Search Results (16)

Glycerol can effectively replace corn as an energy source in lamb diets without negatively impacting productive performance. This study evaluated the effects of substituting ground corn with different glycerol levels on the productive performance, ruminal fermentation, carcass characteristics, and meat quality at 24 h, 7, 14, and 21 d post-slaughter. A total of 40 male Suffolk × Hampshire crossbred lambs (25 ± 5 kg live weight) were used in a completely randomized design with four treatment groups (n = 10 each): 0% glycerol (GLY₀), 5% glycerol (GLY0₅), 10% glycerol (GLY₁₀), and 15% glycerol (GLY₁₅). Including glycerol in the diet did not affect growth performance (p > 0.05). However, it did lead to an increase (p < 0.05) in the concentrations of NH₃-N and the proportions of propionic and butyric acids, while the acetic acid levels decreased (p < 0.05). The backfat thickness, loin eye area (LEA), and carcass yield were not significantly affected (p > 0.05) by the addition of glycerol. Additionally, pH and color were also unaffected (p > 0.05), although the water-holding capacity showed a decrease (p < 0.05) over the shelf life of the meat. The chemical composition of the meat remained similar across all treatments, time points, and interactions (p > 0.05). In contrast, the protein content was significantly affected (p < 0.05) by the glycerol inclusion, time, and interactions between treatment and time. The results indicate that substituting up to 15% of ground corn with glycerol in lamb diets does not negatively impact productive performance, backfat thickness, LEA, carcass traits, or meat quality during shelf life. Throughout the shelf life, the crude protein concentrations and water-holding capacity decreased, while the propionic acid and NH₃-N concentrations increased. Full article

Volatile chemicals containing nitrogen and sulfur as key odors in dry-cured meat products have extremely low odor thresholds. These compounds play an important part in the overall uniqueness and characteristic flavor of dry-cured meat products, contributing to savory and toasted aroma sensations, respectively. In this review, we define the different volatiles and aroma compounds related to the flavor of dry-cured meat products. Moreover, the main differences regarding volatiles, aromas, and flavor profiles from non-fermented and fermented dry-cured meat products are summarized. Comparisons using the same volatile extraction techniques revealed that dry loins contained the most sulfur- and nitrogen-containing compounds, while complex flavor and aroma compounds in fermented sausages were greatly impacted by the fermentation process. The screening and quantification of savory and toasted odors showed that methionol, dimethyl sulfide, and 2-methyl-3-(methylthio)furan were mainly reported in non-fermented products, whereas pyrazines were mainly detected in fermented meat products. Finally, the different mechanisms in the generation of savory and toasted aromas, including chemical reactions and biochemical reactions by microorganisms (bacteria, yeast, and molds), are discussed. These discussions will help to better understand the complex flavor of dry-cured meat products. Full article

This study aimed to explore the effects of dietary fiber level and breed on the growth performance, nutrient utilization, intestinal morphology, slaughter performance, and meat quality of finishing pigs using fermented corn straw (FCS) as the fiber source. The experiment employed a 2 × 4 factorial design, selecting 96 Songliao Black (SLB) and Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire (DLY) crossbred finishing pigs (a total of 192 pigs, with an initial body weight of 60.52 ± 4.59 kg) randomly assigned by breed to four dietary treatment groups (A: 2.92% crude fiber; B: 4.82% crude fiber; C: 6.86% crude fiber; D: 9.01% crude fiber). The results showed that DLY finishing pigs had higher final weight (FW), average daily gain (ADG), and average daily feed intake (ADFI) in both finishing stages 1 and 2 compared to SLB pigs (p < 0.05), while the ratio of feed to weight gain (F/G) showed no significant differences (p > 0.05). Compared to the basal diet, increasing the dietary fiber level to 4.82% improved FW and ADG in both SLB and DLY finishing pigs (p < 0.05) and reduced F/G (p < 0.05). Additionally, SLB finishing pigs had lower ether extract (EE) digestibility but higher crude fiber (CF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) digestibility than DLY (p < 0.05). Dietary fiber level and breed exhibited an interaction effect on dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) digestibility in finishing pigs (p < 0.05). At a dietary fiber level of 4.82%, villus height, crypt depth in the jejunum, and cecal volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations were increased in both SLB and DLY finishing pigs (p < 0.05). Dietary fiber level and breed showed an interaction effect on cecal VFA production in finishing pigs (finishing stage 1; p < 0.05). The dietary fiber level of 4.82% increased loin eye area (LA) (p < 0.05) and decreased backfat thickness (BT) (p < 0.05) in both SLB and DLY finishing pigs. Dietary fiber level and breed had an interaction effect on LA in finishing pigs (p < 0.05). SLB pigs had higher muscle redness (a*), shear force, and contents of crude protein (CP), EE, saturated fatty acid (SFA), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) than DLY (p < 0.05). Increasing the dietary fiber level improved pH_24h and reduced drip loss and shear force in both SLB and DLY finishing pigs (p < 0.05). Dietary fiber level and breed showed an interaction effect on pig meat color and drip loss (p < 0.05). In conclusion, FCS is a beneficial source of dietary fiber for SLB and DLY pigs. Its proper addition can enhance the growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality in fattening pigs. Full article

