Downer cows: a reanalysis of an old data set.

AIMS: To compare the performance of two predictive models for the survival of downer cows. METHODS: The first model had been developed in 1987 using a dataset containing missing values, while the second, new model was developed on the same dataset but using modern data imputation and analytical methods. Missing data were imputed using multiple imputation by chained equations and a logistic regression model fitted to the imputed data, with survival or not as the outcome variable. The predictive ability of the model built on the imputed data was contrasted with the original prognostic model by testing them both on a second smaller but complete data set, collected contemporaneously with the development of the original model but from a different region of New Zealand. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and cut point for the two models were calculated. RESULTS: The original 1987 model had a slightly higher accuracy than that of the new one with a sensitivity of 0.85 (95% CI = 0.72-0.94) and a specificity of 0.82 (95% CI = 0.7-0.91), using a cut point for the probability of survival = 0.313. CONCLUSIONS: The original prognostic formula published by Clark et al. in 1987 performed as well as a modern model built on an imputed data set. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The use of a prognostic test based on the Clark model should remain an important part of the clinical examination of downer cows by New Zealand veterinarians.Abbreviations: AUC: Area under the curve; AST: Aspartate transaminase activity; CK: Creatine phosphokinase activity; GAM: Generalised additive model; NSAID: Non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory drugs; PCV: Packed cell volume.

Isolation, characterization, and utilization of wheat bran protein fraction for food application.

Wheat bran (WB), a low-cost industrial by-product, is a vital source of high-quality proteins, minerals, vitamins, and several bioactive compounds. The present study encompasses the identification of appropriate bran streams of a commercial roller flour mill (CRFM) essentially based on hector liter weight, (HLW), optimization of WB protein isolation process, amino acid characterization, rendering more emphasis on simple water-soluble albumins, having higher commercial viability, and its application in food formulation. Total WB protein was 16.18% protein, the sum of the extracted proteins viz. albumin (2.43%), a prolamin (2.47%), glutelin (5.25%), globulin (1.92%), and insoluble proteins (4.09%) was 12.08%. Following albumin extraction, residual WB was subjected to ultra-sonication which further increased albumin protein yield from 2.43 to 3.07%. The extracted WB albumin isolate (WBAI) was utilized to develop high protein bread having significantly high volume and protein content, compared to control bread. The structural and sensorial attributes of the developed bread were superior compared to control bread. Thus, WBAI has a tremendous scope as a natural, affordable potential inexpensive food improver/fortificant to address protein-energy malnutrition (PEM). The process has the great advantage of being eco-friendly, besides, residual bran can still be used as cattle feed, enhancing profitability and viability.

Ameliorative effect of enhanced Fischer ratio flaxseed protein hydrolysate in combination with antioxidant micronutrients on ethanol-induced hepatic damage in a rat model.

Alcohol abuse causes severe metabolic abnormalities inducing hepatic damage and malnutrition. Since higher Fischer ratio proteins have therapeutic value in liver diseases, an investigation was undertaken to study the ameliorative effect of the enhanced Fischer ratio flaxseed protein hydrolysate (EFR-FPH) alone and in combination with antioxidant micronutrients on ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in a rat model. The EFR-FPH was prepared by dual enzymatic hydrolysis and charcoal treatment of flaxseed protein. The ratio of the branched-chain:aromatic amino acids (Fischer ratio) was found to be 7·08. The EFR-FPH, characterised using LC-MS/MS, showed the abundance of free leucine and isoleucine compared with phenylalanine and tyrosine. The matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation-time of flight MS analysis revealed the larger peptides present in EFR-FPH with mass 2·3 kDa. The EFR-FPH improved the nutritional status, liver function and antioxidant defense in the ethanol hepatotoxicity-induced rat model. The hepatoprotective effect of EFR-FPH was significantly enhanced when combined with selenium or vitamin E. Ethanol-induced changes in the liver tissue were effectively suppressed in the groups receiving EFR-FPH. Flaxseed-based hepatoprotective dietary supplement was formulated incorporating an optimum level of EFR-FPH (10 %) based on sensory acceptability and was fortified with selenium and vitamin E. The hepatoprotective formulation significantly lowered aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin by 47, 61, 55 and 78 %, respectively, and improved the antioxidant defense in the ethanol hepatotoxicity-induced rat model. The current investigation suggests that EFR-FPH in synergy with antioxidant micronutrients is potent in ameliorating ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity and has a potential to form a hepatoprotective dietary supplement.

