Pork Meat Products Research Articles

Presence of Ochratoxin A Residues in Blood Serum of Slaughtered Pigs in Greece.

This study aimed to assess the presence of ochratoxin A (OTA) residues in the blood serum of slaughtered pigs in Greece. Samples were obtained from 1695 healthy slaughtered pigs originating from 113 different farms located in 21 geographic regional units in 8 different geographic regions of Greece and were analyzed using an immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector (HPLC-FD). OTA contamination assessment showed that 782 (46.1%) and 1233 (72.7%) samples were OTA-positive, with a concentration range of 0.20-5.38 μg/L and 0.15-5.96 µg/L according to ELISA and HPLC-FD analysis, respectively. Also, 88 (77.9%) and 108 (95.6%) of farms were found to be OTA-positive by ELISA and HPLC-FD analysis, respectively. The highest OTA serum positivity rate (>98%) and toxin level (5.96 µg/L) determined by HPLC-FD were observed in the Thessaly region, whereas a high prevalence of up to 100% (range 75-100%) was found on farms in the Crete Island region. The detection of OTA in the serum of slaughtered pigs in different regions in Greece poses a risk for animal and human health and highlights the need for constant OTA monitoring in the swine industry and pork meat production facilities.

Amelioration of tiger nut insoluble dietary fiber as a partial substitute for fat in meat emulsions: Techno-functional properties and in vitro protein digestibility

The effects of tiger nut insoluble dietary fiber (TNF) (1%-3% w/w) on techno-functional properties and in vitro protein digestibility of low-fat meat emulsions were examined. The results showed that TNF (especially 2% and 3%) could improve techno-functional performances of low-fat meat emulsions in terms of water binding capacity and textural attributes, which were even preferable to the high-fat control. The improvements were associated with the attenuated fluidity of inner water within the gels, the increased storage modulus (G′), the formation of a well-joined gel network with uniformly-dispersed fat particles and the uncoiling of α-helix and the formation of β-sheet. The weakened water mobility, the heat-triggered conformational shift from α-helix to β-sheet, as well as less and evenly distributed fat particles ulteriorly led to elevated protein digestibility in meat emulsions. Therefore, TNF shows promise as a fat substitute to develop fat-reduced emulsified pork meat products with desirable quality and digestion behaviors.

Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of multi-use of marine space: A comparative analysis of offshore wind energy and mussel farming in the Belgian Continental Shelf with terrestrial alternatives

The Belgian Continental Shelf is a highly used part of the North Sea, where many different maritime activities thrive, such as shipping, fishing and energy production. Offshore wind energy in particular has gained importance in the region and concessions zones are allowed to be combined with aquaculture activities. It is unclear what the environmental impact of maritime multi-use is, from a life-cycle perspective, where there is potential to create synergies in the value chains, and how similar the impact compares to currently used alternatives. Therefore, this study performs a Life Cycle Assessment on a combination of a full scale existing wind energy farm and a mussel farm design. When analyzing the net environmental impact results of the multi-use offshore farm at the level of three areas of protection, i.e. human health, ecosystem quality and natural resources, it shows that the mussel farm contributes relatively the most to the net impacts, while the majority of the avoided burdens are attributed to the wind farm. Mainly the supply chain of materials required to manufacture its components followed by the operational activities of the multi-use offshore farm contribute to the environmental footprint. Moreover, taking advantage of joint activities, i.e. combined transport between the wind and mussel farm during operational activities (Scenario 1) and at decommissioning phase (Scenario 2) did not show a significant reduction in the overall net impacts of a multi-use farm. The life cycle assessment results of a multi-use offshore farm are furthermore compared with relevant terrestrial benchmarks in Belgium, i.e. nuclear energy and pork meat production. While the benchmarks have a high burden on the area of protection ecosystem quality due water and land use requirements, the multi-use farm mainly impacts the remaining areas of protection, i.e. human health and natural resources, again as a consequence of the burdens of its supply chain. This study reveals the potential of offshore multi-use farms in terms of environmental sustainability, offering valuable insights to policy-makers and value chain actors, and generally contributes to well-informed decision-making.

Pork meat production: Proposal for monitoring indicators based on life cycle assessment

This study carried out a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the pork production process based on a detailed Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) of inputs and outputs of 3 years of the process, from the entrance of the live animal to the final packaged products. The Life Cycle Impact Analysis (LCIA) was carried out using the Environmental Footprint method to observe which impact categories are most relevant in environmental terms, excluding impacts related to production of the living animal. The results of the LCIA made it possible to identify the most relevant impact categories, such as Acidification, Climate change, Freshwater ecotoxicity, Freshwater and Marine eutrophication, Resource and Water use. The impacts detected supported the definition of critical Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and Process Performance Indicators (PPIs) in environmental aspects, establishing a cause-and-effect relationship with the organization's strategic objectives. A model for monitoring environmental impacts with established indicators was developed based on the LCA study of the pork processing. The proposed monitoring indicators were identified based on the environmental impacts and this industrial sector can utilize these findings to adopt a more sustainable process.

