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Brown seaweed is rich in phenolic compounds and has established health benefits. However, the phenolics present in Australian beach-cast seaweed are still unclear. This study investigated the effect of ultrasonication and conventional methodologies using four different solvents on free and bound phenolics of freeze-dried brown seaweed species obtained from the southeast Australian shoreline. The phenolic content and their antioxidant potential were determined using in vitro assays followed by identification and characterization by LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS and quantified by HPLC-PDA. The Cystophora sp. displayed high total phenolic content (TPC) and phlorotannin content (FDA) when extracted using 70% ethanol (ultrasonication method). Cystophora sp., also exhibited strong antioxidant potential in various assays, such as DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP in 70% acetone through ultrasonication. TAC is highly correlated to FRAP, ABTS, and RPA (p < 0.05) in both extraction methodologies. LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS analysis identified 94 and 104 compounds in ultrasound and conventional methodologies, respectively. HPLC-PDA quantification showed phenolic acids to be higher for samples extracted using the ultrasonication methodology. Our findings could facilitate the development of nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and functional foods from beach-cast seaweed.

Avocados (Persea americana M.) are highly valued fruits consumed worldwide, and there are numerous commercially available varieties on the market. However, the high demand for fruit also results in increased food waste. Thus, this study was conducted for comprehensive profiling of polyphenols of Hass, Reed, and Wurtz avocados obtained from the Australian local market. Ripe Hass peel recorded the highest TPC (77.85 mg GAE/g), TTC (148.98 mg CE/g), DPPH (71.03 mg AAE/g), FRAP (3.05 mg AAE/g), RPA (24.45 mg AAE/g), and ABTS (75.77 mg AAE/g) values; unripe Hass peel recorded the highest TFC (3.44 mg QE/g); and Wurtz peel recorded the highest TAC (35.02 mg AAE/g). Correlation analysis revealed that TPC and TTC were significantly correlated with the antioxidant capacity of the extracts. A total of 348 polyphenols were screened in the peel. A total of 134 compounds including 36 phenolic acids, 70 flavonoids, 11 lignans, 2 stilbenes, and another 15 polyphenols, were characterised through LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS, where the majority were from peels and seeds of samples extract. Overall, the hierarchical heat map revealed that there were a significant amount of polyphenols in peels and seeds. Epicatechin, kaempferol, and protocatechuic acid showed higher concentrations in Reed pulp. Wurtz peel contains a higher concentration of hydroxybenzoic acid. Our results showed that avocado wastes have a considerable amount of polyphenols, exhibiting antioxidant activities. Each sample has its unique value proposition based on its phenolic profile. This study may increase confidence in utilising by-products and encourage further investigation into avocado by-products as nutraceuticals.

Summary Postharvest processing of coffee cherries significantly influences sensory characteristics and commercial values. Aroma is one of the critical elements in product qualification and differentiation of coffees from different origins, roasting levels and brewing methods. Except for primary coffee volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (furans and pyrazines), which are generated during postharvest processing (dry, honey, wet processing and roasting), aldehydes, ketones, phenols, sulphur compounds and others could also contribute to the complex coffee flavour. Desirable flavour requires a balance between pleasant and defective VOCs. This review comprehensively discussed the mechanisms of conventional and novel postharvest processing of coffee beans, their impact on the sensorial profile of green and roasted coffee, and the composition, generation and analysis techniques of coffee VOCs. This review shows the feasibility of GC–MS and electronic nose (E‐nose) in coffee VOCs and flavour detection, meanwhile building a comprehensive linkage between postharvest processing and coffee sensory characteristics.

The global goat meat sector is advancing and contributes to long-term food security, especially in meeting the protein demands of the growing human population in developing countries. Spanning all countries, Australia, is the largest exporter of goat meat, although it has negligible consumption. However, Australia does potentially have a secure future as an innovative, profitable, and resilient world leader in goat production, provided some challenges are addressed. These challenges facing the goat meat sector require suitable strategies and interventions for better profitability and acceptance of goat meat consumed in Australia and as an export product. Limited research on goat meat quality and the lack of an adequate grading system for goat meat quality are two of the major issues that need attention from the industry and researchers. Some of the most critical areas that need further research to enable growth of the goat meat industry are the influence of genetics and age of animals on meat quality, standardisation of the ageing period of various goat meat cuts, cooking innovations, consumer acceptance and sensory analysis of goat meat (both farmed and rangeland goats). This paper reviews the status of the goat meat sector and identifies the opportunities for the goat meat sector, particularly in Australia. In addition, we highlight several key issues requiring further research and interventions to enhance the growth of the goat meat industry.

Pig production faces seasonal fluctuations. The low farrowing rate of sows mated in summer, increased carcass fatness of progeny born to the sows mated in summer, and slower growth rate of finisher pigs in summer are three economically important impacts identified in the pig industry. The purpose of this review is to examine advances over the past decade in understanding the mechanisms underlying the three impacts associated with summer conditions, particularly heat stress (HS), and to provide possible amelioration strategies. For impact 1, summer mating results in low farrowing rates mainly caused by the high frequency of early pregnancy disruptions. The contributions of semen DNA damage, poor oocyte quality, local progesterone concentrations, and suboptimal embryonic oestrogen secretion are discussed, as these all may contribute to HS-mediated effects around conception. Despite this, it is still unclear what the underlying mechanisms might be and thus, there is currently a lack of commercially viable solutions. For impact 2, there have been recent advances in the understanding of gestational HS on both the sow and foetus, with gestational HS implicated in decreased foetal muscle fibre number, a greater proportion of lighter piglets, and increased carcass fatness at slaughter. So far, no effective strategies have been developed to mitigate the impacts associated with gestational HS on foetuses. For impact 3, the slowed growth rate of pigs during summer is one reason for the reduced carcass weights in summer. Studies have shown that the reduction in growth rates may be due to more than reductions in feed intake alone, and the impaired intestinal barrier function and inflammatory response may also play a role. In addition, it is consistently reported that HS attenuates fat mobilisation which can potentially exacerbate carcass fatness when carcass weight is increased. Novel feed additives have exhibited the potential to reduce the impacts of HS on intestinal barrier f

Yogurt, readily available in plant and dairy-based formulations, is widely consumed and linked with health benefits. This research is aimed to understand the sensory and textural spectrum of commercially available dairy and plant-based yogurts. In a preliminary study, qualitative focus group discussions (4 groups; n = 32) were used to determine perceptions of 28 dairy and plant-based yogurts, identifying positive consumer perceptions of plant-based yogurts. A smaller subset of five spoonable and one drinkable yogurts-(Reference, Soy, Coconut, Cookies, Berry, and Drinkable) was subsequently selected for rheological and structural measurements, showing wide variations in the microstructure and rheology of selected yogurt samples. A quantitative blind sensory tasting (n = 117) showed varying yogurt acceptability, with Berry being the least-liked and Cookies being the most-liked yogurt, in terms of overall liking. The multi-factor analysis confirmed that compositional and textural elements, including protein content, gel firmness, and consistency coefficient, displayed a positive relationship with overall liking. In contrast, fat, sugar, and calories were negatively correlated to the overall liking. This research showed that texture and other compositional factors are significant determinants of the consumer acceptability of yogurt products and are essential properties to consider in product development.

