Oleogels as a Promising Alternative to Animal Fat in Saturated Fat-Reduced Meat Products: A Review

The surge in chronic diseases is closely linked to heightened levels of saturated and trans fatty acids in processed foods, particularly meat products. Addressing this concern, various strategies have been employed to alleviate the impact of these detrimental fats. Among these, oleogels have emerged as a novel and promising approach in the food industry. As restructured fat systems, oleogels offer a unique opportunity to enhance the nutritional profile of meat products while providing distinct health and environmental advantages. This comprehensive review explores the transformative role of oleogels as innovative substitutes for traditional animal fats in a variety of meat products. Utilizing materials such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), sterols, beeswax, γ-oryzanol, β-sitosterol, and others, oleogels have been investigated in diverse studies. The examination encompasses their impact on the textural, nutritional, and oxidative dimensions of meat patties, pork patties, pork liver pâtés, beef heart patties, and meat batters. An in-depth exploration is undertaken into the influence of various elements, including the type of oil, gelling agents, and processing methods, on the stability and physicochemical attributes of oleogels. Additionally, the paper scrutinizes the potential effects of oleogels on sensory attributes, texture, and the shelf life of meat products. In conclusion, this collective body of research emphasizes the versatility and efficacy of oleogels as viable replacements for traditional animal fats across a spectrum of meat products. The documented improvements in nutritional quality, oxidative stability, and sensory attributes pave the way for the development of healthier and more sustainable formulations in the meat industry.

Classification of Common Food Lipid Sources Regarding Healthiness Using Advanced Lipidomics: A Four-Arm Crossover Study

Prospective studies have failed to establish a causal relationship between animal fat intake and cardiovascular diseases in humans. Furthermore, the metabolic effects of different dietary sources remain unknown. In this four-arm crossover study, we investigated the impact of consuming cheese, beef, and pork meat on classic and new cardiovascular risk markers (obtained from lipidomics) in the context of a healthy diet. A total of 33 young healthy volunteers (23 women/10 men) were assigned to one out of four test diets in a Latin square design. Each test diet was consumed for 14 days, with a 2-week washout. Participants received a healthy diet plus Gouda- or Goutaler-type cheeses, pork, or beef meats. Before and after each diet, fasting blood samples were withdrawn. A reduction in total cholesterol and an increase in high density lipoprotein particle size were detected after all diets. Only the pork diet upregulated plasma unsaturated fatty acids and downregulated triglycerides species. Improvements in the lipoprotein profile and upregulation of circulating plasmalogen species were also observed after the pork diet. Our study suggests that, within the context of a healthy diet rich in micronutrients and fiber, the consumption of animal products, in particular pork meat, may not induce deleterious effects, and reducing the intake of animal products should not be regarded as a way of reducing cardiovascular risk in young individuals.

Higher Intake of Vegetable Protein and Lower Intake of Animal Fats Reduce the Incidence of Diabetes in Non-Drinking Males: A Prospective Epidemiological Analysis of the Shika Study

Although nutrient intake and alcohol consumption are both closely associated with the incidence of diabetes, their interrelationships remain unclear. Therefore, we herein have investigated the interrelationships among nutrient intake, alcohol consumption, and the incidence of diabetes using longitudinal data. This study included 969 residents ≥40 years living in Japan. In 2011 and 2012, a baseline study was conducted using questionnaires on basic demographics, diabetes, nutrient intake, and lifestyle habits. In 2018 and 2019, a follow-up study was performed using questionnaires and medical records on diabetes. Two-way analysis of covariance (two-way ANCOVA) was used to test the interactions of drinking habits and diabetes incidence on nutrients intake. The prospective relationship between nutrient intake at baseline and the incidence of diabetes in the follow-up stratified by drinkers and non-drinkers was evaluated using multiple logistic regression analysis. Interactions were observed for vegetable protein intake (p = 0.023) and animal fat intake (p = 0.016) in males. Vegetable protein intake negatively correlated with the incidence of diabetes in non-drinkers (odds ratio (OR): 0.208; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.046-0.935; p = 0.041). Furthermore, animal fat intake positively correlated with the incidence of diabetes in non-drinkers (OR: 1.625; 95% CI: 1.020-2.589; p = 0.041). Therefore, vegetable protein and animal fat intakes in combination with drinking habits need to be considered for the prevention of diabetes.

