Giovanni Niero, Claudio Cipolat-Gotet, Giorgia Stocco
et al.
Among κ-CN variants in milk, κ-CN B is the most reactive to chymosin activity, enhancing the quality, profitability, and sustainability of the final cheese product. The aim of this study was to assess the agreement between reverse phase HPLC (RP-HPLC) reference method and a rapid ELISA technique for the quantification of κ-CN B in individual bovine milk samples. Chromatographic and immunoenzymatic analyses were performed on individual milk samples from 933 Brown Swiss cows, with κ-CN B expressed as (1) milligrams per milliliter of milk, (2) percentage of κ-CN B over total milk protein content, and (3) grams of κ-CN B yielded on a milking event. The agreement between κ-CN B phenotypes measured through RP-HPLC and ELISA was evaluated through r and z-scores. Results suggested a general agreement between the 2 techniques, with r ranging from 0.88 for κ-CN B expressed in milligrams per milliliter and as a percentage to 0.90 for κ-CN B expressed in grams. This is further supported by relatively low z-scores (<0.5), which suggested the absence of significant differences between the values obtained from RP-HPLC and ELISA. Observed discrepancies were likely because ELISA does not provide quantitative results for concentrations of κ-CN B >10 mg/mL, and to the limited sensitivity of the ELISA at low concentrations of κ-CN B. Overall, findings of the present study demonstrated a strong agreement between the 2 techniques.
Simple Summary In the Mediterranean area, where dairy sheep and goats are widespread, the use of by-products in the diet of small ruminants is an ancient practice. Today the great availability of industrial by-products produced at the local level (e.g., grape, olive, tomato and myrtle residues), appears to be a promising strategy for reducing competition with human edible foods and the cost of off-farm produced feeds since they are imported worldwide. Moreover, these co-feeds can contribute to reducing the ecological and water footprint associated with crop cultivation. The presence of bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, confers added value to these materials. Several positive aspects are apparent when such by-products are included in the diets of small dairy ruminants, in particular on ruminal metabolism, animal health, and the quality of derived products. Abstract Recently, the interest in industrial by-products produced at the local level in Mediterranean areas, resulting from fruit and vegetable processes, has increased because of their considerable amounts of bioactive compounds, including polyphenols. In this review, we analyze the most recent scientific results concerning the use of agro-industrial by-products, naturally rich in polyphenols (BPRP), in the diets of small dairy ruminants. Effects on milk production, milk and rumen liquor fatty acid profile, metabolic parameters, and methane production are reviewed. The feed intake and digestibility coefficients were generally depressed by BPRP, even though they were not always reflected in the milk yield. The main observed positive effects of BPRP were on quality of the milk’s FA profile, antioxidant activity in milk and blood, a reduction of rumen ammonia, and, consequently, a reduction of milk and blood urea. The expected beneficial effects of dietary polyphenols in small ruminants were not always observed because of their complex and variable matrices. However, owing to the large quantities of these products available at low prices, the use of BPRB in small ruminant nutrition offers a convenient solution to the valorization of residues arising from agricultural activities, reducing feed costs for farmers and conferring added value to dairy products at the local level, in a sustainable way.
Increase in allergenicity towards cow’s milk, lactose intolerance, the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia, and flexitarian choice of food consumption have increased the market for cow’s milk alternatives. Non-dairy plant-based beverages are useful alternatives because of the presence of bioactive components with health-promoting properties, which attract health-conscious consumers. However, the reduced nutritional value and sensory acceptability of the plant-based beverages (such as flavor, taste, and solubility) compared to cow’s milk pose a big threat to its place in the market. Thermal treatments are commonly used to ensure the quality of plant-based beverages during storage. However, the application of high temperatures can promote the degradation of thermolabile compounds and some detrimental reactions, thus reducing protein digestibility and amino acid availability of non-dairy plant-based beverages substitutes. New and advanced food processing technologies, such as high-pressure processing, high-pressure homogenization, pulsed electric fields, and ultrasound, are being researched for addressing the issues related to shelf life increase, emulsion stability, preservation of nutritional content and sensorial acceptability of the final product. However, the literature available on the application of non-thermal processing technologies on the physicochemical and nutritional properties of plant-based beverages is scarce. Concerted research efforts are required in the coming years in the functional plant-based beverages sector to prepare newer, tailor-made products which are palatable as well as nutritionally adequate.
