High Fatty Acid Content Research Articles

Lipidomic and transcriptomic analysis of triacylglycerol accumulation mechanism of pecan (Carya illinoinensis) nut

Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) holds significant prominence as an oil-seed nut, characterized by its high content of fatty acids and triacylglycerol (TG). The inclusion of TG in the C. illinoinensis nut is of paramount importance, not only contributing significantly to the nutritional value for human consumption but also serving as a reliable and eco-friendly resource for various industrial uses. The present study conducted a comprehensive analysis involving transcriptomics, lipidomics, and physiological assessments to explore the dynamic patterns and components of triacylglycerols (TG) in C. illinoinensis nuts throughout the ripening phase. Additionally, the investigation aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms governing TG metabolism. The physiological investigation conducted on the maturation progression of three cultivars of C. illinoinensis unveiled distinctive traits within each variety. Notably, ‘Mahan’ displayed elevated concentrations of oil and crude fat, in contrast to the contrasting trend observed in ‘Y-01’. Further lipidomic scrutiny exposed that ‘Mahan’ exhibited augmented levels of glycerides, specifically triglycerides (TG), monoacylglycerol (MG), and diacylglycerol (DG), compared to its counterparts during the ripening phase. The comparative analysis of RNA-Seq libraries uncovered a notable increase in unigenes associated with the ‘glycerolipid metabolism’ pathway. Moreover, the amalgamation of transcriptomic and lipidomic information indicated a heightened expression of genes implicated in TG metabolism in ‘Mahan’. Moreover, there was a strong association between CiGPAT3, CiDGAT1, CiTAGL2, and CiMAGL1 genes and TG metabolism during the ripening process of C. illinoinensis nuts. Utilizing weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified six distinct modules linked to various ripening stages, alongside the discovery of ten transcription factor families implicated in regulating TG metabolism. In summary, our research provides significant insights into the molecular framework that governs the accumulation mechanism of triglycerides (TG) in C. illinoinensis nuts throughout the ripening phase, which plays a pivotal role in optimizing the yield of C. illinoinensis oil and fostering progress in the molecular breeding.

A telomere-to-telomere gap-free reference genome assembly of avocado provides useful resources for identifying genes related to fatty acid biosynthesis and disease resistance.

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is an economically valuable plant because of the high fatty acid content and unique flavor of its fruits. Its fatty acid content, especially the relatively high unsaturated fatty acid content, provides significant health benefits. We herein present a telomere-to-telomere gapless genome assembly (841.6Mb) of West Indian avocado. The genome contains 40 629 predicted protein-coding genes. Repeat sequences account for 57.9% of the genome. Notably, all telomeres, centromeres, and a nucleolar organizing region are included in this genome. Fragments from these three regions were observed via fluorescence in situ hybridization. We identified 376 potential disease resistance-related nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat genes. These genes, which are typically clustered on chromosomes, may be derived from gene duplication events. Five NLR genes (Pa11g0262, Pa02g4855, Pa07g3139, Pa07g0383, and Pa02g3196) were highly expressed in leaves, stems, and fruits, indicating they may be involved in avocado disease responses in multiple tissues. We also identified 128 genes associated with fatty acid biosynthesis and analyzed their expression patterns in leaves, stems, and fruits. Pa02g0113, which encodes one of 11 stearoyl-acyl carrier protein desaturases mediating C18 unsaturated fatty acid synthesis, was more highly expressed in the leaves than in the stems and fruits. These findings provide valuable insights that enhance our understanding of fatty acid biosynthesis in avocado.

Integrating mid-infrared spectroscopy, machine learning, and graphical bias correction for fatty acid prediction in water buffalo milk.

