Meat-based Diet Research Articles

The Association between Vegan, Vegetarian, and Omnivore Diet Quality and Depressive Symptoms in Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Dietary patterns and depressive symptoms are associated in cross-sectional and prospective-designed research. However, limited research has considered depression risk related to meat-based and plant-based dietary patterns. This study explores the association between diet quality and depressive symptoms across omnivore, vegan, and vegetarian dietary patterns. A cross-sectional online survey utilised the Dietary Screening Tool (DST) and the Centre for Epidemiological Studies of Depression Scale (CESD-20) to measure diet quality and depressive symptoms, respectively. A total of 496 participants identified as either omnivores (n = 129), vegetarians (n = 151), or vegans (n = 216). ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc corrections indicates that dietary quality was significantly different between groups F(2, 493) = 23.61, p < 0.001 for omnivores and vegetarians and omnivores and vegans. Diet quality was highest in the vegan sample, followed by vegetarian and omnivore patterns. The results show a significant, moderately negative relationship between higher diet quality and lower depressive symptoms (r = -0.385, p < 0.001) across groups. Hierarchical regression showed that diet quality accounted for 13% of the variability in depressive symptoms for the omnivore sample, 6% for vegetarians, and 8% for vegans. This study suggests that diet quality in a meat-based or plant-based diet could be a modifiable lifestyle factor with the potential to reduce the risk of depressive symptoms. The study indicates a greater protective role of a high-quality plant-based diet and lower depressive symptoms. Further intervention research is needed to understand the bi-directional relationship between diet quality and depressive symptoms across dietary patterns.

High occurrence of Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, and Vagococcus lutrae harbouring oxazolidinone resistance genes in raw meat-based diets for companion animals - a public health issue, Switzerland, September 2018 to May 2020.

IntroductionEnterococci harbouring genes encoding resistance to florfenicol and the oxazolidinone antimicrobial linezolid have emerged among food-producing animals and meat thereof, but few studies have analysed their occurrence in raw meat-based diets (RMBDs) for pets.AimWe aimed to examine how far RMBDs may represent a source of bacteria with oxazolidinone resistance genes.MethodsFifty-nine samples of different types of RMBDs from 10 suppliers (three based in Germany, seven in Switzerland) were screened for florfenicol-resistant Gram-positive bacteria using a selective culture medium. Isolates were phenotypically and genotypically characterised.ResultsA total of 27 Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, and Vagococcus lutrae isolates were obtained from 24 of the 59 samples. The optrA, poxtA, and cfr genes were identified in 24/27, 6/27 and 5/27 isolates, respectively. Chloramphenicol and linezolid minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranged from 24.0 mg/L-256.0 mg/L, and 1.5 mg/L-8.0 mg/L, respectively. According to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) breakpoints, 26 of 27 isolates were resistant to chloramphenicol (MICs ≥ 32 mg/L), and two were resistant to linezolid (MICs ≥ 8 mg/L). Multilocus sequence typing analysis of the 17 E. faecalis isolates identified 10 different sequence types (ST)s, with ST593 (n = 4 isolates) and ST207 (n = 2 isolates) occurring more than once, and two novel STs (n = 2 isolates). E. faecium isolates belonged to four different STs (168, 264, 822, and 1846).ConclusionThe high occurrence in our sample of Gram-positive bacteria harbouring genes encoding resistance to the critical antimicrobial linezolid is of concern since such bacteria may spread from companion animals to humans upon close contact between pets and their owners.

The effect of puppyhood and adolescent diet on the incidence of chronic enteropathy in dogs later in life

Diet has a key role in the homeostasis of the gut microenvironment, influencing the microbiome, the gut barrier, host immunity and gut physiology. Yet, there is little information on the role of early diet in the onset of inflammatory gastrointestinal disorders later in life, especially in dogs. Therefore, the aim of the present cross-sectional, epidemiological study with longitudinal data, was to explore associations of companion dogs’ early life diet style and food items with owner-reported chronic enteropathy (CE) incidence in later life. Food frequency questionnaire data from Finnish companion dogs was analyzed using principal component analysis and logistic regression. We found that feeding a non-processed meat-based diet and giving the dog human meal leftovers and table scraps during puppyhood (2–6 months) and adolescence (6–18 months) were protective against CE later in life. Especially raw bones and cartilage as well as leftovers and table scraps during puppyhood and adolescence, and berries during puppyhood were associated with less CE. In contrast, feeding an ultra-processed carbohydrate-based diet, namely dry dog food or “kibble” during puppyhood and adolescence, and rawhides during puppyhood were significant risk factors for CE later in life.

