A study on the application of natural extracts as alternatives to sodium nitrite in processed meat

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : All the data that support the findings of this study are available in the manuscript itself.Consumers are increasingly interested in purchasing meat products with low food additives content or even without the, since these kind of foodstuffs are perceived as more natural and healthier. Nitrites are the most commonly used additives in the meat industry to prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria, keep red color (secondary effect on myoglobin = iron and oxygen-binding), and improve flavor. In this scenario, meat processors are challenged to produce nitrite-free products guaranteeing the microbial quality and sensory characteristics. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of various natural extracts against the color of thermal processed beef, manufactured without nitrites. A total of fourteen natural alternatives have been evaluated: capsicum extract liquid phase (capsanthin), paprika oleoresin liquid phase, monascus yellow powder (Monascus purpureus), red yeast rice powder (Monascus purpureus) from three different producers, lycopene powder, red beet juice powder (Beta vulgaris), rosemary extract (Rosmarinus officinalis), capsicum extract powder (capsanthin), carmine pigment powder (cochineal extract), sorghum red pigment powder (Sorghum bicolor), and two factory-supplied recipes. For the first trial, extracts were added at a concentration of 0.3% in canned meat without nitrite. Samples were analyzed by colorimetric measurements before and after sterilization. The aim was to find natural extracts that provide similar color characteristics as canned meat with nitrite (used as reference). After color analysis, the extracts that did not show statistically significant differences (p > .05) from the positive control were chosen for the second trial, consisted of sample preparation at three different concentrations of extract (0,1%, 0,2%, and 0,3%) following factory manufacture procedures to ensure that the results were as accurate as possible. Results showed that sorghum red pigment powder (Sorghum bicolor) provides stable pigments and can be added as a natural additive to the manufacture of traditional canned meat recipe to maintain a similar red/pink color as same as provided by sodium nitrite.This research was funded by NoNit srl and a major food Processor, joint agreement 2020. Open Access Funding provided by Universita degli Studi di Perugia within the CRUI-CARE Agreement.http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jfpphj2023Paraclinical Science

Study on the Growth and Enterotoxin Production by <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> in Canned Meat before Retorting

Possible contamination by Staphylococcus aureus of the production environment and of the meat of a canned meat production factory was analysed. A total of 108 samples were taken from nine critical control points, 13 of them were positive for S. aureus. None of the isolates produced enterotoxins. To determine how much time can elapse between can seaming and sterilisation in the autoclave without any risk of enterotoxin production by S. aureus, the growth and enterotoxin production of three enterotoxin A producing strains of S. aureus (one ATCC strain and two field strains) in canned meat before sterilisation was investigated at three different temperatures (37, 20 and 10 &#176;C). Two types of meat were used, one with and one without sodium nitrite. In the canned products, the spiked bacteria spread throughout the meat and reached high levels. Enterotoxin production was shown to start 10 hours after incubation at 37 &#176;C and after 48 h after incubation at 20 &#176;C; the production of enterotoxin was always detected in the transition between the exponential and the stationary growth phase. At 10 &#176;C, the enterotoxin was never detected. The statistical analysis of the data showed that the difference between the two different types of meat was not statistically significant (p value &gt; 0.05). Since it is well known that following heat treatment, staphylococcal enterotoxins, although still active (in in vivo assays), can be undetectable (loss of serological recognition) depending on the food matrix and pH, it is quite difficult to foresee the impact of heat treatment on enterotoxin activity. Therefore, although the bacteria are eliminated, the toxins may remain and cause food poisoning. The significance of the results of this study towards implementing good manufacturing practices and hazard analysis critical control points in a canned meat factory are discussed with reference to the management of pre-retorting steps after seaming

Prevalence of Helminths in Small Ruminant Farms and Evaluation of Control Practices Used to Counter Anthelmintic Resistance in Southern Italy

Anthelmintic resistance in small ruminants is a serious worldwide problem. To reduce their spread, it is essential to know the prevalence of helminths on farms and the control practices adopted. As these studies in the Calabria region of southern Italy are fragmentary and outdated, a study on the prevalence of helminths in small ruminant holdings in this area has been conducted. The measures implemented to control helminths were also evaluated through questionnaires administered to farmers. In particular, on 90 farms (45 sheep and 45 goats), 1800 faecal samples from 900 sheep and 900 goats were collected in the spring. Using the FLOTAC dual technique, parasitological examinations demonstrated the presence of gastrointestinal nematodes in 100% of sheep and goat farms, followed by Nematodirus spp. (84.44% sheep and 48.89% goats), Moniezia spp. (73.33% sheep and 35.56% goats), Trichuris ovis (48.89% sheep and 42.22% goats), lungworms (28.89% sheep and 42.22% goats), Strongyloides papillosus (40% sheep and 26.67% goats), Dicrocoelium dendriticum (13.33% sheep and 26.67% goats), Calicophoron daubneyi (6.67% sheep and 31.11% goats), Fasciola hepatica (6.67% sheep and 4.44% goats), and Skrjabinema ovis (4.44% sheep and goats). The questionnaires showed that 82% and 85% of the farmers had applied pasture rotation, and that 93.3% and 86.6% had used anthelmintics in the previous year for sheep and goats, respectively. Only 24.4% of sheep farmers and 11.3% of goat farmers had carried out parasitological tests prior to treatments. The most used classes of anthelmintics were macrocyclic lactones and benzimidazoles, and only in 21.6% and 15.6%, for sheep and goats, respectively, was drug rotation carried out. These results denote that helminths represent a health problem for small ruminants and highlight a lack of knowledge of parasite control strategies among farmers. In these conditions, anthelmintic resistance phenomena could develop over time. Therefore, it is necessary to implement all possible strategies for the control of helminths, and to prevent the spread of anthelmintic resistance phenomena on farms in southern Italy

Hive Products: Composition, Pharmacological Properties, and Therapeutic Applications

Beekeeping provides products with nutraceutical and pharmaceutical characteristics. These products are characterized by abundance of bioactive compounds. For different reasons, honey, royal jelly, propolis, venom, and pollen are beneficial to humans and animals and could be used as therapeutics. The pharmacological action of these products is related to many of their constituents. The main bioactive components of honey include oligosaccharides, methylglyoxal, royal jelly proteins (MRJPs), and phenolics compounds. Royal jelly contains jelleins, royalisin peptides, MRJPs, and derivatives of hydroxy-decenoic acid, particularly 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), which possess antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, neuromodulatory, metabolic syndrome-preventing, and anti-aging properties. Propolis has a plethora of activities that are referable to compounds such as caffeic acid phenethyl ester. Peptides found in bee venom include phospholipase A2, apamin, and melittin. In addition to being vitamin-rich, bee pollen also includes unsaturated fatty acids, sterols, and phenolics compounds that express antiatherosclerotic, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, the constituents of hive products are particular and different. All of these constituents have been investigated for their properties in numerous research studies. This review aims to provide a thorough screening of the bioactive chemicals found in honeybee products and their beneficial biological effects. The manuscript may provide impetus to the branch of unconventional medicine that goes by the name of apitherapy