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Agriculture
Special Issues
Quality Assessment and Processing of Farm Animal Products
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Quality Assessment and Processing of Farm Animal Products

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Product Quality and Safety".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2025) | Viewed by 12845

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Simeanu Cristina

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Guest Editor
Department of Animal Resources and Technology, Faculty of Food and Animal Sciences, “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” University of Life Sciences, 8 Mihail Sadoveanu Alley, 700489 Iasi, Romania
Interests: animal productions; animal husbandry; feed and food quality; developing novel food
Prof. Dr. Razvan Mihail Radu-Rusu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Animal Resources and Technologies, Expertise and Services, Faculty of Food and Animal Sciences, Ion Ionescu de la Brad University of Life Sciences Iasi, 3 Mihail Sadoveanu Alley, 700490 Iasi, Romania
Interests: animal anatomy; histology and physiology; animal nutrition; food quality and safety
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Since ancient times, products of animal origin have been considered a "noble food", as our ancestors hunted a food that provided them strength, longevity and even health. Today, foods of animal origin are often considered to be too rich in fat and cholesterol, with an undesirable balance of fatty acids. The quality inspection of such products could be approached by specialists from a nutritional, sensory, technological, hygienic and sanitary perspective, so that later political decision-makers can establish guidelines for the evaluation and control of the quality, safety, packaging and labeling of foods of animal origin. Regardless of the context, such as during food shortages or when there is competition to sell a surplus of animal products, consumers are concerned about the quality of food, with product safety and appropriate labelling being the first requirements. This Special Issue focuses on the quality assessment of products from farm animals, the influence of farm-level factors on their performance, and the ultimate quality and safety of raw or processed products. The quality and safety of foods are primarily associated with their genetics, nutrition and the farming system used, and later with the processing technologies, storage and marketing. The quality of animal products can be evaluated through various physical and chemical parameters depending on their origin (meat, eggs, dairy, bee products) using sensory criteria or in relation to important hygiene issues associated with the risk of animal-borne diseases or the good practices employed in processing flows. This Special Issue invites all researchers to share their findings regarding the identification and optimization of food’s quality and safety, and of consumers’ lifestyle and nutritional choices.

Dr. Simeanu Cristina
Prof. Dr. Razvan Mihail Radu-Rusu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • farm animals
  • food quality and safety
  • animal products
  • sensory characteristics
  • physical parameters
  • chemical parameters
  • microbiology
  • food hygiene
  • nutrition facts
  • healthy lifestyle

