Organic vs Conventional Suckling Lamb Production: Product Quality and Consumer Acceptance

Samples of suckling lambs (n=40) of two breeds reared under conventional and organic conditions were analysed to asses physico-chemical characteristics, including instrumental texture, and nutritional quality in terms of fatty acid composition. Consumer acceptance was also studied using the home-use test. Results revealed that organic suckling lamb meat is healthier as shown by the lower saturated fatty acid levels, the higher polyunsaturated fatty acid contents and the higher 6/3 ratiko. The organic meat had lower instrumental hardness, received higher scores in all sensory parameters, and had statistically better fat sensation and higher ratings for overall liking. These results lend support to the notion among consumers that organic products are healthier and tastier

Consumer Appreciation of Carcass Quality of Organic vs Conventional Suckling Lamb Production

Carcass characteristics of sucking lambs (n= 40) of two breeds reared under conventional and organic conditions were analysed including objective and subjective parameters for fatness and conformation, meat and fat colour. Consumer acceptance was also studied using the home-use test. Results showed that the characteristics of the carcass of suckling lamb were similar for both types of production systems pointing out that organic production system did not affect fatness or muscle development. However, organic meat was darker (higher L* and a* values) probably related with the higher amount of exercise, although fat was not more yellow. In contrast consumers did not consider organic meat darker and there were not significant differences in appearance related with the similar conformation. These results reflect that consumer perceive organic meat as at least as good as conventional production not only regarding environmental quality but also regarding carcass quality

Phytoplankton composition in shallow water ecosystems: influence of environmental gradients and nutrient availability

Environmental gradients caused by hydrological changes, whether natural or maninduced, affect the planktonic taxonomic and functional composition in shallow water ecosystems. In this sense, our aim was to find out the main variables or variable ratios that are the driving forces of the major phytoplankton taxonomic groups in Mediterranean coastal lagoons. For this purpose, 11 waterbodies were choosen, 6 of them in Empordà wetlands and 5 in the Doñana National Park, looking for representative conditions along a gradient of salinity and nutrient content. Two surveys were conducted in each waterbody (January and May 2007), after that the phytoplankton composition (chemotaxonomic composition) and also several physical and chemical environmental variables were analyzed. Two methodological approaches were used and compared: a first approach with a log (x+1) variable transformation and a second one where variables were transformed using the compositional data analysis (CoDa) techniques introduced by Aitchison (1986). When the raw data approach and the CoDa approach analysis (RDA) were compared, the results obtained were similar with regard to explained variance and also interpretation. The CoDa approach was characterized by the introduction of a new environmental driving factor, the bacterial biomass, whose ratio with the peptidase enzyme activity became significant. In this sense, the CoDa approach contributed to improving the biological interpretation of the phytoplankton distribution based on the raw analysis

Assessing the potential of the terrestrial cyanobacterium Anabaena minutissima for controlling Botrytis cinerea on tomato fruits

Cyanobacteria are oxygenic phototrophs that have an essential role in soil N2 fixation, fertility, and water retention. Cyanobacteria are also natural sources of bioactive metabolites beneficial to improve plant vigor and potentially active against fungal plant pathogens. Therefore, we studied the antifungal activity of water extract (WE) and phycobiliproteins (PBPs) from Anabaena minutissima strain BEA 0300B against the fungal plant pathogen Botrytis cinerea on tomato fruits and in vitro. The water extract and PBPs were characterized by using FT-IR and FT-Raman spectroscopies. Both water extract (5 mg/mL) and PBPs (ranged from 0.3 to 4.8 mg/mL) reduced disease incidence and disease severity on tomato fruits and mycelium growth and colony forming units in vitro. For mycelium growth, a linear PBP dose-response was found. Tomato fruits were also characterized by FT-IR and FT-Raman spectroscopies in order to evaluate structural modifications induced by pathogen and PBP treatment. PBPs preserved cutin and pectin structures by pathogen challenge. In conclusion, A. minutissima can be considered a potential tool for future large-scale experiments for plant disease control

Aplicación de TIG en la reconstrucción de las disfunciones territoriales históricas de sistemas de dunas de Canarias

