Reduced Drip Loss Research Articles

Overall assessment of fermented feed for pigs: a series of meta-analyses.

As an alternative to antimicrobial growth promoters, fermented feed (FF) has been continuously developed for two decades; however, its effects on feed, performance, digestibility, and meat quality of pigs have yet to be systematically and comprehensively evaluated. This study aimed to (i) quantitatively evaluate the effects of fermentation on nutritional components of feed stuffs; (ii) quantitatively evaluate the effects of FF on pig growth performance, digestibility, and meat quality; and (iii) explore the dose-effect relationship. From PubMed and Web of Science (searched range from January 1, 2000 to April 4, 2019), we collected 3,271 articles, of which 30 articles (3,562 pigs) were included in our meta-analysis. Our analysis revealed that fermentation significantly increased the CP content in feed (P < 0.05). For weaned piglets and growing pigs, FF significantly improved ADG, G:F, DM digestibility, N digestibility, and energy digestibility (P < 0.05). However, compared with the basal diet, FF had no significant effects on growth performance and nutrient digestibility in finishing pigs (P > 0.05). In the subgroup analyses, fermented ingredients increased the growth performance of weaned piglets and growing pigs, and fermented additives promoted the growth of pigs at all stages. The dose-effect analysis confirmed that the optimal doses of fermented ingredients and additives were 8% and 0.15%, respectively. Furthermore, FF had beneficial impacts on meat quality through increased lightness, redness, marbling and flavor and reduced drip loss (P < 0.05). In conclusions, FF improved growth performance and meat quality primarily due to its positive effects on nutritive value and utilization.

74 Effects of dietary soy isoflavone supplementation on carcass cutability and meat quality of pigs infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory virus

Abstract The objective was to evaluate the effects of porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection and dietary soy isoflavone supplementation on carcass cutability and meat quality of commercial pigs. Barrows were randomly allotted to experimental treatments that were maintained throughout the study: non-infected pigs received an isoflavone-devoid control diet (NC, n = 22), and infected pigs received either the control diet (PC, n = 20) or that supplemented with total ISF in excess of 1,600 mg/kg (ISF, n = 25). Following a 7-d adaptation, weanling pigs were inoculated intranasally with either a sham-control (PBS) or live PRRSV (1×105 TCID50/mL, strain NADC20). At 1 d postmortem (192–194 days of age; approximately 120kg BW), left sides were separated between the 10th and 11th rib for determination of loin eye area (LEA), backfat thickness (BF), and loin quality (ultimate pH, instrumental color, drip loss, visual color, marbling, and firmness). Loin chops were aged 14 d postmortem prior to Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) determination. Belly width, length, thickness, and flop distance were determined. Data were analyzed as a one-way ANOVA with a model including effects of PRRSV status and dietary treatment, and also with single-df pre-determined contrasts to compare NC and PC (infection status) and PC and ISF (ISF effect within infected pigs). Carcass yield, LEA, BF, and estimated lean percentage did not differ (P &gt; 0.26) among treatments. Loins from NC pigs had increased ultimate pH (P = 0.01), reduced L* scores (P = 0.005) coupled with darker visual color scores (P = 0.004), were firmer (P &lt; 0.0001), and reduced drip loss (P = 0.01) compared with PC and ISF pigs. However, WBSF did not differ (P = 0.51) among treatments after 14 d of aging. Bellies from NC pigs were more firm compared with bellies from PC and ISF pigs (P &lt; 0.01). These data suggest PRRSV infection and soy isoflavone supplementation do not alter carcass characteristics but may marginally reduce loin and belly quality.