Standardized amino acid digestibility and nitrogen-corrected true metabolizable energy of frozen and freeze-dried raw dog foods using precision-fed cecectomized and conventional rooster assays.

Commercial raw or minimally-processed diets, often referred to holistically as raw meat-based diets (RMBD) represent a small portion of the pet food market, but the growth of this sector has been significant in recent years. While traditionally, high-moisture, frozen options were the standard format of commercially available raw diets, freeze-dried raw diets have become more prevalent as of late. Despite the increasing popularity of these commercial raw diet formats, there is a dearth of literature describing their nutritional properties, particularly regarding freeze-dried diets. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to determine and compare the standardized amino acid (AA) digestibilities and nitrogen-corrected true metabolizable energy (TMEn) of raw frozen and freeze-dried dog foods using precision-fed cecectomized and conventional rooster assays. Three formats of frozen or freeze-dried raw diets provided by Primal Pet Foods (Fairfield, CA, USA) were tested: traditional freeze-dried nuggets (T-FDN), hybrid freeze-dried nuggets (H-FDN), and frozen nuggets (FZN). Diets were fed to cecectomized roosters (4 roosters/diet) to determine AA digestibilities, while conventional roosters (4 roosters/diet) were used to determine TMEn. In both cases, after 26 h of feed withdrawal, roosters were tube-fed 12 to 13 g of test diets and 12 to 13 g of corn. Following crop intubation, excreta were collected for 48 h. Endogenous corrections for AA were made using five additional cecectomized roosters. All data were analyzed using the Mixed Models procedure of SAS version 9.4. There were no significant differences in standardized AA digestibilities among diets, with digestibilities being high for all diets tested. For most of the indispensable AA, digestibilities were greater than or equal to 90% for all diets. Histidine and lysine were the exceptions, with digestibilities ranging from 82% to 87% and 87% to 92%, respectively. Moreover, the reactive lysine:total lysine ratio, a measure of heat damage, ranged from 0.91 to 0.95. TMEn values were higher (P = 0.0127) in T-FDN (6.1 kcal/g) and FZN (5.9 kcal/g) than H-FDN (5.3 kcal/g) and were most similar to those estimated by Atwater factors. In general, all diets tested had high AA digestibilities and had TMEn values that were most similar to Atwater factors.

Umami taste perception and preferences of the domestic cat (Felis catus), an obligate carnivore.

The domestic cat (Felis catus) is an obligate carnivore, and as such has a meat-based diet. Several studies on the taste perception of cats have been reported, indicating that their sense of taste has evolved based on their carnivorous diet. Here we propose that umami (mediated by Tas1r1-Tas1r3) is the main appetitive taste modality for the domestic cat by characterising the umami taste of a range of nucleotides, amino acids and their mixtures for cats obtained using complementary methods. We show for the first time that cats express Tas1r1 in taste papillae. The cat umami receptor responds to a range of nucleotides as agonists, with the purine nucleotides having the highest activity. Their umami receptor does not respond to any amino acids alone, however, 11 L-amino acids with a range of chemical characteristics act as enhancers in combination with a nucleotide. L-Glutamic acid and L-Aspartic acid are not active as either agonists or enhancers of the cat umami receptor due to changes in key binding residues at positions 170 and 302. Overall, cats have an appetitive behavioural response for nucleotides, L-amino acids, and their mixtures. We postulate that the renowned palatability of tuna for cats may be due, at least in part, to its specific combination of high levels of inosine monophosphate and free L-Histidine that produces a strong synergistic umami taste enhancement. These results demonstrate the critical role that the umami receptor plays in enabling cats to detect key taste compounds present in meat.

Associations between dietary patterns and serum uric acid concentrations in children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