Silver nanoparticles based spectroscopic sensing of eight metal ions in aqueous solutions.

Anthropogenic releases from different outlets of industry, municipal sewage and the road traffic can give rise to higher concentrations of heavy metals in food commodities which imposes a threat to human health and environment. A simple silver nanoparticle (Ag NPs) used for the sensing of heavy metal ions, Cd2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, Hg2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Pb2+ and Zn2+ in aqueous solution is described qualitatively and quantitatively using spectroscopic tool. FE-SEM and TEM images confirmed that the particles are spherical in shape with an average diameter of 23.4 nm. Presence of heavy metal ions with Ag NPs gives, new peak at around 925, 898, 643, 665, 688, and 838 nm for Cd2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, Hg2+, Mn2+ and Zn2+ in addition to the peak found at 410 nm for Ag NPs. Further, the addition of Ni2+ and Pb2+ metal ion solution with Ag NPs increased the SPR band from 410 nm to 436 and 462 nm respectively. Citrate functionalized Ag NPs aggregate in solution in the presence of divalent metal ions by ions-template chelating process and are easily measurable changes in the UV-vis absorption spectrum of the particles. Further, studies also confirmed the interaction of Ag NPs with metal ions using FT-IR spectroscopy. The proposed method was found to be useful for simple UV-vis spectroscopic sensing of metal ions in aqueous solutions and real contaminated samples.

Synthesis, characterization and anti-inflammatory properties of karanjin (Pongamia pinnata seed) and its derivatives.

Karanja (Pongamia pinnata) is a medicinal tree used in the Indian traditional ayurvedic system for treating several ailments. The seeds contain a unique furano-flavonoid karanjin, which has shown to possess many medicinal properties. Its usage at the clinical level is affected due to poor solubility and absorption. In the present investigation, molecular modifications of karanjin were attempted and evaluated their effect on anti-inflammatory activity. Firstly, Karanja ketone was obtained from karanjin by hydrolysis, and it was converted into karanja ketone oxime. The oxime undergoes Beckmann rearrangement and cyclized to yield furano benzoxazole (karanja oxazole). The new derivatives were purified with >95% purity (HPLC) and spectrally characterized (HR-MS, FTIR, and NMR). Among the test compounds, karanja ketone oxime exhibited higher antioxidant activity with an IC50 value of 360 µg/ml (DPPH). Soy lipoxygenase-1 (LOX-1) inhibitory activity of oxime was higher (IC50 = 65.4 µM) than other compounds. Fluorescence studies showed that oxime had higher quenching capacity with a Qmax of 76.3% and a binding constant of 0.9 × 105 M-1 for soy LOX-1. In-silico interaction studies showed that karanja ketone oxime had the least binding energy of -5.76 kcal/mol with LOX-1 by forming two hydrogen bonds with hydrophobic amino acids Leu 390 and Gly 392. The compounds were evaluated for their acute anti-inflammatory activity by the paw and ear edema in the rat model. Karanjin inhibits paw edema and ear edema by 34.13% and 51.13%, respectively, whereas the derivatives inhibited by 45-57 % and 70-76.8%. This study reports a rational approach to synthesize karanjin derivatives with considerable anti-inflammatory properties, both in-vitro and in-vivo.

Seaweed Sargassum wightii mediated preparation of zirconia (ZrO2) nanoparticles and their antibacterial activity against gram positive and gram negative bacteria.

