Mycotoxins in Wheat and Mitigation Measures

Latest estimates for world cereal production in 2015 and EU‐28 production in 2014 are approximately 2540 and 323 mil tons, respectively. The FAO estimated that the global wheat consumption is about 66 kg/per capita. Among the most important risks associated with wheat consumption are mycotoxins. It has been estimated that up to 25% of the world\u27s crops grown for food and feed may be contaminated with mycotoxins. Despite efforts in controlling fungal growth, mycotoxin co‐contamination represents an unavoidable risk, occurring pre‐ and postharvest and resulting in reduced nutritional value and possible risks for human and animal health. In addition to health risks, mycotoxins have a detrimental effect on the quality and the processing performance of wheat. Mitigation measures to manage the challenge of mycotoxins in wheat include strategies at pre‐ and postharvest. Preharvest events are predominantly dictated by environmental factors and good agronomic/cultural practices, whereas storage and processing are the major areas where contamination can be prevented at postharvest. Integrating as many management options as possible may minimize the risk of mycotoxin contamination in wheat and wheat products

The contribution of dietary magnesium in farm animals and human nutrition

Magnesium (Mg) is a mineral that plays an essential role as cofactor of more than 300 enzymes. Mg in farm animals’ and human nutrition is recommended to avoid Mg deficiency, ensure adequate growth and health maintenance. Mg supplementation above the estimated minimum requirements is the best practice to improve farm animals’ performances (fertility and yield) and food products’ quality, since the performance of farm animals has grown in recent decades. Mg supplementation in pigs increases meat quality and sows’ fertility; in poultry, it helps to avoid deficiency-related health conditions and to improve meat quality and egg production by laying hens; in dairy cows, it serves to avoid grass tetany and milk fever, two conditions related to hypomagnesaemia, and to support their growth. Thus, Mg supplementation increases food products’ quality and prevents Mg deficiency in farm animals, ensuring an adequate Mg content in animal-source food. These latter are excellent Mg sources in human diets. Sub-optimal Mg intake by humans has several implications in bone development, muscle function, and health maintenance. This review summarizes the main knowledge about Mg in farm animals and in human nutrition

Does antenatal depression predict post-partum depression and obstetric complications? Results from a longitudinal, long-term, real-world study

BackgroundMain aims of the present paper are to: (1) assess the prevalence of antenatal depression (AD) and identify its predictors; (2) analyse the impact of AD on obstetric outcomes and on the incidence of post-partum depression.MethodsAll pregnant women referring to the Gynecology and Obstetrics inpatients unit of the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli” were invited to participate. Upon acceptance, women completed the Italian version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and an ad-hoc questionnaire on the women's sociodemographic, gynecological and peripartum characteristics as well as their psychiatric history. Women were assessed at each trimester of pregnancy, immediately after the childbirth and after one, three, 6 and 11 months.Results268 pregnant women were recruited, with a mean of 32.2 (±5.81) years. Ninety-seven women (36.2%) reported the presence of depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Predictors of AD were personal history of depression, a family history for depressive disorders and problematic relationships with the partner. The presence of AD was associated to a reduced gestational age at the time of delivery, a lower APGAR score at 1 and 5 min, labor induction and admission of the new-born into neonatal intensive care unit. Mothers with antenatal depression are less likely to natural breastfeed. Lastly, antenatal depression was a risk factor for higher EPDS scores at follow-ups.ConclusionsOur results support the idea that women should be screened during pregnancy and post-partum for the presence of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Health professionals should be adequately trained to detect psychiatric symptoms during pregnancy

Influence of Traditional vs Alternative Dietary Carbohydrates Sources on the Large Intestinal Microbiota in Post-Weaning Piglets

In this study, common cereal grains were partially replaced by former foodstuffs products (FFPs) in post-weaning piglets’ diets, to investigate how these alternative ingredients influence the faecal microbiota in the post-weaning period. Twelve post-weaning piglets were housed for 16 days in individual pens and were then fed two diets: a standard wheat-barley-corn meal diet and a diet containing 30% FFPs, thus partially substituting conventional cereals. The growth performance was monitored and faecal microbiota was characterized by the next generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The results showed no detrimental effects on growth performance when FFPs were used. However, the FFP diet decreased the bacterial richness and evenness in the large intestine, while minor differences were observed in the taxa composition. The core microbiota composition was only slightly affected, and no differences between the two groups in the gut microbiota composition at the phylum level over time were observed. Thus, although these results should be interpreted with caution, as they are case-specific, FFPs can be potentially used as alternative carbohydrate sources in post-weaning piglets, but further investigations are necessary to clarify their impact on gut health when used for a longer period

Caractéristiques du transport électrogénique du glucose dans l'intestin grêle des porcs à l'engraissement

