The Antioxidant Capacity of Rosemary and Green Tea Extracts to Replace the Carcinogenic Antioxidant (BHA) in Chicken Burgers

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of natural extracts (rosemary and green tea extracts) in frozen storage of chicken burgers. Chicken burger treatments were prepared as follows: control (CON), 20 mg BHA/kg (BHA20), 10 mg green tea extract/kg (GT10), 38 mg green tea extract/kg (GT38), 18.6 mg rosemary extract/kg (RO18), and 480 mg rosemary extract/kg (RO480). Analysis of physicochemical parameters, color, TBAR index, and sensory acceptance were performed at 0, 30, 60, and 120 days of storage at −18°C in burgers packaged in LDPE plastic bags. The addition of natural antioxidants did not affect (p>0.05) the color and physicochemical parameters of the chicken burgers. After 120 days at −18°C, the RO480 sample showed a TBAR index similar (p>0.05) to BHA20 (0.423 and 0.369 mg, resp.). Sensory acceptance did not differ (p>0.05) among the treatments throughout the storage period (p>0.05)

Microbiological quality of whole and filleted shelf-tilapia

Despite fish being a rich source of animal nutrients and having numerous associated health benefits, it is an extremely perishable food, prone to a wide range of hazards. The bacterial load associated with shelf-whole-fish organs (e.g. digestive tracts and skin) or mishandling of fish may be a vehicle of infection and become a risk to public health. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the microbiological quality of whole ungutted and filleted shelf-tilapia, as well as assess the safety for human consumption. For this purpose, in order to investigate the distribution and occurrence of bacterial populations, the count of total and thermotolerant coliforms, coagulase-positive Staphylococcus and presence of Salmonella spp. was determined. This paper shows that all fish organs were contaminated with thermotolerant coliform. Skin and fillet show higher populations and occurrence of all microorganisms analyzed. Lower bacterial populations were recovered from the gut and muscles of whole tilapia. Two samples of fillet were contaminated with coagulase-positive Staphylococcus. It can be concluded that the skin and filleted tilapia are important carriers of food-borne pathogens. In addition, fish might become an important cross and self-contamination source. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome in Patients Hospitalized for Acute Decompensation of Cirrhosis

Background. Although recently challenged, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria are still commonly used in daily practice to define sepsis. However, several factors in liver cirrhosis may negatively impact its prognostic ability. Goals. To investigate the factors associated with the presence of SIRS, the characteristics of SIRS related to infection, and its prognostic value among patients hospitalized for acute decompensation of cirrhosis. Study. In this cohort study from two tertiary hospitals, 543 patients were followed up, up to 90 days. Data collection, including the prognostic models, was within 48 hours of admission. Results. SIRS was present in 42.7% of the sample and was independently associated with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGB), ACLF, infection, and negatively related to beta-blockers. SIRS was associated with mortality in univariate analysis, but not in multiple Cox regression analysis. The Kaplan–Meier survival probability of patients without SIRS was 73.0% and for those with SIRS was 64.7%. The presence of SIRS was not significantly associated with mortality when considering patients with or without infection, separately. Infection in SIRS patients was independently associated with Child-Pugh C and inversely related to UGB. Among subjects with SIRS, mortality was independently related to the presence of infection, ACLF, and Child-Pugh C. Conclusions. SIRS was common in hospitalized patients with cirrhosis and was of no prognostic value, even in the presence of infection