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Scientifically underpinning geographic origin claims will improve consumer trust in food labels. Stable isotope ratio analysis (SIRA) is an analytical technique that supports origin verification of food products based on naturally occurring differences in isotopic compositions. SIRA of five relevant elements (C, H, N, O, S) was conducted on casein isolated from butter (n = 60), cheese (n = 96), and whole milk powder (WMP) (n = 41). Samples were divided into four geographic regions based on their commercial origin: Ireland (n = 79), Europe (n = 67), Australasia (n = 29) and USA (n = 22). A random forest machine learning model built using δ 13 C, δ 2 H, δ 15 N, δ 18 O and δ 34 S values of all products (n = 197) accurately (88% model accuracy rate) predicted the region of origin with class accuracy of 95% for Irish, 84% for European, 71% for Australasia, and 94% for US products., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Background: Beef from pasture-fed animals is viewed as a healthier and more welfare-friendly alternative to concentrate-fed beef. Botanically-diverse pastures consisting of numerous plant species may alter the fatty acid (FA) profile and the tocopherol content of beef, as well as the oxidative stability of the meat. In the present study, steers were assigned to one of three botanically-diverse diets: perennial ryegrass (PRG), perennial ryegrass + white clover (PRG + WC) or multi-species (MS), all with a finishing diet of the respective botanically-diverse silages plus a cereal-based concentrate, consistent with production systems in Ireland. The FA profile, tocopherol content, oxidative stability and colour of meat during storage were measured., Results: Compared to the other diets, the MS diet resulted in higher proportions of linolenic acid (C18:3n-3c), linoleic acid (C18:2n-6c) and total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), with higher PUFA:saturated fatty acid and n-6:n-3 ratios in the meat. α-Tocopherol concentrations were lowest in the meat of animals from the MS diet. In uncooked meat, lipid oxidation and colour values were affected by storage time across all diets, whereas the MS diet led to higher hue values only on day 14 of storage. When cooked, meat from animals on PRG + WC and MS diets had higher lipid oxidation on days 1 and 2 of storage than meat from animals on the PRG diet., Conclusion: Feeding steers on a botanically-diverse diet consisting of six plant species can improve the n-3 FA and PUFA concentration of beef, affecting the susceptibility of cooked, but not uncooked, beef to oxidation. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical with large-scale applications in the manufacturing of industrial products. Concerns have been raised regarding human exposure to BPA and dietary consumption is the main route of exposure. BPA is recognised as an endocrine disruptor with multiple adverse effects on the reproductive, immune, and nervous systems. This study aimed to conduct a probabilistic risk assessment to evaluate the human health risk based on the raw concentration data (N = 1266) of BPA in non-canned meat and meat products purchased from supermarkets and local butchers in Dublin and the surrounding area. The mean exposure levels for BPA in non-canned meat and meat products, fresh meat, and processed meat products among children were 0.019, 0.0022, and 0.015 μg (kg bw) -1  day -1 , respectively. Therefore, simulated human exposures to BPA were far below the EFSA recommended current temporary tolerable daily intake (t-TDI) of 4 μg (kg bw) -1  day -1 . However recently, the EFSA has proposed a draft TDI of 0.04 ng (kg bw) -1  day -1 to replace the current t-TDI. Hence, our results indicated potential health concerns as the estimated exposure levels (5th-95th percentile) were below current t-TDI but above draft TDIs. Further investigation into the source of BPA contamination in processed meat products is highly recommended. The research presented here will inform the public, meat producers and processors, and policymakers on potential exposure to BPA., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing 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., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Rationale: Stable isotope ratio analysis (SIRA) is commonly used for the authentication of dairy commodities, providing evidence to support the geographical origin and production background of products. We set out to optimise methods for the isolation of a common constituent (casein) from three dairy commodities, which would permit easier inter- and intra-commodity comparisons following SIRA., Methods: Three published methods for isolation of protein (from cheese, milk, and butter) were adapted to yield protein (casein) fractions from commercial cheddar cheese, whole milk powder (WMP), and butter samples with a high degree of purity for subsequent SIRA. The casein fractions isolated underwent elemental analysis (H, C, and N), protein determination, and some also underwent SIRA of O and S. Two-way analysis of variance and Tukey post hoc comparisons tested differences between methods., Results: For each product, an optimised casein isolation method was chosen based on the C/N ratio and protein content. An optimum solvent lipid extraction (petroleum spirit-diethyl ether (2:1)) and casein precipitation method was chosen for cheddar cheese casein. A final solvent lipid extraction (heptane-isopropanol (3:2)) was necessary for WMP and butter casein extraction. δ 13 C and δ 2 H values validated the methods' abilities to remove contaminating lipid and isolate pure casein., Conclusions: Casein of high purity, for subsequent SIRA, can be isolated from cheddar cheese, WMP, and butter following modifications of previously published methods., (© 2022 The Authors. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

A desire for more sustainable pasture-based ruminant feeding systems has led to growing interest in utilising botanically-diverse pastures (BDP) over monoculture pastures. Research suggests that, from a human consumption viewpoint, grass-based ruminant feeding leads to more nutritionally desirable fatty acid (FA) and antioxidant concentrations in meat compared with concentrate feeding, which can affect meat quality. The FA, antioxidant and secondary metabolite content of plants differ, depending on species, maturity and seasonality, offering the potential through targeted feeding of BDP to produce meat with superior nutritional and antioxidant profiles. This review explores the effect, if any, that grazing ruminants on BDP has on the FA profile, fat-soluble vitamin, and antioxidant content of meat. The input-output relationship between forage and red meat constituents is complex and is likely affected by species diversity, forage consumption patterns and modulation of rumen fermentation processes. Further investigation is required to fully understand the effect that BDP may have on the composition and quality of ruminant meat., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors are not aware of any possible conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely used synthetic industrial compound frequently detected in food. Dietary exposure to BPA has been recognised as a potential health concern. However, there are uncertainties regarding BPA toxicity. The primary objective of this study was to summarise and analyse multiple toxicity endpoints of adverse reproductive effects caused by BPA exposure in rodent models. Therefore, a multilevel meta-analysis and subsequent dose-response analysis were conducted. Relevant articles published in English between 2012 and 2021 were collected from online databases, viz. Scopus, EmBase, Web of Science, and PubMed. In total, 41 studies were included for statistical analysis. All statistical analyses were performed using open-source RStudio packages. Summary effects indicated the statistical significance of BPA exposure on decreased sperm concentration (Hedges' g: -1.35) and motility (Hedges' g: -1.12) on average, while no significant effects were observed on the absolute and relative weight of male and female reproductive organs. The lowest mean toxicological reference dose values of 0.0011 mg (kg bw) -1 day -1 was proposed for BPA exposure on sperm concentration from the dose-response model. In conclusion, potential health risks from BPA exposure were shown with regards to reproductive toxicity, especially that sperm concentration and sperm motility require further attention., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing 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., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical which has raised concerns due to its potential toxicological effects on humans, has been widely detected in canned and non-canned meat and meat products. This study estimated BPA migration from packaging to non-canned and canned meat products by developing two probabilistic models. BPA concentration data in packaging materials were collated, including polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, epoxy-based coatings, and polyester-based coatings. Migration ratios were calculated from migration tests of BPA molecules moving from packaging to food simulants. The predictive model revealed that the BPA migration concentration from packaging ranges from 0.017 to 0.13 (5th-95th percentile) μg kg -1 with a simulated mean of 0.056 μg kg -1 in non-canned meat products. This is in stark contrast to the simulated mean of 134.57 (5th-95th percentile: 59.17-223.25) μg kg -1 for canned meat products. Nevertheless, plastic packaging was estimated to contribute only 3 % of BPA levels in non-canned meat products. The sensitivity analysis showed that the contact area of meat products with films is the most sensitive parameter of the plastic packaging migration model. It is concluded that plastic packaging may not be the only or dominant source of BPA in non-canned meat products., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing 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., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Beef contains an array of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers for which positive effects have been reported in animal models of human disease. The objectives were to develop a CLA-enriched beef production system and to assess its quality. Sixty Spring-born heifers were housed in Autumn and offered unwilted grass silage and a barley/soyabean concentrate or wilted grass silage and a concentrate containing sunflower oil and fish oil. In May, both groups were offered either pasture for 22 weeks, restricted pasture and sunflower oil and fish oil for 22 weeks, or pasture for 11 weeks and restricted pasture and sunflower oil and fish oil for the final 11 weeks. The predominant CLA isomer in beef was cis9, trans11 representing on average, 80% total CLA. The modified winter diet followed by supplementation for 22 weeks resulted in beef that had a CLA concentration that was higher, at a comparable intramuscular fatty acid concentration, than previously reported. The lipid and colour stability (over 10 days in modified atmosphere packaging) and sensory characteristics were generally not negatively affected. There were minor effects on the expression of candidate genes involved in lipid metabolism. Consumption of this beef would make a substantial contribution to the quantity of CLA suggested to have a positive effect on consumer health.

