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Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) has the potential to address some of the societal concerns regarding intensive livestock production, such as those with regard to animal health and welfare. However, information on the attitudes of consumers towards PLF is scarce. An online survey with a Discrete Choice Experiment was conducted in Flanders, Belgium to determine whether type of animal health monitoring (visual assessment without PLF, PLF at group level, PLF at individual animal level), animal welfare label (4 levels) and price influence the preference for filet mignon of consumers. In total, 454 respondents participated in the survey, of which 250 purchased filet mignon themselves. The characteristics gender, frequency of buying filet mignon, attitude towards organic and attitude towards welfare labels affected the utility (or “preferences”) of the meat. The utility was highest for female respondents, for respondents who bought filet mignon less than once a month, for those who consciously bought organic meat and those with a positive attitude towards labels guaranteeing animal welfare and health. The utility of filet mignon was not affected by the type of animal health monitoring, whereas animal welfare label and price had a significant effect. Respondents were willing to pay more for filet mignon carrying a welfare label, ranging from 15.2 €/kg (Label 1) up to 18.1 €/kg (Label 3) compared to a reference price of 12 €/kg (No label). For the use of PLF for automated health monitoring, it should be further researched if consumers are neutral towards the use of PLF, or whether the technology might be relatively unknown.

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the body yield and quality of fresh and post-freezing filet of male and female fish of inbred and non-inbred AquaAmérica genetic group and the hybrid between the AquaAmérica and Tilamax varieties. Forty fish (20 males and 20 females) of each genetic group were housed in four 48-m3 hapa net cages, getting 120 fish per cage. The fish were housed at 51 days of age and farmed for 269 days. Pre-slaughter weight was higher (P

Targeted muscle reinnervation after upper-extremity amputation has demonstrated improved outcomes with myoelectric prosthesis function and postoperative neuropathic pain. This technique has been established in the setting of shoulder disarticulation as well as transhumeral and transradial amputations, but a detailed technique of targeted muscle reinnervation with free tissue transfer from the volar forearm after forequarter amputation has not yet been described. Here, we describe a technique using a volar forearm filet flap to achieve simultaneously satisfactory soft tissue coverage after resection of a tumor from the chest wall and targeted muscle reinnervation of the brachial plexus.

The post-mortem rigid of farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) affects the texture of the meat and might even be risky for microorganisms, undermining the popularity of frozen filets among consumers. This study investigated the importance of different conditions (0°C, 4°C, and 25°C for 0–4 days) and physicochemical characteristics of rainbow trout filet storage on fish’s characteristics, freshness, quality, and shelf-life. Results showed that the fish easily underwent rigor mortis and resolution of rigor mortis when stored at 25°C. However, rigor mortis was more likely to occur under storage at 0°C than at 4°C [with 100 kV/m high voltage electrostatic fields (HVEF)] due to low-temperature stimulation, but resolution of rigor mortis began to appear after 24 h of storage at either temperature. The protein solubility and gel strength of fish stored at 25°C continued to decrease due to thermal denaturation, and those of fish stored at 4°C and 0°C also showed a decrease owing to rigor mortis and then an increase when rigor mortis disappeared. The K values increased rapidly at 25°C and reached 61% at 14 h. Under storage at 4°C and 0°C, the K values only slightly increased before resolution of rigor mortis. However, the K-values did not exceed 40% for 4 days post-resolution of rigor mortis. Differential Scanning Calorimetry analysis and tissue sectioning showed that protein denaturation and separation between muscle fibers persisted during storage at various temperatures, most notably at 25°C. It is important to note that storing at 0°C for 96 h did not result in any significant changes in the molecular protein composition. Moreover, the muscle tissue remained in excellent condition compared to storage at 25°C and 4°C. Additionally, there was no significant difference in the total viable count (TVC) and psychrophilic bacteria between storage at 0°C and 4°C, considered safe for food consumption. These promising findings are conveyed in a circular economy based on the food industry, particularly adequate raw materials, stable prices, measures to reduce food loss and waste, and contributing to developing efficient, diverse, and sustainable food processing systems.

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are currently consumed as live fish, primarily for catering or consumers, as an alternative to salmon in sashimi or dishes. However, Covid-19 has hampered store and restaurant operations. Therefore, developing suitable processing conditions to extend its shelf life, such as online distribution specifications while enhancing the filets’ commercial value, would raise its production value. In this study, we investigated the fish filets salted in a 5% salt solution for 2 days and then smoked at 65°C for 4 h under different storage conditions. As result, the higher rate of salt penetration and water loss in the resolved rigor mortis group was associated with tenderization of the meat compared to the rigor mortis group. Thermal-shrinkage and thermal-induced tissue destruction of the smoked fish filets during processing which affects the appearance, flavor, chewiness and overall acceptability. Nevertheless, according to the results of a consumer-type evaluation, the product characteristics of the fish filets from the resolution of rigor mortis group were consistent with those of the rigor mortis group, except for a weaker aroma. Thus, these results explain the relationship between frozen stored fish and the quality of processed products. The economic concept of regulating and distributing scheduling production between raw materials and finished products in the food industry conveys promising findings that will contribute to developing sustainable food processing systems.