ABSTRACT: Our objective was to evaluate how feeding colostrum at different volumes at the first feeding affects IgG absorption, gastric emptying, and calf behavior. Female Holstein calves (n = 88) were enrolled in a randomized block design to receive a single colostrum volume corresponding to 6%, 8%, 10%, or 12% of birth body weight (BBW). A subset of animals in 8 blocks (n = 32 calves) also received a gastric emptying marker acetaminophen (Ac) at a dose of 150 mg/kg metabolic body weight (BBW0.75). Colostrum was administered within 2 h of birth via esophageal tube feeder. Blood samples were collected before (0 h) and 24 h after feeding. For the calves receiving Ac, plasma samples were also collected at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 48 h after feeding. Colostrum and 24-h serum IgG concentrations were measured using radial immunodiffusion. Apparent efficiency of absorption (AEA) was calculated from 24-h serum IgG concentrations. Plasma Ac concentration was determined using an enzymatic colorimetric assay, and the proportion of Ac remaining in the stomach (Acs) at 8 h was modeled. Audio and video recordings of calf behavior during the first 2 h after feeding were analyzed with a custom ethogram. Data analysis was performed using mixed models or Fisher's exact tests as appropriate. Results are reported as LSM with 95% CI unless otherwise specified. The mean (range) BBW of calves was 40.0 (31.8–49.1) kg. Pooled colostrum had a median (range) Brix value of 24.2% (21.2%–29.6%) and IgG concentrations of 86.7 g/L (73.2–121.1 g/L). Calves in the 6%, 8%, 10%, and 12% groups were fed median (range) colostrum volumes (L) of 2.3 (2.0–2.8), 3.1 (2.5–3.9), 4.0 (3.5–4.5), and 4.8 (4.2–5.6), respectively. The 24-h serum IgG concentrations (g/L) were lowest in the 6% group (28.8 [25.8–31.8]), increased to 37.4 (34.4–40.4) in the 8% group, and were highest in the 10% and 12% groups (41.1 [38.1–44.1] and 43.4 [40.4–46.4], respectively). Group differences were observed for AEA (%), which gradually declined with an increasing feeding rate and was highest in the 6% and 8% groups (47.8 [44.9–50.7] and 46.2 [43.3–49.0], respectively), declined to 41.0 (38.1–43.9) in the 10% group, and was lowest at 36.3 (33.5–39.2) in the 12% group. At 8 h, Acs (%) was 50.4 (43.8–57.0), 55.3 (49.2–61.5), 57.9 (51.8–64.0), and 65.5 (59.2–71.8) of the original dose in the 6%, 8%, 10%, and 12% groups, respectively. Group differences in behavior were identified for kicking, a colic-like behavior, which was observed only in the 10% (n = 21 kicks total) and 12% (n = 40 kicks total) groups. Feeding a single colostrum meal equivalent to 8% or 10% of BBW within 2 h after birth offers a compromise in terms of IgG absorption, gastric emptying, and calf behavior. A larger volume (12% BBW) resulted in marginal improvement in serum IgG concentration, reduced AEA and gastric emptying, and was associated with increased colic-like behaviors.
The article explores methods for detecting residues of inhibitory substances (ISRs) in raw cow's milk, with a particular focus on antibiotics that may enter milk as a result of treating animals. The presence of ISRs in milk has a significant impact on both consumer health and the efficiency of the dairy industry, as antibiotics can interfere with milk processing technologies. The study utilized various techniques to analyze milk samples collected from dairy farms in the Kursk region, including selective rapid tests such as Twinsensor BT and SNAP b-lactam, broad-spectrum tests like Delvotest T and Eclipse, as well as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that Twinsensor BT demonstrated high accuracy in detecting beta-lactam and tetracycline antibiotic residues, identifying inhibitory substances in 16.7% of milk samples. The SNAP b-lactam test confirmed these findings, detecting 13.3% of positive samples. Broad-spectrum tests like Delvotest T and Eclipse exhibited even greater sensitivity, with positive results obtained in 20% and 16.7% of samples, respectively. The ELISA confirmed the presence of antibiotics such as streptomycin and penicillin, detecting residues in 13.3% of samples. Overall, approximately 20% of the tested milk samples contained ISR residues, highlighting the need for stricter control over the use of antibiotics in veterinary practice and regular monitoring of dairy products at all stages of production. The importance of using multiple detection methods to obtain the most accurate data on milk contamination with inhibitory substances is also a key conclusion of the study. The results indicate a high prevalence of antibiotic residues in milk, which may adversely affect its processing and safety. The Delvotest T and Eclipse tests were found to be the most effective in detecting a wide range of inhibitory substances, confirming their importance for monitoring. The data emphasize the need for stricter measures to control the use of veterinary drugs in dairy farming.