Effects of chlorogenic acid-enriched extract from Eucommia ulmoides leaf on performance, meat quality, oxidative stability, and fatty acid profile of meat in heat-stressed broilers

To investigate the effects of chlorogenic acid-enriched extract (CGAE) from Eucommia ulmoides leaf on performance, meat quality, oxidative stability, and fatty acid profile of breast meat in heat-stressed broilers, 400 28-day-old male Ross 308 broilers were randomly assigned into 4 groups with 10 replicates per group (10 broilers per replicate). Broilers in the normal group (NOR) were kept at 22 ± 2°C (24h/D) and fed the basal diet, and the other 3 groups were treated with cyclic heat (34 ± 2°C from 08:00 to 18:00 and 22 ± 2°C from 18:00 to 08:00) and fed the basal diet supplemented with 0 (HT), 500 (CGAE500), and 1,000 mg (CGAE1000) mg of CGAE/kg of diet. The experiment lasted for 14 D. Compared with the HT group, broilers in the NOR and CGAE1000 groups had a higher average daily gain and a lower feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05). CGAE supplementation at 1,000mg/kg increased pH24 value, a* value and total superoxide dismutase activity and reduced drip loss, cooking loss, L* value and the contents of malondialdehyde and carbonyl in breast meat of heat-stressed broilers (P < 0.05). Broilers in the HT group showed lower mRNA levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (P < 0.001), superoxide dismutase (P = 0.004), and catalase (P < 0.001) in breast meat compared with the other groups. CGAE supplementation at 1,000mg/kg reduced the stearic acid and saturated fatty acids (SFA) contents and increased the dihomo-γ-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and n-6 PUFA contents and PUFA:SFA ratio in breast meat of heat-stressed broilers (P < 0.05). In conclusion, CGAE supplementation at 1,000mg/kg could alleviate the adverse effects of heat stress on growth performance and meat quality and improve oxidative stability and fatty acid profile of breast meat in heat-stressed broilers.

Quality of fresh saithe (Pollachius virens) in modified atmosphere packages as affected by the gas composition

Abstract The experimental design was set up to study the effect of different modified atmospheres (CO2 (67 or 33%) balanced with either O2 or N2) on autolytic- and microbiological deterioration of chilled saithe (Pollachius virens). As controls, vacuum packaged saithe was used. The results showed a positive effect of gas mixtures containing O2 on physiochemical and microbial product quality. Discriminating factors were; lower psychrotrophic count, slower breakdown of ATP, lower contents of certain biogenic amines (e.g. cadaverine) and reduced drip loss during storage. A high CO2 concentration (67%) in the packaging atmosphere was moreover found to inhibit microbial proliferation. Vacuum-packaged saithe stand out negatively with highest DL and reduced sensory shelf life and physiochemical and microbial quality. It was moreover found that increased drip loss, and higher contents of hypoxanthine and cadaverine in the muscle tissue was related to the microbiological ecology (i.e. increased growth of Shewanella spp. and Photobacterium spp.).

Comparison of The Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Natural Antimicrobial Feed Additives on Lipid Oxidation, Microbial Content and Quality of Broiler Raw Meat

The study aimed to compare the effects of dietary supplementation of probiotic and olive leaf-, grape seed- and pomegranate peel extracts as natural antimicrobial on lipid oxidation, microbiological content and quality of raw broiler meat. Chickens were fed the control diet (CONT) and diets supplemented with probiotic (P), oleuropein (olive leaf extract, OLE100 and OLE200), proanthocyanidin (grape seed extract, GSE100 and GSE200) and proanthocyanidin (pomegranate peel extract, PPE100 and PPE200) at 100 and 200 mg/kg levels to the CONT diet. All dietary treatments significantly reduced MDA value of breast meat at 9th day, total aerobe bacteria and coliform bacteria contents of breast meat at 14th day. The P, OLE200, PPE100 and PPE200 diets significantly decreased lactic acid bacteria content of breast meat at 14th day. The pH value of raw breast meat at 24 h was significantly reduced by dietary treatments compared to the CONT diet. Feeding the P, PPE100 and PPE200 diets significantly increased water holding capacity of breast meat compared to those of broilers fed the CONT, GSE100 and GSE200 diets. The P, OLE200, PPE100 and PPE200 diets significantly reduced drip loss of breast meat at 7th day compared to the CONT, OLE100, GSE100 and GSE200 diets. Cooking loss of breast meat was significantly decreased by all dietary treatments except GSE diet compared to the CONT diet. It was concluded that probiotic, olive leaf- and pomegranate peel- extracts have potential to be used as natural antimicrobial feed additives in terms of the lipid oxidation, microbial content and quality of broiler meat.

