Bulk Ingredients Research Articles

Permeabilized whole cells containing co-expressed cyclomaltodextrinase and maltooligosyltrehalose synthase facilitate the synthesis of nonreducing maltoheptaose (N-G7) from β-cyclodextrin.

Maltodextrin is an important bulk ingredient in food and other industries; however, drawbacks such as uneven polymerization and high reducibility limit its utilization. Nonreducing maltoheptaose (N-G7) is a good substitute for maltodextrin owing to its single degree of polymerization and nonreducing properties. Herein, in vitro cell factory biotransformation of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) to N-G7 is demonstrated using coexpressed cyclomaltodextrinase (CDase, EC 3.2.1.54) and maltooligosyltrehalose synthase (MTSase, EC 5.4.99.15). However, the cell membrane prevents β-CD from entering the cell owing to its large diameter. The amylase-deficient permeabilized host ΔycjM-ΔmalS-ΔlpxM is utilized for coexpression of recombinant CDase and MTSase. Deletion of lpxM effectively allows the entry of β-cyclodextrin into the cell, despite its large diameter, without requiring any relevant cell membrane permeability-promoting reagent. This results in a 28.44% increase in the efficiency of β-CD entry into the cell, thus enabling intracellular N-G7 synthesis without the extracellular secretion of recombinant CDase and MTSase. After reacting for 5.5 h, the highest purity of N-G7 (65.50%) is obtained. However, hydrolysis decreases the purity of N-G7 to 49.30%, thus resulting in a conversion rate of 40.16% for N-G7 when the reaction lasts 6 h. Precise control of reaction time is crucial for obtaining high-purity N-G7. Whole-cell catalysis avoids cell fragmentation and facilitates the creation of an eco-friendly, energy-efficient biotransformation system; thus, it is a promising approach for N-G7 synthesis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

A review of traditional grain-based complementary foods for children aged 6-23 months in selected African countries

Background: Wheat and maize flour still represent the bulk ingredient in complementary foods. There is an increasing interest in traditional cereal grain-based products due to their positive health effects. The positive health benefits include; more protein and fiber content than modern grains and most are naturally gluten-free. Aims: To identify available traditional grain-based complementary food options used for children aged 6-23months in Africa, including the effects of various processing techniques on the nutritional value of the food products. Material and Methods: We searched SciELO, Google Scholar, AGORA, JSTOR, MedLine, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Wiley Online, and PubMed databases for the following (a) studies on the formulation of homemade or commercialized traditional grain-based complementary feeding porridges, (b) studies where traditional grains such as sorghum, finger millet, guinea millet, and pearl millet were used as the main ingredient. In addition, we evaluated the food processing techniques used, the resultant nutritional quality, and the acceptability of the product. Results: Thirteen eligible studies were identified. Traditional grains used frequently as complementary foods for children aged 6-23 months in Africa were pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), millet (Panicum miliaceum), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor. L), and finger millet (Eleusine coracana). The most common techniques to improve the nutrition content of the foods were: fermentation, germination, and addition of legumes. Additionally, minor investigations have been carried out on effectiveness of these porridges in reducing malnutrition prevalence in this age group. Conclusions: In overall more studies are required with the focus on investigating the development of novel strategies to improve the nutritional profiles, safety, and acceptability of traditional grain-based complementary foods. Furthermore, their effectiveness to improve nutrition status of children needs to be investigated. Keywords: Complementary food, Infants, Traditional Grains, Africa.

Debye temperature of iron nanoparticles: Finite-size effects in the scaling regime

The Debye temperature ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Theta}}}_{\mathrm{D}}$ characterizes the vibrations of a solid and marks the transition between quantized and classical behaviors of nuclear motion. While thermodynamical theories suggest that for nanoparticles ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Theta}}}_{\mathrm{D}}$ should be lower than the bulk limit and increase with increasing nanoparticle size, various experimental measurements have reported intriguing variations with size, including values above the bulk limit and possibly decreasing with size. In this paper we have theoretically determined the Debye temperature of iron nanoparticles of up to about 7 nm diameter at the atomistic level of detail, using complementary approaches based on the equilibrium heat capacity or the mean-square atomic displacement. Both methods consistently indicate steady finite-size effects in the scaling regime, with no evidence for values higher than the bulk or varying in opposite ways, but they also produce marked quantitative differences. Further comparison with the melting temperature ${T}_{m}$ indicates that the two quantities correlate with each other through ${T}_{m}\ensuremath{\propto}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Theta}}}_{\mathrm{D}}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$, but with an exponent $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ close to 3 that deviates from the expected value of 2 that classical thermodynamical theories predict based on pure bulk ingredients.