Ariane Rolins de Santana, Daniel Lucino Silva dos Santos, Ana Maria de Souza Almeida
et al.
ABSTRACT: This research detected Listeria monocytogenes in samples of animal origin and equipment from processing industries using Real-Time PCR and VIDAS LMO 2 techniques. We analyzed 248 samples collected in dairy products, chicken meat, frozen, beef cuts, mechanically deboned chicken meat, fresh giblets, processed meat products and equipment of Brazilian processing plants. The microorganism was detected in 7.3% (18/248) of samples associating the two methodologies, in 6.4% (16/248) by Real-Time PCR and 4.0% (10/248) by the other method. L. monocytogenes was detected in 3.1% (3/95) of dairy products, 4.0% (3/74) of chicken meat, 84.6% (11/13) mechanically deboned chicken meat and 8.3% (1/12) processed meat products. The positive samples included mozzarella, fresh Minas cheese, chicken meat cut, mechanically deboned chicken meat, fresh chicken sausage. The bacteria were absent in frozen, beef cuts and equipment food processing industry samples. The presence of the bacteria in cheeses, chicken meats, and sausages indicated that these foods can pose risks to public health and emphasizes the need to implement control measures during processing. Equally worrying is the presence of the microorganism in mechanically deboned chicken meat and in the raw material for countless processed meat products.
ABSTRACT: Heavy metal contamination is a serious food safety issue. Herein, we report a rapid, multiplexed, and naked-eye-readable method for detecting heavy metal pollution in food samples, including milk, using an inexpensive colorimetric paper. We leverage the urease catalysis reaction to amplify the presence of the heavy metal ions Hg2+ and Pb2+ by exploiting their strong inhibitory effect on urease. Integrating with a paper-folding strategy, the visual assay realizes rapid detection of over 10 samples within 5 min. It allowed detection of Hg2+ as low as 0.1 nM and Pb2+ as low as 2 μM. Results can be visually interpreted with the naked eye or a smartphone, making it practical for on-site testing and ensuring the safety of dairy products against metal contamination.
ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of early castration and eucalyptus oil (EUC) supplementation on dry matter intake (DMI), growth performance, and immune response of Holstein calves. Fifty-six male Holstein calves 52 d old and with an initial body weight (BW) of 63.5 ± 5.27 kg were used. The animals were blocked by BW and randomly assigned into 1 of the 4 treatment groups in a randomized complete block design with a 2 (no castration vs. castration) × 2 (without vs. with EUC) factorial arrangement of treatments. The treatments were (1) uncastrated calves fed without EUC, (2) uncastrated calves fed 0.5 g/d EUC (EUC group), (3) castrated calves (steers) fed without EUC (castrated group), and (4) steers fed with 0.5 g/d EUC (castrated + EUC). The experiment was 8 wk long, including pre- and postweaning (weaned at 72 d). The EUC × castrated interactions were not significant for DMI, growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and immune response. Castration did not affect the DMI, final BW, average daily gain (ADG), or feed efficiency, except that the ADG was greater for bull calves than for steers at postweaning. Supplementation with EUC increased DMI pre- and postweaning and increased the ADG of weaned calves. Digestibility in the total digestive tract was not affected by castration (except for organic matter digestibility), whereas adding EUC improved the digestibility of dry matter, acid detergent fiber, and crude protein. Blood concentration of IL-6 at d 94 was decreased by feeding EUC. These results indicate that the EUC could be fed to either intact or castrated dairy calves to promote growth and health postweaning; castration before weaning may reduce ADG and cause inflammatory stress without affecting feed intake or feed efficiency.
EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP), Claude Lambré, José Manuel Barat Baviera
et al.
Abstract The food enzyme bacillolysin (EC 3.4.24.28) is produced with the non‐genetically modified Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain GNP by DSM Food Specialties B.V. The production strain qualifies for the qualified presumption of safety (QPS) approach to safety assessment. The food enzyme is intended to be used in nine food manufacturing processes: processing of cereals and other grains for the production of baked products, cereal‐based products other than baked, brewed products and distilled alcohol; processing of dairy products for the production of flavouring preparation and modified milk proteins; processing of meat and fish products for the production of protein hydrolysates; processing of plant‐ and fungal‐derived products for the production of protein hydrolysates and plant‐based analogues of milk and milk products. Since the food enzyme–total organic solids (TOS) is not carried into distilled alcohols, dietary exposure was estimated only to the remaining eight food processes. Exposure was estimated to be up to 17.934 mg TOS/kg body weight per day in European populations. As the production strain qualifies for the QPS approach to safety assessment and no issue of concern arose from the production process, no toxicological studies other than the assessment of allergenicity were required. A search for the similarity of the amino acid sequence of the food enzyme to known allergens was made and no match was found. The Panel considered that the risk of allergic reactions upon dietary exposure cannot be excluded (except for distilled alcohol production), but the likelihood is low. Based on the data provided, the Panel concluded that this food enzyme does not give rise to safety concerns, under the intended conditions of use.
