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Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) may aid the design of barn ventilation systems by simulating indoor cattle thermal welfare. In the literature, CFD models of mechanically and naturally ventilated barns are proposed separately. Hybrid ventilation relies on cross effects between air change mechanisms that cannot be studied using existing models. The objective of this study was to develop a CFD methodology for modelling animal thermal comfort in hybrid ventilated barns. To check the capability of CFD as a design evaluation tool, a real case study (with exhaust blowers) and an alternative roof layout (with ridge gaps) were simulated in summer and winter weather. Typical phenomena of natural and mechanical ventilation were considered: buoyancy, solar radiation, and wind together with high-speed fans and exhaust blowers. Cattle thermal load was determined from a daily animal energy balance, and the assessment of thermal welfare was performed using thermohygrometric indexes. Results highlight that the current ventilation layout ensures adequate thermal welfare on average, despite large nonuniformity between stalls. The predicted intensity of heat stress was successfully compared with experimental measurements of heavy breathing duration. Results show strong interactions between natural and mechanical ventilation, underlining the need for an integrated simulation methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND The effect of a water-saving irrigation regime on yield, chemical composition, rumen in situ dry matter disappearance ( DMD) and neutral detergent fiber disappearance ( NDFD), along with 7 h in vitro starch degradability (7 h IVSD), in maize hybrids selected for whole-plant silage making was investigated. A plot experiment was conducted in a continental climate location and four commercial maize hybrids ( FAO class 700) were used in a completely randomized design with a factorial arrangement of irrigation treatments (fully irrigated ( FI) and water-saving regime ( WS)) and four replicates/treatment. The total amount of irrigation water was 494 mm in FI plots and 367 mm in WS plots, the latter achieved by skipping irrigations at vegetative growth stage, silking and blistering. RESULTS Whole-plant yield, chemical composition, DMD, NDFD and 7 h IVSD slightly differed among hybrids and were not influenced by irrigation treatments. Plant dry matter content was lower in FI than WS plots (320 vs. 341 g kg−1, respectively; P < 0.05). Differences among hybrids were recorded for starch and acid detergent fiber contents ( P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The lack of differences on yield and nutritive value in tested maize hybrids grown under different water supply suggests the water-saving regime could be suitable for an optimal use of available water in maize management. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eight potential aflatoxin-sequestering agents (SAs) were tested for their ability to adsorb aflatoxin B1 (AfB1) and aflatoxin G1 (AfG1) in vitro. They belong to main SA classes: silicate minerals (calcium, magnesium and sodium bentonites, kaolinite, zeolite and clinoptinolite), activated carbon and yeast cell wall-derived. The AfB1 and AfG1 used in present work were extracted from a contaminated corn meal (82.21 mg/kg of AfB1 and 97.20 mg/kg of AfG1). Three single-concentration adsorption tests, consisting of a simply-water (W), a gastro-intestinal simulating monogastric model (MM) and a ruminant model (RM) were used. The methods differed for dilution media, incubation steps and pH condition in which they were conducted. In particular, one step (2h at 39°C) at pH 7 for W; two steps (4h at 39°C) at pH 2 and 7 for MM; and a pre-incubation in rumen fluid (pH 7 for 2h at 39°C) + two steps (4h at 39°C) at pH 2 and 7 for RM, characterized each method. The AfB1:SA ratio (g/g) and dilution factor (ng of incubated AfB1:mL of volume) were chosen (1:500,000 and 4.1, respectively) to reflect field conditions. The AfB1 and AfG1 recovered in controls were 92.3% and 104.9% in W and 89.5% and 101.5% in MM; while in RM were 65.2% and 81.9%; respectively. This supported the idea of intrinsic rumen fluid factors could be involved in sequestering of aflatoxins. In the present study, three SAs (activated carbon, Mg bentonite and Na bentonite) were very efficient to sequester the available AfB1, with a sequestering activity of over 99.0% with each method. The Ca bentonite and clinoptinolite were able to bind available AfB1 in MM and RM methods, while they appeared inefficient (available AfB1 sequestered less than 80%) when W was used. The adsorption ability of zeolite was confirmed only with the W method. Ineffective or limited sequestering activity were obtained with kaolinite and yeast cell wall-derived products with each method. The AfB1 and AfG1 sequestering efficiencies observed in the present work resulted very similar showing strong and positive correlation (P<0.001) within methods (r=0.79, r=0.96 and r=0.99, respectively for W, MM and RM methods). The two simulated gastrointestinal methods (MM and RM, respectively) gave similar results and could be considered useful for in vitro pre-screening of potential sequestering agents. However, the major practical and analytical implications related to rumen fluid method suggested that MM method should be used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Feed additives represents a valid tool in animal nutrition to improve animal performance and livestock productivity under a sustainable perspective; however, there is a paucity of information about their comprehensive metabolomic and bioactive profiles. Objective: In this study, we tested the ability of an untargeted metabolomics approach to discriminate nine commercial feed additives and unique blends of botanical extracts used in both ruminant and non-ruminant nutrition, according to their phytochemical profiles and different in vitro bioactive properties. Methods: An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with Orbitrap mass spectrometry and multivariate statistics were combined to search for potential markers, in order to better discriminate the different commercial samples. Results: Several phytochemicals were identified, namely