Potential of microalgae as a sustainable feed ingredient for aquaculture

An increase in fish consumption, combined with a decrease in wild fish harvest, is driving the aquaculture industry at rapid pace. Today, farmed seafood accounts for about half of all global seafood demand for human consumption. As the aquaculture industry continues to grow, so does the market for aquafeed. Currently, some of the feed ingredients are coming from low-value forage fishes (fish meal) and terrestrial plants. The production of fish meal can’t be increased as it would affect the sustainability and ecosystem of the ocean. Similarly, increasing the production of terrestrial plant-based feed leads to deforestation and increased freshwater use. Hence, alternative and environmentally sustainable sources of feed ingredients need to be developed. Microalgae biomasses represent potential feed source ingredients as the cell metabolites of these microorganisms contain a blend of essential amino acids, healthy triglycerides as fat, vitamins, and pigments. In addition to serving as bulk ingredient in aquafeed, their unique array of bioactive compounds can increase the survivability of farmed species, improve coloration and quality of fillet. Microalgae has the highest areal biomass productivities among photosynthetic organisms, including fodder crops, and thus has a high commercial potential. Also, microalgal production has a low water and arable-land footprint, making microalgal-based feed environmentally sustainable. This review paper will explore the potential of producing microalgae biomass as an ingredient of aquaculture feed.

Effect of mixing and feed batch sequencing on the prevalence and distribution of African swine fever virus in swine feed.

It is critical to have methods that can detect and mitigate the risk of African swine fever virus (ASFV) in potentially contaminated feed or ingredients bound for the United States. The purpose of this work was to evaluate feed batch sequencing as a mitigation technique for ASFV contamination in a feed mill, and to determine if a feed sampling method could identify ASFV following experimental inoculation. Batches of feed were manufactured in a BSL‐3Ag room at Kansas State University's Biosafety Research Institute in Manhattan, Kansas. First, the pilot feed manufacturing system mixed, conveyed, and discharged an ASFV‐free diet. Next, a diet was manufactured using the same equipment, but contained feed inoculated with ASFV for final concentration of 5.6 × 104 TCID50/g. Then, four subsequent ASFV‐free batches of feed were manufactured. After discharging each batch into a collection container, 10 samples were collected in a double ‘X’ pattern. Samples were analysed using a qPCR assay for ASFV p72 gene then the cycle threshold (Ct) and Log10 genomic copy number (CN)/g of feed were determined. The qPCR Ct values (p < .0001) and the Log10 genomic CN/g (p < .0001) content of feed samples were impacted based on the batch of feed. Feed samples obtained after manufacturing the ASFV‐contaminated diet contained the greatest amounts of ASFV p72 DNA across all criteria (p < .05). Quantity of ASFV p72 DNA decreased sequentially as additional batches of feed were manufactured, but was still detectable after batch sequence 4. This subsampling method was able to identify ASFV genetic material in feed samples using p72 qPCR. In summary, sequencing batches of feed decreases concentration of ASFV contamination in feed, but does not eliminate it. Bulk ingredients can be accurately evaluated for ASFV contamination by collecting 10 subsamples using the sampling method described herein. Future research is needed to evaluate if different mitigation techniques can reduce ASFV feed contamination.