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 1264 KB  
Article
Milk Quality Dynamics in Romanian Black Spotted and Romanian Spotted Cattle Breeds Under Heat Stress
by Gabriela Amariții (Pădurariu), Claudia Pânzaru and Vasile Maciuc
Agriculture 2026, 16(2), 274; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16020274 - 21 Jan 2026
Viewed by 398
Abstract
Milk production and quality are increasingly affected worldwide by rising ambient temperatures associated with climate change, with heat stress (HS) representing one of the major environmental challenges for dairy cattle. HS alters physiological and metabolic processes, leading to significant changes in milk composition, [...] Read more.
Milk production and quality are increasingly affected worldwide by rising ambient temperatures associated with climate change, with heat stress (HS) representing one of the major environmental challenges for dairy cattle. HS alters physiological and metabolic processes, leading to significant changes in milk composition, particularly in regions exposed to prolonged summer heat. The Temperature–Humidity Index (THI) is widely used to assess the degree of thermal discomfort and its impact on dairy performance. This study investigated the effects of heat stress on milk quality parameters in a dairy herd managed under identical conditions, comprising Romanian Black Spotted (RBS, Holstein strain) and Romanian Spotted (RS, Simmental strain) cows. Descriptive statistics were performed using the SAVC for Windows program, while differences between means were evaluated using the t-test in GraphPad Prism 9. Milk quality traits were significantly affected when THI values exceeded 73, with a consistent decline observed from early summer onwards. In the RBS breed, milk protein content decreased significantly compared with spring values, reaching 3.25% (p < 0.0001) in 2023 and 3.35% (p < 0.01) in 2024. Similar trends were recorded in the RS breed, with minimum protein values of 3.10% (p < 0.0001) and 3.19% (p < 0.0001). Fat content, casein concentration, and milk urea levels also showed highly significant HS-related changes (p < 0.0001). Overall, heat stress negatively affected milk quality, while the RS breed appears less affected under the studied conditions than the RBS breed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quality Assessment and Processing of Farm Animal Products)
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23 pages, 2490 KB  
Article
Integrative Feeding Strategies with Essential Oils and Probiotics to Improve Raw Meat Quality and Carcass Traits in Broiler Chickens
by Lavinia Stef, Nicolae Corcionivoschi, Calin Julean, Todd Callaway, Eliza Simiz, Adela Marcu, Ducu Sandu Stef, Ioan Pet, Iuliana Popescu, Gratiela Gradisteanu Pircalabioru, Florin Dan Simiz and Igori Balta
Agriculture 2025, 15(22), 2356; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15222356 - 13 Nov 2025
Viewed by 1679
Abstract
Essential oils (EOs) have gained recognition as promising alternatives to antibiotics due to their positive effects on bird growth performance, enhanced meat quality, and improved overall health, without producing the negative consequences associated with antibiotics. This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation [...] Read more.
Essential oils (EOs) have gained recognition as promising alternatives to antibiotics due to their positive effects on bird growth performance, enhanced meat quality, and improved overall health, without producing the negative consequences associated with antibiotics. This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation of tea tree (TTEO) and thyme (TEO) EOs, individually or in combination with the probiotic BioPlus 2b (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis), on poultry broiler performance, including the meat quality. A total of 240 ROSS 308 broilers were assigned to eight dietary treatments over a 35-day trial. Parameters such as body weight (BW), feed conversion ratio (FCR), carcass portion, drip loss, and meat pH were evaluated. TTEO had a significant (p ≤ 0.05) impact on final carcass and breast portion, while in combination with probiotics, specifically TTEO with BioPlus significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced meat drip loss. GC-MS analysis identified terpinen-4-ol and γ-terpinene as the major constituents of TTEO, and thymol and carvacrol as the major constituents of TEO. In conclusion, combinations of TTEO, TEO, and probiotics can have beneficial effects on chicken raw meat quality, providing a complementary benefit to the industry and representing a viable alternative to conventional agents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quality Assessment and Processing of Farm Animal Products)
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30 pages, 1595 KB  
Article
Assessing Honey Quality: A Focus on Some Physicochemical Parameters of Honey from Iasi County (Romania)
by Aida Albu, Florin Dumitru Bora, Simona-Maria Cucu-Man, Vasile Stoleru, Cătălin-Emilian Nistor, Ioan Sebastian Brumă and Oana-Raluca Rusu
Agriculture 2025, 15(3), 333; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15030333 - 3 Feb 2025
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4894
Abstract
The study of honey in Iasi County reveals its ecological, economic and health importance, emphasizing its unique properties, role in biodiversity and value in promoting sustainable beekeeping and regional identity. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of honey from Iasi County, Romania, [...] Read more.
The study of honey in Iasi County reveals its ecological, economic and health importance, emphasizing its unique properties, role in biodiversity and value in promoting sustainable beekeeping and regional identity. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of honey from Iasi County, Romania, analyzing 27 samples collected in 2020 and 2021. The samples include tilia (8 raw, 7 commercial), acacia (2 raw, 2 commercial), rapeseed (3 raw), sunflower (3 raw) and lavender (2 raw) honey. Analyses were carried out under Romanian/EU standards, assessing parameters such as color, electrical conductivity, moisture, total soluble solids (TSS), acidity (free, lactone, total), pH, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), ash and mineral composition (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe). The results revealed significant differences between raw and commercial honeys. Notably, in commercial tilia honey, higher values were found for color (38.58 mm Pfund vs. 24.14 mm Pfund), total acidity (25.93 meq·kg−1 vs. 17.36 meq·kg−1) and HMF levels (8.84 mg·kg−1 vs. 3.68 mg·kg−1). Conversely, water-insoluble solids (0.08% vs. 0.15%) and ash content (0.21% vs. 0.30%) were lower in commercial samples. Potassium was the most abundant mineral detected, while copper and zinc levels were the lowest. Significant correlations were observed between several parameters, including ash with electrical conductivity and HMF with acidity. This study underscores the impact of processing on honey quality and highlights the importance of understanding honey composition for consumers and producers alike. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quality Assessment and Processing of Farm Animal Products)
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21 pages, 2156 KB  
Article
Valorization of Betalain Pigments Extracted from Phytolacca americana L. Berries as Natural Colorant in Cheese Formulation
by Ionuț Dumitru Veleșcu, Ioana Cristina Crivei, Andreea Bianca Balint, Vlad Nicolae Arsenoaia, Alexandru Dragoș Robu, Florina Stoica and Roxana Nicoleta Rațu
Agriculture 2025, 15(1), 86; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15010086 - 2 Jan 2025
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3189
Abstract
In response to consumer demand for more sustainable and health-conscious products, the food sector is increasingly shifting towards the use of natural additives. Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana L.) is a medicinal plant that contains valuable biologically active compounds, including betacyanins, which serve as [...] Read more.
In response to consumer demand for more sustainable and health-conscious products, the food sector is increasingly shifting towards the use of natural additives. Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana L.) is a medicinal plant that contains valuable biologically active compounds, including betacyanins, which serve as its red pigments, along with phenolic acids, flavonoids, polyphenolic compounds, and others. Phytolacca americana (P. americana) is a plant renowned for its bioactive compounds, which exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, antioxidant, anticancer, and antibacterial properties. This study investigates the potential of betalain pigments extracted from the berries of P. americana as a natural colorant for cheese formulation. The impact of these pigments on the color attributes, sensory qualities, and physicochemical and phytochemical composition of the cheeses was systematically evaluated. The Phytolacca americana (PA) powder demonstrated significant levels of total polyphenols (111.95 ± 1.60 mg GAE/g dw) and antioxidant activity (21.67 ± 0.19 µmol TE/g dw). The incorporation of PA powder increased the physicochemical and phytochemical contents and antioxidant activity in the final product (4.40 ± 0.22 µmol TE/g dw for CPAP1 and 6.11 ± 0.22 µmol TE/g dw for CPAP2). The sensory study revealed that the PA-supplemented cheeses were acceptable. The enhanced cheeses present a distinctive color profile, attracting health-conscious consumers looking for innovative dairy products. The study concludes that PA powder can effectively enhance cheese, producing a phytochemical-enriched product that appeals to health-conscious consumers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quality Assessment and Processing of Farm Animal Products)
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Review

