Meal Samples Research Articles

Construction of an electrochemical sensor based on magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer-zeolite imidazole framework-8 fordetection of 3,4-benzopyrene.

Anovel molecular-imprinted electrochemical sensor for 3,4-benzopyrene (3, 4-BaP)in food samples, with high sensitivity and selective detection, is introduced. Firstly, graphene oxide was modified onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by electroreduction deposition to form an RGO/GCE sensing platform, thereby enhancing the sensitivity and stability of the sensor. Then, magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer-zeolite imidazole framework-8 (MMIP-ZIF-8) was synthesized in one step using the crystal growth method and modified onto RGO/GCE, endowing the sensor with good adsorption capacity and selectivity. The performance of the sensor for 3, 4-BaP was studied using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and the detection conditions of the constructed sensor were optimized. The results showed that under the optimal conditions, the constructed sensor exhibited a wide linear range (0.5 ~ 1000 nmol L-1), a low limit of detection (0.16 nmol L-1), and good selectivity and stability for the detection of 3, 4-BaP. It also showed a good recovery (99.74 ~ 102.58%) for the detection of 3, 4-BaP in actual corn meal samples. The MMIP-ZIF-8/RGO/GCE sensor developed has potential application prospects in the precise detection of 3, 4-BaP in food.

An industry survey of the composition and variability of soybean gums and soapstocks across US soybean processing plants.

Depending on the soybean processing plant, gums and soapstocks may be added back to soybean meal during soybean processing. Despite potential effects on soybean meal quality, there is limited information available on the composition and variation in soybean by-products and the resulting soybean meal if by-products are added back during processing. A total of 36 soybean by-product samples from 14 plants across 8 different companies were examined in an industry survey evaluating the composition and variation of soybean gums and soapstocks across the US. All soybean processing plants in the study produced at least one of two by-products: soybean gums or soybean soapstocks. Soybean by-product and soybean meal samples were collected within two different timeframes: May to July 2023 and October to November 2023. The individual plants surveyed constitute approximately 30% of total US soybean meal production, with 8 participating companies representing 80% of the total US soybean meal production. By-products were analyzed for lipid quality criteria including moisture, fat by acid hydrolysis, fatty acid analysis, and oxidation markers. Soybean meal samples were submitted for analysis of proximate composition, neutral detergent fiber, Ca, P, and trypsin inhibitor activity. Soybean gums had a greater (P ≤ 0.05) percentage of acid hydrolyzed fat and p-Anisidine value compared to soybean soapstocks. Soybean soapstocks tended to have a greater (P = 0.085) percentage of moisture and volatile matter as well as an increased (P = 0.052) concentration of insoluble impurities compared with soybean gums. Most notably, there was considerable variation in the composition of by-product samples among processing plants indicating differences in processing procedures or incoming soybean quality. Soybean meal containing added soybean by-products had 61% greater (P < 0.05) ether extract than soybean meal samples without added soybean by-products on a dry matter basis, but there was no difference (P > 0.10) in crude protein. Furthermore, trypsin inhibitor units varied considerably among plants with values ranging from 1.45 to 9.26 TIU/mg of seed powder, regardless of by-product inclusion. These results provide information on the composition and variation in soybean by-products across various processing plants; however, further information is still needed to evaluate their subsequent effects on livestock diets.

Evaluation of 1064 nm Raman for meat and bone meal species discrimination: From raw form to chemical and physical components

The 1064 nm Raman spectroscopy technique was employed to characterize raw, bone fragments (BF), meat fragments (MF), lipid, and residue of meat and bone meal (MBM) samples. Employing three chemometric algorithms, species discrimination models were optimized for the aforementioned sample types, indicating that the presence of BF favored discriminant analysis for poultry samples, yielding a classification error of 0.000. The species discrimination model constructed using Raman spectra combined with PLS-DA algorithm for residue samples was found to be overall optimal, with classification error for four species samples all below 0.061. A detailed analysis of the BF related spectral variables contributing significantly to PLS-DA discriminant analysis was conducted. Finally, this study established the complementarity of Raman spectroscopy in species discrimination analysis from both a physical and chemical components perspective, laying the theoretical groundwork for the development of a high-precision 1064 nm Raman spectroscopic analysis method for MBM species discrimination.