Antilisterial activity of olive-derived polyphenols: an experimental study on meat preparations

Pork meat and processed pork products have been linked to multiple listeriosis outbreaks worldwide during the past years. Specifically, it has been highlighted that minced pork meat is easily perishable and may increase the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, which could be harmful to the general public's health. This study aimed to investigate the potential application of olive oil mill wastewater polyphenolic and red beet extracts as natural antimicrobial agents for L. monocytogenes growth control in burgers. The minced pork meat was mixed with the extracts and experimentally inoculated with L. monocytogenes, then molded into vacuum-packaged and cold-stored (4±1°C) burgers kept under alternating exposure to fluorescent light. The L. monocytogenes enumeration was performed on burgers at 0, 2, 5, and 10 days of shelf life. In uninoculated burgers, physicochemical (pH, water activity, color) and sensory determination (descriptive sensory analysis) were also conducted. At the end of storage, the samples treated with olive-derived extract showed the lowest value of L. monocytogenes (approximately 1.3 Log CFU/g). The physicochemical and sensory traits of burgers have benefited from the addition of both olive-derived and red beet extracts. Results suggest that olive mill wastewater polyphenolic extracts could be added to minced pork meat products to act as a natural antimicrobial agent.

Serology survey of Ascaris suum and Trichinella spiralis in rural pigs in Southwestern Mexico.

Parasitic diseases of pigs are a public and veterinary health problem. Helminths influence pork production, whereas backyard pigs can transmit these parasites. This work aimed to investigate the prevalence of antibodies against Ascaris suum and Trichinella spiralis in backyard pigs from Jamiltepec, Region de la Costa, Oaxaca, in Southwestern Mexico. Six hundred sixty-four serum samples were obtained from backyard pigs from 23 rural villages distributed in 5 municipalities; samples were taken in a non-probabilistic manner with the owner's consent. The presence of serum antibodies against a total extract of A. suum adult worm was determined by ELISA. In contrast, antibodies to the excretion-secretion products of the T. spiralis muscle larva were determined by Western blot. The global seroprevalence for A. suum was 5.12% and 2.41% for T. spiralis; however, antibodies were only found in 8 villages and distributed in 3 municipalities. The highest frequency of positivity for Ascaris was found in the municipality of Santa Catarina Mechoacán (13.01%), whereas, in Santa María Huazalotitlán, the highest frequency of positivity for Trichinella was found (5.75%). In San Andrés, frequencies were 7.23% and 4.82%, respectively. No statistical differences were observed between populations. Our data suggest that helminth transmission is restricted by locality. However, further studies must be conducted to understand the factors limiting this transmission to promote pork meat production in parasite-free zones.

Consumption of Meats and Fish in Poland during the COVID-19 Lockdown Period.

The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions have significantly impacted the quality of life of society in many countries in various aspects. The purpose of this study was to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the consumption of meat and fish in society in Poland as well as the factors that determined these changes. The cross-sectional study was conducted using an original online questionnaire between 8th and 18th of April 2020. The subjects were selected randomly. The target population were adults living in Poland. The inclusion criterion for the study was the age of at least 18 years and consent to selfless participation in the study. Communication via social media such as Facebook or Instagram was used to enroll more participants from different socio-demographic subgroups. The questionnaire was divided into two parts-the first part contained questions about sex, age, body mass, body height, residence, level of education, and occupation, and the second part consisted of specific questions about the consumption frequency of different kinds of meat during the COVID-19 lockdown period (in comparison to the time before the pandemic). A total of 3888 people took part in the study including 84.54% women, with an average age of 30.17 ± 9.22 years. The frequency of poultry consumption increased, while for pork, beef, ham and other meat products as well as fish and seafood it declined. The factors that influenced the change in dietary patterns during the lockdown related to the COVID-19 pandemic included age, body mass index, gender, place of residence, and type of work performed. However, no relationship was found between the change in meat and fish consumption during the pandemic and the level of education and form of employment during the pandemic.

