Valorization of Pumpkin Byproducts: Antioxidant Activity and Carotenoid Characterization of Extracts from Peel and Filaments.

Pumpkin (Cucurbita sp.) represents an unquestionable source of valuable nutrients and bioactive compounds having a broad spectrum of health-promoting effects. The goal of this work was to characterize the byproducts (peels and filaments) of different pumpkin varieties belonging to C. moschata (Butternut, Lunga di Napoli, Moscata di Provenza, and Violina rugosa) and C. maxima (Delica, Delica vanity, Hokkaido, and Mantovana) species in terms of total carotenoid content, antioxidant activity, and carotenoid profiling. The research revealed that peels and filaments were a good source of ß-carotene and other non-esterified carotenoids, as well as esterified carotenoids. Considering the growing market demand for safe and healthy food products, pumpkin byproducts, having also an interesting antioxidant bioactivity, could be useful in the development of novel functional products.

Integrated bioinformatic analyses investigate macrophage-M1-related biomarkers and tuberculosis therapeutic drugs.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a common infectious disease linked to host genetics and the innate immune response. It is vital to investigate new molecular mechanisms and efficient biomarkers for Tuberculosis because the pathophysiology of the disease is still unclear, and there aren't any precise diagnostic tools. This study downloaded three blood datasets from the GEO database, two of which (GSE19435 and 83456) were used to build a weighted gene co-expression network for searching hub genes associated with macrophage M1 by the CIBERSORT and WGCNA algorithms. Furthermore, 994 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were extracted from healthy and TB samples, four of which were associated with macrophage M1, naming RTP4, CXCL10, CD38, and IFI44. They were confirmed as upregulation in TB samples by external dataset validation (GSE34608) and quantitative real-time PCR analysis (qRT-PCR). CMap was used to predict potential therapeutic compounds for tuberculosis using 300 differentially expressed genes (150 downregulated and 150 upregulated genes), and six small molecules (RWJ-21757, phenamil, benzanthrone, TG-101348, metyrapone, and WT-161) with a higher confidence value were extracted. We used in-depth bioinformatics analysis to investigate significant macrophage M1-related genes and promising anti-Tuberculosis therapeutic compounds. However, more clinical trials were necessary to determine their effect on Tuberculosis.

The Importance of the Slaughterhouse in Surveilling Animal and Public Health: A Systematic Review.

From the point of public health, the objective of the slaughterhouse is to guarantee the safety of meat in which meat inspection represent an essential tool to control animal diseases and guarantee the public health. The slaughterhouse can be used as surveillance center for livestock diseases. However, other aspects related with animal and human health, such as epidemiology and disease control in primary production, control of animal welfare on the farm, surveillance of zoonotic agents responsible for food poisoning, as well as surveillance and control of antimicrobial resistance, can be monitored. These controls should not be seen as a last defensive barrier but rather as a complement to the controls carried out on the farm. Regarding the control of diseases in livestock, scientific research is scarce and outdated, not taking advantage of the potential for disease control. Animal welfare in primary production and during transport can be monitored throughout ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection at the slaughterhouse, providing valuable individual data on animal welfare. Surveillance and research regarding antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at slaughterhouses is scarce, mainly in cattle, sheep, and goats. However, most of the zoonotic pathogens are sensitive to the antibiotics studied. Moreover, the prevalence at the slaughterhouse of zoonotic and foodborne agents seems to be low, but a lack of harmonization in terms of control and communication may lead to underestimate its real prevalence.

Apple Pomace as Valuable Food Ingredient for Enhancing Nutritional and Antioxidant Properties of Italian Salami.

Nowadays, food fortification with bioactive compounds deriving from agri-food waste is of great interest all over the world. In this work, apple pomace (AP), the most abundant by-product of apple juice manufacturing, was characterised by chemical, chromatographic and spectrophotometric analyses. AP showed valuable antioxidant activity, due to the presence of phenolic compounds (8.56 mg gallic acid equivalents/g), including quercetin-3-O-galactoside, quercetin-3-O-arabinofuranoside, and phloridzin. Dried AP, at 7% and 14%, was added to pork meat to produce Italian salami, then subjected to 25 days of ripening. Physicochemical, colorimetric and microbiological analyses were carried out at days 0, 5, 11, 19 and 25, while nutritional and sensory evaluations were performed at the end of the ripening. The overall acceptability was slightly higher for 7% AP compared to 14% AP sample, and generally the replacement of a percentage of meat with apple pomace allowed the production of salami with sensory properties comparable to those obtained with classic recipes. The improved fibre and phenol content, together with the lower fat and calories, represent the most interesting characteristics of fortified salami. The results confirm that the addition of AP represents a valid approach to adding healthy compounds to salami.

Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction and Characterization of Polyphenols from Apple Pomace, Functional Ingredients for Beef Burger Fortification.