A growing interest in healthy diets has increased demand for fish and seafood, with aquaculture playing a crucial role in meeting this need. Developing new aquaculture products can enhance their commercial value and address consumer demand, but it is unclear which products will be well-received. This study aimed to generate ideas for new products derived from sea bream and prawns, and to gather consumer opinions on these ideas, segmented by gender and age. Two methodologies were used: focus groups and Check-All-That-Apply (CATA). In the focus groups, with two sessions per species and 10 participants each, ideas for aquaculture products were generated and categorized as fresh, dehydrated, fermented, marinated, and canned. The CATA technique, applied to 387 individuals, assessed the acceptability of fresh species, yielding average scores of 6.6 for sea bream and 6.8 for prawns. Sea bream was associated with products like fillets and long-shelf-life loins, while prawns were linked to snacks and toppings. In conclusion, the use of tools like focus groups has shown promising results for developing new aquaculture products. CATA analysis indicated that sea bream should be minimally processed with a long shelf life, and prawns should be processed into dehydrated products. Women preferred traditional products, while men favoured innovative options. Full article

In order to cope with the limited supply of feed for global animal production, there is a pressing need to explore alternative feed resources. Orange pulp, a by-product of agriculture and industry, has shown potential to positively or neutrally impact pig productive performance when included in their diet. However, there is a lack of research on the effects of fermented navel orange pulp (FNOP) on pig growth and productive performance. This study aimed to investigate the effects of FNOP as a dry matter substitute on pig’s growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, meat nutritional value, and serum biochemical indicators. The experiment involved 128 finishing Tibetan pigs, divided into four feed treatment groups, with varying levels (0%, 5%, 10% and 15%) of FNOP replacing dry matter in the basal diet. The results indicate that substituting 5% to 15% FNOP had no adverse effects on pig growth performance. However, at a 15% substitution rate, there was a decrease in serum growth hormone and IGF-1 levels, along with an increase in the feed-to-gain ratio. A 10% FNOP replacement notably increased the loin-eye muscle area of pigs. Additionally, 5% and 10% FNOP substitutions reduced the drip loss of pork. The study also found that substituting 5% to 15% FNOP increased unsaturated fatty acids and umami nucleotide contents in pork and raised serum total protein and uric acid (nucleotide-metabolism-related product) levels. These findings suggest that moderate FNOP substitution might improve meat quality, nutritional value, and maintain growth and productive performance in Tibetan pigs by improving protein synthesis and nucleotide metabolism, while also reducing feed costs. The optimal substitution ratio identified was 10%. Full article

