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A portable electrical impedance spectroscopy device was developed to monitor the bioimpedance resistive component of bovine meat by injecting a sinusoidal current of 1 mA at 65 kHz. Both right and left longissimus dorsi muscles were trimmed from 4 slaughtered cows. The left muscle portions were frozen to −18 °C for 7 days while the right ones were meantime maintained at 5 °C. Mean value of impedance per length (Ω/cm) of frozen and thawed left samples was 31% lower than that of right non-frozen one (P = 0.0001). It was concluded that the device is reliable for monitoring the maturation of beef meat in situ with the possibility of revealing undeclared freeze-thaw cycles.

A portable electrical impedance spectroscopy device was developed to monitor the bioimpedance resistive component of bovine meat by injecting a sinusoidal current of 1 mA at 65 kHz. Both right and left longissimus dorsi muscles were trimmed from 4 slaughtered cows. The left muscle portions were frozen to -18 °C for 7 days while the right ones were meantime maintained at 5 °C. Mean value of impedance per length (O/cm) of frozen and thawed left samples was 31% lower than that of right non-frozen one (P = 0.0001). It was concluded that the device is reliable for monitoring the maturation of beef meat in situ with the possibility of revealing undeclared freeze-thaw cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infections by gastrointestinal nematodes negatively affect small ruminant health and at the same time cause substantial economic losses worldwide. Because resistance to conventional anthelmintic compounds is growing, target studies evaluating the effectiveness of alternative ingredients of botanical origin on gastrointestinal nematodes are needed. In this study, we evaluated the in vitro anthelmintic activity of Ruta chalepensis L. extracts on the third-stage larvae of sheep gastrointestinal nematodes. A methanol extract showed the highest anthelmintic activity, with an EC50 = 0.10 ± 0.06 mg/ml after 96 h, while the essential oil had an EC50 = 1.45 ± 1.22 mg/ml after 48 h. Moreover, three secondary metabolites of the essential oil, i.e. 2-decanone, 2-nonanone and 2-undecanone, showed EC50 values of 0.07 ± 0.06, 0.25 ± 0.29 and 0.88 ± 0.73 mg/ml at 24 h, respectively. The present study indicated that the R. chalepensis methanol extract, the essential oil and its metabolites 2-decanone, 2-nonanone and 2-undecanone showed promising anthelmintic activity on gastrointestinal nematodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roasted piglet (Porcheddu) is one of the most appreciated traditional Sardinian dishes obtained from suckling animals slaughtered at 8-12 kg of body weight (BW). The traditional cooking method is timeconsuming; this dish is eaten only when there is enough time for its preparation (cooking time of about 2 h). The Porcheddu is appreciated by both local and foreign consumers and there is also an increasing interest, for this traditional dish, by extra regional consumers and markets. Actually, since the occurrence of African swine fever (ASF), the trade of pigs and pig meat products is not permitted from Sardinia. The Council Directive 2002/99/EC provided a derogation for states member to authorize the production, processing and distribution of products of animal origin when a Heat treatment at a minimum temperature of 80°C, which must be reached throughout the meat is applied. The overall framework of this study was to evaluate an innovative process to obtain a traditional dish the Porcheddu suitable to achieve extra-regional markets and meet the demand of modern consumers and to assess the effect of carcass weight on the processing yield of suckling piglets, thermally treated, to obtain a ready-to-eat roast dish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feedstuffs used in dairy animals must be able to give consumers confidence about the wholesomeness of milk with regard to aflatoxin contamination. The aim of this study was to determine the excretion patterns of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in the milk of dairy goats fed a single dose of pure aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), which can occasionally occur if feeds are infected by hot-spot growth of molds that produce aflatoxins. Five dairy goats in midlactation were administered 0.8 mg of AFB1 orally. Individual milk samples were collected for 84 h after AFB1 dosage. Aflatoxin M1 was found in milk in the highest concentration. In all goats, AFM1 was not detected in milk before AFB1 administration, but was detected in the first milking following AFB1 administration. The excretion pattern of AFM1 concentration in milk was very similar in all goats even if the values of the concentration differed between animals. The peak values for AFM1 concentration in milk was observed in milk collected during the milking at 3 and 6 h. After the peak, the AFM1 in milk disappeared with a trend that fitted well a monoexponential decreasing function, and the toxin was not detected after 84 h. Only about 0.17% of the amount of AFB1 administered was detected as AFM1 in milk, and about 50% of this was excreted in the first liter of milk yielded after AFB1 intake. Correct procedures to prevent growth of molds, and consequent AFB1 contamination, on the feedstuffs for lactating goats represent the key to providing consumers a guarantee that milk is not contaminated by AFM1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]