High-value Food Research Articles

The biomass characteristics of \(\textit{Hydropuntia eucheumatoides}\) (Harvey) in the tidal beach of Hon Rua Island, Nha Trang Bay: potential source for exploitation, culture, and food processing

The study of biomass characteristics of Hydropuntia eucheumatoides (Harvey) (local name in Vietnam, Rong Cau chan vit) in Hon Rua - Nha Trang bay is a comprehensive study of its resources. The results of the study have described in detail the morphological characteristics, reproductive organs, weight and coverage of its in quadrat and habitats. As a result, other has successfully stored seaweed algae under laboratory condition for 30 days. The results can be shown that determined the appropriate harvesting time and direction to exploit and conserve resources and propagate this seaweed. In addition, the main chemical and carbohydrate components of this seaweed have also been identified which has shown great potential for their application in the processing of high value food and medicine products in Vietnam in the future.

RNA-Seq and Gene Ontology Analysis Reveal Differences Associated With Low R/FR-Induced Shade Responses in Cultivated Lentil and a Wild Relative.

Lentil is an important pulse crop not only because of its high nutrient value but also because of its ecological advantage in a sustainable agricultural system. Our previous work showed that the cultivated lentil and wild lentil germplasm respond differently to light environments, especially to low R/FR-induced shade conditions. Little is known about how cultivated and wild lentils respond to shade at the level of gene expression and function. In this study, transcriptomic profiling of a cultivated lentil (Lupa, L. culinaris) and a wild lentil (BGE 016880, L. orientalis) at several growth stages is presented. De novo transcriptomes were assembled for both genotypes, and differential gene expression analysis and gene ontology enrichment analysis were performed. The transcriptomic resources generated in this study provide fundamental information regarding biological processes and genes associated with shade responses in lentils. BGE 016880 and Lupa shared a high similarity in their transcriptomes; however, differential gene expression profiles were not consistent between these two genotypes. The wild lentil BGE 016880 had more differentially expressed genes than the cultivated lentil Lupa. Upregulation of genes involved in gibberellin, brassinosteroid, and auxin synthesis and signaling pathways, as well as cell wall modification, in both genotypes explains their similarity in stem elongation response under the shade. Genes involved in jasmonic acid and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways were downregulated in BGE 016880 only, and biological processes involved in defense responses were significantly enriched in the wild lentil BGE 016880 only. Downregulation of WRKY and MYB transcription factors could contribute to the reduced defense response in BGE 016880 but not in Lupa under shade conditions. A better understanding of shade responses of pulse crop species and their wild relatives will play an important role in developing genetic strategies for crop improvement in response to changes in light environments.

Grape Pomace as Innovative Flour for the Formulation of Functional Muffins: How Particle Size Affects the Nutritional, Textural and Sensory Properties.

Every year, the winemaking process generates large quantities of waste and by-products, the management of which is critical due to the large production in a limited period. Grape pomace is a source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective and antimicrobial properties. Its chemical composition makes it potentially suitable for preparing high-value food products. The aim of this research was to study the effect of adding grape pomace powder with different particle size fractions (600–425, 425–300, 300–212 and 212–150 µm) to the chemical, technological and sensorial characteristics of muffins. The addition of 15% of grape pomace powder, regardless of particle size, led to muffins rich in antioxidant compounds and total dietary fiber (>3/100 g), which could be labelled with the “source of fiber” nutritional claim according to the EC Regulation 1924/2006. As particle size decreased, total anthocyanins, total phenol content and antioxidant activity (evaluated by ABTS and DPPH assays) increased, while muffin hardness and lightness were negatively influenced. The latter observation was confirmed by the sensory evaluation, which also showed that a smaller particle size led to the presence of irregular crumb pores.

Long-Term Artificial Selection for Increased Larval Body Weight of Hermetia illucens in Industrial Settings.

Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) farming has exponentially increased in recent years due to the ability of its larvae to efficiently convert low-grade organic materials into high-value food, feed, and technical products. There is a need to further improve the efficiency of production, to meet the rising demands for proteins in the feed and food industries under limited resources. One means of improvement is artificial selection, which has been widely applied in plants and in other livestock species. In 2019, a genetic improvement program was started with the aim to increase larval body weight in black soldier fly larvae. In this paper, we present the outcomes of this breeding program after 10, 13, and 16 generations of selection. The performance of the selected body weight line was compared to the base population line over six experimental rounds under different environmental conditions. Under automated production settings, an average increase of +39% in larval weight, +34% in wet crate yield, +26% in dry matter crate yield, +32% in crude protein per crate, and +21% crude fat per crate was achieved in the selected line compared to the base population line. This research demonstrates the potential contribution of artificial selection to improve efficiency when farming black soldier flies in industrial settings. Further research is needed to fully unlock that potential.

Impact of the electric field intensity and treatment time on whey protein aggregate formation

Whey proteins are being integrated as high-value food product ingredients due to their versatile and tunable techno-functionality. To meet high food quality and clean label expectations by consumers, electric field (EF) technologies have been proposed to open new frontiers in this field. Despite a variety of studies, it remains ambiguous which EF parameters are crucial to achieving targeted whey protein modifications. Reconstituted liquid whey protein concentrate (WPCL) and filtered, non-heat-treated liquid whey (WPL_filt) at low protein dry weight concentrations (0.4% wt/wt) were exposed to microsecond pulsed electric field (μsPEF) treatments at EF intensities between 1.25 and 12.5 kV/cm, pulse repetition frequencies between 0.38 and 85 Hz, and pulse lengths set to 10 or 100 μs. Protein aggregations were quantified spectroscopically. We report here that aggregates formed at lower temperatures for μsPEF compared with purely thermal treatments in identical treatment geometries at similar time-temperature profiles. We suggest that the observed increase in absorbance is linked to protein migration, the isoelectric point, local deprotonation phenomena of thiol groups, and cation precipitation. The μsPEF treatment time, which is dependent on the pulse repetition frequency, pulse length, and time of process, is the main driver of the increase in absorbance. High EF intensities balanced with shorter pulse repetition frequencies to ensure similar energy inputs resulted in no aggregate formation. For WPL_filt, 12.5 kV/cm, 10 μs, 0.38 Hz (620 ± 96 kJ/kg; ± standard deviation) did not result in an increase in absorbance, whereas 1.25 kV/cm, 10 μs, 50 Hz (634 ± 57 kJ/kg) with similar time-temperature profiles increased the absorbance at a wavelength of 380 nm by a factor of 8.2 ± 1.7 compared with untreated WPL_filt. In conclusion, the treatment time seems to dominate over high EF intensities at similar energy inputs for aggregate formation and increase in absorbance.

Spatial variation of Physico-chemical parameters and water quality assessment of urban ponds at Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India

Water bodies, natural or man-made, are under threat due to rapid urbanization. This research paper assesses the water quality of 20 ponds located in the vicinity of urban habitats of Raipur district, Chhattisgarh (India) using the Water Quality Index (WQI). The samples were analyzed for 16 physicochemical parameters in the post-monsoon winter season. The parameters were used to calculate WQI and the ponds were categorized accordingly for end use purposes, that is, drinking, irrigation, industrial, or unfit for use without treatment. The WQI of post-monsoon samples resulted in that 75% of the total pond water samples are in excellent condition, & 25% of the samples are unfit for various activities like drinking, irrigation, industrial & domestic. A high value of nutrients was observed in all the ponds, suggesting that the nutrient entering through surface runoff, solid waste disposal, and wastewater is entering the ponds. Our results conclude that all ponds require interventional steps to restore pond water quality and stop it from further degradation, determining which trophic state of the ponds may change in the future. The spatial monitoring of physical and chemical properties of pond water helps to predict, identify, and assess the natural condition of the urban ponds and their relation with the surrounding (environment) and helps in adopting rejuvenation measures.

The nature and genomic landscape of repetitive DNA classes in Chrysanthemum nankingense shows recent genomic changes.

