White Meat Research Articles

Characterization of biodiversity and meat quality in Guizhou yellow cattle: Correlations among intrinsic factors

This study aimed to characterize meat quality diversity among Guizhou yellow cattle and investigate the correlations among intrinsic factors that affect beef quality. Various cuts including chuck roll, fore shank, topside, rib fingers, flank, brisket, and tenderloin were taken from the carcass of Sinan cattle, Guanling cattle, and the Simmental-Guanling crossbred cattle for meat quality comparisons. The results showed that meats of all three breeds displayed high water-holding capacity and desirable meat colors, but they were tough in texture. Variations among the breeds were identified, with Guanling cattle having darker meat than the crossbred cattle. The crossbreed had lower shear force indicating potential heterosis benefits, and possessed higher fat content. Guizhou yellow cattle were leaner and more abundant in protein and umami amino acids, potentially contributing to favorable flavor. The hierarchical cluster analysis and nutritional indices assessment implicated that the composition of fatty acids demonstrated a breed-specific effect in Guanling cattle, offering greater benefits in cardiovascular disease prevention. The increased quantity of vitamin A present in the majority of cuts from crossbred and Sinan cattle enhanced their nutritional value. By multivariate data analysis, we found that as the variations in physicochemical properties increased, the nutrient compositions in beef became more complex. Overall, this study demonstrated that meats from all three breeds were nutrient-balanced high-quality protein sources, although certain indexes may vary across cuts and breeds. These variations should be considered when developing breeding strategies in the future.

Spatial metabolomics using mass-spectrometry imaging to decipher the impact of high red meat diet on the colon metabolome in rat

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in the world with a higher prevalence in the developed countries, mainly caused by environmental and lifestyle factors such as diet, particularly red meat consumption. The metabolic impact of high red meat consumption on the epithelial part of the colon was investigated using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MSI), to specifically analyze the epithelial substructure. Ten colons from rats fed for 100 days high red or white meat diet were subjected to untargeted MSI analyses using two spatial resolutions (100 μm and 10 μm) to evaluate metabolite changes in the epithelial part and to visualize the distribution of metabolites of interest within the epithelium crypts. Our results suggest a specific effect of red meat diet on the colonic epithelium metabolism, as evidenced by an increase of purine catabolism products or depletion in glutathione pool, reinforcing the hypothesis of increased oxidative stress with red meat diet. This study also highlighted cholesterol sulfate as another up-regulated metabolite, interestingly localized at the top of the crypts. Altogether, this study demonstrates the feasibility and the added value of using MSI to decipher the effect of high red meat diet on the colonic epithelium.

Consumption of red, white, and processed meat and odds of developing kidney damage and diabetic nephropathy (DN) in women: a case control study

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most prevalent and severe complications of diabetes mellitus (DM) and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We aimed to investigate the associations between red, processed, and white meat consumption and the odds of developing kidney damage and DN in women. We enrolled 105 eligible women with DN and 105 controls (30–65 years). A validated and reliable food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to evaluate the consumption of red, processed, and white meat. Biochemical variables and anthropometric measurements were assessed for all patients using pre-defined protocols. Binary logistic regression was conducted to examine possible associations. The results of the present study showed that there was a direct significant association between high consumption of red meat and processed meats and odds of microalbuminuria (red meat 2.30, 95% CI 1.25, 4.22; P-value = 0.007, processed meat: OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.18, 3.95; P-value = 0.01), severe albuminuria (red meat OR 3.25, 95% CI 1.38, 7.46; P-value = 0.007, processed meat: OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.01, 5.49; P-value = 0.04), BUN levels (red meat: OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.10, 5.93; P-value = 0.02, processed meat: OR 2.42, 95% CI 1.04, 5.62; P-value = 0.03), and DN (red meat 2.53, 95% CI 1.45, 4.42; P-value = 0.001, processed meat: OR 2.21; 95% CI 1.27, 3.85; P-value = 0.005). In summary, our study suggests that higher consumption of red and processed meat sources may be associated with microalbuminuria, severe albuminuria, higher BUN level, and higher odds of DN.

