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This study aimed to investigate the applicability of novel colorimetric paper‐based pH‐sensitive indicator labels for monitoring the shelf life of the chicken breast fillets packaged under air oxygen until 10 days at 4°C. The color changes of the indicator labels were observed using the mobile phone after storage for days 0, 5, and 10. The result revealed that the indicator labels could be used to determine the freshness of the product as a part of intelligent packaging since the color of all indicators changed, depending on the pH changes of the chicken breast fillets. However, the synthetic and the red cabbage‐based indicator labels are found more sensitive to color changes compared to other selected natural‐based indicators. Moreover, the indicator labels have no toxic effect and are reliable and easy to use for monitoring the shelf life of meat and meat products. Novelty impact statement: A novel freshness indicator was developed based on natural (pomegranate, red cabbage, and turnip juice) and synthetic dye (bromocresol green, and methyl red) to detect physicochemical and microbiological changes in the chicken breast fillet for consumers as an alternative to the expiry date.The color of the indicator labels has changed depending on changes in the pH value of the chicken breast fillet packaged under air oxygen.It is considered that the developed indicator labels will contribute to new scientific research about intelligent packaging systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale, Aims and Objectives: Recent controversies about dietary advice concerning meat demonstrate that aggregating the available evidence to assess a putative causal link between food and cancer is a challenging enterprise., Methods: We show how a tool developed for assessing putative causal links between drugs and adverse drug reactions, E-Synthesis, can be applied for food carcinogenicity assessments. The application is demonstrated on the putative causal relationship between processed meat consumption and cancer., Results: The output of the assessment is a Bayesian probability that processed meat consumption causes cancer. This Bayesian probability is calculated from a Bayesian network model, which incorporates a representation of Bradford Hill's Guidelines as probabilistic indicators of causality. We show how to determine probabilities of indicators of causality for food carcinogenicity assessments based on assessments of the International Agency for Research on Cancer., Conclusions: We find that E-Synthesis is a tool well-suited for food carcinogenicity assessments, as it enables a graphical representation of lines and weights of evidence, offers the possibility to make a great number of judgements explicit and transparent, outputs a probability of causality suitable for decision making and is flexible to aggregate different kinds of evidence., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The author presents comments on an article on a simulation model on sustainable and healthy diets for decision makers in 2021. Topics discussed include meat and dairy alternatives and the possible extension of the model boundary and understanding of transition policies, the expected tripling of insect market volume in Europe by 2023, and the environmental impacts of fertilizers and declining groundwater levels. Also noted is a suggested bipartisan approach on the food and health system.

The flavor profile of meat and its processed products is highly volatile and subject to significant changes during storage, processing, and transportation. It is therefore crucial to monitor the flavor of meat to evaluate sensory quality and protect consumer health and safety. Gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) has become increasingly popular due to its advantages of being nondestructive, rapid, and capable of trace detection. The analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using this technique is continuously applied in the assessment of food freshness, origin traceability, and adulteration detection. GC-IMS has emerged as a promising tool for accurate monitoring and characterization of VOCs in food, particularly in the field of meat flavor analysis. Its applications include meat product authentication, adulteration detection, processing and storage-related flavor changes, and freshness monitoring. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the working principle of GC-IMS and its applications in meat flavor analysis, while exploring future trends and potential limitations associated with the technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyphenols are well documented against the inhibition of foodborne toxicants in meat, such as heterocyclic amines, Maillard's reaction products, and protein oxidation, by means of their radical scavenging ability, metal chelation, antioxidant properties, and ability to form protein–polyphenol complexes (PPCs). However, their thermal stability, low polarity, degree of dispersion and polymerization, reactivity, solubility, gel forming properties, low bioaccessibility index during digestion, and negative impact on sensory properties are all questionable at oil‐in‐water interface. This paper aims to review the possibility and efficacy of polyphenols against the inhibition of mutagenic and carcinogenic oxidative products in thermally processed meat. The major findings revealed that structure of polyphenols, for example, molecular size, no of substituted carbons, hydroxyl groups and their position, sufficient size to occupy reacting sites, and ability to form quinones, are the main technical points that affect their reactivity in order to form PPCs. Following a discussion of the future of polyphenols in meat‐based products, this paper offers intervention strategies, such as the combined use of food additives and hydrocolloids, processing techniques, precursors, and structure‐binding relationships, which can react synergistically with polyphenols to improve their effectiveness during intensive thermal processing. This comprehensive review serves as a valuable source for food scientists, providing insights and recommendations for the appropriate use of polyphenols in meat‐based products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small ruminant production is one of the most important animal productions for food security in the world, especially in the developing world. Gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infection is a threat to this animal's production. Conventional drugs that are used to control these parasites are losing their efficacy due to the development of resistant parasites. These drugs are not biologically degradable, taint meat products and are also expensive for communal farmers. Hence, research is now exploring ethnomedicinal anthelmintic plants for an alternative remedy. The objective of this paper was to review ethnomedicinal plants as a potential alternative to unsustainable commercial anthelmintics. This review sought to understand common GINs infecting ruminants, resistance manifestation in GINs to conventional treatment, reasons communal farmers choose ethnomedicine, and modes of action in anthelmintic plants. It also examined the usage of plants and plant parts, dosage forms, methods for improving bioactivity, convectional validation procedures, and restrictions on ethnomedicinal plant use as anthelmintics in ethnomedicine. Such insight is essential, as it highlights the importance of ethnoveterinary medicine and ways to adopt or improve it as a potential alternative to conventional anthelmintics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poor diets lead to negative health outcomes, including increased risk of noncommunicable diseases. Food systems, most notably agriculture, contribute to greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) that lead to climate change. Meat consumption plays a role in both health and environmental burden. Consumption of meat alternatives may reduce these harms. The aim was to compare meat products and their plant‐based alternatives on nutritional parameters, GHGE and price to examine if it is feasible and beneficial for policymakers and health professionals to recommend meat alternatives. Methods: Data on nutritional information and cost for 99 selected products were collected from five UK supermarkets. Estimates for GHGEs for 97 of these products were found through secondary articles. Median values for nutritional value, GHGE (kgCO2e) and price per 100 g were calculated to allow comparisons between meat products and their alternatives. Mann–Whitney U tests were used to look for significant differences for each nutrient, emissions and price. Results: Meat alternatives contained significantly more fibre and sugar and were