Evaluation of Chemical-Nutritional Characteristics of Whey and Ricotta Obtained by Ewes Fed Red Grape Pomace Dietary Supplementation

This study aimed to investigate the effect on the chemical quality of whey and Ricotta obtained from ewes fed a red grape pomace (GP) dietary supplementation. The analyses were performed on whey, before and post Ricotta cheese-making, and in Ricotta after 1 (T1) and 5 (T5) d of ripening at 4°C. Moreover, fatty acid profile of whey before ricotta (WBR) cheese-making and Ricotta T1 of ripening and volatile profile of Ricotta T1 and T5 were investigated. The diet did not affect whey and Ricotta lipid content, conversely, significant variations were instead observed with regard to color. A lower amount of total phenolic compounds was found in WBR cheese-making, on the contrary, an opposite trend was highlighted in Ricotta T1 although no variations in antioxidant properties were detected. Moreover, GP modified fatty acid profile of whey and Ricotta but did not have any effect on protein profile of the main whey protein. The reduction of hexanal in Ricotta during the ripening suggest a better oxidative stability. The obtained results therefore suggested that the GP inclusion in the ewes diet, while modifying some chemical parameters, did not induce negative effects on the characteristics and quality of dairy by-products

Qualitative attributes of meat from Teramana goat kids, an Italian native breed of the Abruzzo region

The aim of this work was the characterization of the qualitative aspects of meat obtained from Teramana goats, an Italian indigenous breed of the Abruzzo region. Specifically, the study included a comparison with meat samples deriving from Saanen goat kids reared in the same environment and applying the same feeding protocol

Qualitative Attributes of Commercial Pig Meat from an Italian Native Breed: The Nero d'Abruzzo

The main objective of this study was to characterize the main qualitative properties of commercial meat obtained from the Nero d'Abruzzo pig, a native breed of Central Italy. In order to valorize this animal production, a direct comparison was made with commercial meat products obtained from hybrid pigs. Over a period of 30 days, 76 steaks for each breed were purchased from the market, and samples were analyzed for total lipid content, fatty acids profile, Coenzyme Q10 content, resistance of meat to oxidative processes, volatile profile of cooked meat and electrophoretic profile of myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic proteins. Results showed the Nero d'Abruzzo to be richer in fat, which, however, is characterized by a higher concentration of alpha-linolenic acid, to which are attributed important health benefits. The native breed was also richer in Coenzyme Q10, a compound credited with antioxidant potential, whose presence could explain the better oxidative stability of meat samples that were cooked and stored for up to 7 days at +4 degrees C. In support of this last data, our finding of the characterization of the volatile profile of cooked meat, at the end of the storage period, showed in Nero d'Abruzzo a reduction in the accumulation of hexanal, notoriously associated with oxidative events and the development of unpleasant aromatic notes. In conclusion, aspects that can justify the nutritional superiority of this niche production compared to meat coming from cosmopolitan breeds have been identified

Nutritional Properties of Milk from Dairy Ewes Fed with a Diet Containing Grape Pomace

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a diet containing a 10% of grape pomace (GP) on the milk yield, chemical-nutritional characteristics, total phenolic compounds (TPCs), antioxidant activity (AOA), fatty acids and proteins profile of dairy ewe’s milk. Forty-six ewes were dived into two groups: a control group (Ctrl), fed a standard diet, and an experimental group (GP+), whose diet was supplemented with 10% of GP on dry matter. The trial lasted 60 days and milk samples were collected and analyzed at the beginning (T0) and after 60 (T60) days. Dietary enrichment with GP did not affect the yield and the chemical composition of the milk. TPCs and AOA were not affected by the diet. After 60 days, the diet induced an increase in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and a decrease in medium chain saturated fatty acids (MCSFA), but the total saturated fatty acids (SFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), short chain saturated fatty acids (SCSFA) and long chain saturated fatty acids (LCSFA) were not modified. A decrease in the C14 desaturation index and an increase in the C18 index were also detected. Total caseins and whey protein were not affected by GP, even if a lower content of k-casein in GP+ milk compared to Ctrl milk was observed on the 60th day. The results of the present study suggest that 10% of GP can be included in the diet of lactating ewes without modifying milk gross composition but inducing significantly changes the fatty acid profile

Dietary supplementation of Saanen goats with dried licorice root modifies chemical and textural properties of dairy products.