In the present study, a facile and green combustion method has been optimized for the synthesis of zirconia (ZrO2) nanoparticles using marine brown alga (seaweed), Sargassum wightii (S. wightii). Structural, optical and photoluminescence properties of the prepared ZrO2 nanoparticles were studied using XRD, FTIR, HR-TEM, UV-vis and PL spectroscopy. The average grain size of the nanoparticles calculated from the XRD pattern was around 4.8 nm which exhibits tetragonal structure. TEM results showed that the synthesized nanoparticles were uniformly monodispersed without aggregation. Formation of zirconia nanoparticles were confirmed by FTIR studies. The PL spectra exhibit broad emission peaks at the interface of UV and visible regions which can be assigned to the ionized oxygen vacancy in the material. Antibacterial activity of the synthesized zirconia nanoparticles was studied against gram positive and gram negative bacterial strains using agar well diffusion method. The prepared zirconia nanoparticles show significant antibacterial effect against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi due to their large surface area by their nanosize.

Clinical haematology and biochemistry profiles of cattle naturally infected with Theileria orientalis Ikeda type in New Zealand.

AIMS: To present the haematology and biochemistry profiles for cattle in New Zealand naturally infected with Theileria orientalis Ikeda type and investigate if the results differed between adult dairy cattle and calves aged <6 months. METHODS: Haematology and biochemistry results were obtained from blood samples from cattle which tested positive for T. orientalis Ikeda type by PCR, that were submitted to veterinary laboratories in New Zealand between October 2012 and November 2014. Data sets for haematology and biochemistry results were prepared for adult dairy cattle (n=62 and 28, respectively) and calves aged <6 months (n=62 and 28, respectively), which were matched on the basis of individual haematocrit (HCT). Results were compared between age groups when categorised by HCT. Selected variables were plotted against individual HCT, and locally weighted scatterplot smoothing (Loess) curves were fitted to the data for adult dairy cattle and calves <6 months old. RESULTS: When categorised by HCT, the proportion of samples with HCT <0.15 L/L (severe anaemia) was greater for adult dairy cattle than for beef or dairy calves, for both haematology (p<0.002) and biochemistry (p<0.001) submissions. There were differences (p<0.05) between adult dairy cattle and calves aged <6 months in the relationships between HCT and red blood cell counts, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentrations, lymphocyte and eosinophil counts, and activities of glutamate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase. In both age groups anisocytosis was frequently recorded. The proportion of blood smears showing mild and moderate macrocytosis was greater in adults than calves (p=0.01), and mild and moderate poikilocytosis was greater in calves than adults (p=0.005). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The haematology and biochemistry changes observed in cattle infected with T. orientalis Ikeda type were consistent with extravascular haemolytic anaemia. Adult dairy cattle were more likely to be severely anaemic than calves. There were differences in haematology and biochemistry profiles between adult dairy cattle and calves, but most of these differences likely had a physiological rather than pathological basis. Overall, the haematological changes in calves aged <6 months appeared less severe than in adult dairy cattle.

Cluster analysis of the clinical histories of cattle affected with bovine anaemia associated with Theileria orientalis Ikeda type infection.

AIM To determine the most commonly used words in the clinical histories of animals naturally infected with Theileria orientalis Ikeda type; whether these words differed between cases categorised by age, farm type or haematocrit (HCT), and if there was any clustering of the common words in relation to these categories. METHODS Clinical histories were transcribed for 605 cases of bovine anaemia associated with T. orientalis (TABA), that were submitted to laboratories with blood samples which tested positive for T. orientalis Ikeda type infection by PCR analysis, between October 2012 and November 2014. χ2 tests were used to determine whether the proportion of submissions for each word was similar across the categories of HCT (normal, moderate anaemia or severe anaemia), farm type (dairy or beef) and age (young or old). Correspondence analysis (CA) was carried out on a contingency table of the frequency of the 28 most commonly used history words, cross-tabulated by age categories (young, old or unknown). Agglomerative hierarchical clustering, using Ward's method, was then performed on the coordinates from the correspondence analysis. RESULTS The six most commonly used history words were jaundice (204/605), lethargic (162/605), pale mucous membranes (161/605), cow (151/605), anaemia (147/605), and off milk (115/605). The proportion of cases with some history words differed between categories of age, farm type and HCT. The cluster analysis indicated that the recorded history words were grouped in two main clusters. The first included the words weight loss, tachycardia, pale mucous membranes, anaemia, lethargic and thin, and was associated with adult (p<0.001), severe anaemia (p<0.001) and dairy (p<0.001). The second cluster included the words deaths, ill-thrift, calves, calf and diarrhoea, and was associated with young (p<0.001), normal HCT (p<0.001), beef (p<0.001) and moderate anaemia (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Cluster analysis of words recorded in clinical histories submitted with blood samples from cases of TABA indicates that two potentially different disease syndromes were associated with T. orientalis Ikeda type infection. One was consistent with the affected cattle suffering from a severe regenerative extravascular haemolytic anaemia, the second displaying as ill thrift and diarrhoea, particularly in young beef cattle.