The serum uric acid (SUA) concentrations in children and adolescents in southeast coastal China are generally high. The relationship between diet and SUA in children and adolescents remains unclear. The objective of the study was to assess the associations between data-driven dietary patterns with SUA concentrations and hyperuricemia in Chinese children and adolescents and to explore the role of food components. This study involved 3383 participants aged 9 to 17 years from a representative nutrition and growth survey conducted in Shenzhen, a southeast coastal city in China. The dietary intake data, obtained from a validated food frequency questionnaire, were categorized into 19 food groups for factor analysis to derive dietary patterns. Weighted least squares regression was performed to examine the associations between dietary patterns and SUA concentrations, logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between dietary patterns and hyperuricemia, and the relationship between food groups and food components with SUA concentrations was further analyzed. The potential dietary factors contributing to the associations between dietary patterns and SUA concentrations were explored by adjusting various food components. Six dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis, including an ultra-processed diet, plant-based nutritious diet, meat-based diet, soup/seafood/egg diet, vegetarian diet, and mushroom/animal organ diet. After adjusting for confounders, the meat-based diet exhibited a positive correlation with SUA concentrations (β = 4.89; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.60-9.18; P = 0.03), while the vegetarian diet could reduce the risk of hyperuricemia (odds ratio = 0.88; 95% CI: 0.80-0.98; P = 0.02). In addition, dietary intake of poultry (g per d) (β = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.16, P = 0.02), animal organs, blood (g per d) (β = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.51, P = 0.002) and hypoxanthine (mg per d) (β = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.06, P = 0.02) showed a significantly positive correlation with SUA concentrations, while that of vegetables (g per d) (β = -0.02, 95% CI: -0.03, -0.01, P = 0.03) showed a significantly negative correlation. In summary, for children and adolescents, it is recommended to increase vegetable intake and reduce animal-based food intake in order to control SUA concentration and prevent hyperuricemia. This study was registered at the China Clinical Trials Registry (ChiCTR2100051722).

Different, but the same: Inferring the hunting behaviour of the hypercarnivorous bush dog (Speothos venaticus) through finite element analysis.

Cerdocyonina is a clade composed by the South-American canids in which the bush dog (Speothos venaticus) is one of the most elusive species. Known for its unique morphology within the group, this small, bear-like faced canid is the only member of the clade adapted to hypercarnivory, an almost exclusively meat-based diet currently present only in usually large, pack-hunting canids such as the grey wolf (Canis lupus). However, much of the biology of the bush dog is poorly understood, and inferences about its ecology, hunting strategies and diet are usually based on observation of captive individuals and anecdotal records, with reduced quantitative data to offer support. Here, we investigated the craniomandibular functional morphology of the bush dog through finite element analysis (FEA). FEA was employed to model the biting behaviour and to create extrinsic and intrinsic functional scenarios with different loads, corresponding to different bites used to subdue and process the prey. For comparison, the same modelling was applied to the skull of a grey wolf and a grey fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). Our analysis showed that the bush dog's responses to loading are more similar to the wolf's than to the fox's in most scenarios, suggesting a convergent craniomandibular functional morphology between these two hypercarnivorous species, despite their distinct phylogenetic positions and body sizes. Differences between the three taxa are noteworthy and suggested to be related to the size of the usual prey. The modelled bite force for the bush dog is relatively strong, about half of that estimated for the wolf and about 40% stronger than the fox's bite. The results strengthen with quantitative data the inferences of the bush dog as a pack-hunting predator with prey size similar to its own, such as large rodents and armadillos, being specialised in subduing and killing its prey using multiple bites. Its similarity to the wolf also confirms anecdotal accounts of predation on mammals that are much larger than itself, such as peccaries and tapirs. These data highlight the ecological specialisation of this small canid in a continent where large, pack-hunting canids are absent.

Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of a Novel Cultivated Meat Burger Patty in the United States

The meat industry has a substantial negative impact on the environment. As a result, this industry is in a period of change to alternative meat to mitigate the environmental issues caused by conventional meat production. Cultivated meat is highlighted as an alternative to conventional meat-based diets. SCiFi Foods has developed such a novel cultivated meat burger as a potential successor to the currently available burgers. Based on the process information provided by SCiFi Foods, this work performed a life cycle analysis on the novel cultivated meat burger and compared it with alternatives. The life cycle impacts of the novel burger were evaluated using four indicators: greenhouse gas emissions (CML-IA); energy use (cumulative energy demand); land use (ReCiPe midpoint); and water use (ReCiPe midpoint). The study found that the cultivated meat burger generated 87% less greenhouse gas emissions, required 39% less energy, had 90% less influence on land use, and 96% less water use than the comparable beef patty. The effects of uncertainty in the data, sensitivity to major assumptions, and the effect of the manufacturing plant location were analyzed. The studied burger was also found to have a life cycle environmental impact that is comparable with plant-based commercialized burgers that are currently available.

Risk-benefit assessment of shifting from traditional meat-based diets to alternative dietary patterns.

