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Mulberry ( Morus alba L .), and above all the extract from the leaves of this plant, is a natural medicine that has been used in traditional medicine for hundreds of years. Mulberry leaves contains polyphenol compounds: flavonoids, coumarins, numerous phenolic acids, as well as terpenes and steroids. The antioxidant effect of these compounds may be beneficial to the fat fraction of meat products, thereby increasing their functional qualities. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of mulberry water leaf extract, as an additive limiting adverse fat changes and affecting the functionality in model liver pâtés. Pork pâtés were prepared by replacing 20% of animal fat with rapeseed oil (RO), and water extract of mulberry leaves was added in the proportion of 0.2%, 0.6% and 1.0%. It has been shown that the addition of mulberry leaf extract delayed the appearance of primary and secondary fat oxidation products. The most effective antioxidant effect during 15-day storage was observed in the sample with the addition of 0.6% and 1.0% water mulberry leaf extract. These samples also showed inhibiting activity against angiotensin-converting enzymes and cholinesterase’s. During storage, the tested pâtés had a high sensory quality with unchanged microbiological quality. Mulberry leaf extract can be an interesting addition to the production of fat meat products, delaying adverse changes in the lipid fraction and increasing the functionality of products.

Physicochemical and microbiological properties of pork chops sprayed with Neutral Electrolyzed Water (NEW) were evaluated during storage at refrigeration temperature. Pork chops were randomly allocated into three groups and were artificially contaminated with an inoculum of 10 6  CFU/mL of Listeria monocytogenes . Each group was treated with either NEW (58 ppm), NaClO (35 ppm), or saline solution (SS). Subsequently, recovered bacteria were plated on TSA petri dishes and the reduction percentage of Listeria monocytogenes was calculated 24 h and 8 days after treatment. Physicochemical analysis [pH, content of lactic acid, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and total volatile base nitrogen (TVBN)] were performed to evaluate the effect of all solutions used on pork meat kept at 4 °C for 19 days. In vitro NEW reduced L. monocytogenes titers by > 99.98% and 80.19% and 90.35% in artificially contaminated pork 24 h and 8 days after NEW treatment, respectively. Compared to the SS treatment, NEW and NaClO solutions caused a 0.67 Log UFC/g and 0.65 Log UFC/g reduction respectively. After eight days post-treatment, NEW and NaClO bacterial titers were below the SS treatment. NEW caused little color change in treated meat. It helped to reduce the formation of lactic acid and TVB-N when pork chops are kept at 4 °C for 19 days. Therefore, NEW could be considered as a new alternative to sanitize and preserve pork meat.

This project aims to establish the acceptability and satiety of a hybrid snack containing plant protein and a small percentage of animal protein compared to a meat-based snack. Design: Randomised, crossover, double-blind, controlled post-prandial trial involving 24 participants (18–30 years), with two interventions: (a) a hybrid snack containing plant protein derived from chickpeas and 6.6% lean high-quality pork meat; and (b) a meat-based snack containing 90% lean pork meat. Methods: General, life-style, sensory acceptability questionnaire, and the following laboratory analyses were performed: lipid profile, endocannabinoids, and related compounds. Results: Sensory questionnaires showed in general good acceptability for both bars. Additionally, there was a greater increase in glycemia at 30, 60, and 90 min after consuming the hybrid snack compared to the meat-based snack, with no changes in the lipid profile. Regarding the endocannabinoid compounds and related compounds, the compound N-palmitoleoyl ethanolamine in the acylethanolamide group showed higher levels overall following the consumption of the hybrid snack compared to the meat-based snack, particularly at 2 h. Conclusions: The hybrid snack was associated with changes in endocannabinoid-like compounds. Therefore, it may provide a lasting satiating effect, while complementing the protein profile of plant-based foods with the quality of animal protein.

In our study, we examined whether product characteristics indicated by food labels matter in purchasing decisions for sausage made from traditional Hungarian mangalica pork; and how much consumers are willing to pay for them. On the other hand, we also tried to measure whether any changes in consumers’ preferences occurred in recent years. Two product characteristics (label of origin and different mangalica meat content) and two other factors (place of purchase and price) are examined in a discrete choice experiment based on stated preference data. According to our expectations, government-funded consumer campaigns in recent years have had an impact on consumers purchase of this traditional product, and they pay more attention to food labels, which can also be influenced by sociodemographic characteristics. Our results have been compared to a previous choice-model based research, investigating consumers’ attitude towards similar mangalica pork products. Three different types of models (multinomial logit, random parameter logit, and latent class) are employed, from which two types of models account for the heterogeneity in preferences. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the advertisements promoting traditional meat consumption had only a partial effect on consumer attitudes. Consumers clearly prefer the label of origin indicating meat from registered animals and purchasing on the farmers’ market, but according to the indication of the different mangalica meat content in the product, we have already reached conflicting results. Three consumer segments were identified: “price sensitive, loyal to label, label neutral” based on latent class model estimates.