Abstract PO5-27-04: The epidemiological profile and lifestyle of non-village indigenous women from Amazonas, Brazil and the likely impact on breast cancer mortality

Abstract Introduction: The high and growing incidence of breast cancer is a reality in almost every continent. However, the low mortality from this neoplasm among indigenous people of Amazonas, Brazil, is an intriguing fact (table 1). Inspite having a lower life expectancy at birth, the magnitude of low mortality is even greater. Indigenous women have gradually integrated into the non-indigenous community, and the reality of low mortality from breast cancer may be at risk of not existing in the future if the justification is in their reproductive epidemiological profile and lifestyle. Objective: This work seeks to find variables that can justify the fact that indigenous women from the Amazon region die less from breast cancer when compared to non-indigenous women. To achieve this, we evaluated reproductive epidemiological factors and lifestyle in non-village indigenous women and compared them with the same data in non-indigenous women. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study consisting of a convenience sample in which all indigenous people treated at the Mastology Outpatient Clinic of the Getúlio Vargas University Hospital of the Federal University of Amazonas were invited to participate from September 2020 to March 2023. There were 126 women: 39 non-village indigenous people who have lived in Manaus for more than 5 years and are integrated into society, 47 non-village indigenous people who live in riverside and interior populations of Amazonas - or in Manaus for less than 5 years - and 40 non-indigenous individuals. A questionnaire in interview format was administered with the objective of evaluating epidemiological and reproductive aspects such as age, education, BMI, menarche, parity, age at first pregnancy, breastfeeding, use of hormonal medications as well as lifestyle factors including smoking, alcohol consumption, dietary habits, physical activity, use of herbs, roots and seeds for therapeutic purposes and practice of religious devotional habits. Results: There was no difference in age, BMI, education, menarche and parity between the interviewed patients, nor in the assessment of the consumption of milk, sugar, fruits, vegetables and legumes, smoking habits, alcohol intake or physical activity between the groups. Indigenous women living in Manaus had a lower age at first pregnancy when compared to non-indigenous women. The variable “breastfeeding time” did not reach statistical significance but demonstrated a very close index (p 0.058) and a tendency to suggest that indigenous people, regardless of their place of residence, breastfeed for a longer duration. Non-indigenous women had a longer history of using hormonal medications when compared to indigenous women living in Manaus. Regarding meat consumption habits, indigenous women living in riverside and interior populations showed higher percentages of sporadic consumption of beef, sporadic consumption of wild animals, and daily consumption of white meat compared to non-indigenous people. On the other hand, non-indigenous women had a higher percentage of never having consumed wild animal meat when compared to the two other groups. Among indigenous women from riverside populations, there was a lower percentage of religious practices. The consumption of herbs, roots or seeds for therapeutic purposes was more commonly observed among indigenous people living in Manaus when compared to non-indigenous people. Conclusion: No epidemiological or lifestyle variables were found in both groups of indigenous people that justify the low mortality from breast cancer in these women. However, although the variable “breastfeeding time” did not reach statistical significance, it demonstrated a very close index (p 0.058) and a tendency to suggest that indigenous people, regardless of their place of residence, breastfeed for a longer duration. This could be a potential explanation for the low mortality from this disease among indigenous women. Table 1: Participation of breast cancer deaths in the total number of deaths in women over 20 years of age in the State of Amazonas Source: prepared by researchers Table 2 - Menarch, parity (childbirth and miscarage), breastfeed, Family history of breast cancer, image exam Table 3: Red and white meat consumption Citation Format: Maria Riselda Vinhote Da Silva, Lilian Cristina De Souza Guimarães, Afonso Nazário, Mariana Guimaraes De Oliveira Castro. The epidemiological profile and lifestyle of non-village indigenous women from Amazonas, Brazil and the likely impact on breast cancer mortality [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO5-27-04.

Application of GC-IMS, GC-MS, and LC-MS/MS techniques to a comprehensive systematic study on the flavor characteristics of different muscles in the yak