The consumption of plant-based meat alternatives has recently transitioned from the niche market to the mainstream. However, changing the dietary patterns may lead to new health challenges referred to possible higher exposure to natural toxins found in plant-based food. The present project aimed to train the fellow in the field of chemical risk assessment and provide a comprehensive overview on how a change towards plant-based meat alternatives may represent a driver for emerging risks. Thus, within the EU-FORA programme the fellow engaged in the following activities: (i) perform a systematic review to analyse the distribution of natural toxins in the most common plant-based meat alternatives in Europe, (ii) risk-benefit assessment of shifting from meat-based diets to soy-based meat alternatives by modelling the substitution of meat with soy, and (iii) determine the occurrence of mycotoxins in plant-based meat alternatives from local markets in Parma, Italy. The fellow learnt the chemical risk assessment procedures applied by the researchers from the Department of Food and Drug of Parma University, thus gaining an in-depth expertise in all the steps. A risk-benefit assessment was performed modelling the intake of aflatoxin B1-contaminated soy-based meat analogues. The health impact due to intake of soy and exposure to aflatoxin B1 was estimated. Within the research group, the fellow also worked on developing a multi-mycotoxin determination method for plant-based meat alternatives matrices. The results of the project provide a picture reflecting the occurrence of natural toxins in plant-based meat alternatives and the need of upgraded regulation frameworks that take into account new products and dietary patterns. The EU-FORA fellowship was a great opportunity for the fellow to expand his professional network and increase his expertise in food safety by gaining new skills in chemical risk assessment, risk-benefit assessment and analytical chemistry.

Edible Insects Consumption in Africa towards Environmental Health and Sustainable Food Systems: A Bibliometric Study.

Africa is home to an estimated wild edible insect population of 1000 species that offer an opportunity for sustainable food systems while also improving food and nutrition security on the continent. Edible insect consumption has been part of African communities for a long time and forms part of their diets and cuisines, particularly within low-income households with limited resources. The purpose of our study was to investigate and review the contribution that edible insects can make towards the realisation of sustainable food systems, and environmental/planetary health including the fulfilment of Sustainable Development Goal number 2 (zero hunger). Our study applied a bibliometric analysis approach using VOS Viewer, a data mining software. The study established that the consumption of edible insects is still widespread across many African countries and therefore can be used as an avenue for improving environmental health and enhancing food systems on the continent through a reduction in meat-based diets. This, in the long term, will also reduce the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane from livestock production-related activities. Edible insects are also known to contain a high percentage nutrient content of proteins, fats and iron and, thus, can also play a vital role in reducing food insecurity and malnutrition, particularly within low-income households. Due to the existence of a high number of edible insect species on the continent, communities in Africa can easily access sources that can further be preserved using various indigenous techniques while also having minimal impact on the environment. In addition, being a source of nutritious food, edible insects can also be a source of establishing sustainable livelihoods, as well as being able to be commercialised, thus further creating employment opportunities and economic growth. Some of the notable edible insects in abundance on the continent include termites, ants, crickets and caterpillars. Our study recommends that Africa should commercialise edible insect production, in addition to preservation processing that leads to the eradication of perennial food insecurity and malnutrition and improves environmental health, as well as developing sustainable food systems. We also further recommend the establishment of food safety guidelines on edible insects as most African countries do not have such a plan in place currently.

A review of food additives to control the proliferation and transmission of pathogenic microorganisms with emphasis on applications to raw meat-based diets for companion animals.

Raw meat-based diets (RMBDs) or sometimes described as biologically appropriate raw food (BARFs) are gaining in popularity amongst dog and cat owners. These pet guardians prefer their animals to eat minimally processed and more "natural" foods instead of highly heat-processed diets manufactured with synthetic preservatives. The market for RMBDs for dogs and cats is estimated at $33 million in the United States. This figure is likely underestimated because some pet owners feed their animals raw diets prepared at home. Despite their increasing demand, RMBDs have been plagued with numerous recalls because of contamination from foodborne pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli, or Campylobacter. Existing literature regarding mitigation strategies in RMBD's for dogs/cats are very limited. Thus, a comprehensive search for published research was conducted regarding technologies used in meat and poultry processing and raw materials tangential to this trade (e.g., meats and poultry). In this review paper, we explored multiple non-thermal processes and GRAS approved food additives that can be used as potential antimicrobials alone or in combinations to assert multiple stressors that impede microbial growth, ultimately leading to pathogen inactivation through hurdle technology. This review focuses on use of high-pressure pasteurization, organic acidulants, essential oils, and bacteriophages as possible approaches to commercially pasteurize RMBDs effectively at a relatively low cost. A summary of the different ways these technologies have been used in the past to control foodborne pathogens in meat and poultry related products and how they can be applied successfully to impede growth of enteric pathogens in commercially produced raw diets for companion animals is provided.

