Pilot study of the relationship between deck level and journey duration on plasma cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine levels in italian heavy pigs

The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the relationship between journey duration, deck level and activation patterns of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis (HPA) and sympathetic adrenal medullary system (SAM) in pigs. A total of 90 pigs were examined. The animals came from three different Italian farms associated with the same slaughterhouse located in Bari (Apulia region-Italy). A group of thirty animals was transported from Pordenone (11 h journey); a second group was transported from Terni (6.5 h journey); a third group was transported from Benevento (3 h journey). The animals were transported in the same vehicle, which complied with the structural characteristics indicated in the Council Regulation (EC) No. 1/2005. The truck was composed of a lorry and a trailer, each one divided into three decks. Only the animals transported in the trailer were tested for the study. Before transportation, blood samples were collected on each farm, at 6:00 a.m., from 30 pigs randomly selected out of 135 pigs ready to be transported. Blood samples were also collected during slaughter to evaluate plasma cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine, around 6:00 a.m. A journey duration of 11 h was associated with significantly higher plasma concentrations of stress hormones compared with shorter journeys. This increase was proportional to the journey duration, with the pigs travelling for 6.5 h displaying intermediate concentrations between those noticed after 3 h and 11 h journeys. The interaction between deck and journey distance was not significant on epinephrine, norepinephrine or cortisol levels collected at arrival. There was a significant effect of deck level on norepinephrine levels (p < 0.0001), a tendency to influence epinephrine levels (p = 0.073) but no effect on cortisol levels (p = 0.945). Overall, we observed that an 11 h-long journey seemed to impact negatively on pigs\u2019 HPA-SAM activity, likely requiring the animals to spend more time in the lairage facilities to recover

Which factors affect the Italian consumer's intention to insect-eating? An application of an integrated attitude-intention-eating model

This research explored the role of key socio-psychological dimensions on individuals' intention to eat insectbased foods (IEIBF). In particular, the theoretical framework included biospheric values and social norms, whose impact on pro-environmental choices has been largely evidenced, but also those factors related to animal welfare and neophobia/neophilia attitudes. An online survey was carried out in different Italian regions intercepting 1402 individuals to verify the relationships predicted by our proposed model, i.e. the Integrated Sustainable Neophilic Insect-based Eating Model (ISNIEM), for predicting IEIBF. Participants completed a survey containing measures of IEIBF, biospheric values, general pro-environmental beliefs, attitude toward sustainability, food neophilia, concern for insect welfare, and social norms (both injunctive and descriptive). Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique was used for testing the ISNIEM. The main findings show that individuals having higher concern about environmental and ethical sustainability are more open to eating insects, especially if the latter are treated ethically. Overall, these results suggest that a typical consumer of insect foods is likely to be driven to their consumption from one side by curiosity (related to the neophilia dimension), and from the other side either by the sense of responsibility towards the environment or by the concern for ethical issues (i.e., animal welfare). The integrated attitude-food-intention model used to explore intention to eat insect foods (IEIBF) with a visual scheme represents an innovative approach in the study of consumer behaviour

Quality and Safety Aspects of Infant Nutrition

Quality and safety aspects of infant nutrition are of key importance for child health, but oftentimes they do not get much attention by health care professionals whose interest tends to focus on functional benefits of early nutrition. Unbalanced diets and harmful food components induce particularly high risks for untoward effects in infants because of their rapid growth, high nutrient needs, and their typical dependence on only one or few foods during the first months of life. The concepts, standards and practices that relate to infant food quality and safety were discussed at a scientific workshop organized by the Child Health Foundation and the Early Nutrition Academy jointly with the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, and a summary is provided here. The participants reviewed past and current issues on quality and safety, the role of different stakeholders, and recommendations to avert future issues. It was concluded that a high level of quality and safety is currently achieved, but this is no reason for complacency. The food industry carries the primary responsibility for the safety and suitability of their products, including the quality of composition, raw materials and production processes. Introduction of new or modified products should be preceded by a thorough science based review of suitability and safety by an independent authority. Food safety events should be managed on an international basis. Global collaboration of food producers, food-safety authorities, paediatricians and scientists is needed to efficiently exchange information and to best protect public health. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Base

Assessment of dietary intake of Patulin from baby foods.

Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by microscopic fungi belonging to the Penicillium and Aspergillus genera, frequently detectable in moldy fruits and their derivatives fruit products. The EC Regulation 1881/06 has imposed the limit for the presence of patulin equal to 10 mu g/kg or 10 mu g/L in baby food on the basis of a PMTDI of 0.4 mu g/kg bw set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). A total of 120 homogenized baby foods were analyzed to evaluate the exposure of baby and children to patulin through the consumption of these products. None of examined samples has shown a toxin concentration above the limit imposed by the law, however a PAT concentration equal to 9 mu g/kg was found in 22 samples, slightly below the fixed limit. The presence of patulin in marketed baby food can be regarded as a parameter indicative of the quality of raw materials used

CADMIUM IN OCTOPUS VULGARIS: AN INPUT TO ASSESS HUMAN HEALTH RISK

Cadmium concentrations has been evaluated in Octopus vulgaris sampled from two sites of Apulian coast (South Italy) and compared with import cephalopods to estimate if maximum levels of cadmium established for these organisms by the European Commission were exceed. In all local samples mean cadmium concentrations were higher in hepatopancreas than in flesh, this is an important evaluation if consider the traditional and unusual consumption in certain population of Mediterranean region of raw and whole cephalopods. The cadmium estimated weekly intake for whole cephalopods between 2,25 and 2,84 g Kg -1 of body weight underlines the necessity to determine the real risk and implications for public health through a correct assessment of contribution made by this specie among certain consumers group to the TWI set by the EFSA. A particular attention from competent authorities to prevent human toxicity is required

Determination of ochratoxin A in eggs and target tissues of experimentally drugged hens using HPLC–FLD

Ochratoxins are fungal secondary metabolites that may contaminate various foods and beverages. The intake of ochratoxins by humans may result in typical syndromes (nefrotoxicity, carcinogenity, teratogenicity and immunotoxicity) and has been associated with Balkan Endemic Nephropathy (BEN). In this study we evaluated the effects of accumulation of ochratoxin A throughout the chain production of eggs, by investigating the dynamics of OA accumulation in eggs placed by laying hens experimentally exposed to OA. It was demonstrated that after exposure at the concentrations admitted by the current European legislation (100 lg/kg) and at concentrations 20-folds as much the European Legislation limit (2000 lg/kg), OA was not detectable in the eggs, although a number of eggs were found to have altered structure or conformation and/or pathological lesions. Monitoring fungal contamination and toxins in animal feeds is necessary to guarantee animal health and to prevent the risk of decreased productions in livestock animals

Ochratoxin A in laying hens: high-performance liquid chromatography detection and cytological and histological analysis on target tissues

Ochratoxins are fungal secondary metabolites that contaminate grains, legumes, coffee, dried fruits, beer, wine, and meat. Ochratoxins are considered powerful nephrotoxins, carcinogens, teratogens, and immunotoxins in rats and likely in humans. In 2006 during a pilot program of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point in the Apulian region, Southern Italy, ochratoxin A (OA) was detected in commercial feed for laying hens in 2 farms. The OA-contaminated feed had been administered to animals for at least 2 mo. Analysis by HPLC with fluorometric detection of the tissues of 4 layer hens that displayed gross and microscopical lesions identified OA in the kidney (8.7 to 16.9 g/kg, average 13.65 ± 3.58 g/kg) and liver (3.7 to 5.1 g/kg, average 4.43 ± 0.64 g/kg) but not in the other tissues