Buffalo milk, constituting 15% of global production, has higher fatty acids content than Holstein milk. Fourier-transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) spectroscopy is widely used for dairy analysis, but its application to buffalo milk, with larger fat globules, remains understudied. The ultimate goal of this study is to develop machine learning models based on FT-MIR spectroscopy for predicting fatty acids in buffalo milk and to assess the accuracy of commercial milk analyzers. This research provides a convenient, fast, and environmentally friendly method for detecting the fatty acid composition in buffalo milk. We employed six machine learning algorithms to establish a detection model for 34 fatty acids in buffalo milk. The predictive models demonstrated robust capabilities for high-content fatty acids [C14:0, C15:0, C16:0, C17:0, C18:0, C18:1, saturated fatty acid (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA)], with errors within a 15% range. Traditional FT6000 detection methods exhibited limitations in measuring SFAs and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Implementing a mean difference correction of 0.21 for MUFAs and applying regression equations (SFA × 1.0639 + 0.0705; PUFA × 0.5472 + 0.0047) significantly improved measurement accuracy. This study successfully developed a predictive model for fatty acids in Mediterranean buffalo milk based on FT-MIR spectroscopy. Additionally, a correction was applied to the existing measurement device, FT6000, enabling more accurate measurements of fatty acids in buffalo milk. The findings have practical implications for the food industry, offering a faster and more reliable approach to assess and monitor fatty acid composition in buffalo milk, potentially influencing product development and quality control processes. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Efficiency of clustering methods and self-organizing maps of Adriatic sardines and anchovies regarding organochlorine and fatty acid burden.

The Adriatic Sea plays a crucial role as both a significant fishing ground and a thriving trading market for small pelagic edible fish. Recognized for their nutritional value, these fish are esteemed for their high protein content and abundance of polyunsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, making them a sought-after and healthful food choice. Nevertheless, pelagic species can also serve as a reservoir for lipophilic organochlorine pollutants, posing potential risks to human health. In this study, we compared traditional classification methods traditional principal component analysis (PCA) and Ward's clustering with an advanced self-organizing map (SOM) algorithm in determining distribution patterns of 24 organochlorines and 19 fatty acids in sardine and anchovy samples taken from the eastern Adriatic. The outcomes reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the three approaches (PCA, Ward's clustering, and SOM). However, it is evident that SOM has proven to be the most effective in offering detailed information and data visualization. Although sardines and anchovies exhibit similar distribution patterns for p,p'-DDE, PCB-28, PCB-138, PCB-153, PCB-118, and PCB-170, they differ in the concentrations of fatty acids such as stearic, palmitic, myristic, oleic, docosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acid. Our findings supply valuable insights for environmental authorities and fish consumers concerning the potential risks associated with organochlorines in these two types of fish.

May food become medicine - does carp meat have a chance to become a functional food for people with cardiovascular disease?

Abstract Fish consumption is associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality. The health benefits of fish consumption are attributed to high content of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid. Animal and human studies have demonstrated that n-3 PUFAs improve the function of the normal and damaged endothelium. It is recommended to eat two servings of fish per week. The aim of the review was to find publications about the nutritional value of carp meat and its possible uses as functional food for patients with cardiovascular disease. A search for open–access original full texts sin PubMed, Google Scholar, Medline Complete database was performed in June 2022. A total of 490 results were found. Eventually 22 articles were included for systematic review. Carp consumption improves plasma lipid profile and therefore it could be considered a functional food. Carp meat is rich in essential amino acids too. The carp culture systems decide about PUFA and protein content in the meat. Carp can be cooked as traditional dishes or carp powder can be added to other dishes to enrich their nutritional value. The recommended method of carp meat preparation to preserve its’ nutritional value is oven baking. Carp meat or carp powder can be used as functional food for patients with cardiovascular diseases.

A Study on the Modifying Effect of Raspberry Seed Oil on Rabbit Meat Quality and Chemical Composition.

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of raspberry seed oil on the slaughter performance traits, plasma lipid concentration and meat quality of purebred Termond White rabbits (n = 42; 18♂, 24♀). In each group (3 × n = 14; 6♂, 8♀), the experimental animals were fed a complete pelleted feed with constant access to drinking water. Rabbits in the first experimental group received a feed ration enriched with a 1% addition of raspberry seed oil, while rabbits in the second experimental group were given a 2% addition of the same oil. These animals were slaughtered on day 84. The addition of raspberry seed oil did not significantly affect the slaughter performance traits of the rabbits (p > 0.05). It also did not significantly affect the fat content, shear force, hardness, springiness, cohesiveness or chewiness of the meat obtained from the rabbits' longissimus lumborum muscle. However, the experiment showed that the addition of raspberry seed oil had a significant effect on the fatty acid profile of rabbit meat (p ≤ 0.05). Even a small share of this oil in the feed ration significantly increased the level of linoleic acid (p ≤ 0.05). This study showed that feeding pellets containing an oil supplement with a high content of unsaturated fatty acids had a positive effect on rabbits' plasma lipid levels.