As marketing tools, nutrition claims (NCs) and health claims (HCs) can be used to convey the nutritional properties and health benefits of food to consumers, but their respective effects on consumers' perceptions of healthier meat products are inconsistent in the literature. Using a physical prototype of omega-3-enriched sausages as a research interest, this paper explores how HCs and NCs differently influence consumers' sensory preferences and willingness to pay (WTP). Sensory tests were carried out among 330 participants, followed by a choice-based conjoint (CBC) experiment to measure consumers' WTP. Results indicate that, in comparison with the uninformed condition, labeling an omega-3 nutrition claim increased consumers' sensory liking for omega-3-enriched sausages in the attributes of appearance and texture. Moreover, consumers were willing to pay more for healthier sausages, but labeling HCs did not significantly improve participants' WTP for omega-3-enriched sausages more than NCs. Hence, HCs did not significantly outperform NCs, when it comes to positively influencing consumers' sensory liking and paying intentions for omega-3-enriched sausages. The findings of this study have implications for the meat industry in developing healthier sausage formulations with greater likelihood of success in the market.

Meat and meat products are often consumed in our daily diet, providing essential nutrients. Contamination by chemical hazards, including bisphenol A (BPA) in meat products, is a concern and is continuously monitored. BPA is well-known for its endocrine-disrupting properties, which may cause potential toxicological effects on reproductive, nervous, and immune systems. Dietary consumption is the main route of BPA exposure, and meat products are a major contributor. BPA exposure from meat consumption is the focus of this review. This review found that BPA has been widely detected in canned and non-canned meat products. BPA in canned meat is assumed to be predominantly from migration from can coatings. Relatively low levels are observed in non-canned products, and the source of contamination in these products has yet to be definitively identified. A recent European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) draft opinion has proposed to lower the tolerable daily intake of BPA from 4 μg kg body weight (bw) -1 day -1 to 0.04 ng kg body weight (bw) -1 day -1 , therefore potential health risks need to be addressed. This review has investigated potential contamination at the farm, industrial processes, and retail levels. Data gaps in the literature are also identified to improve future food safety in the meat industry. Also, a unified risk assessment strategy has been proposed. Further understanding of BPA migration in meat products is needed as a part of the exposure assessment to reduce potential risk, and more data on the dose-response relationship will help comprehend potential adverse health effects of BPA on humans. This research will inform the public, meat producers and processing industry, and policymakers on potential exposure to BPA and risk reduction measures, thus, ensuring food safety., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Carcasses from pasture-finished early-maturing (EM), rather than late-maturing (LM), breed bulls may be more suited to meet the minimum carcass fatness classification of 2+ (6.0 on a 15-point scale) required for some markets. The comparative colour and eating quality of beef from grass-fed bulls of different maturities are unknown. Sixty yearling suckler-bred bulls were assigned to a 2 (maturities: EM and LM) × 2 (finishing strategies: grass only (G0) or grass + 4.0 kg concentrate daily (GC)) factorial design. Bulls were at pasture from 7 April, concentrates were introduced (or not) 97 days later, and bulls were slaughtered at 192 d post-turnout (approximately 19 mo of age). Carcass fat scores averaged 5.02, 6.20, 6.33 and 7.30 for LMG0, LMGC, EMG0 and EMGC bulls, respectively. Muscle colour did not differ between treatments. Muscle from LM had lower intramuscular fat concentration, collagen solubility and a tendency (p < 0.1) towards lower ratings for tenderness, texture, and acceptability of 14 d aged beef. Concentrate supplementation decreased the ratings for muscle tenderness but ratings for acceptability were not affected. Achieving the minimum carcass fatness was therefore not required to produce beef of acceptable eating quality and suckler bulls can access the “grass-fed” beef market.

The primary objective of this study was to compare the colour of muscle from bulls finished at pasture or indoors on a high concentrate diet. The ancillary objectives were to identify possible explanations for any differences in the colour observed and the potential of muscle colour to discriminate between bull beef from different production systems. Growth, longissimus muscle colour, fibre type composition and metabolic profile were measured in late-maturing breed sired suckler bulls slaughtered at 19 months of age after 199 days at pasture (G0), 100 days indoors after 98 days at pasture (G0AL) and indoors for 199 days (AL). When compared to bulls finished indoors and offered a high concentrate ration, the carcass weight of G0 bulls was lower, their carcasses were leaner, and their longissimus muscle was similar in lightness but less red and had a lower glycolytic metabolism. The temperature at which the longissimus muscle reached pH 6.0 was lower (19.7 °C) for G0 than for G0AL (29.9 °C) and AL (31.6 °C), which did not differ. Co-variate adjustment for this variable removed the differences in redness. Adjusting the chill settings appears to be a practical strategy for abattoirs to minimise early post-mortem differences in muscle colour between lighter grass-fed and heavier concentrate-fed carcasses. The preliminary results demonstrate the potential of both L*, a*, b* values and the visible reflectance spectra of muscle to discriminate between grass- finished and concentrate-finished bull beef, but further refinement and validation of the models is required.