Assessing the Mycotoxin-related Health Impact of Shifting from Meat-based Diets to Soy-based Meat Analogues in a Model Scenario Based on Italian Consumption Data

The aim of this study was to assess the risk of replacing meat with plant-based analogues with respect to mycotoxin exposure, as a proof of concept to demonstrate the need for a proper regulatory framework for mycotoxins in meat imitates. Hence, we considered a full replacement of meat consumption with soy-based meat analogues and we evaluated the exposure to AFB1 and OTA, based on the Italian National Food Consumption Survey INRAN-SCAI 2005–2006 and the European Food Safety Authority occurrence data. The overall health impact from soy-based food consumption and a meat-free diet was quantified in terms of Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) in three different contamination and consumption scenarios. The substitution of meat products with soy-based imitates would prevent up to 406.2 colorectal cancer cases/year/country associated with 532 healthy years of life. However, we also determined an increased risk of liver cancer and loss of healthy life-years due to AFB1 exposure and a potential risk of renal cancer as due to an increased intake of OTA, leading up to 1208 extra cancer cases associated with the loss of 12,080 healthy life-years/country. Shifting to a plant-based diet actually eliminates a cancer risk factor such as processed meat, however, higher and unexpected risks could arise if mycotoxins are not properly regulated in plant-based meat alternatives. Taking into account the ubiquitous occurrence of mycotoxins, also in the light of climate change, and the growing trend toward plant-based meat analogues, greater importance should be given to actual food consumption trends and correlated with updated natural toxins regulations and risk assessments.Graphical abstract

124 The Acute Effects of Supplementing a Meat-Based Diet with a Combination of Creatine, Carnitine and Choline, Taurine or Methionine on Post-Prandial Plasma Creatine and Creatinine Concentrations in Dogs

Abstract Creatine is an essential nitrogenous compound for cellular energy homeostasis in vertebrates. It is synthesized from the methylation of guanidinoacetate, a metabolite of arginine and glycine. Creatine is found in animal protein, however, when heat-processed for pet food, the creatine content decreases dramatically and creatinine is formed. Previous data from this study have been presented, however, the current objective was to define the postprandial plasma creatine and creatinine response in dogs fed a commercial meat-based diet (CON), top-dressed with a combination of creatine, carnitine and choline (CCC) or other nutrients involved in methyl metabolism, methionine (MET) or taurine (TAU). The control diet contained 0.195 g/kg creatine and 0.563 g/kg creatinine on an as-fed basis. Eight adult Beagles were fed one of the four diets for 7 days in a Latin Square design. On day 7, dogs had cephalic catheters placed and a series of blood samples were collected at fasted and up to 6 hours post-meal. Creatine and creatinine were analyzed using HPLC and data analyzed using Proc Glimmix in SAS (Version 9.4). Plasma creatine concentrations were greater in dogs fed CCC (103±10 µmol/L) compared with MET (72±7 µmol/L) at fasted (P&amp;lt; 0.05) and greater compared with all other treatments from 15 to 360 minutes post-meal (P&amp;lt; 0.05), with a peak concentration of 735±74 µmol/L at 90 min. Plasma creatinine concentrations were greater in dogs fed CCC from 60 to 180 min post-meal compared to all other treatments (P&amp;lt; 0.05), with a peak concentration of 223±13 µmol/L at 90 min. Both peak concentrations were outside of established reference ranges in dogs. These data suggest that when creatine is top-dressed for 7 days, plasma creatine remains increased at fasted and up to 6 hours post-meal, while plasma creatinine remains increased up to 3 hours post-meal, which has implications for energy production and methyl metabolism.