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20 pages, 405 KB  
Review
Phytobiotics as Dietary Natural Growth Promoters in Producing High-Quality and Safe Poultry Products—A Narrative Review
by Laurian-Cristian Cojocariu, Marius-Giorgi Usturoi, Alexandru Usturoi, Mircea Lazăr, Ioana Miruna Balmuș, Daniel Simeanu and Răzvan-Mihail Radu-Rusu
Agriculture 2026, 16(4), 443; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16040443 - 14 Feb 2026
Viewed by 1383
Abstract
As the demand for poultry meat and eggs is increasing in the world, and the use of antibiotics is forbidden in Europe (since 2006), with countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, Bangladesh and China having imposed restriction or prohibitions, researchers and producers have [...] Read more.
As the demand for poultry meat and eggs is increasing in the world, and the use of antibiotics is forbidden in Europe (since 2006), with countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, Bangladesh and China having imposed restriction or prohibitions, researchers and producers have sought for effective non-antibiotic alternatives. Probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics and phytobiotics are frequently used as alternatives in the field of poultry production. Phytobiotics, plant-derived substances, also referred to as botanicals or phytogenics, are used as animal diets supplements due to their wide range of bioactive compounds (menthol, curcumin, eugenol, allicin and others) and many advantages. They are classified as herbs, spices, plant extracts and essential oils. Some of the benefits offered by the dietary phytobiotics are antimicrobial, antioxidant, digestion stimulant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, carminative, antiseptic and appetite stimulant, the modulation of gut microbiota and improvement in the intestinal histology. Some representatives of phytobiotics are turmeric, oregano, sage, thyme, black pepper, ginger, garlic, echinacea, rosemary and others. Despite the significant potential of phytobiotics, their widespread adaptation is currently inhibited by challenges regarding cost-effectiveness (high price for raw materials), scarce regulatory frameworks, and inconsistent biological efficacy. The lack of standardization reflects a dual challenge, enclosing both the inherent chemical variability of raw botanical materials and the technical inconsistencies present throughout the industrial manufacturing, and extraction processes as producers use different machinery for extracting and producing the animal feed. To address these systemic impediments, a joint effort across the entire value chain—from primary producers to regulatory authorities—is essential for the development of unified testing protocols and standardization dosage guidelines that ensure the pharmacological safety and reliability of phytobiotic products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quality Assessment and Processing of Farm Animal Products)
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