Background: Grazed grass is an important component of the majority of beef production systems used in temperate climates. Compared to concentrate-fed beef, 'grass-fed' beef can command a premium in some markets based on perceived differences in appearance and sensory characteristics. The influence of grazed grass per se, as well as the duration of grazing, on selected sensory characteristics of beef within a heifer production system was examined., Results: In general, fat from grass-fed cattle was more yellow than fat from similar cattle fed concentrates, whereas muscle from grass-fed cattle was darker than muscle from cattle fed concentrates. At the same carcass weight, muscle from grass-fed cattle had a lower fat concentration than cattle fed concentrates. In the most extreme situation examined, whereby early-maturing heifers were fed concentrates ad libitum from weaning or grazed grass/conserved grass throughout life, until slaughtered at a similar carcass weight (260 kg) and differed in age by 5 months, beef was rated similarly for tenderness and a range of flavours by a trained sensory panel., Conclusion: Within the range of beef heifer production systems examined, the sensory characteristics of grass-fed beef do not differ greatly from concentrate-fed beef. © 2021 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2021 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a commonly used compound in many industries and has versatile applications in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins production. BPA is classified as endocrine-disrupting chemical which can hamper fetal development during pregnancy and may have long term negative health outcomes in humans. Dietary sources, main route of BPA exposure, can be contaminated by the migration of BPA into food during processing. The global regulatory framework for using this compound in food contact materials is currently not harmonized. This review aims to outline, survey, and critically evaluate BPA contamination in meat products, including level of BPA and/or metabolites present, exposure route, and recent advancements in the analytical procedures of these compounds from meat and meat products. The contribution of meat and meat products to the total dietary exposure of BPA ranges between 10 and 50% depending on the country and exposure scenario considered. From can lining materials of meat products, BPA migrates towards the solid phase resulting higher BPA concentration in solid phase than the liquid phase of the same can. The analytical procedure is comprised of meat sample pre-treatment, followed by cleaning with solid phase extraction (SPE), and chromatographic analysis. Considering several potential sources of BPA in industrial and home culinary practices, BPA can also accumulate in non-canned or raw meat products. Very few scientific studies have been conducted to identify the amount in raw meat products. Similarly, analysis of metabolites and identification of the origin of BPA contamination in meat products is still a challenge to overcome.

There is a requirement in some beef markets to slaughter bulls at under 16 months of age. This requires high levels of concentrate feeding. Increasing the slaughter age of bulls to 19 months facilitates the inclusion of a grazing period, thereby decreasing the cost of production. Recent data indicate few quality differences in longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle from conventionally reared 16-month bulls and 19-month-old bulls that had a grazing period prior to finishing on concentrates. The aim of the present study was to expand this observation to additional commercially important muscles/cuts. The production systems selected were concentrates offered ad libitum and slaughter at under 16 months of age (16-C) or at 19 months of age (19-CC) to examine the effect of age per se, and the cheaper alternative for 19-month bulls described above (19-GC). The results indicate that muscles from 19-CC were more red, had more intramuscular fat and higher cook loss than those from 16-C. No differences in muscle objective texture or sensory texture and acceptability were found between treatments. The expected differences in composition and quality between the muscles were generally consistent across the production systems examined. Therefore, for the type of animal and range of ages investigated, the effect of the production system on LT quality was generally representative of the effect on the other muscles analysed. In addition, the data do not support the under 16- month age restriction, based on meat acceptability, in commercial suckler bull production.

Objective: To apply a dietary modelling approach to investigate the impact of substituting beef intakes with three types of alternative fatty acid (FA) composition of beef on population dietary fat intakes., Design: Cross-sectional, national food consumption survey - the National Adult Nutrition Survey (NANS). The fat content of the beef-containing food codes (n 52) and recipes (n 99) were updated with FA composition data from beef from animals receiving one of three ruminant dietary interventions: grass-fed (GRASS), grass finished on grass silage and concentrates (GSC) or concentrate-fed (CONC). Mean daily fat intakes, adherence to dietary guidelines and the impact of altering beef FA composition on dietary fat sources were characterised., Setting: Ireland., Participants: Beef consumers (n 1044) aged 18-90 years., Results: Grass-based feeding practices improved dietary intakes of a number of individual FA, wherein myristic acid (C14 : 0) and palmitic acid (C16 : 0) were decreased, with an increase in conjugated linoleic acid (C18 : 2c9,t11) and trans-vaccenic acid (C18 : 1t11; P < 0·05). Improved adherence with dietary recommendations for total fat (98·5 %), SFA (57·4 %) and PUFA (98·8 %) was observed in the grass-fed beef scenario (P < 0·001). Trans-fat intakes were increased significantly in the grass-fed beef scenario (P < 0·001)., Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to characterise the impact of grass-fed beef consumption at population level. The study suggests that habitual consumption of grass-fed beef may have potential as a public health strategy to improve dietary fat quality.

Background: Lamb diets can alter the fatty acid (FA) profile of muscle and adipose tissue, which may affect the sensory quality and consumer acceptability of the meat. In this study, lambs received one of four pre-slaughter diets: a barley / maize / soya-based concentrate (C), supplemented with a saturated fat source (Megalac®) (SAT), or supplemented with protected linseed oil (PLO); or a by-product (citrus pulp / distillers' grain / soya-based) diet (BPR). Intramuscular FAs and adipose tissue branched-chain FAs were measured and consumer evaluation (hedonic liking and attribute intensity) was undertaken with cooked lamb., Results: Compared to the other diets, the BPR diet resulted in a higher muscle concentration and a greater proportion of C18:2n-6, and greater proportions of conjugated linoleic acid (c9,t11-C18:2) and n-6 polyunsaturated FAs (PUFA), whereas the PLO diet resulted in higher muscle proportions of C18:0 and saturated FAs, higher concentrations of C18:3n-3 and n-3 PUFA, and a lower n-6 to n-3 ratio. The consumer acceptability of lamb was not affected by the pre-slaughter diets., Conclusion: Changes in the FA profile of lamb muscle and adipose tissue through the inclusion of sources of saturated fat, protected linseed oil, or by-products in the pre-slaughter diet did not result in consumer detection of significant effects on the acceptability of the cooked meat. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Finishing late-maturing bulls on grass may alter the antioxidant/prooxidant balance leading to beef with higher susceptibility to lipid oxidation and a lower colour stability compared to bulls finished on cereal concentrates. In this context, lipid oxidation and colour stability of beef from late-maturing bulls finished on pasture, with or without concentrate supplements, or indoors on concentrate was assessed. Charolais or Limousin sired bulls (n = 48) were assigned to four production systems: (1) pasture only (P), (2) pasture plus 25% dietary DM intake as barley-based concentrate (PC25), (3) pasture plus 50% dietary DM intake as barley-based concentrate (PC50) or (4) a barley-based concentrate ration (C). Following slaughter and postmortem ageing, M. Longissimus thoracis et lumborum was subjected to simulated retail display (4°C, 1000 lux for 12 h out of 24 h) for 3, 7, 10 and 14 days in modified atmosphere packs (O2 : CO2; 80 : 20). Lipid oxidation was determined using the 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances assay; α-tocopherol was determined by HPLC; fatty acid methyl esters were determined using Gas Chromatography. Using a randomised complete block design, treatment means were compared by either ANOVA or repeated measures ANOVA using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations were not affected by treatment, n-3 PUFAs were higher (P < 0.001) and the ratio of n-6 to n-3 PUFAs was lower (P < 0.001) in muscle from P, PC25 and PC50 compared to C. α-Tocopherol concentration was higher in muscle from P compared to PC50 and C bulls (P = 0.001) and decreased (P < 0.001) in all samples by day 14. Lipid oxidation was higher in muscle from C compared to P bulls on day 10 and day 14 of storage (P < 0.01). Finishing on pasture without supplementation did not affect beef colour stability and led to lower lipid oxidation, possibly due to the higher α-tocopherol concentration compared to concentrate finished beef.

