Effect of age and diet on carcass and meat quality in ewes.

This study elucidated the effect of age and diet on carcass characteristics and meat quality parameters of Rambouillet ewes. Forty ewes (n = 20 yearling ewes and n = 20 cull ewes) were fed with alfalfa hay (AH) or a 100 % concentrate diet (CD). Treatments were: a) 10 cull ewes were fed only with AH, b) 10 yearling ewes were fed only with AH, c) 10 cull ewes were fed with CD, d) 10 yearling ewes were fed with CD. Productive performance, carcass and meat quality were analyzed. Animals had ten days for adaptation and 35 days were used to collect data. Dry matter intake was greater (P < 0.05) for CD. Feed conversion rates were not affected by treatments. The pH at 45 min and 24 h, carcass length, leg length, leg width, thorax width, and thorax perimeter were not affected by treatments. Hot carcass weight was heavier (P < 0.05) in cull ewes, cold carcass weight was increased (P < 0.05) with CD. Carcass yield (CY) was heavier in CD (P < 0.05). Cull ewes had greater (P < 0.05) lean CIELAB L*, a*, b*, c*, and h* values compared to yearling ewes. The color changes increased with age at five days (P < 0.05), but a decrease (P < 0.05) with diet was observed at ten days. Cathepsins B, B + L, and Lowry protein content were not affected by treatments. In conclusion, feeding cull ewes with concentrate diets may enhance body weight gain and carcass yield compared to a diet based on 100 % alfalfa hay.

Using maltodextrin and state diagrams to improve thermal transitions in tilapia fillet (Oreochromis spp.).

BACKGROUND: Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) in the form of frozen fillets is one of the fishes with the highest commercial production levels worldwide. However, protein denaturation, membrane rupture, and lipid oxidation are commonly observed in fillets when stored at standard commercial freezing temperatures for long periods. This study proposes, for the first time, the use of maltodextrin and state diagrams to define processing strategies and suitable storage temperatures for fresh and dehydrated tilapia fillets. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to study the effect of maltodextrin weight fractions ( W MD ) of 0, 0.4, and 0.8 on the thermal transitions of tilapia fillets as a function of solid mass fractions ( W s ). RESULTS: The glass transition temperature curve ( T g vs . W s ) and characteristic parameters of maximal freeze concentration ( T g ' , T m ' , W s ' ) of tilapia increased significantly with the addition of maltodextrin. Using developed state diagrams, freezing and storage temperatures of -22 °C, -15 °C, and -10 °C (P < 0.05) for long-term preservation were defined for tilapia fillets produced with W MD of 0, 0.4, and 0.8. CONCLUSION: Maltodextrin is an excellent alternative as a cryoprotectant and drying aid to increase the thermal parameters of tilapia fillets by achieving frozen storage temperatures above the standard commercial freezing temperature of -18 °C. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of Chia Seeds on Growth Performance, Carcass Traits and Fatty Acid Profile of Lamb Meat.

The aim of this work was to supplement a diet with chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) based on the requirements of finishing lambs for meat, and to analyze biometric parameters and fatty acid profiles in meat. Eighteen male Rambouillet lambs with a bodyweight of 25 kg were used. Animals were kept in individual pens with water and feed provided ad libitum. Three finishing diets were designed with the inclusion of 0, 50 and 100 g dry matter chia seeds and divided among the animals (n = 6). The experimental period lasted 60 days. The weights of the individual lambs were recorded every 14 days. At the end of the experiment, the animals were slaughtered and the weights of the hot carcasses and non-meat components were registered. In addition, an analysis of the fatty acid composition was carried out in the muscles (Longissimus thoracis). The total weight gain and average daily gain displayed significant differences (p < 0.05). Initial and final bodyweights, such as the dry matter intake, did not display differences. The fatty acid profile of the meat tended to decrease the SFA (stearic acid) and increase MUFA (oleic acid) (p < 0.0001) when chia seeds were added to the lamb diets. In conclusion, chia seed supplementation did not increase meat production or other biometric parameters; however, it modified the fatty acid profile in L. thoracis.

Volatile Compounds in Tofu Obtained by Soy Milk Fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum BAL-03-ITTG and Lactobacillus fermentum BAL-21-ITTG.

Tofu is one of the main foods made with soybeans. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of L. plantarum and L. fermentum on the volatile compounds and sensorial profile of fermented tofu during ripening. The soy milk was fermented separately with two native strains (L. plantarum or L. fermentum) until reaching a pH of 5.5, and the fermented tofu was obtained. The tofu obtained by acidification with lactic acid was used as a control and was characterized by microbial survival (L. plantarum, L. fermentum, and P. freudenreichii) for 0, 20, and 40 days of storage at 15 °C. Moreover, the lactic and acetic acid content was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the volatile compounds were evaluated by gas. Chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results were analyzed by an ANOVA test (P < 0.05). After storage, the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) survived in the fermented tofu at a concentration higher than 8.0 log CFU/g after 40 days of storage. The shelf life of fermented tofu obtained by acidification was fewer than 20 days because of the presence of fungi and yeasts. The hexanal content was reduced by approximately 96% (P < 0.05) in the tofu obtained by fermentation compared with the control. This process for fermented tofu production employing two native strains could be used for industrial purposes.

