Sire variation in fatty acid composition of crossbred Wagyu steers and heifers

Effects of sires on lipid composition of subcutaneous adipose tissue and longissimus dorsi muscle were studied using 113 F(1) heifer and steer calves sired by eight Wagyu bulls out of three different cow herds. Wagyu sires were used and grouped as Old (n=6) and New (n =2) sires, respectively, based on the chronological order in which they were imported into the US. Animals were fed a backgrounding diet for 112 days consisting of an 80:20 ratio of roughage:concentrate, then grazed on orchard grass and bluegrass for 84 days, and finished on a 10:90 ratio of roughage:concentrate diet for 231 days in a feedlot. For longissimus dorsi muscle, progeny from Old sires had higher (P<0.05) monounsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratios (MUFA:SFA) than progeny of New sires. There were also differences (P<0.05) among individual sires for polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratio (PUFA:SFA) (0.05-0.08) and MUFA:SFA (1.03-1.21). Progeny of Angus cows at Washington State University (WSU) had lower (P<0.05) MUFA:SFA and lower SFA than progeny of WSU crossbred and commercial cows. Steers had lower (P<0.05) MUFA:SFA and higher (P<0.05) SFA than heifers. For subcutaneous fat, heifers had higher levels (P<0.05) of linoleic acid (C18:2) and PUFA:SFA than the steers. Means for ether extractable fat in longissimus dorsi muscle differed among sires (P<0.05) and ranged from 7.58 to 13.13%. Progeny from WSU Angus cows had higher (P<0.05) ether extractable fat than WSU crossbred and commercial cows. Cholesterol content of longissimus dorsi muscle was not influenced by sire, cow herd or sex (P>0.05).     

Milling of barley to obtain β‐glucan enriched products

The methods for laboratory and commercial milling of dehulled barley grain are described. In the laboratory‐scale barley at 10%, 12% and 14% moisture, was milled to produce three fine‐products (flours) and two coarse‐products (grits). The yield of flours and grits was about 40% and 60%, respectively. Increased products yield and the β‐glucan content in products with increasing moisture of ground grain were observed. Barley at 14% moisture was milled under commercial conditions to produce the following end‐products: fine‐ and coarse‐grained flours, middlings and fine grits. These products differed in their average contents of β‐glucans, total dietary fiber, ash and protein. The fine‐grained grit from impact milling coarse grit had the highest contents of β‐glucans, total dietary fiber, ash and protein. This product, with a weight yield of 18.6%, contained 6.72% β‐glucans, 25.12% total dietary fiber, 2.19% ash, and 15.83% protein. All these values were at about 50%, 72%, 55% and 24%, respectively higher than in dehulled barley. Lowest contents of chemical components in fine‐grained flours were found. Developed method of commercial milling of barley will allow to obtain new, nutritionally valuable barley products, which have potential for use in human foods.     

Factors affecting acceptability of dry-cured ham throughout extended maturation under "bodega" conditions

The evolution of biochemical, instrumental colour and texture, sensory parameters and consumer acceptability of 12-month dry-cured hams maintained up to 26 months under “bodega” conditions (18 °C, 75% relative humidity) was assessed, in order to investigate the influence of extended ripening on their sensory characteristics and acceptability. Results demonstrated that ham acceptability showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) from 12 to 22 months, while it decreased significantly (p < 0.05) until 26 months. Principal component analysis of all data brought about a comprehensive explanation of the biochemical, instrumental and sensory parameters involved in the acceptability decrease. In fact, high pastiness and adhesiveness values, as measured by both sensory and instrumental methods, appeared to be most related to decreasing acceptability. Those attributes were the result of an excessive proteolysis, as revealed by biochemical maturation indices.     

