Search Results (247)

The freeze–thaw process in sperm cryopreservation generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) that impair motility, viability, and fertilizing capacity in fish, including the Javaen barb (Systomus rubripinnis), an endemic Indonesian cyprinid of conservation concern. Cryopreservation underpins gene bank development for aquatic genetic resources and supports biodiversity conservation alongside hatchery-based stock enhancement. This study evaluated five natural antioxidants: basil leaf extract (BLE), noni fruit extract (NFE), moringa leaf extract (MLE), sambiloto leaf extract (SLE), and honey–egg yolk (HEY). Each antioxidant was supplemented into the Kurokura’s cryopreservation extender across a graded concentration series (BLE 1–4%, NFE and MLE 0.5–1.5%, SLE 6–9%, and HEY 1–2% with a fixed 5% egg yolk) and compared with an antioxidant-free control. Radical scavenging capacity was measured by DPPH assay (IC₅₀: BLE 134.06, MLE 297.04, NFE 422.86, SLE 3010.46 ppm), and post-thaw motility, duration of motility, viability, abnormality, fertilization rate, and ATP bioluminescence were assessed. The most effective doses tested were doses of 1% for BLE, NFE, and MLE, 1.25% for HEY, and 7% for SLE. BLE at 1% gave the best overall profile (motility 85.00 ± 0.88%; duration 7.14 ± 0.38 min; viability 82.00 ± 1.86%; abnormality 18.26 ± 0.16%), significantly exceeding the control (65.00 ± 2.31%; 4.56 ± 0.33 min; 68.00 ± 2.42%; 23.54 ± 0.28%; p < 0.05), whereas SLE sustained the longest motility. All extracts supported fertilization rates above 82% versus 70.08 ± 3.82% in the control, and 1% BLE preserved post-thaw luminescence equivalent to fresh sperm (165,217 vs. 164,087 RLU), interpreted comparatively. These locally available, plant-derived antioxidants offer a low-cost route to germplasm conservation of Javaen barb, strengthening conservation hatchery and broodstock management, sustainable aquaculture production, and food security for inland fisheries communities. Full article

Two claims dominate popular discussion of US food safety: (1) Food recalls are rising year over year, and (2) undeclared allergens have become the leading cause. In this study, we aimed to (1) test both claims against the openFDA Food Enforcement bulk export for fiscal years (FY) 2013–2025, the post-FSMA-core period following implementation of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), including 24,761 conventional human-food product recall records; (2) identify the dominant microbiological hazards and undeclared allergens that drive FDA recalls; (3) compare the FDA recall record with USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) recalls of meat, poultry, and egg products; and (4) evaluate potential correlations between FDA and FSIS recall activity and the foodborne-illness burden recorded in CDC’s National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS). Product recall records were recoded into five hazard categories using a validated 70-rule keyword scheme. Our analysis showed that annual product recall records did not increase (mean falling from 2403/yr in FY2013–2017 to 1593/yr in FY2018–2025, Welch t = 3.08, p = 0.024), and microbiological hazards were the largest category in 12 of 13 years, exceeding allergens 1.7-fold cumulatively. Listeria monocytogenes was a major driver of microbiological food recalls concentrated in fresh produce, ice cream/frozen desserts, and dairy/cheese; whereas undeclared milk was by a wide margin the most-cited allergen in food recalls concentrated in dairy/cheese, ice cream, and bakery products. Compared to FDA recalls, FSIS recalls were fewer, more severe (68.6% vs. 45.6% Class I), and allergen-led, reflecting differing inspection frameworks rather than a uniform allergen surge. Overall, food recalls and foodborne outbreak illnesses did not display a significant correlation (Spearman rho = 0.30). Classification lag shortened over the period (rho = −0.32, p < 0.001), a process-efficiency gain that can masquerade as rising recall activity in count-based trackers. Across all four objectives, the recall record describes a maturing, severity-weighted surveillance system rather than a deteriorating food supply. Full article