Discriminatory power of MALDI-TOF MS protein profiling analysis of pork meat and meat products

Forty different sample preparation methods were tested to obtain the most informative MALDI-TOF MS protein profiles of pork meat. Extraction by 25% formic acid with the assistance of zirconia-silica beads followed by defatting by methanol:chloroform mixture (1:1, v/v) and deposition by using the layer-by-layer method was determined as the optimum sample preparation protocol. The discriminatory power of the method was then examined on samples of pork meat and meat products. The method was able to discriminate between selected salami based on the production method and brand and was able to monitor the ripening process in salami. However, it was not able to differentiate between different brands of pork ham or closely located parts of pork meat. In the latter case, a more comprehensive analysis using LC-MS/MS was used to assess the differences in protein abundance and their relation to the outputs of MALDI – TOF MS profiling.

Trends in the livestock and pork market in Poland with regard to the environmental impact of this production direction

After joining the European Union, the market economy continued to drive structural changes in meat production and processing. Unfortunately, the functioning of meat markets was impacted by several threats with significant adverse influence. Phenomena such as the spread of ASF disease, the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union or the Covid-19 epidemic added instability to the already cyclical pork market. The study aims to evaluate the functioning of Poland’s pork market and to identify the main trend in this market. Livestock and pork meat production in Poland form a significant economic sector; however, it creates considerable environmental challenges. The study focuses on key aspects such as greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, feed consumption, and waste management. The study covers the years 2004-2021, i.e., the period of seventeen years after Poland's accession to the European Union. The statistical data analysis methods showed four to three-year cycles in pork live stock with a decreasing amplitude over time and high and relatively stable domestic demand for pork. This provides a favourable foundation for future production direction. However, the systematic changes in the structure of meat consumption and price development led to a steady increase in the share of poultry meat at the expense of pork and bovine during the observed year span.

Influence of starter cultures on microbiological and physical-chemical parameters of dry-cured products

Using the antagonistic competitive interaction of the microbiological cultures has become one of the potential and modern ways to improve the quality of dry-cured meat products. These studies aim to substantiate the use of the starter cultures for producing fermented pork meat products. The studies' physicochemical, microbiological, organoleptic, and statistical methods were used for their implementation. Two starter cultures were used on the basis of Lactobacillus plantarum, L. rhamnosus and Kocuria rosea (SC 1); Staphylococcus carnosus, L. plantarum, L. Rhamnosus and L. paracasei (SC 2). The dynamics of microbiota development, the dynamics of acidity, the content of sodium nitrite, parameters of water activity, the dynamics of moisture changes, the content of nitrogen-containing substances, the accumulation of free cyclic and acyclic amino acids, as well as the organoleptic characteristics were studied. It had been established that the undesirable microflora is suppressed due to the active development of the starter cultures in fermented meat products. The study results confirm that using the starter cultures while producing the dry-cured meat contributes to their dehydration and reduction of the parameters of water activity. Based on the tasting results, the samples with the addition of the compositions of the starter cultures received a total score higher than the control sample, in particular, they had a beautiful appearance, a cut of red color, an elastic consistency, a delectable flavor with a characteristic sour after-taste. The use of the starter culture based on the combination of Staphylococcus carnosus, L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus, and L. paracasei (SC 2) for the dry-cured meat products to be produced activates the microbiological processes, which improves the structural-mechanical properties of the meat product, increases the water-binding power and, as a whole, positively influences on the quality of the finished product. It has been shown that the use of the drugs SC 2 and SC 1, when the dry-cured pork balyks are produced, decreases the duration of the technological cycle by 3-4 days, as well as ensures a high degree of sanitary and epidemic safety of the finished product: the absence of pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms, the low residual content of sodium nitrite of up to 0.003%.

Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacteria from Meat and Meat Products: A One Health Perspective.

According to the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations, one of the sustainable development goals is to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. The need to ensure food safety includes, other than microbiological hazards, concerns with antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria. The emergence of resistant bacteria in the food industry is essentially due to the abusive, and sometimes incorrect, administration of antimicrobials. Although not allowed in Europe, antimicrobials are often administered to promote animal growth. Each time antimicrobials are used, a selective pressure is applied to AMR bacteria. Moreover, AMR genes can be transmitted to humans through the consumption of meat-harbouring-resistant bacteria, which highlights the One Health dimension of antimicrobial resistance. Furthermore, the appropriate use of antimicrobials to ensure efficacy and the best possible outcome for the treatment of infections is regulated through the recommendations of antimicrobial stewardship. The present manuscript aims to give the current state of the art about the transmission of AMR bacteria, particularly methicillin-resistant S. aureus, ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp., along with other ESKAPE bacteria, from animals to humans through the consumption of meat and meat products, with emphasis on pork meat and pork meat products, which are considered the most consumed worldwide.

