Biochemical survey on episodic localized darkening in Turkey deboned thigh meat packaged in modified atmosphere

Abstract The color of food, especially meat and meat products, is a parameter that strongly influences consumer choice. In Italy, repeated cases of darkening in deboned thigh meat of male turkeys packaged in modified atmosphere (MAP; 80% 02, 20% CO2) have been reported. The pH, lipid oxidation (TBARS), heme proteins, and iron content were investigated in MAP samples of turkey males, females, and in oxygen-permeable film-packaged males. Furthermore, the absorbance spectrum (400 to 700 nm) of the meat extracts was analyzed to better delineate the evolution and characteristics of the darkening process. Results showed that darkening occurred only in males with higher content of total iron, independently of the content of heme proteins, which differs only between males and females. Furthermore, pH was higher in muscles taken as controls, with respect to muscles involved in the darkening, as well as in females. Finally, TBARS values were found to be higher in darkened regions than in not darkened ones, as well as in MAP samples with respect to oxygen-permeable film-packaged samples. These findings suggest that darkening occurrence might depend on kind of muscle, sex, and individual characteristics of the animals raised under the same breeding conditions

DEVELOPMENT OF A PCR-RFLP METOD FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF SIX SPECIES BELONGING TO THE GENUS LOPHIUS

Nowadays, six of the seven species belonging to the Genus Lophius have an important commercial value in the national and international markets. Usually they are sold beheaded and for this reason they are called tails. This kind of preparation is a limit for the specie-identification by means of the morphological characteristics. The mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene is considered a useful genetic marker to identify fish species. In this work, after obtaining the Cyt b complete sequence of the Lophius species that were missed in the databases, we set up a method based on PCR-RFLP able to identify the six species of Lophius with a commercial denomination in the Italian market

A SURVEY ON THE FRAUDULENT USE OF ANABOLIC SUBSTANCES IN BOVINES SLAUGHTERED IN MOLISE

An investigation has been performed on the fraudulent use of anabolic substances in the Region of Molise. One hundred fourty-four bovines (12-24 months old, 123 males and 21 females) have been included in the survey. Ante-mortem assessment on their behaviour and clinical analysis on some target organs were carried out. After slaughtering, samples of prostate, bulbo-urethral glands, Bartholin's glands, mammary gland, ovaries, thymus and thyroid were collected and processed for an anatomo-histopathological evaluation, as suggested in the guidelines of the Italian National Plan for Residues (PNR) 2009. Overall, the 15% of the subjects analysed have been classified as "suspect", whereas the 44% as "uncertain" and the remaining 59% as "negative". The lesion most frequently found was a serious atrophy of the thymic parenchyma with fat infiltration (15% of males and 14% of females), suggesting a prevalence of an illegal use of cortisonic drugs

MEAT QUALITY OF LOCAL AND HYBRID RABBITS

pH, colour and oxidative status were evaluated to study the effect of rabbit genotype on meat quality. Commercial Hybrids, selected for high growth rate and a local population, characterized by slow growing, were used. Meat quality characteristics of L. lumborum and B. femoris muscles showed significant differences between genotypes. Local population had higher pHu values but lower pH fall values than Hybrids. Hybrids showed higher lightness values and TBARS contents than local population. Meat quality parameters were influenced by genotype. The differences between genotypes could be related to the different degree of maturity because the rabbits, in relation to the different growth rate, were slaughtered at the same weight but at different age

what happened in china after the melamin crisis

Recently, many changes have been introduced in the food safety control organization of the People's Republic of China, pushed by important international events to be held within the Country and some big scandals, such as the "melamine milk crisis". The old "law on food hygiene" of 1995 has been replaced by the "law for food safety" in 2009, to reorganize in particular, the arrangement and responsibilities of the Institutions that operate in this field. In particular, the National Council for Food Safety has been created. It represents the highest authority in the matter, for legislation and investigation on food concerns and coordination of the aforesaid Institutions. However, notwithstanding the many steps ahead, many efforts remain to be performed especially in terms of formation of the food business operators and to solve complex problems, such as the big fragmentation of the primary production, which, at present, would need a huge extent of human and financial resources for the control system

MOLECULAR CHARACTERIAZATION OF CHINESE IMPORTED FISH (ICEFISH)

Neosalanx spp and Protosalanx spp are two genuses belonging to the fish family of Salangidae that are caught in China and commercialised abroad with the name of Ice fish or silver fish. Because of their morphological resemblance to some valuable fish products sold on our national market (know as Bianchetto and Rossetto), the Icefish is sometimes involved in commercial frauds. The number of species of the aforesaid genuses are several and sometimes difficult to identify. However, the deep exploitation of the Salangids in China brought to a sharp prevalence of the specie Neosalanx taihuensis on the others, which should be the main if not the only specie imported in Italy. In this work, we analysed the DNA sequences of the cytochrome b of a number of Icefish samples collected both in Italy and in China, to evaluate the species which are actually imported, in order to develop, in the future, a single step molecular analysis for the identification of substitution frauds.

MICROBIOLOGICAL SURVEY ON JELLYFISH FOOD PRODUCTS: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

A microbiological survey was performed on ten brined jellyfish products, sampled in Italy from Chinese food markets. In general, the microbiological conditions were good and respected the standards contemplated in the regulations CE 2073/2005 e 1441/2007. The presence of inhibiting substances and the absence of aerobic mesophilic bacteria in two samples suggest a treatment to preserve the product

DEVELOPMENT OF A PCR-RFLP METOD FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF SIX SPECIES BELONGING TO THE GENUS LOPHIUS

Nowadays, six of the seven species belonging to the Genus Lophius have an important commercial value in the national and international markets. Usually they are sold beheaded and for this reason they are called tails. This kind of preparation is a limit for the specie-identification by means of the morphological characteristics. The mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene is considered a useful genetic marker to identify fish species. In this work, after obtaining the Cyt b complete sequence of the Lophius species that were missed in the databases, we set up a method based on PCR-RFLP able to identify the six species of Lophius with a commercial denomination in the Italian market

MITOCHONDRIAL CYTOCHROME B SEQUENCING OF LOPHIUS VOMERINUS (Valenciennes, 1837)

The Genus Lophius, belonging to the Lophiidae Family and commercially called anglerfish, has an important commercial value in the national and international markets. The seven species of the Genus are very similar and it is difficult to identify them by means of the traditional taxonomic methods also because fish are often commercialized decapitated. DNA analysis is one of the most useful tools for identifying animal species. In this work, in order to provide some more information on the DNA sequence of the aforesaid species, we use some universal primers to amplify the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of Lophius vomerinus (Valenciennes, 1837) and obtained the complete sequence by sequencing of PCR products

ALTERATION OF GENE EXPRESSION IN LEUKOCYTES FROM RECOMBINANT SOMATOTROPIN TREATED ANIMALS: SEARCHING FOR INSPECTION INDICATORS

Besides immunochemical approaches, biomolecular studies can be carried out in order to discover a greater number of biological indicators to be exploited for the identification of bovines treated with recombinant somatotropin (rbST). With this aim, we analysed the expression of a number of genes related to the somatotropic axis in leucocytes from rbST treated cows and non-treated animals. Significant differences were observed in the genes IGF-1,IGFBP-1, IGFBP-4 and the I- 5'UTR variant of the GHR gene