The experiment investigated the impact of heatwaves (HWs) on the physiology, postmortem muscle metabolism and meat quality of lambs. Seventy-two second-cross lambs (Poll Dorset × (Border Leicester × Merino)) were selected and exposed to either 1, 3 or 5 days of HWs or thermoneutal (TN) (28-38 °C and 40-60% relative humidity, RH; 18-21 °C, 40-55% RH) conditions in climate-controlled chambers. Lambs exposed to 1-5 days of a HW exhibited higher respiration rates (RRs), rectal temperatures (RTs), skin temperatures (STs) and heart rates (HRs) compared to lambs exposed to an equal duration of TN conditions. However, HWs had no significant effects on muscle metabolism (rate and extent of pH decline, muscle glycogen and lactate content) and meat quality (cooking loss and shear force). Similarly, there were limited impacts of 1-5 days of HW on the colour (L*, a*, b* and R630/580) and drip loss of the longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and semimembranosus (SM) muscles for 4 days' overwrap retail display. Results suggest that short-duration HWs (1-5 days) had significant negative effects on animal physiology but had no effect on the muscle metabolism and meat quality.

Connective tissue is considered to influence the toughness of pork, but most studies on connective tissue focus on the loin muscle. Cooking loss, Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), texture profile analysis (hardness, springiness, chewiness, resilience, and cohesiveness), total and insoluble collagen content, the percentage of type III collagen relative to the total of type I and III collagen, proteoglycan content and intramuscular fat (IMF) content were measured for pork Biceps femoris (BF) and Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and Pearson's correlation was performed. The results showed that BF had higher WBSF, resilience, total, and insoluble collagen content than LTL (P < 0.05). When considering both muscles, total and insoluble collagen content were positively correlated (P < 0.05) with WBSF (r = 0.47 and 0.49, respectively), hardness (r = 0.49 and 0.50, respectively), cohesiveness (r = 0.50 and 0.50, respectively), chewiness (r = 0.58 and 0.59, respectively) and resilience (r = 0.63 and 0.63, respectively). The percentage of type III collagen content was negatively correlated (P < 0.05) with WBSF (r = -0.68) and hardness (r = -0.58). Collagen content was correlated (P < 0.05) with WBSF (r = 0.75) and hardness (r = 0.61) in LTL and with cohesiveness (r = 0.74) and resilience (r = 0.63) in BF. Collagen characteristics differ between muscles and contribute to pork texture in both LTL and BF.

The gastrointestinal tract of humans is a complex microbial ecosystem known as gut microbiota. The microbiota is involved in several critical physiological processes such as digestion, absorption, and related physiological functions and plays a crucial role in determining the host's health. The habitual consumption of specific dietary components can impact beyond their nutritional benefits, altering gut microbiota diversity and function and could manipulate health. Phytochemicals are non-nutrient biologically active plant components that can modify the composition of gut microflora through selective stimulation of proliferation or inhibition of certain microbial communities in the intestine. Plants secrete these components, and they accumulate in the cell wall and cell sap compartments (body) for their development and survival. These compounds have low bioavailability and long time-retention in the intestine due to their poor absorption, resulting in beneficial impacts on gut microbiota population. Feeding diets containing phytochemicals to humans and animals may offer a path to improve the gut microbiome resulting in improved performance and/or health and wellbeing. This review discusses the effects of phytochemicals on the modulation of the gut microbiota environment and the resultant benefits to humans; however, the effect of phytochemicals on the gut microbiota of animals is also covered, in brief.

Coffee is the most widely used beverage globally and contains many bioactive compounds, including phenolic compounds, alkaloids, triterpenes, organic acids, amino acids, hormones, and fatty acids. The main objective of this study was the comparative profiling of Australian, Colombian, Ethiopian, and Peruvian C. arabica using LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. In this study, we tentatively identified 136 bioactive metabolites, including five (05) organic acids, six (06) alkaloids, three (03) amino acids (l-phenylalanine, l-tyrosine, and l-pyroglutamic acid), two (02) hormones (melatonin and serotonin), two fatty acids, one (01) furopyrans (goniothalenol), one (01) carotenoid (crocetin), three (03) terpenoids, thirty-eight (38) phenolic acids, forty-one (41) flavonoids, five (05) stilbenes, three (03) lignans and twenty-three (23) other polyphenols in C. arabica. The highest TPC value (17.74 ± 0.32 mg GAE/g) was measured in Colombian coffee while the lowest TPC value (10.24 ± 0.73 mg GAE/g) was in Peruvian coffee. Colombian coffee has a higher antioxidant potential than other studied coffee samples. A total of nineteen phenolic metabolites were mapped through LC-MS/MS. Quinic acid derivatives were quantified in higher concentrations than other metabolites. Furthermore, molecular docking predicted that chlorogenic acid is a main bioactive compound that contributes to anti-Alzheimer and anti-diabetic activities of C. arabica. The obtained results indicate that C. arabica contains a vast number of bioactive compounds which have potential health benefits. Furthermore, research could be conducted to validate the effect of these metabolites on the flavor profile of coffee beverages.