The potential role of crop wastes in Uganda’s future pork and poultry meat production: A mini review

The potential role of crop wastes in Uganda’s future pork and poultry meat production: A mini review

Nutrition Value of Baked Meat Products Fortified with Lyophilized Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus undatus).

This study evaluates the nutritional value of a baked pork meat product containing lyophilized dragon fruit pulp. The selected nutritional properties of a baked pork meat product fortified with lyophilized Hylocereus undatus pulp in doses of 0.5%, 1.5%, 2.5%, and 4% were evaluated. For this assessment, changes in the basic chemical composition of the products, the content of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and phosphorus, and the profile of fatty acids were considered. Additionally, characteristics typical for meat products, such as pH, water activity, oxidation-reduction potential or thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and antioxidant properties of the product during 21 days of refrigerated storage, were assessed. The findings indicate that the use of higher doses of lyophilizate, i.e., in the amounts of 2.5% and 4%, significantly (p < 0.05) increases the nutritional value of meat products, leading to an increase in the concentration of essential minerals important for the proper functioning of the human body (calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron). These changes occurred without affecting the basic chemical composition (except for an increase in the content of fat and carbohydrates in the sample with the addition of 4% lyophilizate). The introduction of the fortification treatment improved the fatty acid profile, resulting in an increase in the content of C14:0, C16:0, C20:0, and C20:5n3. In addition, in the variant with a 4% dosage, there was an increased content of C8:0, C10:0, C16:1n7, C18:0, C18:1n9C + C18:1n9t, and C18:2n6C + C18:2n6t, C18:3n3 (alpha), C20:1n15, and C20:1n9. In this particular variant, an increase in saturated-, monounsaturated-, and polyunsaturated fatty acids was also observed, which was associated with an increased level of TBARS in meat products. However, the increase in the dose of lyophilizate caused an increase in the antiradical effect of meat extracts. Based on the results obtained, it seems reasonable to use a plant additive in the form of lyophilized dragon fruit pulp in the amount of 4.0% in the production of pork meat products.

High circulation of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in pigs from the central region of Argentina without evidence of virus occurrence in pork meat and derived products

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging cause of viral hepatitis and pigs are considered a reservoir for the virus. HEV genotype 3 (HEV-3) has been reported in pigs, environmental matrices, and sporadic human cases in Argentina. We aimed to investigate HEV circulation in pigs from central Argentina and to assess the virus presence in pork meat and food products. Four types of samples obtained or derived from pigs collected in Córdoba province (Argentina) between 2019 and 2022, were tested: 276 serum samples were analyzed for anti-HEV antibody detection; stool (n = 20), pork meat (n = 71), and salami (n = 76) samples were studied for RNA-HEV detection, followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analyses. The positivity rate for anti-HEV antibodies was 80.1% (221/276). Eleven fecal samples (11/20) tested positive for RNA-HEV, from animals under 120 days of age. Three samples could be sequenced, and phylogenetic analyses revealed that they belonged to HEV-3 clade abchijklm, clustering close to strains previously detected in wastewater from Córdoba. None of the muscle meat or salami samples tested positive. A high HEV circulation in pigs was found, showing that these animals may play a significant role in the viral maintenance in the region, becoming a potential risk to the exposed population. Despite not detecting RNA-HEV in pork meat and salami in our study, we cannot rule out the possibility of foodborne transmission in Córdoba province.

The Vertical Price Transmission in Pork Meat Production in the Czech Republic

The paper aims at vertical price transmission of the agri-food market in the Czech Republic. It is focused on the analysis of price transmission in pork meat by investigating the short-run and long-run relationships within the product and the speed of establishing the equilibrium relationship. For this purpose, there is employed specially VECM (Vector Error Correction Model), impulse-response analysis, and decomposition of variance of VECM, which show the system’s reaction. The applied approach considers five alternatives in the Johansen approach. The results suggest that there is an existence of the equilibrium relationship in vertical markets and this relationship is simultaneous and demand-driven. The impulse-response analyses show the response of the processing price to one standard deviation shock to the agriculture price from approximately 15–20 periods reaching long-run equilibrium. The response of the agriculture price to one standard deviation shock to the processing price reaching long-run equilibrium is also from approximately 15–20 periods.

Composition of pork and German meat products with a focus on iron, selenium and iodine

Composition of pork and German meat products with a focus on iron, selenium and iodine

Quality and Oral Processing Characteristics of Traditional Serbian Ćevap Influenced by Game Meat.

