Wild and Farmed Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus Labrax): Comparison of Biometry Traits, Chemical and Fatty Acid Composition of Fillets

Sea bass is a fish widely produced, consumed and appreciated in Italy. Its intensive rearing system provides the consumption of valuable fish to a wider population. Thanks to the use of an appropriate feed, it is possible to obtain reared sea bass which are richer in total lipid with a majority presence of polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as n-3 and n-6 series. In this study, a total of 75 specimens of European sea bass coming from three different origins (two farmed and one wild) were considered, with 25 fish from each origin. Biometry traits were valued as of the chemical and fatty acid profile of fillets. Biometric indices, proximate composition and fatty acid percentage were significantly affected by the rearing system. Fishes from the intensive rearing system (IRS) showed the highest value of relative profile and condition factor, a higher content of lipid and total n-6 that influenced the n-6/n-3 ratio and the atherogenic indexes, and values that indicated their flesh for human consumption as a healthy alternative to the wild fishes

A Probiotic-Based Sanitation System for the Reduction of Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistances: A Budget Impact Analysis

Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs) and antibiotic resistance have high social and economic burdens. Healthcare environments play an important role in the transmission of HAIs. The Probiotic Cleaning Hygiene System (PCHS) showed to decrease hospital surface pathogens up to 90% vs. conventional chemical cleaning (CCC). This study compares PCHS to CCC as to reduction of HAIs and their severity, related antibiotic resistances, and costs. Incidence rates of HAIs/antibiotic resistances were estimated from a multicenter pre-post (6 months CCC + 6 months PCHS) intervention study after applying propensity score matching technique. A budget impact analysis compared the current scenario of use of CCC with future scenarios considering increasing utilization of PCHS, from 5% to 50% in the next five years, from the hospital perspective in Italy. The cumulative incidence of HAI was 4.6% and 2.4% (p <0.0001) for CCC (N=4,160) and PCHS (N=4,160) (OR = 0.47, CI 95% 0.37-0.60), with severe HAIs of 1.57% vs 1% and antibiotic resistances of 1.13% vs 0.53%, respectively. Increased use of PCHS over CCC in Italian internal medicine/geriatrics and neurology departments in the next 5 years is expected to avert at least about 31,000 HAIs and 8,500 antibiotic resistances, and save at least 14 million Euros, of which 11.6 for the treatment of resistant HAIs. Innovative, environmentally sustainable sanitation systems, like PCHS, might substantially reduce antibiotic resistance and increase protection of health worldwide

Effects of legume seeds and processing treatment on growth, carcass traits and blood constituents of fattening lambs

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of faba bean, white lupin and pea seed when fed as protein supplements on growth performance, carcass characteristics and haematological characteristics of growing lambs. Forty-eight Gentile di Puglia male lambs, weaned at 38 ± 2 days old with an average initial bodyweight of 12.8 ± 0.5 kg, were divided into six homogenous groups. The six dietary treatments were RFB (diet containing raw faba bean seeds); EFB (diet containing extruded faba bean seeds); RL (diet containing raw lupin seeds); EL (diet containing extruded lupin seeds); RP (diet containing raw pea seeds); and EP (diet containing extruded pea seeds). Feeding lupin seeds reduced average daily feed intake compared with the other protein sources. Carcass conformation, loin weight as a percentage of half-carcass weight, and fat weight as a percentage of loin weight improved in the lambs that consumed both EP and RP diets. Extrusion reduced hide weight as a percentage of empty bodyweight and fat weight as a percentage of leg weight. The protein source had a significant effect on glucose and total cholesterol concentrations, albumin, α1-globulin, β-globulin, and γ-globulin percentages and albumin-globulin ratios. The processing treatment decreased total cholesterol concentrations. Thus, feeding the various legumes did not affect growth performance, but only carcass characteristics; changes which may be due to the differences in feed intake. Extrusion also had minor effects, and further work is required to investigate the use of these protein sources, both raw and extruded.Keywords: extrusion, faba bean, haematology, lupin, pea, protein source, slaughter dat