Currently, there is an increasing interest to valorise agri-food waste containing bioactive compounds with potential health benefits. In this paper, the recovery of functional molecules from apple pomace, the most abundant by-product of the apple processing industry, was carried out by ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) on fresh and freeze-dried samples. UAE extract, obtained by double extraction of freeze-dried apple pomace, was subjected to chromatographic and spectrophotometric characterization. It showed good levels of total phenol content, high antioxidant activity, and interesting antioxidant compounds (quercetin derivatives, chlorogenic acid, phloridzin). Subsequently, freeze-dried apple pomace, containing 40.19% of dietary fibre, was used as a fortifying agent for beef burgers (4% and 8%). The results concerning colour and sensory analysis of the fortified products were graded even better than the control (0%). The improved fibre and phenol content, together with the neutral flavour, represent the most interesting characteristics of fortified burgers. The results confirm that UAE was a successful technique for extracting phenol compounds and that the addition of apple pomace represents a valid approach to increase the health properties and palatability of beef burgers, including for consumers who do not like meat.

A Retrospective Study after 10 Years (2010-2019) of Meat Inspection Activity in a Domestic Swine Abattoir in Tuscany: The Slaughterhouse as an Epidemiological Observatory.

The activities performed by the Official Veterinarian at the slaughterhouse represent a useful source of data for the control of issues affecting human and animal health and welfare. This study analyzed the data deriving from ten years (2010-2019) of meat inspection in a pig slaughterhouse in Tuscany (Italy) to investigate the transport mortality rate and the frequencies and main causes of whole carcass and partial condemnations. In total, 1,246,309 pigs were slaughtered from 8 different regions of Central and Northern Italy. Overall, 1153 pigs died during transport (mortality rate 0.09%). Whole carcass condemnation affected 372 carcasses (0.03%), mainly due to erysipelas, generalized jaundice, lipomatous pseudohypertrophy, generalized abscesses, acute or generalized enteritis, and peritonitis. As regards partial condemnations, the liver was the most frequently condemned (~30% of the pigs), followed by lungs (17.3%), heart (6.9%), and kidney (0.9%). The main causes were "milk spot liver" and perihepatitis for the liver; pneumonia and pleurisy for the lungs; pericarditis and polyserositis for the heart; and polycystic kidney and nephritis for kidneys. The results of this study describe a non-worrying situation as regards the investigated aspects and confirm the slaughterhouse as a valid epidemiological observatory for monitoring the trend of the main diseases over time, the results of the efforts for their control, and the compliance with animal welfare standards.

LC-MS/MS analyses of bile and histological analyses of thymus as diagnostic tools to detect low dose dexamethasone illicit treatment in beef cattle at slaughterhouse.

Dexamethasone (DXM) is a synthetic adrenal corticosteroid with anti-inflammatory properties used for therapeutic purposes in a wide range of pathologies and of the most common corticosteroids used for anabolic purposes in beef cattle. It is proven that DXM induces histological changes, traceable as increasing fatty infiltration of the thymus associated with a concurrent decrease of the cortex-medulla ratio, so the histological examination of the thymus gland has been established as an indirect morphological biomarker. The aim of the present study is to compare thymus histology and DXM concentrations in biological fluids collected at slaughterhouse after 1 month of DXM treatment. Our findings demonstrate that a low dosage of DXM administered to 12 months-old-Chianina beef cattle induces severe thymic atrophy with concurrent reduction of the cortex/medulla ratio, demonstrable even when DXM residues are not found in serum and urine samples. It is worth to note that, at the slaughterhouse, DXM residues are detectable in bile samples, indicating the ability of this biological fluid to bio-concentrate the administered drug if compared to serum and urine. Therefore, bile could be candidates as new liquid matrix for the screening programs planned to contrast the illegal use of anabolic substances.

Noise assessment in slaughterhouses by means of a smartphone app.

Regulation (EC) No. 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing establishes an obligation to spare animals any avoidable suffering or stress prior to their slaughter. Although it has been pointed out that stressors also include noise, which can cause suffering and affect the quality of the meat, current legislation does not set a limit for environmental noise in slaughterhouses. This study was conducted in three slaughterhouses in central Italy to assess the environmental acoustic level using a smartphone app. The selected, medium-sized slaughterhouses for pigs and cattle were subjected to measurements using a sound-level meter (Noise Meter for iOS) during working hours at the unloading area and lairage, along the chute to the restraining pen, at the time of stunning and at the slaughter hall. For the bovine lines the average values expressed in dB ranged from 76.33 (SD 2.08) to 93.00 (SD 2.14) for abattoir 1, from 75.00 (SD 1.87) to 92.33 (SD 4.89) for abattoir 2 and from 75.67 (SD 7.09) to 88.83 (SD 4.79) for abattoir 3. For the pig lines the average values expressed in dB ranged from 77.50 (SD 3.11) to 100.33 (SD 1.53) for abattoir 1, from 83.00 (SD 2.00) to 99.75 (SD 2.63) for abattoir 2 and from 71.20 (SD 6.49) to 99.50 (SD 1.31) for abattoir 3. Data show that the pig slaughter line was always noisier than the cattle line and the slaughter hall always showed the highest values (i.e. 100 dB), when compared to the unloading area (i.e. 79 dB).