Dietary fat in relation to all-cause mortality and cancer progression and death among people with metastatic colorectal cancer: Data from CALGB 80405 (Alliance)/SWOG 80405

Data on diet and survival among people with metastatic colorectal cancer are limited. We examined dietary fat in relation to all-cause mortality and cancer progression or death among 1149 people in the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (Alliance)/Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) 80405 trial who completed a food frequency questionnaire at initiation of treatment for advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer. We examined saturated, monounsaturated, total and specific types (n-3, long-chain n-3 and n-6) of polyunsaturated fat, animal and vegetable fats. We hypothesized higher vegetable fat intake would be associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality and cancer progression. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Over median follow-up of 6.1 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 5.3, 7.2 y), we observed 974 deaths and 1077 events of progression or death. Participants had a median age of 59 y; 41% were female and 86% identified as White. Moderate or higher vegetable fat was associated with lower risk of mortality and cancer progression or death (HRs comparing second, third and fourth to first quartile for all-cause mortality: 0.74 [0.62, 0.90]; 0.75 [0.61, 0.91]; 0.79 [0.63, 1.00]; P trend: .12; for cancer progression or death: 0.74 [0.62, 0.89]; 0.78 [0.64, 0.95]; 0.71 [0.57, 0.88]; P trend: .01). No other fat type was associated with all-cause mortality and cancer progression or death. Moderate or higher vegetable fat intake may be associated with lower risk of cancer progression or death among people with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Use of Waste Substrates for the Lipid Production by Yeasts of the Genus Metschnikowia-Screening Study

Oleogenic yeasts are characterized by the ability to accumulate increased amounts of lipids under certain conditions. These microbial lipids differ in their fatty acid composition, which allows them to be widely used in the biotechnology industry. The interest of biotechnologists is closely linked to the rising prices of fossil fuels in recent years. Their negative environmental impact is caused by significantly increased demand for biodiesel. The composition of microbial lipids is very similar to vegetable oils, which provides great potential for use in the production of biodiesel. In addition, some oleogenic microorganisms are capable of producing lipids with a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids. The presented paper’s main aim was to study the production of lipids and lipid substances by yeasts of the genus Metschnikowia, to cultivate crude waste animal fat to study its utilization by yeasts, and to apply the idea of circular economy in the biotechnology of Metschnikowia yeasts. The work focuses on the influence of various stress factors in the cultivation process, such as reduced temperature or nutritional stress through the use of various waste substrates, together with manipulating the ratio of carbon and nitrogen sources in the medium. Yeast production properties were monitored by several instrumental techniques, including gas chromatography and Raman spectroscopy. The amount of lipids and in particular the fatty acid composition varied depending on the strains studied and the culture conditions used. The ability of yeast to produce significant amounts of unsaturated fatty acids was also demonstrated in the work. The most suitable substrate for lipid production was a medium containing glycerol, where the amount of accumulated lipids in the yeast M. pulcherrima 1232 was up to 36%. In our work, the crude animal fat was used for the production of high-value lipids, which to the best of our knowledge is a new result. Moreover, quantitative screening of lipase enzyme activity cultivated on animal fat substrate on selected yeasts of the genus Metschnikowia was performed. We found that for the yeast utilizing glycerol, animal fat seems to be an excellent source of carbon. Therefore, the yeast conversion of crude processed animal fat to value-added products is a valuable process for the biotechnology and food industry.

Association of Dietary Nutrient Intake with Early Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Japanese-Americans

Lifestyle factors may be associated with the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), in addition to demographic and genetic factors. The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to elucidate the association between nutrient intake and AMD in the Japanese-American population living in Los Angeles. We conducted a medical survey of Japanese immigrants and their descendants living in Los Angeles, including interviews on dietary habits, fundus photography, and physical examinations. Participants were classified into early AMD and control groups on the basis of fundus photographic findings. Consequently, among the 555 participants, 111 (20.0%) were diagnosed with early AMD. There were no late-stage AMD participants. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the intake of animal fat and saturated fatty acids (SFA) was positively associated with early AMD (p for trend = 0.01 for animal fat, p for trend = 0.02 for SFA), and the intake of vegetable fat, total carbohydrate, simple carbohydrate, sugar, and fructose was inversely associated with early AMD (p for trend = 0.04 for vegetable fat, p for trend = 0.046 for carbohydrate, p for trend = 0.03 for simple carbohydrate, p for trend = 0.046 for sugar, p for trend = 0.02). Our findings suggest that excessive animal fat and SFA intake increases the risk for early AMD in Japanese-Americans whose lifestyles have been westernized.