Plants play a pivotal role in drug discovery, constituting 50% of modern pharmacopeia. Many human diseases, including age-related degenerative diseases, converge onto common cellular oxidative stress pathways. This provides an opportunity to develop broad treatments to treat a wide range of diseases in the ageing population. Here, we characterize and assess the toxicological effects of finger lime (Citrus australasica), mountain pepper (Tasmannia lanceolata), and small-leaved tamarind (Diploglottis australis) extracts. The characterization demonstrates that these Australian native plants have antioxidant potential and, importantly, they have high concentrations of distinct combinations of different antioxidant classes. Using zebrafish larvae as a high-throughput pre-clinical in vivo toxicology screening model, our experiment effectively discriminates which of these extracts (and at what exposure levels) are suitable for development towards future therapies. The LC50-96h for finger lime and tamarind were >480 mg/L, and 1.70 mg/L for mountain pepper. Critically, this work shows that adverse effects are not correlated to the properties of these antioxidants, thus highlighting the need for combining characterization and in vivo screening to identify the most promising plant extracts for further development. Thus, we present a high-throughput pre-clinical screening that robustly tests natural plant products to utilize the diversity of antioxidant compounds for drug development.

The kiwifruit is cultivated globally due to its diversity of phytochemicals, especially phenolic compounds, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer medical effects. However, only the pulp of the kiwifruit is consumed, while the peels and cores—which are also rich in phytochemicals—are usually wasted. Meanwhile, detailed information on the comparison among the three parts is still limited. In this study, the antioxidant potentials in the core, pulp, and peel of the three most commercialized kiwifruit cultivars (Australian-grown Hayward kiwifruit, New Zealand-grown Zesy002 kiwifruit, and New Zealand-grown organic Hayward kiwifruit) were selected. Their antioxidant capacities were tested, and their phenolic profiles were identified and characterized by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS). The antioxidant results showed that the peel of New Zealand-grown organic Hayward kiwifruit contained the highest total phenolic content (9.65 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE) mg/g) and total antioxidant capacity (4.43 mg ascorbic acid equivalent (AAE) mg/g), respectively. In addition, the antioxidant capacity of the peel is generally higher than that of the pulp and cores in all species, especially ABTS (2,2-Azino-bis-3ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging ability), ranging from 13.25 mg AAE/g to 18.31 mg AAE/g. The LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS tentatively identified the phenolic compounds present in the three kiwifruit species, including 118 unique compounds in kiwifruit peel, 12 unique compounds in the kiwifruit cores, and three unique compounds in kiwifruit pulp. The comprehensive characterization of the phenolics in the kiwifruits’ parts indicates the importance of their waste part as a promising source of phenolics with antioxidant properties. Therefore, this study can guide the industry with meaningful information on kiwifruit waste, and can provide it with the utilization o

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of reducing the fermentability of grains on thermoregulatory responses in heat stressed (HS) lambs. To achieve this, wheat grain treated with a commercial starch binding agent, Bioprotect, is compared to maize, which has already demonstrated effects in ameliorating heat stress-induced thermoregulation responses and untreated wheat grains. An initial in vitro experiment was conducted to examine cumulative gas production from the fermentation of wheat grain with different dosages of the commercial starch binding agent, Bioprotect. Based on the in vitro results, an in vivo lamb experiment was conducted using 24 Merino lambs (1 year old; 42.6 ± 3.6 kg BW). The lambs were offered one of three dietary treatments: a wheat-based diet (WD), a Bioprotect treated wheat-based diet (BD), and a maize-based diet (MD). Three successive 1-week experimental periods were conducted with lambs from all dietary groups (P1, P2, and P3). During P1, lambs were exposed to a TN environment and fed a 1.7× Maintenance feed intake (MF) level; in P2, lambs were kept in a HS environment and fed a 1.7× MF level; and in P3, animals were kept in a HS environment and fed a 2× MF level. The in vitro experiment revealed a reduction in cumulative gas production (p < 0.05) from the Bioprotect treated wheat compared to untreated wheat samples. In the in vivo component of the study, the replacement of wheat with maize or 2% Bioprotect-treated wheat reduced the respiration rate (p < 0.001) and heart rate (p ≤ 0.01) of lambs during HS. There was a reduction in the concentration of blood gas variables such as a base excess of blood (BE(b)) and extracellular fluid (BE(ecf)), bicarbonate (CHCO3−), the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2), the total concentration of carbon dioxide (ctCO2), and sodium (Na+) (p ≤ 0.001 for all) during the periods of HS compared to the thermoneutral conditions. Moreover, BD- and MD-fed lambs had a higher blood potassium

Chicory and lucerne possess high feed value for poultry being good sources of protein and fiber. In addition, they are rich in polyphenols that help the body build an integrated antioxidant system to prevent damage from free radicals and positively modulate microbial populations in the gastrointestinal tract. These health-promoting effects of polyphenols depend on their bioaccessibility and absorption in the animal body. The present paper aimed to study the bioaccessibility of polyphenols from chicory and lucerne after subjecting the samples to gastric and intestinal phases of digestion in an in vitro model of chicken gut and assessment of their feed value by measuring the presence of fermentable substrates (in terms of gas production), SCFAs produced and their effects on gut microbiota population during in vitro cecal fermentation. Results revealed that the bioaccessibility of polyphenols varied with different polyphenol compounds. The highest bioaccessibility was recorded for p-hydroxybenzoic acid (90.8%) from chicory following the intestinal phase of digestion. The lowest bioaccessibility was observed for quercetin-3-rhamnoside (12.6%) from chicory after the gastric phase of digestion. From lucerne, the highest bioaccessibility was recorded for kaempferol-3-glucoside (77.5%) after the intestinal phase of digestion. Total gas production was higher for lucerne (39.9 mL/g) than chicory (28.1 mL/g). Similarly, total SCFAs production was higher after 24 h of cecal fermentation with lucerne (42.2 mmol L−1) as compared to chicory (38.1 mmol L−1). Results also revealed that the relative abundance of Clostridium was reduced with chicory (0.225%) and lucerne (0.176%) as compared to the control (0.550%) after 24 h of cecal fermentation. The relative abundance of Streptococcus was reduced by lucerne (4.845%) but was increased with chicory (17.267%) as compared to the control (5.204%) after 24 h of fermentation. These findings indicated that chicory and lucerne differentially

Evidence suggests that camel milk (CM) can have insulin-like actions, although the mode of action is not understood. Using the pig as a monogastric model, this pilot experiment examined the effects of CM consumption on metabolic responses to an in vitro glucose tolerance test (IVGTT). Twenty female Large White × Landrace pigs were individually housed for 6 wks and randomly allocated to one of the following four diets (fed ad libitum; n = 5): control (Con); high fat (HF; ~16% fat); raw CM (the HF diet plus 500 mL CM/ day); or pasteurized CM (PCM). Blood samples were collected on two occasions (weeks 2 and 5). At week 6, the pigs were fitted with an ear vein cannula and the following day an in vitro glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) was conducted (0.3 g/kg BW glucose). Plasma fatty acids and cholesterol concentrations were greater in the pigs fed the HF diet and greatest in those fed CM, while there was no effect of diet on insulin concentrations. The pigs fed CM tended to have a reduced peak insulin (p = 0.058) and an increased glucose nadir (p = 0.009) in response to the IVGTT. These preliminary results tend to support the hypothesis that feeding CM can improve glycemic control in pigs.

