FORMULATION OF ANNATTO FEED CONCENTRATE FOR LAYERS AND THE EVALUATION OF EGG YOLK COLOR PREFERENCE OF CONSUMERS

Nowadays, intensely farmed poultry eggs show almost no differences in egg yolk and albumin compared with domestic layers. Annatto shrub grows rapidly to produce seeds coated with bixin and norbixin dyes which are used to color foods requiring no limits according to codex standards because they are generally regarded as safe for food applications. In this research, annatto concentrate prepared at 1:1 feed to annatto seeds was applied at 1, 4, 7 and 10% over 8 months. The results show that such feeds had no effect on the egg size ( P >  0.05) (mean  =  62.25 g) as well as proximate composition of feed and flavor of the resulting egg yolks, while rate of application of concentrate show significant ( P <  0.05) effect on overall preference of egg yolk of layers fed up to 7%. It is recommended that annatto concentrate can be applied at 1% to give generally acceptable color intensity.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The increasing demand of consumers for naturally colored egg products drive poultry farmers to seek for safer ways of achieving this preference. This research is opening a window of opportunity for these farmers to achieve this aim by using Bixa orellana seeds coated with annatto, which is abound in the forest zones of the tropics. Advantage can therefore be taken of this resource which has very little or no application in the poultry sector.     

PORCINE LONGISSIMUS GLYCOLYTIC POTENTIAL LEVEL EFFECTS ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, CARCASS, AND MEAT QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS

Animals (n = 72) with longissimus glycolytic potential (GP) values ranging from 113.8 to 301.1 μmol/g of tissue, were classified as having low (n = 24), moderate (n = 24), and high (n = 24) GP levels. Meat quality measurements such as longissimus ultimate pH and subjective color score decreased, while Hunter L* values, percentage drip loss and purge loss increased for animals classified as having either high or moderate GP levels compared to those with low GP values. Animals with higher GP had decreased longissimus protein content and improved taste panel tenderness scores and lower shear force indicating superior eating quality. Increasing aging time from 2 to 21 days decreased shear force and improved taste panel tenderness scores. These data indicate that both glycolytic potential level within the muscle and aging time can have significant effects on pork quality characteristics.     

EFFECT OF ULTIMATE pH ON THE QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF PORK

A study was conducted to characterize the relationship between Longissimus thoracis ultimate pH(LTpH) and pork quality. Animals (n = 47) were selected based on LTpH measured at 24 h postmortem. Data were analyzed using regression procedures with ultimate pH as the independent variable, and relationships were determined to be linear (L), quadratic (Ql or cubic (C). Ultimate pH explained 79% (C) of the variation in subjective color, which increased as pH increased. Drip loss, purge loss and L* value decreased as LTpH increased (R²= 0.57C, 0.77 Q and 0.68 Q, respectively). Shear force decreased and sensory juiciness increased as LTpH increased (R²= 0.26Q and 0.46C, respectively). However, of flavor intensity increased as LTpH fell below pH 5.2 or exceeded 6.1(R²=0.52C). Increasing LTpH, up to a point, will improve fresh pork quality and processed meat properties, whereas, above approximately 6.1, of-flavor may increase.     

Hot-Pressing Alumina—Mechanisms of Material Transport

The effect of load on initial neck growth between alumina single-crystal spheres has been measured at 1530°C. The neck areas are larger than those observed in pressureless sintering and constant for all times between 10 and 480 minutes. The neck areas are proportional to the loads; i.e. they equilibrate at equal stresses (50,000 psi). It is shown quantitatively that the initial enhanced neck growth observed cannot be attributed to enhanced sintering by diffusion under the influence of stress. The plastic flow contribution to densification during hot-pressing is calculated from the stress inferred from the foregoing measurements, from the applied load in hot-pressing, and from geometric relations between particles. It is shown that for aluminum oxide the contribution of plastic flow to densification at the pressures normally used in hot-pressing is small. It is concluded that the final stage of densification of alumina during hot-pressing occurs by enhanced diffusion under the influence of stress.     

