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Pistachios, a delicacy food product produced mostly in Sicily, generate significant amounts of skins during processing. This by-product has been incorporated in growing/finishing rabbit diet formulations. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a 6% pistachio skin inclusion in rabbit grower/finisher diets on the meat characteristics. One hundred and fifty healthy Martini rabbits (male and female) were weaned at 30 d of age and body weight (IBW) of 0.82±0.05 kg. The animals were assigned to one of the two treatment groups to be homogeneous for weight and sex. Diets were as follows: (1) a treatment diet (TRMT) with a 6% incorporation of pistachio skin meal, and (2) a control diet (CTRL) without the integration of pistachio skin meal. During the experimental period (from 30 to 63 d of age), rabbits were weighed individually on day 30, day 42 and day 63 of the trial. Weight gain, daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio were calculated. The loin and hind leg were carefully deboned and the Biceps femoris (BF) and Longissimus lumborum (LL) muscles were minced and homogenised. The treatment group fed a diet with 6% pistachio skins showed no adverse effects on the growth performance or carcass characteristics and did not trigger any physiological or clinical changes or show deleterious effects on the rabbits. Overall, while the total fat quantity did not register as significant in any of the muscles from either diet, significance was recorded with regard to the quality of the fatty acids profile between the two diets and between both muscles. The analysis of the BF and LL muscles of the TRMT group showed a significant increase in monounsaturated fatty acids (3.2, and 3.0%, P=0.008 and 0.041, respectively) and in the polyunsaturated fatty acids groups (4.8 and 3.8%, P=0.032 and 0.023, respectively), and a decrease in the saturated fatty acids group (-7.2 and -6.1%, P=0.014 and 0.020, respectively) compared with the CTRL group. In particular, both linoleic and a linolenic fatty acids registered a significant increase in the BF muscle, while only the linoleic acid registered a significant increase in the LL muscle of TRMT compared with the CTRL group (P<0.05). Although rabbit meat offers excellent nutritional and dietetic properties in itself, this study confirms that it can be further enhanced to be considered as functional through diet manipulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional agri-food products (TAPs) are closely linked to the peculiarities of the territory of origin and are strategic tools for preserving culture and traditions; nutritional and organoleptic peculiarities also differentiate these products on the market. One such product is Caciocavallo Podolico Lucano (CPL), a stretched curd cheese made exclusively from raw milk from Podolian cows, reared under extensive conditions. The objective of this study was to characterise CPL and evaluate the effects of ripening (6 vs. 12 months) on the quality and organoleptic properties, using the technological "artificial senses" platform, of CPL produced and sold in the region of Basilicata, Italy. Additionally, this study represents the first analysis of cheese-related digital communication and trends online. The study found no significant differences between 6-month- and 12-month-ripened cheese, except for a slight increase in cholesterol levels in the latter. CPL aged for 6 and 12 months is naturally lactose-free, rich in bioactive components, and high in vitamin A and antioxidants and has a low PUFA-n6/n3 ratio. The "artificial sensory profile" was able to discriminate the organoleptic fingerprints of 6-month- and 12-month-ripened cheese. The application of a socio-semiotic methodology enabled us to identify the best drivers to create effective communication for this product. The researchers recommend focusing on creating a certification mark linked to the territory for future protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Livestock guardian and herding shepherd dogs are morphologically and behaviourally different, due to the long selection for different tasks made by farmers and breeders. This study aimed to identify genomic regions that best distinguish and characterise four livestock guardian and five herding Italian dog breeds. Genomic SNP data of 158 dogs were compared using two analyses, allowing for the identification of regions harbouring 29 genes. Sixteen runs of homozygosity islands were found in livestock guardians, four of which were partially shared with the fifteen found in herding shepherd dogs. The identified genes were related to dog domestication and behaviour, including herding behaviour, body size and muscle development, the prick or drop ear phenotype, and eye development and functionality. These results contribute to a better understanding of how human selection shaped the genome of dogs selected for different tasks, even considering a limited geographic area. Livestock guardian (LGD) and herding shepherd (HSD) dogs have distinct morphological and behavioural characteristics, long selected by farmers and breeders, to accomplish different tasks. This study aimed to find the genomic regions that best differentiate and characterise Italian LGD and HSD. Genomic data of 158 dogs of four LGD and five HSD breeds, obtained with the 170K canine SNPchip, were collected. The two groups were compared using FST and XP-EHH analyses, identifying regions containing 29 genes. Moreover, 16 islands of runs of homozygosity were found in LGD, and 15 in HSD; 4 of them were partially shared. Among the genes found that better differentiated HSD and LGD, several were associated with dog domestication and behavioural aspects; particularly, MSRB3 and LLPH were linked to herding behaviour in previous studies. Others, DYSK, MAP2K5, and RYR, were related to body size and muscle development. Prick ears prevailed in sampled HSD, and drop ears in LGD; this explains the identification of WIF1 and MSRB3 genes. Unexpectedly, a number of genes were also associated with eye development and functionality. These results shed further light on the differences that human selection introduced in dogs aimed at different duties, even in a limited geographic area such as Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]