Effects of Ultrasound-Assisted Emulsification on the Emulsifying and Rheological Properties of Myofibrillar Protein Stabilized Pork Fat Emulsions

The current study aimed to investigate the effects of ultrasound-assisted emulsification on the emulsifying and rheological properties of myofibrillar protein (MP) pork fat emulsions under different protein/fat ratios. Changes in emulsion profile, confocal laser scanning microscope images, cryo-scanning microscope images, particle size, protein solubility, surface hydrophobicity and free sulfhydryl groups were determined. Ultrasound significantly increased the emulsifying activity, the emulsifying stability and the flow index for all emulsions, while it decreased the viscosity coefficient of emulsions except for the treatment of protein/fat ratio of 1:15. The results showed that sonication reduced the particle size of the fat particles and evenly distributed the emulsion droplets. Sonication moved the distribution curve of droplet size to the smaller particle size direction and decreased the D3,2 and D4,3 values of emulsion. Sonication resulted in increased bindings between protein hydrophobic groups and fat particles. After ultrasound treatment, more sulfhydryl groups were exposed to aqueous solution, which might decrease the protein solubility in aqueous solution. Ultrasound-assisted emulsification could directly enhance the emulsifying and rheological properties of MP-stabilized pork fat emulsions at different protein/fat ratios, in particular at the ratio of 1:10.

Animal Fat Intake Is Associated with Albuminuria in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Metabolic Syndrome

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Diet could play a predisposing role in the development of increased albuminuria in patients with NAFLD and MetS; however, published evidence is still limited. The aim of this cross-sectional analysis was to assess whether dietary fats are associated with changes in urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) in 146 patients aged 40–60-years with NAFLD and MetS. Dietary data were collected by food frequency questionnaire; UACR was measured in a single first morning void. Sources and types of dietary fats used in the analysis were total fat, fats from animal and vegetable sources, saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and trans fats. One-way analysis of variance was performed to assess differences in dietary fats intakes across stages of UACR. The association between dietary fats and UACR was assessed by Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multivariable linear regression. Patients with increased UACR showed a worse cardiometabolic profile and higher intakes of animal fat, as compared to patients with normal levels of albuminuria. Animal fat intake was associated with mean UACR, independent of potential covariates.

Signal Enhancement Evaluation of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy of Extracted Animal Fats Using Principal Component Analysis Approach

In this work, principal component analysis (PCA) was utilized to analyze laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) signals of the extracted chicken fat, lamb fat, beef fat, and lard froze using two different freezing methods. The frozen samples were ablated using a neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm, 170 mJ pulse energy, and 6 ns pulse duration to produce plasma on target surfaces. The samples were ablated using 30-60 shots of the laser beam at different spots. Stronger LIBS signals from the extracted chicken fat and lamb fat were obtained with liquid nitrogen (LN₂) method. However, LIBS signals obtained from the freezer freezing method were found to be stronger for extracted beef fat and lard. The PCA was then used to visualize the LIBS spectra of extracted animal fats into a score plot. Data points of each extracted animal fat were divided into three groups representing LIBS spectra collected at the early, middle, and end part of the ablation process. The score plot revealed that the data points of the three groups of frozen extracted animal fats using the LN₂ method were more closely clustered than those frozen in the freezer. Good discrimination with 97% of the variance was achieved between the extracted chicken fat, lamb fat, beef fat, and lard using the LN₂ method in the three-dimensional score plot. LIBS signals of the extracted animal fats produced from the LN₂ method were found to be more stable than those from the freezer method.