The objective of this study was to develop a precise and accurate method to quantify cholesterol in turkey meat products using relative response factors, based on a modification of a previously published method for plant sterols determination. Validation was performed using neat solutions to determine linearity, precision, and accuracy. The method was linear in the concentration range considered (1-20 µg/mL, r 2 ≥ 0.991). Precision and accuracy were within the acceptability guidelines of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for method validation (<20% relative standard deviation (RSD) at the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) and <15% RSD for other standards). Turkey meat was spiked with cholesterol at two levels (low = 3 µg/mL and high = 18 µg/mL), either before or after saponification, to establish the recovery and matrix effects. Recovery ranged from 94% to 105%, with a mean value of 105% at the low spike level and 95% at the high spike level. No significant matrix effects were found (90% to 112% recovery). This method is reliable for the quantification of cholesterol in turkey meat products in the range 0.4-8 mg/g.

The biochemical and organoleptic characteristics of the longissimus thoracis muscle from suckler bulls ( n = 56) finished on a concentrate-based system (C) or raised in a pasture-based system (P) incorporating 99 (P99), 162 (P162) or 231 days (P231) of grazing prior to indoor finishing on the concentrate-based diet were investigated. Age at slaughter increased with increasing period at pasture. Intramuscular fat concentration was lower ( p < 0.001) for P99 than for C, P162 and P231 bulls, which did not differ. Soluble collagen proportion was lower ( p < 0.01) for P162 and P231 than for P99 and C bulls. Collagen cross-link content was higher ( p < 0.05) for P231 than for P99 and C bulls and for P162 than for C bulls. The proportion of type I muscle fibres was higher ( p < 0.01) for P231 and P162 than for P99 and C bulls. Sensory tenderness was higher ( p < 0.001) for C and P162 than for P99 and P231 bulls and overall liking was higher ( p < 0.01) for C than for P99 and P231 bulls but similar to P162 bulls. Extending the grazing period to 162 days did not negatively influence the sensory qualities of beef compared to the intensive concentrate-based system.

The objective was to compare the quality of beef from bulls reared in typical Irish indoor systems or in novel grass-based systems. Bulls were assigned to one of the following systems: (a) grass silage plus barley-based concentrate ad libitum (CON); (b) grass silage ad libitum plus 5 kg of concentrate (SC); (c) grazed grass without supplementation (G0); (d) grazed grass plus 0.5 kg of the dietary dry matter intake as concentrate (GC) for (100 days) until slaughter (14.99 months). Carcass characteristics and pH decline were recorded. Longissimus thoracis was collected for analytical and sensory analysis. Lower carcass weight, conformation and fatness scores were found for grazing compared to CON and SC groups. CON bulls had highest intramuscular fat and lighter meat colour compared with grazing bulls. The SC meat (14 days aged) was rated higher for tenderness, texture, flavour and acceptability compared with grazing groups. CON saturated and monounsaturated fatty acid (FA) concentration was highest, conversely, omega-3 FA concentration was higher for GC compared with CON, while no differences were found in polyunsaturated FA. In conclusion, while market fatness specification was not reached by grazed grass treatments, beef eating quality was not detrimentally affected and nutritional quality was improved.

A rapid microwave-assisted extraction and derivatization of three branched chain fatty acids (BCFA): 4-methyloctanoic acid (MOA), 4-ethyloctanoic acid (EOA) and 4-methylnonanoic acid (MNA) from subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) of lamb was developed and validated. Linearity was excellent (R 2 > 0.99), and the limits of detection and quantification (μg/mL) were between 0.03 to 0.05 and 0.04 to 0.06, respectively. The relative response factors were 0.9416, 1.2840, and 1.0370 determined with high precision (RSD: 5.8%, 6.7%, and 5.9%) for MOA, EOA, and MNA, respectively. The accuracy, recoveries and matrix effect were 92.5% to 108.3%, 103.1% to 103.8%, and 89.3% to 101.9%, respectively. Analysis of 24 SAT samples can be done in under 4 hr. The levels of total BCFA in SAT of lambs were in good agreement with levels found in literature using more time-consuming method. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Microwave-assisted preparation and quantification of branched chain fatty acids (BCFA) in lamb subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) was developed and validated. This method requires the use of less toxic chemicals and a relatively higher number of samples can be analyzed in a short period of time in comparison to established methods of fatty acid analysis. The validated method met the internationally accepted standards, and the BCFA levels in lamb SAT were consistent with published values; consequently, the method can be used for future analyses., (© 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

Animal production factors can affect the sensory quality of lamb meat. The study investigated the effect of diet composition and duration of consumption on the proximate analysis, volatile profile and sensory quality of lamb meat. Ninety-nine male Texel × Scottish Blackface lambs were raised at pasture for 10 months before being assigned in groups of 11 to one of the following treatments: 100% Silage (S) for 36 (S36), 54 (S54) or 72 (S72) days; 50% Silage - 50% Concentrate (SC) for 36 (SC36), 54 (SC54) or 72 (SC72) days; 100% Concentrate (C) for 36 (C36) or 54 (C54) or 72 (C72) days. A trained sensory panel found Intensity of Lamb Aroma, Dry Aftertaste and Astringent Aftertaste to be higher in meat from lambs on the concentrate diet. Discriminant analysis showed that the volatile profile enabled discrimination of lamb based on dietary treatment but the volatile differences were insufficient to impact highly on sensory quality. Muscle from animals in the S54 group had higher Manure/Faecal Aroma and Woolly Aroma than the SC54 and C54 groups, possibly related to higher levels of indole and skatole. Further research is required to establish if these small differences would influence consumer acceptability., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Growth in demand for foods with potentially beneficial effects on consumer health has motivated increased interest in developing strategies for improving the nutritional quality of ruminant-derived products. Manipulation of the rumen environment offers the opportunity to modify the lipid composition of milk and meat by changing the availability of fatty acids (FA) for mammary and intramuscular lipid uptake. Dietary supplementation with marine lipids, plant secondary compounds and direct-fed microbials has shown promising results. In this review, we have compiled information about their effects on the concentration of putative desirable FA (e.g. c9t11-CLA and vaccenic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids) in ruminal digesta, milk and intramuscular fat. Marine lipids rich in very long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) efficiently inhibit the last step of C18 FA biohydrogenation (BH) in the bovine, ovine and caprine, increasing the outflow of t11-18:1 from the rumen and improving the concentration of c9t11-CLA in the final products, but increments in t10-18:1 are also often found due to shifts toward alternative BH pathways. Direct-fed microbials appear to favourably modify rumen lipid metabolism but information is still very limited, whereas a wide variety of plant secondary compounds, including tannins, polyphenol oxidase, essential oils, oxygenated FA and saponins, has been examined with varying success. For example, the effectiveness of tannins and essential oils is as yet controversial, with some studies showing no effects and others a positive impact on inhibiting the first step of BH of PUFA or, less commonly, the final step. Further investigation is required to unravel the causes of inconsistent results, which may be due to the diversity in active components, ruminant species, dosage, basal diet composition and time on treatments. Likewise, research must continue to address ways to mitigate negative side-effects of some supplements on animal performance (particularly, milk fat depression) and product quality (e.g. altered oxidative stability and shelf-life).

