Alimentary Items Research Articles

Looking inside Mexican Traditional Food as Sources of Synbiotics for Developing Novel Functional Products

Currently, emerging alimentary alternatives are growing, leading to the consumption of natural products including bio, fermented, and traditional foods. The studies over functional properties of food matrices and their derived compounds have resulted in the development of new functional alimentary items. However, most of the population still has limited access to, and information about, suitable foods. Analyzing traditional fermented products, we found fermented food matrices containing beneficial bacteria, with the possibility of exerting effects on different substrates enhancing the bioavailability of short-chain fatty acids (SFCAs), antioxidants, among other food-derived products. Maize (Zea mays L.), agave varieties, nopal (Opuntia ficus-indica), and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were key foods for the agricultural and nutritional development of Mesoamerica. We believe that the traditional Mexican diet has relevant ingredients with these functionalities and their association will allow us to develop functional food suitable for each population and their current needs. In this review, the functional properties of maize, agave, nopal, and frijol are detailed, and the functional food innovation and development opportunities for these food matrices are analyzed, which may be an important precedent for future basic and applied research.

Feeding ecology of the catfish Ictalurus punctatus (Siluriformes: Ictaluridae) in a reservoir in Northeast Mexico

Objective: Determine the main food components of the catfish, their seasonal variability and according to the sex of the organism. Methodology: In total, 143 stomachs of catfish were examined. In the analysis of the stomach content, the detected organisms were determined until the taxonomic order rank. It was analyzed the seasonal and sex feeding variability. Results: The total annual trophic spectrum for catfish consisted of 13 items, of which only the order Ephemeroptera reached the category as a frequent food. In the winter season the catfish consumed significantly more food compared to the other seasons and there was no difference in the amount consumed by females and males (p>0.05). Implications: This information is relevant to highlight the importance of the biological integrity of the terrestrial site surrounds the reservoir, which is a source of food for the catfish. Conclusions: Catfish channel in the Venustiano Carranza Dam is a generalist species (13 alimentary items). There was a difference in the amount of food consumed between the seasons of the year; however there was no difference between the sexes.

First record of the genus Physaloptera sp. (Nemata: Physalopteridae) in scats from coyote, Canis latrans in Chihuahua, México

The knowledge of the helminth parasites of Canis latrans from Mexico is scarce. This study 23 scats of C. latrans were collected and examined to identify alimentary items between April and September of 2018, at the rancho experimental Teseachi of the Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua, in Namiquipa, Chihuahua, Mexico. Three nematode specimens of Physaloptera sp. were found and identified by morphology. This endoparasite is reported for the first time in scats of C. latrans for the state of Chihuahua.

Landscape effects on the occurrence of ichthyofauna in first-order streams of southeastern Brazil

Abstract Objective In this study we aimed to understand how extrinsic environmental factors measured in the watercourses and the surrounding landscape influence the ichthyofauna of first-order streams. Methods Data were collected within the Corumbataí River Basin, São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, during the dry season of 2012. We sampled the ichthyofauna in 13 stretches of streams distributed across four river sub-basins. The stretches differed in relation to the presence/absence of riparian forest, the predominant type of matrix and the percentage of forest. Response variables were species richness and the occurrence of functional groups and explanatory variables include both local and landscape structures from the surrounding environment. Local variables comprised the following water quality and structural attributes: pH, temperature, conductivity, turbidity, flow rate, depth, width, type of substrate. Landscape variables included presence/absence of riparian vegetation, type of vegetation, type of matrix, percentage of forest and canopy cover. Results A total of 268 individuals were recorded, which were distributed among 12 species. The landscape structure influenced the occurrence of functional groups in first-order streams, especially allochthonous-feeders, nektonic and hypoxia-intolerant species. The presence of riparian forest was the most important predictor. Species richness was negatively related to the presence of riparian vegetation, supporting the hypothesis that degraded landscapes lead to a reduction in diversity. Conclusion The protection of riparian vegetation is critical to the maintenance of ichthyofauna diversity in first-order streams. The presence or absence of riparian vegetation differently affected the occurrence of species depending on their functional characteristics, particularly those related to the tolerance to hypoxia, source of alimentary items and the position in the water column.