Analysis of the causes of the seizure and destruction of carcasses and organs in a slaughterhouse in central Italy in the 2010-2016 period.

Meat safety and hygiene are fundamental issues for producers and endusers. To achieve these goals, the inspection of carcasses and organs at slaughter is critical. The results of post-mortem inspection are the basis for planning preventive measures against consumer risks and for limiting economic losses. In this retrospective study, the causes of the seizure and destruction of carcasses and organs were analysed at a slaughterhouse in central Italy from 2010 to 2016. 436,646 slaughtered animals were taken into consideration, for a total of 61,799 seizures (73.29% pigs, 23.87% cattle, 2.77% sheep and 0.07% horses). The organs or groups of organs that most frequently showed lesions in pigs were liver (72.38%), heart (10.77%) and pluck (10.20%); in cattle, lungs (64.86%), liver (31.20%) and stomachs (11.63%); in sheep, liver (77.15%), pluck (18.70%) and lung (3.80%); in horses, liver (75.56%), kidney (68.89%) and lung (31.11%). Among the diagnoses, parasitic diseases of the liver (ascariasis and distomatosis) were especially frequent in all species, followed by pericarditis and polyserositis in pigs and diseases affecting the respiratory system in cattle. The data obtained show that postmortem inspection is of fundamental importance for limiting risks for the consumer and ensuring meat safety. It is also evident, even more than ten years after the coming into force of the so-called hygiene package regulations, that the slaughterhouse can still act as an epidemiological observatory to provide the data needed for the development of plans for the control and eradication of the most frequent diseases in the area.

Prevalence and characterisation of shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli isolated from beef cattle fed with prebiotics.

Ten Holstein Friesian calves were divided into two groups of five: one group was given prebiotics in their food, while the other group served as the control group. Every two weeks from birth up to 18 months, samples of feces were taken from the rectal ampulla to determine the concentration of E. coli. At each sampling session, three aliquots per sample were collected. The arithmetic mean was calculated and all values (converted into logs) were analysed with GraphPad InStat for analysis of variance, followed by the Tukey-Kramer test. A total of 69 E. coli strains were detected, 29 (42.03%) from treated animals and 40 (57.97%) from the control group. The isolates were analysed by PCR for the presence of the stx-1, stx-2, hly and eae genes and by the Kirby Bauer test for susceptibility to the most commonly used antimicrobials in cattle breeding. Hierarchical clustering of the isolates was done using Ward's method. Thirty samples were positive for the stx-1 gene, 18 for stx- 2, 12 for both stx-1 and stx-2, 8 for hly, and 10 for eae. 4.3% were resistant to sulfamides, 8.6% to tetracycline, 1.4% to gentamicin, 94.6% to cephalothin, 2.8% to chloramphenicol, 13% to ampicillin, 13% to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, 7.2% to sulphonamides, 4.3% to ceftriaxone, 5.7% to nalidixic acid, 34.7% to ticarcillin, 88.5% to erythromycin, and 5.7% to streptomycin. The isolates from the samples taken from day 210 to day 300 were grouped into a single cluster. Bacteriological examinations showed a reduction in the concentration of E. coli in the feces of the treated animals compared to the control group. The presence of strains with shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli virulence profiles and the reduction of these in the treated animal group demonstrated that diet can play an important role in reducing E. coli prevalence in cattle.

Achiral-chiral two-dimensional chromatography of free amino acids in milk: A promising tool for detecting different levels of mastitis in cows.

In two-dimensional HPLC (2D-HPLC) "heart-cut" applications, two columns are connected in series via a switching valve and volume fractions from the "primary" column are re-injected on the "secondary" column. The heart-cut 2D-HPLC system here described was implemented by connecting a reversed-phase (RP) column (first dimension) to a chiral column (second dimension) containing a quinidine-based chiral stationary phase. The system was used to evaluate the change in the enantiomeric excess value of dansylated (Dns) amino acids (AAs) in milk samples from two cows with different "California Mastitis Test" scores: negative test for sample 1, positive for sample 2. Apart from the co-elution of Dns-Arg/Dns-Gly and the reduced chemoselectivity for Dns-Leu/Dns-allo-Ile, the optimized achiral RP method distinguished the remaining standard Dns-AAs. Dns-AAs were identified in the chromatograms of the real samples, and in higher concentration Dns-Ala, Dns-Arg, Dns-Asp, Dns-Glu, Dns-Ile, Dns-Leu, Dns-Phe and Dns-Val. Except Dns-Arg, the chiral column enabled the RP enantioseparation of all the other compounds (α and RS values up to 1.65 and 8.63, respectively, for Dns-Phe). In sample 2, the amounts of Dns-d-AAs were rather elevated, in particular for Dns-Ala and Dns-Asp. Instead, for sample 1, D-isomers were detected for Dns-Ala, Dns-Glu and Dns-Leu. The proposed 2D-HPLC method could be useful for the identification of clinical mastitis difficult to be diagnosed. Moreover, the eventual progressive reduction of D-AAs levels with the degree of sub-clinical mastitis could allow the building of mathematical models to use for the diagnosis of early stages of mastitis.