Effect of Packaging Type and Aging on the Meat Quality Characteristics of Water Buffalo Bulls

The present study determined the effect of the packaging type and aging time on the meat quality of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bulls. A total of n = 36 longissimus lumborum (LL) muscles from n = 18 buffalo bulls were obtained. Half LL muscles were packed in modified atmosphere packaging (Hi-O2 MAP), vacuum packaging (VP), and oxygen-permeable packaging (OP) on day 1, while the other half were aged for 7 days. Meat instrumental color, cooking loss, Warner–Bratzler shear force (WBSF), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) of the LL steaks were analyzed, both on unaged and aged buffalo meat. Color CIE L* and C* values on all display days and a* on the first 4 days of the simulated retail display under Hi-O2 MAP packaging were significantly higher than those of the VP and OP. WBSF and TBARS values were also higher under Hi-O2 MAP as compared to the other packaging. Steaks under OP exhibited lower cooking loss but higher TVB-N values than the MAP and VP. The 7-day-aged buffalo meat indicated higher instrumental color (L*, a* and C*), cooking loss, and lower WBSF values than fresh meat. This study concluded that Hi-O2 MAP improved the color; however, it negatively influenced the buffalo meat’s WBSF and TBAR values. Furthermore, VP and aging were the most effective in decreasing the WBSF values of buffalo meat.

Agronomic and sensory evaluation of lettuce in hydroponic system

Lettuce is the most important leafy vegetable in Brazil. Hydroponic lettuce cultivation has grown due to the viability of harvesting throughout the year. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the agronomic characteristics, color, and preference of curly lettuce in the NFT hydroponic system. Six lineages (6601-1A, 6601-2L, 7016-6A, 7119-1B, 7223-1A, and 7224-4A) and two commercial cultivars (Brida and Vanda) of lettuce were used, in a completely randomized blocks design with four replications. Shoot length, root length, stem length, number of leaves, stem diameter, plant diameter, shoot fresh mass, root fresh mass, chlorophyll content, instrumental color, and sensory characteristics were evaluated. As for agronomic evaluation, the bolting of 6601-2L lettuce was relevant in different attributes. The Vanda lettuce and the lineage 7016-6A presented best performances for shoot fresh mass (399.44 and 378.63 g, respectively), while the lineages 7119-1B and 6601-2L present the worst performance (279.50 and 273.13 g, respectively). There was variation in chlorophyll content and luminosity, however, the evaluators did not notice differences between lettuces for brightness or green color, as well as for crunchy texture. Lettuces 6601-2L, 7224-4A, 6601-1A, Brida, 7223-1A, and 7119-1B were preferred. The variation among plants may be due to different situations, such as harvesting times and bolting, and a direct relationship between agronomic properties and preference among lettuces has not been established yet.

Incorporation of Sukkari Date in Probiotic-Enriched Fermented Camel Milk Improves the Nutritional, Physicochemical, and Organoleptical Characteristics

Camel milk and dates are well-known for their great nutritional and therapeutical benefits. Therefore, the study aimed to combine the benefits of fermented camel milk (FCM) and Sukkari date (SKD) in a naturally sweetened FCM. Six treatments of FCM using ABT-5 cultures with 0, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, and 15% SKD were carried out. Chemical, physicochemical, rheological properties were studied, while organoleptical attributes and probiotic strains viability were monitored during cold storage (4 °C) up to 15 days. Results showed that fortification with SKD increased total solids (TS), ash, dietary fiber, and carbohydrate content compared to plain FCM. Water holding capacity (WHC) values increased with low and medium SKD levels then decreased with high SKD levels. Minerals such as K, P, Mg, Zn, Fe, and Cu were significantly increased, while Na was significantly decreased. Increased SKD levels in FCM resulted in significant increases in total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoids (TF), total flavonols (TFL), and antioxidant activity (AOA). Instrumental color analysis exhibited a significant change in L*, b*, BI, and ∆E due to adding SKD in a dose-dependent manner. The viability of Streptococcus thermophiles, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Bifidobacterium bifidum was increased by adding low and medium SKD levels, resulting in a higher number than the accepted threshold for a probiotic effect. Adding 10 and 12.5% SKD recorded the best-balanced flavor score at the beginning and after up to 15 days of storage, respectively. Conclusively, the current study revealed that fortification with SKD at 7.5–12.5% improved the nutritional quality without adverse effects on the technological, organoleptic characteristics, and probiotics viability and provided acceptable, nutritious, and healthy benefits to FCM.

The threshold of color inconstancy

Color inconstancy refers to significant changes in the perceived color of an object across two or more different lighting conditions, such as daylight and incandescent light. This research focusses on defining the threshold of color inconstancy between generated D65 and A illumination through a psychophysical experiment. Although modern color appearance models provide equations to calculate the degree of adaptation, a neutral grey match experiment was completed to produce a more accurate D values for the experimental viewing conditions. Like setting an instrumental color tolerance experiment, a second, sorting, experiment was used to define the threshold of color inconstancy. This threshold is the color shift, expressed in color difference terms, required for observers to notice a color change across changes in illumination. In addition, the tolerance ellipsoid for each Munsell principal hue group was also established.