Food characterization of the spotted pimelodid fish Pimelodus maculatus from a polluted urban river in Argentina

On the present study, the nourishment and the digestive system of a population of the spotted pimelodid Pimelodus maculatus Lacepede 1803 from a polluted urban river in Argentina were analyzed (Reconquista River, Buenos Aires province). The specimens are characterized by having benthic habits and an omnivore diet. In their intestinal content, a diversity of components was identified. Such components were grouped into ten alimentary items, with dietary variations according to body size while the longitude of the intestine remained proportional to standard length. Microbiological analysis in the gills, stomach and intestine showed the occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Salmonella sp. Fungi and yeast were also detected. Bacterial accounts were very high both in the analyzed organs as well in water samples. The ecological and sanitary significance of the identified bacteria is discussed.

Structural and functional responses of the oligochaete and aeolosomatid assemblage in lowland streams: a one-way-pollution-modelled ecosystem

We investigated the responses of the assemblage of Oligochaeta and Aeolosomatidae to organic pollution; comparing taxonomic richness, diversity, abundance, and diet of the individuals inhabiting two lowland streams with different degrees of anthropic impact (the Rodriguez and the Carnaval) belonging to the Rio de la Plata basin, Argentina. The physicochemical parameters in the Rodriguez Stream indicated a strong deterioration of the water quality compared to that of the Carnaval. A canonical-correlation analysis indicated that the Tubificinae, Megadrili, Enchytraeidae, and Rhyacodrilinae were more closely associated with the Rodriguez Stream; whereas the Naidinae, Pristininae, and Opystocystidae were more highly represented in the Carnaval. The diversity and taxonomic richness in the Rodriguez Stream exhibited significant differences from those of the Carnaval (P<0.001), but the abundance was not different between the two sites. Schoener’s index revealed the higher degree of dietary overlap of the two streams because all the species analysed consumed a high proportion of detritus, especially the organisms in the Rodriguez. In the Carnaval Stream a higher number of alimentary items were consumed, and mainly by the Naidinae. This difference, probably reflecting the greater availability of this resource at sites impacted by organic pollution, underscores the fundamental role of oligochaetes in the food webs of aquatic ecosystems. The combined use of structural and functional parameters enables a more comprehensive view of how these lotic systems function and as such provides information that will serve to design tools for the management of such temperate environments.

Stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) from North West Argentina: paleodietary implications

Presented here are the first results of an ongoing research project on stable isotopic analysis of human bone samples from six sites located at Jujuy province, NW Argentina. The region was inhabited by hunter gatherers as early as 10,000 years ago (Archaic Period). Sometime between 500 BC-AD 1600, peoples from the region became agricultural-pastoralists. The prehistoric development of these societies was severed in 1596 by the Spanish Conquest. A diversity of environmental as well as chronological differences led the prehistoric societies of the region to adopt and display a series of adaptive responses. Active exchange of products was a common fact. The aforementioned circumstances raise expectations concerning the existence of possible variations in the actual consumption of available alimentary items in Puna (3000 to 4700 m asl), as well as in Quebrada de Humahuaca (2000 to 2800 m asl). The obtained δ13C and δ15N values on both apatite and collagen show elevated consumption of C4 resources in Quebrada de Humahuaca since the onset of the Formative Period (ca. 500 BC). Puna samples, on the other hand, show a sustained, long lasting chronological emphasis on camelid production and consumption as well as other C3 resources exploited. We conclude that, in spite of the considerable interactions and trading that took place between these two regions in prehistoric times, they were not strong enough to erase the environmental influences that determined the existence of distinctive stable isotope patterns related to diet (and composition of meals) between Quebrada de Humahuaca and Puna peoples.

Feeding ecology of Dash-dot Tetra Hemigrammus belottii(Steindachner 1882) (Characiformes: Characidae) in the streams of the Urucu River basin, central Amazonia, Brazil

The present study describes aspects of feeding ecology of Dash-dot TetraHemigrammus belottii (Characiformes: Characidae) collected in the Urucu River basin in Coari, Amazonas (Brazil), aims to respond the following question: What is the influence of hydrological periods (dry and wet) and spatial distribution in the diet of H. belottii? The specimens were collected between 2006 and 2009 in seven streams in the Urucu basin using standard capture methods. Their stomachs were removed for diet composition analyses. The alimentary items were weighed and identified for subsequent analyzes related to feeding intensity by repletion index (RI%) and importance by alimentary index (AIi%). A total of 227 specimens were analyzed, with a mean standard length of 16.5±5.6 mm. The RI% values indicated that H. belottii fed more intensively during the dry season. The principal items in the diet were Formicidae (IAi% = 69.6), fragments of allochthonous exoskeleton (IAi% = 17.7), and Coleoptera (IAi% = 6.0). The composition of the diet did not vary significantly between seasons or among habitats, which may be related to the abundance of the items exploited by the species throughout the year. Hemigrammus belottii showed a generalist insectivore feeding habits which was mainly composed by allochthonous item.