alkaloids, phenolics, organosulfurs, and terpenoids. The polyherbal formulation Zigbir was the best source of phytochemicals, accounting for a cumulative total content of phytochemicals equal to 3.03 mg Eq./g, being particularly abundant in terpenoids, stilbenes, phenolic acids, and small-molecular-weight phenolics. Multivariate statistics allowed to group the different products in 2 bioactive subclusters. The diterpenoid andrographolide recorded the highest abundance in Zigbir and Sangrovit. The most predictive biomarkers were: piperine, isoquercitrin, 6-methylthiohexyldesulfoglucosinolate, 6-methylumbelliferone, benzoic acid, (+)-(1R,2R)-1,2-diphenylethane-1,2-diol, and piperitenone. Flavonoids were highly correlated with both in vitro antioxidant and enzyme inhibition assays. Conclusions: Our findings provide new insights into the comprehensive phytochemical composition of commercial feed additives and blend of botanical extracts used for both ruminant and non-ruminant nutrition. A great importance of polyphenols in relation to the biological activities was detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooking by boiling dry pasta could have varying degrees of influence on nutritional and functional components. In the present study, its effect on total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity, as well as on the comprehensive profile of free and bound phenolics, was investigated in six commercial gluten-free (GF) pasta products. Overall, the heat treatment caused a significant reduction (P < 0.01) of the total phenolic content as well as FRAP reducing power and ORAC radical scavenging, with significant differences among the pasta samples considered. The highest values were recorded in free phenolic fraction remaining in black rice (41 mg gallic acid equivalents 100 g − 1 and 25 mmol Trolox Equivalents 100 g − 1 ) and quinoa (24 mg gallic acid equivalents 100 g − 1 and 14 mmol Trolox Equivalents 100 g − 1 ) cooked GF pasta. Significant correlations (P < 0.01) could be found between total phenolics and both the antioxidant capacity assays performed. UHPLC-ESI/QTOF-MS mass profiling allowed confirming the spectrophotometric results, while identifying the amount of free and bound fractions. Among phenolic classes, lignans exhibited the highest decrease during the cooking process, followed by stilbenes and flavonoids. However, phenolic acids and other phenolics showed the highest stability. Furthermore, cooking by boiling strongly lowered the bound-to-free ratio of phenolic compounds, by an averaged factor ranging from 14-folds for flavonoids to 5-folds for other classes of phenolics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, milk samples collected in a cohort of intensive dairy farms of the Po Valley (Italy) were screened for their (poly)-phenolic profile to check the occurrence of phenolic metabolites of biological interest. The selected dairy farms were previously classified on the basis of their cow feeding system, considering the utilization of corn silage as the main ingredient of the rations. Overall, ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry using an Orbitrap analyzer, followed by unsupervised and supervised statistics, allowed identifying clear different phenolic distributions in the milk samples. Accordingly, a great variability in the phenolic profiles of the different milk samples was observed, with two main phenolic clusters outlined by the unsupervised hierarchical clustering approach and not fully correlated to the nutritional strategy considered. The variables' importance in the projection approach allowed selecting the most important metabolites, resulting in samples' discrimination. Among the most discriminative compounds, we found phenolic metabolites (such as hippuric acid and 4-hydroxyhippuric acid), followed by lignans (such as enterolactone) and isoflavonoids (such as equol and O-desmethylangolensin). Taken together, our findings suggested that both the feeding systems and the ability of dairy cows to process parent phenolic compounds were the main factors providing the final (poly)-phenolic profile of the milk samples. Future targeted and ad hoc studies appear of great interest to evaluate the potential biological effects of these compounds on cow health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated in a practical farm condition the response of two commercial maize hybrids (maturity class FAO rating 700) grown for silage production on chemical composition and digestibility of whole maize plant as consequence of a severe water irrigation reduction. Based on different irrigation applications, water restricted (WR) and fully irrigated (FI) plots received 50 and 200 mm of irrigation water, respectively. A split-plot factorial arrangement in a randomised complete block design with two main plots (WR and FI) and two sub-plots (hybrid A and B) with 12 replications/ treatment was performed. Studied parameters were dry matter (DM) yield, harvest index (HI), chemical composition, rumen in situ DM and neutral detergent fibre disappearance (DMD and NDFD, respectively), indigestible NDF (iNDF), 7h in vitro starch degradability (7hIVSD) and net energy (NE) for lactation content. Total DM and grain yields, HI and chemical composition differed (P<0.05) between FI and WR crops and only slight differences were recorded between hybrids. When compared to FI plants, WR had lower starch and higher fibre contents (P<0.05). Higher DMD (59.2 vs 56.4% DM) and NDFD (61.0 vs 58.4% NDFOM) were measured for FI with respect to WR crops, whereas iNDF was about 36% higher (P<0.05) in WR than FI. Lastly, WR plants had a lower NE content than FI plants (P<0.05). Our research showed that a drastic reduction in water irrigation negatively affected whole plant yield, chemical composition and nutrient availability of forage maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was previously reported that injection of anaflatoxin B1 (AnAFB1) conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), together with Freund's adjuvant, was effective in inducing in cows a long lasting titer of anti-aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) antibodies (Abs), cross-reacting with other aflatoxins, which were able to hinder, proportionally to their titer, the secretion