ABSTRACT The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of dietary integration with dried licorice root on the chemical-nutritional qualities of goat milk and cheeses. The study was conducted for 60 d, during which 30 Saanen goats were divided into 2 groups: a control group (CG) that received a standard diet and an experimental group (LG+) whose diet was supplemented with licorice. At the end of the study, milk samples were collected to determine chemical-nutritional compositions and fatty acid (FA) profiles. Cheeses produced with CG and LG+ bulk milk were analyzed for chemical-physical parameters after 3 (T3) and 30 (T30) d of ripening. A different FA profile and a significant increase in protein and casein were observed in LG+ milk samples compared with CG milk. Regarding cheeses, an increase of proteins and fat was found in LG+ cheeses, which also were harder, more elastic, and more gummy than the CG samples after both 3 and 30 d of ripening. A different protein profile was detected in the 2 groups without significant variations in casein fractions (αS2-casein and β-casein) during ripening. Moreover, greater oxidative stability was found in LG+ cheeses at both T3 and T30. Different families of volatile compounds were detected in T30 cheeses obtained from both groups. A significant reduction of octanoic acid and an increase in nonanal and ketones were found in LG+ T3 cheeses, whereas the LG+ T30 cheeses were characterized by a significant decrease of hexanoic acid an increase of 3-methyl-1-butanol and acetoin. We concluded that it is possible to assert that dietary integration with dried licorice root modified chemical and technological properties of goat cheeses, reducing lipid oxidation during ripening and inducing changes in texture that could improve consumer acceptability, although further studies are needed from this point of view

Metagenomic Characterization and Volatile Compounds Determination in Rumen from Saanen Goat Kids Fed Olive Leaves

Simple Summary The aim of this study was to characterize the rumen microbiota of Saanen goat kids fed olive leaves through a high-throughput approach based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing; furthermore, the parallel characterization of rumen volatile profile by solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry has been performed. Twenty goat kids were randomly assigned to two groups. The first group received a basal diet, while in the second one the diet was supplemented with olive leaves. The results showed the dietary supplementation to be able to affect the microbial community in the rumen. Significant differences were specifically observed between the two groups at genera and even family levels characterized by a higher abundance of cellulolytic bacteria in the rumen of goat kids fed olive leaves. In addition, the analysis of volatile compounds at the rumen level has allowed us to highlight differences in relation to the diet and the presence, in the rumen of goat kids fed olive leaves, of compounds indicative of health status. The accumulation and disposal of by-products deriving from the agro-food industry represents a problem both from an economic and environmental point of view. The use of these matrices in zootechnical nutrition could represent a feasible solution. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of a diet containing olive leaves (OL), a by-product of the olive industry, on the ruminal microbial community of Saanen goat kids and on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced during the digestion. Twenty goat kids were randomly divided into two groups of ten goat kids each. The control group (CTR) was fed with a standard diet, while the experimental group (OL+) received a custom-formulated diet containing 10 % OL on a dry matter (DM) basis. After 30 days of trial, genomic DNA was extracted from the rumen liquor and prepared for 16S rRNA-gene sequencing to characterize the rumen microbiota; furthermore, rumen VOCs were also characterized by solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The Shannon's alpha index was not significantly different between the two groups, on the contrary, Bray-Curtis (p < 0.01) and Jaccard (p < 0.01) distances evidenced that feed affected microbial community. Eleven genera were influenced by OL supplementation, with a significant increase (p < 0.05) in Paludibacter, Fibrobacter, Sphaerochaeta Christensenella, Rikenella, Oligosphaera, Candidatus Endomicrobium, Anaerovorax, and Atopobium was observed, while the percentages of Bacteroides and Selenomonas were reduced (p < 0.05). Differences were also observed between the two groups at the family level (p < 0.004). Fibrobacteriaceae, Christensenellaceae, Coriobacteriaceae, Oligosphaeraceae, Candidatus Endomicrobium, and Planctomycetaceae were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in goat kids fed OL diet compared to CTR, while the levels of other identified families, Succinivibrionaceae and Bifidobacteriaceae, were opposite (p < 0.05). Finally, results showed that the main phyla in both groups were Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes; however, no significant differences in the relative abundance of any phyla were observed between the two groups. In addition to what has been reported, the analysis of VOCs at the rumen level showed the ability of the OL integration to induce an increase in hexanoic acid and a parallel decrease in decanal. Furthermore, only in OL+ samples there was the accumulation of alpha-terpineol to which a wide range of interesting biological properties is attributed.The presence of VOCs associated with health status suggests a favorable role of OL in preserving and improving animal welfare

