Oral Inoculation of Point-of-Lay Hens with the New South Wales Outbreak Strain of Salmonella Enteritidis Phage Type 12 Causes Infection, but Minimal Histopathology.

An outbreak of food poisoning in New South Wales (NSW) Australia in 2018, caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis phage type 12 (PT12), was traced to eggs consumed from a NSW layer flock. This was the first report of Salmonella Enteritidis infection in NSW layer flocks, despite ongoing environmental monitoring. Clinical signs and mortalities were minimal in most flocks, although seroconversion and infection were demonstrated in some flocks. An oral dose-response challenge study with Salmonella Enteritidis PT12 was undertaken in commercial point-of-lay hens. Cloacal swabs collected at 3, 7, 10, and 14 days postinoculation and caeca, liver, spleen, ovary, magnum, and isthmus tissues collected at necropsy at either 7 or 14 days were processed for Salmonella isolation (AS 5013.10-2009 from ISO6579:2002). Histopathology was performed on the above tissues, as well as lung, pancreas, kidney, heart, and additional intestinal and reproductive tract tissues. Salmonella Enteritidis was consistently detected in cloacal swabs between 7 and 14 days postchallenge. The Salmonella Enteritidis PT12 isolate successfully colonized the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and spleen of all hens orally challenged with 107, 108, and 109 Salmonella Enteritidis, and less consistently colonized their reproductive tracts. On histopathology, mild lymphoid hyperplasia in the liver and spleen, along with hepatitis, typhlitis, serositis, and salpingitis, was observed at 7 and 14 days postchallenge, with a greater proportion of affected birds in the two higher dose groups. Diarrhea and culture of Salmonella Enteritidis from heart blood were not detected in challenged layers. The NSW isolate of Salmonella Enteritidis PT12 was able to invade and colonize the birds' reproductive tracts as well as a wide range of other tissues, indicating the potential for these naive commercial hens to contaminate their eggs.

La inoculación oral de gallinas ponedoras en el pico de postura con la cepa de Salmonella Enteritidis PT12 del brote en Nueva Gales del Sur causa infección, pero una histopatología mínima. Un brote de intoxicación alimentaria en Nueva Gales del Sur (NSW), Australia en 2018, causado por Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis fagotipo 12, se rastreó hasta los huevos consumidos de una parvada de ponedoras de NSW. Este fue el primer informe de infección por Salmonella Enteritidis en parvadas de ponedoras de NSW, a pesar del monitoreo ambiental continuo. Los signos clínicos y la mortalidad fueron mínimos en la mayoría de las parvadas, aunque se demostró seroconversión e infección en algunas parvadas. Se llevó a cabo un estudio de desafío oral para evaluar la dosis y su respuesta para Salmonella Enteritidis PT12 en gallinas ponedoras comerciales. Los hisopos cloacales recolectados a los tres, siete, diez y 14 días posteriores a la inoculación y los tejidos de ciego, hígado, bazo, ovario, magnum e istmos recolectados en la necropsia a los siete o 14 días se procesaron para el aislamiento de Salmonella (AS 5013.10-2009 del estándar ISO6579: 2002). Se realizó histopatología en los tejidos anteriormente mencionados, así como de pulmón, páncreas, riñón, corazón y tejidos intestinales y del tracto reproductivo adicionales. Salmonella Enteritidis se detectó consistentemente en hisopos cloacales entre los siete y 14 días después del desafío. El aislado de Salmonella Enteritidis PT12 colonizó con éxito el tracto gastrointestinal, el hígado y el bazo de todas las gallinas desafiadas por vía oral con dosis de 107, 108 y 109 de Salmonella Enteritidis, pero colonizó de manera menos consistente sus tractos reproductivos. En la histopatología, se observó hiperplasia linfoide leve en el hígado y el bazo, junto con hepatitis, tiflitis, serositis y salpingitis, a los siete y 14 días posteriores a la exposición, con una mayor proporción de aves afectadas en los dos grupos de dosis más altas. En las ponedoras desafiadas no se detectaron diarrea ni cultivo de Salmonella Enteritidis de sangre colectada del corazón. El aislamiento de Salmonella Enteritidis PT 12 de Nueva Gales del Sur pudo invadir y colonizar los tractos reproductivos de las aves, así como una amplia gama de otros tejidos, lo que indica el potencial de estas gallinas comerciales sin inmunidad para contaminar sus huevos.

