Dairy cow nutrition influence on the composition of bioactive fatty acid in milk

U radu su prikazani hranidbeni čimbenici koji mogu utjecati na promjenu sastava bioaktivnih masnih kiselina u mlijeku krava. Pretpostavka negativnog učinka pojedinih masnih kiselina, kojima mlijeko krava obiluje na ljudsko zdravlje, dovelo je do većeg broja multidisciplinarnih istraživanja koja nastoje povećati udio poželjnih masnih kiselina. Istovremeno se nastoji smanjiti omjer nepoželjnih masnih kiselina uz zadržavaje fizikalnih i organoleptičkih svojstava mlijeka i mliječnih proizvoda sa svrhom povećanja hranidbene kakvoće mliječne masti i mlijeka. Taj cilj nije lako postići. Preduvjet je dobro poznavanje fiziologije probave masti u buragu preživača. Premda još uvijek nisu poznati svi putevi biohidrogenacije masnih kiselina u buragu, kao ni učinak pojedinih voluminoznih krmiva na sastav masnih kiselina u mliječnoj masti, utvrđeno je da se određenom hranidbom može u kraćem vremenskom razmaku utjecati na sadržaj i sastav mliječne masti.The influence of cow nutrition on the compositional change of bioactive fatty acid in cow’s milk is presented. The hypothesis of negative effect of some fatty acids on human health has resulted in more research in many fields. As the unfavourable fatty acids are abundant in cow’s milk, the scientists are making efforts to increase the favourable fatty acids at the same time striving to decrease unfavourable fatty acids in milk keeping the physical and other nutritional properties of milk to enhance the nutritional quality of milk fat and milk. This is not easy to achieve. The preconditions are good knowledge of the rumen physiology and metabolism of lipids in ruminants. Although the biohydrogenation pathways of fatty acids in the rumen are far from known and the influence of forage choice on fatty acid composition in milk fat, it has been established that particular nutrition could change the milk fat composition in a short time

Health benefit of bioactive substances in cow’s milk

Prva i osnovna hrana mladunčadi svih sisavaca je - mlijeko. Još uvijek se istražuje kolika je važnost mlijeka i mliječnih proizvoda u ishrani odraslog čovjeka te kakav je njihov učinak na zdravlje. S obzirom da je mlijeko složenog sastava, godinama se proučavaju pozitivne, ali i negativne strane njegovih pojedinih sastojaka. Unutar sastojaka mlijeka nalaze se brojne tvari različitih bioloških učinaka koje mlijeku daju epitet funkcionalne hrane. Mlijeko sadržava tvari raznolikog kemijskog sastava koje vrlo djelotvorno sudjeluju u podržavanju određenih fizioloških funkcija organizma te, potkrijepljeno znanstvenim dokazima, imaju i ljekovit učinak. Radi dobrobiti ljudskog zdravlja, znanstvenici i istraživači još uvijek razmatraju moguće biološke učinke pojedinih sastojaka kravljeg mlijeka, međutim rezultati procjene su vrlo često oprečni. U ovom su radu razmotrene do danas poznate biološki aktivne tvari u kravljem mlijeku i njihovi potencijalni učinci na zdravlje te su raspravljene mogućnosti povećanja sastojaka mlijeka koji su se pokazali osobito korisnim i djelotvornim u prevenciji bolesti.The very first and an essential food provided to offspring of all mammals is milk. The importance of milk and dairy products in human diet, as promoters of good health, is still investigated. Since milk\u27s composition is rather complex, its constituents have been for many years on the priority list of research, with their positive and negative effects on human health. Milk is composed of various substances with bioactive properties and therefore milk was given an epithet of functional food. The high diversity in chemical structure enables milk constituents to support particular physiological functions of organism, and express curing effects which is scientifically proven. The scientists and researchers are still discussing possible influences of particular bioactive components from cow’s milk on human well being, and their assessments are very often controversial. In this paper the presently known bioactive substances in cow’s milk and theirs potential implications on human health are reported, pointing the directions for further research, particularly related to increase of the most useful and the most effective milk components for the prevention of pathological processes and disease development

Utjecaj gladovanja na aktivnost glukoneogenih enzima u jetri i bubrezima pačića.