Nutrition. Foods and food supply, Chemical technology
Daniela E. Ilie, Aurelia Sălăjeanu, Anuța Magdin
et al.
The primary goal of dairy industry has been to identify an efficient and economical way of increasing milk production and its constituents without increasing the size of the dairy herd. The use of milk protein polymorphisms as detectable molecular markers has been studied intensively because of their effect on the yield and processing properties of milk and its products. Thus, molecular markers are promising alternative to the current methods of trait selection once these genes are proven to be associated with traits of interest in animals. Kappa-casein (CSN3) and beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) are two of the most important proteins in the milk of mammals that play a crucial role in the milk quality and coagulation, an essential process for cheese and butter. The A and B variant of k-casein and β-lactoglobulin were distinguished by Polymerase Chain Reaction and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis in 108 Romanian Simmental and 60 Holstein Friesian cattle.
M. Zhou, P.W.G. Groot Koerkamp, T.T.T. Huynh
et al.
ABSTRACT: The effects of ambient temperature (AT) on total evaporative water loss from dairy cows at different relative humidity (RH) and air velocity (AV) levels were studied. Twenty Holstein dairy cows with an average parity of 2.0 ± 0.7 and body weight of 687 ± 46 kg participated in the study. Two climate-controlled respiration chambers were used. The experimental indoor climate was programmed to follow a diurnal pattern with AT at night being 9°C lower than during the day. Night AT was gradually increased from 7 to 21°C and day AT was increased from 16°C to 30°C within an 8-d period, both with an incremental change of 2°C/d. The effect of 3 RH levels with a diurnal pattern were studied as well, with low values during the day and high values during the night: low (day, 30%; night, 50%), medium (day, 45%; night, 70%), and high (day, 60%; night, 90%). The effects of AV were studied during the daytime at 3 levels: no fan (0.1 m/s), fan at medium speed (1.0 m/s), and fan at high speed (1.5 m/s). The medium and high AV levels were only combined with medium RH. In total, there were 5 treatments with 4 replicates each. The animals had free access to feed and water. Based on the water balance principle inside the respiration chambers, the total evaporative water loss from dairy cows at a daily level was quantified by measuring the mass of water in the incoming and outgoing air, condensed water, added water from a humidifier, and evaporative water from a wet floor, drinking bowl, manure reservoir, and water bucket. Water evaporation from a sample skin area was measured with a ventilated skin box, and water evaporation, through respiration with a face mask. The results show that RH/AV levels had no significant effect on total evaporative water loss, whereas the interaction effect between RH/AV with AT was significant. Cows at a high RH had a tendency for a lower increasing rate of evaporative water loss compared with cows at a low RH (0.61 vs. 0.79 kg/d per 1°C increase of AT). Cows at medium and high AV levels had a greater increasing rate than cows at low AV (0.91 and 0.95 vs. 0.71 kg/d per 1°C increase of AT, respectively). The increase of evaporative heat loss from dairy cows was mainly a result of the increase in evaporation (of sweat) from the skin. The skin water evaporation determined with the water balance method (less evaporation from respiration) and the ventilated skin box method showed no significant difference. The implication of this study is that cows at a high AT depend mainly on evaporative cooling from the skin. The ventilated skin box method, measuring only a small part of the skin during a short period during the day, can be a convenient and accurate way to determine the total cutaneous evaporative water loss from cows.
Robert Charles Schell, Ece Bulut, Hannah Padda
et al.