Normal fat intake with high MUFA content and an appropriate SFA/MUFA/PUFA ratio improved the health of rats

AbstractThe quantity and quality of dietary fats have a significant impact on human health. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different cooking oils (olive oil (OO), soybean oil (SO), and blended oil (BO)) on growth, glucolipid metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress of rats fed normal and high‐fat diets. The results showed that the OO‐fed group had lower concentrations of serum triglyceride (TG), low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C), malondialdehyde (MDA), oxidized LDL‐C (ox‐LDL‐C), and serum total cholesterol (TC) than the normal‐fat SO‐fed group, and rats in the BO‐fed group had lower values of serum interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP), tumor necrosis factor (TNF‐α), and nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) than the normal‐fat SO‐fed groups. However, higher serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) activity was observed in the OO‐fed group, while those fed with BO had higher serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and GSH‐Px activities. Generally, most health‐beneficial fatty acid profiles have a high content of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), an appropriate saturated fatty acid (SFA)/MUFA/poly unsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio, and a low n‐6/n‐3 PUFA ratio, while diets contained a high content of fat is detrimental to health.

The Effect of Low Temperature Storage on the Lipid Quality of Fish, Either Alone or Combined with Alternative Preservation Technologies.

Marine foods are highly perishable products due to their high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can be readily oxidized to form peroxides and secondary oxidation products, thus conferring such foods undesirable organoleptic characteristics and generating harmful compounds that are detrimental to the health of consumers. The use of preservation methods that minimize lipid oxidation is required in the fishing and aquaculture industries. Low temperature storage (chilling or freezing) is one of the most commonly used preservation methods for fish and seafood, although it has been shown that the oxidation of the lipid fraction of such products is partially but not completely inhibited at low temperatures. The extent of lipid oxidation depends on the species and the storage temperature and time, among other factors. This paper reviews the effect of low temperature storage on the lipid quality of fish, either alone or in combination with other preservation techniques. The use of antioxidant additives, high hydrostatic pressure, irradiation, ozonation, ultrasounds, pulsed electric fields, and the design of novel packaging can help preserve chilled or frozen fish products, although further research is needed to develop more efficient fish preservation processes from an economic, nutritional, sensory, and sustainable standpoint.

The construction of a microalgal-bacterial biofilm reactor for enhanced swine wastewater treatment

Traditional biological wastewater treatment methods face challenges in treating swine wastewater with a low carbon-to‑nitrogen ratio. Microalgae show great potential in low-cost swine wastewater treatment for nutrient recovery. This study investigated the effects of altering the carbon/nitrogen/phosphorus (C:N:P) ratio in swine wastewater and immobilizing microalgae for enhancing treatment using Desmodesmus sp. A C:N:P proportion of 106:16:1 was determined to be optimal for treatment. The implementation of an inclined plate bioreactor facilitated microalgal adherence, forming a biofilm that improved treatment efficiency. The biofilm exhibited removal rates of 92 % for ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N), 98 % for total phosphorus (TP), and 99 % for chemical oxygen demand (COD). The harvested biomass from the biofilm was 7.6 times higher than that from the suspended system with a high content (63 %) of fatty acids (C16:0, C18:0, C18:1n9c and C18:2n6c) suitable for biodiesel production. Proteobacteria were dominant in the biofilm, while Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes contributed to effective organic matter and nitrogen removal. These findings present a promising technology for cost-effective swine wastewater treatment and resource recovery.

Possibility of using fatty acid profiles for the authentication of beef adulterated with pork, donkey, and dog meat

Detection of meat adulteration is a critical issue in food labeling procedures and a serious concern related to food fraud, authenticity, and religious beliefs. The current work detected and quantified adulteration of raw ground beef with pork, donkey, and dog meat based on fatty acid profiles using GC-MS/MS. The study design incorporated pork, donkey, or dog meat with beef meat; negative and positive controls were used for the different meat species. Results demonstrated several significant differences (p < 0.05) in fatty acid contents between mixed/adulterated meat and pure beef. In addition, higher total saturated fatty acid levels in ground beef (57.91%) compared to dog fat (46.44%), donkey (38.71%), and pork fat (lard) (40.23%). High total unsaturated fatty acids content was observed in donkey (61.92%), pork (59.77%), and dog (53.56%) fats compared to beef fat (42.09%). On the other hand, total unsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in beef meat were lower than in pork, donkey, and dog meat. Moreover, the highest trans-fatty acid content was found in pork compared to the other meat types. All incorporated samples correlated positively with pure ground beef concerning the fatty acid profiles. Therefore, alteration of the mixed beef fatty acid profiles was a potential indicator for adulteration since a marked decrease in total saturated fatty acid content and an increase in unsaturated fatty acids was observed in the substituted samples. We concluded that GC-MS/MS-based fatty acid profiling is a promising technique that can be used to detect meat adulteration.

