Electronic Nose and Tongue for Pet Food Classification

Commercial canned dog and cat foods (four type of each) were classified by electronic nose (EN) and tongue (ET) methods. The classification was performed by canonical discriminant analysis (DA) followed by cross-validation, using the ET and EN sensory values separately (7 and 18 sensors) and also jointly. The number of entered variables corresponding to the total number of sensors (n=25) were decreased by using a stepwise procedure during DA. First the dog and cat samples were classified than the discrimination were performed on the canned foods (eight type). Thereafter two groups were formed depending on the compositional characteristics of the foods (pure animal vs animal and plant origin), and finally these groups were divided into four subgroups according to the concerning species (dog vs cat). In general, the lowest discriminating results were achieved by the single application of ET method (58.3- 81.7 %). The highest classification power (85–98.3%, CV% 83.3–95.8) derived from the joint application of the two sensory methods. According to the results achieved, the common application of EN and ET technology seems to be a promising tool for the aroma classification of pet foods

Comparative study of X-ray computed tomography and conventional X-ray methods in the diagnosis of swimbladder infection of eel caused by Anguillicola crassus

To date, swimbladder lesions due to Anguillicola crassus infection of the European eel Anguilla anguilla have so far been studied only by conventional X-ray methods. This is the first study to report the use of computerised tomography (CT) for studying lesions induced by anguillicolosis. Of 50 eels caught by electrofishery from Lake Balaton, Hungary, in autumn 2002 and pre-selected by a conventional X-ray method, 22 specimens were examined with a Siemens Somatom Plus S40 spiral CT scanner. Tomograms, radiographs and photographs of 5 of these, showing anguillicolosis-induced swimbladder lesions of varying severity, are presented. Computerised tomograms provide information on the inner structure, air content and wall thickness of the swimbladder as well as on the number of worms it contains. When the swimbladder is not severely affected or not completely filled with worms, computerised tomography provides adequate data on the shape of the swimbladder, thickness of the swimbladder wall and the location of worms in the lumen. However, in more severe cases, i.e. when the swimbladder is tightly packed with worms or contains no air as a result of wallthickening, this method fails to determine the number and location of helminths or the thickness of the swimbladder wall

Shelf Life and Quality of Bologna-Type Fat Reduced Turkey Sausage

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of refrigerated storage on the microbial properties and organoleptic quality of Bologna-type turkey sausage, in which fat was partially replaced with pea fibre or potato starch. Each manufactured sausage had lower counts of Esherichia coli and enterobacteria than 1 log CFU·g−1, counts were below 2 log CFU·g−1 for Staphylococcus aureus, moreover, no Salmonella spp. were found in any of the sausages. The counts of mesophilic aerobic bacteria did not exceed 4 log CFU·g−1 for each sausage formulation during four-week storage at 4 °C. Spectrocolorimetric measurements revealed that there was no decline in luminosity (L*) and redness (a*) by time, namely colour fading did not occur. Saltiness and juiciness values of sausages were directly proportional. Low-fat sausages were perceived less salty than full-fat analogue with the same salt content at the early stage of storage. Nevertheless, this phenomenon was temporary as sausages had the same saltiness at the end of four-week storage period. Sausages, in which 25% of fat was substituted with pea fibre or potato starch, were assessed as having the same odour, consistency, taste, and overall impact like control during the four-week refrigerated storage