significantly higher in price compared to the equivalent meat products. Meat alternatives had a significantly lower number of calories, saturated fat, protein and kgCO2e than meat products. There was no significant difference in the amount of salt between meat and meat alternatives. Conclusions: Overall, this paper found that meat alternatives are likely to be better for health according to most parameters, while also being more environmentally friendly, with lower GHGEs. However, the higher price of these products may be a barrier to switching to meat alternatives for the poorest in society. Key points: Plant‐based meat alternatives (PBMA) were compared with meat products on nutrition, environmental impact, and affordability. PBMA contained less saturated fat, protein and calories, more fibre and sugar, and similar salt content. They were more expensive but had less emissions. All plant‐based meat alternatives and most meat products were classed as ultra‐processed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses possible mechanisms that might lead to misinterpretations of collected data and makes new evidence‐based medicine (EBM) recommendations to oppose the previously accepted preventive measures, or treatment options. It is focused on the danger of the "red meat" consumption, and the question whether eating pungent food is good or bad for our health and finally whether the "bad luck" concept of getting several cancer types is valid or not. These three topics got and still have significant media attention. Several mechanisms are proposed as possible causes of these apparent conflicts. Some of them have already been recognized but sadly remained less known to medical readers and also to the general population. Also see the video abstract here https://youtu.be/owjoRXrNShA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is possible that COVID will trigger permanent changes in work practices that increase costs in U.S. meat‐processing plants. These changes will be beneficial for the safety and economic welfare of meat‐processing workers. However, they will have economic costs. In assessing reform options, policymakers seek guidance from analyses based on models embracing micro detail and an economy‐wide perspective. In this paper, we use USAGE‐Food, a highly disaggregated computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of the United States, to work out how additional processing costs would be distributed between consumers of meat products and farmers. We also calculate industry and macroeconomic effects. Despite modelling farmers as owning fixed factors, principally their own labour, we find that the farmer share in extra processing costs is likely to be quite moderate. Throughout the paper, we support simulation results with back‐of‐the‐envelope calculations, diagrams and sensitivity analyses. These devices identify the mechanisms in the model and key data points that are responsible for the main results. In this way, we avoid the black‐box criticism that is sometimes levelled at CGE modelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sichuan smoked bacon with potassium chloride instead of 40% sodium chloride was coated with chitosan and nisin, and treated at 600 MPa for 10 min after vacuum packaging. The physicochemical parameters, lipid and protein oxidation, and microbial biomass of samples were determined within 180 days of refrigeration. The substitution of 40% KCl for NaCl had some negative effects on a*, texture, microbial biomass, and sensory quality of bacon. High pressure significantly increased lipid oxidation of samples in the early stage of refrigeration, reduced a* during the whole storage, and had negative effects on texture and sensory quality of products in the later stage. Coating combined with high pressure could inhibit lipid and protein oxidation, and microbial growth, reduce nitrite residue, and maintain the color, texture, and sensory characteristics of bacon during refrigeration. These suggested that it was feasible to produce low‐sodium sliced bacon by high pressure combined with coating treatment. Novelty impact statement: Bacon is one of the traditional dry‐cured meat products in China, but there is few sliced and packaged bacon. The novelty of this paper lies in the application of high‐pressure (HP) with coating technology to sodium‐reduced sliced smoke‐cured bacon. Low sodium has some negative effects on a*, texture, microbial, and sensory of bacon. Alone high‐pressure treatment increases lipid oxidation, reduced a* of sliced bacon. The sodium‐reduced sliced smoke‐cured bacon treated by coating combined with high‐pressure has best effects, which Lays a good basis for the low salinity and convenience of dry‐cured meat products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meat production and consumption are major contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions and other aspects of environmental degradation. It is the aim of this paper to explore red meat in the configuration of main meals eaten out in England across types and styles of cuisine, and to consider the implications for transition towards less resource intensive ways of eating in the future. We show that the odds ratio of eating a dish without red meat is significantly lower in North American/European and Near/Middle Eastern cuisines compared with East Asian (with no difference between South and East Asian), that women are more likely than men to eat fish and poultry (with no gender differences in vegetarian dishes), that Prestonians are the least likely to select a vegetarian dish, compared with people in London and Bristol, and that the odds of a vegetarian dish compared with red meat is higher amongst managerial workers compared with the routine manual workers (with no other statistically significant class differences). We suggest the term "translated cuisine" to refer cuisines that travel and become incorporated into the palate of the new food culture, and discuss how this could play a role in transitions towards less meat‐centred patterns of food consumption in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Meat has historically been an essential source of animal‐based protein. However, due to population growth, health problems linked to the consumption of red meat, and concerns over environmental challenges, there is an increased need for alternative protein sources. Various plant‐based meat alternatives have recently been explored, with ongoing advancements in industrial‐scale production. Mycoprotein has been proposed as a sustainable alternative to meat due to its distinctive functional food properties and fibrous structure. However, some challenges still prevail related to large‐scale production, texture, sustainability, and acceptability of mycoprotein products. This review paper provides a comprehensive overview of scientific research on mycoprotein, focusing on nutritional composition, functional properties, production technology, and health benefits. This study also examines the current challenges related to product safety, environmental impact, and prospects of this innovative food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food authentication using molecular techniques is of great importance to fight food fraud. Metabarcoding, based on the next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, allowing large-scale taxonomic identification of complex samples via massive parallel sequencing of fragments (calledDNAbarcodes) simultaneously, has become increasingly popular in many scientific fields. A systematic review to answer the question "Is the metabarcoding ripe enough to be applied to the authentication of foodstuff of animal origin?" is presented. The inclusion criteria were focused on the selection of scientific papers (SPs) only applying metabarcoding to foodstuff of animal origin collected on the market. The 23 included SPs were first analyzedwith respect to the metabarcoding phases: library preparation (target genes, primer pairs, and fragment length), sequencing (NGS platforms), and final data analysis (bioinformatic pipelines). Given the importance of primer selection, the taxonomic coverage of the used primers was also evaluated. In addition, the SPs were scored based on the use of quality control measures (procedural blanks, positive controls, replicates, curated databases, and thresholds to filter the data). A lack of standardized protocols, especially with respect to the target barcode/s and the universal primer/s, and the infrequent application of the quality control measures, leads to answer thatmetabarcoding is not ripe enough for authenticating foodstuff of animal origin. However, the observed trend of the SP quality improvement over the years is encouraging. Concluding, a proper protocol standardization would allow a wider use of