This study analyzes the influence of two different types of game meat (deer and wild boar) in relation to quality characteristics and oral processing attributes of skinless sausage. The goal of this study was to compare grilled game-meat-based "ćevap" with conventional pork-meat-based samples. Research comprised of color analysis, evaluation of textural components, testing degree of difference, temporal dominance of sensations, calculation of main oral processing attributes, and examination of particle size distribution. The results show that oral processing attributes are similar in between samples and concur with results of the pork-based sample. This confirms the working hypothesis that it is possible to make game-meat-based "ćevap" fully comparable with conventional pork meat products. In parallel, color and flavor characteristics are influenced by the type of game meat in the sample. Most of the dominant sensory attributes that occurred during mastication were game meat flavor and juiciness.

Trichinellosis in Hospitalized Children and Adults from Western Romania: A 11-Year Retrospective Study.

Trichinellosis, a serious and sometimes fatal human disease, is a consequence of consuming raw or improperly cooked meat containing the infective larvae of Trichinella spp. The aim of this observational cohort retrospective study is to compare the epidemiological, laboratory, clinical and therapeutic aspects of trichinellosis in children and adults from Western Romania. We investigated the medical records of patients who were diagnosed with trichinellosis and hospitalized between 17 January 2010 and 31 December 2020. One hundred thirty-three patients were identified according to the electronic databases of infectious disease hospitals, located in four counties from Western Romania. A total of 19 patients (14.28%) were children and 114 patients (85.71%) were adults. In children, the most frequent symptoms were digestive in 78.94%, followed by fever in 57.89%, eyelid or facial edema in 57.89% and myalgia in 52.63% of cases, while adults presented mainly myalgia in 87.71%, followed by fever in 77.19%, digestive symptoms in 68.42% and eyelid or facial edema in 66.66% of cases. The source of infection was pork meat products in the majority of patients (89.47%). Our results revealed a general declining trend in infection rates for both children and adults during the studied period. The vast majority of cases were severe and all required hospitalization. Education of the population along with public health strategies should be improved and maintained to fully prevent trichinellosis in Western Romania.

Hepatitis E virus in pork meat products and exposure assessment in Belgium

Zoonotic hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3 infections are the predominant cause of acute viral hepatitis in Europe, mostly associated with the consumption of HEV contaminated pork meat. In this study we looked at the HEV RNA positivity rate of pork meat products readily available from Belgian supermarkets and evaluated the overall HEV consumer exposure in a Belgian context.Two basic assessments were performed in a ‘worst-case’ scenario setting: one solely focusing on the contamination level of the product itself (ingredients and processing parameters) and another estimating the overall consumer exposure, taking into account consumption habits in Belgium. Non-thermal-processed ready-to-eat (i.e. ready for consumption without additional cooking step by consumer) pork meat products (e.g. raw dried sausages), had a high estimated HEV contamination level, while thermal-processed ready-to-eat pork meat products (e.g. pork liver pâté) had the highest overall consumer exposure estimates.Following these assessments, pork liver pâtés, raw dried hams and raw dried sausages (n = 54) were purchased from Belgian supermarkets (n = 3) and analyzed for HEV RNA by RT-PCR. In total, 31 % (n = 17) products tested positive. HEV RNA was found in 65 % of the pork liver pâtés, 15 % of raw dried hams and 0 % of raw dried sausages. Phylogenetic analysis of four isolates (all gt3c) from pork liver pâté samples showed similarities with human clinical cases from Germany and Belgium.

Epidemiological and genetic evaluation of HEV in swine slaughtered in Sicily region (Italy)

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the etiological agent of acute viral hepatitis, a disease transmitted by the oral-faecal route. In Europe, zoonotic transmission of HEV-3 genotype is associated with the consumption of raw or slightly cooked meat of pigs and wild boars that are considered the main reservoirs.This work aims to assess the occurrence of swines' HEV RNA liver samples and rectal swabs slaughtered in Sicily using biomolecular methods. HEV-RNA was detected in 17.5 % (21/120) liver samples analyzed and in 3.7 % (3/81) rectal swabs examined. All positive samples were predicted as genotype 3 and subtype 3c (75 %). These data suggest a potential HEV transmission to humans through close contact with pig breeders, veterinarians, slaughterhouse personnel, and pork meat product consumption. Moreover, there are few scientific data evaluating the HEV spread around pigs and humans in Sicily. Therefore, further studies are necessary to correlate humans with swine serotypes and to assess the HEV presence and persistence in food and the risk during the slaughtering process. These surveys allow to clarify the role of the swine species as a potential source of infection for other domestic or wild animals and humans and to establish possible control measures throughout the food chain.