Biosynthesis of Gold Nanoparticles and Identification of Capping Agent Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Mass Spectrometry.

In the present study, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized using leaf extract of Syzygium jambolanum and capping agent has been explored. The synthesized AuNPs have been characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and atomic force microscopic (AFM) analysis. The AuNPs show intense surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band at 528 nm and were found to be spherical and hexagonal in shape with particle size ranging from 20-30 nm. Transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to analyze the surface morphology of synthesized AuNPs. The capping ligand has been evaluated using matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis.

Using weather data to predict the presence of Lucilia spp. on sheep farms in New Zealand.

Flystrike remains an important animal health issue on New Zealand sheep farms. To date no useful predictive tool to assist farmers to develop control options has been available. The aim of this study was to use National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) virtual climate station data in New Zealand to develop a weather-based model to accurately predict the presence of Lucilia spp. on sheep farms throughout New Zealand. Three LuciTrap® baited fly traps were positioned on each of eight sheep farms throughout New Zealand (5 in the North Island and 3 in the South Island). The traps were put out for both the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 seasons. They were emptied each week and the flies morphologically identified; with the counts of Lucilia cuprina and L. sericata combined as Lucilia spp. The count data for Lucilia spp. for each week of trapping was transformed into a binary outcome and a generalised linear mixed effects models fitted to the data, with farm as a random effect. The dependent variable was Lucilia spp. flies caught, yes or no, and the independent variables were mean weekly climate variables from the nearest NIWA virtual climate station to that farm. The model was trained on the 2018-2019 catch data and tested on the 2019-2020 catch data. A cut point was identified which maximised the model's ability to correctly predict whether Lucilia spp. were present or not for the 2019-2020 catch data, and the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and area under the curve (AUC) of the model calculated. The final model included just 3 significant variables, mean weekly 10 cm soil temperature, mean weekly soil moisture index, and mean weekly wind speed at 10 m. Mean weekly 10 cm soil temperature accounted for 64.7% of the variance explained by the model, mean weekly soil moisture index 34.7% and mean weekly wind speed at 10 m only 0.6%. The results showed that the predictive model had a sensitivity of 0.93 (95% CI = 0.80-0.98) and a specificity of 0.75 (95% CI = 0.62-0.85), using a cut point for the probability of Lucilia spp. being present on farm = 0.383. This model provides New Zealand farmers with a tool which will allow them to know when Lucilia spp. flies will likely be present and thus more accurately plan their interventions to prevent flystrike.

Ethnic disparities and its association between epicardial adipose tissue thickness and cardiometabolic parameters.

Excessive deposit of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) were recently shown to be positively correlated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study aims to investigate the thickness of EAT and its association with the components of metabolic syndrome among multi-ethnic Malaysians with and without acute coronary syndrome (ACS). A total of 213 patients were recruited, with the thickness of EAT were quantified non-invasively using standard two-dimensional echocardiography. EAT thickness among the Malaysian population was prompted by several demographic factors and medical comorbidities, particularly T2DM and dyslipidaemia. ACS patients have significantly thicker EAT compared to those without ACS (4.1 mm vs 3.7 mm, p = 0.035). Interestingly, among all the races, Chinese had the thickest EAT distribution (4.6 mm vs 3.8 mm), with age (p = 0.04 vs p < 0.001), and overall diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.028) was also found to be associated with EAT thickness. Further study is warranted to investigate its role as a cardiovascular risk marker among Malaysians with ACS.