Blood glucose concentration, liver and kidney gluconeogenic enzyme activities were investigated during a six-day fasting period in ducklings (English heavy breed Peking Duck). Food deprivation commenced when ducklings reached the age of twenty-eight days. Normally fed ducklings were used as a control group. The ducklings were sacrificed by decapitation after a fasting period of three, four, five and six days, and blood and tissue samples were collected from both groups for analysis. During the experiment the concentration of blood glucose was above 6 mmol/L in both the control and experimental groups, except on experimental day three. Significant rises in glucose-6-phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.9) (G6Pase) activities in the liver were observed on starvation days four, five and six (P = 0.0012, P = 0.0109, P = 0.0279), and in the kidney on starvation days five and six (P = 0.0373, P = 0.0206, respectively). Hepatic fructose-1.6-bis-phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.11) (FDPase) activity showed a significant difference between the fasted and control group only after a four-day fast (P = 0.0491), whereas renal enzyme activity increased after four (P = 0.0279) and six (P = 0.0373) days of food deprivation. Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (EC 4.1.1.32) (PEPCK) activity in the liver of fasted ducklings significantly decreased on fasting day five (P = 0.0012), whereas in the kidney a significant rise in four-day fasted animals (P = 0.032) was observed in comparison with the normally fed controls. The results showed that ducklings are able to maintain blood glucose concentration during a six-day fasting period. Changes in gluconeogenic enzyme activities indicate the important role of liver and renal gluconeogenesis for the maintenance of blood glucose concentration in fasted ducklings. These findings agree with earlier data obtained on chicken, thus confirming the similarities between the two avian species regarding the maintenance of blood glucose level with the process of gluconeogenesis during longer fasting.Istraživana je koncentracija glukoze u krvi i aktivnost glukoneogenih enzima u jetri i bubregu pekinških pačića (English heavy breed Peking Duck) tijekom šestodnevnog gladovanja, koje je započeto s navršena četiri tjedna života. Normalno hranjeni pačići služili su kao kontrolna skupina. Pačići su bili žrtvovani dekapitacijom nakon trećeg, četvrtog, petog i šestog dana istraživanja, a krv i uzorci tkiva za analize sakupljani su istovremeno od obje skupine. Tijekom istraživanja, osim trećeg dana, koncentracija glukoze u krvi kontrolne i pokusne skupine bila je veća od 6 mmol/L. Značajan porast aktivnosti glukoze-6-fosfataze (EC 3.1.3.9) (G6Pase) u jetri ustanovljen je četvrtog, petog i šestog dana gladovanja (P = 0.0012, P = 0.019, P = 0.0279), a u bubrezima petog i šestog dana gladovanja (P = 0.0373, P = 0.0206). Aktivnost fruktoze-1,6-bis fosfataze (EC 3.1.3.11) (FDPase) u jetri bila je značajno veća u pokusne nego u kontrolne skupine samo četvrtog dana gladovanja (P = 0.0491), dok je u bubrezima porasla četvrtog (P = 0.0279) i šestog (P = 0.0373) dana gladovanja. Aktivnost fosfoenolpiruvat karboksikinaze (EC 4.1.1.32) (PEPCK) u jetri pačića značajno je pala petog dana gladovanja (P = 0.0012), dok je u bubrezima značajno porasla četvrtog dana gladovanja (P = 0.032). Rezultati su pokazali da pačići s navršena četiri tjedna života mogu održavati koncentraciju glukoze u krvi tijekom šestodnevnog gladovanja. Promjene u aktivnostima glukoneogenih enzima upućuju na važnu ulogu procesa glukoneogeneze u jetri i bubrezima za održavanje normoglikemije pačića koji gladuju. Takvi nalazi slažu se s dobro poznatim podacima za piliće, što pokazuje da postoji sličnost između te dvije ptičje vrste u održavanju razine glukoze u krvi procesom glukoneogeneze tijekom dužeg gladovanja