En este trabajo se presenta un ejemplo de integración de fuentes y técnicas para la reconstrucción de las condiciones naturales y de los usos del suelo acaecidos en períodos históricos próximos, con el fin de caracterizar disfunciones territoriales en sistemas frágiles desde el punto de vista natural, y estratégicos desde el punto de vista económico, como son los campos de dunas de Canarias. Se procede por medio del desarrollo de métodos de análisis histórico, como el contraste entre fuentes (interpretación de fotografías aéreas, análisis de textos históricos y de otros documentos y entrevistas a personas mayores), cuyos resultados se integran en un SIG. El contraste entre esta información y la obtenida de documentos recientes o actuales, permite reconstruir la evolución espacio-temporal acaecida desde que sucedieran tales hechos históricos, y entender la dinámica actual de los sistemas objeto de estudio. Se muestran en este trabajo algunos resultados obtenidos en el sistema de dunas de Maspalomas y en el extinto campo de dunas de Guanarteme, ambos en la isla de Gran Canaria, que han permitido interpretar de forma más exacta algunos procesos relacionados con la dinámica natural de estos sistemas.In this paper we present an example of integration of sources and techniques for the reconstruction of natural conditions and land use development in recent historical periods, in order to characterize some dysfunctions in the dune fields of the Canary Islands, which are fragile systems from an environmental point of view, and strategic in economic terms. We proceeded through the development of methods of historical analysis, as the contrast between sources (aerial photo interpretation, analysis of historical texts and other documents and interviews to older people), whose results were integrated into a GIS. The contrast between this information and recent documents allowed us the reconstruction of the evolution during the period since the occurrence of such historical facts, and understand the current dynamics of the systems under study. We show in this paper some results obtained in the Maspalomas dune system and in the late dune field of Guanarteme, both of them located in the island of Gran Canaria. These results have allowed us to accurate the interpretation of some processes related to the natural dynamics of these systems

A comparative study of the analysis of free fatty acids in cheeses (Cow's, Ewe's and Goat's) with different ripening times using NIRS: Intact samples and fat extracts

Lipolysis is of great importance in the development of the aroma and flavour of cheese and one of the usual ways of measuring it is to assess variations in fatty acids. The relative proportions of fatty acids in milk fat depend on the animal species, the stage of lactation and feed regime, the ripening time and the climatic conditions and microbiological quality of the milk. GC-MS is the reference method for the determination of fatty acids in cheeses, but the technique involves long analysis time

Variations in the contents of vitamins A and e during the ripening of cheeses with different compositions

We investigated the composition in vitamins A and E of cheeses made from the milks of ewes, goats and cows. A total of 84 cheeses of known composition were prepared and controlled to determine the influence of different factors, e.g. the variable proportions of cow’s, ewe’s, and goat’s milks, seasonality (winter/summer), and evolution during the course of ripening. The variable proportions of milk from the different species did not vary in either the amount of vitamin A or that of vitamin E in the cheeses. Seasonality and ripening were seen to have a significant effect on the concentration of vitamin

Changes in the mineral content in cheeses of different compositions during 6 months of ripening

The mineral content of cheese depends on the origin of the milk (cow, ewe, goat) and its ripening. In this work the effect of different factors on the mineral composition and the correlation between minerals (Ca, Fe, Mg, K, Na, and Zn) and the type of milk used are studied. The One-Way ANOVA procedure revealed that the effect of cow’s milk was statistically significant on Fe, K, P, and Zn; goat’s milk was statistically significant for Fe and Mg, and ewe’s milk was statistically significant for K. The effect of the ripening time was statistically significant in all cases, except for Zn; the effect of the season was statistically significant for K, Mg and P and the effect of the year was statistically significant in the case of K, Na, P, and Zn. The percentage of cow’s cheese was positively correlated with K and P; the percentage of ewe’s cheese was negatively correlated with K, Mg, Na, and P and the percentage of goat’s cheese was negatively correlated with Na, and P

Antioxidant capacity of different cheeses: Affecting factors and prediction by near infrared spectroscopy

In this study, we analyzed antioxidant capacity of 224 cheese samples prepared using 16 varied mixtures of milk from cows, ewes, and goats, in 2 manufacturing seasons (winter and summer), and over 6 mo of ripening. Antioxidant capacity was evaluated using the spectrophotometric 2,2-azinobis(3-ethylenebenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) method. Total antioxidant capacity was significantly correlated with season of manufacturing and time of ripening but not with animal species providing the milk. Moreover, statistically significant correlations between the total antioxidant capacity and retinol (r = 0.399), fat percentage (r = 0.308), protein percentage (r = 0.366), K (r = 0.385), Mg (r = 0.312), Na (r = 0.432), and P (0.272) were observed. We evaluated the use of near infrared spectroscopy technology, together with the use of a remote reflectance fiber-optic probe, to predict the antioxidant capacity of cheese samples. The model generated allowed us to predict antioxidant capacity in unknown cheeses of different compositions and ripening times.Junta de Castilla y León SA1390

Seasonal evolution of hydrophilic and hydrophobic peptide contents in cheeses made from ewe's goat's or cow's milk

Proteolysis is the principal and most complex biochemical event occurring during the maturation of the majority of ripened cheese varieties. In addition to softening the cheese body, proteolysis influences the development of cheese flavour via the formation of amino acid and peptides which make a direct contribution to flavour. Goat, cow and sheep cheeses have been elaborated with raw milk and calf rennet. The extent of proteolysis was monitored over six months of ripening and means of HPLC peptide profile analysis. The influence of season on the changes in hydrophobic and hydrophilic peptides and the HO/HI ratio during the ripening of the cheeses were studie