This study aims to explore the key metabolites and metabolic pathways related to the formation of flavor in yak meat, laying the foundation for in-depth analysis of the composition of yak meat and improving meat quality. This study selected six healthy 4-year-old male Tianzhu white yaks under the same growth conditions as the research subjects. The metabolites of three groups of longissimi dorsi (LD), triceps brachii (TB), and biceps femoris (BF) were analyzed and identified using gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The results showed that Tianzhu white yak meat contains abundant metabolites, and the VOC levels in BF muscles are higher than those in LD and TB muscles. The levels of 1-penten-3-one and 2-pentone in LD muscle are higher than in BF and TB muscle. The levels of 2-hexanol, 2-hexanol-D, and pyridine in TB muscles are higher than those in LD and BF muscles. The content of benzaldehyde, benzaldehyde D, 3-hydroxy-2-butane-D, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone, and mesitylene in BF muscle is higher than in LD and TB muscle. There is a significant difference in the enrichment degree of the glycolysis or gluconeogenesis pathways between LD muscles and the other two groups (BF and TB muscles). There were significant differences in the enrichment degrees of the d-glutamine and d-glutamate metabolic pathways, the alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolic pathways between the TB muscles and the other two groups (BF and LD muscles). There is a significant difference in the enrichment degree of the niacin and nicotinamide metabolic pathways between BF and LD muscles. In addition, there were significant differences in the enrichment degree of the histidine metabolism pathway among the three groups of muscles. This study identified key metabolites related to differences in meat quality and flavor formation in different parts of the muscle tissue of Tianzhu white yak through metabolomics analysis, providing a theoretical basis for exploring the molecular regulatory mechanism and molecular breeding of yak meat flavor formation in the future, and also providing a reference for quality trait breeding in other beef cattle.

Optimizing electrocoagulation for poultry slaughterhouse wastewater treatment: a fuzzy axiomatic design approach

White meat consumption is increasing day by day, and accordingly, there is an increase in the amount of wastewater resulting from the processes. Today, the reuse of wastewater has become a goal within the scope of the Green Deal. For this reason, wastewater treatment with high pollution and volume has gained importance. In this study, the fuzzy axiomatic design (FAD) method, one of the multi-criteria decision-making methods, has been used. With this method, coagulation, electrocoagulation (EC), dissolved air flotation (DAF), and anaerobic treatment alternatives preferred in poultry slaughterhouse wastewater (PSW) treatment were compared with each other and their information contents were calculated. The information content from the smallest to the largest is EC, DAF, coagulation, and anaerobic treatment, respectively. This treatment method was chosen because the smallest information content is in electrocoagulation. EC was applied to bloody PSW containing 1% blood by volume. The effectiveness of Fe and Al electrodes for PSW treatment in the batch EC reactor has been compared. The effective surface areas of 2 anodes and 2 cathodes connected bipolarly in the processes are 288 cm2. The electrolyte, pH, time, and current density effects on energy consumption were also investigated. The optimum conditions for Al and Fe electrodes were found to be 0.5 g·L−1 NaCl concentration, pH 5, 0.639 mA·cm−2 current density, and 5 min time. Under optimum conditions for the Fe electrode, COD, TOC, TN, and oil-grease removal efficiencies were determined as 76.3%, 71.8%, 70%, and 74%, respectively. Moreover, the highest COD, TOC, TN, and oil-grease removal efficiencies were achieved with an Al electrode (82.2%, 82.3%, 82.7%, and 78.9%, respectively). The experimental data were fit to a variety of isotherms and kinetic models to determine the characteristics of the EC. The results indicated that the pseudo-second-order equation provided the best fit for COD removal. Under optimum conditions, the operating cost was calculated as $3.39 and $3.09 for Al and Fe electrodes, respectively. In this study, the fuzzy axiomatic design method was used for the first time to select the most appropriate treatment method for PSW. In addition, blood, a major problem for the poultry slaughterhouse industry, was mixed with PSW at a ratio of 1% (v/v) and treated with EC for the first time with high removal efficiency. By treating PSW, which has a high pollution load, with electrocoagulation, the pollution load of the water to be given to secondary treatment has been greatly reduced.

Evaluation of antioxidant activity in saliva among young adults having diverging food habits and its relation to oral health: A pilot study.