International audienceSeveral studies demonstrated that in pigs, the jejunum is the segment of the small intestine in which the most Na 2+-dependent glucose transport occurs, probably due to greater expression of Na 2+-dependent glucose co-transporter 1 (SGLT1) protein there than in other intestinal segments. However, the efficiency of intestinal glucose uptake in the jejunum and ileum has yet to be deeply investigated. The present study investigated the glucose absorption capacity of the jejunum and ileum segments of finishing pigs. Short-circuit currents (Isc) and trans-epithelial resistance (TEER) were studied in jejunum and ileum segments obtained from 100 kg Swiss Large White pigs and mounted in Ussing chambers in the presence of 5 mmol/l of D-Glucose (Glu). In parallel, the expression of SGLT1 protein was assessed. Glucose uptake was higher (P = 0.002) in the ileum than in the jejunum, as indicated by the glucoseuptake-derived Isc values (17.2 and 4.59 µA, respectively), while no differences (P > 0.05) in TEER values were observed. Despite the difference in glucose uptake, no difference (P > 0.05) in SGLT1 protein expression were found between the two segments. Similar results were found in weaned piglets, in which more efficient ileal glucose absorption did not correspond to greater SGLT1 protein expression. For this reason, further investigations of a potential difference in regulation of SGLT1 activity between the two intestinal segments are needed.L'absorption des nutriments et des minéraux est une fonction majeure de l'intestin grêle chez les animaux monogastriques et les humains. L'absorption intestinale nécessite une interaction équilibrée entre les capteurs, les transporteurs épithéliaux et les canaux ioniques. Le transport du glucose, de la lumière intestinale vers la circulation sanguine, en est un exemple classique. Le co-transporteur de glucose électrogène sodium-dépendant 1 (SGLT1) est le principal médiateur de l'absorption du glucose (Balen et al., 2008) et son abondance apicale est rapidement modifiée et adaptée aux besoins réels de transport (Moran et al., 2010). Les niveaux de base de SGLT1 varient le long de l’intestin grêle et il a été démontré que l'expression protéique de SGLT1 était plus élevée dans le jéjunum de porc que dans leur iléum (Moran et al., 2010). En ce qui concerne ces résultats chez les porcs et d'autres espèces, la plupart des études sur le transport du glucose se sont concentrées sur les tissus jéjunaux qui sont considérés comme le site principal d'absorption du glucose. Cependant, une autre étude sur des porcelets sevrés de différentes races a révélé que l'expression de SGLT1 étaient significativement plus élevées dans l'iléon porcin que dans leur jéjunum (von Heimendahl et al., 2010). Sur la base de ces données, le but de la présente étude était de caractériser plus en détail le transport du glucose jéjunal et iléal chez les porcs en engraissement par une étude d'absorption à travers des mesures électro physiologiques et des analyses d’expression de protéines. Les études futures se concentreront sur l'activité SGLT1 pour compléter les résultats

Electrogenic transport of amino acids and glucose differs between jejunum and ileum of female and castrated male finishing pigs

It has been shown that the jejunum represents the most important site for the nutrient’s absorption in several species. However, in pigs, this information seems to be controversial and limited information are available about differences in intestinal physiology between female and castrated male pigs. The trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and the active uptake of L-glutamate (L-Glu), L-arginine (L-Arg), L-methionine (L-Met) and D-glucose (D-Glu) in the jejunum and ileum of female (n = 5) and castrated male (n = 7) pigs fed a protein-restricted grower and finisher diet (128 and 112 g of crude protein/kg dry matter) were investigated. The intestine segments were collected at slaughter and mounted in Ussing chambers. Results were further investigated by protein expression analysis of the D-Glu transporter Sodium-dependent Glucose Transporter 1 (SGLT1) and using serum creatinine, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) and serum glucose concentrations measurements as indicators of muscle mass deposition and metabolic status of the animals. A linear mixed-effects regression (Lme4) model was used for data analysis. Independent of sex, the uptake of both L-Met and D-Glu was higher (p < 0.001) in the ileum than in the jejunum (2.1- and 3.6-fold increases, respectively). The L-Arg uptake was higher (p = 0.001) in females compared to castrates (1.9-fold increase). No significant differences were observed between the segments in the SGLT1 protein expression, regardless of sex. Serum measurements were also not significantly different between the female and castrates. This study suggests that the ileum has an important role in the active uptake of amino acids and D-Glu uptake and differences exist between female and castrated finishing pigs

A Single Dose of Synbiotics and Vitamins at Birth Affects Piglet Microbiota before Weaning and Modifies Post-Weaning Performance