Efficient biotransformation and synergetic mechanism of dual-enzyme cascade reaction in nonreducing maltoheptaose synthesis

Although maltodextrin is an important bulk ingredient in global food industries, its use is affected by its intrinsic disadvantages, including uneven polymerization and high reducibility. Herein, a cascade enzymatic process for preparing nonreducing maltoheptaose (N-G7) from β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was developed using cyclodextrinase (CDase) and maltooligosyltrehalose synthase (MTSase). Both enzymes showed good synergistic catalytic activity, and the applicability was demonstrated in a one-pot reaction. A hypothetical synergetic mechanism of CDase and MTSase through the analysis of enzyme reaction pathways was proposed. There exists three successive speed-limiting steps in the synthesis of N-G7, namely: opening of β-CD, multi-site hydrolysis of N-G7 by CDase, and hydrolysis of α-1,1 glycosidic linkage by MTSase. Amongst these, the third speed-limiting step is the most ineffective, and the second speed-limiting step affects the accumulation of N-G7. Fortunately, the MTSase transglycosidic reaction is dominant during the hydrolysis with CDase and is the key to obtain a high yield of N-G7.

Effectiveness and Suitability of Oyster Mushroom in Improving the Nutritional Value of Maize Flour Used in Complementary Foods.

Complementary foods based on habitual cereals such as maize have been linked with the promotion of undernutrition in young children. Blending the starchy-rich maize with nutritious-rich indigenous food such as oyster mushroom could improve the nutritional composition of complementary foods. This study investigated the effectiveness and suitability of oyster mushrooms in improving the nutritional value of maize flour commonly used as a bulk ingredient in complementary foods. Flour made of well-cleaned and sun-dried oyster mushroom was blended with maize flour at 0% (control), 30%, 40%, and 50%. Proximate composition, mineral density, and sensory evaluation were determined using standard procedures. Significant improvement in the nutritional quality of formulated flour blends with all proportions of mushroom flour was obtained . Blending maize flour with 30%, 40%, or 50% oyster mushroom flour improved the protein content of formulated flour blends from 8.63% to 18.20%, 8.63% to 20.37% and 8.63% to 22.75%, respectively. The increase in ash and fiber content ranged between 82.52% to 84.16% and 50.69% to 58.35%, respectively. Mineral content of formulated flour blends was improved from 62.89% to 64.72% (iron), 7.63% to 22.69% (zinc), 77.48% to 78.02% (calcium), and 67.55% to 67.64% (potassium). Sensory scores of porridges prepared from formulated flour blends showed good acceptance for the colour, flavour, and aroma of the porridges from three formulated flour blends. Overall, this study recommends blending oyster mushroom with maize flour to improve the nutritional content of formulated flour blend for young children who rely on maize porridge as their complementary food.

Intensification of the flow process of grain drying using two-sided infrared irradiation

The object of research is the process of infrared drying of grain of agricultural crops. In the process of processing seeds of cereals and oilseeds is a fairly large number of technological operations, among which one of the most important is drying. Maintaining the required grain moisture is a major factor influencing its shelf life and quality. Therefore, an urgent and important problem is the intensification of the process of drying seeds of cereals and oilseeds at low energy consumption. The process of infrared drying of grain has significant advantages over the most common convective drying due to the fact that no organic fuel is used. Infrared rays are characterized by high thermal action of products, so the demand for the use of infrared radiation in agricultural, food and processing industries for drying grain, bulk ingredients, thermal disinfection, etc. is growing. The principle of operation of the infrared method is that the moisture inside the grain absorbs infrared rays, due to which it is heated. In other words, energy is directly supplied to moisture, which is why we managed to achieve not only high efficiency but also high efficiency. To increase the efficiency of removing moisture from the grain by infrared irradiation, it is necessary to increase the area of contact of grains with infrared rays. Given the permeability of infrared rays and the layer of grain on the working body of the conveyor, it is possible to use several ways to increase the area of irradiation. The first method is to apply the vibration of the working body to mix the layers of grain, which contributes to a more uniform processing of products. The second method described in this paper is to use a larger number of emitters, which are located not only above the tray of the conveyor, but also below it. The tray must be made of infrared-permeable material.