This study provides valuable information on the levels of various trace metals (Pb, Cd, Hg, Zn, Cu, Cr) in meat products (baked ham, raw ham, mortadella, cured sausage, würstel, salami) from South Italy and calculates potential health risk toxicity associated with their consumption for the total population and for children. In the samples studied metal concentrations are within the permissible legal limits (Cd: 0.01–0.03 μg g−1 w.w., Hg: 0.01–0.02 μg g−1 w.w., Zn: 5.71–7.32 μg g−1 w.w., Cu: 1.08–1.21 μg g−1 w.w., Cr: 0.15–0.23 μg g−1 w.w.), except for Pb (Pb: 0.22–0.38 μg g−1 w.w.). The estimated intake values are within the provisional tolerable daily intake limits for toxic metals and recommended daily intake values for essential metals in both tested groups. The noncarcinogenic risk values of the individual metals indicate that there is no health risk, but their combined effects might constitute a potential risk for children. Furthermore, the cumulative cancer risk of all samples studied exceeds the recommended threshold risk limit (> 10−4) in both total population and children, indicating a risk of potential health problems for consumers especially for children, who are more vulnerable to toxic metal exposure.

Background Slaughterhouses and meat cutting plants represent potential hotspots for the spread and transfer of spoilage and pathogenic, including antimicrobial resistant, bacteria to meat and meat products. Here, we characterise the progression of the microbiome and resistome of two pork cuts (loin and sirloin) at different stages of processing, from the slaughter line to the end of shelf-life. To this end, we analysed samples from facility surfaces, carcasses, and meat cuts using whole metagenome sequencing. Results The taxonomic and antimicrobial resistance gene (ARG) profiles of carcasses and meat cuts were significantly influenced by the point of sampling and the processing room. The facility surfaces were found to be the main source of some abundant genera, such as Anoxybacillus, Acinetobacter , Pseudomonas , and Brochothrix , in carcasses and meat cuts. A total of 1,291 metagenome-assembled genomes were reconstructed, corresponding to the most prevalent species identified in the taxonomic analysis at the read level. A reduction in bacterial and ARGs richness and diversity was observed for carcasses and meat cuts along the production chain, which suggests that processing procedures are effective in reducing bacterial and ARGs loads. Nonetheless, an increase in the ARGs load was observed at two sampling points: the carcass after evisceration and the sirloin at the end of its shelf-life (in this case linked to the increase of a single gene, tet(L) ). The ARGs most frequently detected were those associated with resistance to tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, and lincosamides. Acinetobacter (in processing environments and carcass/meat samples) and Staphylococcus (in carcasses and meat) were identified as the main genera associated with the ARGs found. Conclusions Overall, our results provide the most detailed metagenomics-based perspective on the microbial successions of pig carcasses and fresh meat cuts during slaughtering, processing, and commercialisation. The observations made suggest that selection pressures imposed by processing steps and contact with facility surfaces contribute to shaping the microbiome and resistome of the two pork products throughout their production line and shelf-life. 9qcqkqvqfmnmBawhKd3SZF Video Abstract

Background The pig breeding industry has undergone a large number of mergers in the past decades. Various commercial lines were merged or discontinued, which is expected to reduce the genetic diversity of the pig species. The objective of the current study was to investigate the genetic diversity of different former Dutch Landrace breeding lines and quantify their relationship with the current Dutch Landrace breed that originated from these lines. Results Principal component analysis clearly divided the former Landrace lines into two main clusters, which are represented by Norwegian/Finnish Landrace lines and Dutch Landrace lines. Structure analysis revealed that each of the lines that are present in the Dutch Gene bank has a unique genetic identity. The current Dutch Landrace breed shows a high level of admixture and is closely related to the six former lines. The Dumeco N-line, which is conserved in the Dutch Gene bank, is poorly represented in the current Dutch Landrace. All seven lines (the six former and the current line) contribute almost equally to the genetic diversity of the Dutch Landrace breed. As expected, the current Dutch Landrace breed comprises only a small proportion of unique genetic diversity that was not present in the other lines. The genetic diversity level, as measured by Eding’s core set method, was equal to 0.89 for the current Dutch Landrace breed, whereas total genetic diversity across the seven lines, measured by the same method, was equal to 0.99. Conclusions The current Dutch Landrace breed shows a high level of admixture and is closely related to the six former Dutch Landrace lines. Merging of commercial Landrace lines has reduced the genetic diversity of the Landrace population in the Netherlands, although a large proportion of the original variation is maintained. Thus, our recommendation is to conserve breeding lines in a gene bank before they are merged.