It has been well-established that dark cutting (DC) is a multifactorial issue that is associated with numerous animal and management factors. However, there is limited understanding of the feedlot-based factors that contribute to the influence of DC. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of climate, animal, and feedlot factors on the incidence of pH non-compliance in Australian grain-fed cattle. For this study, feedlot and abattoir records from 142,228 individual cattle over a 1-year period were investigated. These data incorporated records from seven feedlots that consigned cattle to three abattoirs. The average incidence of DC in these carcasses was 2.8%. The production factors that were associated with increased risk of DC included feedlot, sex, hormone growth promotants (HGP), cattle health, and days on feed (DOF). Additionally, DC also increased by reduced solar radiation (SR, W/m2), lower wind speeds (WS, m/s), increased ambient temperature (TA, °C), higher rainfall, a higher average temperature-humidity index (THI), and increased duration of time above heat-load-index threshold of 86 (HLI ≥ 86) during the 7 days prior to feedlot departure. This study identified the feedlot factors that increase the risk of DC from a feedlot-management perspective.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that sow heat stress (HS) during gestation affects fetal development with implications for impaired muscle growth. We have previously demonstrated that maternal HS during early to mid-gestation compromised muscle fibre hyperplasia in developing fetal pigs. Thus, we hypothesised these phenotypic changes are associated with a change in expression of genes regulating fetal skeletal muscle development and metabolism. To test this, at d 60 of gestation, RNA sequencing and immunohistochemistry were performed on fetal longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle biopsies collected from pregnant gilts that had experienced either thermoneutral control (CON, 20 °C, n = 7 gilts, 18 LD samples) or controlled HS (cyclic 28 to 33 °C, n = 8 gilts, 23 LD samples) conditions for 3 weeks. RESULTS: A total of 282 genes were differentially expressed between the HS and CON groups in female LD muscles (false discovery rate (FDR) ≤ 0.05), whereas no differentially expressed genes were detected in male LD muscles between the two groups (FDR > 0.05). Gestational HS increased the expression of genes associated with transcription corepressor activity, adipogenesis cascades, negative regulation of angiogenesis and pro-inflammatory signalling in female LD muscles. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed a decreased muscle vascularity density in fetuses from HS group for both sexes compared to those from the CON group (P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: These results reveal gilt HS during early to mid-gestation altered gene expression profiles in fetal LD muscles in a sexually dimorphic manner. The molecular responses, including transcription and angiogenesis repressions and enhanced adipogenesis cascades, were exclusively observed in females. However, the associated reductions in muscle vascularity were observed independently of sexes. Collectively this may indicate female fetal pigs are more adaptive to gestational HS in terms of gene expression changes, and/or there may be sexually dimorph

Packaging creates the first impression from consumers when selecting commercial food or beverages. Different packaging components are important as they contain all areas of interest related to branding, shape, design and nutritional information, which could determine willingness to purchase and success of products in the market. However, traditional packaging acceptability assessments based on focus groups, acceptance and preference tests may be biased and subjective. Therefore, novel assessment methods have been developed based on more objective parameters, including non-invasive biometrics such as eye tracking, emotional responses from consumers and changes in physiological parameters, such as heart rate and body temperature. Emerging technologies have also been studied for packaging assessment, such as virtual/augmented reality and artificial intelligence tools, including computer vision and machine learning modelling. Furthermore, counterfeiting has been a major issue among commercial products, with food and beverages accounting for 10% counterfeited, including packaging and branding. This chapter focuses on the latest research on intelligent and digital technologies for packaging development, assessing consumer acceptability towards packaging and authentication using new and emerging digital technologies.

The biological effects of oxidative stress and associated free radicals on farm animal performance, productivity, and product quality may be managed via dietary interventions-specifically, the provision of feeds, supplements, and forages rich in antioxidants. To optimize this approach, it is important first to understand the development of free radicals and their contributions to oxidative stress in tissue systems of farm animals or the human body. The interactions between prooxidants and antioxidants will impact redox homeostasis and, therefore, the well-being of farm animals. The impact of free radical formation on the oxidation of lipids, proteins, DNA, and biologically important macromolecules will likewise impact animal performance, meat and milk quality, nutritional value, and longevity. Dietary antioxidants, endogenous antioxidants, and metal-binding proteins contribute to the 'antioxidant defenses' that control free radical formation within the biological systems. Different bioactive compounds of varying antioxidant potential and bio-accessibility may be sourced from tailored feeding systems. Informed and successful provision of dietary antioxidants can help alleviate oxidative stress. However, knowledge pertaining to farm animals, their unique biological systems, and the applications of novel feeds, specialized forages, bioactive compounds, etc., must be established. This review summarized current research to direct future studies towards more effective controls for free radical formation/oxidative stress in farm animals so that productivity and quality of meat and milk can be optimized.

Bioaccessibility and bioactivity of phenolic compounds in coffee beans relate to roasting and digestion process. This study aimed to estimate phenolic content, antioxidant potential, bioaccessibility, and changes in short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production during in vitro digestion and colonic fermentation of commercial roasted (light, medium and dark) coffee beans. There was no significant difference found among all three different roasting levels. TPC and DPPH were enhanced 15 mg GAE/g and 60 mg TE/g during gastrointestinal digestion, respectively. For colonic fermentation, the highest TPC and FRAP of all coffee beans was found at 2 and 4 h, respectively. The gastric bioaccessibility of most of the phenolic compounds were relatively higher due to thermal phenolic degradation. Total SCFAs production was only up to 0.02 mM because of thermal polysaccharide decomposition. Light roasted beans exhibited relatively higher phenolic bioaccessibility, antioxidant activities and SCFAs production, which would be more beneficial to gut health.