Effects of contrasting concentrate feeding strategies on meat quality of growing and finishing dairy bulls offered grass silage and barley based diets

The objective was to examine the effects of concentrate level (barley grain 39 and 74 g dry matter/kg0.60 live weight) and allocation regime (steady, increased, decreased) on meat quality of growing dairy bulls fed grass silage ad libitum. Chemical, instrumental and sensory analyses were used for measuring quality of longissimus lumborum (LL). Greater concentrate level increased fat content (P = 0.035) and tenderness of sensory analysis (P = 0.009) of LL but did not affect pH, colour, drip loss, sarcomere length, shear force, juiciness or flavour. Periodic concentrate allocation reduced drip loss (P = 0.046) and tenderness (P = 0.001) compared to steady feeding. Observed effects on meat quality were minor and one explanation for this might be low carcass and meat fat content in all treatments. The experiment demonstrated the ability of growing bulls to adapt to different feeding regimes without major effects on meat quality, but simultaneously highlighted the challenge to affect beef quality by practically feasible diets.

Visible light exposure reduces the drip loss of fresh-cut watermelon.

Drip loss of fresh-cut watermelon has become a concern for both producers and consumers. The effect of visible light exposure on the drip loss of fresh-cut watermelon was evaluated. Visible light treatments of 3000 and 10 Lux were applied to fresh-cut watermelon at 4°C during the shelf life for 5days, with light exposure of 150 Lux as the control. The drip loss of the fresh-cut watermelon at 3000 Lux was 74.8% of that at 150 Lux on the fifth day, and the moisture evaporation at 3000 Lux was 1.89 times that at 150 Lux. Moreover, the light exposure of 3000 Lux reduced the activity of polygalacturonase, which is a key hydrolase related to cell wall degradation. The cell wall degradation ratio of the fresh-cut watermelon at 3000 Lux was 81.7% of that at 150 Lux on the fifth day. Overall, light exposure of 3000 Lux reduced drip loss by accelerating moisture evaporation in fresh-cut watermelon, as well as by reducing the activity of polygalacturonase and the ratio of cell wall degradation. Hence, exposing the fresh-cut watermelon to visible light of 3000 Lux during the shelf life was a feasible way of reducing drip loss.

Dietary enzymatically treated Artemisia annua L. improves meat quality, antioxidant capacity and energy status of breast muscle in heat-stressed broilers.

Heat stress (HS) is detrimental to animal-origin food production. Artemisia annua L., a natural source of phenolic compounds and flavonoids, exhibits antioxidant properties. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary enzymatically treated Artemisia annua L. (EA) supplementation on meat quality, antioxidant capacity, and energy status of breast muscle in heat-stressed broilers. The inclusion of EA increased the redness, reduced drip loss, decreased reactive oxygen metabolites and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, increased antioxidant enzyme activities, and reduced the ferric reducing antioxidant power and free-radical scavenging abilities of breast muscle in heat-treated broilers. Dietary EA supplementation increased adenosine phosphate concentrations and energy charge, and decreased the mRNA expression levels of heat-shock protein 70 and 90, but increased the mRNA expression levels of avian uncoupling protein, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α, and sirtuin 1 in the breast muscle of broilers exposed to HS. Dietary EA supplementation improved meat quality, antioxidant capacity, and energy status in breast muscle of heat-stressed broilers, which might be associated with altering pertinent mRNA expression; EA could therefore be used as a promising feed additive to mitigate HS in the poultry industry. This study recommended 1.00-1.25 g/kg EA in broiler diet. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of radiofrequency-assisted freezing on microstructure and quality of rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) fillet