Adaptation of dwarf shrubs to Arctic tundra conditions in West Svalbard

The stability of the biota in the Arctic regions under climate change and increasing anthropogenic burdens is influenced by the adaptive potential of its representatives. This study aimed to assess the adaptive potential of dwarf shrubs (Betula nana, Vaccinium uliginosum, and Salix polaris) in the flora of West Svalbard on the basis of their morphological and anatomical features and total leaf lipid fatty acid content. All species have similar leaf anatomy characteristics: small leaves, dorsoventral structure with clear differentiation into palisade and spongy mesophyll, which ensures their growth in the Arctic. However, S. polaris is characterized by high volumes of the stomatal apparatus, an amphistomatic type of leaf, a high palisade coefficient, a large volume of mechanical leaf tissue, and a high content of unsaturated fatty acids (UFA). These features provide high functional activity, passage through all stages of ontogenesis, and a wide distribution of the species in West Svalbard. In contrast to S. polaris, B. nana and V. uliginosum are characterized by a decrease in leaf area, a decrease in the palisade coefficient, and a hypostomatic leaf type, which, combined with an increase in the diversity of “secondary” UFA, as well as the lack of generative development, may indicate a higher level pressure of extreme conditions for the species. Thus, these features may explain their limited representation in the ecotopes of West Svalbard. In contrast to B. nana and V. uliginosum, the higher adaptive potential of S. polaris ensures its greater stability in conditions of changing habitat. All studied dwarf shrub species can be used as markers for monitoring the environment in the high Arctic.

Sex-specific vulnerabilities in human astrocytes underpin the differential impact of palmitic acid

Obesity and neurometabolic diseases have been linked to neurodegenerative diseases. Our hypothesis is that the endogenous estrogenic component of human astrocytes plays a critical role in cell response during lipotoxic damage, given that obesity can disrupt hormonal homeostasis and cause brain inflammation. Our findings showed that high concentrations of palmitic acid (PA) significantly reduced cell viability more in male astrocytes, indicating sex-specific vulnerabilities. PA induced a greater increase in cytosolic reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in males, while female astrocytes exhibited higher superoxide ion levels in mitochondria. In addition, female astrocytes treated with PA showed increased expression of antioxidant proteins, including catalase, Gpx-1 and Nrf2 suggesting a stronger cellular defence mechanism. Interestingly, there was a difference in the expression of estrogenic components, such as estrogen, androgens, and progesterone receptors, as well as aromatase and 5α-reductase enzymes, between males and females. PA induced their expression mainly in females, indicating a potential protective mechanism mediated by endogenous hormones. In summary, our findings highlight the impact of sex on the response of human astrocytes to lipotoxicity. Male astrocytes appear to be more susceptible to cellular damage when exposed to high concentrations of fatty acids.

Marine Fish Oil Replacement with Lard or Basa Fish (Pangasius bocourti) Offal Oil in the Diet of Tiger Puffer (Takifugu rubripes): Effects on Growth Performance, Body Composition, and Flesh Quality.