130 The raw Truth: Feeding zoo-Housed Carnivores

Abstract Health and wellness of animals in our care is inexorably linked to their feeding experience (i.e., what and how food is offered). Usage of raw meat-based diets is longstanding and widespread in US zoos and aquaria, with a movement towards increased proportions of the diet from whole prey. Pet food industry has seen a steep rise in number and diversity of commercially available raw meat-based products for pets in recent decades, whereas the number of suppliers and products for zoo markets remain low. Budgetary constraints of zoos equate to lower quality ingredients than those in the premium pet food market. Zoo markets have not been immune to supply chain issues during the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic, resulting in the challenges of higher cost and decreased supply. Advances to the well-being of our animals could be achieved by leveraging findings from pet food research to include value-added nutrients such as probiotics, natural antioxidants, and Omega-3 enriched oils. In cases where animal needs differ from nutrition provided by commercial products (e.g., medical cases, enhancing feeding experience), zoo nutritionists rely on in-house formulations to provide additional support. Often these cases require creative formulation leveraging items from the human-food market and other unconventional sources. Examples and practical applications of individualized formulations for zoo and aquaria will be discussed.

Could carbohydrates from food-animals have supported a balanced diet for Neanderthals?

Neanderthal diets included variable amounts of animal-foods, and to avoid food poisoning from meat-based diets, Neanderthals should have included alternative nutrients in their diets to fulfil daily energy requirements. While there are no doubts that animal fats played an important role in Neanderthal diets, it has been argued that available carbohydrates (ACH) were also necessary and that a low ACH intake may have resulted in low reproductive abilities, making Neanderthals more susceptible to their disappearance. Nonetheless, today there is wide consensus on that ACH requirement of the human body can be met by endogenous synthesis without signs of deficiency in the absence of dietary sources. Even if ACH were necessary for Neanderthals, the ones of animal origin could have supported a balanced diet, while viscera from large mammals could have been an inexhaustible source of ACH. Furthermore, chewing of guts, which is typical behaviour of Arctic cultures, could have increased ACH intake, especially for female Neanderthals. It is expected that this focus article will stimulate the debate about Neanderthal diets and encourage the exchange of ideas among researchers from different fields on this subject, and thus the global knowledge of Neanderthals will benefit from such cooperation.

From Nutritional Adequacy to Hygiene Quality: A Detailed Assessment of Commercial Raw Pet-Food for Dogs and Cats.

Simple SummaryAs alternative diets to processed pet food, raw meat-based diets (RMBDs) have received increasing attention in recent years. Commercial RMBDs consist mainly of raw meats, animal by-products, such as offal, and bones. Most RMBDs do not contain additives; therefore, they potentially pose a risk of nutritional imbalances to adults and, to a greater extent, growing animals. RMBDs are frozen ready-to-use products that are fed to pets after being thawed. Bacterial contamination of RMBDs is an area of concern, including the risk of spreading zoonotic diseases to humans. In this study, a detailed assessment of commercial RMBDs was performed in relation to nutritional adequacy and hygiene quality. The results showed that the tested products often provided deficient amounts of essential nutrients, were nutritionally unbalanced, and very rich in fat. They were also characterized by high microbial contamination, showing low hygiene quality. This study provides information that indicates the need for strict monitoring of the nutritional and microbiological quality of commercial RMBDs.Raw meat-based diets (RMBDs) are widely used as unconventional diets for dogs and cats at different life stages, despite concerns regarding nutritional adequacy and microbial contamination. The aim of this study was to evaluate both the nutritional and hygiene quality profile of RMBDs purchased in Germany. For this purpose, crude nutrients were assessed in 44 RMBDs and compared to declared values. In addition, selected minerals were determined in 31 RMBDs labelled as complete and compared to the minimum requirement (MR) for intended species and life stages. Aerobic colony count (ACC) and Enterobacteriaceae were used to assess the hygiene quality of 37 commercial RMBDs, while the presence of Salmonella spp. was examined in 10 products. Fat and protein content exceeded tolerated deviation from declared values in 33% and 45% of RMBDs, respectively. Each RMBD showed at least one concern regarding nutrient content. The RMBDs had high fat contents (mean 69, range 33–95 g/Mcal) that were negatively correlated with protein (r = −0.74, p < 0.0001). Considerable contaminations by ACC and Enterobacteriaceae were found (2.61 × 108 ± 3.63 × 108 and 3.61 × 106 ± 8.39 x106 CFU/g, respectively). A higher count of Enterobacteriaceae was detected in a frozen RMBDs made of poultry or carcasses from different animals, compared to the thawed counterpart (p = 0.003), as well as compared to other sources, such as beef, horse, and lamb, regardless of the storage condition. Salmonella spp. were found in 2/10 RMBDs. This study confirmed that feeding commercial RMBDs might pose a risk to pet health.

The impact of potentially modifiable risk factors for stroke in a middle-income area of China: A case-control study.