Biodeterioration of polyethylene by jellyfish nematocyst protein.

Plastic pollution is one of the major global problems existing now-a-days and has become a cause of serious concern in coastal and marine ecosystems. Increased accumulation of plastics in the aquatic environment by anthropogenic sources results the alteration of the aquatic ecosystem and its functioning. Several variables have an impact on biodegradation, ranging from microbe species to polymer type, physicochemical qualities, and environmental circumstances. The present study was attempted to investigate polyethylene degradation ability of nematocyst protein extracted from the lyophilized nematocyst samples using three different mediums such as distilled water, Phosphate buffered saline (PBS), and seawater. The biodeteriorization potential of nematocyst protein and its interaction with the polyethylene was studied using ATR-IR, phase contrast bright-dark field microscope, and scanning electron microscopic studies. The results uncover the biodeteriorization of polyethylene by jellyfish nematocyst protein without any external physicochemical process and provide evidence for further research.

Jellyfish venom proteins and their pharmacological potentials: A review.

Several research in the organisms of marine invertebrates to assess the medicinal ability of its bio-active molecules have yielded very positive results in recent times. Jellyfish secreted venoms are rich sources of toxins intended to catch prey or deter predators among invertebrate species, but they may also have harmful effects on humans. The nematocyst, a complex intracellular system that injects a venomous mixture into prey or predators that come into contact with the tentacles or other parts of the body of cnidarians, determines the venomous existence of cnidarians. Nematocyst venoms are mixtures of peptides, proteins and other components that in laboratory animals can induce cytotoxicity, blockade of ion channels, membrane pore formation, in vivo cardiovascular failure and lethal effects. There are also valuable pharmacological and biological aspects of jellyfish venoms. In the present review, overviews of the variety of possible toxin families in cnidarian venoms are addressed in this analysis and these potential toxins are surveyed with those from other cnidarians that offer insight into their potential functions such as anti-oxidant, anti-cancer activity and much more. This research review will provide awareness of the growing repertoire of jellyfish venom proteins and will help to further isolate and classify particular proteins to understand its structure and functional relationship.

Biosynthesis of reduced graphene oxide using Turbinaria ornata and its cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 cells.

Graphene-based nanomaterials are gaining importance in biomedicine because of their large surface areas, solubility, and biocompatibility. Green synthesis is the most economical method for application, as it is rapid and sustainable. Biofunctionalized reduced graphene oxide (TrGO) nanosheets were synthesized using methanol extract of Turbinaria ornata, and bioreduction of graphene oxide was primarily confirmed and characterized using UV-visible, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and further characterized by zeta potential and transmission electron microscopy. The FTIR spectra of TrGO showed a decrease in the band intensities of oxygen groups, thus confirming effective deoxygenation. The zeta potential value of -34.6 mV revealed that synthesized TrGO was highly stable. The cytotoxic effect of TrGO against MCF-10A and MCF-7 cells was ascertained using MTT assay, showed a greater cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 cells. The IC50 of TrGO treatment against MCF-7 was calculated to be 31.25 µg, which is onefold lower than the cytotoxic effect of methanolic extract of T. ornata (60.0 ± 1.14 µg/ml). In addition, there was a statistically significant difference in cell viability between MCF-10A and MCF-7 cells in the treatment of TrGO. Hence, this study results in an efficient green reductant for producing rGO nanosheets that possess cytotoxicity against breast cancer cells.

Evidence-based traditional Siddha formulations for prophylaxis and management of respiratory symptoms in COVID-19 pandemic-a review.

The recent outbreak of COVID-19 is attributed to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This viral disease is rapidly spreading across the globe, including India. The mainstay in managing the disease is supportive care, nutrition, and preventing further progression in the absence of proven antiviral drugs. Currently two vaccines Covishield and Covaxin are administered in India. Long-term plans of developing most reliable mRNA-based vaccines are also underway for the future method of prophylaxis. The Siddha system of medicine's holistic approach emphasizes lifestyle modification, prophylactic interventions, and dietary management to boost the host immunity and treatment with herbal medicines and higher-order medicines as the case may be. In this review, a brief outline of the disease COVID-19, Coronavirus, evidence-based traditional Siddha interventions for respiratory ailments and immune boosters highlighting the relevant published research on individual herbs are dealt, which pave way for further research on drug repurposing for COVID-19. Historical evidence on the prevention and treatment of infections especially antivirals in Siddha classics is studied.