Tandemly repeated DNA and transposable elements represent most of the DNA in higher plant genomes. High-throughput sequencing allows a survey of the DNA in a genome, but whole-genome assembly can miss a substantial fraction of highly repeated sequence motifs. Chrysanthemum nankingense (2n = 2x = 18; genome size = 3.07 Gb; Asteraceae), a diploid reference for the many auto- and allopolyploids in the genus, was considered as an ancestral species and serves as an ornamental plant and high-value food. We aimed to characterize the major repetitive DNA motifs, understand their structure and identify key features that are shaped by genome and sequence evolution. Graph-based clustering with RepeatExplorer was used to identify and classify repetitive motifs in 2.14 millions of 250-bp paired-end Illumina reads from total genomic DNA of C. nankingense. Independently, the frequency of all canonical motifs k-bases long was counted in the raw read data and abundant k-mers (16, 21, 32, 64 and 128) were extracted and assembled to generate longer contigs for repetitive motif identification. For comparison, long terminal repeat retrotransposons were checked in the published C. nankingense reference genome. Fluorescent in situ hybridization was performed to show the chromosomal distribution of the main types of repetitive motifs. Apart from rDNA (0.86 % of the total genome), a few microsatellites (0.16 %), and telomeric sequences, no highly abundant tandem repeats were identified. There were many transposable elements: 40 % of the genome had sequences with recognizable domains related to transposable elements. Long terminal repeat retrotransposons showed widespread distribution over chromosomes, although different sequence families had characteristic features such as abundance at or exclusion from centromeric or subtelomeric regions. Another group of very abundant repetitive motifs, including those most identified as low-complexity sequences (9.07 %) in the genome, showed no similarity to known sequence motifs or tandemly repeated elements. The Chrysanthemum genome has an unusual structure with a very low proportion of tandemly repeated sequences (~1.02 %) in the genome, and a high proportion of low-complexity sequences, most likely degenerated remains of transposable elements. Identifying the presence, nature and genomic organization of major genome fractions enables inference of the evolutionary history of sequences, including degeneration and loss, critical to understanding biodiversity and diversification processes in the genomes of diploid and polyploid Chrysanthemum, Asteraceae and plants more widely.

Nutrient composition of Chenopodium formosanum Koidz. bran: Fractionation and bioactivity of its soluble active polysaccharides.

BackgroundChenopodium formosanum Koidz. Amaranthaceae—also known as Djulis or red quinoa (RQ)—is a cereal plant indigenous to Taiwan, known for its high nutrient value. However, its bran is considered a waste product and the nutrient value has never been analyzed.MethodsIn this study, we examined the proximate composition of RQ bran, specifically its soluble polysaccharide fractions.ResultsRQ bran exhibited high contents of protein (16.56%), ash (7.10%), carbohydrate (60.45%), total polyphenolics (1.85%), betaxanthin (9.91 mg/100 g of RQ bran), and indicaxanthin (7.27 mg/100 g of RQ bran). Specifically, it was rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs; 39.24%)—with an n-6/n-3 and PUFA/saturated fatty acid (SFA) ratio of 18.137 and 0.743, respectively. Four soluble polysaccharide fractions were also obtained: CF-1, CF-2, CF-3, and CF-4, with yields of 3.90%, 6.74%, 22.28%, and 0.06%, respectively, and molecular weights of 32.54, 24.93, 72.39, and 55.45 kDa, respectively. CF-1, CF-2, CF-3, and CF-4 had respectively 15.67%, 42.41%, 5.44%, and 14.52% peptide moiety content and 38.92%, 50.70%, 93.76%, and 19.80% carbohydrate moiety. In CF-2, the glucose content was 95.86 mol% and that of leucine was 16.23%, implicating the presence of a typical leucinoglucan. All four polysaccharide fractions lacked glutamic acid and hydroxyproline. The IC50 of CF-1, CF-2, and CF-3 was respectively 12.05, 3.98, and 14.5 mg/mL for DPPH free radical–scavenging ability; 5.77, 4.10, and 7.03 mg/mL for hydrogen peroxide–scavenging capability; 0.26, 0.05, and 0.19 mg/mL for O2− free radical–scavenging capability; and 100.41, 28.12, and 29.73 mg/mL for Fe2+ chelation.ConclusionOur results indicated that RQ bran has a large amount of nutrient compounds, and a cost-efficient process for their extraction is needed. Their biomedical application as nutraceuticals also warrants further investigation.