Whole blood transcriptome analysis in ewes fed with hemp seed supplemented diet

the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa L.) has a long tradition of being used for many di erent purposes such as industry, medicine and nutrition. In particular, because hemp seed (HS) is rich in oil protein and considerable amounts of dietary ber, vitamins and minerals that are particularly suitable also for animal nutrition. Di erent studies have evaluated HS on qualitative and quantitative properties of livestock products but as of today, nobody has investigated the molecular pathway behind HS supplementation in farm animals. Thus, in this study, we will report the rst RNA sequencing of the whole-blood transcriptome of ewes fed either with a controlled diet (CTR, n = 5) or with a diet supplemented with 5% of hemp seed (HSG, n = 5). Applying a false discovery rate (FDR) <0.05 and a log2FC either higher than 0.5 or lower than −0.5, we identi ed 314 di erentially regulated genes in the HS-supplemented group compared to the CTR group. Several genes encoding for di erent subunits belonging to the complex I, II, III, IV and ATP-synthase were up-regulated making oxidative phosphorylation (FDR: 3.05e-19) and thermogenesis (FDR: 2.17e-16) the highest up-regulated pathways in our study. Moreover, we found up-regulation in di erent genes involved in lactose biosyntheses such as GALK1 and PGM1 and, as a result, we observed a statistically higher lactose percentage in the HSG group (p < 0.05). These results indicate that HS supplementation positively a ects the energy production pathway in lactating ewes conferring them also more resistance to adverse climatic conditions such as low temperature. Finally, the higher milk lactose content makes the derived dairy products more pro table

Defining Kawasaki disease and pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome-temporally associated to SARS-CoV-2 infection during SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Italy: results from a national, multicenter survey

Background: There is mounting evidence on the existence of a Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome-temporally associated to SARS-CoV-2 infection (PIMS-TS), sharing similarities with Kawasaki Disease (KD). The main outcome of the study were to better characterize the clinical features and the treatment response of PIMS-TS and to explore its relationship with KD determining whether KD and PIMS are two distinct entities. Methods: The Rheumatology Study Group of the Italian Pediatric Society launched a survey to enroll patients diagnosed with KD (Kawasaki Disease Group - KDG) or KD-like (Kawacovid Group - KCG) disease between February 1st 2020, and May 31st 2020. Demographic, clinical, laboratory data, treatment information, and patients' outcome were collected in an online anonymized database (RedCAP®). Relationship between clinical presentation and SARS-CoV-2 infection was also taken into account. Moreover, clinical characteristics of KDG during SARS-CoV-2 epidemic (KDG-CoV2) were compared to Kawasaki Disease patients (KDG-Historical) seen in three different Italian tertiary pediatric hospitals (Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste; AOU Meyer, Florence; IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa) from January 1st 2000 to December 31st 2019. Chi square test or exact Fisher test and non-parametric Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney test were used to study differences between two groups. Results: One-hundred-forty-nine cases were enrolled, (96 KDG and 53 KCG). KCG children were significantly older and presented more frequently from gastrointestinal and respiratory involvement. Cardiac involvement was more common in KCG, with 60,4% of patients with myocarditis. 37,8% of patients among KCG presented hypotension/non-cardiogenic shock. Coronary artery abnormalities (CAA) were more common in the KDG. The risk of ICU admission were higher in KCG. Lymphopenia, higher CRP levels, elevated ferritin and troponin-T characterized KCG. KDG received more frequently immunoglobulins (IVIG) and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) (81,3% vs 66%; p = 0.04 and 71,9% vs 43,4%; p = 0.001 respectively) as KCG more often received glucocorticoids (56,6% vs 14,6%; p < 0.0001). SARS-CoV-2 assay more often resulted positive in KCG than in KDG (75,5% vs 20%; p < 0.0001). Short-term follow data showed minor complications. Comparing KDG with a KD-Historical Italian cohort (598 patients), no statistical difference was found in terms of clinical manifestations and laboratory data. Conclusion: Our study suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection might determine two distinct inflammatory diseases in children: KD and PIMS-TS. Older age at onset and clinical peculiarities like the occurrence of myocarditis characterize this multi-inflammatory syndrome. Our patients had an optimal response to treatments and a good outcome, with few complications and no deaths