Technology for Manufacture of Dietetic Functional Basundi

Dietetic functional Basundi was manufactured by employing low fat milk (1.5 per cent) with WPC and blend of stabilizer as fat replacer; Sucrose was replaced with intense sweetener sucralose and the bulk of sucrose was replaced with different combination of blend of polydextrose, maltodextrin and sorbitol as bulking ingredients. Replacement of sucrose with intense sweetener and combination of bulking ingredients did not affect compositional and physico-chemical attributes however a non-significant rise in 5’HMF content was observed with increase in ploydextrose content in the bulking ingredients’ blend. Viscosity followed the similar trend that was noted for 5’HMF. In sensory attributes body and texture and flavour score had significant impact of replacement of sucrose. Polydextrose in the blend when increased to more than 9.0 percent, it increased the body and texture and flavour score significantly, however such increase was non-significant for body and texture score, while flavour score decreased non-significantly. Overall acceptability score followed the similar trend observed for body and texture score. Polydextrose: Maltodextrin: Sorbitol in the proportion of 12:01:03 was considered best because of creamier body with polydextrose and sorbitol being more laxative at increased proportions.

Comparison of utilisation and fermentation of highly cross-linked phosphate starches produced from two different plant origins, potato and tapioca in rats and humans

The utilisation and fermentation of highly cross-linked phosphate starches made from two different origins, potato (HXL-P) and tapioca (HXL-T) were investigated in rats and humans. HXL-P and HXL-T were highly resistant to digestion by carbohydrate enzymes and were also resistant to fermentation by gut microbiota in rats. The postprandial blood glucose scarcely increased after administration of HXL-P or HXL-T in healthy humans. Incremental AUC of both HXL-P and HXL-T for 180 min was significantly lower than that of glucose (p < .05). Breath hydrogen excretion was very low after oral administration of HXL-P or HXL-T, and AUCs of breath hydrogen excretion for 13 h after administration were significantly lower than that of fructooligosaccharide as a reference of fermentation (p < .05). These results show that HXL-P and HXL-T were hardly digested and were highly resistant to fermentation. In conclusion, HXL-P and HXL-T could be good low-energy bulking ingredients to replace wheat flour.

Evaluation of a new method to determine the water addition level in gluten-free bread systems

The water content in gluten-free recipes plays an essential role in the resulting product quality. Up to date the water adjustment is conducted mainly by trial-and-error. Brabender GmbH & Co. KG developed an attachment for the Farinograph, which makes the measurement of batter consistencies feasible. The water content was adjusted using this new tool and compared to the water determined based on the water hydration capacity (WHC) of the single bulking ingredients. Furthermore, bread quality characteristics were analysed. Five different hydrocolloids were tested in a gluten-free system based on rice flour. Water levels differed significantly, when guar gum (20% water) or sodium alginate (18% water) were incorporated. The use of Farinograph resulted generally in a higher specific volume (+0.63 ml/g) and a softer crumb (−16 N). On the contrary, the WHC-method only gave an indication about the water addition but did not consider temperature changes during mixing and its effect on the hydration. In conclusion, Farinograph can be considered as a useful tool for the determination of the optimal water content, and additionally provides useful information about batter stability and dough development time.

Chemical Composition, Physicochemical and Technological Properties of Selected Fruit Peels as a Potential Food Source

ABSTRACT Fruits after processing leave large proportion of peels, which is a nuisance to the environment as a solid waste. The aim of this study was to ascertain the chemical composition, physicochemical properties, and technological properties of selected such fruit peels to determine their suitability for use as natural food ingredients. Peels from four fruit varieties namely pineapple (PP), orange (OP), yellow passion fruit (PFP) and avocado (AP) were collected from fruit waste of Sri Lankan food industries. Proximate compositions of those were analyzed by AOAC approved methods in dry matter basis. Bulk density (BD), color values (L*, a*, b*), water-holding capacity (WHC), oil- holding capacity (OHC), emulsifying Capacity (EC), emulsifying stability (ES), least gelation concentration (LGC), foaming capacity (FC) and foaming stability (FS) of the peel powders were evaluated by using appropriate physical and chemical tests. All the readings were taken in triplicates. The results showed that AP and OP are rich sources of lipids while all the peels are rich in crude fibers. PFP showed significantly high WHC (99.00 ± 0.00%) as well as prominent OHC (30 ± 0.00%) and SC (16.94 ± 0.47). OP and PP can contribute as good bulking agents. Whereas, AP observed weak gelling and foaming abilities. Color values of four peels were significantly different. These results confirmed the utilization of peels of desired physicochemical and technological properties as sources of food fibers or bulk ingredients in food applications requiring oil and moisture retention. Among studied fruit peels PFP having good potential for use as excellent food hydrocolloid.

