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The aim was to determine the absence of gluten in pet food samples marked as ‘grain-free’ and ‘gluten-free’ diets, to assess the reliability of manufacturer labelling of such products. A total of 15 diets labelled as grain- or gluten-free and 2 commercial diets containing wheat were sampled. An analytical procedure using high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry with high power of resolution was developed and applied to determine specific markers of wheat gluten. The results are expressed as mg of wheat flour type ‘00’ present in 1 g of feed. The quantification limit (LOQ) obtained in the flour for ion m/z 894.5043, z = 2, is 4 mg of flour per gram. In 14 out of the 15 samples from a grain- or gluten-free diet the quantifier ion signal was

The phenolic compound profile and antioxidant potential of the false flax (Camelina sativa L.) plant, harvested at five morphological stages, that is, from the vegetative to the ripe seed-pod stage, have been investigated. False flax extracts were prepared using 80% (v/v) methanol, and the total phenolic content (TPC), the contents of the individual phenolics and antioxidant activity, measured as the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), DPPH• scavenging activity and the ability to inhibit the oxidation of β-carotene-linoleic acid emulsion, were determined. The TPC of the plant, at different growth stages, ranged from 49.2 to 59.1 mg GAE/g of extract and from 1.46 to 3.10 mg GAE/g of fresh matter (FM). Four main phenolic compounds were identified (chlorogenic acid, rutin, quercetin 3-O-glucoside, and quercetin glycoside). The chlorogenic acid content and the sum of flavonoids increased in the extracts from the vegetative to the bud stage, reaching 35.9 and 49.5 mg/g of extract, respectively, and gradually decreased in the subsequent growth stages. The plant extracts at the bud and flowering stages generally had the highest antioxidant activity in the polar systems (TEAC, FRAP and DPPH assays). The ripe seed-pod stage showed the highest antioxidant potential in these conditions when the results were expressed on FM basis. The best antioxidant activity in the lipid emulsion system was shown for the false flax extracts at the flowering and ripe seed-pod stages. Our research has indicated the possibility of using the aerial part of C. sativa as a source of ingredients with protective antioxidant activity.

Traditional foods are gaining more and more market due to consumers’ increasing willingness to buy products linked to national cultures: among these products, cheese plays an important role. Plaisentif is a traditional Piedmont cheese, only made during violets blooming season. The aim of this work is to evaluate the safety of this cheese, taking into account the EU Regulations. Microbiological hazards as well chemical, biogenic amines and mycotoxins, analysis were investigated. Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes were never detected in cheeses after ripening. Biogenic amines were present in very low quantities. Ochratoxin A was never detected and patulin was detected in over one cheese during the two years of sampling. This is the first attempt to characterize traditional Plaisentif cheese from a safety point of view. All the information acquired can be held as a necessary basis for reinforcing the culture of traditional products, for economic opportunities in mountainous regions and for safeguarding traditions and cultural identities.

The profile of phenolic compounds changes during the growth of a plant and this change affects its antioxidant potential. The aim of this research has been to find the growth stage of flax with the highest antioxidant capacity, and to determine the phenolic compounds responsible for such a capacity. Flax was harvested in six growth stages: from stem extension to mature seeds. The phenolic compounds were identified using LC–TOF–MS and quantified in an extract and in the fresh matter (FM) of each growth stage. The radical scavenging activity against ABTS•+ and DPPH•, the ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and the antioxidant activity in the β-carotene-linoleic acid emulsion system were determined. Mono- and di-C-glycosyl flavones were found to be the most abundant phenolics of the aerial parts of flax, which also showed the highest content of isoorientin (210–538 µg/g FM). Coniferin, its derivative, and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives were also detected. The plant was richer in flavone C-glycosides from stem extension to seed ripening (1105–1413 µg/g FM) than at the mature seed stage (557 µg/g FM). Most of the individual flavone C-glycoside contents in the extracts decreased when increasingly older plants were considered; however, the isoorientin content did not change significantly from the steam extension to the seed ripening stages. The antiradical activity against ABTS•+ and FRAP was higher for the aerial parts of the flax harvested at the flowering, brown capsule, and seed ripening stages, mainly due to the presence of flavone C-glycosides. The oxidation of β-carotene-linoleic acid emulsion was instead inhibited more effectively by the extracts from plants at the brown capsule and mature seed stages. Coniferin and its derivative were significantly involved in this activity. The extracts from the aerial parts of the flax harvested from flowering to seed ripening could be a valuable source of flavone C-glycosides for use as nutraceuticals and components of functional foods.

