Dry Meat Research Articles

Evaluation of the Effects of Electrical and Carbon Dioxide Stunning Methods on Quality Attributes of Pork Meat

In our experiment, the effect of electrical and CO2 stunning on pork meat quality attributes was studied. A total of thirty PIC337 female pigs were allocated to two equal groups which were stunned electrically (50 Hz, 210 V, 2.6 A, 15 s) or by CO2 (85 V% CO2, 15 V% O2, 90 s) and slaughtered at a commercial slaughterhouse. For 24 h post mortem, the carcass m. gluteus medius (GM) was used to evaluate meat quality attributes such as pH, color, hardness, water holding capacity (WHC), and total pigment content, and meat classification was also carried out. The CO2 stunning resulted in muscle with significantly lower pH (p < 0.01) and poorer water holding capacity (p < 0.05) compared to electrical stunning. The GM of pigs stunned electrically showed significantly increased lightness (L*) and redness (a*) (p < 0.05) compared to CO2-stunned. The time course of development of rigor mortis was similar for both stunning methods. Pale, soft, exudative (PSE) or dark, firm, dry (DFD) meat defects were not observed. Based on total pigment content, stunning methods did not significantly affect the amount of removable blood.

Biodiversity of Aspergillus Species and Their Mycotoxin Production Potential in Dry Meat.

This study aimed to examine fungi diversity in dried beef meat sold in Ekiti State, characterize the isolated fungi, and determine the aflatoxin-producing ability of the Aspergillus fungi in the samples. Dried beef meat was collected from different markets in Ekiti State and screened for the presence of filamentous fungi using molecular methods. Samples were cultured aseptically on potato dextrose agar (PDA) for fungi isolation, and molecular identification was performed using DNA extraction, Polymerase chain Reaction (PCR), ITS-1/ITS-4 primer pair, and nucleotide sequencing. The results obtained indicated a range of filamentous fungi genera including Aspergillus, Rhizopus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Cladosporium, Alternaria, and other fungi species contaminating the dried meat at (43%), (42%), (3%), (2%), (2%), (1%), and (7%), respectively. High incidences were recorded for Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus fumigatus in most of the screened samples. Aspergillus flavus accounted for (24.7%) of all the Aspergillus species isolated with the presence of the gene needed for aflatoxin production. The occurrences of these filamentous fungal species pose a cause for concern, as most of these fungal species are known producers of certain toxic substances. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis showed a high similarity index score, which indicated a good relationship between isolated Aspergillus Species and the closely related strains from GenBank, isolated from different sources and countries. The implication of this study is that consumer health may be at risk through exposure to contaminated dried meat.

Investigation of the Nutritional and Biological Value of Dry Meat Snacks Enriched with Dietary Fibers

Investigation of the Nutritional and Biological Value of Dry Meat Snacks Enriched with Dietary Fibers

Body condition and meat yield of invasive zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) in Lake Çıldır, Karakaya, and Keban Reservoirs in Turkey

This study presents a comprehensive view of the body condition and meat yield of Dreissena polymorpha in Çıldır Lake, Keban, and Karakaya reservoirs. A diverse sample of 472 D. polymorpha (154 from Çıldır Lake, 169 from Karakaya Reservoir, and 149 from Keban Reservoir) was collected. The condition index of zebra mussels in the Keban reservoir was the highest, with an average of 46,88, followed by zebra mussels in the Karakaya reservoir with 46,33. The zebra mussel in Çıldır Lake showed the lowest value, averaging 20,77. The fresh meat yield of zebra mussels in Çıldır Lake was lower than the fresh meat yields of zebra mussels in the Keban and Karakaya reservoirs. However, dry meat yield was higher. The dry meat yields of zebra mussels in all three reservoirs were found to vary significantly (P

The antimycotic potential of Debaryomyces hansenii LRC2 on Iberian Pork Loins with low concentration preservatives