Sugar reduction in bakery products: Current strategies and sourdough technology as a potential novel approach.

The world is facing a big problem of non-communicable diseases, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. An excessive sugar consumption is considered as a main factor, which triggers these diseases. The two main sources of sugar in processed products on the market are sugar-sweetened beverages and sweet bakery products. Sugar reduction is challenging, especially in baked goods, since it interacts significantly with all ingredients. These interactions cause an increase in gelatinization temperature, a delay in gluten network development, an increase or decrease in yeast activity depending on the sugar concentration, as well as an enhancement of emulsification. Reflecting the molecular interactions on the product quality characteristics of different types of baked goods, sugar also contributes to browning reactions and extension of microbial shelf life. During cake preparation, sugar supports the batter aeration which results in the typical soft cake crumb. Furthermore, it contributes to the spreading process of biscuits during baking and enhances surface cracking due to recrystallization. Sugar reduction requires the development of different strategies; Two well-known strategies are the replacement of added sugar by the combination of bulking agents and high-intensive sweeteners, or by sweet bulking ingredients, such as polyols. The in-situ production of polyols to enhance sweetness, and exopolysaccharides to improve texture, in a sourdough system shows high potential as sugar replacement. Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Leuconostoc citreum are high mannitol producing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains with yields of 70-98% and Leuconostoc oenos was found to produce erythritol. Furthermore, the yeast strain Candida milleri isolated from sourdough produces xylitol in the presence of xylose. Exopolysaccharides produced by LAB and/or yeasts are known to improve the texture and structure of bakery products and, thus, have high potential as natural functional ingredients to compensate quality loss in sweet bakery goods.

New Twists of 3D Chiral Metamaterials.

Rationally designed artificial materials, called metamaterials, allow for tailoring effective material properties beyond ("meta") the properties of their bulk ingredient materials. This statement is especially true for chiral metamaterials, as unlocking certain degrees of freedom necessarily requires broken centrosymmetry. While the field of chiral electromagnetic/optical metamaterials has become rather mature, the field of elastic/mechanical metamaterials is just emerging and wide open. This research news reviews recent theoretical and experimental progress concerning 3D chiral mechanical and optical metamaterials, with special emphasis on work performed at KIT.

Influence of electronic cigarette vaping on the composition of indoor organic pollutants, particles, and exhaled breath of bystanders.

The changes of particles and organic pollutants in indoor atmospheres as consequence of vaping with electronic cigarettes have been analyzed. Changes in the composition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath of non-smoking volunteers present in the vaping environments have also been studied. The exposure experiments involved non-vaping (n = 5) and vaping (n = 5) volunteers staying 12h together in a room (54m2) without external ventilation. The same experiment was repeated without vaping for comparison. Changes in the distributions of particles in the 8-400nm range were observed, involving losses of nucleation-mode particles (below 20nm) and increases of coagulation processes leading to larger size particles. In quantitative terms, vaping involved doubling the indoor concentrations of particles smaller than 10μm, 5μm, and 1μm observed during no vaping. The increase of particle mass concentrations was probably produced from bulk ingredients of the e-liquid exhaled by the e-cigarette users. Black carbon concentrations in the indoor and outdoor air were similar in the presence and absence of electronic cigarette emissions. Changes in the qualitative composition of PAHs were observed when comparing vaping and non-vaping days. The nicotine concentrations were examined separately in the gas and in the particulate phases showing that most of the differences between both days were recorded in the former. The particulate phase should therefore be included in nicotine monitoring during vaping (and smoking). The concentration increases of nicotine and formaldehyde were small when compared with those described in other studies of indoor atmospheres or health regulatory thresholds. No significant changes were observed when comparing the concentrations of exhaled breath in vaping and no vaping days. Even the exhaled breath nicotine concentrations in both conditions were similar. As expected, toluene, xylenes, benzene, ethylbenzene, and naphthalene did not show increases in the vaping days since combustion was not involved.

