Minor and potentially toxic trace elements in milk and blood serum of dairy donkeys

The aim of this trial was to study the concentration of Ti, V, As, Rb, Sr, Mo, Cd, Cs, and Pb in donkey milk and blood serum. One hundred twelve individual milk and blood serum samples were collected from 16 lactating donkeys (Martina-Franca-derived population; 6 to 12 yr old; 3 to 7 parities; average live weight 205.4kg; 32 to 58 d after foaling at the beginning of the trial) during a 3-mo-long experiment. The samples were analyzed for the aforementioned elements by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Feedstuff and drinking water were also analyzed for the investigated elements. Data were processed by ANOVA for repeated measures. Average milk concentrations (±SD) of Ti, Rb, Sr, Mo, Cs, and Pb were 77.3 (±7.7), 339.1 (±82.1), 881.7 (±270.4), 4.5 (±1.6), 0.49 (±0.09), and 3.2 (±2.7) μg/L, respectively. More than 80% of samples were below the limit of detection for V, As, and Cd in milk and for Cd, and Pb in blood serum. The lower bound calculated for milk V, As, and Cd was 0.03μg/L for the 3 elements, the upper bound was calculated at 0.23, 0.10, and 0.31μg/L and the maximum value was observed at 0.54, 0.15, and 0.51μg/L, respectively. The average milk concentrations of Ti, Rb, Sr, Mo, and Cs were 600, 458, 346, 16, and 294%, respectively, than those of blood serum. Yet, Cs concentrations were in the same order of magnitude in milk and serum. Moderate to strong positive and significant correlation coefficients were observed between milk and blood serum concentrations for Ti, Rb, Sr, and Cs. The effect of the stage of lactation was significant for all the investigated elements in milk and blood serum, but most of the elements showed only small changes or inconsistent trends, and only the concentrations of Rb and Sr showed decreasing trends both in milk and blood serum. The relationship between milk and blood serum element concentrations indicates that the mammary gland plays a role in determining the milk concentrations of Mo, Ti, Rb, Sr, Mo, and Cs. In the current experimental conditions, in agreement with the low levels in drinking water and feedstuff, donkey milk concentration of potentially toxic elements was very low and did not raise health concerns for human consumption

Preliminary Data on the Suitability of Alkaline Phosphatase Use as Pasteurization Indicator for Donkey Milk

Donkey milk is a nutraceutical food that is becoming quite popular, especially in Mediterranean countries. Nevertheless, limited data exist on the safety of donkey milk. The European food hygiene regulations require pasteurized milk to show a negative reaction to an alkaline phosphatase test immediately after such treatment. This study aimed to assess whether alkaline phosphatase test is an adequate and suitable indicator of pasteurization specifically for donkey milk. Fresh donkey milk was collected from a farm in Greece, and the evaluation of the thermal inactivation of alkaline phosphatase was performed with various temperature and time combinations. A commercially available qualitative test for alkaline phosphatase detection in milk was used to assess its presence, while in parallel, samples were microbiologically tested (total viable count, Enterobacteriaceae, molds, and yeasts) using standard International Organization for Standardization methods. The main preliminary finding of this study was that alkaline phosphatase was deactivated in thermal combination of 56°C for 30 minutes which significantly differs from the classical ones used for pasteurization. The microbiological results, though, presented very low counts in raw and processed donkey milk. Alkaline phosphatase may not be suitable as a pasteurization indicator for donkey milk, and alternatives should be investigated. Copyright@Author(s) - Available online at actavet.org

Analysis of 20 year data for the assessment of dietary exposure to chemical contaminants in the region of Thessaly, Greece

Food safety is a key issue for the modern consumer who is often exposed through diet to a variety of hazardous agents. The presence of chemical contaminants in food is an important risk factor with potential serious consequences in consumer's health. Therefore, assessing the extend of consumer's exposure to chemical contaminants is an important parameter in the context of food hazard analysis. Dietary exposure is determined by correlating the eating habits of a population group with the levels of contaminants in food. The purpose of this study was to assess the dietary exposure of the general population to a variety of chemical contaminants by combining questionnaire-based food consumption data with concentration of certain chemicals in foodstuffs. In a sample of 403 people living in Thessaly, their nutritional habits were recorded using the Nutrition Frequency Questionnaire, through a telephone interview. Regarding the data collection on the residues of various chemical pollutants (toxic metals, mycotoxins, biotoxins, dioxins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, veterinary drugs) in foodstuffs of the Greek market, studies and reports from 2000 to 2020 were used. The combination of the daily consumption of food and beverages, with their contamination concentrations in chemical pollutants, led to the assessment of the dietary intake of chemical pollutants. The analysis of the results showed that the examined sample maintains several elements of the Mediterranean diet, such as the daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, milk and dairy products. Chemical contaminants in food produced/marketed in Greece were generally below the acceptable limits, while cereals, fish, fruit, vegetables and alcohol seem to contribute mostly to the human chemical exposure. Gender and age affected the overall dietary intake of pollutants, with women presenting the highest overall nutritional exposure compared to men in all categories of pollutants. Elderly individuals (ages +65) showed a higher, in general, intake of the contaminants evaluated. This study reveals the necessity for monitoring the levels of various chemical contaminants in all food groups, in order to have a valid base of assessing the risk of human exposure. © 2022 Elsevier Lt

Chemical, Microbiological, and Sensory Analysis Benefits Leading to Shelf-Life Extension of Minced Beef Meat Using Essential Oil of Oregano Contained in Xanthan Gum and Guar Gum Edible Coating

In the present study, the effect of oregano essential oil, which is contained in xanthan gum and guar gum edible coating, was investigated in regard to its ability to assist with the preservation and the extension of the shelf life of minced beef meat when stored at 4 °C. Minced beef meat samples were coated with a mixture of xanthan gum and guar gum containing oregano essential oil at various levels (1–3%). The coated samples were compared with the control sample (uncoated) for bacteriological (i.e., total viable count, coliforms, and Enterobacteriaceae), physicochemical (pH), and sensorial properties (color and odor) on specific storage days (0, 3, 6, 9, and 12). There was greater microbial growth noted in the uncoated minced beef meat in comparison to the coated ones. Odor, color, and overall acceptability were significantly improved in the coated samples (p < 0.05). The chemical, bacteriological, and sensory analyses that were performed, evidenced the benefits that edible coating with oregano essential oil may have on the shelf life and quality of minced beef meat. © 2022 by the authors

Donkey Milk

This article describes the origins and main characteristics of donkey milk i.e., chemical composition, microbiological status as well as the processing methods employed (thermal vs non-thermal), including milk fermentation and innovative products. The functionality/bioactivity of raw milk, fermented milk and the effect of processing are also discussed. Finally clinical studies are presented giving an account on potential positive health benefits to consumers (i.e., infants/children) who suffer from bovine milk allergies