This study proposes a nondestructive method for evaluating egg freshness using laser Doppler vibrometry. A vibration measurement platform was constructed to collect vibration signals from intact eggs representing four freshness grades. The vibration signals were processed using multiplicative scatter correction, standard normal variate transformation, moving average filtering, Savitzky–Golay smoothing, and first-order Savitzky–Golay differentiation. Principal component analysis, successive projections algorithm, and competitive adaptive reweighted sampling were then used for feature extraction and dimensionality reduction. Six classification models were developed and compared, including support vector machine, k-nearest neighbor, random forest, naive Bayes, discriminant analysis, and linear discriminant analysis. The model based on moving average filtering, successive projections algorithm, and discriminant analysis using measurements from three egg locations achieved a classification accuracy of 96.7%. The model based on moving average filtering, competitive adaptive reweighted sampling, and random forest using blunt-end measurements also achieved an accuracy of 96.7%. These results demonstrate that laser Doppler vibrometry combined with machine learning can distinguish eggs with different freshness levels, providing a promising nondestructive approach for egg-quality evaluation. Full article

A parasitological survey was conducted during May 2026 on captive Aldabra giant tortoises (Aldabrachelys gigantea) housed at three zoological facilities on Zanzibar Island, Tanzania: the Prison Island Giant Tortoise Sanctuary (Changuu Island), Zanzibar Park, and Zanzibar Nungwi Zoo. This study investigated the occurrence of gastrointestinal parasite stages in faecal samples from captive Aldabra giant tortoises and compared the proportion of positive samples among the three zoological facilities. A total of 84 fresh faecal samples were examined using Fülleborn’s flotation and sedimentation techniques. Because individual tortoises could not always be reliably identified during sampling, repeated sampling of the same animal cannot be excluded. Therefore, the reported values represent sample-level proportions rather than individual-level prevalence. Oxyurid-type nematode eggs were detected only in samples collected from tortoises housed at Zanzibar Nungwi Zoo, whereas no gastrointestinal helminth eggs or larvae were detected using the applied coprological methods in samples from the Prison Island Giant Tortoise Sanctuary and Zanzibar Park. The overall proportion of positive faecal samples was 13.1% (11/84; 95% CI: 6.7–22.2%), while 42.3% (11/26; 95% CI: 23.4–63.1%) of samples from Zanzibar Nungwi Zoo were positive. Differences in the proportion of positive faecal samples were observed among the three zoological facilities. These findings provide baseline data on gastrointestinal parasites in captive Aldabra giant tortoises on Zanzibar Island and support future parasite surveillance, health monitoring, and management in zoological collections. Full article

(1) Background: Drosophilid flies oviposit in damaged or fermenting substrates, whereas D. suzukii prefers to lay eggs in ripening fruits. This ecological shift requires females to recognize fruit-stage cues while overcoming the mechanical barrier imposed by fresh-fruit surfaces. Whether fresh-fruit exploitation requires a complete specialist syndrome or can arise through partial combinations of sensory and morphological traits remains unclear. (2) Methods: We combined field surveys with behavioral, chemical, biomechanical and morphological analyses across multiple drosophilid species to investigate potential mechanisms underlying the diversification of fresh-fruit exploitation. (3) Results: Field surveys indicated that the phylogenetically distant species D. immigrans exploits fruit-associated breeding substrates that overlap with those used by D. suzukii in natural habitats. Females of D. suzukii preferred ripe strawberry cues and avoided fermentation-associated substrates, whereas D. immigrans showed an intermediate behavioral profile. Volatile profiling revealed that fruit decay drives chemical similarity across fruits, with rotten substrates enriched in ethyl acetate and acetic acid. Firmness measurements confirmed that decay reduces the mechanical resistance of fruit substrates, while morphological comparisons revealed divergent ovipositor architectures. (4) Conclusions: Our findings are consistent with a modular framework for fresh-fruit exploitation, in which specialist and facultative strategies reflect different combinations of fermentation-cue avoidance, substrate access, and ovipositor morphology. Full article