metabarcoding by both official and private laboratories, enabling this method to become the primary for the authentication of foodstuffs of animal origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper was to investigate the intensity and the pattern of tail price risk spillovers in the US beef and pork industries. To this end, it estimates CoVaR functions for directly linked market pairs (farm–wholesale and wholesale–retail) along the relevant supply chains using quantile regressions. Over the total sample (1980–2020) and two sub‐samples (1980–1999 and 2000–2020), the beef industry appears to exhibit a higher degree of price risk connectedness relative to the pork industry. Positive and negative tail price events are transmitted between markets with the same intensity. However, tail price events (irrespective of sign) are likely to spillover with greater intensity backwards in the supply chain than forwards. This pattern of transmission may be a cause of concern about the efficiency of alternative meat marketing arrangements as risk‐sharing instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about several papers discussed at the Outlook Conference hosted by the BPEX, DairyCo, and EBLEX held in Westminster, London on May 2, 2012 is presented. Topics include the current economic climate, red meat and dairy outlook, and longer term prospects for agriculture. The conference featured several speakers including Alan Wilkinson, Giles Quick, and Ken Boynes.

Drying of foods is a processing step, which has a variety of outcomes from improving shelf life and product stability, to reducing weight, or to achieving a targeted product eating quality. Drying is key step in the manufacturing of some dried meat products, such as jerky. It is also a major event that occurs when beef is dry‐aged, where beef is exposed to air under defined conditions for an extended aging period. Although the conditions typically used to produce dried meat products are significantly different from those that prevail during dry‐aging, both involve a gradual removal of water from muscle. As there is a paucity of research on the kinetics of the dehydration process occurring during dry‐aging of beef, this paper comprehensively reviews models used to describe drying kinetics in other beef products, in order to gain insights regarding the key factors that impact water removal from meat. Consideration is given as to how the specific conditions during dry‐aging such as air flows used (approximately 2 m/s), high air relative humidity, low temperature, and meat geometry will influence the kinetics of the drying. With regard to modeling, equations derived from Fick's second law of diffusion (e.g., thin‐layer models) have been used to describe the drying kinetics of small‐sized meat products. However, to apply Fick's law to dry‐aging, some different considerations may need to be evaluated such as: tridimensional geometry (i.e., whole muscle); uniform initial moisture content; isotropic diffusion; negligible shrinkage;and a combination of internal and external resistances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A child's diet should be composed of appropriate nutrients to achieve optimal nutritional status, and though there is a substantial evidence base for child feeding recommendations, developing countries continue to face challenges regarding optimal child feeding. This paper describes an ethnographic study undertaken in rural northern Ghana to explore community perceptions of what 'counts' as food for children and the impact this had on the nutrients they received. Fifteen households with children under 5 years were purposively selected. In‐depth interviews were held with 25 mothers, 7 fathers and 8 grandparents within these households as well as 2 diviners. Participant observations were also undertaken. Findings show that satiety rather than nutrition was the key consideration in adult choices about a child's diet. The community regarded carbohydrate‐based meals as food, but considered protein, vitamins and mineral‐based foods as nonessential elements of a child's diet, and important sources of these nutrients were regarded as treats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The devastating impact of the COVID‐19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic is prompting renewed scrutiny of practices that heighten the risk of infectious disease. One such practice is refusing available vaccines known to be effective at preventing dangerous communicable diseases. For reasons of preventing individual harm, avoiding complicity in collective harm, and fairness, there is a growing consensus among ethicists that individuals have a duty to get vaccinated. I argue that these same grounds establish an analogous duty to avoid buying and eating most meat sold today, based solely on a concern for human welfare. Meat consumption is a leading driver of infectious disease. Wildlife sales at wet markets, bushmeat hunting, and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are all exceptionally risky activities that facilitate disease spread and impose immense harms on human populations. If there is a moral duty to vaccinate, we also should recognize a moral duty to avoid most meat. The paper concludes by considering the implications of this duty for policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Growing population demands more animal protein products. Pork remains one of the traditional and relatively sustainable types of meats for human consumption. In this paper, life‐cycle assessment was performed using data from 12 pig farms. In parallel, a survey on the consumption of pork meat products was conducted analyzing responses from 806 pork meat consumers. The study aims to provide a quantitative calculation of six environmental footprints associated with the consumption of pork meat products in Serbia by analyzing data from pig farms and a pork meat consumption survey. RESULTS: Results revealed that pork meat production is responsible for the emission of 3.50 kg CO2e kg−1 live weight, 16.1 MJe kg−1, 0.151 mg R11e kg−1, 31.257 g SO2e kg−1, 55.030 g PO4e kg−1 and 3.641 kg 1.4 dBe kg−1. Further calculations reveal that weekly emissions of various environmental potentials associated with an average consumer of pork meat products in Serbia are estimated at values of 4.032 kg CO2e week−1, 18.504 MJe week−1, 0.17435 mg R11e week−1, 35.972 g SO2e week−1 and 63.466 g PO4e week−1. CONCLUSIONS: Results show that, on the one hand, pork products are responsible for environmental production impacts that mainly occur on farms while, on the other hand, consumption is characterized with high meat inclusion rates. As a leverage strategy it is recommended for producers to concentrate on lowering the production impacts rather than trying to reach consumers for sustainability conciseness. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Advanced structures of food proteins are maintained by many forces such as hydrophobic activities, electrostatic interaction, and disulphide bond interaction, which can affect their functional characteristics to a certain extent. Therefore, many approaches have been utilised to improve functional characteristics of food proteins. pH‐shift process refers to the method that food proteins are treated under extreme alkaline or acid conditions followed by adjusting pH to isoelectric point or neutral pH. Many studies have showed that pH‐shift process can significantly affect the functional characteristics of food proteins, for example emulsifying activities, forming property, solubility and water/oil adsorption ability. pH‐shift process has been utilised to recover protein isolates from many sources including fish, fish by‐products, meat processing products. Many researches have indicated that the functional and physicochemical characteristics of recovered protein isolates are significantly influenced by pH‐shift process. In this paper, the latest studies regarding the functional and physicochemical characteristics of proteins treated or recovered through pH‐shift process, and potential applications of obtained protein isolates in the production of the hydrolysates or used as a delivery system were reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, both consumers and food industry producers have exhibited an ever‐growing interest in improving and broadening the functional performance of proteins in food industry. Myofibrillar protein (MP) is mainly responsible for texture, yield and organoleptic characteristics of final meat products. To increase functional properties of MP, technological and nutritional improvement of MP is needed to modify its structure and functionalities. Considerable approaches, including additives, oxidation treatments, and novel food processing technologies, have been utilized