The use of preservatives such as nitrite and salt is a widespread practice in meat industry. For many years it has resulted in benefits like extending the shelf life of cured meat products. The EU has published new regulations to reduce the content of preservatives in foods as recent investigations have concluded that its excessive usage is related to health issues, so new alternatives are needed. Debaryomyces hansenii is a non-conventional yeast with known biocontrol possibilities. It can be found in many of environments and is the most frequent yeast isolated from sausages and dry meat products. The LRC2 strain used in this work is an isolate from Iberian Pork Loin, characterized biochemically and molecularly. The potential of D. hansenii LRC2 strain was evaluated following a volatile compounds inhibition assay. Then a scale-up trial was performed by inoculating a battery of Iberian Pork loins followed by a quality study of the final product. This was carried out through physical and microbial analysis as the identification of volatile compound profiles with GC-IMS. Finally, sensory tests were performed by a group of trained panellists and regular consumers. Results in our research show that the production of volatile compounds from LRC2 inhibited the activity of unwanted molds in all the conditions studied. The inhibition rates surpassed 75% in all cases, strengthening the hypothesis of its potential preservative effect in cured meat products. When testing the yeast inoculation effect and the reduction of preservatives in Iberian Pork Loins, a loss of sensory quality is observed when preservatives are drastically reduced reducing the panellists’ grades by more than 3 points on a 1–9 scale in overall quality. In all conditions, the LRC2 inoculated loins showed significant fewer mold populations than the non-inoculated ones, improving the safety food level of the final product. This study confirms that the application of natural yeast-based alternatives is a feasible option for the new meat industry needs.

Assessment of water relaxometry of meat under different ageing processes using time domain nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry

This study assessed water relaxometry of beef exposed to different ageing techniques by examining the inner and surface regions using time-domain nuclear magnetic resonance (TD-NMR) relaxometry. Beef strip loins were aged under vacuum (Wet), under vacuum using moisture absorbers (Abs), under vacuum using moisture absorbers and with mechanical tenderisation (AbsTend), or without any packaging (Dry). The ageing technique significantly influenced various meat parameters, including dehydration, total loss, and the moisture content of the meat surface. The transverse (T2) relaxation times provided a more sensitive indicator of the changes in meat water relaxometry than the longitudinal (T1) relaxation times. The Dry samples exhibited distinct differences in the T2 signals between the surface and inner regions of the meat. In particular, for the inner region, there were significant differences in signal areas between the Wet and Dry samples, and the Abs and AbsTend samples were positioned closely together between the Dry and Wet samples. The principal component analysis supported these findings: it indicated some differentiation among the ageing techniques in the score plot, but the differentiation was more pronounced when analysing the surface region. Additionally, there was a strong correlation between dehydration and the T2 values, leading to a clustering of the samples based on the ageing technique. The overlap between the Abs and AbsTend samples, situated between the Dry and Wet samples, suggests the potential of these treatments to produce meat with properties that are intermediate to Wet and Dry meat. Furthermore, tenderisation did not lead to greater dehydration.

Salvaging Cashew Apples Through Processing into Simulated Cashew Meat

Cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale) is a cash crop mainly grown for its nuts. The dried apple is a good source of protein and non-digestible fibre that is essential to prevent many diseases as it helps in bowel movements to remove waste and non-digestible food materials from human system. The dried apple was obtained from extracting juice from the whole apple before drying. The use of apple which is a by-product can be an opportunity for diversifying activities on the farm. The farmers' revenue can increase through various opportunities which, exist for using cashew apples. However, these opportunities are presently not utilised adequately since most farmers are of the peasant status and has no knowledge on how to process the apple. Due to its high rate of perishability, cashew apples will not require to be transported over long distances and need to be processed, if possible, at the farm settlements. Simulated cashew meat was processed by subjecting cashew apple to juice pressing, blanching, salting and different methods of drying. The products obtained were subjected to physiochemical analysis, sensory evaluation and shelf-life studies. The percentage values for pH, moisture, crude protein and crude fiber contents were 4.71, 9.33, 18.31 and 14.32 respectively. The meat-like substance developed from cashew apple was very similar to dry meat. The sensory analysis revealed that there were no significant differences between processed cashew meat when compared with dry meat. The products were stable at room temperature for three months, studies on going to extend the shelf life further. Production of simulated cashew meat as a substitute for both meat consumers and vegetarians had come as a way of adding value to cashew apples that waste away in our cashew farms during peak seasons.