A fundamental regulatory framework to elucidate the role of electrical stimulation (ES) in reducing long production cycles, enhancing protein utilization, and boosting product quality of dry-cured ham is essential. However, how mitochondria and enzymes in meat fibers are altered by ES during post-processing, curing, and fermentation procedures remains elusive. This study sought to explore the impact of ES on the regulation of heat shock proteins (HSP27, HSP70), apoptotic pathways, and subsequent influences on dry-cured pork loin quality. The gathered data validated the hypothesis that ES notably escalates mitochondrial oxidative stress and accelerates mitochondrial degradation along the ripening process. The proapoptotic response in ES-treated samples was increased by 120.7%, with a cellular apoptosis rate 5-fold higher than that in control samples. This mitochondrial degradation is marked by increased ratios of Bax/Bcl-2 protein along the time course, indicating that apoptosis could contribute to the dry-cured ham processing. ES was shown to further down-regulate HSP27 and HSP70, establishing a direct correlation with the activation of mitochondrial apoptosis pathways, accompanied by dry-cured ham quality improvements. The findings show that ES plays a crucial role in facilitating the ripening of dry-cured ham by inducing mitochondrial apoptosis to reduce HSP expression. This knowledge not only explains the fundamental mechanisms behind myofibril degradation in dry-cured ham production but also offers a promising approach to enhance quality and consistency. Full article

Wild boar meat is difficult to process, mainly due to its hardness and stringiness. Three types of raw-ripened wild boar loins were produced (C—control treatment, R1 and R2—treatments with the addition of apple vinegar in various production variants). The research aimed to develop a new innovative technology for the production of wild boar loin using apple vinegar for marinating and to determine the impact of apple vinegar on the microbiological and sensory quality, and physico-chemical parameters of the product. As part of the research, a technology for the production of ripened wild boar products was developed and the composition of fatty acids, cholesterol content, pH value, oxidation-reduction potential, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) index, color, microbiological, sensory, and statistical analysis were determined. It was found that the loins were characterized by a high content of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (20.18–43.37%), a low content of trans fatty acids (0.30–0.57%), and a high cholesterol content (75.13–85.28 mg/100 g of the product). Samples with apple vinegar (R1 and R2) were characterized by a lower pH value (5.10–5.70; p < 0.05), a comparable oxidation-reduction potential (409.75–498.57 mV), and a low TBARS index (0.461–1.294 mg malondialdehyde/kg of product). Their color was lighter (L* 38.25–40.65). All the tested loins were characterized by appropriate microbiological quality guaranteeing the storage durability of the product. R1 and R2 treatments were characterized by the greatest juiciness. The highest overall quality was achieved by R1 loins (7.36–7.76 c.u.). The apple vinegar used to marinate the loins had a positive effect on their microbiological and sensory quality as well as physico-chemical parameters. Moreover, the technology guarantees the appropriate quality and health safety of the products. Full article

Consumption of food products with a high level of compounds that are products of fat or protein oxidation is associated with the onset of various diseases. Therefore, this study estimated the level of oxidation in a fermented long-maturing tenderloin inoculated with lactic acid bacteria strains. To estimate the level of fat and protein exposure to oxidative factors, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), oxidation–reduction potential (ORP), oxygenation index (Ox_i) as well as surface hydrophobicity (HS) of protein, and the content of free sulfhydryl (SH) groups were used as indicators of oxidation status. To validate the results, changes in the color of the products were determined using instrumental methods. This study confirmed the relationship between fat oxidation (based on TBARS) and oxidation of myoglobin as a protein representative (based on Oxi). Indeed, statistical analysis showed that TBARS, Oxi and SH were correlated with each other and could be used as indicators of oxidation in fermented products. The findings of this study also showed the use of LAB as starter cultures for meat fermentation may have an impact on the level of oxidation; in particular, the BAUER strain showed a protective effect on proteins in the final stages of the production of dry-cured pork loins. Full article

Peptidomics refers to the comprehensive profiling of endogenous peptides obtained from biological sources. The formation of endogenous peptides is dependent on not only endogenous factors but also exogenous factors such as microbial proteases or process conditions, including fermentation. This study analyzed the probiotic strains of Lactobacillus rhamnosus LOCK900 (LOCK), Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB-12 (BB12), and potential probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus Bauer Ł0938 (BAUER) to assess their ability of fermentation and peptide production in dry-cured pork loin. The peptides obtained after in vitro digestion were characterized by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Based on the sequences identified, the degree of similarity or differences between the peptides was determined and presented graphically on the factor plane. The charts showed that the meat products aged for 180 and 270 days were the most diverse when BB12 or BAUER were used as starter cultures. Myosin and keratin were identified as the most likely precursors of bioactive peptides in products obtained using this strain of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The knowledge acquired from this study may contribute to the design of functional meat products as the results revealed not only the peptidogenic potential of the LAB strains indicated on their beneficial effect on the bioactivity of peptides. Full article