When a probiotic-based sanitizing method may halve healthcare-associated infections and reduce associated costs

No abstract availabl

Pig, F1 (wild boar x pig) and wild boar meat quality

Sixteen carcasses of wild boars, pigs, hybrids F1 (wild boar x pig) and reared wild boar have been examined to study the meat quality and the fatty acid composition. Four carcasses came from hunted wild boars and twelve from animals reared in outdoor pens till nine months of age. The meat produced by the hunted wild animals, although not marketable, offers the best quality and nutritional characteristics. The use of hybrids reared in outdoor pens can approximate or equalize the hunted wild boars meat traits. Reared wild boar meat has, in the complex, better compositional characters than hybrids and domestic groups, but acidic quality of fat is not particularly useful for human feeding

Meat quality and lipid fatty acid profile from wild thrush (Turdus philomelos), woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) and starling (Sturnus vulgaris): A preliminary comparative study

Background: The present study aimed to evaluate the nutritional proximate composition, some qualitative traits and fatty acid profile of meat from wild thrush, woodcock and starling hunted in Southern Italy in 2017 and 2018. Methods: Nutritive composition and physical traits of meat and lipid fatty acid profile were evaluated in breast muscle (Pectoralis major) of gamebirds. Results: From findings, the meat pH was significantly (P < 0.001) higher in starling when compared to the other two species. Thrush meat was significantly (P = 0.002) darker and had higher redness (P < 0.001) and yellowness (P = 0.004) in comparison to starling and woodcock. Thrush breast muscle showed the highest (P < 0.001) level of lipids and lowest (P < 0.001) protein content. Meat from thrush showed the best lipid fatty acid profile based on the higher (P < 0.001) monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and lower (P < 0.001) saturated fatty acids (SFA) concentrations. Starling breast muscle reported the highest (P = 0.002) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) level compared to both thrush and woodcock, whereas no differences were detected on total n-3. The ratio n-6/n-3 was higher (P = 0.001) in starling muscle. Thrush breast muscle had the lowest (P < 0.001) atherogenic and thrombogenic indices compared to the other gamebirds. Conclusions: The findings indicated that meat from the three investigated gamebirds species may represent a healthily lipid food source for human consumption in relation to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases

Trans-arterial radioembolization in intermediate-advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: systematic review and meta-analyses.

Published onlineJournal ArticleThis is the final version of the article. Available from Impact Journals via the DOI in this record.Trans-arterial radioembolization (TARE) is a recognized, although not explicitly recommended, experimental therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).A systematic literature review was performed to identify published studies on the use of TARE in intermediate and advanced stages HCC exploring the efficacy and safety of this innovative treatment.Twenty-one studies reporting data on overall survival (OS) and time to progression (TTP), were included in a meta-analysis. The pooled post-TARE OS was 63% (95% CI: 56-70%) and 27% (95% CI: 21-33%) at 1- and 3-years respectively in intermediate stage HCC, whereas OS was 37% (95% CI: 26-50%) and 13% (95% CI: 9-18%) at the same time intervals in patients with sufficient liver function (Child-Pugh A-B7) but with an advanced HCC because of the presence of portal vein thrombosis. When an intermediate and advanced case-mix was considered, OS was 58% (95% CI: 48-67%) and 17% (95% CI: 12-23%) at 1- and 3-years respectively. As for TTP, only four studies reported data: the observed progression probability was 56% (95% CI: 41-70%) and 73% (95% CI: 56-87%) at 1 and 2 years respectively. The safety analysis, focused on the risk of liver decompensation after TARE, revealed a great variability, from 0-1% to more than 36% events, influenced by the number of procedures, patient Child-Pugh stage and treatment duration.Evidence supporting the use of radioembolization in HCC is mainly based on retrospective and prospective cohort studies. Based on this evidence, until the results of the ongoing randomized trials become available, radioembolization appears to be a viable treatment option for intermediate-advanced stage HCC.The present study was funded by ASBM Srl through an unrestricted grant to CERGAS, Bocconi University, Via Roentgen 1, 20136 Milan, Italy