Polyphenols are considered vital bioactive compounds beneficial for human health. The Australian flora is enriched with polyphenols which are not fully characterized yet. Thus, the main objective of this study was to identify and characterize the Australian native sandalwood nuts, wattle seeds, lemongrass, and old man saltbush for phenolic compounds and their antioxidant activities. In this study, we tentatively identified a total of 155 phenolic compounds including 25 phenolic acids, 55 flavonoids, 22 isoflavonoids, 22 tannins, 22 lignans, 33 stilbenes, 33 coumarins and derivatives, 12 tyrosols and derivatives, and 6 phenolic terpenes. The highest total phenolic content (TPC) (15.09 ± 0.88 mg GAE/g) was quantified in lemongrass, while the lowest TPC (4.17 ± 0.33 mg GAE/g) was measured in wattle seeds. The highest total flavonoid content (TFC) and total condensed tannins (TCT) were measured in lemongrass and wattle seeds, respectively. A total of 18 phenolic metabolites were quantified/semi-quantified in this experiment. Lemongrass contains a vast number of phenolic metabolites.

Farm livestock identification and welfare assessment using non-invasive digital technology have gained interest in agriculture in the last decade, especially for accurate traceability. This study aimed to develop a face recognition system for dairy farm cows using advanced deep-learning models and computer vision techniques. This approach is non-invasive and potentially applicable to other farm animals of importance for identification and welfare assessment. The video analysis pipeline follows standard human face recognition systems made of four significant steps: (i) face detection, (ii) face cropping, (iii) face encoding, and (iv) face lookup. Three deep learning (DL) models were used within the analysis pipeline: (i) face detector, (ii) landmark predictor, and (iii) face encoder. All DL models were finetuned through transfer learning on a dairy cow dataset collected from a robotic dairy farm located in the Dookie campus at The University of Melbourne, Australia. Results showed that the accuracy across videos from 89 different dairy cows achieved an overall accuracy of 84%. The computer program developed may be deployed on edge devices, and it was tested on NVIDIA Jetson Nano board with a camera stream. Furthermore, it could be integrated into welfare assessment previously developed by our research group.

Kiwifruit hold significant nutritional value and are a good source of antioxidants due to their diverse range of bioactive compounds. Kiwifruit waste is generated throughout the food supply chain, particularly during transportation and storage. Kiwifruit rejected from the retail market due to unfavorable appearance still possess potential economic value as kiwifruit are abundant in phenolic compounds. The present work studied the phenolic profile and antioxidant potential of rejected kiwifruit, including SunGold (Actinidia chinensis), Hayward (Actinidia deliciosa), and round organic Hayward (Actinidia deliciosa). Regarding phenolics estimation, SunGold possessed the highest TPC (0.72 ± 0.01 mg GAE/g), while Hayward exhibited the highest TFC (0.05 ± 0.09 mg QE/g). In antioxidant assays, SunGold showed the highest antioxidant activities in DPPH (0.31 ± 0.35 mg AAE/g), FRAP (0.48 ± 0.04 mg AAE/g), ABTS (0.69 ± 0.07 mg AAE/g), •OH-RSA (0.07 ± 0.03 mg AAE/g) assays, and FICA (0.19 ± 0.07 mg EDTA/g), whereas Hayward showed the highest RPA (0.09 ± 0.02 mg AAE/g) and TAC (0.57 ± 0.04 mg AAE/g). Separation and characterization of phenolics were conducted using LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. A total of 97 phenolics were tentatively characterized from rejected SunGold (71 phenolics), Hayward (55 phenolics), and round organic Hayward (9 phenolics). Hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonols were the most common phenolics characterized in the three samples. The quantitative analysis was conducted by HPLC-PDA and found that chlorogenic acid (23.98 ± 0.95 mg/g), catechin (23.24 ± 1.16 mg/g), and quercetin (24.59 ± 1.23 mg/g) were the most abundant phenolics present in the rejected kiwifruit samples. The notable presence of phenolic compounds and their corresponding antioxidant capacities indicate the potential value of rescuing rejected kiwifruit for further utilization and commercial exploitation.

Berries are grown worldwide with the most consumed berries being blackberries (Rubus spp.), blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum), red raspberries (Rubus idaeus) and strawberries (Fragaria spp.). Berries are either consumed fresh, frozen, or processed into wines, juices, and jams. In recent times, researchers have focused their attention on berries due to their abundance in phenolic compounds. The current study aimed to evaluate the phenolic content and their antioxidant potential followed by characterization and quantification using LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS and HPLC-PDA. Blueberries were highest in TPC (2.93 ± 0.07 mg GAE/gf.w.) and TFC (70.31 ± 1.21 µg QE/gf.w.), whereas the blackberries had the highest content in TTC (11.32 ± 0.13 mg CE/gf.w.). Blueberries had the highest radical scavenging capacities for the DPPH (1.69 ± 0.09 mg AAE/gf.w.), FRAP (367.43 ± 3.09 µg AAE/gf.w.), TAC (1.47 ± 0.20 mg AAE/gf.w.) and ABTS was highest in strawberries (3.67 ± 0.14 mg AAE/gf.w.). LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS study identified a total of 65 compounds including 42 compounds in strawberries, 30 compounds in raspberries, 28 compounds in blueberries and 21 compounds in blackberries. The HPLC-PDA quantification observed phenolic acid (p-hydroxybenzoic) and flavonoid (quercetin-3-rhamnoside) higher in blueberries compared to other berries. Our study showed the presence of phenolic acids and provides information to be utilized as an ingredient in food, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.

