Transfer of Cd, Pb, Ra and U from Phosphogypsum Amended Soils to Tomato Plants

About 170 million tons of phosphogypsum (PG) are annually generated worldwide as a by-product of phosphoric acid factories. Agricultural uses of PG could become the main sink for this waste, which usually contains significant radionuclide (from the 238U-series) and toxic metals concentrations. To study PG effects on pollutant uptake by crops, a completely randomised greenhouse experiment was carried out growing Lycopersicum esculentum Mill L. on a reclaimed marsh soil amended with three PG rates (treatments), corresponding to zero (control without PG application), one, three and ten times the typical PG rates used in SW Spain (20 Mg ha−1). The concentrations of Cd, Pb, U (by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy) and 226Ra and 210Po (by γ-spectrometry and α-counting, respectively) were determined in soil, vegetal tissue and draining water. Cadmium concentrations in fruit increased with PG rates, reaching 44 ± 7 μg kg−1 formula weight with ten PG rates (being 50 μg kg−1 the maximum allowed concentration by EC 1881/2006 regulation). Cd transfer factors in non-edible parts were as high as 4.8 ± 0.5 (dry weight (d.w.)), two orders of magnitude higher than values found for lead, lead, uranium and radium concentrations in fruit remained below the corresponding detection limits—0.5 and 0.25 mg kg−1 and 0.6 mBq kg−1, respectively (in a d.w. basis). 238U (up to 7 μg kg−1 d.w.) and 210Po (up to 0.74 Bq kg−1 d.w.) could be measured in some fruit samples by α-spectrometry. Overall, the concentrations of these metals and radionuclides in the draining water accounted for less than 1% of the amount applied with PGJunta de Andalucía IFAPA-C03

Short communication: An association analysis between one missense polymorphism at the SREBF1 gene and milk yield and composition traits in goats

Sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 1 (SREBF1) regulates the expression of genes involved in the biosynthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol. Herewith, we have sequenced the near-complete coding region and part of the 3?UTR of the goat SREBF1 gene. In doing so, we have detected a missense c.353CT polymorphism causing a proline to leucine substitution at position 118 (P118L). An association analysis with milk composition traits recorded in MurcianoGranadina goats only revealed a statistical tendency linking SREBF1 genotype and milk omega-3 fatty acid content. The lack of significant associations suggests that the P118L substitution does not involve a functional change.Le facteur de transcription de´nomme´ Sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 1 (SREBF1) re´gule l’expression des ge`nes implique´s dans la biosynthe`se des acides gras et du choleste´rol. Dans cette e´tude, nous avons se´quence´ la quasi-totalite´ de la re´gion codante et une partie du la re´gion 3?UTR du ge`ne SREBF1 de la che`vre. Ce travail, nous a permis d’identifier un polymorphisme non-synonyme c.353CT causant la substitution d’une Proline en Leucine a` la position 118. L’e´tude d’association avec la composition du lait enregistre´e en che`vres Murciano-Granadina, a re´ve´le´ seulement une tendance statistique reliant SREBF1 ge´notype et l’acide gras ome´ga-3 du lait. L’absence d’associations significatives sugge`re que la substitution P118L n’implique pas un changement fonctionnel

Calidad de la carne de cabritos lactantes de raza Criollo Cordobés. Efecto del sexo y edad/peso al sacrificio

