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On March 15, 2020, the Serbian government introduced a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The enforcement of lockdown measures led to changes in the daily lives of dog owners, which, in turn, affected the routines of their dogs. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of Serbian lockdown measures enforced for the control of the COVID-19 pandemic on pet dog management. An online questionnaire survey with Serbian dog owners was conducted in the period from July 15 to August 31, 2021. A total of 384 pet owners older than 18 years participated. The survey comprised 34 questions about owners' demographic information, information about their dogs, changes in dog walking and feeding practices, as well as behavior before and after the COVID-19 lockdown. Most questions were closed-ended with the option to mark one or more proposed responses, while some questions had the option to add free text predefined as "other". The survey also included several open-ended questions. The responses of the survey participants in the two different periods (before and during the lockdown) were compared to determine their interdependence. The obtained data indicated that there was no notable rise in the rate of dog adoption or purchase. Furthermore, it was found that dog owners decreased the frequency of walks for their pets in nature or walking fields, choosing instead to keep them indoors or confine them to the backyard more frequently. Some owners believed that their dogs became slightly passive or nervous as a response to enforced lockdown restrictions. No significant changes in dog feeding practices were reported, although a minority of dog owners noted that their dogs consumed slightly less food during the lockdown but gained a small amount of weight. Additionally, owners reported no pronounced changes in the amount of money they spent on dog food. Overall, data collected indicated that lockdown restrictions had a limited impact on dog management; however, further research should be performed to determine any long-term effects.

This study aimed at investigating the synthesis of biopolymer films based on the Camelina sativa cake, an agricultural waste which remains after cold pressing of the oil from seed. During the film synthesis, three different granulations of the camelina cake were used: the whole cake, fractions with a size of 180-250 µm and fractions smaller than 180 µm. Half of the samples were pre-treated with an ultrasonic bath in order to examine the influence of the native mucilage from the cake on the properties of the obtained films. The biopolymer film samples were tested for mechanical, barrier, physicochemical and structural properties. The obtained films were dark, firm and flexible. Application of mucilage removal pre-treatment contributed to lower tensile strength and higher elongation at break. Significantly lower water vapour permeability was recorded in the samples not pre-treated regarding mucilage removal. A foil with optimal physicochemical characteristics was produced using oilcake with a particle size less than 180 µm, regardless of the pre-treatment application. There were no structural differences or differences in thermal behaviour among the tested samples. Statistical analysis (Z-Score analysis) showed the sample CSoC˂180,wo was optimal due to good mechanical, barrier and physicochemical properties.

Camelina has been used from ancient times, but recently has re-emerged as a valuable plant with the potential for successful replacement of conventional oilseed crops. The utilisation of camelina and its by-products in animal feed is a matter of scientific study due to their excellent nutritional potential. The present study aimed to investigate the nutritive value of two Serbian camelina seed genotypes (NS Zlatka and NS Slatka) as a potential alternative to commonly used oilseed crops in animal feeding. For that purpose proximate composition, fatty acid profile, amino acid profile and tocopherols were analysed. The study also included the investigation of the content of anti-nutritive compounds that can adversely affect the nutritional value of feed. The results showed that camelina seeds had a high amount of proteins (around 28%), amino acids and gtocopherols. Camelina genotypes were characterized by unique fatty acids composition, with its oil consisting of approximately 57% polyunsaturated fatty acids, of which the highest proportions were a-linolenic acid (~37%) and linoleic acid (~17%). An optimal ratio of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids (0.5) was also reported in this study. The concentration of anti-nutritional factors and heavy metals in camelina seeds was below the maximum set limit for feedstuff. To conclude, the investigated Serbian camelina genotypes can be used as a valuable source of proteins, essential fatty acids and tocopherols in animal nutrition and has a great potential to replace conventional oilseeds.

This research aimed to develop a reliable, easy-to-perform and cheap method for measuring protein oxidation in complex samples such as aquaculture feed within various protein sources. For that purpose modified 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH)-based method for quantification of protein carbonyls was employed whilst the modification of the method consisted of using different solutions for the extraction (distilled water and different concentrations of KCl and NaCl solutions), time of protein extraction (after homogenization and over the night) and concentration of trichloroacetic acid (10 and 25% TCA) for protein precipitation. Extraction during the night, higher TCA concentration and the use of 0.5 M KCl extraction solution resulted in the highest protein amount measured by the Lowry method and 280 nm protein estimation. On the other hand, the lowest protein yield was obtained by using distilled water for the extraction. Furthermore, the lowest amount of protein carbonyls was in the case when extraction was performed with distilled water (DW), while the highest content of protein carbonyls was reached with 0.15 M KCl and 0.5 M KCl extraction solutions. It was observed that the amount of proteinbound carbonyls compounds was increasing during storage under accelerated conditions and, in comparison to the original method, the modified method for measuring protein oxidation resulted in a higher amount of carbonyls during all points of storage.