Heat/Cold Stress and Methods to Mitigate Its Detrimental Impact on Pork and Poultry Meat: A Review.

This paper aims to provide an updated review and current understanding of the impact of extreme temperatures-focusing on heat stress (HS)-on the quality of pork and poultry meat, particularly amidst an unprecedented global rise in environmental temperatures. Acute or chronic HS can lead to the development of pale, soft, and exudative (PSE) meat during short transportation or of dark, firm, and dry (DFD) meat associated with long transportation and seasonal changes in pork and poultry meat. While HS is more likely to result in PSE meat, cold stress (CS) is more commonly linked to the development of DFD meat. Methods aimed at mitigating the effects of HS include showering (water sprinkling/misting) during transport, as well as control and adequate ventilation rates in the truck, which not only improve animal welfare but also reduce mortality and the incidence of PSE meat. To mitigate CS, bedding on trailers and closing the tracks' curtains (insulation) are viable strategies. Ongoing efforts to minimize meat quality deterioration due to HS or CS must prioritize the welfare of the livestock and focus on the scaleup of laboratory testing to commercial applications.

Toxigenic Staphylococcus aureus in some animal-originated food products marketed in Turkey: presence and Public Health concerns.

This study aimed to detect the presence of Staphylococcus aureus in some animal source food (ASF) including emulsified meat products (sausage and salami), dry fermented meat product (soudjouk), semi dry meat product (pastrami) and raw chicken meat. Sixty six (38.8%) of 170 samples were found to be positive for S. aureus. It was determined that S. aureus was found in 17 (56.6%) salami, 27 (54%) raw chicken meat, 9 (30%) soudjouk, 9 (30%) pastrami, 4 (13.3%) sausage samples. Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) were identified in 5 out of 66 (7.5 %) isolates food matrices including 3 (4.5%) SEA, 2 (3.03%) SEC. The sea and sec genes were detected in 3 (4.5%) of 66 isolates. The results of this study highlight the need to provide suitable control strategies concerning production, sales, and storage to prevent the spread of enterotoxigenic S. aureus isolates in ASF. The key contribution of this study is its revelation of the presence of S. aureus in animal products sold in Turkish local markets, highlighting the potential public health risks associated with animal foods.

Primary Screening for Fungi Isolates that Produce Mycotoxin from Sun-Dried Meat

This study aims to screen fungal isolates from sun dried meat samples to identify fungal presumed producing mycotoxins in the sun dried meat. A total of 8 fungal isolates from sun dried meat were used for the study. They are Aspergillus (2), Penicillium spp (3), Fusarium spp, Mucor spp and Rhizopus spp. The fungal isolates from eight sun dried-meat samples were sub-cultured on Potato Dextrose Agar and Sabouraud Dextrose agar in order to obtain pure colonies for further analysis. The detection of mycotoxins in the sun dry meat samples was carried out by the use of Coconut Agar Media (CAM), by which the fungal isolates were cultured and plates incubated for 3-7days at 28C. The results obtained show that some of the fungal isolates had the ability to produce mycotoxins. From the mycotoxin screening, only four (4) species (Aspergillus spps, and Penicillium spp) were positive (+) and Rhizopus spp, Fusarium spp and Mucor spp, were negative (-). Mycotoxin contamination level varied in different market locations in which Academy Market had the highest level of mycotoxin (71.4%) followed by Oje Market (14.3%) and Oremiji Market (14.3%). Mycotoxigenic producing fungi and mycotoxin levels in the sun dried meat samples are public health concern. Also these results calls for more sensitization for safety of sun dried meat.