Fresh-peeled garlic cloves are a very convenient ready-to-cook product; however, their high perishability requires packaging systems that maintain the quality of the garlic while addressing the need for more sustainable materials. This study evaluated the quality evolution of peeled garlic cloves during refrigerated storage (5 °C) in microperforated modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) systems consisting of trays sealed with egg white protein (EWP)-based films, either uncoated (EWP-U) or coated with beeswax (EWP-BW). Their performance was compared with commercial polylactic acid (PLA) and oriented polypropylene (OPP) films. The EWP-based packages generated an internal atmosphere of approximately 7% O₂ and 15% CO₂, under which peeled garlic cloves showed delayed fungal decay, reduced yeast and mold growth, and mitigated surface discoloration compared with other packaging systems, whose atmospheres remained closer to air. However, weight loss was promoted in the garlic cloves packaged with EWP-U films. The hydrophobic coating applied in EWP-BW films improved the water vapor barrier properties compared with EWP films, thus reducing the weight loss observed in the garlic cloves, but increasing fungal decay. These results suggest that an optimized packaging system should combine the lower water vapor transmission rate provided by EWP-BW films with the internal gas composition achieved in EWP-U packages. Accordingly, EWP-BW films represent a promising bio-based alternative for preserving the quality of peeled garlic cloves, provided that the effective O₂ and CO₂ transmission rates through the package are appropriately adjusted to generate a more favorable modified atmosphere. Full article

The $300-billion global poultry industry, a cornerstone of food security, faces two interconnected systemic challenges: pre-incubation quality degradation wastes up to 15% of incubation capacity on non-viable eggs, while post-hatch male chick culling results in the annual euthanasia of 7 billion day-old layer chicks. Existing non-destructive detection research remains fragmented, treating pre-incubation freshness assessment and in ovo sexing as disconnected domains and creating a persistent lab-to-field gap that blocks industrial translation. This review establishes a unified process-centric framework covering the full detection workflow, and critically evaluates state-of-the-art sensing modalities across the entire hatching cycle. The analysis demonstrates that implementation bottlenecks do not reside in laboratory classification accuracy, which frequently exceeds 90% under controlled conditions, but in cross-batch generalizability, embryonic biosafety assurance, and high-throughput online operation. A hierarchical detection strategy with closed-loop traceability is outlined to bridge the lab-to-field gap. This work provides a structured roadmap to improve both economic efficiency and ethical sustainability of global poultry production. Full article

Eggs are a widely consumed and nutritionally valuable food, increasingly recognized for their potential to deliver not only essential nutrients but also health-promoting phytochemicals such as carotenoids and polyphenols. However, the presence and variability of these compounds in eggs remains poorly understood, particularly in pasture-raised systems where hens have access to fresh forage. This review explores the current state of knowledge regarding the transfer of phytochemicals from forage to eggs, highlighting the factors that influence their deposition and the implications for egg nutrient quality, hen health, and consumer health. Forage composition, which varies by plant species, season, and management practices, plays an important role in determining phytochemical intake of the hen, and consequently the egg content. While evidence suggests pasture access enhances yolk carotenoid levels and may contribute to polyphenol deposition, little is known about farm-to-farm variation and the degree of nutrient transfer. As pasture-based egg systems continue to gain popularity, understanding and optimizing phytochemical transfer from diet to egg could improve the consistency and nutritional value of eggs while supporting sustainable food production goals. Full article

As hen eggs are a primary source of high-quality dietary protein, egg freshness is fundamentally linked to biochemical alterations during storage, including moisture redistribution, protein degradation, and fluctuating chemical profiles. Accurate assessment of these internal changes is paramount for quality control; nonetheless, conventional analytical techniques remain predominantly destructive, rendering them impractical for high-throughput industrial monitoring. While existing literature has explored individual spectroscopic methods, the synergistic potential of multi-sensor integration and advanced artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms remains insufficiently synthesized. This review systematically evaluates recent breakthroughs in integrating AI with diverse spectroscopic modalities for non-destructive freshness quantification, including Visible-Near-Infrared (VIS-NIR), Raman, Fluorescence, and Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI). We elucidate the underlying mechanisms of spectral response to internal quality degradation and discuss the evolution of data-driven modeling from traditional chemometrics to sophisticated deep learning architectures. Furthermore, this work identifies critical bottlenecks in real-time industrial implementation and proposes future research trajectories toward intelligent multi-sensor fusion platforms. Full article