Regions of Interest Multivariate Curve Resolution Liquid Chromatography with Data-Independent Acquisition Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

New data-independent acquisition (DIA) modes coupled to chromatographic separations are opening new perspectives in the processing of massive mass spectrometric (MS) data using chemometric methods. In this work, the application of the regions of interest multivariate curve resolution (ROIMCR) method is shown for the simultaneous analysis of MS1 and MS2 DIA raw data obtained by liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time-of-flight MS analysis. The ROIMCR method proposed in this work relies on the intrinsic bilinear structure of the MS1 and MS2 experimental data which allows us for the fast direct resolution of the elution and spectral profiles of all sample constituents giving measurable MS signals, without needing any further data pretreatment such as peak matching, alignment, or modeling. Compound annotation and identification can be achieved directly by the comparison of the ROIMCR-resolved MS1 and MS2 spectra with those from standards or from mass spectral libraries. ROIMCR elution profiles of the resolved components can be used to build calibration curves for the prediction of their concentrations in complex unknown samples. The application of the proposed procedure is shown for the analysis of mixtures of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in standard mixtures, spiked hen eggs, and gull egg samples, where these compounds tend to accumulate.

Plasticity in metabolism of maternal androgens in avian embryos.

Mothers can influence offspring phenotypes by transferring non-genetic information to the young, which provides them with a flexible tool to adjust the developmental trajectory of the young in fluctuating environments. Mothers can differentially deposit their resources in the same reproductive attempt in relation to the offspring position in the sibling hierarchy. However, whether embryos from different positions can be plastic in their response to the maternal signals, potentially leading to a mother-offspring conflict, is yet unclear. We used Rock pigeons (Columba livia), that lay two egg clutches where maternal androgen levels in second laid eggs at oviposition are higher than in first laid eggs, and investigated the plasticity of embryonic metabolism of maternal androgens. We experimentally elevated androstenedione and testosterone levels in first eggs to that present in second eggs and measured the change in androgen levels and its main metabolites (etiocholanolone and conjugated testosterone) after 3.5 days of incubation. We found that eggs with increased androgens show a different degree of androgen metabolism depending either on the egg laying sequence or initial androgen levels or both. Our findings indicate that embryos have certain plasticity in response to maternal androgen levels depending on maternal signals.

Active sampling of volatile chemicals for non-invasive classification of chicken eggs by sex early in incubation.

According to industry estimates, approximately 7 billion day-old male chicks are disposed of annually worldwide because they are not of use to the layer industry. A practical process to identify the sex of the egg early in incubation without penetrating the egg would improve animal welfare, reduce food waste and mitigate environmental impact. We implemented a moderate vacuum pressure system through commercial egg-handling suction cups to collect volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Three separate experiments were set up to determine optimal conditions to collect eggs VOCs to discriminate male from female embryos. Optimal extraction time (2 min), storage conditions (short period of incubation during egg storage (SPIDES) at days 8-10 of incubation), and sampling temperature (37.5°C) were determined. Our VOC-based method could correctly differentiate male from female embryos with more than 80% accuracy. These specifications are compatible with the design of specialized automation equipment capable of high-throughput, in-ovo sexing based on chemical sensor microchips.

[Early introduction of potentially allergenic foods in pediatric patients under six months of age]. / Introducción temprana de alimentos potencialmente alergénicos en pacientes pediátricos menores de seis meses de edad.

OBJECTIVE: To review the available evidence on the early introduction of allergenic foods and the possible protection in the development of food allergy in later stages. METHODS: An exploratory review of randomized clinical trials whose study population included infants less than 6 months of age at enrollment with or without a diagnosis of food allergy was conducted. For the purposes of this review, eggs, peanuts, and wheat were included as potentially allergenic foods. The following databases were consulted: Medline, EBSCO, OVID, Science Direct and JSTOR (Journal Storage), Scielo, LILACS, Redalyc and Imbiomed from August to December 2021. RESULTS: 429 articles were identified, 412 were excluded, and the final analysis included 9 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Six trials correspond to allergy to eggs, two to peanuts and one to wheat. The age of introduction differs in all trials. The earliest exposure was at 3.5 months and the latest at 5.5 months. The reduction in the risk of developing food allergy occurred in children at risk of allergy. Adverse reactions were common, particularly with the introduction of egg. CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence that early introduction (< 6 months of age) of allergenic foods reduces the risk of developing food allergy in infants without risk factors.