to modify its functional properties to manufacture acceptable meat products with lower cost and more desirable nutritional characteristics. However, a comprehensive summary of structural and functional changes of MP in response to different modification strategies is still lacking. Hence, in this review paper, our main goal is first to provide an overview of the functional characteristics of MP. Then, this review will mainly discuss the current knowledge on the functional changes of MP caused by various modification methods and will present some examples of previous works and recent progress. Finally, future outlooks are presented to tailor the manufacture of functionality enhanced and value‐added muscle‐based products and enable modified MP can be applied as a novel meat ingredient in food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Set against the attention given to animal‐agricultural geographies and animal agriculture's environmental impacts, proponents of cultured meat (i.e., biomass cultured from cells) and genetic modification‐based "cellular‐agricultural" technologies today promise that the production of animal products could become more sustainable if animals were taken out of the equation. Though future visions for such a shift have often centred on how much land could be saved through the deployment of new biotechnologies, proponents and researchers today increasingly also foreground the future economic geographies and sites of production that these should engender. In this paper I explore such envisioned geographies, building on 24 interviews with cellular‐agricultural actors and on observations during meetings. Essentially echoing an ecomodernist embrace of the Anthropocene as a great opportunity, cellular‐agriculturalists frequently promise that the technologies they advocate should offer the possibility to unfetter the production of animal products from spatial constraints. (Post‐)animal products can now be produced anywhere. But in assuring that products and production processes should feel familiar, they frequently also describe a world where microbrewery‐like facilities and transparent production processes supplant industrialised animal agriculture's remote slaughterhouses. Hence, a kind of craft‐emphasising "recombinant" ecomodernism emerges. In exploring cellular‐agricultural future visions, my aim is not to determine whether, or which, particular visions might be realised. Rather, I centre on descriptions of future spaces of production and economic geographies in order to explore contemporary biotech boosterism. Engaging with these visions, as well as the often unchronicled creative destruction that they could entail, thus allows me to contribute to an emerging set of texts that scrutinise the current and intended political economy (and ecology) of cellular agriculture, as well as texts emphasising the necessity of pondering Anthropocene spatialities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this paper, immersion vacuum cooling with ultrasonic assistance (IVCUA) is compared with immersion vacuum cooling alone (IVC) and vacuum cooling (VC) for cooling time, mass loss, colour, texture profile and water mobility and compartmentalization for cooked meat products. The results reveal that IVCUA clearly enhances the boiling intensity of impregnation liquid compared to IVC. The total cooling time using IVC (126.56 min) for samples from 72 to 4 °C was significantly longer (P < 0.05) than that of IVCUA (96.89 min) and VC (80.48 min). The cooling time of samples from 10 to 4 °C by IVC (46.26 min) was higher (P < 0.05) than that by IVCUA (28.55 min). There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in mass loss, colour and texture profile among all samples. However, IVCUA had a higher transverse relation time of bulk water (T24) and MRI proton densities (P < 0.05), as well as a more uniform water distribution compared to IVC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper employs a latent variable approach to isolate the effects of changing tastes on the share of total meat expenditure on different categories of meat products in Greece during the period 1965–1995. We find that changes in the relative expenditure on different categories of meat cannot be explained by changes in the relative prices of the different meat products and increased expenditure alone. For pork products in particular, the increase in the share of expenditure has been greater than would be expected as a result of the relative fall in their price. The increase can therefore be associated with changes in taste. This finding is of general interest to those conducting empirical research into consumer behaviour both in economies where there have been significant changes in patterns of food consumption, and where, as in the case of many less industrialised economies, rapid structural changes in food consumption patterns are still to come. It is also of importance to policy makers in assessing the effectiveness of advertising or promotional campaigns in influencing longer term changes in consumer preferences for different products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The present study aimed to demonstrate the effect of beef lung powder addition to model chicken emulsion formulations on quality parameters and determine the optimum usage dose. A mixture design method was employed to determine the ideal proportions of chicken meat, animal fat, and water. The optimal formulation comprises 70.48% chicken meat, 12.42% animal fat, 9.30% water/ice, and 7.80% beef lung powder (w/w). The predicted outcomes for this optimized emulsion include a cooking loss of 3.05%, emulsion stability of 85.21%, an oxidation rate increase of 2.93%, a color difference of 13.24%, and firmness of 24.16 N. The use of lung powder resulted in a reduction in cooking loss and an increase in emulsion stability and hardness. Nevertheless, an increase in both color change and oxidation rate was found in emulsion models. The results of this study demonstrate that beef lung powder is a highly functional ingredient with the capacity to significantly enhance the stability and texture of chicken emulsions. Furthermore, it has the potential to considerably improve the nutritional and quality attributes of emulsified meat products, therefore suggesting its broader applicability in food production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alxa Bactrian camel meat is an organic diet that provides balanced nutrition and is easy to digest and absorb. Despite its potential, it is currently underutilized. To develop a new type of camel jerky, this study utilized a single‐factor design method to optimize the formula and fermentation process parameters of Alxa Bactrian camel jerky. Additionally, the physical and chemical composition, nutritional components, protein degradation, and microbial changes of the camel jerky were analyzed to evaluate the nutritional benefits of the new camel jerky created using modern fermentation technology. The results show that the optimal addition amounts of camel fermented jerky ingredients are 2.2% black pepper, 3% salt, 1.8% white sugar, and 9% cooking wine, whereas the optimal fermentation conditions by compound starter culture are 0.07% starter, 23 h of fermentation time, and a 30°C fermentation temperature. Compared to the single starter, the compound starter significantly increased the protein content, total amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, trace elements, and a*, L*, and e‐values of jerky; however, it also decreased the water activity (aw), thiobarbituric acid, and pH values of jerky during storage. Compound starter strains can compensate for the shortage of single starters and improve the overall quality of meat products. These findings could provide new insights and serve as a reference for the development of camel meat products and hold significant importance for the growth of the camel industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chilling procedures have been widely used in livestock abattoirs since the development of refrigeration systems. The major criteria when applying chilling regimes is not only complying with regulations, but economic concerns, and also meat safety and quality assurance requirements. Given recent developments, an updated review is required to guide the industry to choose the best chilling method and to inspire the development of new approaches to chilling. Thus in this paper, the quality and microbial safety of beef, lamb, pork, venison, and bison resulting from different chilling treatments has been reviewed, as well as the underlying mechanism(s) for the different impacts on meat quality traits as a result of different chilling regimes. The effect of fast chilling on the tenderness of beef and lamb is a focus, as some new