Determination of Cyclopropenoid Fatty Acids in Ewe Milk Fat by GC-MS after Intravenous Administration of Sterculic Acid

Cyclopropenoid fatty acids (CPEFA), found in oilseeds from Malvaceae and Sterculiaceae, have been shown to interfere with the endogenous synthesis of several bioactive lipids of dairy fat, such as cis-9, trans-11 18:2 and cis-9 18:1, by inhibiting Δ9-desaturase. No previous study has reported the presence of sterculic acid in animal fat and its incorporation in tissues after its administration, due to the lack of a proper methodology. In the present research, a GC-MS method based on cold base derivatization to fatty acids methylesters was developed to determine CPEFA in ewe milk triglycerides, after infusing sterculic acid (0.5 g/day) to six lactating ewes. An alternative derivatization based on silanyzation followed by GC-MS analysis was also tested, showing its possible applicability when CPEFA are present in the form of free fatty acids. Sterculic acid was detected in ewe milk triglycerides, demonstrating its incorporation from the bloodstream into milk by the mammary gland. The mean transfer rate represented 8.0 ± 1.0% of the daily dose. This study provides, for the first time, the presence of sterculic acid in milk fat, supporting the importance of understanding its occurrence in vivo and encouraging further research to determine whether it can be present in foods, such as dairy products, obtained under practical farming conditions.

The Role of Nutrition in Primary Open Angle Glaucoma: A Multivariate Analysis

Objective: To assess whether dietary habits can be associated with the presence of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), while taking into account hereditary factors and metabolic disease.Methods: A case-control study of 100 POAG patients and 100 controls who were queried on their dietary habits. A nonlinear canonical correlation analysis is employed to assess and plot the relationships between the measured variables.Results: Controls had lower consumption of sweets containing processed sugar and avoided eating visible fat on their meat or meat sausages (which tend to contain high amounts of meat fats not plainly obvious) while consuming pure fruit juice and pears more frequently.Conclusions: Dietary habits and practices may have both research and clinical significance in POAG; Caffeine, processed sugar and animal fat appear to have noteworthy negative effects and while caffeine has been researched extensively, more research is needed in the negative role of the other two factors. Other important dietary factors that may be implicated is fruit fiber and various fruit antioxidants and flavonoids.

Dairy fat intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in 3 cohorts of US men and women

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have examined dairy products with various fat contents in relation to type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk, although data regarding dairy fat intake per se are sparse.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to evaluate the association between dairy fat intake and risk of T2D in 3 prospective cohorts. We also examined associations for isocalorically replacing dairy fat with other macronutrients.

METHODS

We prospectively followed 41,808 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS; 1986-2012), 65,929 women in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS; 1984-2012), and 89,565 women in the NHS II (1991-2013). Diet was assessed quadrennially using validated FFQs. Fat intake from dairy products and other relevant sources was expressed as percentage of total energy. Self-reported incident T2D cases were confirmed using validated supplementary questionnaires. Time-dependent Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the HR for dairy fat intake and T2D risk.

RESULTS

During 4,219,457 person-years of follow-up, we documented 16,511 incident T2D cases. Dairy fat was not associated with risk of T2D when compared with calories from carbohydrates (HR for extreme quintiles: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.95, 1.02). Replacing 5% of calories from dairy fat with other sources of animal fat or carbohydrate from refined grains was associated with a 17% (HR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.13, 1.21) and a 4% (HR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.08) higher risk of T2D, respectively. Conversely, a 5% calorie replacement with carbohydrate from whole grains was associated with a 7% lower risk of T2D (HR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.88, 0.98).

CONCLUSIONS

Dairy fat intake was not associated with T2D risk in these cohort studies of US men and women when compared with calories from carbohydrate. Replacing dairy fat with carbohydrates from whole grains was associated with lower risk of T2D. Replacement with other animal fats or refined carbohydrates was associated with higher risk.