Arheološki i arheozoološki dokazi o mlijeku kao namirnici na području Hrvatske

According to the recent data the cattle domestication and use of milk as a food was older then considered before. Cattle domestication started 8,000 years B.C. that was proven from the various bones debris, whereas milk use was confirmed on the bases of fatty acid analyses on the pottery fragments as early as 5,000 years B.C. Early centres of cattle domestication were located at the Eastern Mediterranean area, and in the North Africa from where the cattle were spreading also to today’s Croatian area. In Copper and Bronze Age Europe new pottery forms appear that have been associated with dairying. Chemical analysis of late Eneolithic Baden culture pottery showed that some pottery types were used for production or storage of milk and its products. Based on the faunal data from the Eneolithic Vučedol archaeological site, numbers of bones, teeth and horn fragments were identified, with the significant domination of the female population throughout all cultural layers. It is believed they were most probably used for the reproduction and the milk production. Direct proofs for milk consumption by the local prehistoric population, based on the fatty acid determination from the pottery fragments were not evident. It can only be assumed that lactose tolerance was developed similarly to central and northern European populations. Simultaneously with genetic research, mentioned analyses and results will be valuable contribution for better understanding in development of metabolic and degenerative disease in modern humans, developed under the influence of the changes in dietary habits and environmental factors during the evolutionary interval.Prema novijim podacima udomaćivanje goveda, kao i upotreba mlijeka kao namirnice, starije je nego što se smatralo. Domestikacija goveda započela je 8000 g. pr. Kr., a izravni dokazi o mogućem korištenju mlijeka postoje na temelju ostataka životinjskih kostiju i na temelju ostataka mliječne masti, prvenstveno masnih kiselina na posuđu, prema kojima se mlijeko koristilo već unazad 5000 g. pr. Kr. Centri rane domestikacije goveda rasprostirali su se na području istočnog Mediterana i sjeverne Afrike i otuda su se goveda proširila i u naše krajeve. U razdoblju eneolitika i brončanog doba u Europi se javljaju novi keramički oblici koji se dovode u vezu s mljekarstvom. Kemijske analize keramike kasnoeneolitičke badenske kulture pokazale su na nekoliko tipova posuđa da su korišteni za proizvodnju ili čuvanje mlijeka i mliječnih proizvoda. Na temelju podataka o fauni eneolitika vučedolskog arheološkog nalazišta utvrđen je veći broj fragmenata kostiju, zuba i rogova goveda, sa značajnom dominacijom ženki u svim kulturnim horizontima. Smatra se da su najvjerojatnije korištena u rasplodu i za proizvodnju mlijeka. Direktnih dokaza o upotrebi mlijeka na temelju utvrđivanja ostataka masnih kiselina u posuđu nema, no možemo pretpostaviti da se tolerancija na laktozu razvila kao i na području centralne i sjeverne Europe. Istovremeno s genetskim istraživanjima navedene analize i rezultati mogli bi imati primjenu u svrhu boljeg poznavanja razvoja metaboličkih i degenerativnih bolesti vezanih uz prehrambene navike današnjeg stanovništva

Monitoring of milk production and total cholesterol concentration, gamma-glutamyltransferase, and glutathione peroxidase in Simmental cows blood

U dva istraživačka razdoblja (prvi – u svibnju 2004., drugi – u lipnju 2004.) praćena je proizvodnja mlijeka, koncentracija kolesterola i aktivnost gama-glutamil-transferaze (GGT) te glutation-peroksidaze (GPx) u krvi simentalskih krava. Svrha je bila utvrditi povezanost između proizvodnje mlijeka i pojedinih pokazatelja u krvi, te njihovu moguću primjenu kao pokazatelja mliječnosti. U istraživanje je bilo uključeno 12 simentalskih krava s obiteljskog gospodarstva na području Zagrebačke županije. Krave su iz vlastitog uzgoja, podjednake starosti i stadija laktacije. Prosječna proizvodnja mlijeka kao i koncentracija ukupnog kolesterola u plazmi bila je značajno veća u svibnju u odnosu na lipanj (20,55 L/d u odnosu na 15,44 L/d, odnosno 4,55 mmol/L u odnosu na 3,96 mmol/L), dok je aktivnost GPx i GGT bila značajno niža u svibnju u odnosu na lipanj (GPx = 1 720,66 U/L u odnosu na 1 808 U/L; GGT = 20,11 U/L u odnosu na 23,22 U/L). Utvrđena je pozitivna korelacija mliječnosti i koncentracije ukupnog kolesterola u krvnoj plazmi (r = 0,58; p < 0,05). Koncentracija ukupnog kolesterola u krvi simentalskih krava mogla bi poslužiti kao jedan od specifičnih pokazatelja proizvodnih mogućnosti, dok aktivnost navedenih enzima ukazuje na hranidbeni status krava o kojemu ovisi proizvodnja mlijeka.Milk production, total blood cholesterol concentration and activity of gamma-glutamyl-transferase (GGT) and glutation peroxidase (GPx) in blood of Simmental cows was monitored during two control periods (first control period - May 2004; second control period - June 2004). The objective was to determine a relationship between milk production and particular blood parameters, and their possible implementation as an indicator of milk production. Twelve Simmental cows from small-scale dairy farm in Zagreb County were included in the study. Cows originated from the same herd and were roughly of the same parity and stage of lactation. The average milk production and total blood cholesterol concentration were significantly higher in May then in June (20,55 L/d vs. 15,44 L/d; 4,55 mmol/L vs. 3,96 mmol/L, respectively), whereas the GPx and GGT activity was significantly lower in May in comparison with June (GPx=1720,66 U/L vs. GPx=1808 U/L, and GGT = 20,11 U/L vs. 23,22 U/L, respectively). A positive correlation between the milk production and the total blood cholesterol level was detected (r=0,58). The total blood cholesterol concentration in the blood plasma might have been one of the indicators of production performance in the Simmental cows herd, whereas the activity of stated enzymes may specify the nutritional status thereof the milk production depends on