Hábito alimentar do bagre Sciades herzbergii (Siluriformes, Ariidae) da Ilha dos Caranguejos, Maranhão, Brasil

The article describes the feeding habits of the catfish Sciades herzbergii caught in the Crabs Island (Ilha dos Caranguejos), an important coastal area of the Maranhao state, Brazil. A total of 167 individuals were collected: 110 females and 57 males. All the stomach contents were identified to the closest taxonomic level. The frequency of occurrence, biomass, numerical frequency and index of relative importance (IRI) of food items were determined for both genders. Stomach repletion was predominant, demonstrating good feeding conditions for S. herzbergii. The main alimentary items in the diet of this catfish were crustaceans, fish, oligochaets and polychaets, and the decapods crustaceans were the most representative.

P2-91 Calcium, phosphorus, and carbohydrates and the risk of colorectal cancer in Poland

IntroductionAn increasing trends of colorectal (CRC) morbidity and mortality across developed countries is observed. Epidemiological studies showed that majority of those cases are due to improper diet. The results on...

Loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta (Linnaeus) preying on the invading gastropod Rapana venosa (Valenciennes) in the Río de la Plata Estuary

Here we report the first observations of loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta preying on a conspicuous molluscan invader, the rapa whelk Rapana venosa. An average number of 136 opercula were found in stomach contents of five turtles, the curved carapace length ranging in from 51 to 112 cm. No other alimentary items were found in the turtles analyzed. We suggest that the rapa whelk may constitute up to 100% of the diet for immature and mature loggerheads in the Río de la Plata estuary (Uruguay), highlighting the plastic nature of the foraging behavior of loggerheads.

Dieta do mão-pelada (Procyon cancrivorus, Procyonidae, Carnivora) no Parque Estadual de Itapuã, sul do Brasil

The raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus, F. Cuvier, 1798) is the only procyonid that occurs in Itapuã State Park. This conservation area has 5,566.5 ha and it is located in Porto Alegre metropolitan area. The purpose of this study was to do qualitative and quantitative analyses of the alimentary items consumed by the raccoons in the park, as well as investigate the seasonality influence upon the diet of these animals. Every month in 2002 fecal samples on fixed transects were collected, adding up two hundred and three samples. Forty-one alimentary items were found (53% fruits and 47% of animal origin items). The Arecaceae botanic family was the most eaten food, denoting the Syagrus romanzoffiana (Cham.) Glassman like the key resource of the raccoon diet, and the Butia capitata (Mart.) Becc. like an important seasonal alimentary resource. Other fruits like Ficus sp., Vitex megapotamica (Spreng.) Mold., Psidium sp., and Eugenia uruguayensis Cambess. were registered as additional items, sustaining the opportunist behavior of this species. Orthoptera, Blattaria, and Coleoptera were the most eaten invertebrate animals in the four seasons. The high relative frequencies of birds, rodents, and other mammals on the raccoon’s taxodiet during the winter and spring denote its needs for a more improved diet of proteins in this time, due probably to low temperatures and to the birth of the cubs. The difference in the diet composition was proved using the randomization test (?=0.05) to all the seasons, except between the winter and the spring. This result indicates that the diet of Procyon cancrivorus in PEI reflects the seasonal changes. Key words: fecal analysis, feeding items, Procyon, southern Brazil.

ASPECTOS DA ALIMENTAÇÃO NATURAL DO CAÇÃOFRANGO Rhizoprionodon lalandii (VALENCIENNES,1841) (ELASMOBRANCHII, CARCHARHINIDAE) NO MUNICÍPIO DE BARRA VELHA, SANTA CATARINA.

