Argentinian Rose Petals as a Source of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Compounds.

The total phenolic, flavonoid, and anthocyanin contents were evaluated in 11 cultivars of Argentinian roses of different colors. HPLC-ESI-QTOF/MS was used to identify the components where ellagic and quinic acids, quercetin, and kaempferol glycosylated derivatives were found. The phenolic contents ranged from 78.8 ± 3.2 to 203.4 ± 3.1 mg GAE/g dw, the flavonoid content ranged from 19.1 ± 3.8 to 125.9 ± 6.5 mg QE/g dw, and the anthocyanin content ranged from less than 0.01 to 5.8 ± 0.1 mg CE/g dw. The dark red cultivars exhibited the greatest levels of the analyzed compounds and of the antioxidant activities, even higher than those of certain plants known for their high phenolic contents and antioxidant activity. Moreover, the addition of these extracts decreased the population of L. innocua and P. aeruginosa to undetectable levels 24 h after inoculation. Rose petal extracts, mainly those with a dark red color, can be used as natural additives in food, feed, and cosmetics, as they contain a high proportion of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial effects.

Impact of Recombinant Bovine Somatotropin on Bovine Milk Composition and Fatty Acidome: A Multidose Longitudinal Study.

Somatotropin is a species-specific polypeptide hormone produced in the pituitary gland of vertebrates. When administered exogenously to cattle, it can increase milk yield. However, the trade and administration of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) to farm animals have been banned in the European Union (EU). Aside from food safety issues, very little is known about the effects of this hormone on milk composition and quality. In this work, a wide profile of fatty acids (the so-called fatty acidome) was determined by GC-FID in raw milk collected from control and rbST-treated lactating cows in a multidose longitudinal study. Milk composition (lactose, protein, fat, dry matter), including minerals (Ca, K, Mg, Na, P), was also determined, and milk yield was recorded. A tendency toward a less saturated profile was observed in the milk collected from animals treated with rbST, with higher concentrations of monounsaturated fatty acids. In addition, less calcium and potassium and more lactose and protein content were observed in milk from treated animals than in regular milk. As a result of this multicomponent profiling of milk, a clear impact of somatotropin treatment on milk quality was observed. The obtained results should be particularly interesting for those countries that permit the use of this hormone in dairy production.

Identification and Quantification of 29 Active Substances by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS in Lyophilized Swine Manure Samples.

Veterinary drugs are frequently employed to treat and prevent diseases in food-producing animals to improve animal health and to avoid the introduction of microorganisms into the food chain. The analysis of the presence of pharmaceutical residues in animal manure could help to evaluate the legal and illegal practices during food production without harming the animals and to correctly manage manure when it is going to be applied as a fertilizer. This article describes a method for the simultaneous analysis of 29 active substances, mostly antibiotics and antiparasitic agents. Substances were extracted from lyophilized manure with a methanol:McIlvaine solution and analyzed with HPLC-ESI-MS/MS and a C18 HPLC column. The method was validated following European guidelines, the achieved trueness was between 63 and 128% (depending on the analytes), and the linearity was between 100 and 1500 µg/kg. The applicability of the method was demonstrated in 40 manure samples collected from pig farms where tetracycline was quantified in 7.5% of the samples. These results show the viability of this non-invasive method for the control of the legal and illegal administration of pharmaceuticals in food-producing animals.

Influence of the Intestinal Microbiota on Diabetes Management.

In recent decades, there has been a very rapid increase in the prevalence of diabetes globally, with serious health and economic implications. Although today there are several therapeutic treatments for this disease, these do not address the causes of the disease and have serious side effects, so it is necessary to seek new treatments to replace or complement the existing ones. Among these complementary treatments, a strong link between the intestinal microbiota and diabetes has been demonstrated, which has focused attention on the use of biotherapy to regulate the function of the intestinal microbiota and, thus, treat diabetes. In this way, the main objective of this work is to provide a review of the latest scientific evidence on diabetes, gathering information about new trends in its management, and especially, the influence of the intestinal microbiota and microbiome on this pathology. It is possible to conclude that the relationship between the intestinal microbiota and diabetes is carried out through alterations in energy metabolism, the immune system, changes in intestinal permeability, and a state of low-intensity systemic inflammation. Although, currently, most of the experimental work, using probiotics for diabetes management, has been done on experimental animals, the results obtained are promising. Thus, the modification of the microbiota through biotherapy has shown to improve the symptoms and severity of diabetes through various mechanisms related to these alterations.