Utjecaj gladovanja na aktivnost glukoneogenih enzima u jetri i bubrezima pačića.

Blood glucose concentration, liver and kidney gluconeogenic enzyme activities were investigated during a six-day fasting period in ducklings (English heavy breed Peking Duck). Food deprivation commenced when ducklings reached the age of twenty-eight days. Normally fed ducklings were used as a control group. The ducklings were sacrificed by decapitation after a fasting period of three, four, five and six days, and blood and tissue samples were collected from both groups for analysis. During the experiment the concentration of blood glucose was above 6 mmol/L in both the control and experimental groups, except on experimental day three. Significant rises in glucose-6-phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.9) (G6Pase) activities in the liver were observed on starvation days four, five and six (P = 0.0012, P = 0.0109, P = 0.0279), and in the kidney on starvation days five and six (P = 0.0373, P = 0.0206, respectively). Hepatic fructose-1.6-bis-phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.11) (FDPase) activity showed a significant difference between the fasted and control group only after a four-day fast (P = 0.0491), whereas renal enzyme activity increased after four (P = 0.0279) and six (P = 0.0373) days of food deprivation. Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (EC 4.1.1.32) (PEPCK) activity in the liver of fasted ducklings significantly decreased on fasting day five (P = 0.0012), whereas in the kidney a significant rise in four-day fasted animals (P = 0.032) was observed in comparison with the normally fed controls. The results showed that ducklings are able to maintain blood glucose concentration during a six-day fasting period. Changes in gluconeogenic enzyme activities indicate the important role of liver and renal gluconeogenesis for the maintenance of blood glucose concentration in fasted ducklings. These findings agree with earlier data obtained on chicken, thus confirming the similarities between the two avian species regarding the maintenance of blood glucose level with the process of gluconeogenesis during longer fasting.Istraživana je koncentracija glukoze u krvi i aktivnost glukoneogenih enzima u jetri i bubregu pekinških pačića (English heavy breed Peking Duck) tijekom šestodnevnog gladovanja, koje je započeto s navršena četiri tjedna života. Normalno hranjeni pačići služili su kao kontrolna skupina. Pačići su bili žrtvovani dekapitacijom nakon trećeg, četvrtog, petog i šestog dana istraživanja, a krv i uzorci tkiva za analize sakupljani su istovremeno od obje skupine. Tijekom istraživanja, osim trećeg dana, koncentracija glukoze u krvi kontrolne i pokusne skupine bila je veća od 6 mmol/L. Značajan porast aktivnosti glukoze-6-fosfataze (EC 3.1.3.9) (G6Pase) u jetri ustanovljen je četvrtog, petog i šestog dana gladovanja (P = 0.0012, P = 0.019, P = 0.0279), a u bubrezima petog i šestog dana gladovanja (P = 0.0373, P = 0.0206). Aktivnost fruktoze-1,6-bis fosfataze (EC 3.1.3.11) (FDPase) u jetri bila je značajno veća u pokusne nego u kontrolne skupine samo četvrtog dana gladovanja (P = 0.0491), dok je u bubrezima porasla četvrtog (P = 0.0279) i šestog (P = 0.0373) dana gladovanja. Aktivnost fosfoenolpiruvat karboksikinaze (EC 4.1.1.32) (PEPCK) u jetri pačića značajno je pala petog dana gladovanja (P = 0.0012), dok je u bubrezima značajno porasla četvrtog dana gladovanja (P = 0.032). Rezultati su pokazali da pačići s navršena četiri tjedna života mogu održavati koncentraciju glukoze u krvi tijekom šestodnevnog gladovanja. Promjene u aktivnostima glukoneogenih enzima upućuju na važnu ulogu procesa glukoneogeneze u jetri i bubrezima za održavanje normoglikemije pačića koji gladuju. Takvi nalazi slažu se s dobro poznatim podacima za piliće, što pokazuje da postoji sličnost između te dvije ptičje vrste u održavanju razine glukoze u krvi procesom glukoneogeneze tijekom dužeg gladovanja