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of castration and slaughter age on the volatile profile of cooked meat from Scottish Blackface (SB) and Texel × Scottish Blackface (T × SB) lambs. M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum was sampled at slaughter and subjected to volatile analysis by SPME-GC-MS. Rams had higher relative proportions, expressed as relative abundance (RA), in lipid oxidation products while castrates had higher RA in pyrazines and benzenoid compounds. There was no consistent age effect on the RA of volatiles, although rams in November and January had a different volatile profile to castrates. There were higher proportions of free branched-chain fatty acids in muscle from SB compared to T × SB lambs. Overall, the results showed that production factors affected the volatile profile of cooked lamb meat which may explain differences in lamb flavor., Practical Application: Lamb meat has a characteristic flavor which, according to the evidence to date, may be influenced by farm production factors like gender or slaughter age. Our results showed variations in the proportions of some flavor compounds in cooked lamb between rams and castrated lambs while an increase in slaughter age did not have a consistent effect on proportions of compounds., (© 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

The authenticity of meat is now an important consideration in the multi-step food chain from production of animals on farm to consumer consumption of the final meat product. A range of techniques, involving analysis of elemental and molecular constituents of meat, fingerprint profiling and multivariate statistical analysis exists and these techniques are evolving in the quest to provide robust methods of establishing the dietary background of animals and the geographical origin of the meat derived from them. The potential application to meat authentication of techniques such as stable isotope ratio analysis applied to different animal tissues, measurement in meat of compounds directly derived from the diet of animals, such as fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins, and spectroscopy is explored. Challenges pertaining to the interpretation of data, as they relate to assignment of dietary background or geographical origin, are discussed., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of supplementing both phytase and 25-hydroxyvitamin D 3 (25-OH-D₃) on pig performance, nutrient digestibility, carcass characteristics, bone parameters and pork quality in finisher pigs. The experimental design was a 2 × 2 factorial comprising of four dietary treatments. One hundred and twenty pigs (60 male, 60 female) were blocked according to live weight and sex and allocated to the following dietary treatments: low P (4.81 g/kg) diet (basal) (T1); low P diet + phytase (T2); low P diet + 25-OH-D₃ (T3) and low P diet + phytase + 25-OH-D₃ (T4). Pigs supplemented with phytase had a lower average daily feed intake (ADFI) (2.45 kg vs. 2.59 kg; p < 0.05) and lower feed conversion ratio (FCR) (2.74 kg/kg vs. 2.85 kg/kg; p < 0.05) compared to pigs offered the nonphytase diets. Pigs offered phytase diets had a higher (p < 0.05) coefficient of apparent total tract digestibility (CATTD) of ash, phosphorous (P) and calcium (Ca) compared with pigs offered the nonphytase supplemented diets. Pigs offered the 25-OH-D 3 diets had a higher CATTD of N and ash. Pigs offered the phytase diets had increased (p < 0.05) bone DM, ash, Ca, P and density compared to the nonphytase diets. There was a significant interaction (p < 0.05) between phytase and 25-OH-D 3 on cook loss. Pigs offered 25-OH-D 3 had increased cook loss over the basal diet; however, there was no effect on cook loss when phytase and 25-OH-D 3 were offered in combination compared to the phytase only diet. Pigs offered 25-OH-D 3 exhibited higher (p < 0.05) Warner Bratzler shear force values and lower (p < 0.05) pork lightness (L*) surface colorimeter values. In conclusion, there was no benefit to offering a combination of phytase and 25-OH-D 3 on pig performance, bone parameters or pork quality., (© 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

This study investigated the effects of synthetic and natural sources of vitamin D biofortification in pig diets on pork vitamin D activity and pork quality. One hundred and twenty pigs (60 male, 60 female) were assigned to one of four dietary treatments for a 55 d feeding period. The dietary treatments were (1)50 μg vitamin D₃/kg of feed; (2)50 μg of 25-hydroxvitamin D₃/kg of feed (25-OH-D₃); (3)50 μg vitamin D₂/kg of feed; (4)50 μg vitamin D₂-enriched mushrooms/kg of feed (Mushroom D₂). The pigs offered the 25-OH-D₃ diet exhibited the highest (P < 0.001) serum total 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and subsequently exhibited the highest (P < 0.05) Longissimus thoracis (LT) total vitamin D activity. Mushroom D 2 and 25-OH-D 3 supplementation increased pork antioxidant status. The vitamin D₂-enriched mushrooms improved (P < 0.05) pig performance, carcass weight and LT colour. In conclusion, 25-OH-D₃ is the most successful source for increasing pork vitamin D activity, while Mushroom D 2 may be a new avenue to improve animal performance and pork quality., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Rations (DM basis) for spring-born male lambs consisting of concentrates ad libitum ( CON ), 50:50 (50% concentrate:50% forage), and forage ad libitum ( FORG ) were evaluated across feeding periods of three durations (36, 54, and 72 d). Lambs on CON diets were offered ad libitum access to concentrate along with 400 g of fresh weight silage (daily), while 50:50 diets were offered 0.9 and 3.0 kg of concentrate and silage, respectively. Lambs on FORG were offered ad libitum access to 25.5% DM silage. These rations were fed to 99 spring-born male Texel cross Scottish Blackface lambs which were assigned to a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement. Lambs were slaughtered following completion of their respective treatments. Lambs fed CON diets had greater ADG, FCE, and carcass weight ( P < 0.001) and carcasses with greater conformation score ( P < 0.001) than lambs fed 50:50 or FORG diets. Duration of feeding had no effect on production variables across all three concentrate inclusion levels. It was concluded that the inclusion of concentrates is needed to adequately finish lambs fed indoors. Feeding lamb's 50:50 diets resulted in modest responses and may be a viable option for finishing lambs or to maintain growth in lambs when the cost of concentrate feed is high relative to the financial return on the lamb meat., (© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science.)

The practice of crossbreeding using a terminal sire and the use of intact rather than castrated animals has the potential to increase the productivity of lambs produced from the hill sheep sector. The objective of this study was to compare the production and carcass characteristics of purebred Scottish Blackface ( SB ) and Texel cross Scottish Blackface ( TXSB ) ram and wether lambs fed on a concentrate diet and slaughtered at different ages. Two hundred spring born male lambs (average birth age ± SD 9.53 d) were assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two breeds SB ( n = 100) and TXSB ( n = 100) and two sexes (wether: n = 100 and ram: n = 100). Lambs were harvested following a 36 d ad libitum concentrate indoor finishing period. The study was carried out over five harvest batches between October and April. The mean ages of the lambs at harvest ( n = 40; 20 TXSB and 20 SB lambs) in October, November, January, March, and April were 196, 242, 293, 344, and 385 days, respectively The TXSB lambs were heavier at slaughter than SB lambs ( P < 0.001), and ram lambs were heavier at slaughter than wether lambs ( P < 0.01). Improved ADG ( P < 0.001), lower feed conversion ratio ( FCR ) (which was calculated by dividing total feed intake by total weight gain; P < 0.001), and higher feed intake ( P < 0.05) were recorded in TXSB lambs with consistency across the five harvest time points. Rams had greater ADG ( P < 0.001) and FCR ( P < 0.05) compared with wether lambs, and no differences were observed between sexes for feed intake. The TXSB ( P < 0.001) lambs had higher ( P < 0.001) dressing percentages compared with SB, while wether lambs had greater dressing percentages compared with rams. The TXSB lambs had heavier carcass weights ( P < 0.001) with higher conformation grades ( P < 0.001) and less fat cover ( P < 0.001) than SB lambs, while ram lambs had heavier ( P < 0.001) carcasses than wether lambs. There was greater fat cover on the loin muscles of SB ( P < 0.001) and wether ( P < 0.001) lambs compared with TXSB and ram lambs, respectively. The results from this study suggest that TXSB lamb's offer hill sheep farmers a potential strategy for improved lamb production efficiency, while ram lambs offer lamb finishers increased growth rates, higher FCR, and produce a more desirable carcass than do wether lambs., (© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science.)