Fresh mechanically deboned meat (MDM) is usually claimed as high-quality ingredient on dry pet food recipes and this aspect may positively influence consumer choice. It is important to determine the scientifically sustainability of this claim and to assess the microbiological safety of MDM inclusion in dry pet food. Objectives were: 1) to evaluate the effect of inclusion of MDM in dry dog food on fatty acid profile and in vivo and in vitro digestibility, proposing a new system (DaisyII Incubator) to measure the in vitro digestibility for dogs; 2) to compare palatability of dry dog food containing MDM with dry dog food in which meat by-products (MBP) are the only animal protein sources; 3) to determine, whether or not, the inclusion of that ingredient changes the microbiology and the storage quality. Results indicated that MDM product was characterized by significant higher nutritional value in terms of fatty acids profile, in vitro digestibility (HV-IVD method) and lower palatability than the MBP product. Microbiological risk assessment showed no microbiological hazards for either product. After 6-months storage, the total mesophilic bacterial count ranged between 1.77 and 2.09 log CFU/g feed, while polyamine values were higher in the MDM (0.37 g/kg) than in the MBP (0.27 g/kg). The DaisyII Incubator was found to be a valid instrument for studying in vitro digestibility also for dogs, providing data simply, quickly, with less variability and costs than in vivo trials. In conclusion, MDM inclusion in dry dog food is microbiologically safe and it can improve its nutritional quality, at the expense of a reduced palatability. The higher polyamine levels fount in MDM-enriched petfood after 6-months storage, however, may represent a possible hazard, and further studies are still warranted.

Currently, there is a renewed interest in cannabis-related products in different fields because of the rich phytocomplex of this plant, together with its fiber and agricultural features. In this context, the current study aims to chemically characterize different samples of fiber-type Cannabis sativa L. grown in Italy as a potential health promoting source. An ultrasound-assisted solid-liquid extraction (UA-SLE) method was first developed and optimized to obtain a fingerprinting of the investigated phytocomplex. Analyses were carried out through an ultra high performance liquid chromatography equipped with a photodiode array detector in series with triple quadrupole system with an electrospray ionization (ESI) interface (UHPLC-UV-ESI-MS/MS) and showed that the phytocomplex mainly includes flavonoids and non-psychotomimetic cannabinoids. The method was then applied to characterize and compare 24 samples of fiber-type Cannabis sativa L. aerial parts (mainly stems and leaves), which differed for the growth stages (from mid-vegetative to early flowering), growth land plots, and methods of drying (forced-draft oven or freeze-drying). The quali-quantitative analysis showed that a freeze-drying method seems to better preserve the chemical composition of the samples, while the location of the land plot and the growth stage of the plant (which did not comprise inflorescences) had minor influences on the chemical pattern. These results were also supported by spectrophotometric in-vitro assays (scavenging of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) and 2,2′-azinobis-3-ethyl-benzthiazoline-6-sulphonate (ABTS+•) radicals and inhibitory activity against tyrosinase and elastase enzymes) to investigate the potential biological activity of these samples and the contribution of non-psychotomimetic cannabinoids.