Among the ten local breeds of the Veneto region in Italy, Pepoi (PP) and Ermellinata di Rovigo (ER) hens start laying eggs earlier than the others. The egg laying rate (27–34 weeks of age) is higher (p < 0.01) in PP than in ER hens. Egg quality (at 33 weeks of age, 120 eggs/breed) was studied in fresh 1 day-old eggs and in preserved 21 day-old eggs according to breed and storage temperature (12 and 21 °C). Fresh ER eggs showed higher (p < 0.01) egg weights, yolk pH, Haugh units and yolk indices and lower (p < 0.01) eggshell lightness and thickness, surface area-to-volume ratios, and albumen pH than PP eggs, but the yolk-to-albumen ratio was similar between the breeds. After 21 days of storage, the egg traits showed the same trend for significant differences between breeds, with the exception of albumen pH and Haugh units, which were similar. Eggs stored at 21 °C showed lower (p < 0.01) Haugh units and yolk index values and higher (p < 0.01) albumen and yolk pH, albumen yellowness, and weight loss than eggs stored at 12 °C. Stored PP and ER eggs also differed in terms of observed changes in Haugh units, yolk pH and yolk index values with storage temperature: ER eggs showed higher (p < 0.01) yolk index values than PP eggs at both storage temperatures. Eleven weeks after the onset of laying, significant differences were observed in several traits of fresh and stored eggs from the studied breeds, particularly regarding the strength of the vitelline membrane. These preliminary results contribute to the characterization of the storage suitability of eggs from local breeds and to future crossbreeding programmes for enhancing chicken biodiversity. Full article

Bactrocera correcta is an important quarantine pest of mango, and the development of phytosanitary treatments that achieve quarantine security without compromising fruit quality remains a major challenge in fresh-fruit trade. Heat treatment is a residue-free phytosanitary option, but the temperatures required to control fruit flies often approach the tolerance limits of tropical fruit, leaving a narrow margin between quarantine security and commodity injury. In this study, a phosphine (PH₃)-assisted forced hot-air treatment was evaluated for the phytosanitary disinfestation of B. correcta in mango fruit. The developmental progression of B. correcta in mango fruit was characterized, the heat tolerance of different developmental stages was compared, and the efficacy of PH₃ followed by forced hot-air treatment (PH₃→Heat) against eggs was quantified using probit time–mortality analysis. Large-scale confirmatory validation and postharvest quality assessment were then conducted. Eggs were identified as the most heat-tolerant stage. PH₃ pre-fumigation significantly enhanced forced hot-air treatment, with 0.7 g m⁻³ PH₃ providing the most practical improvement at quarantine-relevant endpoints. According to this schedule, LT_99.9968 was reduced by 44 min for heat treatment alone, from 269.0 to 224.5 min, and the large-scale validation yielded no survivors. Postharvest quality evaluation showed that PH₃→Heat did not adversely affect firmness, total soluble solids, or titratable acidity during shelf life. These results demonstrate that PH₃-assisted forced hot-air treatment is a technically feasible and commercially promising phytosanitary strategy for mango fruit. Full article

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are among the most destructive pests in protected watermelon production under continuous cropping systems. Although both pepper rotation and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation have shown potential for suppressing RKNs and promoting plant growth, their combined effects remain unclear. This study conducted greenhouse pot experiments using continuously cropped watermelon soil over two consecutive cycles. In the first cycle, chili pepper (Capsicum annuum) or watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) was planted, followed by watermelon cultivation in the second cycle with inoculation of Funneliformis mosseae or Glomus versiforme. Compared with continuous watermelon cropping, both rotation and AMF inoculation improved root vitality, osmotic regulation, antioxidant enzyme activities, and photosynthetic performance, thereby enhancing watermelon growth and resistance to RKNs. Among all treatments, chili pepper rotation combined with Glomus versiforme showed the best performance, increasing shoot fresh weight by 31% and reducing disease index (DI), gall index (GI), and egg mass index (EI) by 30.8%, 77.0%, and 57.1%, respectively. In addition, the populations of second-stage juveniles (J2) in soil and roots and adult females in roots decreased by 85.4%, 55.5%, and 50.8%, respectively. High-throughput sequencing results showed that the combined treatment enriched several potentially beneficial microbial taxa, including Ochrobactrum, Bacillus, Acinetobacter, and Delftia. In addition, it enriched predicted metabolic pathways that may be associated with plant growth promotion and stress tolerance. Overall, pepper rotation combined with Glomus versiforme inoculation represents a promising, environmentally friendly strategy for the management of watermelon root-knot nematode disease. Full article

