Identification of individual goat animals by means of near infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics analysis of commercial meat cuts.

Although the identification of animal species and muscles have been reported previously, no studies have been found on the use of NIR spectroscopy to identify individual animals from the analysis of commercial meat cuts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of a portable near infrared (NIR) instrument combined with classical chemometrics methods [principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis PLS-DA)] to identify the origin of individual goat animals using the spectral signature of their commercial cut. Samples were collected from several carcasses (6 commercial cuts x 24 animals) sourced from a commercial abattoir in Queensland (Australia). The NIR spectra of the samples were collected using a portable NIR instrument in the wavelength range between 950 and 1600 nm. Overall, the PLS-DA models correctly classify 82% and 79% of the individual goat samples using either the goat rack or loin cut samples, respectively. The study demonstrated that NIR spectroscopy was able to identify individual goat animals based on the spectra properties of some of the commercial cut samples analysed (e.g. loin and rack). These results showed the potential of this technique to identify individual animals as an alternative to other laboratory methods and techniques commonly used in meat traceability.

Discrimination of lamb (Ovis aries), emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae), camel (Camelus dromedarius) and beef (Bos taurus) binary mixtures using a portable near infrared instrument combined with chemometrics.

Consumers demand safe and nutritious foods at accessible prices; where issues associated with adulteration, fraud, and provenance have become important aspects to be considered by the modern food industry. There are many analytical techniques and methods available to determine food composition and quality, including food security. Among them, vibrational spectroscopy techniques are at the first line of defence (near and mid infrared spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy). In this study, a portable near infrared (NIR) instrument was evaluated to identify different levels of adulteration between binary mixtures of exotic and traditional meat species. Fresh meat cuts of lamb (Ovis aries), emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae), camel (Camelus dromedarius) and beef (Bos taurus) sourced from a commercial abattoir were used to make different binary mixtures (95 % %w/w, 90 % %w/w, 50 % %w/w, 10 % %w/w and 5 % %w/w) and analysed using a portable NIR instrument. The NIR spectra of the meat mixtures was analysed using principal component analysis (PCA), and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Two isosbestic points corresponding to absorbances at 1028 nm and 1224 nm were found to be consistent across all the binary mixtures analysed. The coefficient of determination in cross validation (R2) obtained for the determination of the per cent of species in a binary mixture was above 90 % with a standard error in cross validation (SECV) ranging between 12.6 and 15 %w/w. Overall, the results of this study indicate that NIR spectroscopy can determine the level or ratio of adulteration in the binary mixtures of minced meat.

Tissue-specific fatty acid composition, cellularity, and gene expression in diverse cattle breeds.

The nutritional quality of beef relates to the fatty acid (FA) composition of bovine adipose tissue. Those molecular mechanisms that induce the differing amounts and composition of fat in cattle breeds according to age at maturity and purpose of production remain unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the composition of total FAs, adipocyte size, and expression of some key genes involved in several adipogenesis and lipogenesis pathways measured in distinct adipose tissue depots from bulls of the genetically diverse cattle breeds Aberdeen Angus (n = 9), Gascon (n = 10), Holstein (n = 9), and Fleckvieh (n = 10). The animals were finished under identical housing and feeding conditions until slaughter at a similar age of 17 months. After slaughter, cod adipose tissue (CAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and M. longissimus lumborum (MLL) samples were collected. The saturated FA proportions were higher (P < .01) in CAT than in SAT across all breeds, whereas monounsaturated FA proportions were consistently higher (P < .001) in SAT compared to CAT and MLL. Aberdeen Angus bulls were distinguished from the other breeds in the proportions of mostly de novo synthesized C14:0, C16:0, C14:1n-5, C16:1n-7, and conjugated linoleic acid (P < .05). Adipocyte size decreased in the order CAT > SAT > MLL, and the largest adipocytes were observed in CAT of Holstein bulls (P < .05). Gene expression differences were more pronounced between adipose tissue depots than between breeds. The expression levels of ACACA, FASN, and SCD1 genes were related to tissue-specific, and to a lesser extent also breed-specific, differences in FA composition.

Associations of polymorphisms in bovine DGAT1, FABP4, FASN, and PPARGC1A genes with intramuscular fat content and the fatty acid composition of muscle and subcutaneous fat in Fleckvieh bulls.

Allelic and genotypic distribution of polymorphisms in diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1), fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), fatty acid synthase (FASN), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PPARGC1A) genes were assessed in 679 Fleckvieh bulls. Single-locus genotype effects and the combined effect of the two polymorphisms within the FASN gene were evaluated for association with the intramuscular fat content and fatty acid profile determined in muscle and subcutaneous fat. The FASN (g.16024G>A) and FASN (g.17924A>G) polymorphisms were significantly associated mainly with C14:0, C16:0, and C18:1 n-9 concentrations as well as with the atherogenic index. The proportion of explained phenotypic variation markedly increased when the effect of a combination of the two polymorphisms within the FASN gene was tested, with the highest values of 8.6% and 14.8%, respectively, observed for C14:0 in muscle and subcutaneous fat. With a focus on improving the fatty acid composition of beef, the results of this study provide valuable information about the markers applicable in marker-assisted selection.