ABSTRACT: Concerns about antibiotic resistant infections in the United States have called for reduction of antibiotic use in livestock, including dairy cattle. Although effective in curbing antibiotic use, universal organic dairy farming would be impractical and unattainable due to its high land and premium demands. The US Department of Agriculture's organic certification, which completely eliminates antibiotic use in milk production, also raises animal welfare concerns, as it could discourage the use of antibiotics even to treat indicated diseases. Therefore, a proposed alternative for US consumers is a label indicating the responsible antibiotic use (RAU) – not complete elimination – that would minimize antibiotics more than conventional (unlabeled) milk and maximize animal welfare more than organic milk. Our goal was to determine consumers' (1) self-reported preference and (2) willingness to pay for this hypothetical RAU label of milk relative to existing substitutes in organic and unlabeled fluid milk. We conducted (1) a nationally representative survey of US adults and (2) a randomized non-hypothetical experimental Becker-Degroot-Marschak auction with real money and real milk. Although almost half of the survey participants (48.5%) responded that they would buy a RAU-labeled milk, consumers in the experimental auction refused to pay a significant premium for the milk compared with unlabeled milk (mean willingness to pay (95% confidence interval) per half-gallon: $1.92 ($1.65–$2.19) for RAU-labeled milk versus $1.86 ($1.58–$2.13) for unlabeled milk). These results suggest that consumers' survey-identified preferences for RAU-labeled milk could reflect either social desirability bias or a genuine preference for which, however, consumers simply will not pay a significant premium. The study provides preliminary data for future exploration of marketability of the proposed RAU label in the United States and demonstrates the benefits of using complementary survey and experimental auction approaches to understand the potential market for a new dairy product.
ABSTRACT: The demand for commercially available human breast milk has significantly increased in recent years. For various reasons, a significant amount of commercially available human breast milk is being adulterated with other types of milk. This fraudulent practice poses a threat to consumers' health due to potential adulterants such as cow milk, which may put the infant at risk due to intolerance or allergy. A direct sandwich anti-bovine IgG ELISA has been developed for the sensitive and specific detection of cow milk in adulterated human breast milk. This assay uses polyclonal anti-bovine IgG antibody as a capture antibody and monoclonal anti-bovine IgG-alkaline phosphatase antibody as a detection antibody. Once optimized, the assay was found to be highly sensitive, and specific to bovine IgG. The assay had no significant cross-reaction with human breast milk, indicating that it was highly specific. The anti-bovine IgG ELISA was able to detect the presence of cow milk in adulterated human breast milk with a detection limit of 0.001% cow milk. The developed assay was highly reproducible (coefficient of variation <10%). The developed direct sandwich anti-bovine IgG ELISA is simple, reliable, and reproducible, making it an ideal test for this purpose.
Hussaini Yusuf Ibrahim, Umar Ibrahim, Abdullahi Abubakar Khidir
et al.
The study analyzed farmers' level of adoption and perception of phosphorus based fertilizers for cowpea production in Katsina state, Nigeria. A total of 153 cowpea farmers were sampled using a multi-stage sampling technique. Primary data was utilized in the study. The data was collected using a structured questionnaire by trained enumerators. Descriptive statistics, Kendalls’ coefficient of concordance and acceptability index were employed for data analysis. The results showed that the mean age for cowpea farmers was 41 years. Distribution of the respondents by gender reveals that 85.6% were males and the remaining 14.4% were females. The result of farmers’ perception of phosphorus-based fertilizer used shows a moderate agreement of 0.30 which indicates different perceptions among respondents. The study further revealed that the acceptability index of 6.54% was very alarming because cowpea farmers committed a small portion of their farmland toward adopting the technology. The level of knowledge of the cowpea farmers on phosphorus based fertilizers was very low, leading to a very low level of acceptance of phosphorus fertilizers in the study area. It was recommended that be made available and affordable to the cowpea farmers as this will increase the rate of technology adoption in the study area.
Abstract High-pressure processing (HPP), microwaves (MW) and ultrasound (US) are used for pasteurization with minimum heat input. They also alter physico-chemical properties of milk proteins and enzymes. This article aims at identifying the important changes in milk proteins imparted by these three processing technologies. HPP dissociates casein micelles at low pH ( 400 MPa). MW treatment denatures whey proteins rapidly, even below their thermal denaturation temperatures. High-power MW treatment (e.g. 60 kW) deactivates enzymes by denaturing them. However, low-power controlled MW irradiation (e.g. 30 W) improves enzyme activity. Ultrasound can homogenize protein aggregates in dairy systems and cause whey protein denaturation. Sonication under applied pressure and heat (e.g. 3.5 kg/cm2, 126.5 °C) causes enzyme inhibition while mild sonication conditions can improve enzyme activity. Industrial relevance HPP, MW and US are gaining popularity in the dairy industry due to their ability to pasteurize and functionalize dairy streams with minimal heat input. This review offers insights into how these technologies can be used in isolation or in combination to alter milk proteins and enzyme activity for different academic and industrial applications. However, to fully understand the potential of HPP, MW and US treatment on dairy systems, further research is required in several areas including health related nutritional changes in milk and milk products caused by these technologies.