OBJECTIVO: Revisar la evidencia disponible acerca de la introducción temprana de alimentos alergénicos y la posible protección en la aparición de alergia alimentaria en etapas posteriores. MÉTODOS: Se realizó una revisión exploratoria de ensayos clínicos aleatorizados, cuya población de estudio incluyera lactantes menores de 6 meses al momento del reclutamiento con o sin diagnóstico de alergia alimentaria. Se incluyeron como alimentos potencialmente alergénicos el huevo, cacahuate y trigo. Se consultaron las bases de datos: Medline, EBSCO, OVID, Science Direct y JSTOR (Journal Storage), Scielo, LILACS, Redalyc e Imbiomed del mes de agosto a diciembre de 2021. RESULTADOS: Se identificaron 429 artículos, se excluyeron 412 y el análisis final incluyó 9 estudios que cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión. Seis ensayos corresponden a alergia al huevo, dos al cacahuate y uno a trigo. La edad de introducción difiere en todos los ensayos. La exposición más temprana fue a los 3.5 y la más tardía a los 5.5 meses. La reducción del riesgo de alergia alimentaria se presentó en niños con riesgo de alergia. Las reacciones adversas fueron comunes, particularmente con la introducción de huevo. CONCLUSIONES: No existe evidencia que la introducción temprana (< 6 meses de edad) de alimentos alergénicos reduzca el riesgo de alergia alimentaria en lactantes sin factores de riesgo.

Determination of 24 sulfonamide antibiotics in instant pastries by modified QuEChERS coupled with ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

There were few reports about antibiotic residues in egg-containing products. In the study, an effective method for the simultaneous determination of 24 sulfonamide antibiotics in two instant pastries based on a modified QuEChERS sample preparation technique coupled with ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was developed. The results show that the average recoveries of the SAs at 5, 10, and 50 µg kg-1 levels were 67.6%-103.8%, with relative standard deviations (RSD) of 0.80-9.23%. The limit of detections (LODs) and limit of quantitations (LOQs) were 0.01-0.14 µg kg-1 and 0.02-0.45 µg kg-1, respectively. This method was suitable for analysis of 24 SAs in instant pastries.

Updates on Plant-Based Protein Products as an Alternative to Animal Protein: Technology, Properties, and Their Health Benefits.

Plant-based protein products, represented by "plant meat", are gaining more and more popularity as an alternative to animal proteins. In the present review, we aimed to update the current status of research and industrial growth of plant-based protein products, including plant-based meat, plant-based eggs, plant-based dairy products, and plant-based protein emulsion foods. Moreover, the common processing technology of plant-based protein products and its principles, as well as the emerging strategies, are given equal importance. The knowledge gap between the use of plant proteins and animal proteins is also described, such as poor functional properties, insufficient texture, low protein biomass, allergens, and off-flavors, etc. Furthermore, the nutritional and health benefits of plant-based protein products are highlighted. Lately, researchers are committed to exploring novel plant protein resources and high-quality proteins with enhanced properties through the latest scientific and technological interventions, including physical, chemical, enzyme, fermentation, germination, and protein interaction technology.

Natural egg yolk emulsion as wall material to encapsulate DHA by two-stage homogenization: Emulsion stability, rheology analysis and powder properties.

The use of safe physical means to achieve egg yolk as natural carrier for active ingredients plays an important role in increasing the added value of egg yolk. In this paper, we prepared DHA-fortified egg yolk emulsion using high-speed shearing (HSS) only and HSS combined with high-pressure homogenization (HPH), respectively. HPH reduced particle size and zeta potential, allowing for better emulsion stability. After 14 days of storage, the encapsulation efficiency was 93.88% even with 15% (w/w) algae oil addition. Rheology analysis presented that HPH improve the viscoelasticity, indicating the enhancement of interaction force between droplets. Then, vaccum low-temperature spray drying (VLTSD) was used to produce powder, which allowed for minimal damage to the encapsulation structure according to scanning electron microscopy and the hydration properties of powder was improved. This work provides a new idea for using egg yolk to encapsulate DHA and improving the properties of egg yolk powder.

On-line preconcentration and determination of sulfadiazine in food samples using surface molecularly imprinted polymer coating by capillary electrophoresis.