Abstract In this research, freezing was combined with radiofrequency waves (RF) as a novel method and its application was investigated on rainbow trout fish. The main purpose of this study was determination of the effect of RF waves on freezing process and quality characteristics of fish after thawing as compared to the conventional air blast freezing method. The effects of three radiofrequency pulse patterns and three electrode gaps (2, 3 and 4 cm) on the quality of frozen fish such as drip loss, colour, texture and microstructure were investigated. As compared to the control sample, RF-assisted freezing reduced drip loss, however no significant difference was observed in weight loss on freezing. Textural analysis showed that hardness, gumminess and chewiness of RF treatments were similar to the fresh sample (unfrozen) and no significant difference was found between them. The colour of frozen fillets was not significantly influenced by RF application. Histology tests conducted to investigate the microstructure of frozen fish indicated that the size of the formed ice crystals was significantly reduced under RF-assisted freezing and at the minimum electrode gap it was about 75% of the size of the ice crystals of the control sample frozen without RF.

Very fast chilling modifies the structure of muscle fibres in hot-boned beef loin

The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the tenderisation mechanism associated with very fast chilling (VFC) of beef muscle. Hot-boned striploins from 36 carcasses were allocated to a treatment (control, delayed or immediate chilling below 0°C), and each striploin was divided into three equal portions and allocated to a time post-mortem (2, 5 or 14d). Immediate chilling resulted in lower peak force values at 2d post-mortem and lower particle size after 5d post-mortem. Both chilling treatments significantly improved the WHC by reducing drip loss and cooking loss. Sarcomere lengths were not affected by chilling treatments, although fragmentation and cleavage of muscle fibres were evident along the fibre length, possibly contributing to the reduction in peak force values at 2d post-mortem. Both delayed and immediate chilling resulted in a higher pH at 4 and 24h post-mortem, and colour parameters were modified. These results suggest that VFC has potential for accelerating tenderisation early post-mortem by a combination of biochemical and biophysical effects.

Effects of dietary supplementation with carnosine on meat quality and antioxidant capacity in broiler chickens

ABSTRACT1. This study aimed to investigate the effects of carnosine supplementation on meat quality, antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation status in broiler chickens.2. A total of 256 1-d-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly assigned to 4 treatments consisting of 8 replicates of 8 chickens each. The birds were supplied with 4 different diets: a basal diet or a basal diet supplemented with 100, 200 or 400 mg/kg carnosine, respectively. The whole experiment lasted 42 d.3. The results showed that dietary supplementation with carnosine linearly increased the values of pH45 min and redness and reduced drip loss of breast meat. Dietary carnosine increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes in liver, serum and breast meat and decreased the contents of lipid peroxides at 21 and 42 d of age.4. These findings indicated that dietary supplementation with carnosine was beneficial to enhance meat quality, antioxidant capacity and decrease lipid peroxidation status of breast meat.

Cryoprotective Effects of Trehalose, Alginate, and its Oligosaccharide on Quality of Cooked-Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) During Frozen Storage

The cryoprotective effects of trehalose, alginate, and its oligosaccharide on cooked shrimp were evaluated and compared with Na4P2O7 during frozen storage. Data indicated that significant inhibitory effects on decreases of water-holding capacity, water content, water activity, springiness, and chewiness values were more pronounced in trehalose-, alginate oligosaccharide-, and Na4P2O7-treated samples than in freshwater-treated samples. L* value analysis indicated that the saccharide-soaking-treatments showed positive effects on color stability of cooked shrimp. H&E and SEM studies indicated that the fibers of cooked shrimp from trehalose- and alginate-oligosaccharide-treated groups were arranged in a tighter manner than the control, and the extracellular space was significantly smaller than in control samples after 6 weeks of storage. The cryoprotective effects described above were probably due to the replacement of water molecules, concentration of water molecules near protein surface, ionic cross-linking action in muscle, or stability of tissue structures derived from trehalose and oligosaccharide in shrimp muscle. Practical Applications Frozen storage is the most common method for long-term preservation of cooked-shrimp products. However, some undesirable changes can occur during freeze/thaw process, such as protein denaturation, lipid oxidation, and decreased water-holding ability. Phosphates are widely used in shrimp products to reduce cooking loss, improve textural properties, increase water-holding capacity (WHC), retard oxidative rancidity, and develop color. However, excessive phosphate treatment may not only cause phosphate imbalance in the diet, which poses health concerns, but also decreases quality by rendering the shrimp translucent or crispy. For this reason, alternative additives that can retain water and reduce drip loss should be considered to minimize degradation and improve the quality of the shrimp products. This study provides information regarding the cryoprotective effects of saccharides on peeled cooked-shrimp during frozen storage. This application is of utmost interest, and might have widespread applications to extend the commercialization of refrigerated seafood to better guarantee quality and safety.