Oxidative changes in fish feed during storage are a major problem in aquaculture nutrition. The current study aims to present fast and simple spectrometric method to measure thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in the commercial rainbow trout feeds without hydrolysis step, as a method for determination of lipid peroxidation. The proposed test was validated and relevant method characteristics which were evaluated within the validation protocol were: linearity (range), limit of detection, limit of quantification, precision (repeatability and intra-laboratory reproducibility), accuracy and method performance (Xand R-control charts). The obtained results indicated that presented TBARS test was linear in the range of 1.11-13.33 nmol/mL and precise under both repeatability and reproducibility test conditions. The method was characterized by acceptable accuracy considering low analyte concentration in the samples. The method also showed to be stable in terms of changes in the average level and variability. The results in the present work indicated that the proposed test could be successfully applied for TBARS quantification in rainbow trout feed for routine quality control in aquaculture sector, especially in case when need to analyse a great number of samples in a short time.

Table eggs can play an important role as functional food, especially if specially designed mixtures enriched with o-3 fatty acids, natural pigments and vitamins are used for their production. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of inclusion of flax-corn meal co-extrudate (FCM) in combination with natural pigments in hens' diet on physical properties, yolk colour and fatty acid composition of eggs. One hundred and twenty Lohmann Brown laying hens were fed corn-soybean meal based diet with the addition of FCM at different levels: 0% (control C1 and C2), 13.50% experimental treatment (E1) and 22.50% experimental treatment (E2). The control treatment (C1) contained up to 3% fat, without added pigments while the control treatment (C2) contained up to 5% fat and synthetic pigments. Experimental treatments E1 and E2 (3% and 5% fat, respectively) had the same amount of natural pigments (1% carrot and 0.5% paprika). When compared with control eggs, no significant changes (p>0.05) in the egg quality characteristics were observed for E1 and E2 eggs. Desirable egg yolk colour of 12.78 RYCF (Roche Yolk Colour Fan scale) was achieved in the treatments E1 and E2. Eggs from hens fed FCM had significantly higher level (p

The paper analyses the effect of cooling/heating rate of chicken meat (Pectoralis major) on the crystallization temperature (Tcon, Tc, Tcend), melting temperature (Tmon, Tm, Tmend), crystallization enthalpy (ΔHc) and melting enthalpy (ΔHm). Chicken meat samples were scanned by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) at five rates (2, 5, 10, 15, 20 °C/min), from 20 °C to -40 °C, and then from -40 °C to 20 °C.The results of the statistical analysis show that the fastest cooling rate (20 °C/min) significantly (p

For many consumers egg yolk color is a very important characteristic of egg quality. Since hens are not able to synthesize coloring pigments, the intensity of the yolk color depends directly on the content and profile of pigmenting carotenoids present in their feed. The aim of this study was to assess the combined pigmenting effect of paprika and carrot and their ability to achieve egg yolks in the desired color range. Biological tests lasted for 30 days and were conducted on 180 Lohmann Brown layers. The laying hens were divided in six groups. Every group was assigned to one of six possible treatments, control 1 (C1) treatment without any pigments added, control 2 (C2) treatment with synthetic pigments added and four experimental diets (D1, D2, D3, D4) with the addition of natural color sources (paprika and carrot). After experimental period collected eggs were analyzed regarding physical characteristics of eggs, content of β-carotene and yolk color of eggs. Obtained results has shown that dried carrot and milled paprika can successfully replace synthetic pigments, with no negative effects on physical characteristics of produced eggs, egg yolk color, acceptability or β-carotene content.

Each category of pigs is susceptible to diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria, which negatively reflects on animal health, farm production results or meat quality. Animal feed is one of the potential reservoirs of pathogenic bacteria and infection source of domestic animals. Salmonella spp. is major microbiological hazard in animal feed. Thus, there is importance for implementation of strategies for preventing feed contamination with Salmonella, by minimizing dust, maximizing hygiene of space and processing equipment in feed mills and implementing control measures in each stage of feed production. Existing Salmonella feed contamination can be eliminated by conditioning and later different heat treatments (pelleting, extrusion, expansion) in production process while changing physical structure of the feed (coarsely or finely ground mash or pellets) can influence on conditions for Salmonella development in gastrointestinal tract of pigs. Contamination of feed by pathogenic bacteria and conditions for their development can be also controlled by addition of acidifiers, prebiotics, probiotics and, more recently, essential oils of plant origin, into feed. Various strategies for prevention of feed bacterial contamination, processes for feed decontamination, as well as possibilities for controlling pathogenic bacteria, especially Salmonella, in pig feed were presented and discussed in this article.