Stone fruits, including peach (Prunus persica L.), nectarine (Prunus nucipersica L.), plum (Prunus domestica L.) and apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) are common commercial fruits in the market. However, a huge amount of stone fruits waste is produced throughout the food supply chain during picking, handling, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, retailing and final consumption. These stone fruits waste contain high phenolic content which are the main contributors to the antioxidant potential and associated health benefits. The antioxidant results showed that plum waste contained higher concentrations of total phenolic content (TPC) (0.94 ± 0.07 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g) and total flavonoid content (TFC) (0.34 ± 0.01 mg quercetin equivalents (QE)/g), while apricot waste contained a higher concentration of total tannin content (TTC) (0.19 ± 0.03 mg catechin equivalents (CE)/g) and DPPH activity (1.47 ± 0.12 mg ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE)/g). However, nectarine waste had higher antioxidant capacity in ferric reducing-antioxidant power (FRAP) (0.98 ± 0.02 mg AAE/g) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (0.91 ± 0.09 mg AAE/g) assays, while peach waste showed higher antioxidant capacity in 2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assay (0.43 ± 0.09 mg AAE/g) as compared to other stone fruits waste. Qualitative and quantitative phenolic analysis of Australian grown stone fruits waste were conducted by liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray-ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS) and HPLC-photodiode array detection (PDA). The LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS result indicates that 59 phenolic compounds were tentatively characterized in peach (33 compounds), nectarine (28), plum (38) and apricot (23). The HPLC-PDA indicated that p-hydroxybenzoic acid (18.64 ± 1.30 mg/g) was detected to be the most dominant phenolic acid and quercetin (19.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of provision of shade on behavior, physiology, and growth of Merino lambs exposed to natural Australian summer conditions. Sixty Merino lambs were randomly allocated to either pasture with shade (n = 30;paddock with trees) or a pasture without shade (n = 30;paddock without any trees) for one month during southern-Australian summer (February-2021). Sheep were grazing on the pastures as per standard protocols followed on the farm with ad libitum access to water. Lambs were monitored twice daily between 0900-1000h and 1400-1600h to record their behavior, and physiological parameters were recorded on hot days (environmental temperature (T) >30°C). Behavioral patterns were represented as the proportion of animals doing specific activities in each treatment group. Grazing was the most frequent activity observed in animals during morning measurement (> 60% in both groups). However, high temperature (T > 30°C) decreased grazing behavior in sheep to < 5% in both treatments. Standing behavior was significantly greater (65.2 vs 21.6%; P < 0.05) for animals under non-shade treatment, while lying behavior was more frequent (17.3 vs 76.3%; P < 0.01) in animals having access to shade. Significantly more animals were seeking water troughs (P < 0.05) in the non-shade group (33.2%) compared to the shade group (10.3%). On an average hot day (T >28°C), most lambs in the shade group were seeking shade (P < 0.01), and when the temperature exceeded >32°C, 90% of the lambs were seeking tree shade. Sheep with access to shade exhibited lower (P < 0.01) respiration rate (117breaths/min) and rectal temperature (39.7°C) than non-shade group (151breaths/min;40.2°C). Overall, access to shade improved (P < 0.001) average daily gain (+0.047kg/day) in sheep compared to the non-shade group (-0.028kg/day). In conclusion, our research confirms that provid

This study investigated the effects of age of animal and days post-mortem (PM) on meat quality of Boer goats. Twenty-four (24) wether Boer goats of two age groups (2YO group: 2 years old and 9MO: 6-9 months, with 12 animals/group) were slaughtered in a commercial processing plant. The pH@Temp18 was estimated to be above 6 in both age groups with higher (P < 0.01) values in 2YO goats. The PM storage for 14 days reduced the shear force in both age groups (P < 0.01). 2YO goat muscles (longissimus and semimembranosus) exhibited higher (P < 0.01) Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance values (TBARS), indicating increased lipid oxidation. Glycogen (P < 0.01) and lactate content (20 min post-slaughter) in longissimus of 9MO were lower compared to 2YO, and total muscle glycogen concentration was lower (P < 0.01) in both age groups below the threshold levels. Hence, as hypothesized, age and days PM proved to play crucial roles on Boer meat quality.

This paper focuses on improving the sensory, health attributes and meat yield of beef and lamb meats. Value for meat is defined as the weight of meat × price/kg received with price linked to eating quality. To maximise value across the supply chain, accurate carcass grading systems for eating quality and yield are paramount. Grading data can then be used to target consumers' needs at given price points and then to tailor appropriate production and genetic directions. Both the grading methodologies and key phenotypes are complex and still under intensive research with international collaboration to maximise opportunities. In addition, there is value in promoting the health aspects of red meats served as whole trimmed meats. Typically, the total fat content is relatively low (less than 5%) and for forage systems, they deliver a very significant content of long-chain n-3 fatty acids. Further research is needed to clarify the healthiness or otherwise of ground beef served as burgers given the fat content is typically 20% or more. It is important to continue to improve the feedback to producers regarding the quantity and quality of the products they produce to target new value opportunities in a transparent and quantitative manner.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of provision of shade on behavior, physiology, and growth of Merino lambs exposed to natural Australian summer conditions. Sixty Merino lambs were randomly allocated to either pasture with shade (n = 30;paddock with trees) or a pasture without shade (n = 30;paddock without any trees) for one month during southern-Australian summer (February-2021). Sheep were grazing on the pastures as per standard protocols followed on the farm with ad libitum access to water. Lambs were monitored twice daily between 0900-1000h and 1400-1600h to record their behavior, and physiological parameters were recorded on hot days (environmental temperature (T) >30°C). Behavioral patterns were represented as the proportion of animals doing specific activities in each treatment group.

One of the main drivers in consumer meat choice is flavor with some pleasing flavor attributes associated with high oleic acid (C18:1) content in the intramuscular fat. This project aimed to produce pork with a distinctively pleasant bouquet by feeding C18:1 rich macadamia oil compared to corn oil. The project also tested three feed formulations based on cereals and pulses representing different pork producing areas: corn/soy (CS), sorghum-lupins (SL), or wheat/canola (WC). Compared to corn oil, feeding macadamia oil resulted in a significant increase in the C18:1 content in pork loin (longissimus dorsi) with the CS showing a higher impact than the WC diets. Pork loins from the two CS-based groups (CS-Corn and CS-Macadamia) were selected for a consumer sensory study involving 82 panelists (39 of Chinese background). Across ethnic backgrounds the taste of high C18:1 pork resulted in the highest hedonic values.