The aim of this work was to study meat quality and fatty acid profiles in the longissimus muscle from Criollo Cordobes (CC) suckling kids, and to determine the effect of sex and age/weight at slaughter on these characteristics. Forty suckling kids, 20 intact males and 20 females, were randomly assigned to two groups: 1 (60 +/- 2 days old and live weight 11 kg). Sex had a significant influence on meat colour, Warner- Bratzler shear force, cooking losses, water holding capacity and intramuscular fat content, while the age/weight had a significant influence on cholesterol and tenderness. The main fatty acids identified from the intramuscular fat were oleic (30.1-32.6%), palmitic (19.6-21.0%) and stearic (13.5-16.3%). Levels of saturated and unsaturated fatty acid ranged from 40.1% to 41.9% and from 57.6% to 59.1%, respectively. Meat from CC kids is pale red, tender, juicy and the intensity of flavour and aroma were medium-high.El objetivo del presente trabajo fue estudiar la calidad de la carne y el perfil de ácidos grasos del m. longissimus de cabritos lactantes Criollo Cordobés, y el efecto del sexo y edad/peso al sacrificio en estas características. Cuarenta cabritos (20 machos y 20 hembras) fueron asignados al azar a dos grupos: 1 (60 +/- 2 días de edad y peso vivo 11 kg). El sexo influyó significativamente en el color, terneza instrumental, capacidad de retención de agua y pérdidas por cocinado de la carne y en la cantidad de grasa intramuscular del m. longissimus, mientras que la edad/peso al sacrificio influyó significativamente en el contenido en colesterol y en la terneza de la carne. Los ácidos grasos mas abundantes identificados en la grasa intramuscular fueron el oleico (30,1-32,6%), el palmítico (19,6-21,0%) y el esteárico (13,5-16,3%). El contenido en ácidos grasos saturados e insaturados se situó entre el 40,1% y el 41,95% y desde el 57,6% al 59,1%, respectivamente. La carne de los cabritos Criollo Cordobés era tierna, jugosa y de color rosa claro, y su aroma y flavor fueron de intensidad media-alta

Comunicación corta. Composición de ácidos grasos de los depósitos grasos de cordero como discriminador del origen

The development of quality labels for different lamb meats makes necessary to implement analytical methodologies to guarantee consumers the origin of the products. Eighty single birth male lambs from five Southern Spain sheep breeds (Grazalema Merino, Churra Lebrijana, Spanish Merino, Montesina and Segureña) were selected for the study and fed according to their traditional production system (with or without weaning). The fatty acid composition of five different depots (intramuscular, intermuscular, subcutaneous, omental and kidney knob) was analyzed by gas chromatography, showing a high variability among lamb types. The lipid profile of single fat depots was not able to assign 100% of the carcasses to their origin, but using the information from two depots (including intramuscular, or combining an external and an internal fat depot) led to a reliability of 100%. Any combination of 3, 4 or 5 depots also obtained 100% correct discrimination.La aparición de distintivos de calidad para carnes de cordero hace necesario el desarrollo de métodos analíticos que garanticen al consumidor el origen de dichos productos. Se seleccionaron para este estudio ochenta corderos machos, provenientes de un parto simple, de cinco razas andaluzas (Merino de Grazalema, Churra Lebrijana, Merino Español, Montesina y Segureña) y se alimentaron de acuerdo a su sistema tradicional (con o sin destete). Se analizó la composición de ácidos grasos de cinco depósitos grasos (intramuscular, intermuscular, subcutáneo, omental y perirenal) con cromatografía de gases. La grasa de estos depósitos presentó gran variabilidad. El perfil lipídico de un único depósito no fue suficiente para asignar correctamente el origen del 100% de las canales, pero usando la información de dos depósitos (incluyendo el intramuscular, o combinando un depósito externo y otro interno) se obtuvo una fiabilidad del 100%. Cualquier combinación de 3, 4 o 5 depósitos también obtuvo una fiabilidad del 100% respecto a la proveniencia de la canal

Validation of a gas-liquid chromatographic method for analysing samples rich in long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: Application to seafood

