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The present work described the effect of three aging periods on certain quality traits of buffalo meat. Fifteen crossbreed water-buffalo were selected from a farm in Delta del Paraná, Entre Ríos Province, Argentina. Animals were castrated males of 20-24 months old, with a final live weight of 400-420kg, with predominance of Mediterranean and Murrah breeds and feeding in naturally grown pastures. The results obtained in this experiment showed that tenderness and chewiness were increased during aging. Then buffalo characteristics can be enhanced by means of this practice. On the other hand, juiciness was a matter of concern when meats with very little intramuscular fat are aged. Aging period did not affect flavour and odour scores, even though certain off - flavours and off - odours were reported. In the relation to colour parameters, the evolution observed during aging was in accordance to results found in beef. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the trial was to evaluate the meat quality of heifers grazing different pasture type and time supplementation before slaughter. Forty heifers of 264±4.10 Kg were allotted to one of five dietary treatments (n=8). Heifer grazed a ryegrass red pasture with no supplementation (RG) or a red clover pasture for 42 d; heifer grazing red clover were supplemented with 1.3%BW of cracked corn grain for 0, 14, 28, or 42 d before slaughter (RC, RC14, RC28 or RC42 respectively).Heifers were slaughtered the same day in commercial abattoir and the carcasses were cooled for 24 h at 3°C. Ultimate pH was measured at the 12th rib at 24 h post mortem. Samples of longissimus dorsi at 10-12 ribs were obtained and frozen at -18°C for subsequent colour (CIELAB), tenderness (shear force) and water holding capacity (WHC) assessment. Preplanned contrasts were used to test: effects of pasture type (RG vs RC), and linear and quadratic effects of supplementation time. Neither the type of pasture nor the length of the supplementation period had any effect (P > 0.05) on meat quality traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Background: A few studies have investigated Cynara scolymus enzymes as a substitute for calf rennet in cheese making. They used aqueous extracts prepared by maceration of plant material and stored by freezing. However, it was indicated that lyophilisation is a better alternative to preserve the coagulant properties of plant extracts over a longer period of time, as it is a more controllable, stable and hygienic alternative with a better shelf life that is easier to transport, store and standardise., Experimental Approach: We obtained a lyophilised extract of mature artichoke flowers, named CS, which was characterised for its milk-clotting properties at different pH and temperatures. In addition, the potential yield, whey composition and the primary hydrolysis profile of caseins by urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) of mini curds prepared with different doses of coagulant were determined., Results and Conclusions: The lyophilised extract was able to hydrolyse casein and showed stable proteolytic activity at pH=6.4 and 37 °C for 50 min, which decreased when the process temperature was increased to 41 and 45 °C and was lost at 70 °C. On the other hand, milk-clotting activity increased significantly (p<0.001) when the temperature increased from 37 to 45 °C and the pH of the milk decreased from 6.8 to 5.8. Potential yield ​​between 10 and 17 % was obtained for the mini curds prepared with the lyophilised artichoke extract, and the casein degradation pattern obtained by urea-PAGE was similar to that of the commercial coagulant., Novelty and Scientific Contribution: On a laboratory scale, our work has shown that the lyophilised artichoke extract has sufficient proteolytic and coagulant activity to be used as a milk coagulant, i.e . plant rennet, in cheese making as an alternative to animal rennet. As this extract is lyophilised, it has the advantage of being a better alternative in terms of preservation and shelf-life. It offers an innovative way to diversify cheese products and appeal to consumers with different dietary preferences and needs., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Authors.)

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate Raman spectroscopy technique as a noninvasive tool to predict meat quality traits on Braford longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle., Methods: Thirty samples of muscle from Braford steers were analyzed by classical meat quality techniques and by Raman spectroscopy with 785 nm laser excitation. Water holding capacity (WHC), intramuscular fat content (IMF), cooking loss (CL), and texture profile analysis recording hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness were determined, along with fiber diameter and sarcomere length by scanning electron microscopy. Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) analysis was used to differentiate tender and tough meat groups., Results: Higher values of cohesiveness and CL, together with lower values of WHC, IMF, and shorter sarcomere were obtained for tender meat samples than for the tougher ones. Raman spectra analysis allows tender and tough sample differentiation. The correlation between the quality attributes predicted by Raman and the physical measurements resulted in values of R2 = 0.69 for hardness and 0,58 for WBSF. Pearson's correlation coefficient of hardness (r = 0.84) and WBSF (r = 0.79) parameters with the phenylalanine Raman signal at 1,003 cm-1, suggests that the content of this amino acid could explain the differences between samples., Conclusion: Raman spectroscopy with 785 nm laser excitation is a suitable and accurate technique to identify beef with different quality attributes.