Volatile Profile in Yogurt Obtained from Saanen Goats Fed with Olive Leaves

The aim of this study was to evaluate the development of volatile compounds in yogurt samples obtained from goats fed a dietary supplementation with olive leaves (OL). For this purpose, thirty Saanen goats were divided into two homogeneous groups of 15 goats each: a control group that received a standard diet (CG) and an experimental group whose diet was supplemented with olive leaves (OLG). The trial lasted 28 days, at the end of which the milk of each group was collected and used for yogurt production. Immediately after production, and after 7 days of storage at 4 °C in the absence of light, the yogurt samples were characterized in terms of fatty acid profile, oxidative stability and volatile compounds by the solid-phase microextraction (SPME)–GC/MS technique. Dietary OL supplementation positively affected the fatty acid composition, inducing a significant increase in the relative proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, mainly oleic acid (C18:1 cis9) and linolenic acid (C18:3). With regard to the volatile profile, both in fresh and yogurt samples stored for 7 days, the OL supplementation induced an increase in free fatty acids, probably due to an increase in lipolysis carried out by microbial and endogenous milk enzymes. Specifically, the largest variations were found for C6, C7, C8 and C10 free fatty acids. In the same samples, a significant decrease in aldehydes, mainly heptanal and nonanal, was also detected, supporting—at least in part—an improvement in the oxidative stability. Moreover, alcohols, esters and ketones appeared lower in OLG samples, while no significant variations were observed for lactones. These findings suggest the positive role of dietary OL supplementation in the production of goats’ milk yogurt, with characteristics potentially indicative of an improvement in nutritional properties and flavor

Chemical-nutritional characteristics and aromatic profile of milk and related dairy products obtained from goats fed with extruded linseed

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary integration with extruded linseed (EL) on fatty acid (FA) and aromatic profile of goat cheese after 60 (T60) days of ripening. Methods: Thirty goats were divided in two groups. The control group (CG) was fed with conventional diet, whereas the experimental group (EL+) was fed with conventional diet supplemented with 10% of EL. Milk samples were collected on 30 and 60 days of trial to determinate chemical-nutritional composition and FA profile. At the end of experiment, six cheese-making session (3 for each group) were carried out using a pooled milk sample obtained from the 15 goat of each group. At 60 days of ripening, cheeses were analyzed for chemical-nutritional composition, FA and aromatic profile. Results: An increase in the milk production, protein, fat and lactose were evidenced in the EL+ goats. Conversely, a reduction of somatic cells was observed in the EL+ compared with the CG. However, no variation was observed for urea and casein levels content in milk samples, and no changes in protein and lipid content were found for cheeses in the two experimental groups. Dietary supplementation with EL modified the FA profile of milk. There was a decrease in saturated fatty acids (SFA) and an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Chemical composition of T60 cheese did not differ between the two groups but a different FA profile was observed. In particular, in T60 cheese obtained from EL+ milk, an increase in short-chain FA (SCFA) and a decrease in medium and long-chain FA (MCFA and LCFA) were observed. The EL diet led to cheeses with butanoic acid 2 time higher compared to CG cheeses. Moreover, a greater presence of aldehyde compounds and alcohols were observed in the cheeses of experimental group. Conclusion: The present study pointed out that EL supplementation may improve the chemical and physical qualities of goat milk and cheeses