Variations in 25-Hydroxyvitamin D in Countries from the Middle East and Europe: The Roles of UVB Exposure and Diet

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) has been largely associated with latitude and sunshine exposure across several regions. According to previous results, 25(OH)D concentrations are, on average, relatively low in countries with abundant sunshine, including those of the Middle East and North Africa region, as well as lower-latitude Europe. The standard explanation for this phenomenon is that people wear concealing clothing because of cultural and religious practices and that high temperatures in summer limit direct sun exposure. However, the role of diet in the development of profound hypovitaminosis D has not been adequately explored in those countries. To examine how diet affects vitamin D status in the Middle Eastern and European countries, a search was conducted for papers from that region reporting 25(OH)D concentrations. Papers were sought that reported summertime and wintertime 25(OH)D concentrations for healthy nonpregnant adults representative of the entire population. Data from 15 Middle Eastern and European countries were found through this search. Data for postmenopausal women from 19 European countries were also obtained. Dietary supply data for animal products containing vitamin D (animal fat, eggs, ocean fish, animal meat, and milk) were obtained from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Latitude and a solar UVB dose index also were obtained for each country. For the 15-country study, energy from dietary factors was highly correlated with latitude, making it difficult to separate the effects of UVB exposure and dietary factors. However, for the 19-country study, dietary factors were only weakly correlated with latitude. In that study, ocean fish was the most important single dietary factor affecting serum 25(OH)D concentration for postmenopausal women in various European countries, but animal fat and meat also contributed. Because this is an ecological study, further research is encouraged to evaluate and extend the findings.

Monounsaturated fats from plant and animal sources in relation to risk of coronary heart disease among US men and women

Background

Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) improve blood lipid profiles in intervention studies, but prospective evidence with regard to MUFA intake and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk is limited and controversial.

Objective

We investigated the associations of cis MUFA intake from plant (MUFA-P) and animal (MUFA-A) sources with CHD risk separately among 63,442 women from the Nurses' Health Study (1990-2012) and 29,942 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1990-2012).

Design

Intakes of MUFA-Ps and MUFA-As were calculated by using validated food-frequency questionnaires collected every 4 y. Incident nonfatal myocardial infarction and fatal CHD cases (n = 4419) were confirmed by medical record review.

Results

During follow-up, MUFA-Ps and MUFA-As contributed 5.8-7.9% and 4.2-5.4% of energy on average, respectively. When MUFA-Ps were modeled to isocalorically replace other macronutrients, HRs (95% CIs) of CHD were 0.83 (0.68, 1.00) for saturated fatty acids (SFAs; 5% of energy), 0.86 (0.76, 0.97) for refined carbohydrates (5% of energy), and 0.80 (0.70, 0.91) for trans fats (2% of energy) (P = 0.05, 0.01, and 0.001, respectively). For MUFA-As, corresponding HRs (95% CIs) for the same isocaloric substitutions were 1.04 (0.79, 1.38) for SFAs, 1.11 (0.91, 1.35) for refined carbohydrates, and 0.88 (0.77, 1.01) for trans fats (P = 0.76, 0.31, and 0.08, respectively). Given the common food sources of SFAs and MUFA-As (Spearman correlation coefficients of 0.81-0.83 between these groups of fatty acids), we further estimated CHD risk when the sum of MUFA-As and SFAs (5% of energy) was replaced by MUFA-Ps, and found that the HR was 0.81 (95% CI: 0.73, 0.90; P < 0.001) for this replacement.

Conclusions

The largely different associations of MUFA-Ps and MUFA-As with CHD risk suggest that plant-based foods are the preferable sources of MUFAs for CHD prevention. These findings are observational and warrant confirmation in intervention settings. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00005152 and NCT00005182.

The effects of different spices and fat types on the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines in barbecued sucuk

BACKGROUND

Sucuk is one of the popular traditional Turkish meat products. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of different spices (clove, 0.2%; cinnamon, 0.5%) and animal fat types (beef fat, tallow, subcutaneous and tail fat) on the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amine (HCA) in barbecued sucuk.

RESULTS

Although 2-amino-3-methyl-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole (MeAαC) could not be detected in the any of the samples, 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (IQx) (up to 0.54 ng g^-1 ), 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) (up to 5.96 ng g^-1 ), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) (up to 0.21 ng g^-1 ), 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ) (up to 0.34 ng g^-1 ), 2-amino-3,7,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (7,8-DiMeIQx) (up to 0.32 ng g^-1 ), 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-DiMeIQx) (up to 0.19 ng g^-1 ), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) (up to 1.94 ng g^-1 ) and 2-amino-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole (AαC) (up to 0.98 ng g^-1 ) were found in the barbecued sucuk samples.