A Green Technology Approach Using Enzymatic Hydrolysis to Valorize Meat Waste as a Way to Achieve a Circular Economy

The retail meat industry produces a significant amount of waste, containing proteins, lipids, and other elements that could serve as the basis for other products. This work presents the results of research on the enzymatic hydrolysis of meat waste as a green technology to obtain products with added value as a substitute for other raw materials. pH, temperature, the protease/proteinic substrate ratio (Eo/So), and the lipolase/lipidic substrate ratio (Eo’/So’) were studied as process variables for hydrolysis of proteins and lipids, respectively. Hydrolysis for the recovery of proteins (as protein hydrolysates or collagen) was carried out with the protease Alcalase; pH around 8.0, temperature around 50 °C, and Eo/So around 0.16 AU/g were the optimum process variables’ values for obtaining high amounts of recovered proteins and peptides that are easily digestible and have a pleasant taste. The lipase Resinase was used to hydrolyze the lipids; a clear relationship was observed between Eo’/So’ and the amounts of recovered fatty acids. The optimum process variables’ values were found to be Eo’/So’ around 0.83 kLU/g, pH around 8.0 and temperature around 50 °C. Unsaturated fatty acids prevailed in the final product. For the simultaneous recovery of protein hydrolysates, collagen, and fatty acids, a combination of Alcalase and Resinase was used; the process variables examined included the optimal range of values for Eo/So and Eo’/So’, as well as pH and temperature that were suggested in research for both Alcalase and Resinase, separately. The results showed that the simultaneous process was mainly influenced by the Eo/So and Eo’/So’ ratios, instead of being influenced by the pH and temperature values which were less influential. For Eo/So = 0.16 AU/g, Eo’/So’ = 1.11 kLU/g, pH = 7.5, T = 50 °C, the maximum amounts of products (0.8 kg by kg of dry meat waste) were obtained more economically, where the whole of the proteins and lipids in meat waste were practically recovered. Therefore, in order to preserve a circular economy for retail meat waste, enzymatic hydrolysis is appealing and environmentally friendly.

Thermal Characterisation and Isoconversional Kinetic Analysis of Osmotically Dried Pork Meat Proteins Longissimus dorsi.

The kinetic properties and thermal characteristics of fresh pork meat proteins (Longissimus dorsi), as well as osmotically dehydrated meat proteins, were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry. Two isoconversional kinetical methods, namely the differential Friedman and integral Ortega methods, were employed to analyze the data. The obtained kinetic triplet, activation energy, pre-exponential factor, and extent of conversion, has been discussed. The resulting activation energy for proteins of fresh meat ranges between 751 kJ·mol-1 for myosin, 152 kJ·mol-1 for collagen and sarcoplasmic proteins, and 331 kJ·mol-1 for actin at a conversion degree of 0.1 to 0.9. For osmotically dried pork meat proteins, the values range from 307 kJ·mol-1 for myosin 272 kJ·mol-1 for collagen and sarcoplasmic proteins, and 334.83 kJ·mol-1 for actin at a conversion degree from 0.1 to 0.9. The proteins of the dry meat obtained by osmotic dehydration in molasses could be described as partly unfolded as they retain the characteristic protein denaturation transition. Concerning the decrease in enthalpies of proteins denaturation, thermodynamic destabilization of dried meat proteins occurred. On the contrary, dried meat proteins were thermally stabilized with respect to increase in the temperatures of denaturation. Knowledge of the nature of meat protein denaturation of each kind of meat product is one of the necessary tools for developing the technology of meat product processing and to achieve desired quality and nutritional value. The kinetic analysis of meat protein denaturation is appropriate because protein denaturation gives rise to changes in meat texture during processing and directly affects the quality of product.