Salmonella and Campylobacter biofilm formation: a comparative assessment from farm to fork.

It takes several steps to bring food from the farm to the fork (dining table), and contamination with food-borne pathogens can occur at any point in the process. Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. are the main microorganisms responsible for foodborne disease in the EU. These two pathogens are able to persist throughout the food supply chain thanks to their ability to form biofilms. Owing to the high prevalence of Salmonella and especially of Campylobacter in the food supply chain and the huge efforts of food authorities to reduce these levels, it is of great importance to fully understand their mechanisms of persistence. Diverse studies have evaluated the biofilm-forming capacity of foodborne pathogens isolated at different steps of food production. Nonetheless, the principal obstacle of these studies is to reproduce the real conditions that microorganisms encounter in the food supply chain. While there are a wide number of Salmonella biofilm studies, information on Campylobacter biofilms is still limited. A comparison between the two microorganisms could help to develop new research in the field of Campylobacter biofilms. Therefore, this review evaluates relevant work in the field of Salmonella and Campylobacter biofilms and the applicability of the data obtained from these studies to real working conditions. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Food additives, contaminants and other minor components: effects on human gut microbiota-a review

Gut bacteria play an important role in several metabolic processes and human diseases, such as obesity and accompanying co-morbidities, such as fatty liver disease, insulin resistance/diabetes, and cardiovascular events. Among other factors, dietary patterns, probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, antibiotics, and non-dietary factors, such as stress, age, exercise, and climatic conditions, can dramatically impact the human gut microbiota equilibrium and diversity. However, the effect of minor food constituents, including food additives and trace contaminants, on human gut microbiota has received less attention. Consequently, the present review aimed to provide an objective perspective of the current knowledge regarding the impacts of minor food constituents on human gut microbiota and consequently, on human health

Food additives, contaminants and other minor components: effects on human gut microbiota-a review.

Gut bacteria play an important role in several metabolic processes and human diseases, such as obesity and accompanying co-morbidities, such as fatty liver disease, insulin resistance/diabetes, and cardiovascular events. Among other factors, dietary patterns, probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, antibiotics, and non-dietary factors, such as stress, age, exercise, and climatic conditions, can dramatically impact the human gut microbiota equilibrium and diversity. However, the effect of minor food constituents, including food additives and trace contaminants, on human gut microbiota has received less attention. Consequently, the present review aimed to provide an objective perspective of the current knowledge regarding the impacts of minor food constituents on human gut microbiota and consequently, on human health.

A Confirmatory Method Based on HPLC-MS/MS for the Detection and Quantification of Residue of Tetracyclines in Nonmedicated Feed.

The Commission Regulation 574/2011/EC set up maximum levels of coccidiostats and histomonostats in nonmedicated feed as a consequence of carry-over during manufacturing. Carry-over takes place from medicated to nonmedicated feed during feed production. Similar contamination could also occur for other pharmaceuticals such as tetracyclines, a group of antibiotics commonly employed in food production animal. The objective of this work is to present a simple and fast method for the simultaneous detection of four tetracyclines (chlortetracycline, doxycycline, oxytetracycline, and tetracycline) in nontarget feed at a µg/kg level. Validation of the method was performed according to the guideline included in the Commission Decision 2002/657/EC for official method. The validated method was successfully applied to 50 feed samples collected from different milk farms and 25 samples obtained from feed manufacturers. While oxytetracycline was the tetracycline most frequently detected, chlortetracycline was the analyte measured at the highest concentration 15.14 mg/Kg. From 75 nonmedicated feed analysed 15% resulted to be positive for the presence of one tetracycline.