Greener Pastures: priorities for a low-footprint, high-value food producing future

The key challenges and opportunities facing the pasture1 resource underpinning New Zealand’s pastoral industries outlined in this paper are drawn from the knowledge, analysis and feedback of 240 pan-pastoral industry stakeholders2 who participated in the Resilient Pastures Symposium (RPS) at Karapiro in May 2021. Information on the Symposium is provided in Appendix B.The RPS was convened in response to concerns about the resilience3 of our pasture base to rapidly changing pressures and expectations. The purpose of this paper is to deliver on the objectives of the Symposium, namely to:• synthesise the current state of our pastures as seen through the various perspectives of the delegates, and;• propose priorities for consideration by key stakeholders, including the significant investors already supporting Research, Development & Extension (RD&E), as they address the challenges ahead

Evaluation and Multivariate Analysis of Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] Germplasm for Selected Nutrients—Mining for Nutri-Dense Accessions

A total of 120 highly diverse cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] genotypes, including indigenous and exotic lines, were evaluated for different biochemical traits using AOAC official methods of analysis and other standard methods. The results exhibited wide variability in the content of proteins (ranging from 19.4 to 27.9%), starch (from 27.5 to 42.7 g 100 g−1), amylose (from 9.65 to 21.7 g 100 g−1), TDF (from 13.7 to 21.1 g 100 g−1), and TSS (from 1.30 to 8.73 g 100 g−1). The concentration of anti-nutritional compounds like phenols and phytic acid ranged from 0.026 to 0.832 g 100 g−1 and 0.690 to 1.88 g 100 g−1, respectively. The correlation coefficient between the traits was calculated to understand the inter-trait relationship. Multivariate analysis (PCA and HCA) was performed to identify the major traits contributing to variability and group accessions with a similar profile. The first three principal components, i.e., PC1, PC2, and PC3, contributed to 62.7% of the variation, where maximum loadings were from starch, followed by protein, phytic acid, and dietary fiber. HCA formed six distinct clusters at a squared Euclidean distance of 5. Accessions in cluster I had high TDF and low TSS content, while cluster II was characterized by low amylose content. Accessions in cluster III had high starch, low protein, and phytic acid, whereas accessions in cluster IV contained high TSS, phenol, and low phytic acid. Cluster V was characterized by high protein, phytic acid, TSS, and phenol content and low starch content, and cluster VI had a high amount of amylose and low phenol content. Some nutri-dense accessions were identified from the above-mentioned clusters, such as EC169879 and IC201086 with high protein (>27%), TSS, amylose, and TDF content. These compositions are promising to provide practical support for developing high-value food and feed varieties using effective breeding strategies with a higher economic value.

Perspectives from healthcare professionals on the nutritional adequacy of plant-based dairy alternatives: results of a mixed methods inquiry

BackgroundHealthcare professionals are important sources of nutrition and health information for Americans. As plant-based (PB) dairy alternative products increase in popularity, concerns have been raised about their nutritional adequacy, and whether consumers understand nutritional differences to dairy. Healthcare professionals directly advise consumers on dietary choices, therefore we sought to examine their understanding and opinions of PB dairy alternatives.MethodsWe analyzed comments submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by health professionals (n = 191) in 2018–2019 in response to a request for public comment on the nutrition of PB dairy alternatives and the use of dairy terms like “milk”, “cheese”, and “yogurt” on their labels. Survey data from healthcare professionals (n = 417) was collected in 2020–2021. Comments and survey responses to open-ended questions were coded using template analysis and thematically analyzed. Logistic regression models examined perceptions across health professional characteristics for close-ended survey responses.ResultsThree-fourths of health professionals believe consumers are confused about the nutritional differences between dairy and PB dairy alternatives. Over half (53%) do not believe either product is nutritionally superior to the other. Many believe dairy products have higher nutrient value, but also believe PB dairy alternatives can be part of a healthful diet. Compared to other types of health professionals, dietetics professionals demonstrated a more accurate understanding of the nutritional value of both products and were more likely to believe nutrients like protein (OR 2.02; 95% CI 1.22–3.34, p = 0.006) and vitamin D (OR 2.46; 95% CI 1.48–4.09, p = 0.001) may be nutrients of concern for PB dairy alternative consumers. They were also more likely to believe consumers are confused about these products (OR 3.44; 95% CI 1.65–7.21; p = 0.001). Health professionals who submitted comments to the FDA showed stronger opinions in favor of PB dairy alternatives.ConclusionsAlthough PB dairy alternatives have nutritional value in certain diets, responses from health professionals suggest that changing their labeling to be different than dairy may reduce confusion. Improved nutrition education among health professionals may also be necessary.