Analiza kompletne krvne slike i morfometrija eritrocita novozelandskoga bijeloga kunića

The total and differential leukocyte count, erythrocyte and thrombocyte count, the hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and red cell distribution width in male and female New Zealand white rabbits were studied. Furthermore, the basic red blood cell morphometric characteristics were analyzed. The complete blood count values were within the reference intervals for this rabbit breed. Comparing the results regarding the gender, signifi cantly higher hemoglobin concentrations were detected in female rabbits (134.86 vs. 127.5 g/L), whereas in males the anisocytosis was more prominent (RDW 16.09 vs. 15.53). The results of mathematical analysis of the morphometry of erythrocytes revealed statistically different parameters in males and females. Erythrocytes of females had a larger area (30.81 vs. 27.6 μm2), greater maximal (3.54 vs. 3.34 μm) and minimal radius (2.61 vs. 2.47 μm), greater convex area (31.95 vs. 29.03 μm2) and greater length (6.73 vs. 6.33 μm) and cell elongation factor (1.14 vs. 1.10) than the erythrocytes of males. Though the average cell volume was not significantly different, morphometry data showed that the erythrocytes in males were smaller and with lesser prominence than in females, which is congruent with higher RDW and lower hemoglobin concentration in the male rabbits’ blood, and presumably the higher presence of microcytes in the blood of male rabbits. In conclusion, erythrocyte morphometry may provide valuable data about the changes in erythrocyte morphology and could complement the results obtained by standard hematology methods.Istražen je ukupan i diferencijalni broj leukocita, broj eritrocita, koncentracija hemoglobina, hematokrit, srednji volumen eritrocita, srednja količina hemoglobina, srednja koncentracija hemoglobina po eritrocitu, raspodjela eritrocita po volumenu i ukupan broj trombocita u mužjaka i ženki novozelandskoga bijeloga kunića. Nadalje, učinjena je analiza osnovnih morfometrijskih karakteristika eritrocita. Vrijednosti pokazatelja kompletne krvne slike bile su unutar granica referentnih vrijednosti za tu pasminu kunića. Raspodjela rezultata prema spolu kunića, pokazala je da su ženke imale značajno veću koncentraciju hemoglobina u krvi od mužjaka (134,86/127,5 g/L), dok su mužjaci imali jače izraženu anizocitozu (RDW 16,09/15,53). Rezultati matematičke analize morfometrijskih pokazatelja eritrocita pokazali su statistički značajne razlike između eritrocita mužjaka i ženki. Eritrociti ženki imali su veću površinu (30,81/27,6 μm2), veći maksimalni (3,54/3,34 μm) i minimalni polumjer (2,61/2,47 μm), veći konveksitet površine (31,95/29,03 μm2) te veću duljinu (6,73/6,33 μm) i faktor izduženosti stanice (1,14/1,10). Iako se prosječni volumen stanica nije značajno razlikovao, morfometrijski podatci govore da su eritrociti u mužjaka bili manji i slabije ispupčeni od onih u ženki, što se podudara s većom RDW vrijednosti i nalazom niže koncentracije hemoglobina u krvi mužjaka, te se vjerojatno radilo o većem postotku mikrocita u krvi kunića muškog spola. Zaključeno je da morfometrija eritrocita može pružiti vrijedne podatke o promjenama izgleda eritrocita i upotpuniti nalaze dobivene klasičnim hematološkim metodama