Isolation and Identification of Fungi Associated with Dried Meat Sold at Sokoto Metropolis

Thin sheets of high-quality, lean beef are partially dried in the sun to create dried meat made from animals. The duration of the solar drying phases and the infusion period of the ingredients rely on the ambient conditions, which are the primary sources of microbial contamination, notably fungi. This study's objective was to recognize and collect fungi connected to the dried meat offered for sale in Sokoto city. During the course of the research, dried meat samples were gathered from four different Sokoto metropolis locations, including Kusha Shagalinku on Atiku Road, Gidan Man Ada, Abdullahi Fodio Road, and Sasakawa. The samples were examined for microorganisms using serial dilution, and fungi were identified based on the morphology of the colony, conidia, and conidiogenous cells. The research's findings showed that four species of fungi were isolated, with Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Aspergillus terreus having the highest and lowest percentages of occurrence, respectively, among the isolated species. According to the location, the dried meat retrieved from Atiku road has the lowest frequency occurrence (1.94) and the fungi isolated from it has the highest frequency occurrence (30.56%). These results suggest that eating dry meat may increase the risk of exposure to aflatoxins in humans. The preparation and storing of the dried meat should be done with the utmost safety and cleanliness.

Incidence of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Portuguese Traditional Dry Smoked Meat Products Manufactured at Home for Self-Consumption and by Micro Industrial Plants

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentration in dry meat products is a priority safety requirement, mainly in those processed under the traditional smoking procedure. In order to investigate the levels occurred in traditional dry fermented sausages manufactured by regional home producers, samples were collected in region of Central-East part of Portugal for comparison with those from one micro industrial plant situated in the same geographical area. In the former products, mean total PAHs level (1364.0 µg/kg) almost doubled that of industrial counterparts (750 µg/kg) with PAH8 representing 2.9 and 1.65% of those total contaminations, respectively. In both product groups, BaA and CHR were the most concentrated compounds within the PAH8 indicator (15.39 µg/kg and 13.66 µg/kg vs 5.67 µg/kg and 5.15 µg/kg). In home made products the BaP concentration surpassed the limit value of 5.0 µg/kg in 31.3% of the samples, with 3 of these cases more than doubling that amount. In addition, more than 93% of samples showed a BaP contamination higher than 1.0 µg/kg. By the contrary, among products processed under the industrial conditions that limit was never surpassed and 81.3% of the samples presented a BaP level lower than 1.0 µg/kg.

Untargeted Metabolomics Combined with Sensory Analysis to Evaluate the Chemical Changes in Coppa Piacentina PDO during Different Ripening Times.

Ripening time is known to drive the chemical and sensory profiles of dry meat products, thus potentially affecting the final quality of the product. Starting from these background conditions, the aim of this work was to shed light, for the first time, on the chemical modifications of a typical Italian PDO meat product-namely, Coppa Piacentina-during ripening, to find correlations between its sensory quality and the biomarker compounds related to the progress of ripening. The ripening time (from 60 to 240 days) was found to deeply modify the chemical composition of this typical meat product, providing potential biomarkers of both oxidative reactions and sensory attributes. The chemical analyses revealed that there is typically a significant decrease in the moisture content during ripening, likely due to increased dehydration. In addition, the fatty acid profile showed that the distribution of polyunsaturated fatty acids significantly (p < 0.05) decreased during ripening, because of their high susceptibility to oxidation and conversion to intermediate and secondary molecules. An untargeted metabolomics approach, coupled with unsupervised and supervised multivariate statistics, highlighted a significant impact (prediction scores > 1) of lipid oxidation during ripening time, with some metabolites (such as γ -glutamyl-peptides, hydroperoxy-fatty acids, and glutathione) being particularly discriminant in predicting the changes observed. The discriminant metabolites were coherent with the progressive increase of peroxide values determined during the entire ripening period. Finally, the sensory analysis outlined that the highest degree of ripening provided greater color intensity of the lean part, slice firmness, and chewing consistency, with glutathione and γ-glutamyl-glutamic acid establishing the highest number of significant correlations with the sensory attributes evaluated. Taken together, this work highlights the importance and validity of untargeted metabolomics coupled with sensory analysis to investigate the comprehensive chemical and sensory changes to dry meat during ripening.

Dietary Intake of Salt from Meat Products in Serbian Population.