Metabolite Profile, Ruminal Methane Reduction, and Microbiome Modulating Potential of Seeds of Pharbitis nil.

We identified metabolites in the seeds of Pharbitis nil (PA) and evaluated their effects on rumen methanogenesis, fiber digestibility, and the rumen microbiome in vitro and in sacco. Four rumen-cannulated Holstein steers (mean body weight 507 ± 32 kg) were used as inoculum donor for in vitro trial and live continuous culture system for in sacco trial. PA was tested in vitro at doses ranging from 4.5 to 45.2% dry matter (DM) substrate. The in sacco trial was divided into three phases: a control phase of 10 days without nylon bags containing PA in the rumen, a treatment phase of 11 days in which nylon bags containing PA (180 g) were placed in the rumen, and a recovery phase of 10 days after removing the PA-containing bags from the rumen. Rumen headspace gas and rumen fluid samples were collected directly from the rumen. PA is enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids dominated by linoleic acid (C18:2) and flavonoids such as chlorogenate, quercetin, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, and quinic acid derivatives. PA decreased (p < 0.001) methane (CH4) production linearly in vitro with a reduction of 24% at doses as low as 4.5% DM substrate. A quadratic increase (p = 0.078) in neutral detergent fiber digestibility was also noted, demonstrating that doses < 9% DM were optimal for simultaneously enhancing digestibility and CH4 reduction. In sacco, a 50% decrease (p = 0.087) in CH4 coupled with an increase in propionate suggested increased biohydrogenation in the treatment phase. A decrease (p < 0.005) in ruminal ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) was also noted with PA in the rumen. Analysis of the rumen microbiome revealed a decrease (p < 0.001) in the Bacteroidetes-to-Firmicutes ratio, suggesting PA to have antiprotozoal potential. At the genus level, a 78% decrease in Prevotella spp. and a moderate increase in fibrolytic Ruminococcus spp. were noted in the treatment phase. In silico binding of PA metabolites to cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase of Entodinium caudatum supported the antiprotozoal effect of PA. Overall, based on its high nutrient value and antiprotozoal activity, PA could probably replace the ionophores used for CH4 abatement in the livestock industry.

Mass spectrometry in food authentication and origin traceability.

Food authentication and origin traceability are popular research topics, especially as concerns about food quality continue to increase. Mass spectrometry (MS) plays an indispensable role in food authentication and origin traceability. In this review, the applications of MS in food authentication and origin traceability by analyzing the main components and chemical fingerprints or profiles are summarized. In addition, the characteristic markers for food authentication are also reviewed, and the advantages and disadvantages of MS-based techniques for food authentication, as well as the current trends and challenges, are discussed. The fingerprinting and profiling methods, in combination with multivariate statistical analysis, are more suitable for the authentication of high-value foods, while characteristic marker-based methods are more suitable for adulteration detection. Several new techniques have been introduced to the field, such as proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry, ambient ionization mass spectrometry (AIMS), and ion mobility mass spectrometry, for the determination of food adulteration due to their fast and convenient analysis. As an important trend, the miniaturization of MS offers advantages, such as small and portable instrumentation and fast and nondestructive analysis. Moreover, many applications in food authentication are using AIMS, which can help food authentication in food inspection/field analysis. This review provides a reference and guide for food authentication and traceability based on MS.