Saliva enables the maintenance of oral and systemic health. Evaluation of saliva is very valuable for multiple parameters to be evaluated as they are easy to collect, allow easy and safe sample collection, are non-traumatic, can be repeated with ease, and are non-invasive in nature. Salivary enzyme systems have antimicrobial, antioxidant, and similar functions which aid in the maintenance of homeostasis in the oral cavity. Antioxidants scavenge free radicals from cells and prevent or reduce the damage caused by oxidation. In the present study, the pH and antioxidant capacity of the saliva were evaluated. Subjects were categorized as GROUP A: Vegetarians: Diets were entirely devoid of eggs or meat of any type (for more than 20 years). GROUP B: Non-vegetarians: Diets included both red and white meat, consumed either daily or frequently. GROUP C: Eggetarians: Otherwise vegetarian diets which includes eggs, consumed frequently. Ten samples of each group were collected. The pH profile and antioxidant activity of the samples were analysed. Each of the individuals was subjected to oral examination for grading of the status of oral hygiene, caries teeth, missing and extracted teeth, and the health of gingiva. For the same Oral Hygiene Index Simplified (OHIS), Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) and Gingival Status indices were used and the observations were noted. The average salivary pH for the vegetarians was 7 ± 0.5, that for eggetarians was 7.1 ± 0.5, and in the non-vegetarian group, the average pH was equal to 7.3 ± 0.5. Using the DPPH method, the percentage antioxidant activity of saliva in vegetarians was 20.9 ± 2.1%, while those of eggetarians and non-vegetarians were equal to 5 ± 0.6% and 11.4 ± 2%, respectively. Each individual was subjected to oral examination for grading of the status of oral hygiene (OHIS); decayed, missing, extracted teeth, filled teeth index (DMFT); and the health of gingiva (gingival status index). Overall, eggetarians had a high OHIS index (mean 1.08). The DMFT index was high in non-vegetarians with values ranging from 1 to 8. Statistical analysis using the T-test revealed that the antioxidant potential of the vegetarian group was significantly higher than those of the eggetarian and non-vegetarian dietary groups (P < 0.001). However, the eggetarian and non-vegetarian dietary groups did not significantly differ from each other with respect to this parameter. The antioxidant capacity is markedly high in vegetarians, 20.9+/- 2.1%, as compared to non-vegetarians, 11.4+/- 2.1%, and was the lowest in eggetarians, 5+/- 0.6%.

Changes in meat quality and muscle fiber characteristics of beef striploin (M. longissimus lumborum) with different intramuscular fat contents following freeze-thawing

Adipose (fat) tissue has different physical properties from skeletal muscle tissue, and its moisture content is relatively low; thus, freezing or freeze-thawing of meat affects its quality. However, the effect of intramuscular fat (IMF) of meat has not been comprehensively studied. The changes in the meat quality and muscle fiber characteristics of beef striploin (M. longissimus lumborum; LL) with different IMF contents (63.5 g/kg‒260.3 g/kg; n = 52) following freeze-thawing were examined. Freeze-thawing destroyed muscle fibers, and the fiber size was decreased irrespective of muscle fiber type or IMF content. However, the size of type I and IIA muscle fibers was largely altered in LL muscles with lower IMF content. Low IMF content increased the tenderness and decreased the pH of LL muscles; the effects of low IMF content on discoloration in LL muscles were less prominent. Larger IMF particles and higher density were associated with reduced thawing loss in LL muscles. IMF content reduced the lightness of frozen-thawed meat, but it did not excessively reduce water-holding capacity and pH. Thus, deterioration in meat quality can be prevented by considering the IMF content during the freezing process.

Beef-on-dairy: Meat quality of veal and prediction of intramuscular fat using the Q-FOM™ Beef camera at the 5th–6th thoracic vertebra

This study aims to describe the meat quality of young Holstein (HOL) beef-on-dairy heifers and bulls sired by Angus (ANG, n = 109), Charolais (CHA, n = 101) and Danish Blue (DBL, n = 127), and to investigate the performance of the handheld vision-based Q-FOM™ Beef camera in predicting the intramuscular fat concentration (IMF%) in M. longissimus thoracis from carcasses quartered at the 5th–6th thoracic vertebra. The results showed significant differences between crossbreeds and sexes on carcass characteristics and meat quality. DBL × HOL had the highest EUROP conformation scores, whereas ANG × HOL had darker meat with higher IMF% (3.52%) compared to CHA × HOL (2.99%) and DBL × HOL (2.51%). Bulls had higher EUROP conformation scores than heifers, and heifers had higher IMF% (3.70%) than bulls (2.31%). These findings indicate the potential for producing high-quality meat from beef-on-dairy heifers and ANG bulls. The IMF% prediction model for Q-FOM performed well with R2 = 0.91 and root mean squared error of cross validation, RMSECV = 1.33%. The performance of the prediction model on the beef-on-dairy veal subsample ranging from 0.9 to 7.4% IMF had lower accuracy (R2 = 0.48) and the prediction error (RMSEveal) was 1.00%. When grouping beef-on-dairy veal carcasses into three IMF% classes (2.5% IMF bins), 62.6% of the carcasses were accurately predicted. Furthermore, Q-FOM IMF% predictions and chemically determined IMF% were similar for each combination of sex and crossbreed, revealing a potential of Q-FOM IMF% predictions to be used in breeding, when aiming for higher meat quality.