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is mostly cultivated for grain in Asia, South and North America and it may be grown to be used as high-protein forage for grazing, haying or ensiling. Field trials with the soybean cultivar Eiko were conducted in North-West Italy to determine its chemical composition, gross energy, in vitro true digestibility (IVTD), neutral detergent fibre digestibility (NDFD) and fatty acid (FA) profile during growth. Herbage samples of cultivar Eiko were collected at seven progressive morphological stages, from the early vegetative to the seed-pod stage, during the 2014 growing season. The effect of plant growth was analysed by polynomial contrasts. Crude protein and ash decreased with increasing stage, whereas neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and lignin increased with progressive growth stage. No differences in lipid content during growth cycle were observed. IVTD decreased, whereas NDFD did not change with advancing growth stage. The most abundant FA during growth was α-linolenic (C18:3n–3), which accounted for 464–538 g/kg of total FA. It decreased with advancing growth until the late vegetative stage when it increased. Significant differences were also found for γ-linolenic acid (C18:3n–6) and stearidonic acid (C18:4n–3), while no differences in the content of minor and unknown FAs were noted during growth.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in the antioxidant activity and phenolic profile of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) extracts obtained from the aerial parts of plants harvested at five growth stages. In vitro assays were used to determine the antioxidant activity, i.e., ABTS•+ and DPPH• scavenging activity, the ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and the ability to inhibit β-carotene–linoleic acid emulsion oxidation. Phenolic compounds, such as mono- and dicaffeoylquinic acid isomers and caffeic acid hexose, were identified using the LC–TOF–MS/MS technique. The predominant compound during the growth cycle of the plant was 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, whose content was the highest at the mid-flowering stage. The total phenolic content was also the highest in sunflowers at the mid-flowering stage. The main phenolic compound contents were closely correlated with ABTS•+ and DPPH• scavenging activity and FRAP. No significant correlation was found between the total phenolic content and the antioxidant activity in the emulsion system. The highest antiradical activity and FRAP were generally determined in older plants (mid-flowering and late flowering stages). In conclusion, the aerial parts of sunflowers, in particular those harvested at the mid-flowering stage, are a good plant material from which to obtain phenolic compound extracts, albeit mainly of one class (esters of caffeic acid and quinic acid), with high antioxidant activity.

The use of animals in research elicits a diverse range of attitudes and emotions, with some people demanding the abolition of research on animals and others expressing strong support[...]

The popularity of small berries has rapidly increased in Western countries given their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities and health-promoting properties. The aim of this study was to compare the fatty acid (FA) profile, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant capacity of extracts of 11 berries cultivated in the North West of Italy. Berry samples were extracted and evaluated for FA profile and total anthocyanin (TAC), total flavonoid contents (TFC), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and for their radical scavenging activities against 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) radical. The main polyphenols of berry extracts were characterized by HPLC-DAD-UV-ESI HRMS in positive ion mode. Results showed that the highest TAC and TFC contents were recorded in black currants, blackberries, and blueberries. Maximum and minimum DPPH• radical scavenging activities, Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity, and FRAP measurements confirmed the same trend recorded for TAC and TFC values. HPLC-HRMS analyses highlight how blueberries and blackberries have the highest concentration in polyphenols. Palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, α-linolenic, and γ-linolenic acids significantly differ between berries, with oleic and α-linolenic acid representing the most abundant FAs in raspberries. Among the berries investigated, results of phytochemical characterization suggest choosing black currants and blueberries as an excellent source of natural antioxidants for food and health purposes.

This review summarises the use of the Ankom DaisyII incubator (ADII; Ankom Technology Corporation Fairport, NY, USA), as presented in studies on digestibility, and its extension to other species apart from ruminants, from its introduction until today. This technique has been modified and adapted to allow for different types of investigations to be conducted. Researchers have studied and tested different procedures, and the main sources of variation have been found to be: the inoculum source, sample size, sample preparation, and bag type. In vitro digestibility methods, applied to the ADII incubator, have been reviewed, the precision and accuracy of the method using the ADII incubator have been dealt with, and comparisons with other methods have been made. Moreover, some hypotheses on the possible evolutions of this technology in non-ruminants, including pets, have been described. To date, there are no standardised protocols for the collection, storage, and transportation of rumen fluid or faeces. There is also still a need to standardise the procedures for washing the bags after digestion. Moreover, some performance metrics of the instrument (such as the reliability of the rotation mechanism of the jars) still require improvement.