This study evaluated the effect of a plant sterol-enriched turkey product on cholesterol bio-accessibility during in vitro digestion and cholesterol uptake by Caco-2 monolayers. Turkey products, one plant sterol-enriched (PS) and one plant sterol-free (C), were produced in an industrial pilot plant. Before simulated digestion, matrices were spiked with cholesterol (1:5 weight ratio of cholesterol to plant sterol). Plant sterols were included at a concentration equivalent to the minimum daily intake recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for cholesterol lowering. After simulated digestion, the percentage of cholesterol micellarization and uptake by Caco-2 cells in the presence of PS meat were measured. Compared to C meat, PS meat significantly inhibited cholesterol micellarization on average by 24% and Caco-2 cell accumulation by 10%. This study suggests that plant sterols in meat can reduce cholesterol uptake by intestinal epithelia and it encourages efforts to make new PS-based functional foods.

Fatty acids, volatile compounds and sensory attributes of beef from bulls fed concentrates to slaughter (C), grass silage for 120days (GS) followed by C (GSC), or GS followed by 100days at pasture and then C (GSPC), and slaughtered at 3 target carcass weights, were determined. Total intramuscular fat (IMF) was lower for GSPC than for GSC and C. C18:3n-3 concentration and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) to saturated fatty acid (SFA) ratio were higher and C18:2n-6 and monounsaturated fatty acid concentrations and n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio lower for GSPC than C. C16:0, C18:0 and C18:1c9 increased with carcass weight when expressed quantitatively, but not when expressed proportionately. Hexanal concentration was higher and 2-methyl-1-butanol and toluene lower for C and GSC than for GSPC. Overall liking was negatively correlated with C20:5n-3 and PUFA/SFA ratio, but differences in sensory attributes (tenderness, flavour liking, overall liking) were most strongly correlated with IMF., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The study aimed to understand predictors of consumers' purchase intention towards processed meat based functional foods (i.e. enriched processed meat). A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 486 processed meat consumers in spring 2016. Results showed that processed meats were perceived differently in healthiness, with sausage-type products perceived less healthy than cured meat products. Consumers were in general more uncertain than positive about enriched processed meat but differences existed in terms of the attitudes and purchase intention. Following regression analysis, consumers' purchase intention towards enriched processed meat was primarily driven by their attitudes towards the product concept. Perceived healthiness of existing products and eating frequency of processed meat were also positively associated with the purchase intention. Other factors such as general food choice motives, socio-demographic characteristics, consumer health and the consumption of functional foods and dietary supplements in general, were not significant predictors of the purchase intention for enriched processed meat., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids can be incorporated into meat products at levels supporting health claims of "protecting against oxidative stress" and "maintaining normal blood cholesterol levels", respectively. Chicken sausages were formulated to contain vitamin E (12 mg per 100 g) and flaxseed oil (2 g per 100 g) using different oil incorporation methods. The formulations were: (1) control (no oil); (2) oil; (3) emulsified oil; (4) freeze-dried encapsulated oil; (5) freeze-dried encapsulated oil with cross-linker genipin; (6) spray-dried encapsulated oil. α-Linolenic acid and α-tocopherol were retained in all fortified formulations at levels to meet nutrient and health claims but emulsification or encapsulation had no additional benefit in retention following cooking or on product quality as measured by proximate composition, lipid oxidation, colour, microbial analysis, cook loss and texture profile analysis. While the addition of flaxseed oil had a negative effect on consumer acceptance of flavour (although not when emulsified), overall acceptance of the chicken sausages was only reduced significantly (p ≤ 0.05) when oil was encapsulated.

Recent innovations in processed meats focus on healthier reformulations through reducing negative constituents and/or adding health beneficial ingredients. This study explored the influence of base meat product (ham, sausages, beef burger), salt and/or fat content (reduced or not), healthy ingredients (omega 3, vitamin E, none), and price (average or higher than average) on consumers' purchase intention and quality judgement of processed meats. A survey (n=481) using conjoint methodology and cluster analysis was conducted. Price and base meat product were most important for consumers' purchase intention, followed by healthy ingredient and salt and/or fat content. In reformulation, consumers had a preference for ham and sausages over beef burgers, and for reduced salt and/or fat over non reduction. In relation to healthy ingredients, omega 3 was preferred over none, and vitamin E was least preferred. Healthier reformulations improved the perceived healthiness of processed meats. Cluster analyses identified three consumer segments with different product preferences., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In grass-based beef production systems (PS), early maturing (EM) breed types may be preferable to late maturing (LM) breed types in achieving adequate carcass fat cover. Biochemical and organoleptic characteristics of muscle from suckler bulls were investigated in EM and LM (n=28/breed) assigned to one of two PS (ad libitum concentrates and grass silage to slaughter (C) or ad libitum silage plus 2 kg concentrate daily during winter followed by 99 days at pasture and then an indoor finishing period on C (GSPC)) in a 2 breed type×2 PS factorial arrangement of treatments. Bulls were managed to have a common target carcass weight of 380 kg. Intramuscular fat (IMF) content was higher (P<0.05) for EM than LM, and for C than GSPC bulls. Collagen solubility was higher (P<0.05) for C than GSPC bulls. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and phosphofructokinase activities were higher (P<0.05) for LM than EM. Isocitrate dehydrogenase activity and the Type I myosin heavy chain (MyHC) proportion were higher (P<0.05) for EM than LM. The LDH activity and the Type IIX MyHC proportion were higher (P<0.05) for C than GSPC bulls. Sensory ratings for tenderness and juiciness were higher (P<0.01) for beef from EM than LM while sensory ratings for tenderness, flavour liking and overall liking were higher (P<0.001) for C than for GSPC bulls. Differences in sensory quality were largely eliminated when adjusted for IMF. Overall, carcass fat scores, IMF and sensory scores were higher in EM than LM and in C than GSPC bulls but most differences in sensory quality could be attributed to differences in IMF.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate habitual vitamin E intake and plasma α-tocopherol concentration and their relationship with plasma fatty acid profile in a healthy adult population., Methods: Vitamin E and fatty acid intake data were determined from the National Adult Nutrition Survey. Plasma α- and γ-tocopherol concentrations were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography and the percentage of fatty acids in plasma by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Participants (n = 601) were divided into vitamin E intake quartiles and plasma α-tocopherol quartiles, and differences in fatty acid intake and plasma fatty acid profile were analyzed by a general linear model., Results: Dietary intake data showed that as vitamin E intake increased, intakes of total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and α-linolenic acid increased significantly (p < 0.001), but eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) did not. After adjusting for fatty acid intake, vitamin E intake was positively related to plasma n-3 PUFA (EPA and DHA) levels and plasma n-3/n-6 PUFA ratio. Plasma α-tocopherol concentration was positively related to the percentage of plasma total PUFA, n-3 PUFA and EPA and inversely related to the percentage of plasma n-6 PUFA., Conclusions: The study illustrates that there are statistical relationships between plasma fatty acid profile and both vitamin E intake and plasma α-tocopherol concentration. Vitamin E may play a role in the maintenance of plasma n-3 PUFA profile in humans with consequent desirable health effects.