Dietary guanidinoacetate reduces spaghetti meat myopathy risk in the breast muscle of broiler chickens

The global demand for white chicken meat along with the increase in the occurrence of growth-related breast muscle myopathies (BMMs) [namely white striping (WS), wooden breast (WB), and spaghetti meat (SM)] highlights the need for solutions that will improve meat quality while maintaining the high productivity of modern broilers. Guanidinoacetate (GAA), a precursor of creatine, is used as a feed additive and has previously shown the potential to affect the quality of breast meat. This study investigated growth performance, meat quality and the risk ratio for the development of BMMs in broilers assigned to two dietary treatments: control (CON) group, fed a commercial basal diet, and supplemented GAA (sGAA) group, receiving the control diet supplemented on top with 0.06% GAA. Growth performance indicators such as BW, daily weight gain, daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio and cumulative feed conversion ratio were recorded on a pen basis. As a trait affecting animal welfare, the occurrence of foot pad dermatitis was also evaluated. At day 43, birds were processed, and breasts were scored for the incidence and severity of BMMs (n = 166 and 165 in CON and sGAA groups, respectively). Quality traits (ultimate pH, colour) and technological properties (i.e., drip and cooking losses, marinade uptake, shear force, and oxidation levels of the lipid and the protein fractions) of breast meat were assessed in both treatments on samples not showing any macroscopic sign of BMMs (n = 20 breast fillets per group). Data of myopathy risk ratio were analysed as the risk for each group to develop WS, WB, and SM myopathies. Our results show that while sGAA and control groups did not differ significantly in growth performance, a remarkably beneficial effect of GAA was observed on the incidence of BMMs with significantly reduced risk of sGAA group to develop SM myopathy. The risk of sGAA group to develop SM was 30% lower compared to CON (P = 0.028). Finally, a significantly lower drip loss was observed in sGAA in comparison with CON (1.78 vs 2.48%, P = 0.020). Together, our results show that the inclusion of 0.06% GAA in feed can improve the water-holding capacity of meat and reduce the risk to develop SM myopathy without compromising the performance of broilers.

Study on the Molecular Mechanism of Antioxidant Health Effect of Tuna Dark Meat Enzymatic Polypeptides

In order to study the molecular mechanism of the antioxidant effect of enzymatically hydrolyzed tuna dark meat peptides, this article uses alkaline protease to enzymatically hydrolyze tuna dark meat, and at the same time performs peptide sequencing using matrix-assisted laser dissociation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF/TOF). Discovery Studio (DS) performed molecular docking. Finally, the antioxidant effect was verified through DPPH clearance experiments. The results show that the dominant peptide sequences in the tuna dark meat hydrolyzed polypeptides are LAPGQ, GGGDPI, and PLRLP; through molecular simulation methods (Discover Studio, DS), the potential target of the above-mentioned enzymatic polypeptides was screened out to be Keap1, thus predicting antioxidant activity. It provides theoretical support for further research on enzymatic peptides. Through DPPH clearance experiments, it was found that both the enzymatic hydrolysate and LAPGQ, GGGDPI, and PLRLP have antioxidant activity, confirming their effects.

Novel 4th-generation phytase improves broiler growth performance and reduces woody breast severity through modulation of muscle glucose uptake and metabolism.

The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of a novel (4th generation) phytase supplementation as well as its mode of action on growth, meat quality, and incidence of muscle myopathies. One-day old male broilers (n = 720) were weighed and randomly allocated to 30 floor pens (24 birds/pen) with 10 replicate pens per treatment. Three diets were fed from hatch to 56- days-old: a 3-phase corn-soy based diet as a positive control (PC); a negative control (NC) formulated to be isocaloric and isonitrogenous to the PC and with a reduction in Ca and available P, respectively; and the NC supplemented with 2,000 phytase units per kg of diet (NC + P). At the conclusion of the experiment, birds fed with NC + P diet were significantly heavier and had 2.1- and 4.2-points better feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to birds offered NC and PC diets, respectively. Processing data showed that phytase supplementation increased live weight, hot carcass without giblets, wings, tender, and skin-on drum and thigh compared to both NC and PC diets. Macroscopic scoring showed that birds fed the NC + P diet had lower woody breast (WB) severity compared to those fed the PC and NC diets, however there was no effect on white striping (WS) incidence and meat quality parameters (pH, drip loss, meat color). To delineate its mode of action, iSTAT showed that blood glucose concentrations were significantly lower in birds fed NC + P diet compared to those offered PC and NC diets, suggesting a better glucose uptake. In support, molecular analyses demonstrated that the breast muscle expression (mRNA and protein) of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) and glucokinase (GK) was significantly upregulated in birds fed NC + P diet compared to those fed the NC and PC diets. The expression of mitochondrial ATP synthase F0 subunit 8 (MT-ATP8) was significantly upregulated in NC + P compared to other groups, indicating intracellular ATP abundance for anabolic pathways. This was confirmed by the reduced level of phosphorylated-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPKα1/2) at Thr172 site, upregulation of glycogen synthase (GYS1) gene and activation of mechanistic target of rapamycin and ribosomal protein S6 kinase (mTOR-P70S6K) pathway. In conclusion, this is the first report showing that in-feed supplementation of the novel phytase improves growth performance and reduces WB severity in broilers potentially through enhancement of glucose uptake, glycolysis, and intracellular ATP production, which used for muscle glycogenesis and protein synthesis.