AimsTo reveal the impact of eleven risk factors on stroke and provide estimates of the prevention potential.MethodsWe completed a multicenter case-control study in Jiangxi, China, a middle-income area. Neuroimaging examination was performed in all cases. Controls were stroke-free adults recruited from the community in the case concentration area. Conditional logistic regression and unconditional logistic regression were used for subgroup analysis of stroke type, and other groups (sex, age and urban-rural area), respectively. Odds ratios (ORs) and their population attributable risks (PARs) were calculated, with 95% confidence intervals.ResultsA total of 43,615 participants (11,735 cases and 31,880 controls) were recruited from February to September 2018, of whom we enrolled 11,729 case-control pairs. Physical inactivity [PAR 69.5% (66.9–71.9%)] and hypertension [53.4% (49.8–56.8%)] were two major risk factors for stroke, followed by high salt intake [23.9% (20.5–27.3%)], dyslipidemia [20.5% (17.1–24.0%)], meat-based diet [17.5% (14.9–20.4%)], diabetes [7.7% (5.9–9.7%)], cardiac causes [5.3% (4.0–6.7%)], alcohol intake [4.7% (0.2–10.0%)], and high homocysteine [4.3% (1.4–7.4%)]. Nine of these factors were associated with ischemic stroke, and five were associated with intracerebral hemorrhage. Collectively, eleven risk factors accounted for 59.9% of the PAR for all stroke (ischemic stroke: 61.0%; intracerebral hemorrhage: 46.5%), and were consistent across sex (men: 65.5%; women: 62.3%), age (≤55: 65.2%; >55: 63.5%), and urban-rural areas (city: 62.2%; county: 65.7%).ConclusionThe 11 risk factors associated with stroke identified will provide an important reference for evidence-based planning for stroke prevention in middle-income areas. There is an urgent need to improve awareness, management and control of behavioral and metabolic risk factors, particularly to promote physical activity and reduce blood pressure.

A Dog’s Dinner: Factors affecting food choice and feeding practices for UK dog owners feeding raw meat-based or conventional cooked diets

IntroductionFood selection is an area of dog ownership where owners have direct control over their pet’s wellbeing. While commercial cooked complete foods remain the majority component of many dog diets, there is increasing interest in alternative options including natural and raw ingredients. This study aimed to provide further data regarding feeding practices and diet choice for UK dog owners with a focus on raw meat diets. MethodsAn online survey available to all UK dog owners and advertised through sources including social media and at Crufts was conducted from February to March 2020. Feeding practices and diet choice were assessed, and owners were categorised as either feeding a raw meat diet (RMD) or non-raw diet (NRMD) based on their responses. Descriptive, univariable and multivariable data analyses were undertaken to determine dog and owner factors associated with feeding RMD, and thematic analysis was undertaken on free-text responses. ResultsA total of 1831 owners completed the survey (915 RMD, 916 NRMD) detailing information for 3212 dogs (1754 RMD, 1458 NRMD). Dog breed (German Shepherd), Border Collie, Crossbreed (p < 0.001), entire neuter status (p < 0.001) and younger age (p 0.022) were associated with RMD feeding. RMD-feeding owners were likely to own > 1 dog (p < 0.001). RMD-feeding owners were more likely to cite a ‘more natural’ diet as a reason for their diet choice, and less likely to cite ‘advice from a veterinary professional’ compared to those who fed NRMD (p < 0.001). They were more likely to seek dietary advice from social media, friends/family and breeders rather than a veterinary surgeon/nurse (p < 0.001).RMD-feeding owners perceived their diet choice to provide a wide range of health benefits, including for coat health, oral hygiene, general digestive system health, anal sac clearance, mobility, performance and behaviour, and perceived NRMD as a health risk for most of these health factors (p < 0.001). NRMD-feeding owners perceived RMD to be a risk for bone splinters and foreign bodies (p < 0.001).RMD-feeding owners did not perceive diet to be a risk to their dog, themselves or in-contact dogs or people. In contrast, NRMD-feeding owners perceived the opposite (p < 0.001). ConclusionsFactors affecting dog food selection are multifactorial and complex, with owners who feed RMD and those who feed NRMD having differing views. Further research regarding benefits and risks of different diets is required, however it remains vital that communication regarding the public health risks of RMD is seen as credible to owners and disseminated in a way that reaches the desired audience.