Occurrence and levels of aflatoxin contamination in poultry feed ingredients and layer mash in farms and feed mills in Ghana

The study assessed the incidence and contamination levels of total aflatoxins (TAF) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in feed ingredients and compound layer mash from six regions in Ghana. Thirty-five facilities comprising commercial poultry farms and feed mills were used in the study. There was 100% incidence of TAF and AFB1 in the samples of layer mash and feed ingredients (maize, soybean meal and wheat bran). The TAF of layer mash, maize and soybean meal (55.2, 54.0 and 47.6 µgkg-1, respectively) were significantly higher (P &lt; 0.05) than TAF of wheat bran (28.6 µgkg-1). Most of the layer mash, soybean meal and wheat bran samples had TAF concentrations exceeding the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) maximum limit of 20 µgkg-1. Mean TAF concentrations in layer mash and maize samples were strongly and positively correlated (r = 0.50; P &lt; 0.018). Layer mash, maize and soybean meal had significantly higher (P&lt; 0.05) AFB1 concentrations (33.0, 35.1, 26.5 µgkg-1, respectively) when compared to wheat bran (13.8 µgkg-1). Most layer mash and maize samples exceeded the European Commission’s maximum limits of 20 and 50 µgkg-1 respectively for AFB1. Mean AFB1 concentrations in layer mash and maize samples were strongly and positively correlated (r = 0.54; P = 0.01). High aflatoxins contamination of poultry feed is a persistent problem in Ghana. The use of toxin-binders, education of poultry farmers and feed millers on the implication of aflatoxins contamination in poultry feeds and the enforcement of regulation by Ghana’s food and drugs authority is recommended.

An Environmentally Compatible and Less Costly (Greener) Microwave Digestion Method of Bone Samples Using Dilute Nitric Acid for Analysis by ICP-MS.

An environmentally compatible and less costly (greener) analytical method for the digestion of bone meal samples using microwave-assisted dilute nitric acid (HNO3) was developed and optimized. The method, employing a mixture of 1 mL concentrated HNO3 and 4 mL of deionized water, offered a comparable performance to the conventional method using 5 mL of concentrated HNO3. The accuracy of the method was validated by using certified reference material NIST 1486 (Bone Meal); percentage recoveries were within ±15% for all eight certified elements. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in percentage recoveries between the green and conventional methods for all elements except calcium. The greenness of the developed method was evaluated by using the analytical Eco-Scale, achieving a score of 87, categorizing it as an "excellent green analysis" method. This research highlights the potential for adopting greener practices in trace element analysis that reduce the environmental impact and safety risks associated with concentrated acids.

Rapid estimation of DON content in wheat flour using close‐range hyperspectral imaging and machine learning

AbstractFusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the most destructive fungal diseases affecting wheat (Triticum aestivum). Moreover, it is notorious for producing mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON), posing a significant global threat to food and feed safety. Traditional methods like enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) are commonly used to assess DON levels in grain or flour samples and are time‐consuming and expensive. Therefore, a faster, cost‐effective method to estimate DON content is needed, especially for enhancing breeding efforts to reduce DON levels in wheat. In this study, we envisioned integrating close‐range hyperspectral imaging with deep learning (DL) models to estimate DON content in wheat meal/flour. We selected 243 advanced breeding lines from the South Dakota State University (SDSU) wheat breeding program that were evaluated in FHB nurseries (2019–2020 and 2020–2021). The wheat meal samples were analyzed for DON content using GC‐MS and subsequently subjected to close‐range hyperspectral imaging. We evaluated three conventional machine learning (ML), two DL models and data augmentation. Among the conventional ML models, partial least squares regression (PLSR) (with R2P = 0.88 and 0.90 for original and augmented datasets, respectively) demonstrated the highest prediction accuracies for DON content. However, the one‐dimensional convolutional neural network (1D‐CNN) achieved the highest prediction accuracies (R2P = 0.90 and = 0.96 for original and augmented datasets, respectively) compared to all tested models and demonstrated the lowest error. In conclusion, integration of advanced hyperspectral imaging with ML approaches exhibits significant potential for high‐throughput and cost‐effective estimation of DON content in wheat, thereby accelerating wheat breeding efforts for reduced DON levels.

