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The aim of this study was to assess the changes occurring as a result of boiling (100°C, 1 h) small brown snail (Cornu aspersum aspersum) meat in relation to its proximate composition, calcium, phosphorus and cholesterol content, as well as the profile of fatty acids and nutritional quality indices of the lipids. This species of snail was selected for research because it is currently of the greatest economic importance among edible terrestrial snails. It was hypothesized that the cooking effect may be different for foot and visceral sac. Samples for the research were collected from 6 populations bred on experimental fields of the National Research Institute of Animal Production in balice (Poland). The foot and the visceral sac, the edible parts of the snail species under investigation, were analysed separately, raw and boiled in water. The results were then compared to analogous studies carried out by other authors on beef, pork and poultry. It was found that in the visceral sac of Cornu aspersum aspersum the shares of dry matter, crude protein, fat, ash, calcium and phosphorus were greater than those in the foot (P<0.05), both in the raw and boiled material, whereas the cholesterol content was higher in the foot (P<0.05). Generally, especially in the foot, the heat treatment elevated the levels of the afore-mentioned quantities, yet the increases were not always statistically significant. Boiling the snail meat caused moderate changes in the fatty acid composition. The profile of the fatty acids and the nutritional quality indices of the foot fat were more advantageous than those in the visceral sac. In both parts of the snail carcass, the polyunsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids (PUFA/SFA) ratio substantially exceeded the minimum value of 0.45 recommended by the British Department of Health. However, the n-6/n-3 ratio was too high, exceeding the maximum recommended level of 4.0 twofold and as much as threefold in the case of the foot and the visceral sac, respectively. In the foot, due to boiling, an increase of the share of sfa and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) was observed, while PUFA, n-6 and n-3 decreased. In the visceral sac, the changes were less pronounced with a slight decrease of the share of sfa and PUFA, and an increase of MUFA. Therefore, in the foot, boiling worsened the PUFA/SFA ratio, the nutritive value index (NVI = (C18:0 + C18:1) / C16:0) and dietary fatty acids having a desirable neutral and hypocholesterolemic effect in humans (DFA = Σ MUFA + Σ PUFA + C18:0), but in the visceral sac these indices practically did not change. On the whole, the trends of the changes in terms of chemical composition due to boiling found in the small brown snail meat are similar to those after heat treatment of meat from popular farm animals, but the ranges of the changes differ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural origin substances with healing properties of potential use in the treatment of different diseases, particularly wound management, remain in the scientific and research interest for many years. The substance of natural origin with potentially wide use in medicine and pharmacy is snail mucus. The study aims to evaluate the effect of snail mucus extract on human fibroblasts and evaluate the biological and cytotoxic activity of this substance. In the present study, human NHDF fibroblast cells were exposed to snail slime at two different concentrations: 15 µL/mL and 70 µL/mL. Moreover, in this study, the assessment of the biological activity of cells was conducted using mitochondrial redox activity. At the same time, the analysis of the mucus sample was carried out throughout the infrared spectroscopy implementation. It has been shown that this substance contains compounds such as mucin, achacin, mitomycin, allantoin. The snail mucus affects the viability of fibroblasts - connective tissue cells found in the dermis, responsible for collagen and elastin production. The mechanism of positive action on human fibroblasts is not entirely known and requires further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to analyse the influence of water salinity on the incubation of eggs and growth of the larvae of sichel Pelecus cultratus ( L.) under controlled conditions. The following water salinity was considered: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 0 ppt for the control. The eggs incubation time depended on the water salinity, lasting from 56.3°D [9 ppt] to 107.7°D [0 ppt]. The higher water salinity, shorter the incubation time. The highest survivability of larvae was obtained in water of the salinity equal 3 ppt and in freshwater, where respectively 87% and 84% of the larvae survived. No hatched larvae were obtained in water of the salinity of 12 and 15 ppt, as all embryos died during the experiment. Larvae were reared up for 21 days. The final body weight, depending on the water salinity, reached from 43.5 mg [9 ppt] to 74.6 mg [3 ppt], at the respective body lengths of 19.3 mm and 23.2 mm. The highest body gains and lengths of larvae were observed in water of the salinity of 3 ppt. The lowest survivability of sichel larvae occurred in water of the salinity 9 ppt, where it was only 53.2%. The survivability of larvae in freshwater and water of the salinity of 3 ppt was quite similar: 96.2% and 95.6% respectively. Water salinity degree of 12 and 15 ppt appeared to be lethal for both embryos and larvae of the sichel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]