Low-grade inflammation as mediator between diet and behavioral disinhibition: A UK Biobank study

BackgroundDietary patterns have been associated with variations in behavior. However, evidence has been limited and mixed, and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. ObjectiveExtend a previous study reporting significant associations between food patterns and behavioral disinhibition and explore whether low-grade inflammation is linked to behaviors and mediates the association between diet and behavioral disinhibition. DesignAmong participants of the UK Biobank (UKB) we extracted a single behavioral disinhibition principal component using the UKB touchscreen questionnaire, Mental Health Questionnaire (MHQ), and registered diagnoses. We identified four dietary patterns (prudent diet, elimination of wheat/dairy/eggs, meat-based diet, full-cream dairy consumption) by using the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Immune biomarkers and an aggregated inflammation score (INFLA-score) were used to characterize low-grade inflammation. Associations between dietary patterns and immune biomarkers, between immune biomarkers and disinhibition were assessed, with adjustment for demographics, lifestyle factors, and somatic health conditions. Next, mediation analyses were run to examine whether the association between dietary patterns and disinhibition was partially explained by inflammatory levels. We also conducted subgroup analyses to explore whether associations and the mediation effect differed by sex, age, ethnicity/race, body-mass-index (BMI), and socioeconomic status (SES). ResultsThe prudent diet was negatively, and the meat-based diet was positively associated with several pro-inflammatory biomarkers. Most immune biomarkers were positively associated with disinhibition (numbers of lymphocytes (βstandardized = 0.082, p < 0.001), monocytes (βstandardized = 0.043, p < 0.001), neutrophils (βstandardized = 0.071, p < 0.001), platelets (βstandardized = 0.022, p < 0.001), leukocytes (βstandardized = 0.093, p < 0.001), C-reactive protein (βstandardized = 0.051, p < 0.001), and for INFLA-score (βstandardized = 0.074, p < 0.001). In the mediation model, the INFLA-score mediated the association between prudent diet and meat-based diet and disinhibition score, with a significant indirect effect of low-grade inflammation for the prudent diet-disinhibition association (βstandardized = -0.007, p < 0.001) and for meat-disinhibition association (βstandardized = 0.001, p < 0.001)). Although all effects were small, covariates and interaction term adjustments did not attenuate the effects, and neither did most subgroup-only analyses. ConclusionsThe prudent diet was associated with a lower disinhibition score and this effect was partially mediated by the lower inflammation. Reversely, the meat-based diet was linked to more inflammation, which was associated with more disinhibition. Our findings suggest mediating effects of immune function in the relationship between diet and behavioral disinhibition. However further alternative designs such as interventional trials are needed to establish causal effects.

Microbiological Quality and Presence of Foodborne Pathogens in Raw and Extruded Canine Diets and Canine Fecal Samples.

Pet food can be a source of microbiological hazards that might affect companion animals and owners. Even though owners usually rely on conventional pet diets, such as extruded diets, new feeding practices, such as raw meat-based diets (RMBDs), have grown. RMBDs' benefits are still scientifically uncertain, while its risks have been documented. The use of canine RMBDs might increase the exposure to zoonotic pathogens, such as Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter spp., among others. Identifying pathogen prevalence in canine food and pets is required to contribute to public health measures. The aims of this study were: (1) to compare the microbiological quality of RMBDs and extruded diets (2) to identify and compare the prevalence of Salmonella spp., Campylobacter jejuni, and L. monocytogenes from raw and extruded canine diets and canine fecal samples, and (3) to characterize pet owners according to the diet chosen to be used on their pets, their motivations for using RMBDs, and their knowledge about benefits and risks related to this feeding practice. Conventional and molecular microbiological methods were used to identify pathogen presence from food and fecal samples, while pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed to evaluate the clonal relationship between isolates. Aerobic plate counts for RMBDs were higher than those detected for extruded diets. Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes were isolated from 35.7% (15/42) RMBDs, while Salmonella spp., C. jejuni, and L. monocytogenes from 33.3% (11/33) fecal samples from RMBD-fed dogs. From the RMBD samples positive to Salmonella spp., chicken was the main meat ingredient composing the diets. PFGE analysis confirmed a genetic association between Salmonella spp. isolates from fecal and raw food samples from the same household. We did not detect pathogens from extruded food samples or feces from extruded-fed dogs. Using a survey, we identified dog owners' unawareness and/or underestimation of risks related to RMBDs. We demonstrated that canine raw pet food might be a source of zoonotic foodborne pathogens that represent a health risk for both humans and pets. While clinical findings caused by the mentioned pathogens vary among pets, the zoonotic potential implies a significant concern.