PSXII-28 Physiochemical and nutritional characteristics of the newly developed value-added blended fat stimulated feed product in comparison with commercial protein and energy feeds

Abstract The objectives of this study were to determine physiochemical and nutritional characteristics of the newly developed value-added blended fat stimulated feed product (BFSFP) in comparison with commercial protein and energy feeds. The new value-added BFSFB with three-batch samples (BFSFP1, BFSFP2, BFSFP3) were developed. Barley grain (n = 3) and canola meal samples (n = 3) were obtained from Canadian Feed Research Center. Chemical composition and nutrient profiles were determined using standard feed analysis methods (e.g., AOAC, NRC-energy). The treatment design was a one-way structure. The experimental design was a CRD with feed treatments as a fixed effect. The data were analyzed using the Mixed model procedure of SAS. Tukey’s method was used for multi-treatment comparison. The results showed that compared with commercially available energy-rich and protein-rich feeds, the BFSFP had greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) ether extract (EE) than both canola meal and barley grain [4.8 vs. 1.0, 1.6 % dry matter (DM), respectively]. It had decreased ash content than canola meal but greater than barley grain (P &amp;lt; 0.05). For protein chemical profiles, the BFSFP had less (P &amp;lt; 0.05) CP (31.0 vs. 41.6, 12.5%DM), SCP (4.9 vs. 9.1, 3.4% DM), and NPN (11.0 vs. 18.2, 9.2% CP) than canola meal but greater than barley grain. The BFSFP had greatest NDICP (2.6 vs. 0.9, 0.4%CP) and ADICP (0.14 vs. 0.30, 0.06%DM) than both canola meal and barley grain. For carbohydrate chemical profiles, the BFSFP had greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) carbohydrate (58.1 vs. 50.4, 83.7%DM) and starch (4.5 vs. 1.3, 55.9%DM) than canola meal but less than barley grain. The BFSFP had greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) NDF (42.9 vs. 28.6, 18.9%DM) and hemicellulose (27.7 vs. 10.5, 12.9%DM) than both canola meal and barley grain. The BFSFP had had less (P &amp;lt; 0.05) ADF (12.7 vs. 17.5, 5.7%DM) and ADL (3.0 vs. 8.0, 0.8%DM) than canola meal but greater barley grain. As to energy profle, the BFSFP had no significant difference in NE for lactation when compared with barley grain and canola meal (1.80 vs 1.93 vs. 1.69 Mcal/kg DM, P &amp;gt; 0.05). The BFSFP had similar in NE for growth (1.29 Mcal/kg DM) when compared with canola meal (1.29 vs. 1.20 Mcal/kg DM, P &amp;gt; 0.05) but less than barley (1.29 vs 1.42 Mcal/kg DM, P &amp;lt; 0.05). In conclusion, the newly developed blended fat stimulated feed product differed in physiochemical and nutritional characteristics in comparison with commercially available energy-rich and protein-rich feeds.

