Improving yield and composition of protein concentrates from green tea residue in an agri-food supply chain: Effect of pre-treatment

Rather than improving crop-production yield, developing biorefinery technology for unused biomass from the agri-food supply chain may be the crucial factor to reach sustainable global food security. A successful example of food-driven biorefinery is the extraction of protein from green tea residues, however, alkali usage is high and the resulting low protein quality limits its application. The research objective was to investigate the influence of pre-treatments with ethanol, Viscozyme® L and/or H2O2 on the subsequent alkaline protein extraction, and on their possible products for food applications. Polyphenols and/or pigments can be obtained by ethanol pre-treatment. Galacturonic acid and glucose can be obtained using Viscozyme® L. Pre-treatments using ethanol or Viscozyme® L individually reduced alkali consumption by 25% and improved protein extraction yield and purity. Their combination has the best effect. Additionally, pre-treatment using 50% ethanol reduced browning by 59% while pre-treatment using Viscozyme® L increased contents of arginine, threonine, and serine in the final alkaline protein extract. H2O2 pre-treatment had a negative effect on the alkaline protein extraction. These pre-treatments and protein extraction can be added to the existing process

Data underlying the publication: Mucosal expression of Ca and P transporters and claudins in the small intestine of broilers is altered by dietary Ca:P in a limestone particle size dependent manner.

Effect of limestone particle size and inclusion level on duodenal and jejunal mucosal expression of Ca and P transporters and claudins in broilers was tested in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement. Two limestone sources, coarse (mean particle size 1062 µm) vs. fine (mean particle size 160 µm), were separated from the same limestone limestone products via sieving. These two limestone sources were then added to a basal diet at three inclusion levels, resulting in Ca/P ratio 0.50, 1.00 and 1.75 in the experimental diets (dietary P content was fixed at 5.5 g/kg in the basal diet). Experimental diets were provided on day 14 onwards, and on day 20 and 21 three birds per replicate pen were randomly selected for collection of duodenal and jejunal mucosa. mRNA expression of Ca- and P-related transporters and claudins in the duodenal and jejunal mucosa were determined on individual bird level using RT-PCR. For more details about the experimental design, please see the paper “Mucosal expression of Ca and P transporters and claudins in the small intestine of broilers is altered by dietary Ca:P in a limestone particle size dependent manner”

The economic feasibility of seaweed production in the North Sea

<p>Seaweeds are increasingly seen as an alternative to land-grown products in food and feed applications. Interest in production of seaweeds in temperate waters is rising, in particular in combination with offshore wind energy generation. This article reports an investigation of the economic feasibility of seaweed production in the North Sea using economic modelling. Often, an overly positive picture of the costs and benefits of seaweed production is sketched. Based on current available information, offshore seaweed production in the North Sea is not economically feasible. Sensitivity analysis shows that revenues would have to increase by roughly 300%, all other things equal, to make a profit. A number of opportunities to improve the economic feasibility of a North Sea seaweed value chain are identified. Technical innovation and the design of systems that enable multiple harvests per year can reduce production costs. Successful marketing of seaweed as human food, and the development of biorefinery concepts can increase the value of the produced seaweed.</p

High dietary Ca and microbial phytase reduce the expression of Ca transporters while enhancing claudins involved in paracellular Ca absorption in the porcine jejunum and colon

Expression levels of genes (RT-qPCR) related to Ca and P homeostasis (transporters and claudins (CLDN)) were determined in porcine jejunal and colonic mucosa. Forty growing pigs (BW 30·4 (sem 1·3) kg) received a low and high Ca content (2·0 and 9·6 g/kg, respectively) diet with or without microbial phytase (500 FTU/kg) for 21 d. Dietary Ca intake enhanced serum Ca and alkaline phosphatase concentration and reduced P, 1,25(OH)2D3, and parathyroid hormone concentration. Jejunal transient receptor potential vanilloid 5 (TRPV5) mRNA expression was decreased (32%) with phytase inclusion only, while colonic TRPV5 mRNA was reduced by dietary Ca (34%) and phytase (44%). Both jejunal and colonic TRPV6 mRNA expression was reduced (30%) with microbial phytase. Calbindin-D9k mRNA expression was lower in colonic but not jejunal mucosa with high dietary Ca (59%) and microbial phytase (37%). None of the mRNAs encoding the Na–P cotransporters (NaPi-IIc, PiT-1, PiT-2) were affected. Jejunal, but not colonic expression of the phosphate transporter XPR1, was slightly downregulated with dietary Ca. Dietary Ca downregulated colonic CLDN-4 (20%) and CLDN-10 (40%) expression while CLDN-7 was reduced by phytase inclusion in pigs fed low dietary Ca. Expression of colonic CLDN-12 tended to be increased by phytase. In jejunal mucosa, dietary Ca increased CLDN-2 expression (48%) and decreased CLDN-10 (49%) expression, while phytase slightly upregulated CLDN-12 expression. In conclusion, compared with a Ca-deficient phytase-free diet, high dietary Ca and phytase intake in pigs downregulate jejunal and colonic genes related to transcellular Ca absorption and upregulate Ca pore-forming claudins