Dairy cow nutrition influence on the composition of bioactive fatty acid in milk

U radu su prikazani hranidbeni čimbenici koji mogu utjecati na promjenu sastava bioaktivnih masnih kiselina u mlijeku krava. Pretpostavka negativnog učinka pojedinih masnih kiselina, kojima mlijeko krava obiluje na ljudsko zdravlje, dovelo je do većeg broja multidisciplinarnih istraživanja koja nastoje povećati udio poželjnih masnih kiselina. Istovremeno se nastoji smanjiti omjer nepoželjnih masnih kiselina uz zadržavaje fizikalnih i organoleptičkih svojstava mlijeka i mliječnih proizvoda sa svrhom povećanja hranidbene kakvoće mliječne masti i mlijeka. Taj cilj nije lako postići. Preduvjet je dobro poznavanje fiziologije probave masti u buragu preživača. Premda još uvijek nisu poznati svi putevi biohidrogenacije masnih kiselina u buragu, kao ni učinak pojedinih voluminoznih krmiva na sastav masnih kiselina u mliječnoj masti, utvrđeno je da se određenom hranidbom može u kraćem vremenskom razmaku utjecati na sadržaj i sastav mliječne masti.The influence of cow nutrition on the compositional change of bioactive fatty acid in cow’s milk is presented. The hypothesis of negative effect of some fatty acids on human health has resulted in more research in many fields. As the unfavourable fatty acids are abundant in cow’s milk, the scientists are making efforts to increase the favourable fatty acids at the same time striving to decrease unfavourable fatty acids in milk keeping the physical and other nutritional properties of milk to enhance the nutritional quality of milk fat and milk. This is not easy to achieve. The preconditions are good knowledge of the rumen physiology and metabolism of lipids in ruminants. Although the biohydrogenation pathways of fatty acids in the rumen are far from known and the influence of forage choice on fatty acid composition in milk fat, it has been established that particular nutrition could change the milk fat composition in a short time