Staphylococcus simulans and Lactobacillus plantarum screened from Guizhou specialty food were used to prepare fermented pork loin ham. The sensory qualities and flavor profiles of fermented pork loin hams from 0 to 42 days were investigated in order to reveal the dynamics of fermented pork loin ham. The results show that total free amino acids (TFAA) content reached the highest value on the 35th day, and the umami amino acids, including aspartic acid (ASP), glutamic acid (GLU), glycine (GLY), and alanine (ALA), were the main amino acids in all periods. Notably, the RV coefficient (0.875) indicates that free amino acids (FAA) are highly correlated with the sensory score of the E-tongue. In terms of the volatile compounds identified, the esters content gradually increased between 7 and 42 days, and ethyl octanoate was the most abundant compound during all periods. These esters imparted a characteristic aroma component to the fermented pork loin ham. The most important finding was that the increase in the content of esters represented by octanoic acid-ethyl ester might be related to the increase in the content of FAA with the increase in fermentation time. Both the E-nose and E-tongue showed good discrimination ability for fermented tenderloin ham with different fermentation times, which was crucial in cases with large clusters. In addition, the multiple factor analysis (MFA) indicated that the E-nose aroma value might be the key factor in distinguishing fermented pork loin ham with different fermentation times. Full article

A total of 96 Black Slavonian pigs were subjected to the research, in which they were split into 6 groups. Three groups (100, 120, and 130 kg) were fed a higher level (HL) of crude protein in fodder mixtures (CPFM), and three groups (100, 120, and 130 kg) were fed a lower level (LL) of CPFM. After the pigs were slaughtered, pig carcasses were dissected and the meat and halves quality indicators were determined. According to the influence of the final body weight (BW) and nutrition of pigs on the quality of their halves, meat, and dry fermented sausages (kulens), it was concluded that feeding an HL of CPFM increased the proportion of loin, belly rib part, and chin and increased the muscle tissue in the ham, loin, shoulder, neck, and belly rib parts. However, the chemical composition of the meat and the sensory properties of the kulen were not significantly affected by feeding the pigs an HL of CPFM. It was concluded that, by selecting the final BW and adjusting the feeding strategies for pigs, it is possible to modify the conformation and composition of pig carcasses and the quality of meat and kulens produced from the Black Slavonian pig, which is important because consumers prefer products with certain characteristics and of a standard quality and are ready to pay for them. Full article

Vegetable oils can be used to increase energy density in diets; manipulate rumen fermentation; and alter the capacity for degradation, digestion and absorption of nutrients. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate palm kernel oil (PKO) in the diet of confined bulls with the inclusion of 0.0, 11.5, 23.0 and 34.6 g PKO/kg dry matter (DM). The first experiment evaluated nutrient intake, performance, ingestive behavior and carcass characteristics. In the second experiment, steers crossbred with a ruminal cannula were used to evaluate digestibility, nitrogen balance, microbial protein synthesis, short-chain fatty acid levels and protozoal counts. The results showed that the inclusion of PKO linearly reduced intake in kg/day (DM, crude protein—CP, neutral detergent fiber—NDF_ap, nonfibrous carbohydrates—NFC and total digestible nutrient—TDN) and digestibility (DM, NDF_ap and TDN). Ether extract intake increased quadratically with the predicted maximum intake of 15.4 g/kg DM. Regarding ingestive behavior, there was a quadratic increase in rumination time and a quadratic reduction in idle time. Nitrogen balance, nitrogen intake, nitrogen retention, microbial protein production, acetate, butyrate, acetate/propionate ratio and protozoa count showed linear decreases due to dietary PKO inclusion. Regarding the carcass characteristics, linear decreases were observed for the final weight, average daily gain, hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, hot carcass yield, cold carcass yield, loin eye area and subcutaneous fat thickness. The inclusion of PKO at up to 34.6 g/kg DM in diets for confined bulls reduces intake, negatively affecting digestibility, performance and carcass characteristics. Full article