In this study, on-line preconcentration and selective determination of the trace sulfadiazine (SDZ) existing in milk and hen egg white samples were realized by the capillary electrophoresis using molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) coated capillary. The capillary coated with MIP was firstly prepared through the surface imprinted techniques, using SDZ as template molecule and dopamine as function monomer and crosslinker, and then amine-terminated poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (PMOXA-NH2) was introduced onto polydopamine layer to reduce the non-specific adsorption. Successful preparation of SDZ-MIP-PMOXA coating was verified by zeta potential, as well as water contact angle. The SDZ-MIP-PMOXA coated capillary performed well on-line preconcentration of SDZ and the obtained peak area of SDZ was 46 times higher than that one obtained in bare capillary using the same procedure. Then the proposed on-line preconcentration method was fully validated and displayed good linear behavior in the concentration from 5.0 to 100.0 ng/mL, with the limit of detection was low to 1.5 ng/mL; and this method presented excellent accuracy and robustness. The prepared SDZ-MIP-PMOXA coated capillary also showed high selectivity with the imprinting factor of 5.85 and good repeatability during five consecutive runs with the relative standard deviation value of peak area was 1.6%. At last, the application of the prepared SDZ-MIP-PMOXA coated capillary in the detection of SDZ in spiked food samples was investigated, and good recoveries of 98.7-109.3% were obtained.

Inactivating Salmonella Enteritidis on shell eggs by using ozone microbubble water.

The major pathogen associated with eggs is Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) and chlorine washing is the most widely used for sanitization. Microbubble, a novel technique and able to operate in large quantity, has been presented to be an alternative method. Thus, microbubble water combining with ozone (OMB) was applied to disinfect S. Enteritidis spiked on shells at 107 cells per egg. OMB was generated by injecting ozone into a Nikuni microbubble system, then delivered into 10 L of water. After 5, 10, or 20 min of activation time, the eggs were placed into OMB and washed for 30 or 60 s. The controls involved unwashed, water washing, ozone only, and microbubble only (MB). The highest reduction, 5.19 log CFU/egg, was achieved by the combination of 20-min activation and 60-s washing, which was used for following tests of large water quantities. Comparing with the unwashed control, 4.32, 3.73 and 3.07 log CFU/egg reductions were achieved in 25, 80, and 100 L of water, respectively. The other system, Calpeda, with higher motor power was tested in 100 L and obtained a reduction of 4.15 log CFU/egg. The average diameter of bubbles generated by Nikuni and Calpeda pump systems were 29.05 and 36.50 µm, respectively, which both were within the microbubble definition of ISO. Much lower reductions, around 1-2 log10 CFU/egg, were shown with the treatments of ozone only and MB by the same operative parameters. After 15-day storage at ambient temperature, the OMB-treated eggs showed similar sensory quality with the unwashed ones. This is the first study demonstrating that OMB effectively inactivates S. Enteritidis on shell eggs in large quantity of water and does not diminished the sensory characteristics of eggs. Furthermore, bacterial population was under the detection limit in the OMB-treated water.

An ELISA-based assay for determining haemagglutinin potency in egg, cell, or recombinant protein derived influenza vaccines.

Background: The current compendial assay for haemagglutinin antigen potency in influenza vaccine is the single radial immunodiffusion (SRID) which is time consuming and can lead to delays in release of vaccine. We previously described an alternate capture and detection enzyme linked immunoassay (ELISA) that utilizes sub-type specific, sub-clade cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that are haemagglutination inhibiting (HAI) and correlate with SRID. The aim of this study is to determine the applicability of ELISA across current platforms for quantitation of seasonal quadrivalent vaccine. Methods: A single mAb capture and detection ELISA was employed to quantitate hemagglutinin (HA) derived from different vaccine platforms and host organisms and compared to SRID and a polyclonal antibody based ELISA. Results: We selected mAbs that displayed appropriate characteristics for a stability indicating potency assay which reacted to avian, insect and mammalian derived HA. Qualification of the homologous mAb assay against egg and cell derived HA demonstrated performance similar to that of the SRID however, superiority in sensitivity and specificity against strains from both influenza B/Victoria and B/Yamagata lineages. Analysis of drifted strains across multiple seasons demonstrated continued utility of this approach, reducing the need to develop reagents each season. With modification of the assay, we were able to accurately measure HA from different platforms and process stages using a single calibrated reference standard. We demonstrated the accuracy of ELISA when testing vaccine formulations containing selected adjuvants at standard and higher concentrations. Accelerated stability analysis indicated a strong correlation in the rate of degradation between the homologous mAb ELISA and SRID but not with ELISA utilizing polyclonal antisera. Further, we demonstrated specificity was restricted to the trimeric and oligomeric forms of HA but not monomeric HA. Conclusion: We believe this homologous mAb ELISA is a suitable replacement for the SRID compendial assay for HA antigen quantitation and stability assessment. Identification of suitable mAbs that are applicable across multiple vaccine platforms with extended sub-type reactivity across a number of influenza seasons, indicate that this assay has broad applicability, leading to earlier availability of seasonal and pandemic vaccines without frequent replacement of polyclonal antisera that is required with SRID.