of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) into the milk of cows continuously fed with AFB1. According to anti-AFB1 Ab titer, 50% of the vaccinated cows were recognized as high responder animals. In an attempt to prepare a more effective formulation for vaccination of cows, it was compared the immunogenicity, in Holstein Friesian heifers, of AnAFB1 covalently conjugated to KLH or to recombinant diphtheria toxin (CRM197) molecules, and injected together with various adjuvants. This study demonstrated that injection of AnAFB1 conjugated to KLH and mixed with complete (priming) and incomplete Freund's adjuvant (boosters), as in the previous schedule of immunization, was the most effective regimen for inducing Ab responses against AFB1, although pre-calving administration could increase the effectiveness of vaccination, resulting in 100% high responder animals. After one booster dose at the beginning of the milk production cycle, anti-AFB1 Ab titers were comparable to those recorded at the end of the immunization schedule, and proved to be effective in reducing significantly AFB1 carry over, as AFM1, from feed to milk. Pre-calving vaccination of dairy heifers with conjugated AnAFB1, adjuvated with complete and incomplete Freund's adjuvant, may represent the most effective tool for preventing the public health hazard constituted by milk and cheese contaminated with aflatoxins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary starch from feed grains represent the major energy-yielding sources in diets for large animals and starch effective digestion has a great impact on animal energy intake for meeting the substantial energy requirement to improve meat or milk productions. In general, site, extent and rate of starch digestion are affected by intrinsic and external factors that can be interrelated and are thus not easily defined. As a consequence, research to obtain a deeper knowledge on how starch chemical and structural compositions may affect starch digestion potential of feed grains and therefore their nutritional value has progressed recently. The objectives of this review are: (1) to give an overview on inherent starch primary structures and interactions with other compounds within feed grains; (2) to discuss factors affecting starch digestion potential in feed grains; (3) to explore starch digestion mechanism, and linkages with animal performances, both for swine and ruminants. The criticism of methods commonly used to estimate starch digestibility from feed grains for swine and ruminants are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrophobic prolamins are endosperm storage proteins accounting for about 40% of the total protein in most cereal seeds. Despite the absence of a reference method, several procedures have been periodically published to quantify prolamins in cereals. The aim of this study was to compare a conventional fractionation assay (LND) vs three other methods: one based on sequential extractions (HAM) and two rapid turbidimetric procedures (L&H andDRO). Prolamins were extracted in duplicate on barley, corn and wheat samples. For the turbidimetric prolamin evaluation in barley and wheat, a universally available purified gliadin, as alternative to purified zein, was also tested as standard reference material (SRM). The extraction prolamin values were different among grain types (P<0.01) and methods (P<0.01) without interaction (P>0.05). LND agreed sufficiently well both with HAM and with L&H methods (R2=0.664 and R2=0.703, respectively, P<0.01). On all tested cereals, LND and L&H gave similar prolamin extraction values (P>0.05), whereas a higher prolamin quantification was obtained using HAM (P<0.05). Overall, DRO did not provide similar comparison and performance parameters with respect to other method comparisons. The effect of changing purified zein with purified gliadin was noteworthy only for L&H, both for wheat and barley samples (P<0.01). Considering the increasing attention of animal nutritionists on prolamins, our results could get useful information for routine laboratory analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of alternative plant proteins in place of the soybean meal protein in diets for farmed animals aims to reduce the extra-EU soybean import and partially substitute the GMO in the food chain. Among the possible alternatives, the heat-processed (flaked) faba beans appears interesting for dairy cow diet. Two consecutive experiments were carried out to test flaked faba beans as a partial substitute for soybean meal in the diet of Reggiana breed dairy cows producing milk for Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese-making. In both experiments a "Control" concentrate (12% soybean meal, no faba beans) was compared with a "Faba" concentrate (7.5% soybean meal and 10% flaked faba beans). Forages fed to animals were hay (mixed grass and alfalfa) plus mixed grass in experiment 1, hay only in experiment 2. Milk yield and quality and the characteristics of grab faecal samples as empirical indicators of digestibility, were similar between feeding groups. The milk urea content was slightly lower in the "Faba" group, particularly in experiment 2 ("Control" vs "Faba": 34.6 vs 32.9 mg/dL in experiment 1, P<0.1; 27.4 vs 23.4 mg/dL in experiment 2, P<0.01); the plasma urea content in experiment 2 confirmed the trend observed in milk (3.9 vs 3.0 mmol/L, P<0.01). The inclusion of faba beans, within the allowed limit of the Parmigiano-Reggiano Consortium for diet formulation, could represent a feasible opportunity for a partial substitution of soybean meal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey regarding crop enterprise management, forages cost of production, dairy cattle management including reproductive management, housing, heat abatement, body condition scoring, nutrition, grouping strategies, and income over feed cost performance, was carried out from December 2016 to January 2018 on 50 dairy farms by the Department of Animal Science, Food and Nutrition of Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Piacenza, Italy). A total of 41 herds (82%) completed the survey. Average herd size was 327 ± 162 lactating cows with the average land size of 160 ± 94 ha per farm. Herds were located in the provinces of Cremona (17), Brescia (8), Mantova (7), Piacenza (5), Cuneo (4), Bergamo (3), Lodi (3), Torino (2), and Venezia (1). These farms sold 32.8 ± 2.01 kg of milk/day per cow, had an annual culling rate of 34.0 ± 4.00%, a calving interval of 14.16 ± 0.58 months., and a 21-days pregnancy rate of 17.05 ± 2.58%. Implementing effective management strategies to contrast the damage caused by Ostrinia nubilalis, Diabrotica spp. and Myocastor coypus were identified as the main crop enterprise challenges. Main forages cultivated were alfalfa and corn silage second seeding with a total cost of production of (€/ha) 1968 ± 362 and 2,581 ± 221, with an average yield of 9.61 ± 1.24 and 17.22 ± 2.46 ton of DM per hectare, respectively. Results of this study can provide useful benchmark or reference for dairy management practices, crops and dairy performances, forages production costs on very well-managed North Italian dairy farms at the present time. benchmarks for dairy farms management practices, economic and reproductive performance cost of production of forages in northern Italy [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Use of inoculant improved the aerobic stability of maize silage. • Minor differences in fermentative traits characterized low- or high-density silages. • Acetic acid and 1,2-propanediol were higher in inoculated silages. • The inoculant reduced the concentration of some mycotoxins in silages. • Similar mycotoxin concentrations were observed among low- or high-density silages. Abstract We examined the effectiveness of a combined inoculant of hetero-fermentative Lactobacillus buchneri LB1819 and homo-fermentative Lactococcus lactis O224 on quality of maize silage at two different densities. The four treatments were: CTR-LD, untreated at low-density (132 ± 6 kg DM/m3); CTR-HD, untreated at high density (186 ± 6 kg DM/m3); TRT-LD, inoculated at low density; and TRT-HD, inoculated at high density. The 5 replicates for each treatment were ensiled in 20-L plastic jars and the inoculant was applied at a rate of 250,000 CFU/g ensiled forage. The fermentation profile, aerobic stability, and DM losses were measured after 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 days of ensiling, and the chemical composition, microbial counts, and concentrations of mycotoxins were assessed in the 32 day samples. Data measured once during experiment were analyzed according to a completely randomized design (CRD), with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments (i.e., inoculation, density, and their interaction). Data measured at different time points were analyzed according to a CRD, with a 2 × 2 × 5 factorial arrangement of treatments (i.e., inoculation, density, length of ensiling, and their first or second order interactions). The lactic acid concentration increased (P < 0.05) with the duration of ensiling, with no differences among treatments (overall means on day 2 and day 32: 26.7 and 50.9 g/kg DM, respectively). Aerobic stability was greatest (P < 0.05) in the TRT-HD silage at 32 days. After 32 days of ensiling, soluble crude protein was greater in the CTR-HD and TRT-LD silages than the CTR-LD and TRT-HD silages (P < 0.05, inoculation × density interaction). The treatments had similar chemical parameters, yeast and mould counts (overall mean: 4.53 log 10 CFU/g and 1.59 log 10 CFU/g, respectively). The overall concentration of aflatoxin B 1 was 0.412 μg/kg DM. The CTR groups had higher concentrations of fumonisin B 2 (413 vs. 278 μg/kg DM, P < 0.05) and roquefortine C (22.81 vs. 3.39 μg/kg DM, P < 0.05) than the TRT groups. Conversely, the CTR groups had lower concentrations of fusaric acid than the TRT groups after 32 days (2849 vs. 4162 μg/kg DM, P < 0.05). Both CTR and Lactobacillus buchneri LB1819 and Lactococcus lactis O224 treated samples at a high silage density increased the aerobic stability after 32 days of ensiling (P < 0.05, day × density interaction). Results indicated that inoculation and use of a greater silage density enhanced the fermentation and aerobic stability of maize silage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The purpose of this preliminary study was to discriminate the chemical fingerprints of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Grana Padano cheeses from non-PDO “Grana-type” cheeses by means of an untargeted metabolomic approach based on ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (UHPLC/QTOF-MS). Hierarchical cluster analysis and Orthogonal Projections to Latent Structures Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) allowed discriminating PDO vs. non-PDO cheeses. Lipids (fatty acids and their derivatives, phospholipids and monoacylglycerols), amino acids and oligopeptides, together with plant-derived compounds were the markers having the highest discrimination potential. It can be postulated that Grana Padano value chain, as strictly defined in the PDO production specification rules, can drive the biochemical processes involved in cheese making and ripening in a distinct manner, thus leaving a defined chemical signature on the final product. These preliminary findings provide the basis for further authenticity studies, aiming to protect the designation of origin of PDO Grana Padano cheese by applying a comprehensive foodomics-based approach. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • The untargeted profile of PDO and non-PDO Grana Padano cheeses was investigated. • Multivariate statistics discriminated samples from both productions. • Lipids, oligopeptides and plant-derived compounds were the best discriminants. • Untargeted metabolomics could be a valuable tool for PDO cheeses authenticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Considering that water availability for agricultural needs is being restricted, an alternative to corn in animal nutrition should be explored in the Po Valley. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of either a partial (Trial I) or a total (Trial II) corn silage substitution with barley silage in dairy cows' diet on milk yield and composition, its coagulation properties, cheese yield and the sensorial profile of 16-month-aged Grana Padano cheese. RESULTS A partial or a total substitution of corn silage with barley silage had no effect on milk yield. Milk fat content in Trial I and milk urea content in both trials were higher with barley silage based diets than in corn silage based diets. No effects were observed concerning the lactodinamographic profile for milk aptitude to cheese-making, cheese yield and its organoleptic traits between feed treatments in Trials I and II. In both trials, hardness, friability and solubility scores were generally lower than reference values, whereas deformability, elasticity and stickiness scores were generally higher than reference values. CONCLUSION A partial or a total substitution of corn silage with barley silage in diets for dairy cows did not induce any negative effects on animal performance, nor on milk-quality traits, cheese quality and yield. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characterization of phenolic fingerprints in common gluten-free flours is still scarce. Total phenolic and anthocyanin contents, antioxidant capacity and the entire phenolic profile were investigated for extracts from chickpea, sorghum, quinoa, black rice, lentil, amaranth, brown rice, oat and white rice flours, using soft wheat flour as a comparison. The highest phenolic content was found in black rice, followed by quinoa extracts (147.9 and 87.2 mg gallic acid equivalents 100 g −1 , respectively). Consistently, antioxidant capacity was highest in black rice and quinoa flours (34 mmol trolox equivalents 100 g −1 ), while anthocyanins were highest in black rice flour. Data showed a high correlation between phenolic content and both reducing and scavenging activities, with Pearson’s coefficient of 0.90 and 0.91, respectively. Although the entire phenolic profile was diverse and differed among flours, these represent a valuable source of health-promoting compounds, mainly belonging to flavonoids, phenolic acids and lignans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The volatile organic compounds (VOC) are the fermentation products and used to assess the quality of ensiled forages. The study aimed to monitor the VOC concentrations in silage and haylage by GC/FID system and to reveal the relationships among these different end-fermentation products by carrying out a multivariate analysis. Forty-six compounds were quantified by GC/FID system in a single chromatographic run. The average repeatability and reproducibility coefficients of variation obtained on standard solutions, composed by 0.1 mL/L of each VOC (solution A) or volatile fatty acids (VFA, solution B), were 0.028 and 0.017 (absolute value), respectively. The average repeatability and reproducibility coefficients of variation obtained on silage samples were 0.026 and 0.027, respectively. Mean values of recovery obtained on the standard solutions at different concentration levels of compounds were in the range 0.95–1.04 (absolute values), and no effect of analyte concentration was observed on recovery. When multivariate analysis was carried out on whole database, 7 factors were retained and they explained 0.50 of the total variability. The factors were interpreted for their biological meanings, based on specific VOC loading on each extracted latent structure. Alfalfa haylage and ryegrass silage were characterized by higher contents of valeric and butyric acids, methyl and ethyl butyrate, 2,3-butaneldiol, 1-butanol, and 2-butanol compared with the other fermented products. Except for mixture crop silage, all the fermented products containing legume crops had higher levels of 2-methyl-1-propanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2-phenyl ethanol, and methanol and lower contents of ethanol, ethyl lactate, and ethyl acetate compared with the other fermented products. Silage containing grass crops had higher levels of acetic and lactic acids, and 1,2-propanediol respect to the other investigated products. The most part of the investigated fermented products were characterized by the presence of 2-methyl propionaldehyde and 2-methyl butyraldehyde. The VOC profile determination of ensiled products provides useful information for an overall evaluation of the fermentative quality of silages and haylage. [Display omitted] • Volatile compounds in silage and haylage were quantify by a GC/FID system. • Seven factors with biological sense were extracted by multivariate analysis. • Alfalfa haylage/ryegrass silage showed enterobacteria, bacilli, clostridia activity. • Legume fermented feed showed yeasts and facultative heterofermentative LAB activity. • Silage with grass crop had obligate and facultative heterofermentative LAB activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fate of phenolic compounds, along with short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production kinetics, was evaluated on six different commercial gluten-free (GF) pasta samples varying in ingredient compositions, focussing on the in vitro faecal fermentation after the gastrointestinal digestion. A general reduction of both total phenolics and reducing power was observed in all samples, together with a substantial change in phenolic profile over 24 h of faecal fermentation, with differences among GF pasta samples. Flavonoids, hydroxycinnamics and lignans degraded over time, with a concurrent increase in low-molecular-weight phenolic acids (hydroxybenzoic acids), alkylphenols, hydroxybenzoketones and tyrosols. Interestingly, discriminant analysis also identified several alkyl derivatives of resorcinol as markers of the changes in phenolic profile during in vitro fermentation. Furthermore, degradation pathways of phenolics by intestinal microbiota have been proposed. Considering the total SCFAs and butyrate production during the in vitro fermentation, different fermentation kinetics were observed among GF pasta post-hydrolysis residues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gluten free 'tagliatelle' were prepared with teff flour and increasing levels (0, 20 and 40%, w/w; indicating control, T20 and T40, respectively) of a new developed white-seeded low phytic acid and lectin free ( ws+lpa+lf) common bean flour. On a dry matter (DM) basis, total starch decreased ( p < 0.05) from 72.2 to 65.1 and 60.2%, while protein and dietary fibre increased ( p < 0.05) from 9.9 to 13.3% and 16.5% and from 8.5 to 11.8% and 15.7% for control, T20 and T40, respectively. The chemical score of protein increased ( p < 0.05) from 46 for control to 65 for T40. The colour was influenced ( p < 0.05) by bean inclusion, whereas no difference was reported for texture properties. The ws+lpa+lf bean inclusion increased ( p < 0.05) the resistant starch content (from 6.6% DM for control to 18.6% DM for T40) while decreased from 60 for control to 39 for T40 ( p < 0.05) the in vitro glycaemic index. The partial replacement of teff flour with bean flour can favourably be used in gluten free pasta formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND To investigate corn silage fermentative quality, a principal factor analysis was carried out on a database consisting of 196 corn silages sampled from the core, lateral and apical parts of silo feed-out face and characterised by 36 variables. Eleven principal factor components ( PCs) were retained and interpreted. Two PCs were related to chemical and digestibility variables; four PCs were characterised by end-products associated with clostridia, heterolactic, homolactic or aerobic fermentations; two PCs were associated with mycotoxins produced by Penicillium roqueforti or by Aspergillus fumigatus and Fusarium spp., while three PCs explained ensiling procedures adopted to store corn silages. RESULTS Lower ( P < 0.05) yeast or mould counts and greater ( P < 0.05) aerobic stability were measured in core than in peripheral samples. Excluding PCs related to ensiling procedures, other PCs were able to predict microbiological counts, aerobic stability or biogenic amine content as verified by multiple linear regression analysis. Based on these results, several corn silage quality index calculations were computed by using a summative equation approach in which different PCs as well as diverse relative weights multiplying each PCs were combined. To compute definitive index calculation, only PCs explaining clostridia, heterolactic and homolactic fermentations were used with relative weights of 30%, 50% and 20%. CONCLUSIONS The new proposed fermentative quality index was highly correlated to parameters related to corn silage fermentative quality, such as microbiological counts, aerobic stability or biogenic amines and it properly discriminated well- and poorly preserved forages. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND A survey on 68 dairy farms was carried out to evaluate the ensiling procedures adopted to store corn silage. Samples from core, lateral and apical zones of the feed-out face of silos were analysed. A principal factor analysis ( PFA) was carried out on the entire database (196 silage samples and 36 variables) and 11 principal factor components ( PCs) were retained and interpreted. RESULTS Ensiling procedures influenced the area exposed to risk of air penetration. Cores had higher dry matter, starch and lactic acid content or lower pH, fibre, propionate and butyrate concentrations than peripheral samples ( P < 0.05). The highest ( P < 0.05) mycophenolic acid and roquefortina C concentrations were detected in lateral samples. Chemical and digestibility variables loaded on two PCs; four PCs were characterized by end-products associated with clostridia, heterolactic, homolactic and aerobic fermentations; two PCs were associated with mycotoxins, whereas three PCs explained ensiling procedures. CONCLUSION The main quality traits of corn silages differed throughout the entire silo face. Minimization of the area exposed to risk of air penetration represents the best strategy to preserve the nutritional value and safety of corn silages. PFA allowed a clusterization of original variables into 11 PCs, appearing able to discriminate well and poorly preserved corn silages. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of rice/leguminous blend may be nutritionally convenient in gluten free product manufacturing. Gluten free spaghetti was prepared with rice flour and different concentrations of bean flour (included at levels of 0%, 20% and 40%, w/w) derived from a new developed white-seeded low phytic acid and lectin free ( ws + lpa + lf ) bean cultivar. Protein, ash and dietary fibre contents increased linearly ( P < 0.05) while total starch decreased quadratically ( P < 0.05) with the inclusion of ws + lpa + lf bean flour. The colour of spaghetti was influenced ( P < 0.05) by ws + lpa + lf bean inclusion. With respect to 0% spaghetti, the inclusion of ws + lpa + lf bean increased linearly ( P < 0.05) the optimal cooking time and the water absorption capacity, without affecting cooking loss and texture properties. The ws + lpa + lf bean inclusion increases quadratically ( P < 0.05) the resistant starch content, while decreasing quadratically ( P < 0.05) the in vitro glycemic index. The partial replacement of rice flour with bean flour can favourably be used in gluten free spaghetti formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In pig nutrition, the analysis of starch is merely focused on assessing total quantity. However, indications suggest that a certain fraction of starch, defined as resistant starch (RS), can escape digestion in the upper gastrointestinal tract therefore passing into the large bowel where can act as fermentative substrate. Nutritionally RS, along with other non-starch polysaccharides and non-digestible oligosaccharides, is regarded as non-digestible carbohydrate. As for humans, the concept of RS has gained increasing attention also in pig nutrition. As a consequence, research to obtain a deeper knowledge on how different RS levels and types may affect energy metabolism, nutrient availability, pig performance and induce positive effects on pigs through fermentation has progressed recently. Therefore, this review comprises updated data on: (i) factors related to the RS content in feed; (ii) systemic effects of RS from various sources in pigs; (iii) aspects associated to the RS fermentation process and role of RS in the pig large intestine; (iv) possible implications of RS on the environmental load of pig facilities. Since the digestibility of starch is compromised in the early period after weaning, the present discussion will be mainly restricted to older animals (especially growing pigs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical hazards may occur in any phases of the different livestock production systems. Aim of this review is to address an update about the key issues related to the risk of contamination in foods of animal