The aim of this work was to study the effect of finishing diets including distiller grains (DG) on color and oxidative stability of beef after being exposed to aerobic retail display conditions, with or without previous aging. For this purpose, beef samples from animals fed with finishing diets including 0%, 15%, 30%, and 45% DG (on a dry matter basis), which had been exposed to aerobic retail display conditions, with or without previous aging under vacuum packaging, were evaluated. The content of γ-tocopherol, β-carotene, and lutein in diet samples increased with the level of DG. Beef evaluated at 72 h post-mortem showed greater content of γ-tocopherol and retinol as the DG level increased. Meat color was not affected by DG inclusion, but color parameters decreased with retail conditions. Meat from animals fed with DG showed the lowest values of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), independently of the retail display conditions. However, all samples were below the threshold associated with rancid aromas and above the a* value related to meat color acceptance. Thus, feeding diets including up to 45% of DG improved the antioxidant status of meat, preserving the color, and delaying lipid oxidation in meat samples under the display conditions evaluated.

There is evidence of a relationship between increased energy intake and the development of metabolic inflammation and insulin resistance (IR), and between the aforementioned metabolic state and impaired tolerance to heat stress. Based on the anti-inflammatory properties and mitigating effects on IR and stress of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA), an experiment was performed to evaluate the effect of n-3 PUFA supplementation to feedlot-finished steers during summer on animal performance, physiological and biochemical variables associated with glucose metabolism, heat and preslaughter-induced stress, and meat quality. A total of 48 Angus steers (388 ± 2 kg) were fed one of three corn-based finishing diets containing (dry matter basis) 0% added oil (CON; negative control), or 1.90% of sunflower oil-calcium salt (SUN; positive control), or 1.92% of linseed oil-calcium salt (LIN). There was a trend (P = 0.08) for greater dry matter intake (DMI) and greater (P = 0.02) average daily gain (ADG) in LIN-fed animals compared with the average between those that received the CON or SUN diets, whereas no differences (P ≥ 0.34) were observed between the latter. No other performance, physiological, or carcass variables were affected (P ≥ 0.12) by treatment. Blood glucose and insulin were similar (P ≥ 0.14), though the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) which gauges IR tended (P = 0.06) to be reduced for LIN-fed animals compared with the average between those that received the CON or SUN diets. Blood insulin and HOMA increased linearly (P ≤ 0.01) with days on feed. An interaction between the study phase (feeding period or slaughter) and treatment was observed (P ≤ 0.05) for glucose and cortisol. While the magnitude of glucose increase (P < 0.01) from the end of the feeding period to slaughter was greater for CON- and SUN-fed animals compared with LIN-fed ones, cortisol increased (P < 0.05) only in animals that received CON or SUN diets. Meat quality attributes were not affected (P ≥ 0.16) by treatment. The concentration of n-3 PUFA was greater (P < 0.01) and n-6:n-3 ratio was lesser (P < 0.01) in meat from LIN-fed animals compared with that resulting from the average between the animals that received the negative (CON) or positive (SUN) control diets. Results suggest that n-3 PUFA supplementation mitigated metabolic alterations associated with IR and preslaughter-related stress. It may have also improved tolerance to heat, resulting in greater DMI and ADG of steers fed a high-energy diet during summer. Results also indicate that glucose metabolism and heat stress tolerance worsen with time when feeding concentrate-based diets., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ageing and feeding strategies on the calpain protease system and meat quality traits in Braford steers., Methods: Thirty Braford steers were employed; 15 animals were supplemented with corn silage during finishing and 15 were kept only on pasture. Meat quality traits and calpain system protein activity were evaluated in longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) steaks aged for 2, 7, 14, and 21 days., Results: Aged meat showed higher pH and calcium content, while Warner Bratzler shear force (WBSF) decreased to day 21. No interaction between ageing and diet was seen for quality traits. Steers finished with corn silage showed higher values of water holding capacity, WBSF and free calcium, and lower values of pH and cooking loss. Calpain and calpastatin activities decreased with ageing. Finishing steers on pasture produced higher values of calpains and lower values of calpastatin activities. The higher values of calpain 1 activity were observed in muscles aged 2 days from pasture finished animals, and the lower activity of the inhibitor in the 21 days aged samples of the same group., Conclusion: These results suggest a diet by ageing interaction in calpains and calpastatin and this interaction impact in Warner Bratzler Shear Force in Braford LTL muscle.