Reasons for Muslim and Christian white meat consumption: examples of England and Turkey

PurposeThe psychological foundations of consumers’ reasons for product choices are analyzed in the field of marketing. The purpose of this research is to identify the implicit reasons for white meat consumption in the UK and Turkey.Design/methodology/approachIn the scope of the means-end chain theory, in-depth interviews were conducted with individuals, and the reasons for consumers’ product preferences were revealed by moving from concrete to abstract.FindingsIt has been determined that the white meat consumption of Muslims in the UK is primarily shaped by their religious approach. In Turkey, on the contrary, both consumption patterns and reasons for preference are changing. It has been found that white meat consumption is associated with values such as security needs, satisfaction with life, self-fulfillment and happiness.Research limitations/implicationsThis research has contributed to the marketing literature by examining consumers’ implicit consumption reasons for white meat in the context of religion and culture.Practical implicationsMarketing strategies should focus on building trust in halal certification, particularly in the UK. Brands should associate their promotion strategies with feelings of security and happiness, which are associated in the minds of consumers.Originality/valueThis study is a new study in terms of revealing the connotations of consumers about consuming chicken and fish and showing the implicit needs that the brands can emotionally associate with.

Animal-derived foods: consumption, composition and effects on health and the environment: an overview

Consumption of animal-derived foods (ADFs), particularly red meat, is declining in high-income countries because of concerns over health and the effects on climate change but is increasing in low- and middle-income countries. As a group of foods, ADFs are high in good-quality protein and several key vitamins and minerals (notably vitamin B12, iron and zinc). There is evidence, though, that processed red meat poses risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and colorectal cancer and the same risks, although not so strong, are apparent for unprocessed red meat. Milk and milk products generally have a neutral disease risk and there is evidence of reduced risks of CVD and colorectal cancer. Similarly, white meat (chicken and fish) is not associated with disease risk whilst eggs have been linked with increased CVD risk because of their cholesterol content. The risks of chronic disease seem higher in high-income than in low- and middle-income countries, possibly due to different levels of consumption. Production of ADFs results in high greenhouse gas emissions per unit of output compared with plant proteins. Ruminant meat production has particularly high costs but wide variation between farms in different regions of the world suggests costs can be significantly lowered by changes to production systems. Reducing ADF consumption to benefit health and the environment has been proposed but in low-income countries, current levels of consumption of ADFs may be compatible with health and climate targets.

Effectiveness of washing with atung (Parinarium glaberimum Hassk) solution on quantity and quality of dark meat yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) surimi

Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) is the world's second-largest commodity with good nutrition. After processing, some wastes / residues / by-products can be used to produce surimi which still retains the tuna meat properties. The manufacturing of surimi requires safe preservatives, such as the natural preservative, atung (Parinarium glaberimum Hassk), which contains antibacterial substances. Therefore, the present work aimed to determine the effectiveness of 4% (w/v) atung solution on the quantity and quality of yellowfin tuna surimi produced from tuna by-products. The fish meat was treated with a washing agent of ice water and 4% atung solution with several washing frequencies. The parameters assessed were the yield and quality of surimi by analysing the protein content, myofibrillar protein content (salt soluble), water-holding capacity, Salmonella spp., and E. coli. In addition, the parameters included teeth-cutting, ashi strength, and folding. The 4% (w/v) atung solution effectively produced tuna fish surimi with 68.50% yield, 20.62% protein, 8.87% myofibrillar protein, and free from Salmonella spp. and E. coli. The water-holding capacity of the surimi was recorded at 68.9% and increased to 73.3% after three washes. The use of 4% (b/v) atung solution effectively produced surimi with a teeth-cutting value of 7.80 - 7.92, and an ashi strength of 7.97 - 8.08, whereas the folding test was B to A (3.80) after four washes.