The aim of this study was to determine the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients in cottonseed meal (CSM) and soybean meal (SBM) in simple carbohydrate and more complex wheat-based diets using 2 indigestible markers and total faecal collection. Twenty-five Large White × Landrace boars (57.8 kg) were randomly allocated to either a pure wheat diet, 40% CSM or SBM in either a sugar-starch- (1:1) or wheat-based diet for 18 d. Acid-insoluble ash (AIA) and chromic oxide (Cr2O3) were included in all diets as indigestible markers. Diets were offered (1,800 g/d per pig) in 3 meals/d from d 1 to 11 and 8 meals/d from d 12 to 17. On d 9, the pigs were moved to individual metabolism cages to allow total faecal collection. On d 18, the pigs were fed hourly for 8 h. After the 8th meal, pigs were anaesthetized and digesta sampled from the terminal ileum and rectum before lethal injection. There were no differences between ATTD of nitrogen (N) determined using AIA as a marker and measured by total faecal collection. On the other hand, the ATTD of N of diets containing CSM in sugar-starch- or wheat-based diets and the pure wheat diet determined using Cr2O3 as a marker was less (-3.11%, -4.46% and -6.59%; P < 0.001) than that measured by total faecal collection. The ATTD of N determined using AIA as a marker was highly correlated with that measured using total faecal collection (P < 0.001; R 2 = 0.95). Similarly, the ATTD of N determined using Cr2O3 as a marker was correlated with that measured using total faecal collection, although the correlation was not quite as strong as using AIA (P < 0.001; R 2 = 0.87). Also, the slope of the regression line and the intercept were closer to unity and zero for the relationship when the ATTD of N was determined using AIA compared to Cr2O3 as an indigestible marker. The ATTD of organic and dry matter behaved similarly. These data demonstrate that the basal diet and choice of indigestible marker can substantially influence the ATT

Hedonic scale testing is a well-accepted methodology for assessing consumer perceptions but is compromised by variation in voluntary responses between cultures. Check-all-that-apply (CATA) methods using emotion terms or emojis and facial expression recognition (FER) are emerging as more powerful tools for consumer sensory testing as they may offer improved assessment of voluntary and involuntary responses, respectively. Therefore, this experiment compared traditional hedonic scale responses for overall liking to (1) CATA emotions, (2) CATA emojis and (3) FER. The experiment measured voluntary and involuntary responses from 62 participants of Asian (53%) versus Western (47%) origin, who consumed six divergent yogurt formulations (Greek, drinkable, soy, coconut, berry, cookies). The hedonic scales could discriminate between yogurt formulations but could not distinguish between responses across the cultural groups. Aversive responses to formulations were the easiest to characterize for all methods; the hedonic scale was the only method that could not characterize differences in cultural preferences, with CATA emojis displaying the highest level of discrimination. In conclusion, CATA methods, particularly the use of emojis, showed improved characterization of cross-cultural preferences of yogurt formulations compared to hedonic scales and FER.

An experiment was conducted to determine the appropriate dietary concentration of albus lupins that would lower feed intake and decrease backfat while optimizing the effect on the growth rate of immunocastrated male pigs. The pigs were fed albus lupins (varying from 0 to 200 g/kg) from 2 weeks after the last immunization against GnRF for 14 d prior to slaughter (where d 0 is the day of the last immunization against GnRF). Increasing the dietary albus lupin concentration decreased daily gain for d 15 to 28 (p = 0.004). Daily feed intake also decreased as the concentration of the albus lupins increased for d 15 to 28 (p < 0.001). Carcass weight and backfat decreased as the concentration of dietary albus lupins increased (p = 0.011 and p = 0.024, respectively). The albus lupin concentration to maximize growth rate, minimize feed intake, maximize carcass weight and minimize backfat depth was 120, 142, 62.7 and 138 g/kg, respectively.

Coffee is one of the most prevalent and functional beverages around world owing to its rich content of bioactive compounds. Phenolic compounds and alkaloids are two primary groups of bioactive compounds in coffee beans, which have been proven healthy benefits in regular and suitable daily consumption. They have been recognized as protective factors, especially phenolic compounds, to perform high antioxidant capacities and potential to relieve the occurrence of chronic diseases and partial cancer. The content and composition of bioactive and anti-nutritional compounds in coffee beans can be mainly influenced by variety, processing and storage conditions. The cultivar of Arabica coffee beans (C. arabica) exhibits lower content of phenolic compounds but similar anti-nutritional substances with the comparison to Robusta (C. canephora). Comparing to green coffee beans, reasonable roasting contributes to the improvement of phenolic content and its total antioxidant activity because of the liberation of bound phenolic compounds and the generation of novel compounds with antioxidant activity. Over intensive roasting will not only decrease the number of bioactive compounds within the coffee beans but also stimulate the generation of endogenous anti-nutritional compounds, which consequently reduce the coffee nutritional value. The fluctuations of moisture content during storage would be the primary reason of the changes in the content of bioactive compounds. Phenolic compounds in coffee beans perform outstanding bioaccessibility but relatively lower absorption efficiency because of the combination with other molecules. Suitable roasting would improve the bioavailability of bioactive compounds. The interaction between phenolic compounds and proteins would also influence the bioavailability and bioactivity of bioactive compounds and final nutritional value after consumption.

Bananas are an essential source of staple food and fruit worldwide and are widely regarded as the world's largest fruit crop, with more than 100 million tons total annual production. Banana peel, a by-product that represents about 40% of the entire banana's weight, and pulp are rich in bioactive compounds and have a high antioxidant capacity. As the production of polyphenols in fruit and vegetables is highly dependent on environmental conditions, genetic factors, and the level of maturity, this study aims to characterize six Australian banana cultivars in various stages of ripening for their phenolic compounds using the liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS), polyphenols quantification with the high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA), and their antioxidant capacity. All bananas were analysed for total polyphenols content (TPC), total flavonoids content (TFC), and total tannin content (TTC) and their antioxidant activities. Ripe Ducasse peel and pulp contained the highest amounts of total polyphenols content (1.32 and 1.28 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE) per gram of sample), total tannin contents (3.34 mg catechin equivalent (CE) per gram of sample), and free radical scavenging capacity (106.67 mg ascorbic acid equivalent (AAE) per g of sample). In contrast, ripe Plantain peel had the greatest total flavonoids (0.03 mg quercetin equivalent (QE) per g of sample). On the other hand, unripe Ladyfinger pulp possessed the highest total antioxidant activity (1.03 mg AAE/g of sample). There was a positive correlation between flavonoids and antioxidant activities. By using LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS, a total of 24 phenolic compounds were tentatively characterized in this research, including six phenolic acids, 13 flavonoids, and five other polyphenols. Quantification of phenolic compounds by the high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array de