A study was conducted over the summer of 2014 on nine Alpine pastures in the Chisone and Susa Valleys (NW Italy). The aim was to characterize the variation in the chemical composition, gross energy, in vitro true digestibility (IVTD), in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD), fatty acids (FA), total phenols, total and condensed tannin contents, and terpenoid profile. The dry matter, ash, crude protein, acid detergent fiber, lignin, and gross energy contents of the pastures were found to differ. All the pastures had good IVTD (706–829 g/kg DM) and NDFD (487–694 g/kg NDF) values. The most abundant FAs in all the pastures were α-linolenic (354–519 g/kg of the total FAs), linoleic (75–110 g/kg of the total FAs), and palmitic acid (64–89 g/kg of the total FAs) and they differed significantly among pastures. No significant differences were found in the total phenols, or in the total and condensed tannin contents among pastures. Fifty-eight terpenoids were detected and 4-cyclopentene-1, 3-dione, β-caryophyllene, and eucalyptol were the most abundant. The terpenoids differed both qualitatively and quantitatively among pastures. The results highlight the importance of the great biodiversity of pastures, which provide a balanced distribution of fundamental nutritional elements and bioactive compounds in grasslands.

Green pruning residues (GPRs) and leaves from 16 red and white Vitis vinifera L. cultivars from Piedmont (Italy) were studied. The investigated samples were extracted by ultrasound-assisted extraction optimized by an experimental design, and quali- and quantitatively analyzed by HPLC-PDA-MS/MS. GPRs and leaves show a similar polyphenolic pattern, with quercetin 3-O-glucuronide, caftaric acid, and quercetin 3-O-glucoside as the main components, although in variable proportions. The HPLC results were related to the antioxidant activity, measured as total phenolic content and through DPPH and ABTS assays with similar results. Colorimetric in vitro assays, offline combined with HPLC-PDA analysis, determine which compounds contribute to the antioxidant activity in terms of radical scavenging abilities. Valorization of GPRs is a potential source of natural compounds that could be of interest in the health field, increasing their economic value together with a positive effect on the environment.

Changes in the total polyphenolics and antioxidative capacity of the perilla (Perilla frutescens L.) plant, during the growth cycle, have been analyzed in this study. These parameters were evaluated at five morphological stages. The extracts characterized by the highest total phenolic compound content were obtained at the full flowering stage. The phenolic compound profile was characterized by the presence of three major compounds, with rosmarinic acid being the most abundant. Moreover, their contents were significantly different according to the growth stage. High Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity values were found for the last two growth stages. The lowest ferric-reducing antioxidant power value was observed for the medium vegetative stage. The highest antiradical activity against DPPH• was observed for extracts obtained from the early vegetative stage. The antioxidant activity changes during the growth cycle, and this change may be useful to determine the optimal harvest time.

There are prospects for using novel feeds from various sources to provide ruminants with alternative sources of protein and energy such as by-products, and animal wastes. Rabbit feces are a concentrated source of fiber and could have commercial potential both as input biomass in anaerobic processes for biogas production, as well as a fibrous source for ruminal degradation. The aims of this work were to assess the potential as ruminant feeding and as biogas production of rabbit feces, in comparison with 12 crops. The chemical composition and the potential and experimental in vitro true digestibility (IVTD) and neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD) of 148 feces samples were determined by using chemical methods, Daisy system digestibility and/or NIRS predictions. The average biomethane potential (BMP) was 286 ± 10 lCH4/kg SV with −4% vs. the crops average. Milk forage unit (milk FU), IVTD and NDFD of feces were 0.54 ± 0.06 milk FU/kg DM, 74% ± 3% and 50% ± 5%, respectively, with comparisons of −19%, −11% and −24% vs. the crops average. Reconstruction of the potential values based on the chemical constituents but using the crop partial least square model well agreed with the NIRS calibrations and cross-validation. In a global NIRS calibration of the feces and crops the relative predicted deviation for IVTD, NDFD and milk FU were 3.1, 2.9 and 2.6, respectively, and only 1.5 for BMP. Running the Daisy system for rabbit feces in rumen fluid gave some inconsistencies, weakened the functional relationships, and appeared not to be correlated with the potential values of IVTD and NDFD. Nevertheless, the energetic potential of feces appears to be similar to some conventional crops at different degrees of maturity. Thus we conclude that rabbit feces has potential value as a ruminant feed and for biogas production.