CONCLUSION

The results of the current study have shown that HCAs could be formed in barbecued sucuk. Total HCA can be affected by adding different fat types; however, adding clove and cinnamon decreased the total HCA content in the subcutaneous fat group of sucuk samples. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Long-term implications of feed energy source in different genetic types of reproductive rabbit females. II. Immunologic status

Genetic selection and nutrition management have played a central role in the development of commercial rabbitry industry over the last few decades, being able to affect productive and immunological traits of the animals. However, the implication of different energy sources in animals from diverse genetic lines achieving such evolutionary success remains still unknown. Therefore, in this work, 203 female rabbits housed and bred in the same conditions were used from their first artificial insemination until their fifth weaning. The animals belonged to three different genetic types diverging greatly on breeding goals (H line, hyper-prolific (n=66); LP line, robust (n=67) and R line, selected for growth rate (n=67), and were assigned to two experimental diets, promoting major differences in energy source (cereal starch or animal fat)). The aims of this work were to: (1) characterize and describe blood leucocyte populations of three lines of rabbit does in different physiological stages during their reproductive period: first artificial insemination, first weaning, second parturition and fifth weaning; and (2) study the possible influence of two different experimental diets on the leucocyte populations in peripheral blood. Flow cytometry analyses were performed on blood samples taken from females at each different sampling stade. Lymphocyte populations at both weanings were characterized by significantly lower counts of total, CD5+ and CD8+ lymphocytes (-19.8, -21.7 and -44.6%; P<0.05), and higher counts of monocytes and granulocytes (+49.2 and +26.2%; P<0.05) than in the other stages. Females had higher blood counts of lymphocytes B, CD8+ and CD25+ and lower counts of CD4+ at first than at fifth weaning (+55.6, +85.8, +57.5, -14.5%; P<0.05). G/L ratio was higher at both weanings (P<0.05), and CD4+/CD8+ ratio increased progressively from the 1AI to the 5 W (P<0.001). Regarding the effect of genetic type in blood leucocyte counts, LP animals presented the highest counts for total, B, CD5+ and CD8+ lymphocytes (+16.7, +31.8, +24.5 and +38.7; P<0.05), but R rabbits showed the highest counts for monocytes and granulocytes (+25.3 and +27.6; P<0.05). The type of diet given during the reproductive life did not affect the leucocyte population counts. These results indicate that there are detectable variations in the leucocyte profile depending on the reproductive stage of the animal (parturition, weaning or none of them). Moreover, foundation for reproductive longevity criteria allows animals to be more capable of adapting to the challenges of the reproductive cycle from an immunological viewpoint.

Long-term implications of feed energy source in different genetic types of reproductive rabbit females: I. Resource acquisition and allocation

To achieve functional but also productive females, we hypothesised that it is possible to modulate acquisition and allocation of animals from different genetic types by varying the main energy source of the diet. To test this hypothesis, we used 203 rabbit females belonging to three genetic types: H (n=66), a maternal line characterised by hyper-prolificacy; LP (n=67), a maternal line characterised by functional hyper-longevity; R (n=79), a paternal line characterised by growth rate. Females were fed with two isoenergetic and isoprotein diets differing in energy source: animal fat (AF) enhancing milk yield; cereal starch (CS) promoting body reserves recovery. Feed intake, weight, perirenal fat thickness (PFT), milk yield and blood traits were controlled during five consecutive reproductive cycles (RCs). Females fed with CS presented higher PFT (+0.2 mm, P0.05), particularly for those fed with AF. Moreover, LP females fed with AF progressively increased PFT across the RC, whereas those fed with CS increased PFT during early lactation (+7.3%; P<0.05), but partially mobilised it during late lactation (-2.8%; P<0.05). Independently of the diet offered, LP females reached weaning with similar PFT. H females fed with either of the two diets followed a similar trajectory throughout the RC. For milk yield, the effect of energy source was almost constant during the whole experiment, except for the first RC of females from the maternal lines (H and LP). These females yielded +34.1% (P<0.05) when fed with CS during this period. Results from this work indicate that the resource acquisition capacity and allocation pattern of rabbit females is different for each genetic type. Moreover, it seems that by varying the main energy source of the diet it is possible to modulate acquisition and allocation of resources of the different genetic types. However, the response of each one depends on its priorities over time.