257 Total degradable and undegradable protein and carbohydrate supply to dairy cows from the newly developed blended fat stimulated feed product in comparison with commercial protein and energy feeds

Abstract The objectives of this study were to determine total rumen degradable and undegradable protein and carbohydrate supply to dairy cows from the newly developed value-added blended fat stimulated feed product (BFSFP) in comparison with commercial protein and energy feeds. The new blended fat stimulated feed products with three-batch samples (BFSFP1, BFSFP2, BFSFP3) were developed. Barley grain samples (n = 3) and canola meal samples (n = 3) were obtained from Canadian Feed Research Center. Total rumen degradable and undegradable protein and carbohydrate supply to dairy cows were determined using the updated Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System. The treatment design was a one-way structure. The experimental design was a CRD with feed treatments as a fixed effect. The data were analyzed using the Mixed model procedure of SAS. Tukey method was used for mean separation. The results showed that compared with commercially available energy-rich and protein-rich feeds, the BFSFP had less (P &amp;lt; 0.05) total degradable protein supply to dairy cows (TRDP: 17.0 vs. 23.9, 7.4%DM) and total undegradable protein supply (TRUP: 13.9 vs. 17.8, 5.1%DM) than canola meal and greater than barley grain. For carbohydrate degradable and undegradable supply to dairy cows, the results showed that the BFSFP had greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) total degradable carbohydrate supply to dairy cows (TRUC) than canola meal and less than barley grain (TRDC: 26.0 vs. 20.8, 56.6%DM, respectively). The BFSFP had greater total undegradable carbohydrate supply (TRUC) than canola meal and barley grain (supply (TRUC: 30.3 vs. 28.7, 26.6%DM, respectively, P = 0.09).

Prediction of the apparent ileal digestible amino acid contents of canola meal for broilers from crude protein content

Context Canola meal is a protein-rich feedstuff with an amino acid profile that is reasonably well balanced and has the potential to replace soybean meal in poultry diets. Aim The objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the crude protein content and apparent ileal digestible amino acid contents of Australian canola meals. Methods Thirteen canola meal samples, processed by expeller or solvent extractions, were collected. The digestibility assay diets were based on dextrose and contained canola meal as the sole source of protein. The proportions of dextrose and canola meal were varied in each diet to obtain ~200 g/kg crude protein. Each diet was fed to three cages of six 35-day-old broilers for 7 days. At the end of the assay, digesta from the terminal ileum was collected for digestibility determination. Key results Crude protein contents were positively correlated with amino acid contents (P &lt; 0.05 to 0.001), except that of serine (r = 0.43; P = 0.11). Significant correlations between the crude protein content and ileal digestible contents were observed for most of amino acids, with coefficients of &gt;0.80 (P &lt; 0.05 to 0.001). Low correlation coefficients were observed for lysine (r = 0.48; P = 0.11) and serine (r = 0.55; P = 0.06). The poor correlation for lysine may be reflective of reduced lysine availability during processing. Conclusions The results showed that the crude protein content of canola meal could serve as a predictor of apparent ileal digestible content of most amino acids for broiler chickens. Implications Regression equations developed in the present study could be used to predict the content of ileal digestible amino acids in canola meal by using analysed crude protein contents.

Exploring the impact of giving free food samples and loyalty cards on sustainable food choices: A stepped wedge trial in workplace food outlets

Free samples and loyalty cards are frequently used, but there is little rigorous empirical testing of their effects. We conducted a stepped wedge trial in 29 workplace food outlets to investigate their effects on sales of plant-based meals. Outlets were randomly assigned to three sequences that entered the intervention in the first, second, or third week of August 2022. Free samples of plant-based meals were given out in the first week of the intervention; loyalty cards were available throughout, entitling the bearer to a free meal after they had bought three. The intervention period ended in the last week of August for all outlets. The free meal could be redeemed until one month later. We did not find statistically significant effects of the interventions compared to the baseline period. Our process evaluation indicated that many participants preferred to eat their habitual meal or were unaware of the loyalty cards.