Pharmacological, ethnopharmacological, and botanical evaluation of subtropical medicinal plants of Lower Kheng region in Bhutan

BackgroundThe Bhutanese Sowa Rigpa medicine (BSM) uses medicinal plants as the bulk ingredients. Our study was to botanically identify subtropical medicinal plants from the Lower Kheng region in Bhutan, transcribe ethnopharmacological uses, and highlight reported pharmacological activities of each plant. MethodsWe freely listed the medicinal plants used in the BSM literature, current formulations, and the medicinal plants inventory documents. This was followed by a survey and the identification of medicinal plants in the Lower Kheng region. The botanical identification of each medicinal plant was confirmed using The Plant List, eFloras, and TROPICOS. Data mining for reported pharmacological activities was performed using Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, and SciFinder Scholar. ResultsWe identified 61 subtropical plants as the medicinal plants used in BSM. Of these, 17 plants were cultivated as edible plant species, 30 species grow abundantly, 24 species grow in moderate numbers, and only seven species were scarce to find. All these species grow within the altitude range of 100–1800m above sea level. A total of 19 species were trees, and 13 of them were shrubs. Seeds ranked first in the parts usage category. Goshing Gewog (Block) hosted maximum number of medicinal plants. About 52 species have been pharmacologically studied and only nine species remain unstudied. ConclusionLower Kheng region is rich in subtropical medicinal plants and 30 species present immediate economic potential that could benefit BSM, Lower Kheng communities and other Sowa Rigpa practicing organizations.

Physicochemical properties and in vitro antidiabetic potential of fibre concentrates from onion by-products

Onion by-products, Paste and Bagasse, were used to produce fibre concentrates (FCs), which were studied for dietary fibre (DF) content, physicochemical properties, effects on glucose adsorption, in vitro glucose diffusion, alpha-amylase activity and starch digestibility. FC dietary fibre was composed of cellulose and pectic polysaccharides with different degree of branching. FCs had lower bulk densities, and higher oil-holding and cation exchange capacities, as well as higher hydration properties, than cellulose. Onion FCs had the desired physicochemical properties as fibre sources or low-calorie bulk ingredients in food applications. Both onion FCs were found to have higher glucose-adsorption capacity than cellulose. The retardation of glucose diffusion by FCs were higher than cellulose. All FCs reduced the glucose production rate by inhibiting alpha-amylase activity, and decreased starch digestibility. The results verified the hypoglycaemic effect and the in vitro antidiabetic potential of onion by-product FCs.

Embodied Energy &amp;amp; Cost Issues of Tank-Bed-Lime Based Geopolymer Adobes

It is well-known that a product or a system is sustainable if it is economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally friendly. Load bearing masonry is one such example which is quite sustainable, especially if the masonry units are locally available. It is important to quantify the environmental benefits and cost, if an alternative to an existing technology is to be suggested. Of course the issues related to acceptance have to be discussed and addressed. This paper presents the quantification of embodied energy and cost of lime-pozzolana-cement (LPC) geopolymer based masonry units made using locally available bulk ingredients viz. tank-bed soil (TBS) and brick-powder (BP). The masonry adobe units developed have achieved the target performance in terms of strength, low water absorption and relative ease of production. Simultaneously the issues related to cost are also discussed in this paper. The studies have revealed that the bulk contributor to embodied energy and cost of geopolymer adobes are the alkaline materials viz sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate. However, the embodied energy and cost per unit strength appears to be better than that of conventional table moulded bricks in south India, especially when alkaline solution at 2M concentration is used with LPC.