Effect of Natural Sorbents in the Diet of Fattening Pigs on Meat Quality and Suitability for Processing

The effect of three natural sorbents added to the diet of pigs on the composition and physicochemical properties of two skeletal muscles—the musculus longissimus lumborum (MLL) and musculus semimembranosus (MSM) of crossbred pigs were evaluated. The experiment was carried out on a farm in two production cycles. The addition of biochar (trial 1) significantly influenced instrumental color parameters, shear force and energy, and the oxidative stability of the skeletal muscles, while the proximate composition, pH, texture, and water-holding capacity (WHC) parameters did not differ significantly between groups in either of the two muscles. Similarly, no statistical differences were noted in the proximate chemical composition, texture parameters, or WHC of the meat in trial 2. The addition of both sorbents was associated with a significantly (p ≤ 0.01) lower content of haem pigments in the MLL and MSM, which was accompanied by a significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher lightness (L*). Moreover, the MLL muscle of the pigs had higher oxidative stability, as well as lower drip loss (DL). In turn, the MSM of pigs had a significantly lower pH compared to the control group, however, the ultimate pH (48 h) in all groups was within the acceptable range (5.50–5.80). Summing up, the sorbents used are a safe ingredient in the diet of pigs, however, there is a need to continue and strengthen this line of research, including the relationships linking the future production goals of pig farming and processing potential in the meat industry with current climate policy.

209 The Effect of Waiting Time at the Lairage of Slaughterhouse of Holstein Bulls After a Short Transport on Animal Behavior, Carcass Quality and Meat Quality

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of waiting time at the lairage before slaughter in Holstein bulls after a short transport. Half of the bulls of each transport (n = 8 transports; n = 48 ± 4 bulls/transport) were distributed in two treatments: short waiting time (SWT; < 2h; n = 200) and long waiting time (LWT; from 4 to 8h; n = 184). Behavior of LWT animals was observed with a 15 min scan sampling at the lairage pens. Hot carcass weight (HCW), conformation, fatness and pH in Longissimus dorsi (LD) at the 4th-5th lumbar vertebra between 30 and 36 h postmortem was registered. A caudal section of LD was collected for meat quality evaluation in a subset of 24 animals selected based on HCW and meat pH. Each loin was cut in 5 slices, one to determine instrumental color after 30 min blooming, and the others were disposed to evaluate microbiology (1, 5, 8 and 12 d) and color stability (1 to 12 d). Data were analyzed using mixed models with repeated measures. The percentage of animals standing with LWT treatment decreased (P < 0.001) with waiting time (100% and 64%, 1 h and 6 h, respectively). Meat pH was greater (P < 0.01) for SWT (5.6 ± 0.02) compared with LWT (5.5 ± 0.02); however, the percentage of carcass classified as DFD (pH > 5.7) did not differ between treatments. Lightness (L*) was greater (P < 0.05) for SWT (29.7 ± 0.47) compared with LWT (28.1 ± 0.49). Moreover, on day 12 color stability and enterobacteria count evolved differently (P = 0.09) between treatments. Waiting time below 2 h might impair meat quality as animals might not be able to recover from transport.

Effect of varying salt concentration on iridescence in precooked pork meat

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of salt concentration on meat iridescence in cured cooked pork products. In addition, the influence of nitrite and pigmentary color on iridescence and its visual macroscopic perception was ascertained. Sample cubes from the pigs M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum were salted with either NaCl (20 g/kg, 40 g/kg) or nitrite curing salt (6 g/kg, 20 g/kg, and 40 g/kg) and subsequently cooked. Control samples were not salted. The effects of NaCl and curing salt on iridescence, instrumental color and microstructure were evaluated. Salt treatment significantly (p < 0.05) increased water-holding capacity, mean myofibers diameters and iridescence and reduced light scattering (L* value). An iridescence limit was reached with the 20 g/kg salt treatments. No differences between sodium chloride and nitrite curing salt were observed for both visual evaluation and colorimetry of the interference colors. Iridescence increases were attributed to a swelling of the myofilament lattice and thus reduction of intermyofibrillar spaces as well as an optical clearing of the myofibrils by dissolution of myofibrillar proteins that both reduce light scattering and allow more reflectance and interference to occur. Graphic abstract

Repackaging Nitrite-embedded Dark-Cutting Steak in Aerobic Polyvinyl Chloride Film Decrease Surface Redness

Theoverall goal was to evaluate the effects of repackaging nitrite-embeddeddark-cutting steaks in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film on surface color.Dark-cutting beef strip loins (n = 8; pH = 6.39) and USDA Low Choice beef striploins (normal-pH, n = 6) were selected at a commercial packing plant.Dark-cutting loins were bisected and randomly assigned to nonenhanceddark-cutting and enhanced dark-cutting with glucono delta-lactone and rosemarytreatments. Normal-pH and nonenhanced dark-cutting steaks were vacuum packaged (VP)and served as controls, while enhanced dark-cutting steaks were packed innitrite-embedded packaging (NP). Steaks from nonenhanced normal-pH in VP, non-enhanceddark-cutting-VP, and enhanced dark-cutting-NP loins were randomly assigned to3, 6, or 9 d of dark storage. Following dark storage, steaks were repackaged inPVC and displayed for 6 d. The instrumental color, visual color, and aerobicplate count were evaluated for all steaks. &nbsp;Enhanced dark-cutting steaks in nitritepackaging increased (P &lt; 0.05) a* values and nitric oxide myoglobincontent during 24 h of dark storage. Enhanced dark-cutting steaks packaged inNP had greater a* and L* values (P &lt; 0.05) than nonenhanced dark-cutting-VP steaks during darkstorage. Upon repackaging the enhanced dark-cutting steaks from nitritepackaging, nitric oxide myoglobin decreased (P &lt; 0.05) during the first 12 h of display. Loss of nitric oxidemyoglobin corresponds with a darker red appearance, increased surfacediscoloration, and decreased a*values. There were no differences (P&gt; 0.05) in aerobic plate count between enhanced dark-cutting-NP and non-enhanceddark cutting VP steaks during 9 days of dark storage. In conclusion, NPimproved surface redness; however, repackaging enhanced dark-cutting from NP steaksin PVC decreased color stability and redness of dark-cutting beef.&nbsp;