Effect of linear and branched fructans on growth and probiotic characteristics of seven Lactobacillus spp. isolated from an autochthonous beverage from Chiapas, Mexico.

The effect that the fructans of Cichorium intybus and Agave salmiana have on health, as well as on the growth of some Lactobacillus species, has been demonstrated. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of linear and branched fructans on the growth of seven strains and some probiotic characteristics. The molecular identification of seven strains was performed. Moreover, the growth, resistance to antibiotics and simulated gastrointestinal conditions were also evaluated when these microorganisms were grown in a culture medium containing agave and chicory fructans. The strains were identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lactiplantibacillus pentosus, Lactiplantibacillus fabifermentans and Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum. The results suggest that the seven Lactobacillus strains were able to grow using agave (branched) and chicory (linear) fructans. The linear and branched fructans statistically influenced the kinetic parameters. The specific growth rate varied between 0.270 and 0.573 h-1 and the generation time between 1.21 and 2.45 h for all strains and culture media. All strains showed a growth of 9 Log CFU/mL in all the culture media. Production of lactic, acetic, propionic, butyric, formic and succinic acid was influenced by linear and branched fructans (p < 0.05). All the strains survived simulated gastrointestinal conditions greater than 83%. The resistance of Lactobacillus against ciprofloxacin and rifaximin was significantly affected by linear and branched fructans, but survival to gastrointestinal conditions was not affected by the type of substrate. These results highlight the use of the seven strains, which have probiotic potential; therefore, these could be applied in several biotechnological products.

Influence of Prebiotic Activity of Agave salmiana Fructans on Mucus Production and Morphology Changes in Colonic Epithelium Cell of Healthy Wistar Rats.

The beneficial health of evaluating prebiotic effect by the consumption of Agave salmiana fructans (A. salmiana fructans) was assessed in the epithelium of the cecum and proximal colon of Wistar rats fed at different doses for 35 days with regards to mucus production, morphological cell changes, and the serum concentration of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Results showed a significant increase in mucus-secreting cells (P < 0.05) and a normal structure with preserved crypts, without morphological damage to colonic cells for a dose of 12.5% (w/w) with respect to the control and the other doses evaluated. The concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α was decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in the groups with doses of 10 and 12.5% (w/w) at 7 and 35 days, respectively. This effect was positively correlated with the reduction of inflammation in epithelial cells. This study provides direct evidence of the effects of the A. salmiana fructans on the colonic epithelium, demonstrating that a diet supplemented with 12.5% of fructans for 35 days exerts health benefits through the strengthening of the mucosa layer, which favors the adherence of the bacterial population and suppresses inflammation.

Physicochemical Properties, Antioxidant Capacity, Prebiotic Activity and Anticancer Potential in Human Cells of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) Seed Flour.

The general aim of this study was to evaluate physicochemical properties, prebiotic activity and anticancer potential of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) seed flour. The drying processes of jackfruit seeds were performed at 50, 60 and 70 °C in order to choose the optimal temperature for obtaining the flour based on drying time, polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity. The experimental values of the moisture ratio during jackfruit seed drying at different temperatures were obtained using Page's equation to establish the drying time for the required moisture between 5 and 7% in the flour. The temperature of 60 °C was considered adequate for obtaining good flour and for performing its characterization. The chemical composition, total dietary fiber, functional properties and antioxidant capacity were then examined in the flour. The seed flour contains carbohydrates (73.87 g/100 g), dietary fiber (31 g/100 g), protein (14 g/100 g) and lipids (1 g/100 g). The lipid profile showed that the flour contained monounsaturated (4 g/100 g) and polyunsaturated (46 g/100 g) fatty acids. Sucrose, glucose, and fructose were found to be the predominant soluble sugars, and non-digestible oligosaccharides like 1-kestose were also found. The total polyphenol content was 2.42 mg of gallic acid/g of the sample; furthermore, the antioxidant capacity obtained by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) was 901.45 µmol Trolox/100 g and 1607.87 µmol Trolox/100 g, respectively. The obtained flour exhibited good functional properties, such as water and oil absorption capacity, swelling power and emulsifier capacity. Additionally, this flour had a protective and preventive effect which is associated with the potential prebiotic activity in Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium longum. These results demonstrate that jackfruit seed flour has good nutritional value and antioxidant and prebiotic activity, as well as potential protective effects and functional properties, making it an attractive food or ingredient in developing innovative functional products.