Bull beef production is traditionally based on high concentrate rations fed indoors. Inclusion of grazed grass, which is generally a cheaper feed, would decrease the cost of bull beef production, but may affect beef quality. Accordingly, the organoleptic quality and composition of beef from continental-sired suckler bulls (n=126) assigned to either ad libitum concentrates to slaughter (C), grass silage (GS) ad libitum for 120 days followed by C (GSC) or GS followed by 100 days at pasture and then C (GSPC) and slaughtered at target carcass weights (CW) of 360, 410 or 460 kg was examined. Tenderness, flavour liking and overall liking were lower (P<0.05) for GSPC than for C and GSC. Intramuscular fat content and soluble collagen proportion were lower (P<0.05) for GSPC than GSC which was lower (P<0.05) than C. Soluble collagen proportion was lower (P<0.05) for 460 kg than 410 kg CW, which was lower (P<0.05) than 360 kg CW. Inclusion of a grazing period decreased the ratings of tenderness, flavour liking and overall liking, but age of the bulls at slaughter had no clear influence on sensory characteristics.

The effect of salt reduction and vitamin E (α-tocopherol) fortification, at a level in excess of that required for a European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) health claim, on the quality of chicken sausages was investigated. Four formulations of chicken sausages were prepared: C (control, 1.3% NaCl, 0 mg/kg added α-tocopherol), L (low salt, 0.47% NaCl, 0 mg/kg added α-tocopherol), CE (1.3% NaCl, 200 mg/kg added α-tocopherol), LE (0.47% NaCl, 200 mg/kg added α-tocopherol). Salt or α-tocopherol level did not significantly affect the fat content, protein content, moisture content, lipid oxidation, microbial growth, cook loss or texture profile analysis values of raw or cooked sausages. There was a significant effect of salt level on the ash content of raw and cooked sausages. Colour of cooked sausages was affected by salt reduction, with fried low salt sausages being darker and yellower than control, while grilled low salt sausages were lighter and redder than control. Cooking and storage did not significantly affect α-tocopherol retention, and enough was retained to meet both the EFSA nutrient and health claims. The sensory properties of the sausages were unaffected by the reduction in salt, and by fortification with α-tocopherol.

Background: Differences between cattle production systems can influence the nutritional and sensory characteristics of beef, in particular its fatty acid (FA) composition. As beef products derived from pasture-based systems can demand a higher premium from consumers, there is a need to understand the biological characteristics of pasture produced meat and subsequently to develop methods of authentication for these products. Here, we describe an approach to authentication that focuses on differences in the transcriptomic profile of muscle from animals finished in different systems of production of practical relevance to the Irish beef industry. The objectives of this study were to identify a panel of differentially expressed (DE) genes/networks in the muscle of cattle raised outdoors on pasture compared to animals raised indoors on a concentrate based diet and to subsequently identify an optimum panel which can classify the meat based on a production system., Results: A comparison of the muscle transcriptome of outdoor/pasture-fed and Indoor/concentrate-fed cattle resulted in the identification of 26 DE genes. Functional analysis of these genes identified two significant networks (1: Energy Production, Lipid Metabolism, Small Molecule Biochemistry; and 2: Lipid Metabolism, Molecular Transport, Small Molecule Biochemistry), both of which are involved in FA metabolism. The expression of selected up-regulated genes in the outdoor/pasture-fed animals correlated positively with the total n-3 FA content of the muscle. The pathway and network analysis of the DE genes indicate that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) and FYN/AMPK could be implicit in the regulation of these alterations to the lipid profile. In terms of authentication, the expression profile of three DE genes (ALAD, EIF4EBP1 and NPNT) could almost completely separate the samples based on production system (95 % authentication for animals on pasture-based and 100 % for animals on concentrate- based diet) in this context., Conclusions: The majority of DE genes between muscle of the outdoor/pasture-fed and concentrate-fed cattle were related to lipid metabolism and in particular β-oxidation. In this experiment the combined expression profiles of ALAD, EIF4EBP1 and NPNT were optimal in classifying the muscle transcriptome based on production system. Given the overall lack of comparable studies and variable concordance with those that do exist, the use of transcriptomic data in authenticating production systems requires more exploration across a range of contexts and breeds.

Background: Studies examining vitamin E intake and the percentage of the population meeting dietary guidelines do not distinguish between natural (RRR-α-tocopherol) and synthetic (all-rac-α-tocopherol) intake, even though these different isomeric forms differ in bioactivity., Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of RRR-α-tocopherol vs. all-rac-α-tocopherol intake on the percentage of the population meeting the vitamin E recommendation and on plasma α-tocopherol stereoisomer distribution., Methods: With the use of data from the Irish National Adult Nutrition Survey (NANS), this study examined the percentage of the Irish population meeting the European Union (EU) RDA for vitamin E of 12 mg/d, correcting for a bioactivity difference in all-rac- vs. RRR-α-tocopherol, where 1 mg of all-rac-α-tocopherol is considered to be equivalent to 1:1.36 (0.74) mg in the EU RDA. In a subcohort of supplement users and nonusers, plasma α- and γ-tocopherol concentrations and α-tocopherol stereoisomer distribution were measured. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to determine ability to discriminate supplement user types., Results: Analysis of the NANS showed that 100% of participants still met the recommended intake of 12 mg/d, after all-rac-α-tocopherol intake was corrected for α-tocopherol equivalent bioactivity. In the subcohort analysis, the percentage of plasma RRR-α-tocopherol was significantly lower in high all-rac-α-tocopherol supplement (>11 mg/d) users (82%) compared with nonusers and with high RRR-α-tocopherol supplement (>35 mg/d) users (91% and 93% respectively, P < 0.01). High RRR-α-tocopherol supplement users had a significantly higher plasma α-tocopherol than low all-rac-α-tocopherol supplement (<2.5 mg/d) users (34 vs. 25 μmol/L, P = 0.01). ROC analysis demonstrated an ability to distinguish between RRR- and all-rac-α-tocopherol consumers, which may be useful in investigating the potential effect of RRR- and all-rac-α-tocopherol intake on health., Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the percentage of the population meeting the vitamin E recommendation was unaffected when all-rac-α-tocopherol intake was corrected for α-tocopherol equivalent bioactivity. all-rac-α-Tocopherol intake led to a decrease in the percentage of plasma RRR-α-tocopherol relative to RRR-α-tocopherol intake., (© 2015 American Society for Nutrition.)

