Use of Sodium Citrate to Enhance Tenderness and Palatability of Pre-Rigor Beef Muscles

The objective of this project was to evaluate the response in tenderness and consumer acceptability of three muscles from the chuck that were pumped pre-rigor with different concentrations of sodium citrate solutions to inhibit glycolysis, while maintaining skeletal restraint for 24 hours. Controls were left on carcass, while the other three treatments had the thoracic limb removed and muscles pumped post-mortem to 10% of their weight with solutions of 0 mM, 200 mM or 400 mM sodium citrate. Although tenderness ratings were not always statistically different (comparing controls vs. 400 mM solution), there was a clear trend showing higher concentrations of sodium citrate make beef more tender and acceptable to consumers

Glycolytic Inhibition in Pre-rigor Muscle: An Alternative Method to Improve Beef Tenderness

Flank muscle (FM) and loin eye muscle (LEM) were marinated with solutions of different glycolytic inhibitors to test their effect on tenderness, pH and color. The increase of pH was more evident in LEM than in FM. The improvement in tenderness was higher in FM. In LEM, the most desirable result (cherry-red color and more tender) was observed with sodium citrate. Flank muscle became more tender and had better color (cherry red) than the control with oxamic acid, iodoacetate, glucose and sodium acetate. Most of the compounds caused different responses between muscles. Potential inhibitors must be tested further to prove glycolytic inhibition is a feasible method to improve tenderness in low value cuts with no detriment to lean color

Adding Value to Low-Quality Beef Muscles through Glycolytic Inhibition in Pre-rigor Muscle

Pre-rigor Semimembranosus, Triceps brachii and Supraspinatus muscles were removed from 10 steers to determine effects of several glycolysis-inhibiting compounds on pH, tenderness and color. Muscles were injected and tumbled with 10% of sodium citrate, sodium fluoride, sodium acetate, or calcium chloride. Sodium citrate and sodium fluoride increased pH values in Semimembranosus, Triceps brachii and Supraspinatus. Tenderness improved in Triceps brachii and Supraspinatus with calcium chloride, sodium fluoride and sodium citrate when compared with controls. Color values were not different among treatments. Sodium citrate and sodium fluoride were successful in improving beef tenderness by maintaining a high pH in pre-rigor muscles

METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS TO ENHANCE TENDERNESS AND VALUE OF MEAT

A method of enhancing the tenderness of meat for animal or human consumption by treatment of pre-rigor muscle with the compositions of the invention. It has been found that other quality meat traits can also be enhanced with the method of the invention

Oxygen in the Tropical Pacific POSTRE II First Tracer Survey, Cruise No. M135, March 01 - April 08, 2017, Valparaiso (Chile) - Callao (Peru) POSTRE-III

Cruise M135 was a contribution to the DFG Collaborative Research Project (SFB) 754: “Climate-Biogeochemistry Interactions in the Tropical Ocean” with the main goal to better understand the the role of diffusive and advective pathways connecting water within the bottom boundary layer (i.e. the water directly affected by sediment processes) to the pelagic and surface ocean. To achieve this, we have injected a conservative tracer (CF3SF5) within the bottom boundary layer at three different sites along the Peruvian coast at a depth of about 300 m in October 2015 that was mapped during M135. Tracer sampling was carried out by measuring water samples from the CTD-rosette water bottles. In total 144 CTD casts were carried out. From 132 CTD profiles 2828 samples for CF3CF5 investigations were gained and on most stations the tracer could be found. In addition 48 trace metal CTD’s were recorded and trace metal and chemical samples taken from the rosette bottles. On 166 of the CTD profiles oxygen samples were taken and on 94 CTD profiles nutrient samples were collected. Microstructure measurements were made on 24 stations and 2 gliders were deployed. For geological investigations at 5 locations multicorer and long gravity cores were taken. Continuous underway measurements of CO2,N2O and CO as well as continuous ADCP and thermosalinograph recording was made on 37 days. The cruise M135 was very successful; most systems on METEOR worked well and all planned objectives were reached