Tracking floor eggs with machine vision in cage-free hen houses.

Some of the major restaurants and grocery chains in the United States have pledged to buy cage-free (CF) eggs only by 2025 or 2030. While CF house allows hens to perform more natural behaviors (e.g., dust bathing, perching, and foraging on the litter floor), a particular challenge is floor eggs (i.e., mislaid eggs on litter floor). Floor eggs have high chances of contamination. The manual collection of eggs is laborious and time-consuming. Therefore, precision poultry farming technology is necessary to detect floor eggs. In this study, 3 new deep learning models, that is, YOLOv5s-egg, YOLOv5x-egg, and YOLOv7-egg networks, were developed, trained, and compared in tracking floor eggs in 4 research cage-free laying hen facilities. Models were verified to detect eggs by using images collected in 2 different commercial houses. Results indicate that the YOLOv5s-egg model detected floor eggs with a precision of 87.9%, recall of 86.8%, and mean average precision (mAP) of 90.9%; the YOLOv5x-egg model detected the floor eggs with a precision of 90%, recall of 87.9%, and mAP of 92.1%; and the YOLOv7-egg model detected the eggs with a precision of 89.5%, recall of 85.4%, and mAP of 88%. All models performed with over 85% detection precision; however, model performance is affected by the stocking density, varying light intensity, and images occluded by equipment like drinking lines, perches, and feeders. The YOLOv5x-egg model detected floor eggs with higher accuracy, precision, mAP, and recall than YOLOv5s-egg and YOLOv7-egg. This study provides a reference for cage-free producers that floor eggs can be monitored automatically. Future studies are guaranteed to test the system in commercial houses.

An Analysis of Seafood Recalls in the United States, 2002 Through 2022.

This review analyzes the seafood recalls registered by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) from October 2002 through March 2022. There were more than 2,400 recalls for seafood products over this 20-year period. Biological contamination was the listed root cause for about 40% of these recalls. Almost half were designated as Class I recalls, due to the high risk of the recalled seafood to cause disease or death. Independent of the recall classification, 74% of the recalls were due to violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) regulations. The most common cause for these seafood recalls was due to undeclared allergens (34%). More than half of the undeclared allergen recalls were for undeclared milk and eggs. Recalls for Listeria monocytogenes accounted for 30% of all recalls and were all Class I. Finfish comprised 70% of the recall incidents, and salmon was the single most recalled species (22%). Improper cold smoking treatment that resulted in Listeria monocytogenes contamination was the most common reason reported for the salmon recalls. The goal of this review was to evaluate the main causes of food safety failures within the seafood manufacturing and distribution sectors. Human errors and failures to control food safety risks during the processing of food are the main driving factors for most reported recalls in the U.S. Properly applying the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) approach and procedures are needed to identify the potential food safety risks. The key to reducing the risks of human error and loss of process control is the development and implementation of an effective food safety culture program at the manufacturing facility, which must require strong senior management support at corporate and enterprise levels.

Effects of egg powder on the structure of highland barley dough and the quality of highland barley bread.

The influences of egg white (EW), egg yolk (EY) and whole egg (WE) on the structure of highland barley dough and the quality of highland barley bread were explored. The results showed that egg powder reduced G' and G" of highland barley dough, which led to the softer texture of dough and endowed bread with a larger specific volume. EW increased the percentage of ß-sheet of highland barley dough, EY and WE promoted the transformation from random coil to ß-sheet and α-helix. Meanwhile, more disulfide bonds were formed from free sulfhydryl groups in the doughs with EY and WE. These properties of highland barley dough could help highland barley bread develop a preferable appearance and textural feature. It is worth noting that highland barley bread containing EY has more flavorful substances and a better crumb structure, which were similar to that of whole wheat bread. The highland barley bread with EY received a high score according to the sensory evaluation in consumer acceptance.