Lard (LD) and Basa fish offal oil (BFO) have similar fatty acid profiles, both containing high contents of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of partial or complete replacement of marine fish oil (MFO, herring oil) by LD or BFO in the diets of tiger puffer. The control diet contained 49.1% crude protein and 9.28% crude lipid content including 6% added MFO. In other diets, 1/3, 2/3, and 3/3 of the added MFO was replaced by LD or BFO, respectively. Each diet was fed to triplicate tanks of juvenile fish (initial body weight, 13.88 g). A 46-day feeding trial was conducted in a flow-through seawater system. Each diet was fed to triplicate 200-L rectangular polyethylene tanks, each of which was stocked with 30 fish. Fish were fed to satiation three times a day. The complete replacement of added MFO (replacing 65% of the total crude lipid) had no adverse effects on fish growth performance in terms of survival (>94%), weight gain (360-398%), feed intake (2.37-3.04%), feed conversion ratio (0.84-1.02), and somatic indices. The dietary LD or BFO supplementation also had marginal effects on fish body proximate composition, biochemical parameters, muscle texture, and water-holding ability, as well as the hepatic expression of lipid metabolism-related genes. Partial (2/3) replacement of added MFO by LD or BFO did not significantly reduce the muscle n-3 LC-PUFA content, indicating the n-3 LC-PUFA sparing effects of SFA and MUFA in LD and BFO. In general, dietary LD or BFO reduced the peroxidation level and led to significant changes in the muscle volatile flavor compound profile, which were probably attributed to the change in fatty acid composition. The results of this study evidenced that LD and BFO are good potential lipid sources for tiger puffer feeds.

Transformasi Limbah Minyak Jelantah Menjadi Produk Sabun-Batang di Dukung Digital-Branding Sebagai Upaya Kemandirian Ekonomi

Every household produces used cooking oil because the use of cooking oil is one of the primary needs of society.Waste cooking oil if not managed properly will make the environment dirty and can contaminate water and soil.To overcome this problem, innovation is needed in the management of used cooking oil by involving thecommunity so that the waste can be utilized to become recyclable products that can be reused in everyday life andeven become products of economic value that are environmentally friendly. One of the potential wastes of cookingoil is the high content of fatty acids that can be used to make soap. Soap products can be obtained from thehydrolysis reaction of fatty acids with bases (alkali). Therefore, this Community Service (PkM) activity wascarried out to increase the added value of used cooking oil by processing it into bar soap. This PkM activityincludes four stages, namely observation, information transformation, digital literacy and activity evaluation. Thetarget of this service program is housewives (IRT) in Srimukti Village, Bekasi Regency. From the results of asurvey conducted after the training activities, the participants were very satisfied with the ease of obtaininginformation about the implementation of the training, the training material in the form of processing used cookingoil waste and improving digital-branding skills which were considered very necessary for residents and the waythe instructor delivered material that was easy to understand.

Patterns of infant fecal metabolite concentrations and social behavioral development in toddlers.

Gut-derived metabolites, products of microbial and host co-metabolism, may inform mechanisms underlying children's neurodevelopment. We investigated whether infant fecal metabolites were related to toddler social behavior. Stool samples collected from 6-week-olds (n = 86) and 1-year-olds (n = 209) in the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study (NHBCS) were analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolomics. Autism-related behavior in 3-year-olds was assessed by caregivers using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2). To assess the association between metabolites and SRS-2 scores, we used a traditional single-metabolite approach, quantitative metabolite set enrichment (QEA), and self-organizing maps (SOMs). Using a single-metabolite approach and QEA, no individual fecal metabolite or metabolite set at either age was associated with SRS-2 scores. Using the SOM method, fecal metabolites of six-week-olds organized into four profiles, which were unrelated to SRS-2 scores. In 1-year-olds, one of twelve fecal metabolite profiles was associated with fewer autism-related behaviors, with SRS-2 scores 3.4 (95%CI: -7, 0.2) points lower than the referent group. This profile had higher concentrations of lactate and lower concentrations of short chain fatty acids than the reference. We uncovered metabolic profiles in infant stool associated with subsequent social behavior, highlighting one potential mechanism by which gut bacteria may influence neurobehavior. Differences in host and microbial metabolism may explain variability in neurobehavioral phenotypes, but prior studies do not have consistent results. We applied three statistical techniques to explore fecal metabolite differences related to social behavior, including self-organizing maps (SOMs), a novel machine learning algorithm. A 1-year-old fecal metabolite pattern characterized by high lactate and low short-chain fatty acid concentrations, identified using SOMs, was associated with social behavior less indicative of autism spectrum disorder. Our findings suggest that social behavior may be related to metabolite profiles and that future studies may uncover novel findings by applying the SOM algorithm.