Effect of an extruded linseed diet on meat quality traits in Nero Lucano pigs

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of a diet containing extruded linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) on growth performances, carcass traits and meat quality in Nero Lucano pigs. Sixteen male piglets were weaned at about 50 days of age and divided into two homogeneous groups fed a control diet (C) or a diet containing 3% extruded linseed (EL). The trial lasted 32 weeks and pigs were slaughtered at 9 months of age. Samples from the Longissimus dorsi (Ld) muscle were analysed to assess physical and chemical parameters and intramuscular fatty acid composition. Average daily gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were not affected by the diet. Pigs fed the C diet showed a significantly greater slaughter weight in comparison to the EL group (116.50 vs 108.25 kg) Meat pH and chemical composition were not influenced by the diet. No differences were found for shear force (WBS) in raw meat, while cooked meat of the EL group showed a lower WBS value. The EL diet significantly lowered total SFA and increased total PUFA, of both n-6 and n-3 series. Among the n-6, significant differences between dietary treatments were found for linoleic acid. As for the n-3 series, EL feeding significantly enhanced linolenic acid, EPA, DPA and DHA. Feeding EL also significantly lowered the PUFA/SFA and n-6/n-3 ratios and the AI and TI, with benefits for human health. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 3% EL didn't affect growth performance while it improved the fatty acid profile of meat. Keywords: fatty acid profile, feeding, flaxseed, por

Effect of an extruded linseed diet on meat quality traits in Nero Lucano pigs

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of a diet containing extruded linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) on growth performances, carcass traits and meat quality in Nero Lucano pigs. Sixteen male piglets were weaned at about 50 days of age and divided into two homogeneous groups fed a control diet (C) or a diet containing 3% extruded linseed (EL). The trial lasted 32 weeks and pigs were slaughtered at 9 months of age. Samples from the Longissimus dorsi (Ld) muscle were analysed to assess physical and chemical parameters and intramuscular fatty acid composition. Average daily gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were not affected by the diet. Pigs fed the C diet showed a significantly greater slaughter weight in comparison to the EL group (116.50 vs 108.25 kg) Meat pH and chemical composition were not influenced by the diet. No differences were found for shear force (WBS) in raw meat, while cooked meat of the EL group showed a lower WBS value. The EL diet significantly lowered total SFA and increased total PUFA, of both n-6 and n-3 series. Among the n-6, significant differences between dietary treatments were found for linoleic acid. As for the n-3 series, EL feeding significantly enhanced linolenic acid, EPA, DPA and DHA. Feeding EL also significantly lowered the PUFA/SFA and n-6/n-3 ratios and the AI and TI, with benefits for human health. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 3% EL didn't affect growth performance while it improved the fatty acid profile of meat

Sustainable rearing for kid meat production in Southern Italy marginal areas: A comparison among three genotypes

Sustainable goat breeding plays an important role in the economy of marginal areas. The present study aimed to compare performances and meat quality traits in kids of a native Apulian genotype (Garganica) in comparison with two Mediterranean breeds (Maltese and Derivata di Siria). Kids suckled dam milk until they were 21 (±2) days old, hence three groups of 12 male kids per each genotype were made. The kids received a pelleted feed ad libitum in addition to dam milk and were slaughtered at 60 days of age. The Maltese kids showed the lowest net cold-dressing percentage, with statistical differences compared to Garganica and Derivata di Siria. Meat obtained from Garganica kids showed a rosy color due to a significantly lower a* index and were also more tender since a lower WBS was recorded in comparison with the other two genotypes. As for the nutritional value of meat, the best n-6/n-3 ratio was found for the Derivata di Siria breed. In conclusion, Garganica kid meat showed the lowest content of SFA and atherogenic index, with potential beneficial effects for human health