The Prospective Associations of Egg Consumption with the Risk of Total Cerebrovascular Disease Morbidity among Chinese Adults.

BACKGROUND: Studies investigating the relationship between egg consumption and the risk of cerebrovascular disease (CED) have yielded inconsistent results. This study evaluated the association between egg consumption and the risk of CED among Chinese adults. METHODS: Data were obtained from China Kadoorie Biobank, Qingdao. A computerised questionnaire was used to collect information regarding egg consumption frequency. CED events were tracked through linkage with the Disease Surveillance Point System and the new national health insurance databases. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to evaluate associations between egg consumption and CED risk controlling for potential confounders. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 9.2 years, 865 and 1083 CED events among men and women, respectively, were documented. More than 50% of participants consumed eggs daily with an average age of 52.0 (10.4) years at baseline. No association between egg consumption and CED were identified in the whole cohort and women. However, a 28% lower risk of CED was observed in those who consumed eggs at a higher frequency (HR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.55-0.95) and a significant trend for the association (p for trend = 0.012) in a multivariable model in men. CONCLUSION: Higher frequency of egg consumption was associated with a lower risk of total CED events among men but not women in Chinese adults. The beneficial effect on women warrants further investigations.

Genetic parameters for production, quality, and colors from eggs in Brazilian lineages of chickens.

Genetic parameters were estimated for egg production, egg quality, and eggshell colors in eight lineages of Brazilian laying hens. Age at first egg (AFE), total egg production up to the 45th week (PROD), egg weight (EW), albumen height (AH), yolk color (YC), the Haugh units (HU), eggshell strength (ESS), eggshell thickness (EST), yolk weight (YW), eggshell weight (ESW), and eggshell color (L*, a*, and b*) were measured in 2030 eggs obtained from 645 laying hens. Variance components were estimated from a mixed animal model, which included the fixed effects of contemporary groups, cage location, and hen line, and the additive genetic, permanent environmental, and residual as random effects. In general, heritabilities were low to moderate (h2 = 0.11 to 0.48). Genetic correlations among eggshell quality traits were moderate to high (0.36 and 0.69). High genetic correlations were obtained between the eggshell color traits [rg = -0.90 (L* and a*); rg = -0.64 (L* and b*); and rg = 0.65 (a* and b*)]. Results suggest that EW is strongly correlated with ESW, but the genetic correlations between EW and ESS and between EW and EST were low. Genetic correlations between L* and eggshell quality traits were low to moderate, suggesting that L* has little or no relation with external egg quality. However, genetic correlations between a* and b* values and eggshell quality traits were high. The genetic correlations between eggshell color and eggshell quality traits were low, suggesting that the eggshell color does not influence external egg quality. Genetic correlations between PROD and egg quality traits were negative and varied between -0.42 and -0.05. This antagonistic relationship emphasizes the importance of adopting breeding schemes that allow the simultaneous genetic progress of these traits by considering their genetic correlation and economic relevance, such as the selection index.

WhoseEgg: classification software for invasive carp eggs.

The collection of fish eggs is a commonly used technique for monitoring invasive carp. Genetic identification is the most trusted method for identifying fish eggs but is expensive and slow. Recent work suggests random forest models could provide an inexpensive method for identifying invasive carp eggs based on morphometric egg characteristics. While random forests provide accurate predictions, they do not produce a simple formula for obtaining new predictions. Instead, individuals must have knowledge of the R coding language, limiting the individuals who can use the random forests for resource management. We present WhoseEgg: a web-based point-and-click application that allows non-R users to access random forests via a point and click interface to rapidly identify fish eggs with an objective of detecting invasive carp (Bighead, Grass, and Silver Carp) in the Upper Mississippi River basin. This article provides an overview of WhoseEgg, an example application, and future research directions.

Egg Introduction during Infancy is Associated with Lower Fat Mass Index in Females at Early Adolescence.