Microbial analysis of anaerobic digester reveals prevalence of manure microbiota

Anaerobic digestion of swine manure reduces farm greenhouse gases emissions and provides a renewable gas in the agricultural sector. The particular composition of manure, with high concentrations of ammoniacal nitrogen and volatile fatty acids, often threatens the stability of the process through inhibition of methanogens. In this work, continuous production of biogas was tested under relative short hydraulic retention time (15 days). Although a strong inhibition period was detected, adaptation of the microbiota and displacement of bacteria and archaea present in the inoculum by microorganisms present in the animal manure resulted in biogas production close to the values found in standardized batch tests in absence of inhibitions. These findings suggest that in anaerobic digestion of manure, it is not necessary to inoculate, as manure itself contains a large number of active fermentative microorganisms that can even resist long-term digestion inhibition.

The use of the principal component analysis in ranking hemp (<i>Cannabis sativa</i> L.) accessions according to the seed oil fatty acid composition for crop improvement

The use of modern methods for assessing the genotypic diversity of breeding material is effective in crop improvement. Interpretation of the results of a study of the fatty acid biochemical composition in seeds of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) accessions is one of important stages in breeding oilseed varieties, since hemp possesses a unique fatty acid composition (FAC) among other oilseed crops in Russia. Studies of regularities in formation of seed oil FAC and the principal component analysis (PCA) of fatty acid contents have scientific significance and practical value for ensuring the acceleration of oilseed variety breeding aimed at improving quality and biological activity of oil. The use of PCA can be an effective in achieving this goal. The fatty acid profile of oil has been evaluated at the N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources in 25 hemp accessions from the VIR hemp collection. Local and industrial hemp varieties and breeding material of the Middle Russian ecotype were grown in Penza Province with a temperate continental climate on meadow-black soils of the Middle Volga Region of Russia. The seed oil FAC was studied using gas-liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry on an Agilent 6850 chromatograph. The results were processed using the UniChrom and AMDIS software. High content of omega-3 stearidonic fatty acid was found in accessions k-205 from Ukraine (1.23%) and k-168 from Russia (0.87%); that of α-linolenic acid in k-168 from Russia (0.82%) and k-224 from GDR (0.39%); of linoleic acid in k-154 (67.29%), k-360 (66.24%), and k-150 (64.58%) (all three from Russia); of γ-linolenic acid in k-88 from Russia (2.43%) and k-211 from GDR (1.92%). It has been established that the formation of hemp seed oil FAC is a multifactorial process. The main factor determined 27.8% of the variability. The presence of both positive and negative factor loadings was revealed. The highest factor loading for the variance of a complex of characters of the oil FAC is on the main factor, i.e. linoleic acid (+0.73). In relation to this acid, negative loadings were detected for myristic acid (−0.81), lauric acid (−0.78), palmitoleic acid (−0.72), and oleic acid (−0.72). The content of bioactive omega-6 diunsaturated linoleic acid was negatively associated with the content of omega-9 monounsaturated oleic acid, as well as with the content of polyunsaturated omega-6 γ-linolenic, omega-3 stearidonic, and omega-3 α-linoleic acids. The obtained information can be used for identifying accessions with the optimal FAC for their involvement in breeding oilseed hemp varieties.

Artificial neural networks optimize the establishment of a Brazilian germplasm core collection of winter squash (Cucurbita moschata D.)

With widespread cultivation, Cucurbita moschata stands out for the carotenoid content of its fruits such as β and α-carotene, components with pronounced provitamin A function and antioxidant activity. C. moschata seed oil has a high monounsaturated fatty acid content and vitamin E, constituting a lipid source of high chemical–nutritional quality. The present study evaluates the agronomic and chemical–nutritional aspects of 91 accessions of C. moschata kept at the BGH-UFV and propose the establishment of a core collection based on multivariate approaches and on the implementation of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). ANNs was more efficient in identifying similarity patterns and in organizing the distance between the genotypes in the groups. The averages and variances of traits in the CC formed using a 15% sampling of accessions, were closer to those of the complete collection, particularly for accumulated degree days for flowering, the mass of seeds per fruit, and seed and oil productivity. Establishing the 15% CC, based on the broad characterization of this germplasm, will be crucial to optimize the evaluation and use of promising accessions from this collection in C. moschata breeding programs, especially for traits of high chemical–nutritional importance such as the carotenoid content and the fatty acid profile.