Evaluation of the likelihood of detection of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus or porcine delta coronavirus ribonucleic acid in areas within feed mills

Objective: To compare areas within feed mills to determine the likelihood of presence of either porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) or porcine delta coronavirus (PDCoV). Materials and methods: Twenty-four feed mills from various regions in the United States were evaluated. Swab samples (foot pedals of feed delivery trucks, bulk ingredient unloading pits, inside the mixer or pellet coolers, mill office floors, inside feed compartments on feed trucks and incoming bagged-ingredient trucks) were collected daily at each feed mill for up to 5 days. The samples were submitted for polymerase chain reaction testing for PEDV and PDCoV. Results: Of the feed mills tested, 75% were supplying feed to known PEDV-positive herds, and 21% were supplying feed to known PDCoV-positive herds. No samples at any mill tested positive for PEDV ribonucleic acid (RNA), although 5% of the truck foot pedals and 1% of the bulk-ingredient pits tested suspect. Porcine delta coronavirus RNA was found on 3.4% of the foot pedals of the trucks, and 2.2% of the office floors tested suspect. Implications: Porcine delta coronavirus RNA can be detected at different locations around feed mills. Feed mill biosecurity protocols need to be evaluated and maintained to minimize the probability of PEDV and PDCoV RNA presence.

Prebiotics and β‐Glucan Affect Jejunal and Serum Alkaline Phosphatase Affinity in Weanling Pigs

Biological mechanisms of dietary supplementation of prebiotics and β‐glucan in modulation of health status need further clarification. Given the recognized role of alkaline phosphatases (AP) in detoxification of endotoxin lipopolysaccharides (LPS), we hypothesized that dietary supplementation of three prebiotics and β‐glucan in modulation of health status was mediated through affecting alkaline phosphatase functionality such as maximal enzyme activity (Vmax) and enzyme affinity (Km). This study was conducted to determine effects of dietary supplementation of three prebiotics and β‐glucan at 0.75% instead of feed antibiotics on growth performance, blood urea concentration, fecal scores, jejunal and serum AP kinetics and large intestinal fermentation in weanling piglets fed corn and soybean meal (SBM)‐based diets. Six experimental diets were formulated with corn, SBM and fishmeal as the bulk ingredients. This includes Diet 1, a negative control (NC) of the basal diet with no supplemental feed antibiotics and no tested supplements; Diet 2, a positive control (PC) of the basal diet with supplemental feed antibiotics but no other tested supplements; Diet 3, a retrograded resistant corn starch supplementation of the basal diet with no supplemental feed antibiotics; Diet 4, an oat β‐glucan supplementation of the basal diet with no supplemental feed antibiotics; Diet 5, a Fibersol‐2 supplementation of the basal diet with no supplemental feed antibiotics; and Diet 6, an inulin supplementation of the basal diet with no supplemental feed antibiotics. A total of 216 piglets, 21 d old, with an initial body weight of 7.0 kg, were fed 1 of the 6 diets for 21 d in three study blocks according to a completely randomized block design. Dietary supplementation of the three prebiotics and β‐glucan did not significantly affect growth performance and main intestinal fermentation endpoints. Dietary supplementation of β‐glucan in Diet 4 increased (P&lt;0.05) the wk 1–3 overall fecal score compared with the NC diet. Fibersol‐2 in Diet 5 and inulin in Diet 6 reduced (P&lt;0.05) the Vmax of the proximal jejunal AP compared with the NC diet. The Vmax of serum AP was different (P&lt;0.05) between the β‐glucan Diet 4 and the PC diet. Dietary supplementation of Fibersol‐2 in Diet 5 and β‐glucan in Diet 4 increased the AP affinity by about 1 fold compared with the NC diet. Serum AP affinity Km values were at least 10‐fold higher than the Km values of the jejunal AP, suggesting that the proximal jejunal AP is potentially much more efficient than the serum AP in detoxification of endotoxin LPS. Dietary supplementation of the three prebiotics and oat β‐glucan at 0.75% had little effects on growth performance but might affect the gut and whole body health status via influencing the AP detoxification kinetics in the weanling pig.Support or Funding InformationSupported by the NSERC Discovery and the OMAFRA‐University Partnership Programs.