This study evaluated the effect of sodium nitrate reduction on the following parameters: thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, the color parameters (CIE L* a* b*), total heme pigments, heme iron content and nutritional value related to N-nitrosamines content as well as nitrate and nitrite residues of traditionally produced fermented loins. Raw loins (m. longissimus thoracis et lumborum) and fermented products with different levels of nitrate added (0, 50, 100, 150 mg kg⁻¹) were tested during six months of vacuum storage. The reduction of nitrate did not lead to statistically significant changes in total pigment content as well as heme iron content in fermented loins at the end of processing and during storage. Water activity did not differ statistically significantly between the formulations. Fermented loins at the end of processing revealed residual sodium nitrite levels of <10 mg kg⁻¹, while the amount of nitrate residue depended on the level added during production, obtaining the highest value of 19.0 mg kg⁻¹ for the sample with the highest nitrate addition. The level of nitrosamines was <5 µg kg⁻¹ in all samples, which proves their chemical safety. In conclusion, the use of nitrate reduced to 50 mg kg⁻¹ in fermented loins allows to obtain a product with properties similar to the product with 150 mg kg⁻¹ of nitrate, especially in terms of its physicochemical properties and lipid oxidation. Full article

This study evaluated the impact of fermented milk maceration on fermented lamb loin without nitrate to obtain peptides with high activity against oxidative changes (ABTS, DPPH, reducing power) as well as a favorable fatty acid profile, including CLA content. Additionally, an attempt was made to evaluate the influence of the lamb breed on the assessed properties. Raw loins (m. Longissimus dorsi) obtained from sheep of three polish breeds—Wrzosówka, Uhruska, and Świniarka—and fermented products were tested. The fermented loins obtained after 14 days of processing were characterized by pH and water activity values in the ranges, respectively, 4.76–5.12 and 0.902–0.915. The maceration of meat in a fermented milk has caused greater acidification of the meat during fermentation. Statistical analysis indicated that treatment was the factor with significant effect on peptide content; no effect of animal breed was found. The peptide content isolated from raw meat ranged from 2.90 to 4.31 mg g⁻¹ of sample, while in fermented meat products it was significant higher (11.59–16.37 mg g⁻¹ of product). The antioxidant properties of peptides were positively correlated with peptides content. The maceration in fermented milk resulted in a statistically significant increase of ABTS value in case of fermented lamb loin of Świniarka breed. The raw meat and fermented meat products form the Świniarka lamb breed were characterized by the highest content of the total CLA isomers. The main CLA isomer found was cis9-trans11 (rumenic acid), followed by cis9-cis11, trans9-trans11, and trans10-cis12. The rumenic acid content was higher than, respectively, 87% and 80–88% of total CLA isomers in case of raw meat and fermented lamb loins of three breeds. Full article

This study investigated the effect of fermented diet on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality and growth of longissimus thoracis (LT) of finishing pigs. A total of 48 finishing pigs [Duroc × (Landrace × Large White), male, 126 ± 5-d-old] weighing 98.76 ± 1.27 kg were randomly assigned to two treatments (eight pens per treatment and three pigs per pen) for a 28-d feeding trial, including control diet and fermented diet. Fermented diet significantly increased the loin eye area and lean mass percentage, decreased backfat thickness and improved meat quality of LT by decreasing the shear force and drip loss at 48 h post slaughter and improving meat sensory characteristics compared with control diet. A fermented diet also significantly increased the abundance of insulin, insulin receptor (IR), myoblast determination protein (MyoD) and myosin heavy chain-I (MyHC-I) transcripts, and the phosphorylation levels of AKT, mTORC1, 4EBP1 and S6K1 in LT, while decreasing the expression of muscle atrophy F-box (MAFbx) and forkhead Box O1 (Foxo1) mRNA transcripts. Moreover, proteomic analysis revealed that differentially expressed proteins predominantly involved in protein synthesis and muscle development were modulated by fermented diet. Our results indicated that a fermented diet improved meat quality and enhanced LT growth of finishing pigs by increasing insulin/AKT/mTORC1 protein synthesis cascade and activating the Foxo1/MAFbx pathway, along with the regulation of ribosomal protein and proteins involved in muscle contraction and muscle hypertrophy. Full article