Experimental data and predictive equation of the specific heat capacity of fruit juice model systems measured with differential scanning calorimetry.

Specific heat capacity ( C P ) is regarded as a fundamental parameter for the design, operation, and optimization of the heat transfer equipment widely used in the food industry. Using the calorimetric ASTM E1269-11 standard procedure, the C P -temperature ( C P ( T ) ) curves of fruit juice model systems prepared at different mass fractions of fructose/glucose/sucrose/citric acid/pectin and water were measured. Thus, experimental data of C P for solid samples in crystalline and amorphous states from -80 °C up to the melting temperature range and for aqueous samples from -80 to 110 °C were generated. In the tested temperature interval, the C P of crystalline, amorphous, and aqueous samples were found to be in the ranges of 0.037 ± 0.020 to 5.61 ± 0.04; 0.061 ± 0.004 to 3.12 ± 0.19, and 0.363 ± 0.05 to 3.24 ± 0.14 kJ/kg °C, respectively. Also, a generalized empirical equation based on the type and concentration of components was developed to predict the C P ( T ) curves of the studied samples. The proposed equation exhibited a low error sum of squares (SSE <  57.3) and a high coefficient of determination (R2 > 0.927). An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed with a confidence level of 95% (p < 0.05). The C P ( T ) curves were influenced by temperature, thermal transitions, water, solid types, and compound interactions. Glucose was one of the solids that most significantly influenced the C P values of samples. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The experimental specific heat capacity data and empirical equation proposed in this study are relevant to the design, evaluation, and optimization of heat transfer equipment involved in many foods and biochemical industrial processes such as cryopreservation, frozen storage, freezing, chilling, drying, and the cooking of hard candies.

The Influence of Maltodextrin on the Thermal Transitions and State Diagrams of Fruit Juice Model Systems.

The state diagram, which is defined as a stability map of different states and phases of a food as a function of the solid content and temperature, is regarded as fundamental approach in the design and optimization of processes or storage procedures of food in the low-, intermediate-, and high-moisture domains. Therefore, in this study, the effects of maltodextrin addition on the freezing points (Tm', Tm) and glass transition temperatures (Tg', Tg) required for the construction of state diagrams of fruit juice model systems by using differential scanning calorimetry methods was investigated. A D-optimal experimental design was used to prepare a total of 25 anhydrous model food systems at various dry mass fractions of fructose, glucose, sucrose, pectin, citric acid, and maltodextrin, in which this last component varied between 0 and 0.8. It was found that maltodextrin mass fractions higher than 0.4 are required to induce significant increases of Tg', Tm', Tg, and Tm curves. From this perspective, maltodextrin is a good alternative as a cryoprotectant and as a carrier agent in the food industry. Furthermore, solute-composition-based mathematical models were developed to evaluate the influence of the chemical composition on the thermal transitions and to predict the state diagrams of fruit juices at different maltodextrin mass fractions.

Biodegradation of recalcitrant compounds and phthalates by culturable bacteria isolated from Liometopum apiculatum microbiota.

Liometopum apiculatum is a species of ants widely distributed in arid and semi-arid ecosystems where there is a relative food shortage compared with tropical ecosystems. L. apiculatum has established an ecological balance involving symbiotic interactions, which have allowed them to survive through mechanisms that are still unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the metabolic potential of isolated bacteria from L. apiculatum using enzymatic activity assay and substrate assimilation. Results revealed a complex bacteria consortium belonging to Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria phylum. Most of the isolated bacteria showed activities associated with biopolymers degradation, from them Exiguobacterium and B. simplex showed the highest amylolytic activity (27 U/mg protein), while A. johnsonii and B. pumulis showed the highest cellulolytic and xylanolytic activities (1 and 2.9 U/mg protein, respectively). By other hand, some microorganisms such as S. ficaria, E. asburiae, P. agglomerans, A. johnsonii, S. rubidaea, S. marcescens, S. warneri, and M. hydrocarbonoxydans were able to grow up to 1000 mg/L of phthalates esters. These results not only revealed the important contribution of the symbionts in L apiculatum ants feeding habits, but also have shown a promising source of enzymes with potential biotechnological applications such as lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysis and bioremediation processes.

The proteome map of the escamolera ant (Liometopum apiculatum Mayr) larvae reveals immunogenic proteins and several hexamerin proteoforms.