In vitro anti-diabetic assessment of guavanoic acid functionalized gold nanoparticles in regulating glucose transport using L6 rat skeletal muscle cells.

Guavanoic acid functionalized gold nanoparticles exhibit anti-diabetic potential by improving insulin dependent glucose uptake in L6 rat skeletal muscle cells. The mode of action of the gold nanoparticles was established from the glucose uptake assay in the presence and absence of genistein and wortmannin. The anti-diabetic efficacy of guavanoic acid functionalized gold nanoparticles was put forth by in vitro assays like for PTP 1B, α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzyme activities. Studies on cytotoxicity revealed 50% inhibition of cells at 265 ± 0.01 µg mL-1. In the LDH enzyme release assay on differentiated L6 myoblasts treated with different concentrations (1-100 µg mL-1) of guavanoic acid functionalized gold nanoparticles, a viability of 75% at 100 µg mL-1 was observed.

Extracellular synthesis of silver nanoparticles by a marine alga, Sargassum wightii Grevilli and their antibacterial effects.

Extracellular synthesis of silver nanoparticles by a brown seaweed, Sargassum wightii is reported in this study. The silver nanoparticles synthesized by this method were characterized by means of UV-Vis spectroscopy, FT-IR, XRD and HR-TEM. Antibacterial studies were carried out using the bacteriae isolated from the infected silkworm. The recorded antibacterial effect of silver nanoparticles was found more potent when compared to the chemically synthesized silver nanoparticles and it is expected to be biocompatible.

Spectroscopic investigations of nanohydroxyapatite powders synthesized by conventional and ultrasonic coupled sol-gel routes.

In the present work, the synthesis and characterization of nano-HAP powders by a novel ultrasonic coupled sol-gel synthesis is reported. The obtained powders were sintered by conventional means at different temperatures. In addition to this, HAP powders prepared through the sol-gel method without the aid of the ultrasonic waves is also studied. The obtained nano-HAP powders were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) techniques. The results have proved that the nano-HAP powders synthesized by ultrasonic coupled sol-gel synthesis showed remarkable reduction in the particle size when compared with the conventional sol-gel method and hence these powders could be used as a coating material in biomedical applications.

A novel extracellular synthesis of monodisperse gold nanoparticles using marine alga, Sargassum wightii Greville.

The process of development of reliable and eco-friendly metallic nanoparticles is an important step in the field of nanotechnology. To achieve this use of natural sources like biological systems becomes essential. In the present, work we have investigated extracellular biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles using Sargassum wightii and have achieved rapid formation of gold nanoparticles in a short duration. The UV-vis spectrum of the aqueous medium containing gold ion showed peak at 527 nm corresponding to the plasmon absorbance of gold nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed formation of well-dispersed gold nanoparticles in the range of 8-12 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectrum of the gold nanoparticles exhibited Bragg reflections corresponding to gold nanoparticles.

Utilization of meat industry by products: protein hydrolysate from sheep visceral mass.

Protein hydrolysate was prepared from pre-treated sheep visceral mass (including stomach, large and small intestines) by enzymatic treatment at 43+/-1 degrees C (at the in situ pH 7.1+/-0.2 of the visceral mass) using fungal protease. The enzyme readily solubilized the proteins of the visceral mass as indicated by the degree of hydrolysis (34%) and nitrogen recovery (>64%). Hydrolysis with an enzyme level of 1% (w/w of total solids) at 43+/-1 degrees C with a pH around 7.0 for 45 min was found to be the optimum condition. The yield of protein hydrolysate was about 6% (w/w). The amino acid composition of the protein hydrolysate that was very hygroscopic, was comparable to that of casein.