The brazilian sharpnose shark Rhizoprionodon lalandii (Valenciennes,1841) occurs in the east coast of South America, from Panama to Santa Catarina. The present work studied some aspects of the feeding behavior of R. lalandii. Samples were collected monthly, between September 1999 and June 2000 being captured by artisanal fleet. The alimentary items were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible. The occurrence percentage of the items was obtained through the equation: n.o of stomachs that contained the item / n.o of stomachs that contained food x 100. From the 78 examined stomachs, 61 (78%) contained food. The predominant items in the stomachs were Teleostei, representing 47% of the total of items followed by Molusca: Cephalopoda (26%). Most of the bony fishes found in the stomachs content were Clupeiformes and all Cephalopoda represented by the suborder Myopsida. The largest repletion GR 4, most of the individuals presented stomachs filled less than GR 2 and GR 1, and some had empty stomachs (22%). R. lalandii, feeds mainly on pelagic species specially small bony fishes and squids. As the diversity of preys was small, it is supposed that R. lalandii is a selective predator.

Diet composition of Plagioscion squamosissimus (Heckel, 1840), a fish introduced into the Tietê River system

Plagioscion squamosissimus is a species from the Amazon basin that was introduced into the Tietê River system. The present study aimed to analyse the feeding habits of this species in Bariri Reservoir and to verify the possible occurrence of ontogenetic changes in its diet composition. The samples were gathered in four periods of the year: February, June, September and November 2003. The fish were gathered with different fishing net meshes in three different reservoir portions. The alimentary items found in the stomachs were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level and had abundance, occurrence frequency, volume and biomass determined. The Alimentary Index (IAi) was calculated for each alimentary item consumed by 'corvina' for each studied period. Comparisons among the diet of different size classes of P. squamosissimus were done using the similarity coefficient of Jaccard and the Cluster Analysis (UPGMA). The Friedman proof was performed to verify if there is a significant ontogenetic variation in the species diet and changes in the consumption of different alimentary categories by P. squamosissimus among the sampled periods. P. squamosissimus presented a piscivorous feeding habit, although other items were also consumed. The biggest values of IAi were obtained for the alimentary item fish in the months of June (0.47) and November (0.39). The item Ephemeroptera (Campsurinae) was the most representative in February (0.30) and June (0.45). Despite the fact that P. squamosissimus consumed an ample spectrum of alimentary items, the ontogenetic changes were evident through the exploration of aquatic insects by the younger classes and by a diet mainly composed of fish in adult individuals. The alimentary plasticity of P. squamosissimus evidenced in this study might have contributed to the success of this species in Bariri Reservoir.

Identificação de itens alimentares constituintes da dieta dos peixes-boi marinhos (Trichechus manatus) na região Nordeste do Brasil

Identification of alimentary components of Antillean manatee diet in the Northeast of Brazil. The manatees are considered to be opportunist herbivors, consuming a great amount of alimentary items. The aim of the present study was to identify the alimentary components of the diet of Antillean manatees in free life in the northeastern region of Brazil. Samples of stomach contents from six Antillean manatee carcasses were collected, in addition to fecal samples from 11 native manatees and five that had been released. The material was identified at the genus and/or species level, based on its morpho-anatomic aspects, and 21 species of seaweeds, phanerogams and cnidarians were presented. Through these analyses it was possible to observe that Antillean manatees fed on a great variety of aquatic plants, with the predominance of red seaweeds.

Obtenção de água por um grupo de Alouatta clamitans (Primates: Atelidae), em Floresta com Araucária: variações sazonais, sexo-etárias e circadianas

Observações diretas do comportamento de beber água por espécies de Alouatta Lacépède, 1799 são incomuns em animais de vida livre. Foram reportadas flutuações sazonais na freqüência do consumo de água, as quais foram relacionadas à disponibilidade dos diferentes itens alimentares no ambiente. O objetivo deste trabalho foi quantificar os registros do consumo de água por um grupo de Alouatta clamitans Cabrera, 1940, bem como analisar suas variações sazonais, circadianas e sexo-etárias. O consumo de água foi relacionado aos períodos de alimentação ao longo do dia. Houve correlação entre consumo de água e ingestão de sementes. A análise sexo-etária demonstrou que as fêmeas adultas ingeriram proporcionalmente mais água, enquanto infantes consumiram menos. Sugerimos que as fontes de água podem ser fatores importantes na configuração dos percursos diários do grupo. O consumo de água foi diretamente relacionado às quantidades de compostos secundários contidos nas sementes ingeridas. Necessidades metabólicas inerentes à lactação provavelmente levaram as fêmeas adultas a ingerir maiores quantidades de água. Embora incomum, o consumo de água deve ser considerado como um fator de grande importância ao possibilitar a sobrevivência dos bugios sob certas condições ambientais.