origin by environmental contaminants linked to industrialisation or urbanisation (e.g., heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants), and natural contaminants (e.g., mycotoxins). This review deals with current issues and future perspectives on the complex issue of the safety of feeds and foods of animal origin, by taking into account the estimation of the occurrence of chemical residues in food, the hazard identification and characterisation of mycotoxins in animal feeds, and the analysis of feedstuffs as a tool to control and evaluate food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Rind percentage in grated Parmigiano Reggiano (PR) cheese should not exceed 18% (w/w). • Foodomics successfully discriminated PR grated cheese according to different ripening stages and rind inclusions. • 4-hydroperoxy-2-nonenal was a marker of both ripening and anomalous rind inclusion (>18%). • An alpha-S1 casein proteolytic product was a marker of anomalous rind inclusion. • The ripening time had a hierarchically higher impact than rind inclusion on the chemical profiles observed. Parmigiano Reggiano is a hard cheese with a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certification that also applies to the grated product. The percentage of rind in grated Parmigiano Reggiano is regulated by the PDO production Specification and must not exceed the limit of 18% (w/w). The present study evaluates the potential of an untargeted foodomics approach to detect anomalous inclusions of rind in grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. In particular, a combined metabolomics and peptidomics approach was used to detect potential markers of counterfeits (rind > 18%). In the framework of realistic food integrity purposes, non-Parmigiano Reggiano grated samples and different ripening times were also considered. Untargeted metabolomics allowed detecting 347 compounds, with a prevalence of amino acids and peptide derivatives, followed by fatty acyls and other compounds (such as lactones, ketones, and aldehydes) typically related to proteolysis and lipolysis events. Overall, the unsupervised multivariate statistics showed that the ripening time plays a hierarchically higher impact than rind inclusion in determining the main differences in the chemical profiles detected. Interestingly, supervised statistics highlighted distinctive markers for ripening time and rind inclusion, with only 16 common discriminant compounds being shared between the two conditions. The best markers of rind inclusion > 18% were 2-hydroxyadenine (VIP score = 1.937; AUC value = 0.83) and the amino acid derivatives argininic acid (VIP score = 1.462; AUC value = 0.75) and 5-hydroxyindole acetaldehyde (VIP score = 1.710; AUC value = 0.86). Interestingly, the medium-chain aldehyde 4-hydroperoxy-2-nonenal was a common marker of both ripening time and anomalous rind inclusion (>18%), likely arising from the lipid oxidation processes. Finally, among potential marker peptides of rind inclusion, the alpha-S1 casein proteolytic product (F)FVAPFPEVFGK(E) could be identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of alternative plant proteins in place of the soybean meal protein in diets for producing animals aims to reduce the extra-EU soybean import and partially substitute the GMO in the food chain. Among possible alternatives, the heat-processed legume grains seem interesting for dairy cow diets. Two consecutive experiments were carried out to evaluate flaked pea and faba beans as substitute for soybean meal in diets for Reggiana breed dairy cows producing milk for Parmigiano- Reggiano cheese-making. In both experiments a C concentrate (110 g/kg soybean meal, no pea and faba beans) was compared to a PF concentrate (150 g/kg flaked pea, 100 g/kg flaked faba beans, no soybean meal). Forages fed to animals were hay (mixed grass and alfalfa) in experiment 1 and hay plus mixed grass in experiment 2. Concentrate intake, milk yield and milk quality (rennet coagulation traits included) were similar between feeding groups. Parameters on the grab faecal samples, as empirical indicators of digestibility, had a smaller (P<0.01) amount of residual concentrate in the PF group compared to the C group (2.4 vs 3.1 and 2.3 vs 2.8%, respectively for PF and C in experiment 1 and 2). Some blood indicators of nitrogen metabolism (protein, albumin, urea) were similar between the feeding groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of pea and faba bean inclusion in growing-finishing heavy pig diets was evaluated. The following iso-lysinic and iso-energetic diets offered to the pigs in three phases (40-80; 80-120; 120-160 kg) were compared: CTR, control diet with soybean meal (SBM) as protein source; RP, CTR diet where pea replaced SBM; RF, CTR diet where faba bean replaced SBM. 126 animals were randomly distributed in 3 homogeneous groups with 42 animals each (7 pens with 6 animals each per treatment). The RP and RF diets did not negatively affect the carcass characteristics both of the pigs slaughtered at the conventional weight (127.5 kg) and heavy pigs (158.5 kg). The pigs fed the RP and RF diets ate similarly to the pigs fed the CTR overall the trial but RF pigs grew better than CTR animals. The subcutaneous fat of the fresh hams destined for Parma ham production and obtained from pigs fed RP diet had a higher omega 3 fatty acid percentage. Moreover, the RP and RF diets resulted in fat with better omega 3/omega 6 ratio compared with CTR. All the fat samples had iodine numbers within the limit value (70) reported by the Production Disciplinary of Parma ham. No treatment effect was found on the analytical and sensorial characteristics of the Parma hams, except for the aged taste which was more intense in the hams obtained from pigs fed the RF diet. These results indicate that pea and faba bean may be used as an alternative to imported SBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of anaflatoxin B1 (AnAFB1) conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) as a vaccine (AnAFB1-KLH) in controlling the carry over of the aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) metabolite aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in cow milk is reported. AFB1 is the most carcinogenic compound in food and foodstuffs amongst aflatoxins (AFs). AnAFB1 