Candida lipolytica UCP0988 Biosurfactant: Potential as a Bioremediation Agent and in Formulating a Commercial Related Product

The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential application of the biosurfactant from Candida lipolytica grown in low-cost substrates, which has previously been produced and characterized under optimized conditions as an adjunct material to enhance the remediation processes of hydrophobic pollutants and heavy metals generated by the oil industry and propose the formulation of a safe and stable remediation agent. In tests carried out with seawater, the crude biosurfactant demonstrated 80% oil spreading efficiency. The dispersion rate was 50% for the biosurfactant at a concentration twice that of the CMC. The biosurfactant removed 70% of motor oil from contaminated cotton cloth in detergency tests. The crude biosurfactant also removed 30-40% of Cu and Pb from standard sand, while the isolated biosurfactant removed ~30% of the heavy metals. The conductivity of solutions containing Cd and Pb was sharply reduced after biosurfactants' addition. A product was prepared through adding 0.2% potassium sorbate as preservative and tested over 120 days. The formulated biosurfactant was analyzed for emulsification and surface tension under different pH values, temperatures, and salt concentrations and tested for toxicity against the fish Poecilia vivipara. The results showed that the formulation had no toxicity and did not cause significant changes in the tensoactive capacity of the biomolecule while maintaining activity demonstrating suitability for potential future commercial product formulation.

Effect of supplementation of lecithin and carnitine on growth performance and nutrient digestibility in pigs fed high-fat diet

Aim:

To study the effect of dietary supplementation of lecithin and carnitine on growth performance and nutrient digestibility in pigs fed high-fat diet.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 30 weaned female large white Yorkshire piglets of 2 months of age were selected and randomly divided into three groups allotted to three dietary treatments, T1 - Control ration as per the National Research Council nutrient requirement, T2 - Control ration plus 5% fat, and T3 - T2 plus 0.5% lecithin plus 150 mg/kg carnitine. The total dry matter (DM) intake, fortnightly body weight of each individual animal was recorded. Digestibility trial was conducted toward the end of the experiment to determine the digestibility coefficient of various nutrients.

Results:

There was a significant improvement (p<0.01) observed for pigs under supplementary groups T2 and T3 than that of control group (T1) with regards to growth parameters studied such as total DM intake, average final body weight and total weight gain whereas among supplementary groups, pigs reared on T3 group had better intake (p<0.01) when compared to T2 group. Statistical analysis of data revealed that no differences were observed (p>0.05) among the three treatments on average daily gain, feed conversion efficiency, and nutrient digestibility during the overall period.

Conclusion:

It was concluded that the dietary inclusion of animal fat at 5% level or animal fat along with lecithin (0.5%) and carnitine (150 mg/kg) improved the growth performance in pigs than non-supplemented group and from the economic point of view, dietary incorporation of animal fat at 5% would be beneficial for improving growth in pigs without dietary modifiers.

Consumer Acceptability of Intramuscular Fat

Fat in meat greatly improves eating quality, yet many consumers avoid visible fat, mainly because of health concerns. Generations of consumers, especially in the English-speaking world, have been convinced by health authorities that animal fat, particularly saturated or solid fat, should be reduced or avoided to maintain a healthy diet. Decades of negative messages regarding animal fats has resulted in general avoidance of fatty cuts of meat. Paradoxically, low fat or lean meat tends to have poor eating quality and flavor and low consumer acceptability. The failure of low-fat high-carbohydrate diets to curb “globesity” has prompted many experts to re-evaluate of the place of fat in human diets, including animal fat. Attitudes towards fat vary dramatically between and within cultures. Previous generations of humans sought out fatty cuts of meat for their superior sensory properties. Many consumers in East and Southeast Asia have traditionally valued more fatty meat cuts. As nutritional messages around dietary fat change, there is evidence that attitudes towards animal fat are changing and many consumers are rediscovering and embracing fattier cuts of meat, including marbled beef. The present work provides a short overview of the unique sensory characteristics of marbled beef and changing consumer preferences for fat in meat in general.