Evaluation of sustainable feeds for “caviar” production in the Mediterranean sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816)

To improve the sustainability of aquaculture practices, a step towards the use of alternative nutrient sources (such as food processing discards) may secure the future of aquaculture sector, namely for emergent species, such as sea urchins. In this context, adult females of the commercial sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus were reared using four feeds based on lettuce discards (72%) and enriched (8%) with an animal-source ingredient (fish Sardina pilchardus, Feed-S; krill Euphausia superba, Feed-K; mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, Feed-M; anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus discards, Feed-AD). A fifth feed, used as control treatment, was composed of macroalgae (Laminaria sp. and Ulva sp., Feed-UL). Feed performance was evaluated employing a new productive protocol, the Raking method, which propose testing feed effects on sea urchin caviar (oocytes rather than gonads) production. Thus, ingestion rates and absorption efficiency were measured to evaluate feed palatability. Somatic growth and caviar production, expressed introducing the ovosomatic index (OI) instead of the traditional gonadosomantic index, were measured to assess feed productive performances. Caviar quality was assessed by nutritional content and color. Ingestion rate results showed that all feeds were palatable, while findings on absorption efficiency showed differences between the five proposed feeds, with Feed-M and Feed-AD presenting the worst results. Somatic growth was promoted regardless the provided feeds, while OI resulted higher with Feed-K and Feed-M than the other feeds. All produced caviar resulted suitable for human consumption with high protein and fatty acid content, but caviar produced by Feed-UL showed the poorest nutritional profile. Similarly, Feed-UL led to the production of caviar with the lowest quality color, while Feed-S showed the best orange color. Lettuce-based feeds were therefore effective for feeding P. lividus as they stimulated production of high quality caviar. Findings support the exploitation of food discards for the production of eco-friendly feeds for sea urchin aquaculture.

GROWTH PERFORMANCE, CARCASS TRAITS, MEAT QUALITY AND HISTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MUSCLE FIBERS IN MEXICAN HAIRLESS FINISHING PIGS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ORGANIC COPPER

<p><strong>Background:</strong> Pork meat is related to cardiovascular diseases, due to its high content of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol. But it has been shown that dietary supplementation of pigs with organic minerals benefits growth qualities and improves carcass and meat quality characteristics. <strong>Objective:</strong> The objective was to evaluate the effect of Cu proteinate supplementation of finishing Mexican Hairless pigs (MHP) on growth, carcass characteristics, meat quality and muscle fiber composition. <strong>Methodology:</strong> Twenty-eight castrated male MHP (62±5.2 kg BW) were randomly assigned to four levels of Cu in the diet (0, 75, 150, and 225 mg kg<sup>-1</sup> DM) for 46 d. The DMI, DWG, FC and FE were measured. At the end of fattening, the pigs were slaughtered and the characteristics of the carcass were evaluated. Tissue samples of <em>Longissiumus thoracis</em> (LT) were obtained and muscle fibers, pH, color, temperature and drip loss were evaluated. <strong>Results:</strong> The DMI was reduced linearly (<em>P</em>≤0.05) as Cu level supplementation increased in the diet. Growth performance was modified quadratically as Cu level supplementation was increased in the diet, as well as the highest DWG and the lowest FC values were found in barrows supplemented with 75 mg Cu kg<sup>-1</sup> DM. Pigs supplemented with 75 and 150 mg Cu kg<sup>-1</sup> DM had the highest (<em>P≤</em>0.05) CW and LEA compared with the other treatments. BFT and DL decreased linearly (<em>P</em>≤0.05) as Cu supplementation increased in the diet. The Cu supplementation affected (<em>P</em>≤0.05) the color index <em>b</em> and <em>h</em> after 48h. The Cu affected (<em>P≤</em>0.05) the number, composition and relative area of the type I, IIA and BII fibers of the LT. <strong>Implications: </strong>Organic Cu supplementation in the diet of Mexican Hairless pigs benefits growth efficiency, carcass yield and backfat reduction; however, its effect on content, FA profile, and oxidative stability of IF meat should be analyzed. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> It is concluded that Cu supplementation effected quadratically the values of Final BW, DWG, CW and LEA, and linearly Cu affected the values of DMI, FC, CCD, BFT, DL, pH, the color index <em>b</em> and <em>h</em> after 48h; treatments with Cu also influenced linearly or quadratically the number, composition and relative area of the type I, IIA and BII fibers of the LT post slaughter muscle metabolism and it may influence the parameters of quality of meat in finishing Mexican Hairless pigs. The production of MHP meat in an intensive fattening system is profitable and can be improved with the inclusion of Cu proteinate in the diet. </p>