Quantitative determination of oxides in cement raw meal based on near-infrared spectroscopy and hybrid feature selection strategy

Determining the content of components in cement raw meal is vital in Portland cement manufacturing. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)enables rapid, safe, and accurate quantitative analysis of the primary constituents of cement raw meal (CaO, SiO2, Al2O3, and Fe2O3), thereby assisting the cement industry in reducing the time delay in raw meal proportioning control and enhancing the quality of the raw meal. This study employed a hybrid feature selection strategy to identify effective feature points in the NIRS of raw meal samples. Effective feature points from the raw meal were integrated with partial least squares (PLS) to develop a regression model. Initially, NIRS data from raw meal samples were obtained using a Fourier NIR spectrometer. Subsequently, sample set partitioning based on joint X-Y distance (SPXY) was utilized to divide the samples into a calibration set (70 samples) and a validation set (22 samples). Next, A backward interval partial least squares (BiPLS) approach, along with various preprocessing algorithms, was then employed to initially screen the optimal waveband combinations of the NIRS. Within these combinations, effective feature points were further identified using competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), variable combined population analysis (VCPA) and weighted fusion variable space shrinkage approach (WFVSSA). Finally, we developed and compared PLS models based on the full spectrum and three hybrid feature selection methods. The results demonstrated that.WFVSSA offers a comprehensive assessment of wavelength importance, effectively preserving feature points while eliminating redundant information. BiPLS-WFVSSA-PLS outperformed BiPLS-CARS-PLS and BiPLS-VCPAPLS on the validation set, with R2, RMSEP, and RPD values of 0.8676, 0.1431, and 2.8129 for CaO; 0.9212, 0.1216, and 3.6461 for SiO2; 0.9198, 0.0607, and 3.5618 for Al2O3; and 0.8717, 0.0166, and 2.8614 for Fe2O3, respectively. These findings underscore the superior accuracy and stability of BiPLS-WFVSSA-PLS in determining cement raw meal component contents.

Microplastics contamination in commercial fish meal and feed: a major concern in the cultured organisms

The growing scale of plastic pollution causes a devastating impact on the aquatic ecosystem. The people largely depend on animal-based food for their protein requirements. In this study, we analysed 10 different fish meal samples and 20 feed samples used in farming to understand the level of microplastic (MPs) contamination and estimate the amount of MPs ingested by farmed fish, shrimp, and chicken through feed. The abundance of MPs in fish meal samples ranges from 210 ± 98.21 to 1154 ± 235.55 items/kg. The fish meal produced from dried fish is more prone to MPs contamination than that produced from fresh fish. In the case of fish feed, MP abundances range from 50 ± 22.36 to 160 ± 36.57 items/kg in shrimp feeds, 60 ± 26.74 to 230 ± 52.32 items/kg in fish feeds and 90 ± 25.11 to 330 ± 36.12 items/kg in chicken feeds. The exposure rate of MPs is higher in the grower- and finisher-stage feeds than in the starter feed. Fiber-shaped MPs of size 100–500 μm with PE and PP polymers were predominantly found in fish meal and feed samples. EDAX analysis showed the presence of Cr, Cd, Ti, Ni, Cu, As, Al, Pb, Hg, Cd, Ti, Fe, Ca, K, and Si in fish meal samples and Ca, Na, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cl, Al, Si, S, Pb, Cd, Ti, Cr, Mg and Fe in feed samples. The possible level of exposure of microplastic particles was calculated based on MP contamination in feed, feed consumption rate, and body weight. We estimated an MP exposure level of 531-1434 items/kg feed for farmed shrimp, 234–4480 items/kg feed for fishes, and 3519–434,280 items/kg feed for chicken. This study concludes that fish meal and feed are one of the important exposure routes of MPs to the farmed animals.

Evaluation of fish meal freshness using a metal-oxide semiconductor electronic nose combined with the long short-term memory feature extraction method.