Culinary spices and herbs have been used to impart a characteristic flavour and aroma in food due to their appealing fragrance. Recently, bioactive compounds from herbs, especially phenolics, have gained much attention due to their potential health outcomes. The aim of this study was to characterize and quantify the phenolic compounds from 10 widely used Australian-grown herbs (oregano, rosemary, bay, basil, sage, fenugreek, dill, parsley, mint and thyme). For this purpose, liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used for the complete profiling of polyphenolic compounds and quantification of abundant phenolic compounds was completed with high-performance liquid chromatography—photodiode array detection (HPLC-PDA). Polyphenols from Australian-grown herbs were estimated through total phenolic content (TP), total flavonoids (TF) and total tannins (TT) along with their in-vitro antioxidant activities. Oregano and mint were estimated with the highest value of TP (140.59 ± 9.52 and 103.28 ± 8.08 mg GAE/g, milligram gallic acid equivalent/gram) while rosemary and mint had the highest TF (8.19 ± 0.74 and 7.05 ± 0.43 mg QE (quercetin equivalent)/g). In this study, eighty-four (84) phenolic compounds were screened and confirmed through LC-MS/MS by comparing their masses and fragmentation pattern with published libraries. The results of this study validate the use of these herbs as bioactives and their positive impact on human health.

The high demand and production rate of Mango (Mangifera indica L.) inevitably lead to a significant wastage of excess produce. The current research aims to screen and characterize phenolic compounds and estimate their antioxidant potential in rejected mangoes. It was found that Honey Gold variety possessed the highest Total Phenolic Content (TPC) (2.37 ± 0.06 mg GAE/g) and antioxidant capacity through 2,2′-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) (2.13 ± 0.09 mg AAE/g) assay. The LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS characterized a total of 86 phenolic compounds in different mango varieties including Kensington Pride (31), Keitt (30), Honey Gold (29), Calypso (28), and Palmer (14). In high-performance liquid chromatography-photo diode array (HPLC-PDA) quantification, the noteworthy levels of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, gallic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol were found in all five samples. The significant abundance of phenolics and its corresponding antioxidant capacity indicate the potential of rejected mango in food, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and feed industries.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale R.), lemon (Citrus limon L.) and mint (Mentha sp.) are commonly consumed medicinal plants that have been of interest due to their health benefits and purported antioxidant capacities. This study was conducted on the premise that no previous study has been performed to elucidate the antioxidant and phenolic profile of the ginger, lemon and mint herbal tea infusion (GLMT). The aim of the study was to investigate and characterise the phenolic contents of ginger, lemon, mint and GLMT, as well as determine their antioxidant potential. Mint recorded the highest total phenolic content, TPC (14.35 ± 0.19 mg gallic acid equivalent/g) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-e-thylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), ABTS (24.25 ± 2.18 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/g) antioxidant activity. GLMT recorded the highest antioxidant activity in the reducing power assay, RPA (1.01 ± 0.04 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/g) and hydroxyl radical scavenging assay, •OH-RSA (0.77 ± 0.08 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/g). Correlation analysis showed that phenolic content positively correlated with the antioxidant activity. Venn diagram analysis revealed that mint contained a high proportion of exclusive phenolic compounds. Liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionisation and quadrupole time of flight tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS) characterised a total of 73 phenolic compounds, out of which 11, 31 and 49 were found in ginger, lemon and mint respectively. These characterised phenolic compounds include phenolic acids (24), flavonoids (35), other phenolic compounds (9), lignans (4) and stilbene (1). High-performance liquid chromatography photometric diode array (HPLC-PDA) quantification showed that GLMT does contain a relatively high concentration of phenolic compounds. This study presented the phenolic profile and antioxidant potential of GLMT and its ingredients, which may increase the confidence in developing GLMT into functional food products or nutraceuticals.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of carcass traits, lairage time and weather conditions during lairage and abattoir factors that impact the incidence of dark cutting in 142,228 grain-fed carcasses, as defined by Meat Standards Australia (MSA) guidelines. This study was conducted over a 12-month period analysing data from cattle that were supplied from seven feedlots and processed at three abattoirs. Abattoir data indicated that the average incidence of dark cutting within the study was 2.8%. Increased wind speeds (WSs) and rain during lairage at the abattoir was associated with an increased risk of dark cutting, whereas variation in ambient temperature and/or relative humidity did not influence dark cutting. Heavier carcasses with whiter fat, larger hump heights, more rib fat, higher marble scores and lower ossification had lower incidences of dark cutting. The factors abattoir, time in lairage, time to grading and grader within Abattoir had significant effects on the incidence of dark cutting. The results from this study suggest that reducing the time in lairage and increasing the time between slaughter and grading are the two major ways to reduce dark cutting in MSA carcasses.

Chicory and lucerne are used as specialised forages in sheep or dairy production systems in some parts of the world. Recently, these plants are gaining attention as raw materials in the search for natural antioxidants for use in animal feeds, human foods and nutraceutical formulations. The antioxidant potential of these plants is credited to polyphenols, a subgroup of phytochemicals. Therefore, phenolic characterisation is an essential step before their use as ingredients in animal feeds, human food or nutraceutical preparations. In this study, we performed qualitative and quantitative analysis of polyphenols in chicory and lucerne. Profiling of polyphenols from chicory and lucerne was performed by LC-ESI/QTOF-MS with a total of 80 phenolic compounds identified in chicory and lucerne. The quantification of polyphenols was achieved by high performance liquid chromatography, coupled with a photo diode array (HPLC-PDA). Chicoric acid was the major phenolic acid found in chicory, with the highest concentration (1692.33 ± 0.04 µg/g DW) among all the polyphenols quantified in this study. 2-hydroxybenzoic acid was the major phenolic acid found in lucerne, with the highest concentration of 1440.64 ± 0.04 µg/g DW. Total phenolic, flavonoids and total tannin contents were measured, and the antioxidant potential was determined by 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power, 2,2-Azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic Acid, Hydroxyl (OH-) Radical Scavenging Activity, Chelating Ability of Ferrous Ion (Fe2+) and Reducing Power (RPA) assays. Both chicory (8.04 ± 0.33 mg AAE/g DW) and lucerne (11.29 ± 0.25 mg AAE/g DW) showed high values for Hydroxyl (OH-) Radical Scavenging Activity. The current study allowed us to draw a profile of polyphenols from chicory and lucerne. They provided a molecular fingerprint useful for the application of these plant materials in human foods, animal feeds and pharmaceutical formulations.