Rationale: Hair keratin is a very important material in ecological and archaeological studies because it grows continuously, can be obtained non-invasively, does not require extensive processing prior to analysis and can be found in archaeological sites. Only a few studies have examined seasonal variations in hair isotope values, and there is no published dataset examining the isotope variability recorded in the keratinous tissues of stationary (i.e., non-migrating) domestic mammals., Methods: Thirty-six Irish sheep were sampled in eight farms every three months between September 2006 and June 2007. A shearing strategy was adopted to sample only the most recently grown wool in order to represent an average of the summer, autumn, winter and spring conditions. The stable isotope ratios of the ground samples were measured using two different stable isotope mass spectrometers operated in dual-inlet (C, N) and continuous-flow (O, H) mode., Results: Wool O isotope ratios are a good proxy for seasonal variability in climate and can be used to anchor a chronology independently of other isotope records (C, N) that are influenced by diet or physiology. By contrast, interpretation of seasonal variations in hair H isotope composition in terms of climate is more complex probably due to the influence of dietary H. The C and N isotope values of grass-fed animals varied seasonally, probably reflecting the annual cycle of seasonal variation in grass isotope values. The highest δ(13) C values were measured in summer-grown wool, while the highest δ(15) N values were measured in winter-grown wool. Supplementation of the sheep diet with concentrates was detected easily and was marked by an increase in δ(13) C values and a decrease in δ(15) N values in winter-grown wool., Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that time-resolved sampling and stable isotope ratio analysis of sheep wool can be used to identify short-term changes in diet and climate and therefore offer a tool to examine a wide variety of present and past husbandry practices., (Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Vitamin E is believed to play a preventive role in diseases associated with oxidative stress. The aims of the present study were to quantify vitamin E intake levels and plasma concentrations and to assess dietary vitamin E adequacy in Irish adults. Intake data from the National Adult Nutrition Survey were used; plasma samples were obtained from a representative cohort of survey participants. Plasma α- and γ-tocopherol concentrations were measured by HPLC. The main sources of vitamin E in the diet were 'butter, spreadable fats and oils' and 'vegetables and vegetable dishes'. When vitamin E intake from supplements was taken into account, supplements were found to be the main contributor, making a contribution of 29·2 % to vitamin E intake in the total population. Supplement consumers had significantly higher plasma α-tocopherol concentrations and lower plasma γ-tocopherol concentrations when compared with non-consumers. Consumers of 'vitamin E' supplements had significantly higher vitamin E intake levels and plasma α-tocopherol concentrations compared with consumers of other types of supplements, such as multivitamin and fish oil. Comparison with the Institute of Medicine Estimated Average Requirement of 12 mg/d indicated that when vitamin E intake from food and supplement sources was taken into account, 100 % of the study participants achieved the recommended intake levels. When vitamin E intake from food sources was taken into account, only 68·4 % of the females were found to achieve the recommended intake levels compared with 99·2 % of the males. The results of the present study show that dietary vitamin E intake has a significant effect on plasma α- and γ-tocopherol concentrations. Furthermore, they show that the consumption of supplements is a major contributor to overall intake and has a significant effect on plasma vitamin E concentrations in the Irish population.

Rationale: Isotope ratio analysis of bovine tissues is a tool for inferring aspects of the dietary history of cattle. The objective of this experiment was to quantify the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) isotopic turnover in blood (serum and residue) and inner organs (liver, kidney, heart and brain) of beef cattle., Methods: Growing beef cattle (n = 70 in total) were either switched from a control diet containing barley and urea to an experimental diet containing maize and (15)N-enriched urea, for various intervals prior to slaughter or maintained on the control diet for 168 days pre-slaughter. Samples of blood, liver, kidney, heart and brain were collected at 0, 14, 28, 56, 112 and 168 days and analysed using Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry., Results: After 168 days, C- and N-isotopic equilibrium was reached in the blood serum, liver and kidney, approached in the heart and brain, but not reached in the non-serum component of blood. The estimated C and N half-lives were 16.5 and 20.7 days for liver, 19.2 and 25.5 days for kidney, 29.2 and 35.6 days for blood serum, 37.6 and 49.9 days for heart, 53.3 and 52.2 days for brain and 113.3 and 115.0 days for the non-serum blood residue, respectively. Modelling the C and N turnover in the different tissue combinations revealed that a combined analysis of liver and heart as well as brain and kidney can provide the most accurate estimation of the timing of the diet switch., Conclusions: Based on the difference in turnover rates, bovine soft tissues can provide isotopic information on short- and long-term dietary changes, which in turn may be linked to the geographic or production origin of beef cattle. This study also provides basic biological data on organ C and N turnover in a large herbivorous mammal., (Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

An antioxidant active packaging was prepared by coating a citrus extract, consisting of a mixture of carboxylic acids and flavanones, on polyethylene terephthalate trays. The effect of the packaging in reducing lipid oxidation in cooked turkey meat and on meat pH, colour characteristics and sensorial parameters was investigated. An untrained sensory panel evaluated the odour, taste, tenderness, juiciness and overall acceptability of the meat, using triangle, paired preference and quantitative response scale tests. A comparison between the antioxidant effects of the different components of the extract was also carried out. The packaging led to a significant reduction in lipid oxidation. After 2 days of refrigerated storage the sensory panel detected differences in odour and, after 4 days, rated the meat stored in the active packaging higher for tenderness and overall acceptability. Citric acid appeared to be the most important component of the extract with regard to its antioxidant potency., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Overall migration (OM) tests were conducted on an antioxidant active packaging prepared by coating plasma pretreated and untreated polyethylene terepthalate (PET) trays with a citrus extract. The release of antioxidant compounds into food simulants was measured to permit their subtraction from OM values in line with active packaging legislation. The results demonstrated the compliance of the packaging with the limit for OM for plastic material in contact with food. The validity of the procedure for OM in aqueous food simulants was questioned, with the loss of volatile compounds during evaporation of the simulant resulting in an underestimation of total compounds released. The study showed a total release of 75% of the citrus extract coating into water and 25% into oil, which decreased to 45 and 12.5%, respectively, following plasma pretreatment of the trays.

This work aimed to identify a combination of isotopic and molecular biomarkers in bovine muscle and adipose tissue for authentication of the diet of beef cattle. Muscle and adipose tissue samples were collected from animals one of four dietary treatments fed over a 1 year period : pasture (P), barley-based concentrate (C), silage followed by pasture (SiP) or silage followed by pasture with concentrate (SiPC). In total, 83 variables were studied including volatile compounds, colour and reflectance measurements, stable isotope ratios, fatty acids, β-carotene, lutein and α-tocopherol. Chemometric models were created for each dietary treatment using the entire and an attenuated variable set. Meat from each dietary treatment was identified with a high level of accuracy (correct classification between 90.8% and 100%) using a discriminant approach. After elimination of insignificant variables, accuracy was maintained or marginally improved. SIMCA class-modelling performed moderately well, especially with the reduced variable set (76.1-100% correct classification)., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

We report Cu, Fe, and Zn natural isotope compositions in organs, body fluids, diets and feces of mice and sheep. Large and systematic isotope variability is observed, notably in the δ(66)Zn in liver and δ(65)Cu in kidneys, but significant differences exist between mice, sheep and humans, especially in the δ(66)Zn value of blood. The results are interpreted with reference to current knowledge of metal trafficking and redox conditions in cells. In general, the light isotopes preferentially fractionate into 'softer' bonds involving sulfur such as cysteine and glutathione, whereas heavy isotopes fractionate into 'harder' bonds involving nitrogen (histidine) and even more oxygen, notably hydroxides, phosphates, and carbonates. Bonds involving the reduced forms Cu(+) and Fe(2+) are enriched in the light isotopes relative to bonds involving the oxidized Cu(2+) and Fe(3+) forms. Differences in blood Zn isotope abundances between mice, sheep and humans may reflect a different prevalence of Zn ZIP transporters. The isotopically heavy Cu in the kidneys may reflect isotope fractionation during redox processes and may be relevant to ascorbate degradation into oxalate.