Selenium (Se) speciation in seafood is a key determinant of its nutritional value. However, limited data exist on the influence of common cooking methods on Se chemical forms. This study investigated Se speciation in commonly consumed Thai seafood prepared by different cooking methods, namely, fresh (control), boiling, frying, and grilling, using HPLC–ICP–QQQ–MS. Across all samples, Se was predominantly present in organic forms, with selenomethionine (SeMet) identified as the major species, followed by selenocystine (SeCys₂), while inorganic forms (Se(IV) and Se(VI)) were generally below the limit of quantification. Indo-Pacific horseshoe crab (eggs) consistently presented significantly higher SeMet concentrations than all other seafood species across all cooking methods (p < 0.05). In addition, frying and grilling resulted in higher apparent SeMet concentrations compared to fresh and boiled samples in several species (p < 0.05). This increase should be interpreted as a concentration effect associated with moisture loss during high-temperature cooking, rather than a true chemical formation of SeMet. SeCys₂ concentrations varied across species and cooking conditions, with significantly higher levels found in certain crustaceans, such as banana prawn and musk crab, particularly after boiling (p < 0.05). Extraction yields ranged from 77% to 94%, indicating high analytical recovery. Overall, cooking methods influenced the concentration of Se species but did not substantially alter their chemical forms. These findings suggest that commonly consumed Thai seafood is a rich source of bioavailable Se, particularly in the form of SeMet. Further research is warranted to characterize minor Se species and assess their nutritional implications. Full article

Diaphorina citri (Kuwayama) is one of the primary vectors of Citrus Huanglongbing (HLB), which poses a danger to the long-term development of the citrus industry. In this work, the spatiotemporal expression processes of the genes encoding vitellogenin-3-like (Vg4) and vitellogenin receptor (VgR) in D. citri females during the 1- to 30-day developmental stage of ovarian development and oviposition behavior were investigated. Vg4 and VgR gene expression largely supports oocyte maturation in D. citri females at the 1- to 15-day developmental stage. During the 15- to 30-day developmental stage, the expression of the Vg4 and VgR genes predominantly promotes the progression of oviposition behavior. Comparisons of ovarian development and oviposition behavior revealed that in the 15- to 30-day developmental stage, female egg production accounted for 75–85% of total oviposition, while mature oocyte formation occurred largely after the 15th day of ovarian development. The findings of this study provide fresh theoretical support and insights into the use of RNA interference (RNAi) technology to reduce the damage caused by D. citri populations. Full article

Freeze–thaw cycles lead to undesirable gelation in egg yolk, which negatively affects its functional properties, restricting its application in the food industry. This study aimed to investigate whether enzymatic treatment can prevent the freeze-induced gelation of egg yolk, thereby maintaining its desirable quality attributes. Egg yolk samples were treated with an enzyme preparation (Biocatalysts Flavorpro™ 750MDP) at concentrations of 0.05, 0.3, and 0.5 w/w%, homogenized, and incubated at 40 °C for 120 min, followed by rapid cooling and freezing at −24 ± 1 °C for 60 d. Control samples without enzyme treatment were subjected to the same processing steps as the other samples. After thawing, all samples were analyzed for pH, color, rheological and thermophysical properties, turbidity and visual appearance. The results demonstrated that although enzymatic treatment and its combination with freezing significantly altered color, turbidity, rheological and thermophysical properties of egg yolk, it effectively inhibited freezing-induced gel formation, particularly at 0.3 w/w%. The parameters characterizing rheological behavior—yield stress, consistency coefficient, and flow behavior index—were preserved close to those of fresh yolk after the freeze–thaw process. These findings suggest that exopeptidase treatment is a promising approach for controlling freeze–thaw-induced gelation in egg yolk, supporting its wider use in frozen and processed egg products. Full article