BACKGROUND: Egg consumption may play an important role in early-life growth given their high-quality protein, essential fatty acids, and micronutrients. OBJECTIVES: Study objectives were to examine the longitudinal associations of infant age at egg introduction with obesity outcomes in early childhood, middle childhood (mid-childhood), and early adolescence. METHODS: We used existing data from 1089 mother-child dyads from Project Viva to estimate age at egg introduction through a questionnaire completed by mothers at ∼1 y postpartum (mean ± SD, 13.3 ± 1.2 mo). Outcome measures included height and weight (early childhood, mid-childhood, and early adolescence), body composition including total fat mass, trunk fat mass, and lean mass (mid-childhood and early adolescence), and plasma adiponectin and leptin (early and mid-childhood and early adolescence). We defined childhood obesity as sex- and age-specific BMI ≥ 95th percentile. We estimated the associations of infant age at egg introduction with risk of obesity using multivariable logistic regression and multivariable linear regression models for BMI-z-score, body composition measures, and adiposity hormones; adjusted for maternal prepregnancy BMI and sociodemographics. RESULTS: Among females, those introduced to egg by the 1-y survey had a lower total fat mass index (confounder-adjusted mean difference, -1.23 kg/m2; 95% CI: -2.14, -0.31), and trunk fat mass index (confounder-adjusted mean difference, -0.57 kg/m2; 95% CI: -1.01, -0.12) in early adolescence compared to those not introduced (reference group). However, no associations between infant age at egg introduction and risk of obesity were observed among males (confounder-adjusted odd ratio [aOR], 1.97; 95% CI: 0.90, 4.30) or females (aOR, 0.68; 95% CI: 0.38, 1.24) across all ages. Egg introduction in infancy was associated with lower plasma adiponectin among females (confounder-adjusted mean difference, -1.93 µg/mL; 95% CI: -3.70, -0.16) in early childhood only. CONCLUSIONS: Egg introduction during infancy among females is associated with lower total fat mass index in early adolescence and plasma adiponectin in early childhood. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02820402.

Relationship between serum allergen-specific immunoglobulin E and threshold dose in an oral food challenge.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported threshold doses for food allergens. However, evidence regarding potential risk factors for low threshold doses is limited. Moreover, the relationship between threshold dose and specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) levels to causative foods remains unclear. This study examined the relationship and the risk factors for a low threshold dose. METHODS: We recruited children with food allergies and examined the risk factors for a positive oral food challenge (OFC) with a low threshold dose and anaphylaxis. RESULTS: We evaluated 2501 children with food allergies (1667 [67%] boys; median age, 4.9 years) to eggs (n = 1096), milk (n = 671), wheat (n = 370), peanuts (n = 258), walnuts (n = 65), and cashews (n = 41). Of these patients, 234 (9%) reacted to ≤30 mg protein of causative foods and 620 (25%) reacted to ≤100 mg protein of causative foods. The sIgE level to causative foods was a significant independent factor for positive OFCs with a threshold dose of ≤30 mg for milk, wheat, and peanuts; ≤ 100 mg for eggs, milk, wheat, peanuts, and cashews; and anaphylaxis from eggs, milk, wheat, peanuts, and walnuts. High sIgE levels to causative foods were associated with a lower threshold dose of the OFC and anaphylaxis during the OFC. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 9% of patients reacted to ≤30 mg protein of causative foods. The potential risks of anaphylaxis should be considered during OFCs for patients with elevated sIgE levels.

Preparation of egg-koji for developing a novel food.

While chicken eggs contain many nutrients necessary for humans and there are various cooking methods, the nutritional components are used as they are, and there are no traditional foods that utilize microorganisms. Koji-mold, containing Aspergillus oryzae, A. sojae, and A. luchuensis, which has been used in various fermented foods since ancient times, grows on raw grain materials such as rice and barley to become koji. This can give flavors not found in the raw materials that can decompose and convert the nutritional components of the raw materials. Here, we succeeded for the first time in developing egg-koji that uses only eggs and koji-mold by selecting and combining cooked egg powder (CEP) and A. oryzae AO101 as the most suitable combination. To suppress the explosive growth of harmful bacteria, we improved the sterilization method, watering method, and amount of water. In addition, it was found that egg-koji has a characteristic enzyme activity balance, in which amylase is extremely low and protease at pH 6 was high compared to grain koji, such as rice and barley. Egg-koji might produce enzymes suitable for taking in nutrients when growing into CEP and would be expected to give a flavor that could not be achieved by cooking or additives.