A Comparison of Natural (D-α-tocopherol) and Synthetic (DL-α-tocopherol Acetate) Vitamin E Supplementation on the Growth Performance, Meat Quality and Oxidative Status of Broilers.

The present study was conducted to compare the supplementation of natural (D-α-tocopherol) and synthetic (DL-α-tocopherol acetate) vitamin E on the growth performance, meat quality, muscular antioxidant capacity and genes expression related to oxidative status of broilers. A total of 144 1 day-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly allocated into 3 groups with 6 replicates of 8 birds each. Birds were given a basal diet (control group), and basal diet supplemented with either 20 IU D-α-tocopherol or DL-α-tocopherol acetate for 42 days, respectively. The results indicated that treatments did not alter growth performance of broilers (p>0.05). Compared with the control group, concentration of α-tocopherol in the breast muscle was increased by the supplementation of vitamin E (p<0.05). In the thigh, α-tocopherol content was also enhanced by vitamin E inclusion, and this effect was more pronounced in the natural vitamin E group (p<0.05). Vitamin E supplementation increased the redness of breast (p<0.05). In the contrast, the inclusion of synthetic vitamin E decreased lightness of thigh (p<0.05). Dietary vitamin E inclusion reduced drip loss at 24 h of thigh muscle (p<0.05), and this effect was maintained for drip loss at 48 h in the natural vitamin E group (p<0.05). Broilers given diet supplemented with vitamin E showed decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the breast (p<0.05). Additionally, natural rather than synthetic vitamin E reduced MDA accumulation in the thigh (p<0.05). Neither natural nor synthetic vitamin E supplementation altered muscular mRNA abundance of genes related to oxidative stress (p>0.05). It was concluded that vitamin E supplementation, especially the natural vitamin E, can enhance the retention of muscular α-tocopherol, improve meat quality and muscular antioxidant capacity of broilers.

Evaluation of Three-Step Pretreatment Combined with Air Blast or Cryomechanical Freezing in Improving the Quality of Frozen Strawberries (Fragaria×ananassa Duch. cv. Harunoka)

Abstract The freezing tolerance of the strawberries related to the application of various pretreatment methods combined with air blast (AB) or cryomechanical (CM) freezing was investigated during 24 weeks of frozen storage. Osmotic pretreatments with lemon juice (LJ) solution and crystallized sucrose (CS) exerted significant protective effects on color stability of frozen-thawed strawberries. As compared with no pretreatment, the combined pretreatment using sodium alginate (SA) or low methoxyl pectin (LMP) vacuum-infusion (VI) and subsequent calcium dipping for frozen strawberries reduced firmness loss by 11.5–34.2% and reduced drip loss by 84.6–91.7% depending on specific VI solutions and calcium concentration, while SA or LMP VI alone showed no significant improvement in the retention of texture. CM freezing not only provoked significant reductions in overall freezing time and moisture loss compared to AB freezing, but also resulted in minimizing color and texture instability of frozen strawberries when combined with the three-step pretreatment process.