Early-life microbial colonization is an important driver for the development and maturation of the gut. The present study aimed to determine whether a single-dose supplement given only at birth would improve piglet performance and modify their fecal microbiota during the suckling and post-weaning periods. At birth, piglets from eight litters received a supplement (SUP+) while piglets from six other litters received water (SUP&minus;). All piglets were monitored until two weeks post-weaning, and fecal samples were collected on Day 16 of age and two weeks post-weaning (Day 39 &plusmn; 1). The supplementation resulted in an improvement of average daily gain during the whole experimental period, mainly due to a better growth and a reduction in the incidence of diarrhea in the post-weaning period. There were no differences in the abundance and diversity of the main taxa, although the supplementation increased the relative abundance of rare taxa, such as bacteria from the Saccharibacteria and Cyanobacteria phyla, and the Lentisphaeria class in the suckling period. In addition, at 16 days of age, SUP+ piglets had a more diverse core microbiota, with bacteria from the Lactobacillus genus being present in the core microbiota of SUP+ piglets and absent from SUP&minus; piglets. Therefore, the enhanced growth performance and reduction in diarrhea seem to be related to changes in fecal microbiota during the suckling period rather than at two weeks post-weaning

Flex 4 Cookbook: Real-world recipes for developing Rich Internet Applications

With this collection of proven recipes, you have the ideal problem-solving guide for developing interactive Rich Internet Applications on the Adobe Flash Platform. You'll find answers to hundreds of common problems you may encounter when using Adobe Flex, Flex 4 Framework, or Flash Builder, Adobe's GUI-based development tool. Flex 4 Cookbook has hands-on recipes for everything from Flex basics to solutions for working with visual components and data access, as well as tips on application development, unit testing, and Adobe AIR. Each recipe provides an explanation of how and why it works, a

Effect of Supplementing Hydrolysable Tannins to a Grower–Finisher Diet Containing Divergent PUFA Levels on Growth Performance, Boar Taint Levels in Back Fat and Intestinal Microbiota of Entire Males

A retrospective data analysis suggested that the levels of boar taint compounds depend on the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) level of the adipose tissue (AT) being significantly greater in the unsaturated AT. In addition, we recently reported that hydrolysable tannins (HTs) offered to entire males (EMs) reduce skatole and, to a greater extent, indole levels in the AT. Thus, the objective of the study was to determine the impact of HTs and a high dietary level of PUFA on growth performance and board taint compounds in EMs. In addition, the interaction between PUFA and HTs on gut microbiota and its link to intestinal skatole and indole production was investigated. At 25 kg BW, 44 EM originating from 11 litters were randomly assigned within litter to four dietary treatments. Two basal grower (25&ndash;60 kg BW) and finisher (60&ndash;105 kg BW) diets containing either 2% soy oil (H = high PUFA level) or 2% tallow (L = low PUFA level) were formulated. The H and L diets were either supplemented (H+/L+) or not (H&minus;/L&minus;) with 3% chestnut extract containing 50% HTs. The pigs had ad libitum access to the diets and were slaughtered at 170 days of age. The microbiota composition was investigated through the 16S rRNA gene sequences obtained by next-generation sequencing (Illumia MiSeq platform, San Diego, CA, USA) and analyzed with a specific packages in R, version 3.5.0. Regardless of the PUFA content, the EMs fed the H+ diets were 2% (p &lt; 0.01) less feed efficient overall. This was due to the slower (p = 0.01) growth in the finisher period despite similar feed intake. Carcass characteristics were not affected by the diets. Regardless of HT feeding, the PUFA level in the AT of the H pigs was 10% greater (p = 0.05) than in the L pigs. The indole level tended (p = 0.08) to be 50% lower in the H+ group. Surprisingly, the pigs that were fed diet H&minus; had greater skatole levels than those fed diet L&minus;, with intermediate skatole levels in the H+ and L+. Independent of the PUFA level, the HTs decreased bacteria abundance and qualitatively affected the microbiota composition. In conclusion, these data do not confirm that boar taint compound levels were related to PUFA levels in the AT. However, HTs can be considered to be a promising alternative to conventional antibacterial additives, with no detrimental effects on pig gut health and with appealing properties for reducing the synthesis of the main components of boar taint

Cereal Industry: e-Nose for Real Time and Online Quality and Safety Control and Management

In the cereal industry, the on-site safety and quality of products and by- products need to be continuously monitored. At the industrial level, the main question is the choice of the best analytical method for a practical purpose enabling “decision-making” regarding the acceptance or rejection of a lot and the insurance of quality standards. Regular, economical, straightforward cereal tests with regard to a rapid and accurate diagnosis of food quality and safety are needed. The objective of this idea is to set up an electronic nose (e-nose) for the safety and quality evaluation of cereal products and by-products, focusing on mycotoxin contamination. The final goal is to evaluate the potential application of the e-nose technology as an on-line continuous monitoring and controlling tool in cereal processing, in particular wheat milling. E-nose could be integrated with other on-line analysis devices in a technological platform for monitoring and controlling food quality. Multi-sensor-devices and multi-sensor- data-fusion technology have a great potential value to the food industry to ensure that cereal products and by-products meet specifications according to their specific use