This study aimed to analyze the effect of including increasing levels of distiller grains (DG) in beef cattle feeding diets on meat quality from an integral approach. To this end, we analyzed the meat from 36 yearling steers fed with four dietary treatments: 0DG (control corn-based diet), 15DG, 30DG, and 45DG (containing 15%, 30%, or 45% of DG on DM basis). Crude protein, ash, and fat contents of diets increased with DG level. The fatty acid profile of DG diets was reflected in the fatty acid profile of plasma samples. Feeding diets with DG had no effect on the biochemical parameters analyzed in plasma. In addition, it did not influence the water holding capacity, the muscle or fat color at 72 h post mortem or at retail display, or the contents of SFAs, MUFAs, and PUFAs in beef. The DG diets led to lower values of cooking loss. Meat from 15DG and 30DG showed greater percentage of troponin C and fragments of 30 to 27 kDa than meat from 45DG. Also, meat from 30DG showed the lowest values of Warner-Bratzler shear force. Hence, including up to 30% corn DG in beef cattle feeding diets had positive effects on meat quality., (© 2022 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

In Argentina, color and intramuscular fat are the main attributes of raw beef quality; however, it is necessary to clarify how consumers use them, in order to establish different marketing strategies. Consumer preferences are affected by multiple factors. Thus, the objective of the present study was to identify the Argentinian consumer's choice behavior regarding beef color and fat content. An online survey was carried out in Argentina. It inquired about socio-demographic characteristics, purchase and consumption habits and beliefs, showing pictures related to color, marbling and the amount of fat. Choice behavior was evaluated by asking why consumers chose a particular picture out of the ones shown. Several Kruskal-Wallis tests evaluated the different hypotheses. Three different decision trees using the CHAID analysis method were created. Multifactorial analysis was carried out for clustering consumers. Regarding consumer beliefs, 90% of the respondents agreed with the sentence, "The two main characteristics defining beef quality at purchase time are meat color and marbling". Socio-demographic characteristics affected purchase habits and beliefs; they also affected perceptions about meat color and marbling. It was possible to build three consumer groups for future marketing strategies: "hedonic" focused on a pleasing sensory experience, "appearance" prioritized the visual aspects, and the "health-conscious" consumers were interested in their healthy nutrition.

Methylation profiling has become a mainstay in brain tumor diagnostics since the introduction of the first publicly available classification tool by the German Cancer Research Center in 2017. We demonstrate the capability of this system through an example of a rare case of IDH wildtype glioblastoma diagnosed in a patient previously treated for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Our novel in-house diagnostic tool EpiDiP provided hints arguing against a radiation-induced tumor, identified a novel recurrent genetic aberration, and thus informed about a potential therapeutic target.

Fragile-X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is a neurodegenerative disorder that manifests with intention tremor, progressive gait ataxia, and cognitive impairment. The disease is genetically characterized by a premutation of the FMR1 gene on the X-chromosome manifesting with a CGG triplet expansion between 55 and 200. Given the phenotypical variety of this disease, diagnosis is frequently delayed. We present and discuss a male patient whose diagnosis of FXTAS was delayed due to his concomitant alcohol abuse., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of supplementing pasture-finished steers with corn silage on the expression level of the calpain system proteins and beef tenderization., Methods: Thirty Braford steers grazing on summer pasture were used for the study. For 120 days fifteen animals were supplemented with corn silage at 1% of body weight per head per day (Suppl) whereas the remaining 15 steers only received pasture (Contr). Carcass and meat traits were evaluated and compared between groups. Gene expression and activities of proteases (calpain 1 and calpain 2) and inhibitor (calpastatin) were measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction and casein zymography., Results: Carcass and meat traits were significantly different between feeding systems. Supplemented steers showed higher hot carcass weight (p<0.01), fat content (p = 0.02), and Warner-Bratzler shear force (p = 0.03). Furthermore, the control group showed higher protease:inhibitor ratios, at mRNA (p = 0.01) and protein levels (p<0.10). Warner-Bratzler shear force and mRNA calpains:calpastatin ratio were associated in both feeding systems (p<0.01)., Conclusion: Based on the results obtained in the study, beef tenderness differences among finishing strategies could be modulated through differential expression of the calpain system proteins.

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of lactic acid (LA), caprylic acid (CA), high- (HDI) and low- (LDI) dose gamma irradiation and LDI combined with LA or CA on the inactivation of a pool of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains inoculated on beef trimmings. The three most efficacious treatments were selected to study their effect on meat quality parameters and sensory attributes. The inoculum included five native STEC serogroups (O26, O103, O111, O145 and O157). The treatments applied were 0.5% LA, 0.04% CA, 0.5 kGy LDI, 2 kGy HDI, LDI+LA and LDI+CA. Beef trimmings were divided into two groups; one was inoculated with high (7 log CFU/g) and the other with low (1 log CFU/g) level of inoculum. Efficacy was assessed by estimating log reduction and reduction of stx- and eae-positive samples after enrichment, respectively. Results showed that treatments with organic acids alone were not effective in reducing STEC populations. For high inoculum samples, the most effective treatment was HDI followed by LDI+LA and LDI alone or combined with CA. For low inoculum samples, the most effective treatment was HDI followed by LDI alone or combined with organic acids. Concerning meat quality parameters and sensory attributes, irradiation treatments (LDI and HDI) caused minimal changes, while LDI+LA modified them significantly compared with the control. Therefore, based on our results, no benefits were observed after combining organic acids with gamma irradiation., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.