Effect of sex and age on bovine muscle and adipose fatty acid composition and stearoyl-CoA desaturase mRNA expression.

The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of sex and slaughter age on the fatty acid (FA) composition and stearoyl-CoA desaturase gene expression in muscle and adipose tissue. Twenty-four Charolais × Simmental crossbred bulls and heifers were raised under similar conditions and slaughtered at 14 or 18 months of age. The total amount of FA in muscle increased markedly in older animals with higher contents of monounsaturated FA (MUFA) in heifers than bulls. The proportions of MUFA and desaturation indices were higher in heifers, whereas polyunsaturated FA were higher in bulls in both muscle and subcutaneous adipose tissue. The results of this study demonstrated sex-dependent differences in the FA composition of muscle and subcutaneous adipose tissue from cattle slaughtered at different ages. The expression of the stearoyl-CoA desaturase gene was higher in the adipose tissue of heifers compared to bulls, and its variation partly contributed to sex- and age-differences in the FA composition of bovine adipose tissue.

The polymorphisms of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD1) and sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) genes and their association with the fatty acid profile of muscle and subcutaneous fat in Fleckvieh bulls.

The previously reported genetic polymorphisms of the stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD1) and sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) genes were investigated in Fleckvieh bulls using the PCR-RFLP and AS-PCR methods, respectively. The genomic DNA was obtained from a total of 370 bulls. The frequencies of alleles A and V of the single nucleotide polymorphism in exon 5 of the SCD1 gene (SNP 878C>T) were 0.555 and 0.445, respectively. In the 84-bp Ins/Del polymorphism in intron 5 of the SREBP-1 gene, the frequency of the L allele (insertion) was markedly higher (0.920) than that of the S allele (deletion; 0.080). Fatty acid profile was determined in a total of 367 samples of muscle fat (MSF) and 150 samples of subcutaneous fat (SCF). The AA genotype of SCD1 polymorphism showed a lower content of C18:0 (P<0.01) and higher contents of C14:1 cis-9 (P<0.001) and C18:1 cis-9 (P<0.05) in MSF compared to the VV genotype. As a result, the bulls with genotypes AA or AV had lower SFA (P<0.01), higher MUFA (P<0.05) and higher MUFA/SFA (P<0.01) than VV animals. The results obtained for SCF were similar. The SREBP-1 polymorphism was associated with a higher content of C14:1 cis-9 (P<0.01) in the LS compared to LL genotype in SCF. The results of this study demonstrated the existence of the polymorphisms in the SCD1 and SREBP-1 genes in the population of Fleckvieh cattle and their associations with the concentrations of several MSF and SCF fatty acids.

Growth performance and fatty acid profiles of intramuscular and subcutaneous fat from Limousin and Charolais heifers fed extruded linseed.

Forty-eight heifers, Limousin (LI) and Charolais (CH) breed, were used to evaluate the effect of a basal mixed diet with linseed supplementation (108g/kg DM) on performance and fatty acid (FA) composition of M. longissimus thoracis (MLT) and subcutaneous fat. The feed intake and weight gains were higher, and feed per gain ratio lower in CH heifers than in LI heifers. The muscle lipids and subcutaneous fat of LI heifers contained significantly more MUFA, PUFA, CLA, and less SFA than the lipids of CH heifers. The feeding of extruded linseed significantly increased the concentration of linolenic acid (C18:3n-3), CLA, and decreased PUFA n-6 to PUFA n-3 ratio in lipids extracted from both tissues. Linseed supplementation decreased SFA and increased PUFA in subcutaneous fat. In MLT lipids of linseed-fed heifers PUFA of the n-3 series were increased. It can be concluded that the growth performance of LI heifers was lower, but that their lipids contained more FA that are thought to be important for human health. The feeding of linseed at 108g/kg DM enhanced the nutritive value of beef in terms of FA profile. Breed differences were generally more important than effects of the diet. Dietary effects, however, were more pronounced in PUFA n-3 and arachidonic acid (C20:4n-6).

Transglutaminase activity of cultured human prostatic epithelium.

A transglutaminase was extracted from cultured human prostatic adenocarcinoma cells. The enzyme did not exist as a zymogen and had an apparent molecular weight of 72,000 +/- 4,000 by gel filtration. Although the role of this transglutaminase in the human prostate is uncertain, it may be a useful marker for prostatic cells in vitro.