Detection of bovine DNA in raw and heat-processed foodstuffs, commercial foods and specific risk materials by a novel specific polymerase chain reaction method

The identification of beef in animal foods is a major concern not only for the prevention of commercial fraud, but also to avoid safety risks deriving from the presence of prohibited bovine material that might be harmful to both human and animal health. Here we report a novel set of bovine-specific primers, CYTbos1 (forward) and CYTbos2 (reverse), which allow the specific amplification of a 115 base pair fragment of the bovine cytochrome b gene (cytb) between nt 844 (mitochondrial site 15,590) and nt 958 (mitochondrial site 15,704), no cross-reaction being observed with DNA from another 12 frequent commercial meat species. The polymerase chain reaction product obtained is cleaved specifically by endonucleases ScaI and TspE1 to achieve further confirmation evidence. The sensitivity of the proposed method was 0.025%. The CYTbos primers successfully detected bovine DNA in meat samples processed for 20 min at 133 °C/300 kPa or for 2 h at 121 °C. CYTbos primers also detected bovine DNA in heat-processed commercial meat products exhibiting a complex nature, as well as in bovine specific risk materials. The proposed polymerase chain reaction method, aimed at detecting a small and specific fragment of the bovine mitochondrial DNA, may be especially useful for the direct identification of bovine DNA in foodstuffs subjected to severe heating under overpressure conditions.     

The effect of the pre-treatments and the long and short-term frozen storage on the quality of raspberry (cv. Heritage)

Results are presented of the effect of pre-treatments before freezing followed by long and short-term frozen storage (12 months at –18 °C and 24 days suffering temperature fluctuations between –18 °C and –12 °C) on quality parameters of raspberry. Pre-treatments were carried out with calcium, low methoxyl pectin, a combined solution, and results compared with untreated control fruits. Kramer shear, back extrusion, compression, and multiple penetration tests were used to measure rheological behavior. One-hundred mM CaCl₂ reduced the long and short-term frozen storage induced loss of firmness. For long-term storage at –18 °C, a softening of the tissue became evident between 3 and 12 months and at each date test the stored fruits were firmer than those without storage. For short-term storage with fluctuations, the loss of firmness was evident between 0 and 24 days, and at all the testing dates the stored fruits were softer than those without storage. Results evidenced a higher cell damage in the short-term frozen storage. Coefficients of softening per day suffering fluctuation were determined, the highest values being given by Kramer shear energy and back extrusion maximum force (>1%). Short-term frozen storage affected physical and physico-chemical characteristics, increasing the saturation (r) and the anthocyanins and decreasing the ascorbic acid of the raspberries. In both storage conditions, pre-treatments reduced the drip loss, which correlated best with the Kramer shear energy. Panelists detected mainly time effect on the sensory firmness. For long-term, sensory firmness and juiciness gave the highest correlations with back extrusion maximum force, while for the short-term, sensory firmness and drip loss gave the highest correlations with the Kramer shear energy. SEM revealed different degrees of mechanical damage to structure, which accounted for rheological behavior of the fruits.     

Adsorption onto fluidized powdered activated carbon flocs-pACF

This work presents a new adsorption technique where the adsorbent (powdered activated carbon-PAC) is in the form of suspended flocs formed with water-soluble polymer flocculants. Thus, the adsorption of a typical dye, methylene blue (MB), was studied onto polyacrylamide flocs of PAC (PACF) in a fluidized bed reactor. The technique is based on the fact that the adsorption capacity of PAC does not decrease after flocculation because the adsorbed polymer occupies only a few surface sites, in the form of trains, loops, and tails. Moreover, the adsorption was found to proceed through a rapid mass transfer of MB to the adsorbing PAC flocs, in the same extent as onto PAC. Because of the rapid settling characteristics of the aggregates formed, the two phase separations, loaded PAC and solution, become easier. Thus, the technique offers the advantages of conducting simultaneously both adsorption and solid/liquid separation all in one single stage. Results obtained showed that high MB removal values can be attained in a fluidized bed reactor (>90%) and that PACF presents a much higher adsorption capacity (breakthrough points) than granulated activated carbon (GAC) in the same adsorbing bed. It is believed that this technique highly broadens the potential of the use of powdered activated carbon or other similar ultrafine adsorbents.     

Adverse effects of pharmacological therapy for nicotine addiction in smokers following a smoking cessation program.