Short-term effects of Mediterranean diet on nutritional status in adults affected by Osteogenesis Imperfecta: a pilot study

BackgroundOsteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) is a heterogeneous group of connective tissue disorders, characterized by varying degrees of skeletal fragility. Patients experience a range of comorbidities, such as obesity, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal complications, especially in adulthood. All aspects that could benefit from dietary intervention. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 6-months restricted Mediterranean Diet (rMD) on nutritional status in adult patients affected by OI.We carried out a 6-months longitudinal pilot study. 14 adults (median age: 35 years; 7 women; 7 OI type III) where recruited in 2019 among the members of As.It.O.I., the Italian Association of Osteogenesis Imperfecta. As.It.O.I. All the evaluations were performed at the University of Milan, Italy. The rMD provided a reduction of 30% from daily total energy expenditure. 45% of calories derived from carbohydrates, 35% from fat and 0.7–1.0 g/kg of body weight from proteins. Comparisons of continuous variables after 6 months of intervention were performed by the paired t-test. All P-values were two-tailed, and p < 0.05 was considered significant.ResultsPatients showed significant improvement in anthropometric measurements (BMI = 30.5 vs 28.1 kg/cm2, p < 0.001; Body Fat % = 32.9 vs 29.9, p = 0.006; Waist circumferences = 83.6 vs 79.6 cm; p < 0.001; Arm Fat Area = 29.8 vs 23.07 cm2; p < 0.011) and energy expenditure (REE/kg = 27.2 vs 29.2 kcal/kg, p < 0.001). Glucose and lipid profiles improved (Δglycemia = − 8.6 ± 7.3 mg/dL, p = 0.003; ΔTC = − 14.6 ± 20.1 mg/dL, p = 0.036; ΔLDL = − 12.0 ± 12.1 mg/dL, p = 0.009). Adherence to the MD significantly increased, moving from a moderate to a strong adherence and reporting an increased consumption of white meat, legumes, fish, nuts, fruits and vegetables.ConclusionA rMD was effective in improving nutritional status and dietary quality in adults with OI. These results underscores the need to raise awareness of nutrition as part of the multidisciplinary treatment of this disease.

Nutrition and Foods

“Why do you complain that you cannot afford meat? Why do you not just eat beans?”, by a well-meaning public figure to a gathering of people. It is ok if one is a vegetarian for whatever reason. You might be a vegetarian for religious or health reasons. You might even decide to eat a meatless diet on a whim. However, if your family is regular and not restricted in what they can eat, then suddenly fail to access a diverse diet, then one must think nutrition very seriously. Say a family has young children who have a good appetite and have been drinking milk, then all of a sudden milk is curtailed, advice cannot be “give them any other beverage”. Satiety-wise yes, but not nutrition-wise. So is meat a must in the diet? Yes, because of the unique essential nutrients it provides. And when we talk of meat we have to remember there are different types of meat. There is red meat from cattle, sheep, goats, and wild animals. Then there is white meat from poultry, fish, rabbits, and insects. Consumers delight in such meats for different reasons. Then the milk or eggs of these provide more or less the same nutrients. The human body requires certain essential nutrients, already determined scientifically as far as amounts needed. In most cases, it is a mixed diverse diet, which means both plant and animal sources. So, humans who consume only animal-source food, miss plant-source nutrients, and vice versa. For example, in Kenya, we have the Maasai who eat meat and drink blood and milk. But guess what? That is not all. They also take intestinal juices which help to digest the meat they consume, sometimes in raw form. We did some studies on Maasai eating patterns and found out that, their diet includes fruits, roots, and herbs from the wild. These provide vitamins and minerals to supplement what their meat-lacto diet provides. So, human beings need a mixed diet to be able to meet fully the body's nutritional requirements. Should you choose to, or find yourself eating only meats or vegetables, you will most likely suffer certain nutritional deficiencies. Where you can affordably access good supplements, you better get a doctor's advice to start taking these before you develop nutrient deficiency symptoms. Most cultures seem to have diets where foods complement each other. More studies are needed on this topic. Meantime, let us continue to research and learn more. All these nutrients our body needs work in unison and when you study them carefully, you find out that they are interdependent, in that if you take too much of one or some, the functioning of the others is affected, likely to lead to negative effects on your health.