is AFB1 chemically modified as AFB1-1(O-carboxymethyl) oxime. In comparison to AFB1, AnAFB1 has proven to be non-toxic in vitro to human hepatocarcinoma cells and non mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium strains. AnAFB1-KLH was used for immunization of cows proving to induce a long lasting titer of anti-AFB1 IgG antibodies (Abs) which were cross reactive with AFB1, AFG1, and AFG2. The elicited anti-AFB1 Abs were able to hinder the secretion of AFM1 into the milk of cows continuously fed with AFB1. Vaccination of lactating animals with conjugated AnAFB1 may represent a solution to the public hazard constituted by milk and cheese contaminated with AFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six pregnant heifers, coming from a herd with a history of high concentration of Polychlorobifenyls (PCB) into the milk, were fed with a very low-PCB diet starting from the 6th month of pregnancy. After parturition cows were milked for at least 190 d with a maximum of 270 d. Diet was made of: corn silage (31.7% of DMI), dehydrated alfalfa (13.3% of DMI), grass hay (3.7% of DMI) and concentrate (51.3% of DMI). The average DMI was 23.12 kg/d. Milk production was recorded and samples of milk and blood were taken and analyzed for PCB (18, 28, 31, 52, 44, 101, 149, 118, 153, 138, 180 and 194 congeners) content using a GC-MS technique. The average milk yield (kg/d) of the 6 cows was 26.0, 22.5, 23.2, 24.5, 28.9, 29.3. The maximum PCB concentration of 100 ng/g of fat allowed by the Italian law was reached after 144-209 days of lactation. One animal after 204 days had a PCB concentration of 102 ng/g fat. If log10 of PCB concentration (ppb) in milk fat is regressed against days in milking (DIM) the following significant equation was obtained: log10 PCB (ng/g of milk fat)= 2.796 -0.00474 DIM; r2 0.72; P<0.01 The initial level of contamination is not the main factor affecting the time required in order for PCB to return to below the legal threshold of 100 ng/g fat, while daily milk yield significantly affects PCB excretion. Body condition and energy balance could be important factors affecting PCB excretion. In the presence of high contamination, about 6 months of lactation are required in order to obtain milk with a sufficiently low PCB content. Among the seven congeners considered by Italian legislation, PCB 101, PCB 118, PCB 138, PCB 153 constitute almost all the PCBs found in tissues and milk, with a much smaller presence of PCB 180, and the numbers of the congeners PCB 28 and PCB 52 are almost insignificant, probably because they accumulate little in the body. The congeners PCB 138 and PCB 153 are those most frequently found. For PCB 138 the liver is the principal organ of accumulation, while for PCB 153 we found equal accumulations in the liver, kidneys and tail, but a low presence in milk. The PCBs 118 and 138 are those most abundant in milks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Untargeted metabolomics discriminated bulk milk from dairy cows following different feeding regimens. • Corn silage clearly produced different chemical profiles in milk compared to hay and forage. • Lipids and secondary metabolites (such as polyphenols) were the most discriminant compounds. • Untargeted metabolomics could promote the quality and traceability of milk and milk-derived products. The feeding system represents one of the main factors driving raw milk composition, thus determining differences in nutritional value and technological properties. In this preliminary study, untargeted metabolomics with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF) coupled with both unsupervised and supervised multivariate statistics was used to investigate the chemical profile of bulk milk collected from dairy cows (n = 103) following different feeding regimens, being corn silage (MS-FS, n = 51), hay (H-FS, n = 35) and a mixed ration consisted in fresh forage and hay (MR-FS, n = 17). Overall, a total of 1686 metabolites was identified by means of UHPLC-QTOF, with significant differences (p < 0.05) between the three feeding regimens under investigation. The metabolites detected mainly belonged to lipids (mainly glycerophospholipids and triglycerides), followed by oligopeptides, steroid derivatives, and secondary metabolites (such as phenolic compounds and terpenoids). Interestingly, multivariate statistics applied to the metabolomics data revealed intriguing differences in the discriminant markers detected. The markers identified included both feed-derived (such as phenolic metabolites) but also animal-derived compounds (such as fatty acids). Therefore, our results provide comprehensive insights into the metabolomics profile of different bulk milk samples, suggesting also an indirect influence of feeding regimens on its chemical signature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lectins, phytic acid and condensed tannins exert major antinutritional effects in common bean when grains are consumed as a staple food. In addition, phaseolin, i.e., the major storage protein of the bean seed, is marginally digested when introduced in the raw form. Our breeding target was to adjust the nutrient/antinutrient balance of the bean seed for obtaining a plant food with improved nutritional value for human consumption. In this study, the seeds of twelve phytohaemagglutinin-E-free bean lines carrying the mutations low phytic acid, phytohaemagglutinin-L-free, α-Amylase inhibitors-free, phaseolin-free, and reduced amount of condensed tannins, introgressed and differently combined in seven genetic groups, were analyzed for their nutrient composition. Inedited characteristics, such as a strong positive correlation (+0.839 **) between the genetic combination "Absence of phaseolin + Presence of the α-Amylase Inhibitors" and the amount of "accumulated iron and zinc", were detected. Three lines carrying this genetic combination showed a much higher iron content than the baseline (+22.4%) and one of them in particular, achieved high level (+29.1%; 91.37 µg g−1) without any specific breeding intervention. If confirmed by scientific verification, the association of these genetic traits might be usefully exploited for raising iron and zinc seed content in a bean biofortification breeding program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]