findings, have recently been reported, while multistep chilling is highlighted as it incorporates the advantages of fast chilling to reduce carcass weight loss, resulting in similar quality improvements as found with slow chilling. It is, suggested, that if spray chilling can be combined with the second phase of multi‐step chilling, it will benefit the meat industry in terms of both meat quality and safety. Future studies should focus on combinations of chilling methods with new technologies, such as medium voltage electrical stimulation, muscle stretching, or ultrasound and so on, to move meat quality and safety to a new level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highly visceral ways in which forms of consubstantiality are produced between kin in Indigenous Australian social worlds can be explored through close attention to local understandings of bodily substances and their modes of exchange and transformation. Recalling here Paul Schilder's observation that 'our attitude towards the different parts of the body can be to a great extent determined by the interest other persons take in our body' (1964: 299), this paper traces some of the ways in which images of the self and others are deployed in Euro-Australian ('whitefella') and Kimberley Aboriginal[This paper] ('blackfella') images and practices circulating around the provision, avoidance and consumption of meat which is, of course, nothing if not an assortment of bodily parts which most human-beings have an abiding interest in. The circulation of meat is something which is focal to a great range of Kimberley social relationships and inevitably comes to permeate the organisation of the never-ending stream of meetings with Euro-Australians through Aboriginal land councils and other local government agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article cites a case report related to protein contact dermatitis. A 26 year old man developed an itching papulovesicular dermatitis on the backs and sides of the fingers and wrists, a few months after he started work in a slaughter house. The dermatitis disappeared on holidays and relapsed immediately on return to work. The pathogenic mechanism of protein contact dermatitis still unclear, but in the above mentioned case it was found that IgE antibodies to meat was produced. Thus it is suggested that meat allergens, after penetrating the epidermis bind either to IgE molecules or mast cells in the dermis inducing a immediate type reaction.

This paper explores the use of body mapping methods in the study of human–animal relations in alternative food networks. While research on alternative food networks is prolific, it has paid little attention to the bodily intimacies of eating‐as‐relational, particularly regarding meat. As recent scholarship on visceral geographies of food claims the body as central, meat and accompanying human–animal relations remain in the shadows. How do conscientious meat eaters relate rationally, affectively and metabolically to animals in consumption practices? Building on current work in geographies of food and feeling, I argue that body mapping serves as a device to probe the visceral realm of practices and feelings in meat consumption. Drawing on focus group fieldwork in Austria, I illustrate how body mapping brings attention to the intertwined material‐affective dimensions of food by eliciting data on both representational and material (dis)engagement with animal life. Furthermore, it facilitates individual and group reflexivity of uncomfortable practices. As a performative method, body mapping opens space for new considerations of the “animal” in relation to food practice. For geographers of food and feeling, body mapping addresses the call for critical methods that illuminate the complexity and contradictions of how bodies respond to – and care for – others within the food system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although replacement of fat with fiber is a good strategy to avoid boar taint on high‐fat content products, as sausages, the final purchase intention is related to other external factors such as welfare and healthiness. So, the aim of this study was to evaluate the consumers' perception of sausages with fat replaced by fiber, elaborated with meat from non‐castrated male pigs, and to determine the influence of the consumers' habits and demographic parameters on their beliefs related to pig castration. An online survey was carried out. A total of 131 consumers answered a questionnaire about habits and beliefs related to meat and meat product issues. Subsequently, they evaluated four images of labeled products (castrated–not castrated/normal–reduced‐fat/traditional–high fiber content) with the Check‐all‐that‐apply (CATA) test. In all, 87.7% of meat consumers perceived meat products as positive, although 71% trimmed the fat previous consumption. In a 9‐point agreement scale, "Animal welfare worries me" obtained 7.5 and "the castration without anaesthesia should not be performed" 7.4. There was a higher grade of agreement with "castration of pigs justification to improve smell a flavour" in primary education level and in rural residence (p <.05). Sausages from castrated animals were perceived as fatty, juicy, appetizing, and animal cruelty. Reduced‐fat and rich/high fiber sausages were not associated with "healthy" but with "expensive" and "unpleasant." Although reduced‐fat entire male pork sausages with vegetable fiber could be a better option for marketing uncastrated male pork, they will need more than fiber claims to be associated with healthy products and the consumer should be previously informed if he could appreciate the meaning of castration labeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meat, fish, and seafood are animal products that can be found in various forms in the human diet. In Western culture, there are trends to reduce meat consumption. This work was created to assess how various factors influence the fact that we like to eat meat, fish, and seafood. Exploring these relationships will contribute to our understanding of why dietary interventions for the above foods may be so difficult to implement in some groups of people. Two hundred eighty‐three people living in Poland took part in the study. An interview and olfactory tests were conducted together with assessments of food preferences from 25 types of food products. The extent to which sex, age, body mass index, tobacco addiction, and sense of smell influence 'meat, fish and seafood' consumption was assessed. Using the factor analysis, a coherent group of 'meat, fish and seafood' products was selected: beef, pork, veal, cured meats, poultry, fish dishes, and seafood. 'Meat, fish and seafood' was liked more by men, compared to women (B =.85; CI =.60, 1.10; t = 6.66, η2 =.14; p <.001), whereas other factors did not affect the preference of dishes from this group as a whole. A detailed analysis of each type of food separately showed, however, that not only is gender important, but fish is liked more by older people, and cured meats by people who identify odors more efficiently. When planning a diet change, including the products mentioned above, we should consider the sex and age of the person to whom the diet is addressed, because men declare a higher derived pleasure from eating various types of meat, fish, and seafood than women, while older people like fish more. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of marinating beef, chicken, and fish with Micromeria fruticosa (M. fruticosa) on the inhibition of Nε‐(carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL) and Nε‐(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML). Furthermore, our objective was to examine how different cooking techniques, temperatures, and durations affect the creation of CEL and CML in these meat products. The study began with the characterization of M. fruticosa. Subsequently, meat samples were marinated using an M. fruticosa‐containing marinade and stored at 4 ± 1°C for 24 h. Following storage, the meats underwent cooking in an oven at 200°C for 12 min and in an air fryer at 250°C for 8 min. Subsequently, pH, color, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), as well as CEL and CML analyses were conducted. M. fruticosa had high levels of biological activity and bioactive content. Moreover, increasing the M. fruticosa ratio in the marinade demonstrated a reduction in TBARS, CML, and CEL formation. This study concludes that M. fruticosa can be effectively used as a marinade component for meat, inhibiting the formation of CEL and CML. In conclusion, this research underscores the significant potential of M. fruticosa in reducing the synthesis of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) during meat processing. These results not only enhance our comprehension