Dairy fat and risk of cardiovascular disease in 3 cohorts of US adults

BACKGROUND

Few prospective studies have examined dairy fat in relation to cardiovascular disease (CVD).

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to evaluate the association between dairy fat and incident CVD in US adults.

DESIGN

We followed 43,652 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986-2010), 87,907 women in the Nurses' Health Study (1980-2012), and 90,675 women in the Nurses' Health Study II (1991-2011). Dairy fat and other fat intakes were assessed every 4 y with the use of validated food-frequency questionnaires.

RESULTS

During 5,158,337 person-years of follow-up, we documented 14,815 incident CVD cases including 8974 coronary heart disease cases (nonfatal myocardial infarction or fatal coronary disease) and 5841 stroke cases. In multivariate analyses, compared with an equivalent amount of energy from carbohydrates (excluding fruit and vegetables), dairy fat intake was not significantly related to risk of total CVD (for a 5% increase in energy from dairy fat, the RR was 1.02; 95% CI: 0.98, 1.05), coronary heart disease (RR: 1.03; 95% CI: 0.98, 1.09), or stroke (RR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.93, 1.05) (P > 0.05 for all). In models in which we estimated the effects of exchanging different fat sources, the replacement of 5% of energy intake from dairy fat with equivalent energy intake from polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) or vegetable fat was associated with 24% (RR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.71, 0.81) and 10% (RR: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.87, 0.93) lower risk of CVD, respectively, whereas the 5% energy intake substitution of other animal fat with dairy fat was associated with 6% increased CVD risk (RR: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.09).

CONCLUSIONS

The replacement of animal fats, including dairy fat, with vegetable sources of fats and PUFAs may reduce risk of CVD. Whether the food matrix may modify the effect of dairy fat on health outcomes warrants further investigation.

Effect of L-carnitine supplementation on growth performance, nutrient utilization, and nitrogen balance of broilers fed with animal fat

Aim:

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of L-carnitine supplementation on growth performance, nutrient utilization and nitrogen balance in broilers fed with animal fat.

Materials and Methods:

80 day-old Cobb commercial broiler chicks were randomly assigned into two dietary treatment groups with four replicates of ten chicks each. The diets were isonitrogenous and isocaloric. The birds in both the control (T₁) and treatment group (T₂) were fed with a diet having 5% animal fat, while the treatment group (T₂) was supplemented with 900 mg of L-carnitine. The birds were fed with standard broiler starter ration up to 4 weeks of age and finisher ration up to 6 weeks of age.

Results:

The average body weight (g), cumulative feed intake (g) and cumulative feed conversion ratio belonging to groups T₁ and T₂ at 6^th week of age were 2091.25 and 2151.11, 3976.49 and 4171.68, 1.97 and 1.96 respectively. The percentage availability of the nutrients of two experimental rations T₁ and T₂ was 68.23 and 68.00 for dry matter, 58.72 and 55.98 for crude protein, 73.85 and 71.35 for ether extract, 34.19 and 33.86 for crude fiber, 79.18 and 79.59 for nitrogen free extract, 70.24 and 70.03 for energy efficiency and nitrogen balance (g/day) were 2.35 and 2.39, respectively.

Conclusion:

This study suggests that the supplementation of 900 mg L-carnitine in diet with added animal fat had no effect on growth performance, nutrient utilization, and nitrogen balance of broilers.

A novel method of measuring the melting point of animal fats

The melting point (TM) of fat is relevant to health, but available methods of determining TM are cumbersome. One of the standard methods of measuring TM for animal and vegetable fats is the slip point, also known as the open capillary method. This method is imprecise and not amenable to automation or mass testing. We have developed a technique for measuring TM of animal fat using the Rotor-Gene Q (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). The assay has an intra-assay SD of 0.08°C. A single operator can extract and assay up to 250 samples of animal fat in 24 h, including the time to extract the fat from the adipose tissue. This technique will improve the quality of research into genetic and environmental contributions to fat composition of meat.