EFFECT OF GRAIN COMPOSITION ON WATER UPTAKE BY MALTING BARLEY: A GENETIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY

Water uptake into the grain is a critical aspect off malting quality. Contrasting environments have been used to examine the role of protein and cell wall components in water uptake. A model based on a threshold value for protein content, the ratio of B to C hordeins and the composition and solubility of β-glucans has been formulated. Better malting performance is associated with lower levels of insoluble β-glucans and higher levels of C-Hordein.     

DIFFERENCES IN MALTING PERFORMANCE BETWEEN BARLEYS GROWN IN SPAIN AND SCOTLAND

Two barley genotypes were grown, in 2 seasons, at sites in both Scotland and Spain. The development of enzyme levels and endosperm modification were assayed, over the final 3 days of malting. Spanish grown samples demonstrated faster and more extensive synthesis of both α-amylase and β-glucanase, more rapid cell wall modification and a greater reduction in milling energy during malting than Scottish grown samples. Malt milling energy was strongly associated with cell wall breakdown, which was a limiting step in modification of Scottish, but not Spanish, grown samples. Extract levels were not related to α-amylase activity, but Kolbach index exhibited an association with extract at both sites.     

EFFECT OF RN GENOTYPE ON YIELD AND SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF ENHANCED LONGISSIMUS SECTIONS

Pumping treatments with water or 4.5% sodium tripolyphosphate (STP) were evaluated on the fresh longissimus from pigs of different Rendement Napole genotypes. The longissimus muscle (32 RN/rn, 32 rn⁺/rn⁺) was divided into 3 sections and allocated to the: nonpumped, water pumped, and 4.5% STP, treatments. Following aging (14 days) chops were cut, packaged, and frozen. Boneless loin chops were cooked to internal temperatures of either 70C or 80C. Nonpumped loins resulted in the least amount of purge loss, whereas STP loins had the highest raw yield. Pumping loin sections with water and STP increased raw and cooked moisture contents. Pumping with STP increased juiciness and tenderness ratings. Increasing the endpoint temperature decreased juiciness and cooked moisture percentage. Pork from RN/rn⁺ pigs had lower shear force and higher tenderness and juiciness. These data indicate that increasing end point cooking temperature reduced pork palatability while STP pumping and the RN gene improved sensory properties.     

Optimization of Apple Juice Production by Single Pass Metallic Membrane Ultrafiltration

Apple puree was treated with various amounts of commercial liquefaction enzyme (0%– 0.066%) for 2 hr at 50°C. To produce clarified juice purees were pumped through a metallic oxide membrane ultrafiltration system, consisting of 3.27 ft² (0.304 m²) of membrane coated internally onto a l–1/4 inch (i.d.) × 10 ft (3.12 cm × 3.04 m) sintered stainless steel tubing. All enzyme treatments reduced viscosity 70–80% within 1 hr but steady state flux increased with higher concentrations of enzyme. Alcohol insoluble solids (AIS) and total pectins of the apple puree after enzyme treatment decreased as enzyme concentration increased to 0.044%. A large scale system, l–1/4 inch (i.d.) × 120 ft (3.12 cm × 36.48 m), was operated at 86% juice yield with minimal pressure drops as predicted by a mathematical model.     

HALOTHANE GENOTYPE, CHILLING AND LOCATION WITHIN MUSCLE: EFFECTS ON PORK QUALITY

Intact sides were subjected to accelerated chill (AC: −30C for 2.5 h, 4C for 20–22 h) or conventional chill (CC: 4C for 22–24 h). Color, drip loss, and pH were evaluated 24 h postmonem at three sites (inner, mid, and outer) in the Semimembranosus (SM) and Biceps femoris (BF) with the inner site closest to the femur. Zle Longissimus thoracis (LT) and the Longissimus lumborum (LL) were also evaluated. Accelerated chill improved color and drip loss of the Longissimus muscle. Accelerated chill had no fleet on the quality measurements of the ham, although site differences occurred. The fleets of genotype on color, drip loss, and pH in the loin and ham muscles were not consistent in the muscle groups studied. Compared to CC, AC has beneficial fleets on fresh pork quality of the Longissimus muscle, but not the ham muscles.