Strategia della produzione del cibo funzionale dell\u27 origine animale

Proizvodnja funkcionalne hrane animalnog porijekla zahtjeva postupke utemeljene na znanstveno potvrđenim saznanjima koja obuhvaćaju cjelokupni hranidbeni lanac. Pri tome ne treba zanemariti fiziološke, no niti psihološke učinke koje takva hrana može imati na ljude. S obzirom da se ljudski genom nije promijenio od razdoblja paleolitika, a hranidbene navike i način života ljudi modernog doba su se uvelike odmaknuli od tog vremena, razvile su se kronične degenerativne bolesti. Masne kiseline, naročito n-3 nezasićene kiseline, važne su biološki aktivne molekule kojima se pripisuje niz pozitivnih učinaka u prevenciji i poboljšanju zdravlja ljudi i životinja. Neki od modula koji se koriste za povećanje unosa n-3 nezasićenih masnih kiselina su: povećanje udjela navedenih masnih kiselina u hrani farmskih životinja ili uzgoj životinja poželjnijeg genotipa. Bez obzira na način povećanja unosa poželjnih masnih kiselina ne treba zanemariti dobrobit i zdravlje životinja, jer će stresu izložene životinje već u osnovi imati drugačije potrebe za unosom pojedinih hranidbenih sastojaka, od kojih su n-3 nezasićene masne kiseline iznimno važne. U ovom članku prikazane su neke od mogućnosti povećanja sadržaja n-3 nezasićenih masnih kiselina u mesu i ostalim proizvodima animalnog porijekla, odnosno u hrani, koja će moći zadovoljiti kriterije funkcionalne hrane.The procedures implemented in the production of functional foods of animal origin should be based on the scientifically verified new knowledge comprising the entire food chain. Possible physiological and psychological effects of such foods on humans should not be neglected. Although the human genome did not change since the Palaeolithic, however the nutritional habits and way of life of modern people have changed significantly and subsequently led to the development of various chronic degenerative diseases. Fatty acids, in particular n-3 unsaturated acids, are important, biologically active molecules characterised by a series of positive effects in the prevention and improvement of both human and animal health. Some of the modes of increasing the intake of n-3 unsaturated fatty acids include the increase of content of these fatty acids in feed fed to farm animals or in rearing of animals of more advantageous genotype. Irrespective of the method used for increasing the intake of advantageous fatty acids, care should always be taken about the animal welfare and health, because of different basic needs of animals under stress for individual nutritive components, among which n-3 unsaturated fatty acids are especially important. This paper presents some of possible methods for increasing the content of n-3 unsaturated fatty acids in meat and other products of animal origin, which could meet the criteria set for the functional foods.Die Herstellung der funktionalen Nahrung animaler Herkunft verlangt Verfahren, die auf wissenschaftlich bestätigten Erkentnissen gründen und die die gesamte Ernährungskette umfassen. Dabei dürfen sowohl die physiologischen als auch die psychologischen Wirkungen, die eine solche Nahrung auf die Menschen haben könnte, nicht vernachlässigt werden. Mit Bezug darauf, dass sich das menschliche Genom seit Paläolithik nicht änderte, aber dass sich die Ernährungs- und die Lebensgewohnheiten der Menschen der modernen Zeit weit von dieser Zeitspanne entfernt haben, entwickelten sich chronische degenerative Krankheiten. Fettsäuren, besonders die n-3 ungesättigten Säuren, sind wichtige biologisch aktive Moleküle, denen eine Reihe von positiven Wirkungen bei Prävention und Verbesserung der Gesundheit bei Menschen und Tieren zugeschrieben wird. Einige der Module, die zur Vergrößerung der Einnahme von n-3 ungesättigten Säuren benutzt werden, sind: Vergrößerung der Anteile der angeführten Fettsäuren im Futter der Tiere auf den Farmen oder die Zucht der Tiere des erwünschten Genotypus. Ohne Rücksich auf die Einnahmeart der erwünschten Fettsäuren, dürfen das Wohlbefinden und die Gesundheit der Tiere nicht vernachlässigt werden, weil die Tiere, die dem Stress ausgesetzt werden, schon grundlegend andere Bedürfnisse mit Bezug auf die Einnahme von einzelnen Nahrungselementen haben werden, von denen die n-3 ungesättigten Fettsäuren außerordentlich wichtig sind.La produzione del cibo funzionale dell’origine animale richiede i trattamenti scientificamente basati sulle conoscenze che sottintendono tutta la catena alimentare. Qui bisogna prendere in considerazione gli effetti fisiologici e quelli psicologici che il cibo di questo tipo può produrre sugli uomini. Il genoma umano non è cambiato dal periodo paleolitico, ma sono notevolmente cambiati i modi di alimentazione e il modo do vivere della gente dell’epoca moderna, e perciò nel frattempo sono sorse croniche malattie degenerative. Gli acidi grassi, specialmente gli acidi insaturi n-3, sono importanti molecole biologicamente attive, alle quali è collegata tutta una serie degli effetti positivi nella prevenzione e nel miglioramento della salute degli uomini e degli animali. Alcuni dei moduli usati per aumentare l’importo degli acidi grassi insaturi n-3 sono: l’aumento della porzione dei detti acidi grassi nell’alimentazione degli animali nelle fattorie, oppure l’allevamento degli animali del genotipo più desiderato. Nonostante il modo di aumento dell’importo di desiderati acidi grassi, bisogna sempre avere in mente la beneficenza e la salute degli animali, perché gli animali esposti allo stress richiedono l’importo degli ingredienti alimentari evidentemente differenti, tra i quali sono estremamente importanti gli acidi grassi insaturi n-3

Arheological and archaeozoological evidence of milk as a food in the territory of Croatia

According to the recent data the cattle domestication and use of milk as a food was older then considered before. Cattle domestication started 8,000 years B.C. that was proven from the various bones debris, whereas milk use was confirmed on the bases of fatty acid analyses on the pottery fragments as early as 5,000 years B.C. Early centres of cattle domestication were located at the Eastern Mediterranean area, and in the North Africa from where the cattle were spreading also to today’s Croatian area. In Copper and Bronze Age Europe new pottery forms appear that have been associated with dairying. Chemical analysis of late Eneolithic Baden culture pottery showed that some pottery types were used for production or storage of milk and its products. Based on the faunal data from the Eneolithic Vučedol archaeological site, numbers of bones, teeth and horn fragments were identified, with the significant domination of the female population throughout all cultural layers. It is believed they were most probably used for the reproduction and the milk production. Direct proofs for milk consumption by the local prehistoric population, based on the fatty acid determination from the pottery fragments were not evident. It can only be assumed that lactose tolerance was developed similarly to central and northern European populations. Simultaneously with genetic research, mentioned analyses and results will be valuable contribution for better understanding in development of metabolic and degenerative disease in modern humans, developed under the influence of the changes in dietary habits and environmental factors during the evolutionary interval