Mammal collections of the Western Hemisphere: A survey and directory of collections

As a periodic assessment of the mammal collection resource, the Systematic Collections Committee (SCC) of the American Society of Mammalogists undertakes decadal surveys of the collections held in the Western Hemisphere. The SCC surveyed 429 collections and compiled a directory of 395 active collections containing 5,275,155 catalogued specimens. Over the past decade, 43 collections have been lost or transferred and 38 new or unsurveyed collections were added. Growth in number of total specimens, expansion of genomic resource collections, and substantial gains in digitization and web accessibility were documented, as well as slight shifts in proportional representation of taxonomic groups owing to increasingly balanced geographic representation of collections relative to previous surveys. While we find the overall health of Western Hemisphere collections to be adequate in some areas, gaps in spatial and temporal coverage and clear threats to long-term growth and vitality of these resources have also been identified. Major expansion of the collective mammal collection resource along with a recommitment to appropriate levels of funding will be required to meet the challenges ahead for mammalogists and other users, and to ensure samples are broad and varied enough that unanticipated future needs can be powerfully addressed. © 2018 The Author(s)

COVID-19 symptoms at hospital admission vary with age and sex: results from the ISARIC prospective multinational observational study

Background: The ISARIC prospective multinational observational study is the largest cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We present relationships of age, sex, and nationality to presenting symptoms. Methods: International, prospective observational study of 60 109 hospitalized symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 recruited from 43 countries between 30 January and 3 August 2020. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships of age and sex to published COVID-19 case definitions and the most commonly reported symptoms. Results: ‘Typical’ symptoms of fever (69%), cough (68%) and shortness of breath (66%) were the most commonly reported. 92% of patients experienced at least one of these. Prevalence of typical symptoms was greatest in 30- to 60-year-olds (respectively 80, 79, 69%; at least one 95%). They were reported less frequently in children (≤ 18 years: 69, 48, 23; 85%), older adults (≥ 70 years: 61, 62, 65; 90%), and women (66, 66, 64; 90%; vs. men 71, 70, 67; 93%, each P < 0.001). The most common atypical presentations under 60 years of age were nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain, and over 60 years was confusion. Regression models showed significant differences in symptoms with sex, age and country. Interpretation: This international collaboration has allowed us to report reliable symptom data from the largest cohort of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Adults over 60 and children admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are less likely to present with typical symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are common atypical presentations under 30 years. Confusion is a frequent atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults over 60 years. Women are less likely to experience typical symptoms than men

Prerigor Injection Using Glycolytic Inhibitors in Low-Quality Beef Muscles

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of prerigor injection of several glycolytic inhibitors on pH, color, tenderness, and related traits of low-value beef cuts. The semimembranosus, triceps brachii, and supraspinatus muscles from each of 10 steer carcasses were removed 1 h postmortem. Control samples remained in the carcass at 2°C for 24 h. Prerigor muscles were injected and tumbled with 10% (by weight) of one of four solutions: sodium citrate (NaC; 200mM), sodium fluoride (NaF; 200mM), sodium acetate (NaA; 200 mM), and calcium chloride (CaCl2; 300 mM). All muscles treated with NaC and NaF showed the highest pH and glycogen content (P \u3c 0.05), indicating that glycolysis was inhibited. Injection of NaC in semimembranosus and supraspinatus produced the tenderest meat (P \u3c 0.05), showing a greater increase in tenderization at 3 d than at 7 d postmortem. Treatment did not affect color or oxidation-reduction potential, but all treated muscles tended to be more oxidative (higher oxidation-reduction potential). Sodium citrate was identified as a potential compound to enhance tenderness of prerigor muscle without altering color. Further studies are required to investigate its effect on palatability traits and to provide a basis for commercial application of the process