Feeding habits of the spider crab Libinia spinosa H. Milne Edwards, 1834 (Decapoda, Brachyura) in Ubatuba bay, São Paulo, Brazil

The main goal of this study was the identification of the items of the diet of the L. spinosa, based on the stomach contents analysis. The crabs were obtained from Ubatuba region north-eastern shore of São Paulo State. In the laboratory, all the individuals were dissected, the stomach was retreated and fixed in 10% formaline. The alimentary items were identified under stereomicroscope and analysed by the method of Frequency of Occurrence. A total of 194 stomachs was analysed and nine alimentary items were obtained. Unindentified material was found in 98% of analysed stomach and poriferan were present in less then 1% of stomachs. These results pointed a diversified diet explored by this crab, as well as the employment of some different methods for food intake. This suggested that these crabs could occupy different position in the trophic chain.

Distribución, abundancia y preferencias alimenticias del pez sapo Opsanus phobetron (Batrachoididae) en la laguna costera de Chelem, Yucatán, México

Fish are important ecological components in tropical coastal lagoons. In order to evaluate the distribution and feeding preferences of the toadfish Opsanus phobetron in the Chelem Lagoon, Yucatan, Mexico, fish samples were collected using a beach seine in eight stations distributed randomly, from March 2002 to January 2003. The components were analyzed by means of the relative abundance percentage and occurrence frequency. The trophic similarity between ontogenetic stages was determined with the Morisita Index. A total of 221 organisms were collected, with a density and biomass of 92.09 ind/100 m2 and 930.39 g/100 m2 respectively. The highest density and biomass were recorded in the same station. A total of 94 stomach contents were analyzed. Results showed a wide trophic generalization, including 40 alimentary items and great ontogenetic variation: juvenile stages consume preferentially microcrustaceans, while adults mainly feed on fish (96%).

Ecologia Alimentar de Tropidurus torquatus (Wied) (Sauria, Tropiduridae) em Duas Áreas com Diferentes Níveis de Conservação na Ilha da Marambaia, Rio de Janeiro, Sudeste do Brasil

We compared the effects of habitat disturbance on the feeding ecology of two local populations of Tropidurus torquatus (Wied, 1820) in restinga habitats on Ilha da Marambaia, Southeastern Brazil. Both populations presented a relatively diverse diet and differ in the number (D Max = 0.22, DF = 2, p = 0.00) and volume of prey consumed (D Max = 0.82, DF = 2, p = 0.00). Ants were the most frequent and numerous preys in both areas, and plant matter and coleopterans were the most important alimentary items in volume. The population from the disturbed area presented a larger niche breadth for number of prey items consumed (Bi num = 3.06) and volume (Bi vol = 2.98), when compared to the other population (Bj num = 2.44, Bj vol = 1.52). Niche overlap was higher for number of items consumed between the populations (Oij num = 0.82) but lower for volume (Oij vol = 0.05). Our data suggest dietary differences between the two lizard populations, and these differences may be associated with environmental modifications. Our main hypothesis to explain the dietary differences is based in the Optimal Foraging Theory. However, the alimentary behavior, and consequently the diet of these lizards, seems to be constrained phylogenetically, with a pattern that may have evolved in the ancestor of all iguanids.

Feeding ecology of Tropidurus torquatus (Wied) (Squamata, Tropiduridae) in two areas with different degrees of conservation in Marambaia Island, Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil

We compared the effects of habitat disturbance on the feeding ecology of two local populations of Tropidurus torquatus (Wied, 1820) in restinga habitats on Ilha da Marambaia, Southeastern Brazil. Both populations presented a relatively diverse diet and differ in the number (D Max = 0.22, DF = 2, p = 0.00) and volume of prey consumed (D Max = 0.82, DF = 2, p = 0.00). Ants were the most frequent and numerous preys in both areas, and plant matter and coleopterans were the most important alimentary items in volume. The population from the disturbed area presented a larger niche breadth for number of prey items consumed (Bi num = 3.06) and volume (Bi vol = 2.98), when compared to the other population (Bj num = 2.44, Bj vol = 1.52). Niche overlap was higher for number of items consumed between the populations (Oij num = 0.82) but lower for volume (Oij vol = 0.05). Our data suggest dietary differences between the two lizard populations, and these differences may be associated with environmental modifications. Our main hypothesis to explain the dietary differences is based in the Optimal Foraging Theory. However, the alimentary behavior, and consequently the diet of these lizards, seems to be constrained phylogenetically, with a pattern that may have evolved in the ancestor of all iguanids.