of the complex relationship between plant extracts and meat quality but also present encouraging prospects for fostering healthier and safer cooking methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decades, red meat allergy, also known as mammalian meat allergy, which manifests differently from classic food allergies, has been reported in different countries and regions, including China. The allergen of this disease is not a protein but an oligosaccharide: galactose‐α‐1,3‐galactose, i.e., alpha‐gal or α‐gal. Therefore, this clinical syndrome is also called α‐gal syndrome (AGS). It clinically manifests as delayed anaphylaxis, i.e., patients generally develop allergic symptoms 2–6 h after ingesting red meat. This clinical manifestation is believed to be related to sensitization to α‐gal after tick bites. Sensitized individuals may also develop anaphylaxis after ingesting food and medicine or being exposed to medical equipment containing α‐gal, such as cetuximab and gelatin. Here, the literature on AGS is reviewed for a better understanding of its pathogenesis, clinical diagnosis, and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Toxoplasma gondii is a widely prevalent zoonotic protozoan parasite in humans and warm‐blooded animals worldwide. Infection of humans by this parasite can result in severe clinical symptoms, particularly in individuals with congenital toxoplasmosis or immunocompromised patients. Contamination mainly occurs through foodborne routes, especially the consumption of raw or undercooked meat from animals. Objectives: The aim of this study was to use PCR to detect T. gondii in tissues and organs of buffaloes and cattle slaughtered at Tabriz slaughterhouse, in Iran. Methods: Fifty grams of heart, thigh, diaphragm and tongue from 50 buffaloes and 100 cattle slaughtered at the Tabriz industrial slaughterhouse were selected for sampling using a combination of convenience sampling. The samples were tested using a previously published PCR method. Results: Out of the 150 animal samples, T. gondii was detected in 10 (6.7%, 95%CI: 3.2–11.9), including one buffalo (2%, 95%CI: 0.1–10.6) and nine cattle (9%, 95%CI: 4.2–16.4). There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of T. gondii infection among cattle based on age and sex (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The results indicated a potential risk of T. gondii transmission to humans through the consumption of infected meat. Therefore, appropriate and effective preventive measures should be taken to limit the transmission of this parasite to humans, and the consumption of raw and undercooked meat should be discouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarises the recently introduced fat tax in Denmark, which came into force on 1 October 2012, and discusses some of the consequences of introducing the tax. Furthermore, this paper discusses the theoretical background and reasoning for imposing a fat tax as well as some of the problems and concerns stated, especially by the food industry. The fat tax is a tax paid per kilogram of saturated fat in the following foods if the content of saturated fat exceeds 2.3 g/100 g. These include meat, dairy products and animal fats that are rendered or are extracted in other ways, edible oils and fats, margarine and spreadable blended spreads. The declared aim of the tax is to reduce the consumption of saturated fat among the Danish population in order to decrease the prevalence of diet-related illnesses. The tax is part of a larger reform of the Danish tax system with the general aim of decreasing the income taxation pressure and financing it by, among other things, increased environmental and energy taxes, as well as increased 'health' taxes. Pre-tax simulations predict that the health tax on saturated fat will give rise to a reduction in the consumption of saturated fat of approximately 8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper argues that post-structural political economy (PSPE) offers geography and geographers interesting potential for the development of a style of geographic inquiry that has qualities that may be constitutive of progressive spaces. This new style of inquiry is seen as adding to the repertoire of political strategies and potential geographies of responsibility and extending notions of ethical behaviours. Issues relating to the assemblage of PSPE as a distinctive approach to knowledge production are considered and situated in the Australasian context. Discussion focuses especially on insight about the use of PSPE derived from three illustrative research case studies (a project on learning challenges in sheep meat and dairy supply chain realignment, tensions around fisheries management in New Zealand and an international workshop series on the topic of governmentality). The case studies provide a lens on the socio-spatial relationships between globalisation and governance and interrogate the value of PSPE for understanding the connections between individual choices, governing practices and the construction of the globalising economy. The PSPE approach if actively incorporated into research processes may have important implications for future relationships between social responsibility, national economic development and globalisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have examined young females' negative sentiments toward meat in the western world. This paper explored the role of various factors that may trigger disgust with meat and hence avoidance of red meat among young females. These include negative body esteem, disgust motivations related to ideational concerns, sensory-affective concerns, and anticipation of negative consequences relating to the consumption of meat. The investigation showed that all of these factors were positively related to disgust with meat, and disgust with meat influenced red meat consumption negatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to provide a critical review of the literature on the consumer interest in the UK in organic food, with a particular focus on organic meat. Given that people are more likely to purchase products if they have faith in them, the regulation of organic food standards is reviewed to explore issues affecting consumers. This is followed by a review of the organic meat sector. Aspects of the consumer interest considered in this paper include consumer information, consumer access, consumer safety, consumer choice and consumer representation. As the literature on organic food/meat in the UK is extensive, it was therefore necessary to be selective with regard to the publications suitable for this review. Most of the literature selected for this paper has been drawn from UK publications, although several European and international sources have also been used. The review found that there is a considerable level of interest in the UK organic meat sector. As the regulation of organic food produced is set at varying standards across the European Union, this could lead to consumers being misled regarding the quality of products offered. It was also found that, although consumers perceive organic foods as healthier, more nutritious and tasting better than non-organic products, the literature shows that this may have only a limited basis on fact. Contamination of organic products with pesticides and even genetically modified ingredients is always possible. Organic farmers are permitted to use other ingredients in organic meat products that may be harmful to health. Escherichia coli and Salmonella risks associated with conventional meat also appear to affect organic meat. Consumers need clear, accurate and reliable information about organic meat. They also need to be provided with safe products, a choice of organic products, access to organic products and to be represented effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel meat product derived from broiler (5 weeks old) and spent hen (66 weeks old) meat was elaborated based on the combination of salting with NaCl and a succeeding drying process. The influence of processing stage (salting, drying and pressing) on physicochemical parameters was evaluated. Physicochemical, microbiological and sensory characterization of the final chicken charqui products was performed. Differences were observed for texture, as the product derived from hen meat was tougher irrespective of muscle type. Regarding chicken charqui characterization, animal's age also influenced the fatty acids composition and sensory attributes of charqui samples. Microbial population showed low counts in all charqui samples. Sensory profile of charqui also showed differences on grilled chicken aroma and flavor between spent hen and broiler samples. Spent hen and broiler meat seem to be viable for charqui processing, considering high protein amounts, low