Salt intake above 5 g/day correlates with prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). CVD, the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Europe, account for 45% of all deaths, while, in Serbia in 2021, CVD accounted for 47.3%. The objective was to investigate salt content labelled on meat products from the Serbian market and estimate dietary exposure to salt from meat products in the Serbian population using consumption data. Data on salt content were collected from 339 meat products and classified in eight groups. Consumption data were collected using the EFSA EU Menu methodology (2017-2021) from 576 children and 3018 adults (145 pregnant women) in four geographical regions of Serbia. The highest salt content was in dry fermented sausages and dry meat, average 3.78 ± 0.37 g/100 g and 4.40 ± 1.21 g/100 g, respectively. The average intake of meat products is 45.21 ± 39.0 g/day and estimated daily salt intake from meat products per person is 1.192 g, which is 24% of the daily recommended amount. The actual meat product consumption and content of salt in meat products in Serbia present a risk factor for development of CVD and related comorbidities. A targeted strategy, policy and legislation for salt reduction are needed.

Influence of soaking and solvent extraction for deodorization of texturized pea protein isolate on the formulation and properties of hybrid meat patties.

Hybrid batters constitute the base for the processing of cooked and dry meat analogues. The use of texturized plant proteins in their formulation is a key strategy to reduce the consumption of animal proteins, although off-flavors present in these plant proteins often cause sensory rejection. The aim was to study the effect of a deodorization process of pea protein, for their use in hybrid meat batters at different percentages of substitution. Hybrid patties with higher percentages of pea protein showed higher values of yellowness, pH, and water activity, whereas hardness was reduced. Soaking treatment with ethanol for deodorization of the texturized pea protein increased humidity and pH in all patties but reduced the textural properties (hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, and chewiness). The addition of oat flour improved the patty texture at higher percentages of pea protein, but in soaked deodorized patty formulations it affected volatile retention. Volatile compounds related to off-flavors (aldehydes, alcohols, acid compounds, ketones, and pyrazines) appeared significantly increased as the pea percentage increased, although these were efficiently removed by the soaking deodorizing process applied. Soaking of the texturized pea protein with ethanol is an effective strategy to reduce off-flavors in hybrid meat patties. However, it produces changes in the textural characteristics by the solubilization of the proteins of the texturized pea, reducing the availability to form a network and affecting volatile retention. The formulation of hybrid batter should be controlled in all sensory aspects for the processing of cooked and dry cured meat product analogues. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of pepper and salt blends on microbial quality of quanta: Ethiopian dried red meat

This study was conducted to assess the effect of spice blends varying in salt and pepper concentrations on the microbial quality of Quanta: Ethiopian dried red meat. The experiment had seven treatments: 25% spices, 25% salt, and 50% pepper (T1); 25% spices, 20% salt, and 55% pepper (T2); 25% spices, 15% salt, and 60% pepper (T3); 25% spices, 10% salt, and 65% pepper (T4); 25% spices, 5% salt, and 70% pepper (T5); 100% spices (without salt and pepper), a positive control (T6); a negative control without any added ingredient (T7). Microbiological analyses were performed initially on the raw sliced meat and spice blends, and after application of the treatments on the 10thand 20thdays of drying. High initial loads of total bacteria (APC) and Enterobacteriaceae (EC) were observed in the raw meat samples and spice blends and increased over the drying periods (10 and 20 days) in all treatments. No significant difference (p&gt;0.05) was observed among the treatments (T1-T7) for APC and EC at a given drying period and between the drying periods. Salmonella spp. was not detected in any of the seven treatments either on the 10th and 20th days of drying. However, Escherichia coli was detected in six (T1-T6) of the dry meat samples except in T7 both on the 10thand 20thdays of drying suggesting that the spice blends served as a source of contamination of the dried meat samples with E. coli. However, the spice blends used in combination with drying were effective in inhibiting the growth of Salmonella species in the dry meat samples. Spices as well as the raw meat used for Quanta preparation should be produced and handled under hygienic conditions to minimize the microorganisms that they harbor.