The wheat flour represents a complex system whose quality is influenced by several factors such as genotype, growing conditions and the complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors. In recent years, wheat quality fluctuation has become a major issue for millers and bakers. Requirements of bakery industry for providing wheat flour of uniform quality impose the need for further investigation in direction of monitoring/improving wheat flour quality. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to evaluate wheat varieties, grown in different locations, by breadmaking potential and proteolytic activity in dependence of climate conditions. Wheat flour of four wheat varieties (Pobeda, Zvezdana, Gordana and Apache), from seven locations in Serbia characterized by different climatic conditions in two production years, were used in this study. The analyses included a determination of proteolytic activity and the rheological properties of dough. Rheological properties of wheat flour dough were determined by Gluten index and Brabender equipment (Farinograph, Extensograph and Amylograph). The studies ended with a trial baking and estimation of textural properties of obtained bread. Large variability for all attributes evaluated was observed, with wider ranges in quality parameters across varieties than among growing locations. Wheat flour samples from 2012 production year were characterized by inferior quality parameters. Proteolytic activity and bread specific volume values for 2012 production year were significantly lower compared to 2011. These results indicate that level of proteolytic activity was under optimum for obtaining bread with higher specific volume.

The aim of the present paper was to evaluate the influence of different climatic conditions on the activity of alpha-amylase in wheat samples and bread quality parameters. Three wheat varieties grown in three different localities in three years were chosen for this study. Commonly used methods for estimation of alpha-amylase activity in wheat grain were employed. The obtained results indicated that harvest year 2013, which was characterized with the excessive amount of rainfall, exhibited the highest level of alpha-amylase activity and the lowest values of the peak viscosity. The lowest alpha-amylase level and the highest peak viscosity and FN value were observed for samples harvested in 2012 which was characterized with the greatest number of days with an average daily temperature above 30 and 35°C. In addition, a decrease in Mixolab parameter torque C3 and specific bread loaf volume, as well as increase in the breakdown torque (C3-C4) of samples harvested in 2013 were observed, which could be attributed to rainy weather influencing increase in alpha-amylase activity. It is found that specific bread loaf volume of wheat samples is highest in 2012. Moreover, a negative correlation between alpha-amylase activity and specific bread volume for all the samples grown in three years was determined.

Тhe paper presents results of the investigation of the influence of extrusion temperature and moisture content of treated material on the reduction of cyanogenic glycosides (CGs) in linseed-based co-extrudate. CGs are the major limitation of the effective usage of linseed in animal nutrition. Hence, some technological process must be applied for detoxification of linseed before its application as a nutrient. Extrusion process has demonstrated several advantages in reducing the present CGs, since it combines the influences of heating, shearing, high pressure, mixing, etc. According to obtained results, the increase in both temperature and moisture content of the starting mixture decreased the content of CGs in the processed material. HCN content, as a measurement of GCs presence, ranged from 25.42 mg/kg, recorded at the moisture content of 11.5%, to 126 mg/kg, detected at the lowest moisture content of 7%. It seems that moisture content and temperature had the impact on HCN content of equal importance. However, the influence of extrusion parameters other than temperature and moisture content could not be neglected. Therefore, the impact of individual factors has to be tested together. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 46012]

Different methods are available for the monitoring of visual and structural changes during bread staling such as differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, enzymatic tests, sensory evaluations and/or crumb texture analysis. However, since they are often rather expensive and time consuming, the aim of this study was to investigate the possibility to monitor the progress of bread stalling by following the changes in bread crumb colour characteristics. In order to achieve this, the results of crumb colour changes observed 2, 24 and 72 h after baking were compared to the results of texture analysis and moisture migration. For this experiment different types of bread were prepared: control bread and bread supplemented with 5% of three types of modified octenyl succinate starches which were expected to retard stalling. The progressive loss in crumb humidity was observed during bread storage. Bread crumb firmness increased as a consequence of starch retrogradation and water loss which led to crumb shrinkage. Consequently, the changes in bread crumb colour occurred registered as the increase in crumb lightness and whiteness and decrease in yellowness. The addition of sodium octenyl succinate and pre-gelatinized sodium octenyl succinate starches resulted in bread crumbs with initially higher moisture content and more tender crumb texture in comparison to control bread. Moreover, bread formulations containing these two starches were characterised with lighter bread crumbs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]