A study on toxic and essential elements in wheat grain from the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Little information is currently available about the content of different elements in wheat samples from the Republic of Kazakhstan. The concentrations of toxic (As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, and U) and essential (Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Se, and Zn) elements in 117 sampled wheat grains from the Republic of Kazakhstan were measured. The results indicated that the mean and maximum concentrations of most investigated elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Se, Pb, and U) were higher in samples collected from southern Kazakhstan. The mean and maximum concentrations of toxic elements such as As, Cd, Hg, and Pb did not exceed levels specified by European, FAO, or Kazakh legislation, although the hazard quotient (HQ) values for Co, Cu, Mn, and Zn were higher than 1 and the hazard index (HI) was higher than 1 for samples collected from all areas of Kazakhstan. This indicates that there should be concern about the potential hazards of the combination of toxic elements in Kazakh wheat.

Egg and egg-derived foods: effects on human health and use as functional foods.

Eggs are sources of protein, fats and micronutrients that play an important role in basic nutrition. However, eggs are traditionally associated with adverse factors in human health, mainly due to their cholesterol content. Nowadays, however, it is known that the response of cholesterol in human serum levels to dietary cholesterol consumption depends on several factors, such as ethnicity, genetic makeup, hormonal factors and the nutritional status of the consumer. Additionally, in recent decades, there has been an increasing demand for functional foods, which is expected to continue to increase in the future, owing to their capacity to decrease the risks of some diseases and socio-demographic factors such as the increase in life expectancy. This work offers a brief overview of the advantages and disadvantages of egg consumption and the potential market of functional eggs, and it explores the possibilities of the development of functional eggs by technological methods.

Assessment of Tetracyclines Residues and Tetracycline Resistant Bacteria in Conventional and Organic Baby Foods.

Children are very vulnerable to bacterial infections and they are sometimes subject to antimicrobials for healing. The presence of resistance genes may counteract effects of antimicrobials. This work has thereby compared the amount of tetracycline resistance genes, tet(A) and tet(B), between conventional and organic meat-based or vegetable-based baby foods and used the quantification of these genes to assess the presence of tetracycline residues in these samples. Counts of bacteria harboring the tet(A) gene were higher than those containing tet(B), and there was no difference between the organic and the conventional samples. Samples with detectable amounts of tetracycline residues were also positive for the presence of tet genes, and when the presence of the genes was not detected, the samples were also negative for the presence of residues. The percentages of tetracycline residues were higher in organic samples than in conventional ones. It cannot be concluded that organic formulas are safer than conventional ones for the studied parameters.

Direct quantification and distribution of tetracycline-resistant genes in meat samples by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

The evolution of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria has become a threat to food safety and methods to control them are necessary. Counts of tetracycline-resistant (TR) bacteria by microbiological methods were compared with those obtained by quantitative PCR (qPCR) in 80 meat samples. TR Enterobacteriaceae counts were similar between the count plate method and qPCR (P= 0.24), whereas TR aerobic mesophilic bacteria counts were significantly higher by the microbiological method (P < 0.001). The distribution of tetA and tetB genes was investigated in different types of meat. tetA was detected in chicken meat (40%), turkey meat (100%), pork (20%), and beef (40%) samples, whereas tetB was detected in chicken meat (45%), turkey meat (70%), pork (30%), and beef (35%) samples. The presence of tetracycline residues was also investigated by a receptor assay. This study offers an alternative and rapid method for monitoring the presence of TR bacteria in meat and furthers the understanding of the distribution of tetA and tetB genes.

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma: a case-based discussion of recent advances in patient management.

Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) are relatively rare, and data from large, comparative studies are limited. There are several histologic subtypes, which can be difficult to distinguish. Prognosis and management approaches can vary according to subtype. The standard management for PTCL patients is cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) or CHOP-like regimens. Most patients will respond to CHOP, but a common drawback is the limited durability of response. Several recent trials have examined whether the addition of agents such as etoposide, alemtuzumab, and denileukin diftitox to CHOP can improve outcome. Data appear to suggest that such additions provide only a small amount of benefit, which may be limited to patients who are younger or who have a better prognosis. The newer agent pralatrexate may be beneficial, including when a fast remission is needed prior to a stem cell transplant. Upfront transplants are often used in patients in first remission. In this case-based discussion, Drs. Franco and Popplewell focus on the management of several PTCL subtypes: PTCL-not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS), PTCL with cutaneous involvement, and angioimmunoblastic lymphoma (AITL).

Development and validation of an LC-MS/MS confirmatory method for residue analysis of cyproheptadine in urine of food-producing animals.

