural differences (rupture of membranes, swelling of cells, alteration of cell walls) in the surface of cut apples subjected to the different treatments.