Enhancing chicken breast meat quality through ultrasonication: Physicochemical, palatability, and amino acid profiles

Ultrasonication, a technology that employs high-frequency sound waves, has demonstrated potential for modifying the properties of various food items. However, the effect of ultrasonication on chicken meat, particularly concerning amino acid composition and flavor enhancement, has not been sufficiently investigated. The objective of this research was to bridge the gap in the literature by exploring the impact of various ultrasonic treatments at varying power levels (300, 500, and 800 W) and durations (10 and 30 min) on the physicochemical characteristics, texture, and amino acid profile of chicken breast meat, with a focus on improving its palatability and flavor. The results indicated that ultrasonication reduced the pH and cooking loss, as well as hardness and chewiness while simultaneously increasing lightness and yellowness values of chicken breast meat. Moreover, ultrasonication enhanced the amounts of essential amino acids, including glutamic acid, alanine, and glycine as well as the free amino acid content, which gives meat its savory and umami flavor. Furthermore, the results demonstrated significant changes in the texture and structure, as demonstrated by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, and in chemical makeup of chicken breast meat, as indicated by the FTIR spectra. These modifications in the molecular and microstructural characteristics of meat, as induced by ultrasonication, may contribute to the enhancement of tenderness, juiciness, and overall palatability.

Meat and meat products - a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023.

Meat is not only a source of several nutrients but also a proposed risk factor for several non-communicable diseases. Here, we describe the totality of evidence for the role of meat intake for chronic disease outcomes, discuss potential mechanistic pathways, knowledge gaps, and limitations of the literature. Use of the scoping review is based on a de novo systematic review (SR) and meta-analysis on the association between poultry intake and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D), qualified SRs (as defined in the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023 project) on meat intake and cancer by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and a systematic literature search of SRs and meta-analyses. The quality of the SRs was evaluated using a modified AMSTAR 2 tool, and the strength of evidence was evaluated based on a predefined criteria developed by the WCRF. The quality of the SRs was on average critically low. Our findings indicate that the evidence is too limited for conclusions for most of the chronic disease outcomes. However, findings from qualified SRs indicate strong evidence that processed meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer and probable evidence that red meat (unprocessed, processed, or both) increases the risk. The evidence suggests that both unprocessed red meat and processed meat (also including processed poultry meat) are probable risk factors for CVD mortality and stroke, and that total red meat and processed meat are risk factors for CHD. We found no sufficient evidence suggesting that unprocessed red meat, processed red meat, total red meat, or processed meat (including red and white meat) would be protective of any chronic disease. There was also no sufficient evidence to conclude on protective effect of poultry on any chronic diseases; effects on the risk of CVD, stroke, and T2D, to any direction, were regarded as unlikely.

Discriminant canonical analysis as a tool for genotype traceability testing based on turkey meat and carcass traits.

The present study aims to develop a statistical tool for turkey breed traceability testing based on meat and carcass quality characteristics. To this end, a comprehensive meta-analysis was performed, collecting data from a total of 75 studies approaching meat and carcass attributes of 37 turkey strains and landraces since the late 1960s. A total of 22 meat and carcass traits were considered variables, grouped in the following clusters: carcass dressing traits, muscle fiber properties, pH, colorimetry, water-capacity traits, texture-related attributes, and nutritional composition of the meat. Once the multicollinearity analysis allowed the deletion of redundant variables, cold carcass weight, slaughter weight, muscle fiber diameter, sex-female, carcass/piece weight, meat redness, ashes, pH24, meat lightness, moisture, fat, and water-holding capacity showed explanatory properties in the discriminating analysis (p < 0.05). In addition, strong positive and negative correlations were found among those variables studied. Carcass traits were positively associated, particularly slaughter weight and cold carcass weight (+0.561). Among meat physical traits, pH showed positive correlations with drip loss (+0.490) and pH24 (+0.327), and water-holding capacity was positively associated with cholesterol (+0.434) and negatively associated with collagen (-0.398). According to nutritional traits, fat and ash showed a strong correlation (+0.595), and both were negatively associated with moisture (-0.375 and -0.498, respectively). Strong negative correlations were found as well between meat protein and fat (-0.460) and between collagen and cholesterol (-0.654). Finally, the Mahalanobis distance suggested a clustering pattern based on meat and carcass characteristics that report information about interbreeding and variety proximity. This study establishes a departure point in the development of a tool for breed traceability guaranteeing aimed at enhancing distinguished, local breed-based turkey meat.