Recent developments in antimicrobial growth promoters in chicken health: Opportunities and challenges

With a continuously increasing human population is an increasing global demand for food. People in countries with a higher socioeconomic status tend to switch their preferences from grains to meat and high-value foods. Their preference for chicken as a source of protein has grown by 70% over the last three decades. Many studies have shown the role of feed in regulating the animal gut microbiome and its impact on host health. The microbiome absorbs nutrients, digests foods, induces a mucosal immune response, maintains homeostasis, and regulates bioactive metabolites. These metabolic activities are influenced by the microbiota and diet. An imbalance in microbiota affects host physiology and progressively causes disorders and diseases. With the use of antibiotics, a shift from dysbiosis with a higher density of pathogens to homeostasis can occur. However, the progressive use of higher doses of antibiotics proved harmful and resulted in the emergence of multidrug-resistant microbes. As a result, the use of antibiotics as feed additives has been banned. Researchers, regulatory authorities, and managers in the poultry industry have assessed the challenges associated with these restrictions. Research has sought to identify alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters for poultry that do not have any adverse effects. Modulating the host intestinal microbiome by regulating dietary factors is much easier than manipulating host genetics. Research efforts have led to the identification of feed additives, including bacteriocins, immunostimulants, organic acids, phytogenics, prebiotics, probiotics, phytoncides, and bacteriophages. In contrast to focusing on one or more of these alternative bioadditives, an improved feed conversion ratio with enhanced poultry products is possible by employing a combination of feed additives. This article may be helpful in future research towards developing a sustainable poultry industry through the use of the proposed alternatives.

A Compact Wireless Passive Harmonic Sensor for Packaged Food Quality Monitoring

There is currently a need to monitor food products while preserving quality and safety during long-term storage. In this article, a compact low-cost quasi-chipless sensor for monitoring the quality of high-value food items, such as milk and meat products, is presented. The sensor utilizes a dual-band dual-polarized annular ring antenna with an integrated harmonic generator and sensor to receive, modulate, and retransmit the interrogator signal. The resonant frequency of the receiving mode of the antenna is sensitized to the parameter being sensed using a varactor—pH electrode-based transduction scheme. The received signal is doubled using a diode frequency doubler circuit to minimize the clutter from the environment before retransmission. One application of the sensor for monitoring pH is presented. The sensor was shown to be able to successfully monitor the milk souring process.

ANALYSIS OF FARMERS’ FOOD DISTRIBUTION FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF THE COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS AGRICULTURE - CSA CAJAZEIRAS

In view of the importance of family farming for everyone, being the best source of access to organic and high nutritional value foods, it is necessary to facilitate the dissemination of them to the population. However, observing the difficulties of the farmers due to the lack of knowledge of how to deal with the logistics and transport of this merchandise, this work aims to observe and analyze the methodologies used CSA (Community that Sustains Agriculture) of Cajazeiras - Paraíba that has as paper, educate farmers, improve the contact between them and the consumer and consequently improve their quality of life in their work.&#x0D;

Stable reference gene selection for quantitative real-time PCR normalization in passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims.).

Passiflora edulis is a tropical fruit with high nutrient and medicinal values that is widely planted in southern China. However, the molecular biology of P. edulis has not been well studied. There are few reports regarding the choice of reference genes for gene expression studies of passion fruit. By using three algorithms, implemented in geNorm, NormFinder and BestKeeper, we have selected ten candidate reference genes to explore their transcriptional expression stability in various tissues and under cold stress conditions. EF1 and HIS were stably expressed in five tissues. Ts and OTU were stably in vegetative organs. 50S and Liom were stably in reproductive organs. The transcriptional abundance of EF1 and UBQ was stable in cold-treated and recovery treated leaf samples of P. edulis. In all samples, EF1 and Ts exhibited the highest expression stability. Evaluation of selected genes using simple statistical methods (ANOVA and post hoc analysis). Overall, EF1 emerged as the optimum reference gene for qRT-PCR normalize in P. edulis. In addition, the qRT-PCR analysis revealed that expression of ICE1 increases with the duration of cold treatment. In this study, we successfully screened stable reference genes from 10 candidates in P. edulis and verified the results by analyzing the expression level of ICE1. The results provide reliable and effective reference genes for future research on gene expression analysis in P. edulis, and lay a foundation for follow-up research on functional genes in P. edulis.