Exploring Biocontrol of Unwanted Fungi by Autochthonous Debaryomyces hansenii Strains Isolated from Dry Meat Products.

The exploration of alternatives to the use of chemical preservatives in food is a topic that has attracted great attention. The implementation of regulations associated with the reduction of these elements directly affects the production of cured meat products, with the premise of looking for more “natural” alternatives. From a previously identified collection of 24 strains of Debaryomyces hansenii, isolated from dry meat products of the “Valle de los Pedroches” (Córdoba), a screening was carried out to determine which strains had inhibitory potential against a battery of fungi belonging to the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Candida. After a series of general trials, four strains showing the greatest potential were selected by a streak inhibition assay performed at several concentrations of NaCl. The inhibitory activity of the selected D. hansenii strains was later evaluated by measuring their fungal antagonistic diffusible and volatile compound production following radial inhibition and mouth-to-mouth approaches, respectively. Growth aspects, sporulation, and morphology changes were also considered during these assays. The results support ideas already raised in previous studies, such as the presence of D. hanseniii could imply a reduction of pathogenic fungi in food. Autochthonous yeast strains inhibited not only the mycelial growth, but also sporulation, which strengthens the biocontrol activity of this yeast. Our results show that, under certain conditions, all tested D. hansenii strains were able to alter the growth/development of fungi, being especially evident in the cases of Penicillium expansum and Aspergillus niger. Finally, our research can facilitate the future comparison of results in this area, since we contributed to standardize the methodology described to date, we quantified the number of yeast cells and spores used during the experiments, we homogenized growth conditions for both, yeasts, and molds, and applied an image analyzer software to quantify the growth of the studied microorganisms in solid media.

Effects of Rumen-Protected Creatine Pyruvate on Meat Quality, Hepatic Gluconeogenesis, and Muscle Energy Metabolism of Long-Distance Transported Beef Cattle

Pre-slaughter long-distance transport resulted in a rapid depletion of muscle glycogen and led to a higher rate of dark, firm and dry (DFD) meat. Therefore, enhancing muscle glycogen reserves is critical for beef cattle prior to transportation. Creatine pyruvate (CrPyr) can provide simultaneous pyruvate and creatine and both are proven to promote the glycogen reserves. This study aimed to investigate the effects of transport treatment and dietary supplementation of rumen-protected (RP)-CrPyr on the meat quality, muscle energy metabolism, and hepatic gluconeogenesis of beef cattle. Twenty 18 month-old male Simmental crossbred cattle (659 ± 16 kg) were allotted 4 treatments based on a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two RP-CrPyr levels (140 g/d or 0 g/d) and two transport treatments (12 h or 5 min): ST_CrPyr0, ST_CrPyr140, LT_CrPyr0 and LT_CrPyr140. Three cattle per group were slaughtered after 30 days of feeding. The interaction of transport and RP-CrPyr had a significant effect on the muscle pH45 min, redness, glycogen content, GP, and AMP level (P &amp;lt; 0.05). Compared with short-distance transport, long-distance transport increased the muscle pH45 min value, redness, yellowness, drip loss, creatine level (P &amp;lt; 0.05), decreased muscle glycogen content, glycolytic potential (GP), and liver glucose amount (P &amp;lt; 0.05). Supplementation of RP-CrPyr decreased the activities of creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase in serum, muscle pH24 h value, redness, yellowness, lactate content, AMP level, and AMP/ATP (P &amp;lt; 0.05), increased the muscle glycogen content, GP, hexokinase activity, ATP and ADP levels, and ATP/ADP, liver pyruvate and glucose contents, activity of pyruvate carboxylase in the liver of cattle than those in the nonsupplemented treatments (P &amp;lt; 0.05). These results indicated that dietary RP-CrPyr supplementation might be favorable to improve meat quality and regulatory capacity of energy metabolism of beef cattle suffering long-distance transport followed with recovery treatment by increasing muscle glycogen storage, energy supply, and hepatic gluconeogenesis.