The larvae of escamolera ant (Liometopum apiculatum Mayr) have been considered a delicacy since Pre-Hispanic times. The increased demand for this stew has led to massive collection of ant nests. Yet biological aspects of L. apiculatum larvae remain unknown, and mapping the proteome of this species is important for understanding its biological characteristics. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis was used to characterize the larvae proteome profile. From 380 protein spots analyzed, 174 were identified by LC-MS/MS and homology search against the Hymenoptera subset of the NCBInr protein database using the Mascot search engine. Peptide de novo sequencing and homology-based alignment allowed the identification of 36 additional protein spots. Identified proteins were classified by cellular location, molecular function, and biological process according to the Gene Ontology annotation. Immunity- and defense-related proteins were identified including PPIases, FK506, PEBP, and chitinases. Several hexamerin proteoforms were identified and the cDNA of the most abundant protein detected in the 2-DE map was isolated and characterized. L. apiculatum hexamerin (LaHEX, GeneBank accession no. MH256667) contains an open reading frame of 2199 bp encoding a polypeptide of 733 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 82.41 kDa. LaHEX protein is more similar to HEX110 than HEX70 from Apis mellifera. Down-regulation of LaHEX was observed throughout ant development. This work represents the first proteome map as well as the first hexamerin characterized from L. apiculatum larvae.

Microbiota of edible Liometopum apiculatum ant larvae reveals potential functions related to their nutritional value.

Edible insects, due to their high nutritive value, are currently considered as a potential renewable source for food and feed production. Liometopum apiculatum ants are widely distributed in arid and semi-arid ecosystems and their larvae (escamoles) are considered as a delicacy, however the microbial importance in L. apiculatum nutritional ecology is unknown. The aim of this research was to characterize the microorganisms associated with both L. apiculatum larvae and the reproductive adult ants using the 16S rRNA gene sequencing and culturomics approaches. The obligate endosymbionts were also investigated through microscopic analysis. The most abundant Phylum identified by sequencing in the larvae was Firmicutes while in adult ants was Proteobacteria. Interestingly, the culturomics results showed 15 genera corresponding to the bacteria identified by sequencing analysis. Particularly, it was observed a large population of nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which could be linked with the high protein content in escamoles. Endosymbionts were detected in bacteoriocytes, these bacteria are related with vitamins and essential amino acids biosynthesis, and both compounds contributing to the high nutritional value of escamoles. This is the first report of the microorganisms present in the escamolera ant ensuring their safety as food and opening new areas of nutritional ecological and food processing.

Study of enzymatic hydrolysis of fructans from Agave salmiana characterization and kinetic assessment.

Fructans were extracted from Agave salmiana juice, characterized and subjected to hydrolysis process using a commercial inulinase preparation acting freely. To compare the performance of the enzymatic preparation, a batch of experiments were also conducted with chicory inulin (reference). Hydrolysis was performed for 6 h at two temperatures (50, 60 °C) and two substrate concentrations (40, 60 mg/ml). Hydrolysis process was monitored by measuring the sugars released and residual substrate by HPLC. A mathematical model which describes the kinetics of substrate degradation as well as fructose production was proposed to analyze the hydrolysis assessment. It was found that kinetics were significantly influenced by temperature, substrate concentration, and type of substrate (P < 0.01). The extent of substrate hydrolysis varied from 82 to 99%. Hydrolysis product was mainly constituted of fructose, obtaining from 77 to 96.4% of total reducing sugars.

Spray-drying of passion fruit juice using lactose-maltodextrin blends as the support material

The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the blends with different levels of lactose-maltodextrin (8:5, 10:5, and 12:5 percent w/v) during the spray-drying of the passion fruit juice. The drying was carried out in a laboratory spray dryer (Pulvis GB 22 model) at two inlet air temperatures (180 and 190 ºC), and two air pressures (0.10 and 0.20 MPa). The moisture content, hygroscopicity and vitamin C retention were evaluated in the powder obtained. Response surface plots (p<0.05) showed that the lowest values of the moisture content and hygroscopicity were reached in the temperature range of 188-190 ºC and at 12:5 percent (w/v) concentration of lactose-maltodextrin; the best vitamin C retention level occurred at 180 ºC and 0.2 MPa.

O objectivo deste estudo foi a avaliação da efectividade das misturas en diferentes níveis de lactose-maltodextrina (8:5, 10:5, 12:5 por cento w/v) durante a pulverização do sumo de maracujá. A secagem foi feita em um atomizador de laboratório de pulverização (modelo Pulvis GB 22) com 2 entradas de temperatura de ar (180 e 190 ºC), e 2 compressores de pressão de ar (0.10 e 0.20 MPa). O índice da mistura, higroscopicidade e retenção de vitamina C foram avaliados no pó obtido. As curvas de superfície de resposta (p<0.05) mostram que os valores mais baixos do índice da mistura e higroscopicidade foram alcançados no intervalo de temperatura de 188-190 ºC e com uma concentração de 12:5 por cento w/v de lactosemaltodextrina; o melhor nível de retenção de vitamina C ocorreu a 180 ºC e 0.2 MPa.