In selective breeding programs for Atlantic salmon, test fish are slaughtered at an average body weight where growth rate and carcass traits as filet fat (FF), filet pigment (FP) and visceral fat index (FF) are recorded. The objective of this study was to obtain estimates of genetic correlations between growth rate (GR), and the three carcass quality traits when fish from the same 206 families (offspring of 120 sires and 206 dams from 2 year-classes) were recorded both at the same age (SA) and about the same body weight (SW). In the SW group, the largest fish were slaughtered at five different slaughter events and the remaining fish at the sixth slaughter event over 6 months. Estimates of genetic parameters for the traits were obtained from a Bayesian multivariate model for (potentially) truncated Gaussian traits through a Gibbs sampler procedure in which phantom GR values were obtained for the unslaughtered, and thus censored SW group fish at each slaughter event. The heritability estimates for the same trait in each group was similar; about 0.2 for FF, 0.15 for FP and 0.35 for VF and GR. The genetic correlation between the same traits in the two groups was high for growth rate (0.91 ± 0.05) visceral index (0.86 ± 0.05), medium for filet fat (0.45 ± 0.17) and low for filet pigment (0.13 ± 0.27). Within the two groups, the genetic correlation between growth rate and filet fat changed from positive (0.59 ± 0.14) for the SA group to negative (−0.45 ± 0.17) for the SW group, while the genetic correlation between growth rate and filet pigment changed from negative (−0.33 ± 0.22) for the SA group to positive (0.62 ± 0.16) for the SW group. The genetic correlation of growth rate with FF and FP is sensitive to whether the latter traits are measured at the same age or the same body weight. The results indicate that selection for increased growth rate is not expected to have a detrimental effect on the quality traits if increased growth potential is realized through a reduced production time.

Aquaculture contributes to global food security but sustainable aquaculture development in terms of biodiversity impacts requires the establishment of viable solutions in replacement of the fisheries-based components in aquafeeds. In the current work, pit-tagged Atlantic salmon individuals were grown, from fresh water (18 g body weight) to salt water in tanks (up to 800 g body weight), on diets with low fish meal (FM) (10%) and 1–1.25% total n-3 LC-PUFA levels balanced across the experimental diets. Dietary n-3 LC-PUFAs were supplemented by (1) fish oil (FO), (2) Schizochytrium limacinum biomass (ScB), or (3) a mix of the two (FO/ScB). Further, the fish from all treatments were mixed and redistributed in sea cages reared to slaughter (ca. 3 kg body weight) on either FO or ScB. As FO was rich in both EPA and DHA and ScB was rich in DHA and nearly devoid of EPA, the experimental diets differed significantly in DHA/EPA ratio (0.8 vs. 10.5 in average for FO and ScB, respectively). ScB treatment fish grew to significantly higher body weight in the end of the experiment (2.8 kg vs. 3.3 kg, for FO and ScB, respectively) but similar FCR, survival rate, and biometric indexes compared to the FO groups. ScB fish contained higher levels of EPA + DHA in the filet but lower in the liver, and better filet pigmentation already from the tank phase of the experiment as determined chemically, by salmonfan and a trained sensory panel, and lower prevalence of melanin spots at slaughter. The trained sensory panel found no differences in flavor or odor in the filets from the different dietary groups; however, filets in the FO group were perceived as softer and juicier compared to ScB. The pre-diets up to 800 g body weight had minor effects on fish performance. Global transcriptomics in liver and intestinal tissues revealed significant dietary effects on the expression of immune modulating, as well as ion, lipid, protein, and xenobiotic metabolism genes.

Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) has the potential to address some of the societal concerns regarding intensive livestock production, such as those with regard to animal health and welfare. However, information on the attitudes of consumers towards PLF is scarce. An online survey with a Discrete Choice Experiment was conducted in Flanders, Belgium to determine whether type of animal health monitoring (visual assessment without PLF, PLF at group level, PLF at individual animal level), animal welfare label (4 levels) and price influence the preference for filet mignon of consumers. In total, 454 respondents participated in the survey, of which 250 purchased filet mignon themselves. The characteristics gender, frequency of buying filet mignon, attitude towards organic and attitude towards welfare labels affected the utility (or "preferences") of the meat. The utility was highest for female respondents, for respondents who bought filet mignon less than once a month, for those who consciously bought organic meat and those with a positive attitude towards labels guaranteeing animal welfare and health. The utility of filet mignon was not affected by the type of animal health monitoring, whereas animal welfare label and price had a significant effect. Respondents were willing to pay more for filet mignon carrying a welfare label, ranging from 15.2 €/kg (Label 1) up to 18.1 €/kg (Label 3) compared to a reference price of 12 €/kg (No label). For the use of PLF for automated health monitoring, it should be further researched if consumers are neutral towards the use of PLF, or whether the technology might be relatively unknown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]