Effects of dietary supplementation of guanidinoacetic acid and combination of guanidinoacetic acid and betaine on postmortem glycolysis and meat quality of finishing pigs

This work sought to evaluate the effects of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) and combination of GAA and betaine on postmortem glycolysis and meat quality of finishing pigs. A total of 180 cross-bred, castrated male pigs were randomly assigned to one of three experimental diets (pigs were adapted to the control diet for 7 days and experimental diets were given for 15 days): a control (CON; basal diet consisting of a ground corn-soybean base), a GAA diet (GAA; basal diet supplemented with 1g of GAA per kg of feed), and a combination diet (CGB; basal diet supplemented with 1g of GAA and 0.5g of betaine per kg of feed). Each treatment was replicated in three pens with 20 pigs each. Compared with the control group, GAA and CGB supplementation increased pH value at 45min (pH45min) and 24h (pH24h) (P<0.05) and reduced drip loss (P<0.05), cooking loss (P<0.05) and shear force values (P<0.01) in longissimus dorsi. In addition, dietary GAA and CGB increased the content of creatine (P<0.01), phosphocreatine (P<0.01), adenosine triphosphate (P<0.01) and the activity of creatine kinase (P<0.05). Both GAA and CGB diets increased mRNA expression of creatine transporter in longissimus dorsi (P<0.01) and kidney (P<0.05). The mRNA expression of l-arginine:glycine amidinotransferase was decreased in both experimental groups (P<0.01). The GAA and CGB diets reduced the activity of hexokinase (P<0.01) and the content of lactic acid (P<0.05). These results indicated that the dietary supplementation with GAA and CGB could improve meat quality via regulating some aspects of energy metabolism which delays muscle glycolysis.

Antifreeze Proteins: Characteristics, Function, Mechanism of Action, Sources and Application to Foods

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are synthesized by various organisms to enable their cells to survive subzero environments. AFPs exert their effects by lowering the freezing point of water as well as preventing the growth of ice crystals and recrystallization during frozen storage. Their ability to modify the growth of ice results in the stabilization of ice crystals over a defined temperature range and in the inhibition of the recrystallization of ice, which could reduce drip loss during thawing, improve the quality and extend the shelf life of frozen food. However, the high cost of these proteins and the requirement of biotechnological methods for commercial production limit their potential use in foods. Despite these limitations relatively small amounts are sufficient to exhibit activity, which suggests AFPs as possible additives for foods in the future. This review presents the results of investigations on the characteristics, function, mechanism of action, sources and potential food uses of AFPs. Practical Applications Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) act both by lowering the freezing point of water and by inhibiting ice crystals, and prevent recrystallization during storage. Because of their advantageous characteristics in recent years, numerous studies have been made on the use of AFPs in improving the properties of frozen foods. The aim of this paper is to present the results of numerous investigations on AFPs obtained from fish, plants or insects and discuss their characteristics, function, mechanism of action, sources and potential food uses.

Effects of dietary tryptophan and stocking density on the performance, meat quality, and metabolic status of broilers.

BackgroundHighly automated cage-rearing systems are becoming increasingly popular in China. However, a high stocking density can cause oxidative stress and decrease broiler performance. The tryptophan (TRP) derivative 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HT) has been shown to preserve membrane fluidity in birds suffering from oxidative stress. Therefore, this experiment was conducted to determine the effects of dietary TRP supplementation on performance, breast meat quality and oxidative stress in broilers reared in cages with a high or low stocking density.MethodsFemale Arbor Acres broilers (25-d-old, n = 144) were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 treatments. The birds were fed a diet based on corn, soybean meal, cottonseed meal and corn gluten meal containing either 0.18 or 0.27% TRP and were housed with stocking densities of 11 or 15.4 birds/m2 in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment. Broiler performance was evaluated from d 25 to 42. Eight birds from each treatment were slaughtered on d 42 and plasma and breast muscle samples were collected to measure biochemical indices.ResultsA higher stocking density tended to be associated with reduced weight gain (P < 0.10), and significantly increased plasma glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) activity (P < 0.001). Increased dietary TRP significantly reduced the activities of lactic dehydrogenase and GPT while increasing total cholesterol in the plasma (P < 0.01), reducing drip loss of breast muscle (P < 0.10) and improving feed efficiency (P < 0.10).ConclusionsAn increase in dietary TRP, 1.5-fold higher than the standard supplementation level, can alleviate oxidative stress as well as improve welfare and feed efficiency in broilers reared in cages with a high stocking density.