To improve the classification and regression performance of the total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and acid value (AV) of different freshness fish meal samples detected by a metal-oxide semiconductor electronic nose (MOS e-nose), 402 original features, 62 manually extracted features, manually extracted and selected features by the RFRFE method, and the features extracted by the long short-term memory (LSTM) network were used as inputs to identify the freshness. The classification performance of the freshness grades and the estimation performance of the TVB-N and AV values of fish meal with different freshness were compared. According to the sensor response curve, preprocessing and feature extraction steps were first applied to the original data. Then, five classification algorithms and four regression algorithms were used for modeling. The results showed that a total of 30 features were extracted using the LSTM network, and the number of extracted features was significantly reduced. In the classification, the highest accuracy rate of 95.4% was obtained using the support vector machine method. In the regression, the least squares support vector regression method obtained the best root mean square error (RMSE). The coefficient of determination (R2), RMSE, and relative standard deviation (RSD) between the predicted value of TVBN and the actual value were 0.963, 11.01, and 7.9%, respectively. The R2, RMSE, and RSD between the predicted value of AV and the actual value were 0.972, 0.170, and 6.05%, respectively. The LSTM feature extraction method provided a new method and reference for feature extraction using an E-nose to identify other animal-derived material samples.

A novel “on-off-on” electrochemiluminescence aptasensor based on resonance energy transfer as signal amplification strategy for ultrasensitive detection of sulfadiazine in different samples

The misuse of antibiotics may contaminate the environment and cause harm to human health. Therefore, rapid and accurate detection of antibiotics is essential. In this study, a novel electrochemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (ECL-RET) pair was designed using a new ECL emitter (CPM, Ce-TBAPy) as the donor and Co-MOF@AuPt as the acceptor. Moreover, a highly sensitive and specific “on-off-on” ECL aptasensor was constructed for detecting sulfadiazine (SDZ). The aptasensor exhibited a broad linear range (from 10.0 fg mL−1 to 100 ng mL−1) for the SDZ concentration, with limit of detection and limit of quantification values of 1.14 fg mL−1and 3.75 fg mL−1, respectively. The aptasensor achieved good results in spiking experiments with milk and egg samples, and successfully quantified SDZ in fish meal quality control sample. The prepared aptasensor presents great potential for food and environmental safety by detecting antibiotics.

Detection of Microplastic Contamination in Commercial Insect Meals

Background: Escalating global plastic production, expected to reach 34,000 million tons by 2050, poses a significant threat to human and environmental well-being, particularly in aquatic ecosystems. Microplastics (MP) and nanoplastics (NP), which originate from the degradation of plastics, are of concern due to their potential bioaccumulation and uptake of pollutants. This study addresses identification methods and focuses on insect meal, a raw material for aquaculture feed. Methods: By using different techniques, the study was able to detect MP and NP in insect meal samples. Chemical digestion with KOH at 60 °C efficiently removed organic matter without affecting the synthetic polymer polyethylene (PE). Filtration, confocal Raman microscopy, SEM, and TEM were used for comprehensive analysis, and integrity tests on PE films were performed using Raman and FTIR spectroscopy. The results showed the presence of PE microplastic particles in the insect meal, which was confirmed by correlative Raman and SEM mapping on a positively charged surface. In addition, the increased resolution of the Raman microscope identified submicrometric PE NP (800 nm). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) confirmed plastic-like structures in the insect meal, highlighting the presence of PE plastics characterized by irregular shapes and some agglomeration. The higher carbon concentration in the EDX analysis supported the plastic nature, which was also confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. Conclusions: The study provides a robust method for the detection of MP and NP in insect meal and provides valuable insight into the possible presence of plastics in insect-based aquafeeds. The combination of different analytical methods increases the reliability of the results and sets the stage for future investigations that could focus on the quantification of NP and the assessment of their potential environmental impact.