The antioxidant activity and phenolic composition of the aerial part of Amaranthus caudatus at seven stages of development were investigated. Total phenolic content, ABTS•+, DPPH•, and O2•− scavenging activity, ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and Fe2+ chelating ability were evaluated. The phenolic profile was characterized by 17 compounds. Rutin was predominant in all growth stages, although its content, similar to the quantity of other phenolics, changed during the growth cycle. Flavonols were most abundant in the plants of early flowering and grain fill stages. In contrast, the highest content of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives was found in the early vegetative stage. The results of antioxidant assays also showed significant differences among plant stages. Generally, the lowest antioxidant activity was found in the shooting and budding stages. Significantly higher activity was observed in amaranths in earlier (vegetative) and later (early flowering and grain fill) stages, suggesting that plants in these stages are valuable sources of antioxidants.

It is important to identify the growth stage at which the plant has the maximum antioxidant properties for the production of bioactive compounds from crops or agricultural by-products or for forage as a possible source of antioxidants in livestock. Therefore, we investigated the phenolic composition and antioxidant capacity of the aerial part of soybean at seven stages classified as vegetative stages (V5 and V6) and reproductive stages (R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5). Aqueous-methanol extracts were evaluated for their total phenolic content (TPC), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), antioxidant activity as determined by photochemiluminescence assay (PCL-ACL), Fe2+ chelating ability, and antiradical activity against DPPH•. The extracts with the highest TPC content were obtained at stages V6 and R5. The phenolic compounds profile, as determined by DAD-HPLC, was characterized by 19 compounds, that differed significantly by growth stage (p < 0.05). Antioxidant tests showed significant differences among stages (p < 0.05). The lowest TEAC value was found for the R2 stage and the highest values for the R3 and R1 stages. FRAP values ranged from 623 to 780 μmol Fe2+/g extract. PCL-ACL values ranged from 516 to 560 μmol Trolox eq./g extract; Fe2+ chelation ability ranged from 36.5 to 51.7%. The highest antiradical activity against DPPH• was found in the extract from the V5 stage, which had the lowest EC50 value. The extracts of soybean plant can be used in pharmacy for the production of nutraceuticals by virtue of their good antioxidant activity and content of flavonols and other bioactive constituents.

A portable Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) instrument was applied to 40 growing rabbits to determine body and tissue differences induced by experimental factors. The rabbits were examined at 2 live sites, in 7 warm carcass tissues and in longissimus dorsi muscle samples prepared in ethanol. For this purpose, the method was applied in a bi-factorial experiment concerning the dietary oil source (O) (maize vs. palm oil) and Curcuma longa (C) supplementation (0 and 3 g/kg, respectively). Significant chemical differences emerged for palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids in the longissimus dorsi muscle due to the O factor and for linolenic acid due to the C factor. The NIRS spectra and chemical analyses were elaborated by the Partial Least Squares (PLS) method, and the rsquares in cross-validation (R2cv) were retained as measure of the unoriented differentiation between the levels of the planned factor for each landmark and fatty acid (FA) profile. Multivariate PLS analysis of the FA muscular fat showed that the O factor induced strong differentiation (R2cv: 0.96), while less influence (0.33) was observed for the C factor. The model based on the NIRS radiation of the landmarks clearly shows the O factor effects, not only in the perirenal (0.90) and scapular (0.85) fats, but also in the belly (0.76), liver (0.73) and hind legs (0.72). Whereas the C effects were only expressed in the live animals (ears: 0.66 and abdominal wall: 0.58) and in post-mortem (liver: 0.60). It was concluded that a preliminary NIRS scan of the carcass and of live rabbits can point out the presence of intrinsic experimental effects concerning the lipid metabolism of polyunsaturated FA of the n-6 series (O factor) and n-3 series (C factor).