The quality of pork has become an increasing concern for consumers, yet the impacts of floor types on meat quality remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to compare the meat quality and muscle fibre characteristics of pigs raised on cement floors (CF) and deep litter floors (DF). Two large‐scale pig farms were selected for the study: one with DF and one with CF. When pigs reached a body weight of 110 kg, six animals from each group were euthanized, and samples of the longissimus dorsi, psoas major muscle, and quadriceps femoris muscle were collected for analysis. The results showed that the meat of pigs raised on DF had significantly higher redness (p < 0.05) and drip loss (p < 0.0001) compared to those raised on CF. The concentration of glucose‐6‐phosphate (p < 0.05), lactic acid (p < 0.01), and glycolytic potential (p < 0.01) was significantly lower in DF pigs, while the concentration of glycogen (p < 0.01) was notably higher. Additionally, the cross‐sectional area of longissimus dorsi was significantly higher in DF pigs (p < 0.001). Expression levels of MyHC‐IIa (p < 0.05), MyHC‐IIx (p < 0.05), and MyHC‐1β (p < 0.05) were higher in DF pigs, while MyHC‐IIb expression was significantly greater in CF pigs. These results suggest that raising pigs on DF enhances meat quality attributes such as redness, drip loss, and inosine acid and guanosine monophosphate content by modulating metabolic processes, enzyme activity, muscle fibre types, and MyHC gene expression. This study provides valuable insights into optimizing pig production systems for improved meat quality in China. Raising pigs on deep litter floors enhances meat quality attributes such as redness, drip loss, and inosine acid and guanosine monophosphate content by modulating metabolic processes, enzyme activity, muscle fibre types, and MyHC gene expression.

A host–guest colorimetric strategy is described for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes ( L. monocytogenes ). The optical probes were self-assembled based on the supramolecular interactions between the carbonyl groups of cucurbit[7]uril portals and gold nanoparticles (CB[7]-AuNPs). Aptamer and urease modified magnetic nanoparticles were used to specifically recognize and binding to L. monocytogenes , simultaneously hydrolyzing urea to produce ammonium ion (NH 4 + ) that can reverse CB[7] induced AuNPs aggregation. In the presence of L. monocytogenes, the above-mentioned magnetic conjugates preferentially bind to the bacterial surface, which results in blocking the catalytic active sites, thus inhibiting the production of ammonium ions. The normalized absorbance ratio of A 700 nm /A 525 nm was proportional to the L. monocytogenes concentration ranging from 10 to 10 6  cfu·mL −1 , and the visual determination can be done down to 10 cfu·mL −1 . For spiked food samples analyzed without pre-enrichment, recoveries of 98.4% to 99.3% were achieved could be verified and RSD were less than 10%. This work may offer a broad prospect for sensitive and specific determination  of pathogens. Graphical abstract

The growing demand of consumers for synthetic chemical-free foods has increased the search for natural preservatives such as bacteriocins and bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances (BLIS) to give them adequate microbiological safety, sensory characteristics, and shelf life. In this study, the antimicrobial activity of BLIS produced by Pediococcus pentosaceus ATCC 43200 was compared with that of nisin. Lactobacillus sakei ATCC 15521, Listeria seeligeri NCTC 11289, Enterococcus En2052 and En2865, and Listeria monocytogenes CECT 934 and NADC 2045 exhibited larger inhibition halos in BLIS-treated than in Nisaplin-treated samples, unlike Listeria innocua NCTC 11288. In artificially contaminated ready-to-eat pork ham, BLIS was effective in inhibiting the growth of L . seeligeri NCTC 11289 for 6 days (counts from 1.74 to 0.00 log CFU/g) and ensured lower weight loss (2.7%) and lipid peroxidation (0.63 mg MDA/kg) of samples compared with the control (3.0%; 1.25 mg MDA/kg). At the same time, coloration of ham samples in terms of luminosity, redness, and yellowness as well as discoloration throughout cold storage was not influenced by BLIS or Nisaplin taken as a control. These results suggest the potential use of P. pentosaceus BLIS as a biopreservative in meat and other food processing industries.