Assessment of meta-schist as a novel sustainable resource for Portland cement manufacturing

In this study, the use of meta-schist as an alternative to sand–clay in preparing cement raw mixtures was investigated for the first time. To produce the highest quality Portland cement clinker by examining the mineral and chemical properties of meta-schists, two different raw meal samples were prepared, utilising conventional cement clay as a baseline sample ((PC)Ref) and the other with meta-schist ((PC)MSC). The effects of both raw mixtures on burnability tests and reactivity were evaluated based on the unreacted lime content in samples after they had been sintered at 1200, 1300, 1350, 1400 and 1450°C. The porosity amount, distribution, grain structure of silicate phase crystals, and equivalent crystal diameters and amounts of meta-schist clinker phases (C3S, C2S, C3A and C4AF) examined by polarising optical microscope showed that they are suitable for the production of PC. The hydration products of the cement mortars were determined by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis at 2, 7 and 28 days. In addition, the compressive strength test results of (PC)MSC and (PC)Ref mortars after 28 days of curing ranged between 57 and 55.5 MPa, and the cement produced was classified as CEM I 42.5R.

112 Nutritional, feed safety, and environmental benefits and limitations of using soybean co-products in swine diets

Abstract Various types of soybean co-products are used in swine diets which have benefits and limitations related to protein quality, environmental impact, and feed safety. To address these concerns for sustainable pork production, methodologies have evolved. Soybean processing and storage methods affecting protein oxidation have been studied less than lipid oxidation. Protein carbonyl concentrations were measured and compared among diverse samples of soybeans and soybean meal from different regions of the US and processed by mechanical or solvent extraction. Mechanically extracted soybean meal had greater concentrations of protein carbonyls than solvent extracted soybean meal which were associated with a greater concentration of residual oil. Soybeans and their co-products also contain antioxidants that may protect against more extensive lipid and protein oxidation. Understanding the interactions between natural antioxidants and oxidation of lipid and proteins in soy co-products is important for optimizing nutritional efficiency and health in sustainable pork production systems. Because soybean meal is a major component of swine diets, its origin and environmental footprint affects the environmental impact of feed, manure, and pork production. Using a spatially explicit lifecycle assessment of feed ingredients and regional manure management programs, we compared the effect of using four feeding programs on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, land use, and embedded water consumption in 3 major U.S. pork production regions assuming they would provide equal growth performance and carcass composition. Although environmental impacts varied among regions, the corn-soybean meal feeding program resulted in the greatest land and water use of all grower-finisher feeding programs, and more GHG emissions than feeding low protein amino acid supplemented (LP) diets and diets containing 8% supermarket food waste, but less overall GHG emissions than the distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) feeding program. Results from a subsequent study showed that feeding corn-soybean meal diets optimized growth performance and carcass composition while simultaneously reducing impacts on climate change, marine and freshwater eutrophication, and fossil resource use compared with feeding DDGS and LP diets. Lastly, the extended survival of infectious agents such as African swine fever virus in feed ingredients has important implications for biosecurity and prevention of transboundary transmission of swine diseases. We developed a risk-free in situ surrogate non-animal assay (RISNA) to estimate survival of ASFV in various feed ingredients and conditions, and results indicate greater thermal stability than previously observed, and comparable extended survival among corn- and soybean-based ingredients. These new insights will be useful in revising feed biosecurity protocols to prevent introduction and transmission of ASFV in feed supply chains. In conclusion, holistic assessments of feed ingredients, like our evaluation of soybean co-products, are needed to achieve a more sustainable, One Health approach to pork production.

Apparent metabolizable energy and ileal amino acid digestibility of commercial soybean meals of different origins in broilers