microbial counts and low rancid scores found in the product. Practical Application This paper provides detailed information of a procedure for preserving meat from spent hens. The final product, a safe, appetizing and shelf-stable product, is fully characterized and its quality is compared with that from a similar product produced from broiler meat. The idea and procedures are of high technological interest given the current interest in searching for affordable and alternative sources of animal protein and the necessity of turning the meat from spent animals into a profitable muscle food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following work is a review on the antioxidant capacity of rosemary extract. Rosemary extract is one of the most popular naturally sourced antioxidants that has been used in the food industry around the world. It is widely used in multiple food applications including frying oils, fish oils, snacks, roasted nuts, meat products, and many others. The extraction methods that were used to purify antioxidant compounds from rosemary were introduced. The analytical test results on rosemary extract showed that it has high levels of phenolic compounds. The major active compounds were identified as carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid. In food application tests, rosemary extract was found to reduce lipid autoxidation and photo-oxidation significantly. Oxidation products/markers like peroxide value, p-Anisidine value, TBARS value, and hexanal were measured, and the readings were observed lower in the samples dosed with rosemary extract. Besides, rosemary extract was also found to have a positive impact on reducing the sensation of rancidity notes in foods and protecting them from color loss. In some applications, the performance of rosemary extract is comparable to synthetic antioxidants like BHA, BHT, and TBHQ. It was also found that when rosemary extract was combined with ascorbic acid, citric acid, or other naturally sourced antioxidants, synergistic effects were formed to provide superior antioxidant performance. This is a review paper on rosemary extract's processing methods and related application in the food industry for its antioxidant function. The major active compounds in rosemary extract are found to be carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid. These compounds could be selectively extracted by controlling the solvents' polarity. Greener extraction methods are also introduced to support the demanding clean label food trend. Finally, the applications of rosemary in different food matrices are reviewed to show the overall performance on reducing the oxidation of lipids and improving food products' shelf-life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuts besides favorable fatty acid and nutrient profile posse certain bioactive/functional compounds which elicit numerous health benefits. Premium mutton nuggets with improved nutrient profile were developed by substituting the traditionally added animal fat in emulsion by incorporation of peanut paste. With the aim to substitute added fat by 50, 75 and 100%, three levels of peanut paste viz 10, 15 and 20% were explored to determine the optimum level of their incorporation. The premium products were further analyzed and compared for detailed product profile which included lipid profile, calorific value, dietary fiber, antioxidant activity and texture profile. Based on physico-chemical and sensory scores, the level of incorporation for peanut paste was adjudged as high as 20%. Developed premium mutton nuggets had significantly less cholesterol content, increased dietary fiber, enhanced antioxidant activity and acceptable texture profile. Thus, it was concluded that functionality components of peanut can be well incorporated to conventional processing to develop superior products. Practical Applications The paper presents the development of novel kind of meat products enriched with Peanut paste. Incorporation of peanut paste not only substituted the animal fat improving lipid profile and antioxidant activity but also able to economize the production cost and thus stretching the availability of products among masses. Research seems to be of direct industrial application besides opening up the avenues of further research on functional components and their clinical correlation. Development of premium product using the peanuts and red meat from culled sheep stock present the most judicious way of their utilization for healthy meat products. In under developed countries and naturally dried land areas such as African countries and deserts where healthy functional meat products is beyond the reach, the recipe suggested may prove to be promising source of nutrients utilizing the native resource sheep and peanuts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meat products are highly perishable and prone to deterioration, which poses potential health hazards. This research aims to assess the efficacy of encapsulated oregano essential oil (EOEO) as a natural preservative agent to maintain the chemical and microbiological quality of beef burgers during refrigerated storage. Hydrodistillation was used to extract OEO from oregano. The encapsulation of OEO using a combination of biopolymers (maltodextrin, gum arabic, and whey protein) provides high encapsulation efficiency (89.1%). Both crude and encapsulated OEOs were analyzed for their chemical constituents and antimicrobial activity. Encapsulated OEO, at levels of 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1%, was incorporated during the beef burger processing. Microbiological and chemical parameters were assessed every 4 days over a 16‐day storage period. GC‐MS results revealed that carvacrol (70 and 79.31%) and p‐cymene (11.56% and 9.05%) dominated the crude and encapsulated OEOs, respectively. Both forms of OEO exhibited potent antimicrobial activity, with encapsulation further enhancing this property. The incorporation of EOEO into burger samples reduced the total microbial count. Subsequently, it decreased the formation of total volatile nitrogen (TVN), trimethylamine (TMA), thiobarbituric acid (TBA), and biogenic amines (BAs) during storage. Addition of EOEO at the level of 1% retarded the formation of BAs, TVN, TMA, and TBA in burger samples by 72.8%, 43.23, 42.07, and 44.44%, respectively, compared to the control sample after 16 days of storage. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to establish correlations between microbiological and biochemical markers of beef burgers. The PCA results show that PC1 (89.81%) and PC2 (7.25%) can explain more than 97% of the variability in the dataset. The results support the potency of EOEO as an effective and safe preservative agent to maintain the safety and quality of beef burgers during storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides evidence that retail prices of US fresh produce (fruits and vegetables) and fresh meat products are similar across stores within the same chain even though unique characteristics of fresh produce products might lend to more localization in pricing. The results show the median price difference of fresh produce is 5% within‐chain stores compared to 20% between‐chain stores. Furthermore, the results show no significant differences in fresh produce prices between‐chain stores that serve areas of differing food access nor significant differences in chain prices between Metropolitan Statistical Areas with implications to federal nutrition programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different reheating methods and conditions on the proximate composition, mineral content, oil quality, and functional and microbiological properties of cow meat. For this, a survey was carried out to identify the reheating methods used in the community. For this study, 8.6 kg of raw beef was used and group 1 (500 g) served as raw control. The remaining 8.1 kg was boiled for 30 min in 5 L of water. Four hundred grams of boiled beef was removed and served as cooked control (group 2). The remaining 3688 g was divided into four groups of 922 g, which were, respectively, divided into subgroups of 307 g. The four sets of subgroups were, respectively, reheated by boiling, frying, microwaving and oven roasting for 3 days. Reheating was done three times a day and samples were collected at the end of each day for further analysis. Changes in proximate composition, mineral content, oil quality, functional properties, and microbiological count were evaluated using standard methods. Results showed that frequent reheating of food was the most used preservation method of cooked food, and boiling and steaming were the most used methods. Reheating time significantly reduces the protein, mineral content, and oil quality of cow meat in general. For the functional