Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Porcine Liver Hydrolysates Using Flavourzyme

Oxidative stress is implicated in human diseases including cancer or neurodegenerative diseases. On the other hand, lipid and microbial spoilage are the main issues of food degradation. Bioactive peptides with antioxidant and antimicrobial activity could solve both problems and create an opportunity to improve the sustainability of the meat industry. Recently, meat by-products are subject of numerous studies to produce antioxidant peptides, highlighting pork liver as a potential source of hydrolysates. To achieve this purpose, pork liver was digested with Flavourzyme at four reaction times (4, 6, 8, and 10 h) and filtered with cut-offs of 5, 10, and 30-kDa molecular weight. Monitoring hydrolysis with SDS-PAGE showed that the reaction was almost complete. Free amino acid profile exhibited that aliphatic and aromatic amino acids were released in a higher amount at longer reaction times. Heat map analysis demonstrated that a hydrolysis time beyond 6 h, displayed a differential amino acid pattern enabling us to optimize the enzymatic reaction. Antioxidant activity was assessed using ABTS, DPPH, FRAP, and ORAC tests, while antimicrobial assay was carried out against Gram-positive and Gram-negative. ABTS and DPPH values revealed that hydrolysates showed a high antioxidant capacity, as well as an inhibition of growth of Brochothrix thermosphata particularly 30 kDa hydrolysatesAuthors would like to acknowledge to INIA for granting Paula Borrajo with a predoctoral scholarship (grant number CPD2016-0030). José M. Lorenzo is a member of the HealthyMeat network, funded by CYTED (Programa Iberoamericano de Ciencia y Tecnología para el Desarrollo) (ref. 119RT0568). Thanks to GAIN (Axencia Galega de Innovación, Xunta de Galicia, Spain) for supporting this research (grant number IN607A2019/01)S

Application of Pulsed Electric Fields for Obtaining Antioxidant Extracts from Fish Residues

Fish processing has serious economic and environmental costs in the food supply chain. It is necessary to find new ways to convert fish residue to added-value products, especially for main aquaculture species. In this study, a pulsed electric field (PEF) process for antioxidant extract production from three residues (gills, bones, and heads) of two commercial species (sea bream and sea bass) was tested. Three methods of extraction using two solvents (water and methanol) and a water extraction assisted by PEF were assessed. Chemical and mineral compositions, as well as amino acid profile of the by-products, were determined. In addition, four in vitro antioxidant methods, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (DPPH), 2,2-azinobis-(3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulphonate radical (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay (ORAC), were used to evaluate the extracts. Antioxidant activity was confirmed by DPPH and ABTS and FRAP tests, obtaining the highest values for residues from the sea bream species. ORAC values were higher in methanol than in water solvent. In general, gills were the residues with the greatest antioxidant activity for the four antioxidant assays employed. For DPPH assay, the extracts of water assisted by PEF from heads, bones, and gills yielded significant increases of 35.8%, 68.6%, and 33.8% for sea bream and 60.7%, 71.8%, and 22.1% for sea bass, respectively, with respect to water extracts. Our results suggest that PEF would be an environmentally friendly and economic choice for antioxidant-extract production from low-value by-products from fish processingHis research received external funding by the EU Commission through the BBI-JU H2020 Project AQUABIOPRO-FIT “Aquaculture and agriculture biomass side stream proteins and bioactives for feed, fitness and health promoting nutritional supplements” (Grant Agreement no. 790956). Authors would like to acknowledge to GAIN (Axencia Galega de Innovación, Xunta de Galicia, Spain) for supporting this review (grant number IN607A2019/01). Paulo E.S. Munekata acknowledges postdoctoral fellowship support from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO, Spain) “Juan de la Cierva” program (FJCI-2016-29486)S

Craniopharyngioma in the elderly: a multicenter and nationwide study in Spain

[Abstract] Background: Craniopharyngioma (CP) is a rare tumor in the elderly whose clinical features and prognosis are not well known in this population. Aim: To evaluate the clinicopathological features and therapeutic outcomes of CP diagnosed in the elderly. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective, multicenter, national study of CP patients diagnosed over the age of 65 years and surgically treated. Results: From a total of 384 adult CP patients, we selected 53 (13.8%) patients (27 women [50.9%], mean age 72.3 ± 5.1 years [range 65–83 years]) diagnosed after the age of 65 years. The most common clinical symptoms were visual field defects (71.2%) followed by headache (45.3%). The maximum tumor diameter was 2.9 ± 1.1 cm. In most patients, the tumor was suprasellar (96.2%) and mixed (solid-cystic) (58.5%). The surgical approach most commonly used was transcranial surgery (52.8%), and more than half of the patients (54.7%) underwent subtotal resection (STR). Adamantinomatous CP and papillary CP were present in 51 and 45.1%, respectively, with mixed forms in the remaining. Surgery was accompanied by an improvement in visual field defects and in headaches; however, pituitary hormonal hypofunction increased, mainly at the expense of an increase in the prevalence of diabetes insipidus (DI) (from 3.9 to 69.2%). Near-total resection (NTR) was associated with a higher prevalence of DI compared with subtotal resection (87.5 vs. 53.6%, p = 0.008). Patients were followed for 46.7 ± 40.8 months. The mortality rate was 39.6% with a median survival time of 88 (95% CI: 57–118) months. DI at last visit was associated with a lower survival. Conclusion: CP diagnosed in the elderly shows a similar distribution by sex and histologic forms than that diagnosed at younger ages. At presentation, visual field alterations and headaches are the main clinical symptoms which improve substantially with surgery. However, surgery, mainly NTR, is accompanied by worsening of pituitary function, especially DI, which seems to be a predictor of mortality in this population