The possible off-label and illegal use of cyproheptadine (CYP) as an appetite stimulant for food-producing animals creates the need for methods capable of detecting it. A high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method (LC-MS/MS) was developed to identify CYP in bovine urine, according to Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. Two multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) transitions for each analyte were monitored: 288.1/96.1 and 288.1/191.2 for CYP and 282.1/167.2 and 282.1/116.3 for diphenylpyraline hydrochloride (DPP), which was used as an internal standard. The solid phase extraction technique without a liquid-liquid step gives good results in urine samples from treated animals. The analytical method was successfully validated for linearity (0.15-10 ng/mL), with intraday precision of 9.4%, interday precision of 20.4%, and accuracy of 96.7%. The decision limit (CCalpha) and detection capability (CCbeta) were 0.48 and 0.82 ng/mL, respectively.

Development of a rapid and confirmatory procedure to detect 17beta-estradiol 3-benzoate treatments in bovine hair.

A high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method (LC-MS/MS) was developed for efficient and confirmatory surveillance of illegal use of estradiol benzoate, even when this substance is used in reproductive control. After cryogenic grinding, estradiol benzoate was extracted from hair with acetonitrile for 24 h on a rocking table. The validation of the method was based on Commission Decision 2002/657/EC using the deuterated analogue of estradiol benzoate as internal standard. Decision limit (0.81 ng/g), detection capability (1.38 ng/g), repeatability CV% (13.7), within in laboratory reproducibility CV% (15.6%), and trueness (99.3%) were calculated. Using the proposed methodology the presence of estradiol benzoate in samples obtained from animals treated to synchronize their estrous cycles can be confirmed.

Cryogenic grinding pre-treatment improves extraction efficiency of fluoroquinolones for HPLC-MS/MS determination in animal tissue.

An efficiency extraction of fluoroquinolones in chicken muscle was achieved by pulverizing it in a freezer mill before treatment with NaOH (10mM)/MeCN (1:1). The improvement of cryogenic grinding in the extraction was demonstrated for the same piece (whole leg) of four chickens treated with enrofloxacin in equal doses. A confirmatory method based on high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) was used to analyze the extracts. The chromatographic separation was achieved in 5 min with a Synergi Fusion-RP 80A (50 x 2 mm, 4 microm) column filled with a hybrid polymer. The HPLC was coupled with a detector based in a quadrupole-linear ion trap Q-TRAP that allows a confirmatory detection according to the European legislation. The specificity of the method was assessed by testing a number of representative blank muscle samples (n = 10) to verify the absence of potential interfering compounds. The limits of detection and quantitation were 2 and 5 ng g(-1) of quinolones in muscle samples, respectively. The chromatographic method was demonstrated to be linear for the range studied (5-500 ng g(-1)) with the P value for lack-of-fit in the ANOVA table greater or equal to 0.10 (calibration coefficient 0.9998 and 0.9996 for ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin, respectively). The mean intra-day relative standard deviation (RSD) (n = 6, c = 50 ng g(-1)) was 6%; inter-day assay gave a RSD of 12%. The extraction and clean-up were carried out in one step with very satisfactory recovery data (between 65 and 101%).

Comparison of extraction methods for the recovery, amplification and species-specific analysis of DNA from bone and bone meals.

We report the effect of several parameters on the efficiency of recovery of DNA from animal bones. The effects of preheating the samples (at either 60 degrees C or 100 degrees C) at different intervals (from 1 h to overnight) in different media (water, 0.5 M ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), or 0.5 M EDTA + 0.05% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were investigated. The effect of slight (5 min) or intense (30 min) pretreatments with ultrasound was also evaluated. Several different treatments with proteinase K (ranging from 200 to 800 microg, and lasting from 1 to 3 h) at 65 degrees C were also considered. Additionally, two different DNA extraction methods (based on silica resins and purification columns, respectively) were evaluated. The recovery of DNA from the samples was 40% higher when the bones were preheated in 0.5 M EDTA at 60 degrees C for 1 h, this being followed by treatment with 800 microg of proteinase K for 3 h. The DNA thus obtained was successfully amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a set of primers specific to a 359 bp region of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene, and the species of origin were identified by visualizing the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) with the endonucleases PalI and MboI.