properties, reheating methods/conditions generally increased the water‐holding capacity, loose and packed bulk densities as well the pH of the meat. Reheating by frying increased the porosity and Hausner ratio of the meat powder while all the reheating treatments reduced the swelling capacity and titratable acidity of cow meat powder. Generally, the reheating methods and duration significantly reduced the bacterial count of cow meat powder. Cow meat should not be reheated for more than 2 days in order to preserve its physiochemical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health concerns regarding fat consumption, as well as shifts in customer preference, have prompted substantial studies into low‐fat products. This study examined the nutritional, color, functional, and antioxidant properties of Bambara groundnut (BGN) flour varieties (cream, brown, and red‐coated) grains as well as their influence on the physicochemical properties, lipid oxidation, and sensory acceptability of low‐fat mutton patties. The patties were formulated with 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10% of BGN flour for each variety, and 100% mutton patties were used as a control. The BGN flours showed significant (p <.05) differences in their nutritional composition (except for ash content), color, functional (excluding emulsion stability), and antioxidant properties. The increase in the percentage of substitution of BGN flours significantly increased the fiber (0.00% to 0.79%), ash (1.16% to 1.99%), and carbohydrates (2.14% to 1.99%) contents of the formulated mutton patties. However, moisture and protein contents decreased. The cooking yield of the formulated patties significantly increased with the increase in the percentage substitution of BGN flours (2.5%–10%), with values ranging from 76.39% to 86.80%, but the diameter reduction was limited. The increase in the inclusion of BGN flours significantly increased the lightness, hue angle, color difference, and whiteness of patties. Nevertheless, the redness, yellowness, chroma, and yellowness index of the patties decreased. The hardness and resilience of formulated patties significantly increased, with values varying from 16.41 to 17.66 N, and from 0.35 to 0.48 J/J, respectively, whereas the springiness, cohesiveness, and chewiness decreased. The lipid oxidation of formulated mutton patties significantly increased from Days 7 to 21, but was still less than that of the control sample within storage days. The sensory properties of formulated patties were not significantly different from the control sample and were above the acceptable score of five. All BGN varieties had positive effects on the mutton patties, more especially red, followed by brown, and cream, respectively. The inclusion of a 10% red BGN flour variety is highly recommended due to its significant impact on mutton patties. Nevertheless, different types of BGN varieties can each be used as additives in mutton patties without having detrimental effects on the quality parameters of the patties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal flesh foods are rich in bioavailable iron but infrequently consumed by young children. We aimed to determine whether flesh food intake was associated with iron and anaemia status among 585 Malawian infants enroled in a 6‐month egg‐feeding trial. The percentage of days of small fish, large fish and meat consumption were assessed through weekly 7‐day animal‐source food screeners. Grams of intake were assessed through 24‐h recalls conducted at 6–9, 9–12 and 12–15 months of age. Plasma ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) and haemoglobin concentrations were measured at 6–9 and 12–15 months of age. Iron biomarkers were adjusted for inflammation during analysis. At enrolment, each flesh food category was consumed by <5% of children in the past 24 h. Over the next 6 months, small fish, large fish and meat were consumed on 25%, 8% and 6% of days, respectively, with mean usual intakes of <5 g/day. More frequent small fish consumption was associated with lower sTfR (geometric mean ratio [95% CI]: 0.98 mg/L [0.96, 1.00] per 10 percentage point difference) but not ferritin (1.03 µg/L [0.98, 1.07]) or haemoglobin (1.01 g/dL [1.00, 1.01]). Large fish consumption was associated with higher anaemia (prevalence ratio [95% CI]: 1.09 [1.01, 1.19]) and lower iron deficiency (0.96 [0.93, 1.00]) prevalence. Gram intakes of flesh food categories were not associated with any iron or anaemia indicators. Small fish were a primary contributor to flesh food intake in this cohort of Malawian children, although usual portions were small. Fish was associated with modest improvements to iron status, but meat was too infrequent to be associated with anaemia and iron deficiency. Key messages: Small fish was the most frequently consumed flesh food among young children: 4% at enrolment and 40% at the 6‐month follow‐up. On average, children consumed small fish once every 4 days.Despite small usual portions of about 5 g/day, frequent consumption of small fish was associated with moderate improvements in iron status.Large fish consumption was associated with lower iron deficiency but not with mean plasma ferritin or sTfR. Meat was infrequently consumed and not associated with any iron or anaemia measures.Reducing the burden of iron deficiency among young Malawian children may require provision of supplemental dietary iron, improved complementary feeding practices, addressing underlying barriers to flesh food consumption and controlling inflammation and infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child stunting due to linear growth faltering remains a pervasive issue in low‐ and middle‐income countries. Two schools of thought have existed pertaining to the role of domestic livestock ownership (DLO) in child linear growth. On one hand, it is argued that DLO leads to greater income and financial security, resulting in better child‐raising conditions, including greater animal‐source food (ASF) consumption, having protective effects towards child stunting. On the other hand, researchers argue that DLO contributes to faecal contamination and transmission of zoonotic enteric infections from animals to children, thus having destructive effects on child growth. Reviews of this association have revealed ambiguous findings. In this perspective, we argue that measuring the association between exposures to domesticated animals and child stunting is difficult and the ambiguous associations revealed are a result of confounding and differences in the management of DLO. We also argue that the increasingly prominent area of research of environmental enteric dysfunction, a sub‐clinical condition of the small intestine thought to be due to frequent faecal pathogen exposure and associated with stunting, will be a useful tool to measure the potential destructive effects of DLO on child growth. We present our argument and identify challenges and considerations and directions for future research. Key messages: Research shows mixed effects of domestic livestock ownership on child linear growth in low‐ and middle‐income countries.Positive effects may flow on to improving child nutrition where animals and poultry are used for consumption or contribute to higher income and subsequent better child nutrition and home environment.Negative effects towards child growth occur where livestock is owned in such a way that infants are chronically exposed to animal faeces, which may result in environmental enteric dysfunction and diarrhoea.Stunting interventions must reduce infants' exposure to animal faeces whilst being sensitive to the role of livestock for the household economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild meat is an important source of dietary protein and fat for many indigenous peoples in Amazonia. However, rates of wildlife harvest are often unsustainable, threatening not only biodiversity but also the food security of indigenous peoples. During the last decades, Ecuadorian Amazonia has undergone profound socioeconomic changes which have significantly altered peoples' livelihood strategies. Little is known, however, how such changes have affected wildlife hunting. Based on data from a household survey, this paper analyzes the socioeconomic drivers of wildlife hunting among indigenous peoples in Pastaza, in the Ecuadorian Amazonia. The results of a random-effect tobit analysis reveal that, wealthier households which have higher shares of off-farm and non-farm employment tend to harvest smaller amounts of wild meat. A probable explanation to this is that having a permanent and well-paid job implies an increased opportunity cost of time, leading to a decrease in the time spent hunting and, therefore, decreased wildlife harvests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]