Providing organic macro minerals and an elevated platform improved tibia characteristics, and increased locomotion and performance of fast- and slower-growing broilers

Improving leg health will support broiler health and welfare. Known factors to improve leg health are: replacing inorganic by organic macro minerals in the diet, providing environmental enrichments and using slower-growing broilers. However, it remains unknown how fast- and slower-growing broilers respond to a combination of providing organic macro minerals and an elevated platform as enrichment with regard to leg health. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify whether a combined treatment of organic macro minerals and a platform affected leg health, tibia characteristics, behavior and performance of fast- and slower-growing broilers in a semicommercial setting. The experiment had a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, with 12.800 fast-growing (Ross 308) and 12.800 slower-growing (Hubbard JA757) broilers that were randomly allocated to a control (i.e., inorganic macro minerals without enrichment) or adapted treatment (i.e., organic macro minerals and a platform). Broilers were housed in groups of 800 per pen (47.5 m2), with 8 replicates per treatment (total of 32 pens). Performance was measured weekly and over the total rearing period. Behavior was observed via scan sampling at a target weight of 0.6 and 1.9 kg for both breeds. Walking ability (gait score), footpad dermatitis, and hock burn were assessed in 10 broilers per pen just prior to slaughter weight. Leg disorders and tibia characteristics were assessed in the same broilers at slaughter weight (2.3 kg). Hardly any interaction effects between breed and treatment were found on leg health, tibia characteristics, behavior or performance, suggesting fast- and slower-growing broilers responded to the treatment similarly. The adapted treatment improved tibia characteristics, and increased locomotion and performance, but did not affect leg disorders, walking ability or contact dermatitis in both fast- and slower-growing broilers. The positive effects of the adapted treatment on tibia characteristics in both fast- and slower-growing broilers may improve leg health, although the current study did not confirm this for leg disorders, walking ability or contact dermatitis

Biorefinery of the green seaweed Ulva lactuca to produce animal feed, chemicals and biofuels

The growing world population demands an increase in animal protein production. Seaweed may be a valuable source of protein for animal feed. However, a biorefinery approach aimed at cascading valorisation of both protein and non-protein seaweed constituents is required to realise an economically feasible value chain. In this study, such a biorefinery approach is presented for the green seaweed Ulva lactuca containing 225 g protein (N × 4.6) kg−1 dry matter (DM). The sugars in the biomass were solubilised by hot water treatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis and centrifugation resulting in a sugar-rich hydrolysate (38.8 g L−1 sugars) containing glucose, rhamnose and xylose, and a protein-enriched (343 g kg−1 in DM) extracted fraction. This extracted fraction was characterised for use in animal feed, as compared to U. lactuca biomass. Based on the content of essential amino acids and the in vitro N (85 %) and organic matter (90 %) digestibility, the extracted fraction seems a promising protein source in diets for monogastric animals with improved characteristics as compared to the intact U. lactuca. The gas production test indicated a moderate rumen fermentation of U. lactuca and the extracted fraction, about similar to that of alfalfa. Reduction of the high content of minerals and trace elements may be required to allow a high inclusion level of U. lactuca products in animal diets. The hydrolysate was used successfully for the production of acetone, butanol, ethanol and 1,2-propanediol by clostridial fermentation, and the rhamnose fermentation pattern was studied.</p

Performance of organic and low input livestock systems: a matter of sound design?

The QLIF project has targeted a variety of issues to make organic animal production (dairy cattle, pig, poultry) more safe, develop alternative methods to promote animal health and improve product quality. This workshop will discuss these aims as well as the QLIF achievements to date. It will also address our way of assessing the quality of our organic farms. We ask the question what the advantages are of doing this by looking at the output of a farm, such as yield, animal welfare and environmental issues. Alternatively, we also want to know what benefits there are in looking at how the farm is organised, via input factors such as housing design, nutrition, management quality. Two invited speakers will state their preference. Legislation, certification and consumer perceptions wil be addressed