CARB-ES-19 Multicenter Study of Carbapenemase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli From All Spanish Provinces Reveals Interregional Spread of High-Risk Clones Such as ST307/OXA-48 and ST512/KPC-3

ObjectivesCARB-ES-19 is a comprehensive, multicenter, nationwide study integrating whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in the surveillance of carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae (CP-Kpn) and E. coli (CP-Eco) to determine their incidence, geographical distribution, phylogeny, and resistance mechanisms in Spain.MethodsIn total, 71 hospitals, representing all 50 Spanish provinces, collected the first 10 isolates per hospital (February to May 2019); CPE isolates were first identified according to EUCAST (meropenem MIC > 0.12 mg/L with immunochromatography, colorimetric tests, carbapenem inactivation, or carbapenem hydrolysis with MALDI-TOF). Prevalence and incidence were calculated according to population denominators. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using the microdilution method (EUCAST). All 403 isolates collected were sequenced for high-resolution single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing, core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST), and resistome analysis.ResultsIn total, 377 (93.5%) CP-Kpn and 26 (6.5%) CP-Eco isolates were collected from 62 (87.3%) hospitals in 46 (92%) provinces. CP-Kpn was more prevalent in the blood (5.8%, 50/853) than in the urine (1.4%, 201/14,464). The cumulative incidence for both CP-Kpn and CP-Eco was 0.05 per 100 admitted patients. The main carbapenemase genes identified in CP-Kpn were blaOXA–48 (263/377), blaKPC–3 (62/377), blaVIM–1 (28/377), and blaNDM–1 (12/377). All isolates were susceptible to at least two antibiotics. Interregional dissemination of eight high-risk CP-Kpn clones was detected, mainly ST307/OXA-48 (16.4%), ST11/OXA-48 (16.4%), and ST512-ST258/KPC (13.8%). ST512/KPC and ST15/OXA-48 were the most frequent bacteremia-causative clones. The average number of acquired resistance genes was higher in CP-Kpn (7.9) than in CP-Eco (5.5).ConclusionThis study serves as a first step toward WGS integration in the surveillance of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales in Spain. We detected important epidemiological changes, including increased CP-Kpn and CP-Eco prevalence and incidence compared to previous studies, wide interregional dissemination, and increased dissemination of high-risk clones, such as ST307/OXA-48 and ST512/KPC-3

Effect of finishing diet on carcass characteristics and meat quality of Mos cockerel

Aim of study: To evaluate the effect of different diets on carcass characteristics and meat quality from Mos free-ranged cockerel.Area of study: Galicia (NW Spain).Material and methods: Cockerels (n=75) were allocated to 3 groups (n=25) according to finishing diets: commercial fodder (CF), 50% wheat and 50% corn (WH) and 33% wheat and 66% corn (CR). Meat quality was assessed in terms of physicochemical, and nutritional features.Main results: The highest live and carcass weight were obtained in CF group. Meat from CF and CR groups were similar in moisture, protein and cholesterol content in drumstick cut, meanwhile in breast piece there were no significant differences (p>0.05) in intramuscular fat (IMF), ash, and lightness (L*). On the other hand, finishing diet affected L* and redness (a*) values, showing the highest L* values in meat samples from CF treatment (49.94 for drumstick) (p0.05) by diets. Finally, the finishing feed affected (p<0.05) the fatty acid and amino acid profile in both cuts (drumstick and breast).Research highlights: Present study allowed to characterize for the first time Mos cockerels fed with different diets. Some carcass features obtained were higher than previous studies with other Mos categories, and some autochthonous and industrial breeds. Meat from cockerels was characterized by a high protein percentage and lower IMF

Influence of production system and finishing feeding on meat quality of Rubia Gallega calves

Aim of study: Beef quality is mainly affected by finishing feeding (FF) and production system (PS). The effects of PS (extensive, semi-extensive, traditional and intensive systems) and FF from Rubia Gallega calves were compared in terms of meat quality.Area of study: Galicia (NW Spain)Material and methods: Calves (n=10 per treatment) were slaughtered at nine months of age and meat samples were assessed in terms of meat quality attributes such as physicochemical, nutritional and sensory analysis performed by a trained panel.Main results: Meat chemical composition varied (p<0.01) with PS and FF. The semi-extensive system showed the lowest values (p<0.05) for cooking loss (22.8%) and for shear force (26.0 N) while the extensive system presented the lowest contents of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and the highest contents of linolenic acid (p<0.001). The SFA and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) contents varied with FF (p<0.05). The lowest and highest values for SFA and PUFA were displayed in extensive group finished with Pasture/Concentrate, meanwhile feedlot group finished with Concentrate/Straw showed and opposite trend. The n-6/n-3 ratio was lower than 4 for extensive and semi-extensive systems (p<0.001). In addition, tenderness and juiciness showed significant differences mainly due to FF.Research highlights: This study showed that meat of calves reared in extensive systems was the healthiest, regarding total fat and fatty acid composition. It can be concluded that finishing feeding, and PS affected meat quality. Hence the potential usefulness of these results is to improve meat quality and safety according to market demands