Features of biological assets accounting

The scientific article discusses the peculiarities of accounting of the livestock industry at the present time, including biological assets. The Republic of Kazakhstan has a high potential in the field of agriculture, as it has appropriate natural and climatic conditions and rich pasture lands that contribute to the successful development of animal husbandry. Therefore, the peculiarities of accounting for agricultural production are that constant changes occur in the process of growing in the herd. The dynamics of livestock growth is indicated in special documents that can be defined as primary. Their peculiarity lies in the fact that they are created in a certain form aimed at demonstrating the movement of factors and means of production in the form of animals.Currently, the development of the livestock industry is one of the main tasks of agriculture. Animal husbandry provides the population of the country with high-value food products, such as meat, milk, eggs, industry uses wool, hides, furs, sheepskins, down, animal blood is in demand in pharmaceutical production, products for processing glue, plastics, albumin are used for technical purposes. This leads to the conclusion that a high level of agricultural production ensures the economic and food security of the country.Endoctrine glands produce active drugs containing hormones. Horns are used for various products, bones for making bone food, animals serve as tools and objects of labour. The growth of livestock production, cost reduction, increase in the level of profitability are determined by the improvement of technology and organization of production, improvement of the breed and age composition of the herd, maintaining livestock and efficient use of all the means. As a result, high level of husbandary production provide economic and production safety of the country.

Fractional Separation and Characterization of Cuticular Waxes Extracted from Vegetable Matter Using Supercritical CO2

Cuticular waxes can be used in high-value applications, including cosmetics, foods and nutraceuticals, among the others. The extraction process determines their quality and purity that are of particular interest when biocompatibility, biodegradability, flavor and fragrance are the main features required for the final formulations. This study demonstrated that supercritical fluid extraction coupled with fractional separation can represent a suitable alternative to isolate cuticular waxes from vegetable matter that preserve their natural properties and composition, without contamination of organic solvent residues. Operating in this way, cuticular waxes can be considered as a fingerprint of the vegetable matter, where C27, C29 and C31 are the most abundant compounds that characterize the material; the differences are mainly due to their relative proportions and the presence of hydrocarbon compounds possessing other functional groups, such as alcohols, aldehydes or acids. Therefore, selectivity of supercritical fluid extraction towards non-polar or slightly polar compounds opens the way for a possible industrial approach to produce extracts that do not require further purification steps.

Cane molasses and oligofructose in the diet of laying hens improves the mineral content of eggs and meat

Poultry-based foods contribute to human health due to their high nutrient value. Previously, it was shown that short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced by in vitro intestinal fermentation of a molasses and oligofructose mixture (M-O) stimulated iron and calcium transport through the colonic epithelium of laying hens. However, the real impact of including M-O mixture in the diet on the mineral content of poultry products had not yet been demonstrated. In this study, Hy-Line W-36 leghorn hens were assigned into two groups that either received a conventional diet or a diet supplemented with cane molasse and oligofructose, over a period of 42 days. The weight of the animals and their eggs, blood parameters and intestinal epithelium integrity were determined. Intestinal bacteria, their fermentation products, and the mineral content of eggs, bones and muscles were also assessed. The experimental diet proved to be safe, favored the proliferation of SCFA producing bacteria in the intestines, led to higher concentration of acids (mainly SCFA) in the digesta, and induced the elongation of microvilli at the apical tip of enterocytes. Mineral content of eggs and meat were improved after four weeks of feeding with the experimental diet compared to the conventional one. Higher iron content was observed in the edible portion of eggs and leg muscle, and higher calcium content was observed in the egg edible portion and shell in hens fed the supplemented diet. This feeding strategy could be useful to improve the mineral content of poultry products and therefore human nutrition, while diversifying molasses applications.