We studied the chemical composition and the in vivo AMEn content and apparent (AID) and standardized (SID) ileal digestibility of CP and amino acids (AA) of 27 samples of soybean meals (SBM) from Argentina (ARG), Brazil (BRA), and USA, collected in Spain. On 88% DM basis, the BRA meals had more CP (46.9 vs. 46.0 and 45.9%; P < 0.05) and less sucrose (5.21 vs. 6.28 and 6.47%; P < 0.001) and stachyose (4.20 vs. 4.66 and 4.78%; P < 0.05) than the USA and ARG meals. Urease activity, protein dispersibility index, KOH protein solubility, and trypsin inhibitor activity values, were higher for the USA meals than for the South American meals (P < 0.05). In the in vivo trial, broilers received a common crumble diet from 0 to 16 d of age and then, their respective experimental diets (53% of a N-free diet and 47% of each of the 27 SBM tested) in mash form, for 5 d. The AMEn (2,334 vs. 2,282 and 2,277 kcal/kg; P = 0.062) and the AID (87.3 vs. 86.7 and 86.4%; P = 0.054) and SID (91.9 vs. 91.2 and 90.8%; P < 0.05) of the protein, were greater for the USA meals than for the ARG and BRA meals. In fact, the SID of Lys (93.5 vs. 93.0 and 92.1%; P < 0.001) and of the sum of Lys, Met, Thr, Trp, and Cys (91.4 vs. 91.0 and 90.2%; P < 0.05) were greater for the USA meals than for the ARG and BRA meals. In summary, the chemical composition, protein quality indicators, AMEn content, and ileal digestibility of the CP and the AA of the SBM, varied with the country of origin of the soybeans. In order to increase the accuracy of the feed formulation process, the composition and nutrient content of commercial batches of SBM, by country of origin should be controlled and periodically updated.

Metabolizable Energy and Amino Acid Digestibility of Soybean Meal from Different Sources for Broiler Chickens Supplemented with Protease.

This study investigated the effect of the serine protease on metabolizable energy and amino acids' digestibility of different soybean meal for broilers. A total of 684 broilers chickens form 14 to 23 d age were distributed with nineteen treatments, six replicates, and six birds per replicate. Nine samples of soybean meal from different regions in Brazil were used, with some samples supplemented with the protease enzyme and others without addition. Apparent and corrected-for-nitrogen-balance metabolizable energy were evaluated, as well as the coefficients of amino acid digestibility. All collected data were submitted to ANOVA at a significance level of 5% and Tukey's test was applied. The results showed that the addition of the protease enzyme significantly increased the values of AME and AMEn in all soybean meal samples. The soybean meal of different origins has significant variations in AME and AMEn. The addition of the protease improved the digestibility of essential amino acids compared to soybean meal without enzyme addition. These results indicate that supplementation with serine protease can improve the metabolizable energy and amino acid digestibility of soybean meal from different regions in the diet of broilers, potentially being an effective strategy to enhance nutrient utilization and animal performance.

Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Enterococcus spp. isolated from animal feed in Japan.

The rising prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of bacteria is a global health problem at the human, animal, and environmental interfaces, which necessitates the "One Health" approach. AMR of bacteria in animal feed are a potential cause of the prevalence in livestock; however, the role remains unclear. To date, there is limited research on AMR of bacteria in animal feed in Japan. In this study, a total of 57 complete feed samples and 275 feed ingredient samples were collected between 2018 and 2020. Enterococcus spp. were present in 82.5% of complete feed (47/57 samples), 76.5% of soybean meal (62/81), 49.6% of fish meal (55/111), 33.3% of poultry meal (22/66), and 47.1% of meat and bone meal (8/17) samples. Of 295 isolates, E. faecium (33.2% of total isolates) was the dominant Enterococcus spp., followed by E. faecalis (14.2%), E. hirae (6.4%), E. durans (2.7%), E. casseliflavus (2.4%), and E. gallinarum (1.0%). Of 134 isolates which were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility, resistance to kanamycin was the highest (26.1%), followed by erythromycin (24.6%), tetracycline (6.0%), lincomycin (2.2%), tylosin (1.5%), gentamicin (0.8%), and ciprofloxacin (0.8%). All Enterococcus spp. exhibited susceptibility to ampicillin, vancomycin, and chloramphenicol. Of 33 erythromycin-resistant isolates, only two showed a high minimum inhibitory concentration value (>128 μg/mL) and possessed ermB. These results revealed that overall resistance to antimicrobials is relatively low; however, animal feed is a source of Enterococcus spp. It is essential to elucidate the causative factors related to the prevalence of AMR in animal feed.