Effects of a dietary antioxidant blend and vitamin E on growth performance, oxidative status, and meat quality in broiler chickens fed a diet high in oxidants

The aim of the study was to determine the effects of a dietary antioxidant blend (AB) and vitamin E on performance, oxidative status, and meat quality. Cobb 500 male broilers (n = 1,200, d 0) were randomly distributed into 6 treatments with 10 replicate pens. Treatments included 1) HO: high oxidant diet, vitamin E at 10 IU/kg, 3% oxidized soybean oil, 3% polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) source; 2) VE: the HO diet with vitamin E at 200 IU/kg; 3) AOX: the HO diet with AB at 135 mg/kg; 4) VE+AOX: the HO diet with vitamin E at 200 IU/kg and AB at 135 mg/kg; 5) SC: standard control; and 6) PC: positive control, the SC diet with AB at 135 mg/kg. From d 0 through d 21, high oxidant diet treatment birds had greater BW, ADG, and ADFI than the SC birds; the AOX birds had better G:F on d 10 and 42, and from d 0 to 42 than SC birds (P < 0.05). The plasma TBA reactive substance level was lower in the AOX birds than the VE treatment birds in all phases (P < 0.05). High oxidant diet treatment birds had greater α-1-acid glycoprotein levels on d 10 than SC and PC birds (P < 0.05). The AOX, PC, and SC birds had a greater level of uric acid than the HO and VE+AOX birds on d 10. Superoxide dismutase expression in the liver was less with the HO treatment compared with the SC treatment on d 7 (P < 0.05). The vitamin E concentration in the breast muscle was greatest in the VE birds, whereas vitamin A concentration was greater in the PC birds compared with the SC birds on d 21 (P < 0.05). Compared with VE and AOX, the HO treatment had greater drip loss (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary addition of AOX was effective in improving growth, moderately restored the whole body antioxidant capability, and reduced drip loss.

Prolonged Shelf Life and Reduced Drip Loss of Chicken Filets by the Use of Carbon Dioxide Emitters and Modified Atmosphere Packaging

Modified atmosphere packaging containing CO2 is widely used for extending the shelf life of chicken meat. Active packaging by adding CO2 emitter sachets to packages of meat is an alternative to traditional modified atmosphere packaging. The purpose of the study was to investigate the shelf life of chicken filets under different CO2 concentrations at 4°C storage. The inhibition of microbial growth was proportional to the CO2 concentration. Storage in 100% CO2 both with and without a CO2 emitter sachet gave a microbiological shelf-life extension of 7 days compared with 60% CO2. Carnobacterium divergens, Carnobacterium sp., and Lactococcus sp. were the dominating species at the end of the storage period. During storage in pure CO2, the carbon dioxide dissolved in the meat and caused the collapse of the packages. The resulting squeeze of the meat lead to a severe increase in drip loss. The drip loss was reduced profoundly by using the CO2 emitting sachet in the packages. The addition of CO2 emitters can easily be implemented at industrial packaging lines without reduction in production efficiency.

Changes in meat quality traits and sarcoplasmic proteins during aging in three different cattle breeds

The effects of breed and aging time (1, 7, 14, 21d) were evaluated on physical meat properties and on sarcoplasmic protein changes in 24 young bulls from Romagnola×Podolian, Podolian and Friesian breeds. Aging affects lightness showing an increase in all breeds while changes in redness varied according to the breed. Podolian breed showed meat with the darkest and the reddest color and the lowest drip loss compared to the other breeds. Extending aging to 21d reduced drip loss from meat. SDS-PAGE and 2DE showed that many changes in the sarcoplasmic proteins occurred among breeds and during aging. During post-mortem some sarcoplasmic proteins decline in intensity after 21d highlighting that they were susceptible to aging. Protein identification and western blotting showed the presence of myosin light chains, Troponin T and tropomyosin proteins during aging, suggesting a degradation of myofibers and a more intense proteolysis especially in the Podolian breed.