This multicenter, community-based, prospective, longitudinal study evaluated the safety of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), bupropion, and combined therapy of NRT and bupropion for smokers seeking to quit, when these therapies were used under real-world conditions following a smoking cessation program. Participants were smokers aged 18 years or older who attended five smoking cessation clinics. Evaluations were made at 15, 30, 60, and 90 days. We investigated the possible existence of adverse effects as well as the severity of each adverse effect and its influence on the treatment course. The study included 904 smokers: 370 received NRT, 413 received bupropion, and 121 received combined therapy. At 15, 30, 60, and 90 days, adverse effects were reported by 43.8%, 33.1%, 22.3%, and 5.7% of subjects, respectively. Adverse effects were significantly more frequent in subjects receiving combined therapy or bupropion alone than in NRT-treated subjects at the 15-, 30-, and 60-day follow-ups. A total of 83 smokers (9.3%) withdrew from treatment and 116 (12.8%) stopped temporarily because of adverse effects. No differences were found in the percentages of discontinuation among the different treatment options. Adverse effects rarely were severe (n=10). Nevertheless, 41 subjects (4.5%) discontinued drug therapy indefinitely and 55 (6.1%) discontinued it temporarily because of mild adverse effects. Pharmacological therapies for smoking cessation are safe as long as they are appropriately prescribed and supervised by clinicians according to clinical practice guidelines. Adverse effects are primarily mild. Nonetheless, mild adverse effects may be perceived by patients as a serious enough problem to cause them to discontinue treatment.     

Specific effect of high-pressure treatment of milk on cheese proteolysis

The extent of primary and secondary proteolysis of cheeses made from raw (RA), pasteurized (PA, 72 degrees C, 15 s) or pressure-treated (PR, 500 MPa, 15 min, 20 degrees C) goats' milk was assessed. Modifications in cheese-making technology were introduced to obtain cheeses with the same moisture content, and thus studied per se the effect of milk treatment on cheese proteolysis.The PR milk cheese samples were differentiated from RA and PA milk cheeses by their elevated beta-lg content, and by the faster degradation of alphas1-, alphas2- and beta-CN throughout ripening. Non-significant differences were found in either pH 4.6 soluble-nitrogen or trichloracetic acid soluble-nitrogen contents of cheeses. However, the pasteurization of milk decreased the free amino acid production in cheese. The RA milk cheeses had the highest amount of proline and the lowest concentrations of serine, tyrosine, arginine and alpha-aminobutyric acid, whereas PR milk cheese showed higher levels of arginine.     

Aluminum control of phosphorus sorption by lake sediments

Release of reactive (phosphate-like) phosphorus (P) from freshwater sediments represents a significant internal P source for many lakes. Hypolimnetic P release occurs under reducing conditions that cause reductive dissolution of ferric hydroxide [Fe(OH)3]. This hypolimnetic P release may be naturally low or artificially reduced by sediment with naturally high or artificially elevated concentrations of aluminum hydroxide [Al(OH)3]. We presentfield and laboratory data for a common extraction analysis of sediments from 43 lakes differing in trophic status, pH regime, climate, and P loading. The results indicate that a simple sequential extraction of sediment may be a useful predictor of sediment's ability to release P. Sequential extractions of sediment P, Al, and Fe by water (H2O), bicarbonate-dithionite (BD), and NaOH (at 25 degrees C) showed that negligible amounts of P would be released from lake sediments during hypolimnetic anoxia if either (1) the molar Al(NaOH-25):Fe(BD) ratio is > 3 or (2) the molar Al(NaOH-25):P(H2O+BD) ratio is > 25. These ratios can be used as operational targets for estimation of sediment P release potential and Al dosing of P-rich sediment to prevent hypolimnetic P release under anoxic conditions.     

Lutein: a valuable ingredient of fruit and vegetables

Lutein is a human serum carotenoid which is not synthesized by humans and thus must be obtained by the ingestion of food containing it such as fruits and vegetables. Lutein is present in different forms in those foods as all-trans-lutein, cis-lutein, epoxi-lutein, and lutein linked to proteins. It discusses if the intake of lutein or diets supplemented with lutein or diets rich in fruits and vegetables are important in the prevention of diseases like some cancers, cardiovascular diseases, etc., that may be affected by the antioxidant effect of lutein; or in the prevention of age-related macular degeneration and other eye diseases. The concentration of lutein in fruits and vegetables depends on the species. We've included the concentration of lutein in 74 species reported by different authors since 1990. Currently the quantification of lutein is mainly performed by HPLC, but more investigations into a quantification method for lutein, lutein isomers, and epoxi-lutein are necessary. Improvement of lutein extraction methods is important as well. Methods commonly used in the vegetable and fruit industry like heat treatment, storage conditions, etc. can change lutein concentrations; other factors depend on the plant, for instance the variety, the stage of maturity, etc.