The effects of three concentrations (0.2%, 1% and 3%) of rosemary oil (RO) on the freshness indicators, oxidative stability, fatty acid and biogenic amine (BA) contents of minced rainbow trout muscle (MTM) were investigated after different periods of storage (three and nine days) at 4 ± 1 °C. Moreover, the terpene and sesquiterpene contents in the treated MTM were also measured. RO treatment improves the pH, oxidative stability of the lipids and the FA profile, which resulted in a significant extension of MTM shelf-life. Storage time influenced all freshness indicators, with the exception of yellowness and chroma. Treatment with RO had a positive effect, leading to low BA content, especially putrescine, cadaverine, tyramine and histamine. Differences in BA were also found to be due to storage time, with the exception of spermidine, which was not influenced by time. Moreover, the presence of the terpenoid fraction of RO in MTM improved the quality of this ready-to-cook fish food.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of various raw materials (spirulina, curcuma, tomato pomace, false flax, linseed, chia, perilla seeds) as suitable polyunsaturated fatty acid n-3 (n-3 PUFA) sources, on the lipid traits in the longissimus dorsi muscle and perirenal fat of growing rabbits. The fatty acid (FA) analyses of the diets, carried out by gas chromatography, differed over a wide range on the basis of the highly varied ingredients in 27 experimental formulations. Among the 29 identified FAs, three from feeds were catabolized in the rabbits, five were de novo synthesized and stored chiefly in the muscle. It was possible to linearly characterize the incorporation from the feed to the muscle of 16 FAs. This study has confirmed that the dietary inclusion of various raw materials could be considered as a way of enriching the n-3 PUFA of rabbit meat. A proposal for the prediction of n-3 PUFA from dietary α-linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3) and a panel of another 10 FAs has been made for intramuscular fat (R2 = 0.94) and perirenal fat (R2 = 0.96).

The aim of this work was to examine whether faecal profiling using NIRS could be profitable for promote the Best Available Techniques (BAT) in the rational feeding of rabbits. A set of 51 feed samples, taken from 12 experimental diets, and of 66 dried grouped faeces samples, belonging to four nutrition experiments, with 130 ad libitum registered feed intakes (CV=25%), were submitted to a UV-Vis-NIRS scan (350-2500 nm) in order to calibrate the chemical composition and nutritional parameters, the ingestion aptitude and digestibility. A chemometric system has made it possible to contemporary use the spectrum of the input diet concatenated together with the spectra of the related output pool of the dried faeces. The daily measured feed intake, in absolute or in relative terms as ingestion per unit of metabolic weight, obtained a good resolution for the spectra of the feeds (R2 cv=0.80 and 0.75, respectively), for the faeces (0.81 and 0.80) and for the joint evaluation of the concatenated spectra (0.87 and 0.81). The intake was positively correlated to the mineral, insoluble ash, protein, gross energy, crude fiber and acid detergent fiber (ADF) content in the feeds, and negatively correlated to the N-free extract, lignocellulose and all the digestibility coefficients, except crude fiber. Very significant improvements, on average equal to 0.20 R2 points, were also provided to the digestibility coefficients when using the concatenated method; in decreasing order: neutral detergent fiber (R2 cv=0.00, 0.18 and 0.50 for the feeds, faeces and concatenated, respectively), ADF (0.00, 0.45 and 0.62), ether extract (0.53, 0.52 and 0.86), crude protein (0.53; 0.53 and 0.75), and gross energy (0.61; 0.74 and 0.83). The results corroborate previous knowledge and show the possibility of using NIRS faecal profiling in rabbit nutrition, which together with the NIRS of the feeds, could contribute to nitrogen monitoring.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of three levels (0, 5 and 10%) of perilla (Perilla frutescens L.) seeds (PFS), included in isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets, on the apparent digestibility in rabbit aged of 73 days. The trial was carried out on 30 crossbred (Carmagnola Grey x New Zealand) rabbits randomly divided in three groups of ten animals each (five male and five female rabbits). Each of them was kept in individual cages. The faeces were collected during the last week of a growing trial that lasted 50 days. No obvious health problems were encountered during the experiment and no rabbits died during the trial. The measured parameters were digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and gross energy. The only parameter that was modified by the inclusion of PFS was the ether extract digestibility; it resulted higher in the 10% PFS diet (83.9%) than in the other two diets. Perilla seed may be used satisfactorily as a nutrient supplement for rabbits at levels of up to 10% in the diet with a better digestibility of ether extract than in the other two diets.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of three levels (0, 8, or 16%) of the golden variety of flaxseed (GFS; Linum usitatissimum L.), included in isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets, on the carcass characteristics, meat composition and fatty acid profile of rabbit meat and perirenal fat. The trial was carried out on 30 weaned crossbred rabbits aged 9 weeks, weighing on average 2074 g. The animals were divided equally into three groups of 10 (five male and five female rabbits each) and kept separate in individual cages. At the end of the experiment, which lasted 5 weeks, there were no significant differences between the groups in the carcass yield or the proportions of various carcass parts and edible organs. Although the chemical composition of the meat was not significantly affected by the dietary treatment, the saturated fatty acid and monounsaturated fatty acid proportion in the longissimus dorsi muscle (-22% and -24%, respectively) and perirenal fat (-34% and –29%, respectively) decreased and the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) increased (+36% in the muscle and 43% in the fat, respectively) with increased GFS inclusion. GFS dietary supplementation has shown to be effective in improving the n-3 PUFAproportion (76% in the muscle and 77% in the fat, respectively), decreasing the n-6/n-3 ratio and reducing the saturation, atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes of the meat, with consequent benefits on the nutritional quality of rabbit meat for consumers.