6 páginas, 5 tablas, 1 figura.Seafood, in general, contains high levels of long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFAs), and its consumption has been shown to have positive effects on human health. A method previously reported to be highly effective for PUFA analysis in beef, based on saponification, double extraction and methylation by trimethylsilyl-diazomethane, was validated for seafood fatty acid (FA) determination. The method could be highly suitable for FA analysis in marine tissues since it has shown higher effectiveness in PUFA analysis than classic methods, avoids the production of base-catalyzed artifacts and removes non-saponifiable lipids from the sample. The method was evaluated on three seafood matrices: molluscs (Chamelea gallina), crustaceans (Parapenaeus longirostris) and fish (Pagellus bogaraveo), and 10 FAs representative of seafood were used. Overall recovery values from the three matrices ranged from 80% to 107%. Intra-day RSD ranged between 0.5% and 7.2%, with an average value of 3.4%, while inter-day RSD values ranged between 1.1% and 9.7%, with an average value of 5.7%. Consistent recovery and RSD values were obtained and the method was deemed to produce acceptable accuracy. The applicability of the method to the determination of total FAs in samples rich in LC n-3 PUFA, as seafood products, was demonstrated. © 2010 Elsevier Inc.N. Aldai gratefully acknowledges the receipt of a research contract within the 7th European Community Framework Program (Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship).Peer Reviewe

Short communication: Fatty acid composition of lamb fat depots as an origin discriminator | Comunicación corta. Composición de ácidos grasos de los depósitos grasos de cordero como discriminado del origen

5 páginas, 2 tablas.The development of quality labels for different lamb meats makes necessary to implement analytical methodologies to guarantee consumers the origin of the products. Eighty single birth male lambs from five Southern Spain sheep breeds (Grazalema Merino, Churra Lebrijana, Spanish Merino, Montesina and Segureña) were selected for the study and fed according to their traditional production system (with or without weaning). The fatty acid composition of five different depots (intramuscular, intermuscular, subcutaneous, omental and kidney knob) was analyzed by gas chromatography, showing a high variability among lamb types. The lipid profile of single fat depots was not able to assign 100% of the carcasses to their origin, but using the information from two depots (including intramuscular, or combining an external and an internal fat depot) led to a reliability of 100%. Any combination of 3, 4 or 5 depots also obtained 100% correct discrimination.EU RZ03-019; Consejeria de Innovacion, Ciencia y Empresa of AndalusiaPeer Reviewe

Validation of a gas–liquid chromatographic method for analysing samples rich in long chain n 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: Application to seafood

Seafood, in general, contains high levels of long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFAs), and its consumption has been shown to have positive effects on human health. A method previously reported to be highly effective for PUFA analysis in beef, based on saponification, double extraction and methylation by trimethylsilyl-diazomethane, was validated for seafood fatty acid (FA) determination. The method could be highly suitable for FA analysis in marine tissues since it has shown higher effectiveness in PUFA analysis than classic methods, avoids the production of base-catalyzed artifacts and removes non-saponifiable lipids from the sample. The method was evaluated on three seafood matrices: molluscs (Chamelea gallina), crustaceans (Parapenaeus longirostris) and fish (Pagellus bogaraveo), and 10 FAs representative of seafood were used. Overall recovery values from the three matrices ranged from 80% to 107%. Intra-day RSD ranged between 0.5% and 7.2%, with an average value of 3.4%, while inter-day RSD values ranged between 1.1% and 9.7%, with an average value of 5.7%. Consistent recovery and RSD values were obtained and the method was deemed to produce acceptable accuracy. The applicability of the method to the determination of total FAs in samples rich in LC n-3 PUFA, as seafood products, was demonstratedVersión del edito

Carcass and Meat Quality Traits in an Embden×Toulouse Goose Cross Raised in Organic

This study assessed the influence of genetic type (Embden-Anser anser, EE; Toulouse-Anser anser, TT and F1 cross, ET) for meat characteristics (carcass, meat quality and fatty acid (FA) profiles), of domestic geese “Anser anser domesticus” raised in dehesa as an alternative, organic feeding system. Carcass and breast muscle weight (p<0.01) were greater for the ET group at the same live weight. None of the groups showed differences in the production of fatty liver with this type of feeding. Higher values were found for maximum Warner–Bratzler shear force (between 7.62 and 8.87 kg/cm2), which implies the improvement of this parameter. High levels of oleic FAs were obtained, especially for the TT group. The polyunsaturated/saturated FA ratio was highest for the ET group (p<0.001), reflecting the optimum nutritional values as a component of a healthy consumer diet