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seed (SHS) dietary supplementation is effective in improving the nutritional quality of rabbit meat for consumers and could contribute to the novel concept of “functional food” in human nutrition. A trial has been conducted in order to verify the effects of three levels (0, 10, or 15%) of SHS inclusion in a rabbit diet on the meat quality, oxidative stability and sensory traits. The dietary treatment did not induce any differences in the ultimate pH, chemical composition, drip losses of the longissimus dorsi muscle or the initial and ultimate pH of the biceps femoris muscle, but the SHS supplementation increased cooking losses of the rabbit meat. The inclusion of SHS also reduced oxidative stability during meat storage. No adverse effects were observed on the meat quality or customer acceptability. The inclusion of SHS in rabbit diets, which is effective in improving the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids content of meat, increased the lipid oxidation in the hind leg meat. An improvement in tissue oxidative stability could be obtained by feeding rabbits with higher levels of antioxidants.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of three levels (0, 5 and 10%) of perilla (Perilla frutescens L.) seeds (PFS), included in isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets, on the apparent digestibility in rabbit aged of 73 days. The trial was carried out on 30 crossbred (Carmagnola Grey x New Zealand) rabbits randomly divided in three groups of ten animals each (five male and five female rabbits). Each of them was kept in individual cages. The faeces were collected during the last week of a growing trial that lasted 50 days. No obvious health problems were encountered during the experiment and no rabbits died during the trial. The measured parameters were digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and gross energy. The only parameter that was modified by the inclusion of PFS was the ether extract digestibility; it resulted higher in the 10% PFS diet (83.9%) than in the other two diets. Perilla seed may be used satisfactorily as a nutrient supplement for rabbits at levels of up to 10% in the diet with a better digestibility of ether extract than in the other two diets.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of three levels (0, 8, or 16%) of the golden variety of flaxseed (GFS; Linum usitatissimum L.), included in isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets, on the carcass characteristics, meat composition and fatty acid profile of rabbit meat and perirenal fat. The trial was carried out on 30 weaned crossbred rabbits aged 9 weeks, weighing on average 2074 g. The animals were divided equally into three groups of 10 (five male and five female rabbits each) and kept separate in individual cages. At the end of the experiment, which lasted 5 weeks, there were no significant differences between the groups in the carcass yield or the proportions of various carcass parts and edible organs. Although the chemical composition of the meat was not significantly affected by the dietary treatment, the saturated fatty acid and monounsaturated fatty acid proportion in the longissimus dorsi muscle (-22% and -24%, respectively) and perirenal fat (-34% and –29%, respectively) decreased and the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) increased (+36% in the muscle and 43% in the fat, respectively) with increased GFS inclusion. GFS dietary supplementation has shown to be effective in improving the n-3 PUFA proportion (76% in the muscle and 77% in the fat, respectively), decreasing the n-6/n-3 ratio and reducing the saturation, atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes of the meat, with consequent benefits on the nutritional quality of rabbit meat for consumers.